Dental Nurse Integrated Apprenticeship Level 3
SOLIHULL DENTAL CENTRE AND IMPLANT CLINIC
SOLIHULL (B91 3SJ)
Closes on Monday 15 September 2025
Posted on 4 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Mixed NHS and Private Dental Practice looking for a keen individual to join us as an Apprentice Dental Nurse. Practice is a supportive training practice and right on the High Street in Solihull. You will assist at the reception and perform other clerical duties if required, plus more.
- Wage
-
£13,741 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Dental nurse (GDC 2023) (level 3)
- Hours
-
Practice hours:
Monday - Thursday 8.15am - 5.30pm, Friday 8.15am - 4.30pm, Saturday 8.45am - 1pm.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 22 September 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- To perform high-quality dental nursing whilst assisting each dentist, hygienist and therapist in all dental procedures in a safe and effective manner in accordance with the ‘Code of Ethics’ of the British Association of Dental Nurses and the GDC requirements and recommendations to dentists and their staff
- To establish and maintain productive working relationships with all members of the dental team
- To liaise with the Practice Manager on all matters concerning administration, pay and service conditions
- To assist with the supervision of trainee dental nurses in the Practice
- To assist at the reception and perform other clerical duties if required
- To take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work
Key Tasks:
- Set up and prepare the surgery for the type of patient and treatment planned before the start of each session
- Clean and sterilise all equipment and working surfaces to the required standards at the end of each session
- Prepare the necessary materials and instruments
- Ensure safe disposal of sharps and clinical waste
- Process, mount and store dental radiographs and assist in the correct procedure for dental radiography
- Maintain and clean the radiograph processing unit
- Liaise with reception over necessary future appointments for each patient
- Escort patients from the waiting room to the surgery, confirming the medical history is up-to-date and warning the dentist (hygienist/therapist) of any problems that they have noted
- Provide clinical assistance to the dentist (hygienist/therapist) while treating the patient, acting under their supervision
- Continually interpret the needs of patients and dentists (hygienists/therapists) and deal with them promptly and efficiently
- Assist the dentist (hygienist/therapist) in the completion of patient records
- Monitor and maintain stocks within the dental surgery as necessary, informing the Practice Manager and liaising with the dentists (hygienists/therapists) over necessary orders and warning of any shortages of materials in the stores
- Perform chaperoning duties for dentists (hygienists/therapists) when treating patients
- Follow all practice policies and procedures
- Obey all dental ethical guidelines, including all rules on confidentiality
- Ensure that all necessary laboratory work is returned and ready for each session
- Assist in all clerical and administrative duties as required by the principal
- Report equipment failures or breakages to the Practice Manager
- Identify your training and development needs and undertake appropriate training as required and agreed with the Practice Manager and the principal
- Comment on the performance of trainee dental nurses
- Perform any other tasks that are reasonably requested by the principal
Where you'll work
DOUBLE DAY HOUSE
29 HIGH STREET
SOLIHULL
B91 3SJ
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WALSALL COLLEGE
Training course
Dental nurse (GDC 2023) (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Identify relevant and appropriate dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy, recognising the diversity of anatomy across the patient population.
- Evaluate the health risks of prescribed, non-prescribed and recreational drug use and misuse on oral and general health.
- Evaluate the scientific principles underpinning the use of materials and Biomaterials, their limitations and selection, with emphasis on those used in dentistry.
- Identify the signs of abuse, neglect or emotional trauma, explain local and national systems that safeguard the welfare of children and adults.
- Identify the signs of normal and abnormal facial growth, physical, mental and dental development milestones and explain their significance.
- Assess patients’ levels of anxiety, experience, and expectations in respect of dental care and oral health.
- Contribute to relevant special investigations and diagnostic procedures.
- Undertake orthodontic assessment.
- Obtain valid consent from patients explaining all the relevant factors and taking into account the legal requirements where appropriate within scope of practice.
- Record an accurate and contemporaneous patient history.
- Accurately record dental charting as carried out by other appropriate registrants.
- Accurately record an oral health assessment.
- Prepare records, images, equipment and materials for clinical assessment.
- Process and manage dental radiographs and images.
- Manage patient anxiety appropriately, effectively, and safely.
- Monitor, support and reassure patients through effective communication and behavioural techniques.
- Identify changes in the patient’s reported oral health status and take appropriate action.
- Make arrangements for follow-up care as prescribed by the operator.
- Provide chairside support to the operator during treatment.
- Prepare, mix and handle dental materials.
- Identify and explain the risks within and around the clinical environment and manage these in a safe and effective manner.
