Page Content
Job profiles
Dental nurse
Hours
30-40 per week
Starting salary
£15,600 + per year
If you're interested in oral health and like science, this job could be perfect for you. Dental nurses help dentists with all aspects of patient care.
This ranges from patients coming for a simple check-up to having advanced specialist treatment.
If you want to be a dental nurse you’ll need a calm and reassuring manner. You’ll need to be able to relate well to people, including children and those with special needs. You’ll also need good teamwork skills.
You may not need any qualifications to start as a trainee dental nurse. However, some employers will prefer you to have four GCSEs including English, maths and science.
WorkDesc
The work
As a dental nurse your work would usually include:
- passing instruments to the dentist, therapist or hygienist
- removing water and saliva from the patient’s mouth during treatment
- preparing materials, for example, to make fillings
- making sure that the patient is relaxed and comfortable at all times.
As well as helping care for patients, you would also:
- tidy and prepare the dental surgery
- sterilise instruments
- keep areas in the surgery sterile
- help the dentist record information about each patient
- carry out stock control.
At a general dental practice, you may also help at the reception area, especially during busy periods. This would involve booking appointments, taking payments for treatment and greeting and reassuring patients.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would normally work from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. You may work outside of these hours if the practice you work for opens during the evening. Part-time work is sometimes available.
You would wear a uniform and surgical gloves for protection. Safety glasses and a mask are also used to reduce the risk of cross-infection.
IncomeDesc
Income
Dental nurses can start on around £15,600 a year. With experience this can rise to around £21,800 a year.
Team leaders and dental nurse specialists can earn up to £27,500 a year, and dental nurse managers can earn around £34,200 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You may not need any qualifications to start as a trainee dental nurse. However, some employers (and course providers) will prefer you to have four GCSEs (A-C) including English, maths and science. Your skills and general suitability for the work are also important.
Once you are working as a trainee, you can study part-time for a General Dental Council (GDC) approved qualification and registration. Relevant courses include:
- NVQ Level 3 in Dental Nursing
- National Certificate in Dental Nursing awarded by the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN).
You can also qualify by taking a full-time Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) or foundation degree in dental nursing. See the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS) website for details of course providers.
You can also find links to course providers and awarding bodies on the General Dental Council website.
You may be able to start this job through an Apprenticeship scheme. You will need to check which schemes are available in your area. To find out more, visit the Apprenticeships website.
To work in the community dental service, you may need a driving licence to travel between centres.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
You will usually receive on-the-job training from your employer. If you are not already registered with the General Dental Council (GDC), you could begin working towards a GDC approved qualification, such as the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN) National Certificate or NVQ Level 3 in Dental Nursing.
Courses are a combination of practice and theory, and cover areas such as:
- dentistry techniques like sedation, restorative dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery and dental radiography
- control of infection, including sterilisation, preventing cross-infection and storing drugs
- caring for patients, maintaining records and mixing materials for fillings.
For full information about registration and approved qualifications, see the GDC website.
As a registered dental nurse, you can increase your knowledge and skills, for example by studying for NEBDN post-qualification certificates. These are available in a number of specialist areas, including:
- oral health education
- dental sedation nursing
- special care dental nursing
- orthodontic nursing.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a dental nurse, you will need to have:
- a genuine interest in the welfare of patients
- good practical skills
- good eyesight
- a calm, confident and reassuring manner
- the ability to relate well to people, including children and those with special needs
- good teamwork skills
- a positive and flexible approach to work
- good organisational skills.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN) 
110 London Street
Fleetwood
Lancashire
FY7 6EU
Tel: 01253 778417
www.nebdn.org
NHS Careers
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN)
Room 200
Hillhouse International Business Centre
Thornton-Cleveleys
FY5 4QD
www.badn.org.uk
General Dental Council
37 Wimpole Street
London
W1G 8DQ
Tel: 020 7887 3800
www.gdc-uk.org
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could find work at general dental practices, at hospitals, with the community dental service, in industry and with universities. You could also train as a dental nurse in the Armed Forces.
Experience as a dental nurse is a good preparation if you want to move into working as a dental hygienist or dental therapist.
Please see the dental hygienist and dental therapist job profiles for more information.
You may also be able to progress into roles such as dental nurse team manager, team leader, or dental practice manager.
Jobs can be advertised in the local press, in specialist publications like the British Dental Nurses' Journal and in Jobcentre Plus offices. You may also find the following websites useful for vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
NHS Careers has sections on:
View full Job market information
News
