Main area Specialist Dental Nurse Grade Band 4/5 Contract Permanent Hours Part time – 32 hours per week (Mon-Thurs 08.30-17.00) Job ref 205-7978841
Employer: University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Site: University Hospital North Midlands, Town: Stafford. Salary dependant on experience and qualifications. Closing 18/06/2026 23:59
Senior Specialised Dental Nurse
Band 4/5
Job overview
Band 4/5 dental nurse. Exciting opportunity for an experienced dental nurse to further their dental career joining a friendly, highly skilled team in a multi-disciplinary setting. The successful applicant will nurse in all disciplines within the department and, dependant on experience and qualifications, conduct nurse-led clinics in radiography and orthodontic oral health education. Work will be across both Trust sites. Applicants should be highly motivated with a passion for personal and team development. Experience of both surgical procedures and orthodontics is desired, and proficient chair-side nursing skills. The delivery of a high standard of patient care and teamwork in line with our trust values will be expected.
Main duties of the job
- Pre and post clinic set up – cleaning/instrument & equipment preparation/paperwork
- Support clinic manager and team with daily running of the department
- Liaise with other departments/laboratory/GDP/GP
- Report all issues to Clinic manager/Matron
- Provision of high standard of pre and post op care
- Provision of high standard of nursing skills
- Manage complex medical and physical conditions of patients
- Assess patients needs delivering approved programmes of care
- Professional development, and Trust training maintained
- Support and promote dental and health education to patients
- Precise and timely records of patient care
- Excellent communication with patients and staff
- Safeguarding Children and Adults
- Awareness and observe Trust policies
- Attend training
Detailed responsibilities
Attend regular staff meetings.
Develop good communications.
Fair and clear relationships with staff across the multi-disciplinary team. Communicate with all grades of staff regarding patient care.
To provide and receive complex or sensitive information relating to planned or received treatment.
Liaise between clinician, technician, patient and external agencies to arrange appropriate appointments.
Effectively communicate with patients and relatives.
Deliver information in a way that is easily understood, e.g. delivering pre and postoperative instructions and advice. This is essential where there are barriers to communication, e.g. patients whose first language is not English, nervous, aggressive or with learning disabilities. In these cases, further liaison with the translation services, parents or carers is imperative.
Provide reassurance and show empathy to patients in situations which are frequently stressful.
Motivate patients to ensure compliance with complex and frequently lengthy courses of treatment.
Explain dental procedures to patients and answer any queries the patients may have regarding their treatment.
Receive information regarding patient’s conditions always ensuring confidentiality.
Participate in the development and maintenance of programmes of care in line with Policies and Procedures.
Provide a continuing high standard of nursing care through direct clinical practice in relation to the groups of patients cared for by the department.
The post holder must hold the national certificate in dental nursing or equivalent NVQ3 in dental nursing and be registered with the GDC.
For band 5 eligibility the post holder must have a minimum of 2 years’ dental nursing experience in a hospital/community setting and 2 post-registered qualifications, one in Dental Radiography and one in Oral Health Education.
In line with Trust policies further training in conflict and resolution, fire safety, basic life support, Safeguarding, Oliver McGowan, manual handling, infection control, health and safety, risk assessment and COSHH is undertaken.
Achieve the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) requirements of the post.
Be prepared to undertake any formal or informal training required to fulfil the needs of the post, including self-study.
Extensive knowledge of Complex Orthodontics, Oral Medicine and Oral Maxillofacial Surgery.
Many patients attending the hospital for care have been referred because of difficult or unstable medical conditions; the senior dental nurse is required to assist in the management of these patients and be able to respond appropriately to emergencies arising from the patient’s condition.
Act as a resource to other areas, providing education and advice relevant to the speciality as required.
Keep abreast of clinical development.
Under the supervision of the Clinic Manager, educate and assist in the training of all staff groups in the effective use of equipment, maintaining up-to-date records of attendance.
Take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and improve your professional knowledge and competence.
Participate in personal objective setting and review, including the creation of a personal development plan.
Actively participate in the education, training and assessment of all members of the nursing team, visiting students, patients and their carers.
Under the supervision of the Clinic Manager, assist in the development of enhanced/advanced nursing specific to the speciality, developing own clinical skills as necessary.
Analytical & Judgemental Skills: Anticipate the needs of members of staff and prepare all surgeries and instruments appropriately for complex dental procedures.
Monitor patients throughout their visit, observing for any changes and respond to medical emergencies.
Analyse the working area regarding the security of the equipment stored there and assess if extra precautions are needed.
Use their own judgment regarding health and safety to assess the working area and report any hazards immediately.