- Implement, perform, and manage effective decontamination and infection control procedures according to current guidelines.
- Prepare and maintain the clinical environment including the instruments and equipment.
- Identify, assess, and manage medical emergencies.
- Provide patients/carers with comprehensive, personalised preventive advice, instruction, and intervention in a manner which is accessible, promotes self-care and motivates patients/carers to comply with advice and take responsibility to maintain and improve oral health.
- Support the management of patients with acute oral conditions ensuring involvement of appropriate dental team members.
- Adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice.
- Communicate effectively and sensitively, tailoring to context, by spoken, written and or electronic means with all patients, including patients whose first language is not English, using representatives or interpreters where necessary, in relation to patients with anxious or challenging behaviour or special considerations such as emotional trauma and difficult circumstances, such as breaking bad news, or discussing issues such as alcohol consumption, smoking, or diet.
- Communicate effectively and sensitively by spoken, written and electronic means with the public.
- Communicate effectively by spoken, written and electronic means with colleagues from dental and other healthcare professions in relation to the direct care of individual patients, oral health promotion and raising concerns when problems arise, including where patients cause distress to staff.
- Maintain contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records in accordance with legal requirements and best practice.
- Communicate with care, compassion, empathy and respect in all professional interactions with patients, their representatives, the public and colleagues.
- Communicate appropriately and effectively in professional discussions and transactions.
- Give feedback effectively to other members of the team.
- Respect the roles of dental and other healthcare professionals in the context of learning and working in a dental and wider healthcare team.
- Demonstrate effective team working.
- Contribute to your team in providing dental care for patients.
- Where appropriate manage, refer or delegate work according to the scope of practice of members of the dental team, in line with competence and professional practice.
- Take a patient-centred approach to working with the dental and wider healthcare team.
- Raise concerns where appropriate about your own or others’ health, behaviour or professional performance.
- Comply with systems and processes to support safe patient care.
- Act in accordance with current best practice guidelines.
- Act in accordance with national and local clinical governance and health and safety requirements.
- Act within the legal frameworks which inform personal behaviour, the delivery of healthcare and the protection and promotion of the health of individual patients.
- Act with integrity and ensure your actions maintain the trust of colleagues, patients, and the public in you, your team, and the profession across all environments and media.
- Demonstrate personal accountability to patients, the regulator, the team and wider community.
- Work in partnership with colleagues to develop and maintain an effective and supportive environment which promotes the safety and wellbeing of the patient and dental team.
- Where appropriate lead, manage and take professional responsibility for the actions of colleagues and other members of the team involved in patient care.
- Where appropriate support patients to negotiate the barriers and challenges which prevent sections of the population accessing oral healthcare, including patients from marginalised populations and patients with protected characteristics.
- Treat your patients, members of the public and your colleagues with dignity and respect and without discrimination.
- Support patients to make informed decisions about their care, making their interests your first concern.
- Demonstrate cultural competence, accepting and respecting the diversity of patients and colleagues.
- Provide the best possible outcome for your patients by using your knowledge and skills, acting as an advocate for their needs where appropriate.
- Speak up to protect others from harm.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based prevention at a community and or population level.
- Proactively address discriminatory language, behaviour and microaggressions from colleagues, patients and other professionals.
- Evaluate the role of health promotion in terms of the changing environment, community and individual behaviours to deliver health gain.
- Evaluate and apply the evidence base in relation to the environmental impacts of common treatment methods and approaches to the delivery of oral healthcare.
- Contribute positively to the healthcare communities of which you are a part.
- Evaluate an evidence base.
- Utilise the receipt of effective feedback in the professional development of self.
- Demonstrate personal development planning, recording of evidence, and reflective practice.
- Evaluate the impact of new techniques and technologies as they relate to dental nurse practice.
- Accurately assess your own capabilities and limitations in the interest of high-quality patient care and seek advice from supervisors or colleagues where appropriate.
- Recognise personal assumptions, biases and prejudices and manage the impact of these on patient care and professional behaviour with colleagues, patients and wider society.
- Recognise the impact of contextual factors on the health care environment and patient safety and manage this professionally.
- Demonstrate own professional responsibility in the development of self.
- Develop and maintain professional knowledge and competence.
- Demonstrate engagement with systems and personal strategies which promote and maintain physical and mental wellbeing.
- Demonstrate appropriate continuous improvement activities.
- Recognise when and how to take action if wellbeing is compromised to a point of affecting an individual’s role or professional relationships.
- Effectively manage your own time and resources.
- Underpin all patient care with a preventive approach, that takes account of patient compliance and self-care, to contribute to the patient’s long-term oral and general health.
