Job Detail

Job Description

The Trainee Dental Nurse plays a vital role in ensuring that all patients receive a prompt and friendly welcome at every visit. As well as working alongside the clinicians in a chairside role, the Trainee Dental Nurse may be involved in additional operational tasks to ensure the smooth running of the Practice. The Trainee Dental Nurse will be registered on an accredited training course and working towards a qualification to register with the GDC. The professionalism of the Trainee Dental Nurse is key to maintaining good relationships with patients, ensuring that the highest level of customer care is achieved at all times. Summary of main responsibilities and activities: 1. Surgery duties ● Set-up and prepare the surgery appropriately before the start of each session ● Ensure that adequate stocks of expendable drugs, materials and instruments are available ● Ensure all lab work is checked and available prior to patient’s arrival ● Provide clinical chair-side assistance to the clinician during all dental procedures ● Check patient’s medical history is up to date and advise clinician of any problems previously notes ● Prepare the necessary materials and instruments ● Continually interpret the needs of the patients and clinician, and deal with them promptly and efficient ● Take all reasonable methods to ensure patient comfort ● Use the computer for charting and note taking and update patient record as necessary ● Clean and sterilise all equipment/instruments and working surfaces to the required standards at the end of each appointment ● Communicate appropriately and sensitively with patients who may be fearful, vulnerable, have sensitive concerns or have special needs ● Comply with all dental and ethical guidelines including all rules on confidentiality, data protection and safeguarding ● Ensure that all repairs are reported promptly to the Principal or Practice Manager 2. Implementation decontamination procedures ● Undertake necessary start up and end of day tests, in accordance with HTM 01-05 guidelines and complete the relevant checklists/logs/documentation as necessary ● Be familiar with the requirements of Practice policies, CQC, Health & Social Care Act regulations and Health & Safety legislation as it applies to the decontamination of instruments and equipment ● Carry out the decontamination of instruments and equipment in line with the above policies ● Ensure all sharps and clinical waste is disposed of in the appropriate manner compliant with current medical and health & safety regulations ● Ensure all equipment is maintained as per manufacturers’ instructions and are cleaned appropriately 3. Maintain and control stock, equipment and materials ● Monitor and maintain stock levels in each surgery ● Ensure that surgeries are restocked according to practice policy ● Use stock ordering procedure/system to place orders with the appropriate suppliers ● Assist with conducting stock takes as directed by the Principal or Practice Manager 4. Compliance and Audits ● Assist with conducting non clinical and clinical audits, risk assessment, COSHH and surveys as required ● Assist with implementation of the NHS Friends and Family survey of patients ● Assist with preparing the practice for inspections and audits 5. Teamwork ● Provide support to dentists and other team members and encourage effective teamwork ● Liaise closely with reception to ensure maximum efficiency within surgery ● Report all incidents/issues of importance through the appropriate channels 6. Personal Development and CPD ● Undertake training and development in order to comply with and maintain statutory CPD obligations ● Maintain personal development records and make these available to the Practice Manager as required 7. Customer Service ● Greet and care for all patients within your care in a polite and courteous manner at all times ● Be aware of patient confidentiality and data protection at all times ● Communicate with reception/surgery regarding delays ● Ensure patients receive all necessary paperwork and that all forms are signed and dated correctly ● Be fully conversant with all emergency & evacuation procedures ● Be present in surgery, ensuring that dentists are chaperoned at all times when treating a patient ● Able to explain treatment plans and procedures as required 8. General ● Ensure a comfortable, attractive, clean and uncluttered environment is maintained for the patients at all times. ● Maintain a professional manner and appearance consistent with the Marsh Farm & Hockwell Dental brand values ● Be aware that flexibility is a necessity of the job particularly with hours of work in the case of dental emergency and staff shortages 9. All Practice Members ● Health and Safety All practice members are required to acquaint themselves with health, safety, fire regulations and the accident notification system, whilst taking all possible steps to safeguard the health and welfare of staff, patients, colleagues and visitors during working hours, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. ● Confidentiality All practice members should be aware of the need to preserve strict confidentiality in dealing with patients and should not disclose information obtained in confidence except to authorised persons or organisations as instructed. ● Data Protection All practice members are required to comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR, which regulates the use of computerised information. ● No Smoking Policy The practice has a no smoking policy on the practice premises. ● Practice Policies and Protocol All staff members are required to familiarise themselves with the practice manual, compliance system, practice policies, CQC guidelines and legislation and carry out their duties in accordance with these. All actions and communication should take place with the highest regard for customer service, patient safety and confidentiality. 10. Any other duties as necessary for the efficient operation of the practice.

Skills Required

• Communication Skills