Main area Dental Services Grade Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship Contract Apprenticeship: 18 months (Contract end date Friday 5th March 2028) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday – Friday, 8.45am – 5.15pm cross site St Thomas and Guys Hospital) Job ref 196-NM13660-M
Employer Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust Town London Salary £12,514.29 - £22,369.29 Based on minimum wage according to age -under 18,18-20, 21 & over Salary period Yearly Closing 29/03/2026 23:59 Interview date 20/04/2026
Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS.
Job overview
Open days in the Dental Nursing Academy will provide you with insights of the course and the role of a Dental Nurse. You will be able to explore the career and work environment through presentations and practical demonstration. You will have the opportunity to meet and engage with the Academy staff, tutors, previous and current apprentices. If you are unable to attend an open day session, then we will also be running a virtual Q&A where you can join an online meeting to ask the Dental Nursing Academy any question you have about the course. Please secure your space at one of the sessions by booking a ticket with the links below.
Guys & St Thomas' NHS Trust is looking to recruit Apprentice Dental Nurses to participate in our 18 month pre-registration training programme beginning September 2026. Successful candidates will be working towards obtaining the Integrated Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing apprenticeship, awarded by NCFE.
Applicants will be invited to an Assessment day which will take place on Monday 20th April 2026.
Main duties of the job
This is a full-time training course that runs from Monday – Friday, 8.45am – 5.15pm.
The training will be a mixture of theoretical teaching in the classroom setting and the remaining time will be spent on rotations to the various clinical departments and specialities. The successful candidates will be training alongside qualified dental nurses with specialist knowledge and skills to support patients to ensure a positive patient experience. Dental nurse apprentices will be expected to attend all classroom teaching sessions and continue their studies in their own time.
The post holder (Apprentice) will train as part of the dental team and will be expected to undertake a wide range of dental nursing duties under the supervision of a qualified dental nurse and dentist on both the Guys & St Thomas' sites and across all specialities moving departments as per the learning timetable.
The post holder (Apprentice) will also attend set classroom sessions as part of their training.
Working for our organisation
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation. The Dental Institute comprises three components:
• The Dental Hospital of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust,
• The Dental Hospital of King’s NHS Foundation Trust
• King’s College London Dental Institute
The Institute represents a significant management challenge as its activities cross both the NHS and the University sector. The Dental Institute is accountable to each of its parent Trusts and the post holder, in conjunction with the Clinical Director, is expected to ensure that the clinical services delivered (by both staff and students) meet NHS standards of practice, and specific Trust standards.
The Dental Institute is based on both the Guy's and St Thomas campuses; both sites offer modern facilities for the care of patients, teaching and research.
The Dental Institute is committed to becoming the major university hospital in the UK and to staying in the forefront of patient care, teaching and research. The Dental Hospital and Institute aim to provide excellence in the delivery of oral and dental care, training and education.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
* Act in a professional manner during work hours.
* As a Dental Nurse Apprentice, you will need good work ethics and be able to support & communicate with patients, carers and other dental care professionals.
* Apprentice Dental Nurses will be under the supervision of qualified dental nurses whilst gaining experience in the departments of the hospital.
* Provide chair side nursing care and close support during all dental procedures to include: preparing instruments and equipment, aspirating, irrigating, retracting and protecting dental soft tissue
* Mix the correct quantity of impression material, cement, cavity lining, permanent and temporary restorative materials, according to the manufacturer’s instructions ensuring that they are used to best effect and ensure correct levels of stock are maintained.
* Demonstrate oral hygiene techniques to the patient (under the direction and supervision of the dentist) instructing them to adopt an effective health care programme to prevent the occurrence of dental disease.
* Ensure the safe and effective decontamination processes of instruments and equipment ready for use within the decontamination area of the department. Prevent cross infection or damage to instruments and equipment.
* To ensure confidentiality of any information relating to any patient within the hospital according to the Trust Confidentiality Policy.
* The post holder will attend both theory and practical teaching sessions, tutorials and portfolio development sessions to ensure that you receive maximum benefit from the training provided.
* Co-operate with your trainers and assessors in the completion of portfolios, assessment record, projects and assignments, which are designed to help you learn and show your competence as a dental nurse.
* Attend all personal review sessions to enable you to discuss your progress and identify any developmental needs, so that you can continue to improve.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
* GCSE’s A-C or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths
* Commitment to further education
Previous Experience
* Previous work experience which includes team working, communicating with others
* Experience of dealing with the general public
* Experience of working as a healthcare assistant, or in a healthcare setting
* Experience of dealing with the general public
* Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
* Good Customer care skills
* Ability for caring for people
* Able to be adaptable and show initiative
* Able to work accurately and reliable under pressure in a busy environment
* Able to listen effectively and demonstrate a sympathetic approach
* Ability to follow a clear instruction and receive feedback
* Ability to work within a team
* Able to prioritise and meet deadlines
* Understanding of the requirements of patient confidentiality
* Punctual and reliable
Additional Information
* Able to form good interpersonal relationships
* A flexible and positive approach to work
* Enthusiastic and motivated
Guy’s and St Thomas’celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.
Due to recent changes inthe UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further informationabout eligibilityis available on the UK Government website.
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Employer certification / accreditation badges
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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