Diagnose equipment faults and liaise with engineering staff to ensure that repairs are undertaken quickly. Contingency arrangements must be made immediately to ensure that patient treatment can proceed as planned.
Understand the principles and importance of quality control and quality assurance and the use of appropriate measures.
Planning & Organisational Skills: Manage own day-to-day activities such as planning and organising clinics, joint appointments with other departments and hospitals.
Plan and organise multidisciplinary activities with other professions and agencies.
Manage busy clinics, liaise with patients and staff, and communicate any delays.
Liaise with the laboratory regarding timescales for appliances to be completed. Arrange patient appointments accordingly.
Plan in advance to ensure all results, medical records and instruments required are available for each session.
Organise workload making allowances for frequent telephone interruptions to deal with patient enquiries and unplanned clinician-led alterations to planned treatment which may prevent the completion of planned work.
Maintain adequate supplies, ensuring their efficient and effective use.
Check clinics at the beginning of each session so that stock levels of materials and equipment are maintained.
Ensure all equipment is in safe working order and regularly checked and maintained.
Physical Skills: Manipulate a wide range of dental materials.
Handle, transfer, assemble and dismantle all types of dental equipment during patients’ treatment. This may be in a close support environment, requiring long periods of sitting or standing in a confined position while assisting at chair‑side.
Prepare surgical instrument kits and equipment using an aseptic technique.
Develop physical skills over time through relevant experience, e.g. the use of fine tools and dental equipment.
Assist surgeon in theatre for general anaesthetic and intravenous sedation patients. Demand lengthy times of concentration, standing and static and precise instrument placements.
Advanced skills are required for sensory hand-eye coordination when assisting during fourhanded dentistry, involving the safe exchange and handling of dental instruments.
Be required to manoeuvre patients in confined spaces using wheelchairs, trolleys and hoists.
Responsibility for Patient Care: Clinical verbal advice to patients, carers/relatives, i.e. pre/post-operative instructions, personalised for each patient’s unique situation/condition. Continuous monitoring of patients throughout their dental treatment, and afterwards where appropriate, e.g. difficult procedures. Care and reassurance to patients during treatment, ensuring they are comfortable and informed throughout. Manage medical and physical conditions of patients if kept in the department for an unexpected length of time. Provide clinical advice to patients/carers/relatives either in person or over the telephone. Tracing and digitising lateral ceph radiographs for assessment and planning.
Conduct nurse-led clinics in oral health education, radiography CBCT, suture removal and wound dressings.
Conduct nurse-led clinics under supervision whilst attaining or working towards attaining band 5 level (see job specifications).
Educate patient/carers, for example, in oral health and teaching and offering advice regarding patient specific symptoms, e.g. management of TMJ.
Participate in the oral examination for identification purposes of deceased persons at the mortuary.
Responsible for organizing patient appointments, where necessary liaise with wards and other departments to ensure good quality patient care; ensure patients are safely and appropriately discharged and the clinical areas are secured, including the safe storage of emergency drugs.
Work at both Trust sites where necessary to provide a continued and improved service provision to patients.
Adhere to all Trust policies, e.g. cross infection control, risk assessments, health and safety, data security & protection COSHH, reporting accidents/incidents etc. The post holder may be asked to contribute to hospital policies when necessary.
Observe the hospital Control of Infection policy and follow strict guidelines regarding sterilisation of instruments and equipment, dealing with decontamination, waste and spillages correctly according to COSHH regulations.
Understand the need to ensure physical and radiation protection of all individuals in the immediate work environment at all times. Follow IRMER, IRR regulations.
Follow agreed Trust policies and attend training sessions as required regarding manual handling, fire safety, safeguarding, basic life support etc.
Provide written information for patients and carers in line with Trust policies.
In conjunction with the clinic manager and clinical team work to ensure that guidelines of clinical practice and standards of care are developed, implemented and audited to maintain the highest standard.
Maintain custody of drugs, checking and witnessing the administration of drugs according to Trust policy.
Participate in and contribute to the effective implementation of clinic risk management within all clinic areas.
Follow prescribed treatment plan of wound and dressing management in accordance with tissue viability policies.
On attaining or working towards attaining band 5 level (see job specifications) assess, develop and implement radiography procedures, according to IR(ME)R and IRR regulations and Trust policies i.e. identification, justification.
Professional registration
- GDC registration
Qualification
- Certificate in Dental Nursing
- Certificate in Oral Health Education
- Orthodontic Nursing Certificate
Equal Opportunities
We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from everyone regardless of ethnicity, disability, gender, age, faith or sexual orientation. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
#J-18808-Ljbffr…