Dental Nurse
The closing date is 07 May 2026
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full‑time experienced and highly motivated qualified Dental Nurse with excellent clinical and administrative skills to join our dynamic Community Dental team covering our Salisbury site.
The successful candidate should be a qualified registered Dental Nurse and possess excellent clinical, communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
The Community Dental Service in Wiltshire and Swindon offers urgent care clinics, special care clinics for adults and children with additional needs, and hospital sessions in Salisbury, Swindon and Bath.
You must be a car driver with access to a vehicle and may be required to work at other Dental Clinics within Wiltshire and Swindon. This role includes weekend and bank holiday working on a rota basis. The post holder will work 08:30 – 17:00, with one hour for lunch, five days per week.
Job responsibilities
* Comply with GDC standards and Scope of Practice
* Comply with GWH Trust Policies & CDS Local Operating Procedures
* Maintain own clinical and professional development in dental nursing and participate in annual appraisal
* Maintain effective communication with patients, relatives, colleagues and other members of the public; liaise with other health professionals including schools, nursing homes and hospital departments
* Provide and receive complex and sensitive patient‑related medical information, identify communication barriers and implement actions to overcome them (e.g., contact Language Line for non‑English speaking patients and carers)
* Provide pre‑ and post‑operative advice on dental care to patients
* Take responsibility for Health & Safety and Fire inspection checklist; assist in developing, implementing and reviewing health & safety risk assessments and safe systems of work
* Prepare dental surgery and clinical chair‑side activity for dental treatment
* Input patient‑related information to SFD IT system as directed by the Dentist
* Receive patients into the treatment room and assist the dentist during all clinical procedures
* Maintain decontamination and infection control in line with CDS Infection Control LOP and protocol for equipment decontamination
* Maintain appropriate stock levels, ensuring stock/emergency drugs are within expiry dates and materials are stored appropriately
* Check invoices for incoming stock and materials
* Act as chaperone and witness for the dentist
* Take part in regular audits as appropriate
* Undertake other or additional duties commensurate with the grade as directed by the Dental Nurse Team Manager and maintain required skills and knowledge through appropriate training
* Carry out duties away from base clinic including domiciliary visits, dental epidemiology surveys, day surgery under general anaesthetic in acute hospital settings, conscious sedation sessions and dental health education programmes
* Work alongside the dentist using manual handling aids including a hoist; keep up to date with manual handling training
* Ensure compliance with GWH Trust arrangements for mandatory training
* Take responsibility for enhanced CPD to meet registration requirements of GDC / CRHP – 50 hours verifiable in a 5‑year cycle
* Ensure annual registration with the GDC
* Work as part of a team to deliver high quality dental care to patients
Working Conditions
* Occasional exposure to unpleasant conditions, working in confined spaces in patient homes, including verbal aggression
* Frequent contact with body fluids, blood and saliva
Physical Effort
* Involves walking, standing, sitting, carrying, pushing and pulling trolleys during clinics – alongside SSOW
* Requirement to operate dental equipment for domiciliary, radiography, sedation, epidemiology and dental clinics
Mental Effort
* Frequent requirement for intense concentration
Emotional Effort
* Exposure to emotional or distressing circumstances including medical emergency; caring for distressed and anxious patients who may be unwell
Other Factors
* Require travel to other clinics to maintain operational service cover and hold business insurance for driving during working hours
* Requirement to work weekends and Bank Holidays
* Ability to drive and access to a motor vehicle with business insurance
* Dealing with distressed patients/clients regularly
* Regular VDU usage
* Requirement to move small equipment between sites as required
Flexibility
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and duties may be altered from time to time in the light of changing circumstances, in discussion with the post holder. The post holder must be flexible and develop the role with initial and ongoing discussions with the designated manager.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Registration as DCP with General Dental Council
* NEBDN National Certificate, NVQ level 3 in Oral Health (Dental Nursing) (or exceptionally similar qualification plus appropriate experience)
* Willingness to study towards gaining the NEBDN Certificate in Dental Sedation Nursing via CPD funding
* Special Care Dental Nurse Qualification (additional qualification)
* Understanding of the meaning of clinical supervision/mentoring
Experience
* Experience of working as a Dental Nurse
* Experience of Health and Safety practice relevant to this post
* Wide range of experience in Dental procedures
* Experience in operating IT systems
* Experience operating SFD IT system
* Experience working within a Community Dental setting
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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