- Identify relevant and appropriate dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy, recognising the diversity of anatomy across the patient population.
- Evaluate the health risks of prescribed, non-prescribed and recreational drug use and misuse on oral and general health.
- Evaluate the scientific principles underpinning the use of materials and Biomaterials, their limitations and selection, with emphasis on those used in dentistry.
- Identify the signs of abuse, neglect or emotional trauma, explain local and national systems that safeguard the welfare of children and adults.
- Identify the signs of normal and abnormal facial growth, physical, mental and dental development milestones and explain their significance.
- Assess patients’ levels of anxiety, experience, and expectations in respect of dental care and oral health.
- Contribute to relevant special investigations and diagnostic procedures.
- Undertake orthodontic assessment.
- Obtain valid consent from patients explaining all the relevant factors and taking into account the legal requirements where appropriate within scope of practice.
- Record an accurate and contemporaneous patient history.
- Accurately record dental charting as carried out by other appropriate registrants.
- Accurately record an oral health assessment.
- Prepare records, images, equipment and materials for clinical assessment.
- Process and manage dental radiographs and images.
- Manage patient anxiety appropriately, effectively, and safely.
- Monitor, support and reassure patients through effective communication and behavioural techniques.
- Identify changes in the patient’s reported oral health status and take appropriate action.
- Make arrangements for follow-up care as prescribed by the operator.
- Provide chairside support to the operator during treatment.
- Prepare, mix and handle dental materials.
- Identify and explain the risks within and around the clinical environment and manage these in a safe and effective manner.
- Implement, perform, and manage effective decontamination and infection control procedures according to current guidelines.
- Prepare and maintain the clinical environment including the instruments and equipment.
- Identify, assess, and manage medical emergencies.
- Provide patients/carers with comprehensive, personalised preventive advice, instruction, and intervention in a manner which is accessible, promotes self-care and motivates patients/carers to comply with advice and take responsibility to maintain and improve oral health.
- Support the management of patients with acute oral conditions ensuring involvement of appropriate dental team members.
- Adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice.
- Communicate effectively and sensitively, tailoring to context, by spoken, written and or electronic means with all patients, including patients whose first language is not English, using representatives or interpreters where necessary, in relation to patients with anxious or challenging behaviour or special considerations such as emotional trauma and difficult circumstances, such as breaking bad news, or discussing issues such as alcohol consumption, smoking, or diet.
- Communicate effectively and sensitively by spoken, written and electronic means with the public.
- Communicate effectively by spoken, written and electronic means with colleagues from dental and other healthcare professions in relation to the direct care of individual patients, oral health promotion and raising concerns when problems arise, including where patients cause distress to staff.
- Maintain contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records in accordance with legal requirements and best practice.
- Communicate with care, compassion, empathy and respect in all professional interactions with patients, their representatives, the public and colleagues.
- Communicate appropriately and effectively in professional discussions and transactions.
- Give feedback effectively to other members of the team.
- Respect the roles of dental and other healthcare professionals in the context of learning and working in a dental and wider healthcare team.
- Demonstrate effective team working.
- Contribute to your team in providing dental care for patients.
- Where appropriate manage, refer or delegate work according to the scope of practice of members of the dental team, in line with competence and professional practice.
- Take a patient-centred approach to working with the dental and wider healthcare team.
- Raise concerns where appropriate about your own or others’ health, behaviour or professional performance.
- Comply with systems and processes to support safe patient care.
- Act in accordance with current best practice guidelines.
- Act in accordance with national and local clinical governance and health and safety requirements.
- Act within the legal frameworks which inform personal behaviour, the delivery of healthcare and the protection and promotion of the health of individual patients.
- Act with integrity and ensure your actions maintain the trust of colleagues, patients, and the public in you, your team, and the profession across all environments and media.
- Demonstrate personal accountability to patients, the regulator, the team and wider community.
- Work in partnership with colleagues to develop and maintain an effective and supportive environment which promotes the safety and wellbeing of the patient and dental team.
- Where appropriate lead, manage and take professional responsibility for the actions of colleagues and other members of the team involved in patient care.
- Where appropriate support patients to negotiate the barriers and challenges which prevent sections of the population accessing oral healthcare, including patients from marginalised populations and patients with protected characteristics.
- Treat your patients, members of the public and your colleagues with dignity and respect and without discrimination.
- Support patients to make informed decisions about their care, making their interests your first concern.
- Demonstrate cultural competence, accepting and respecting the diversity of patients and colleagues.
- Provide the best possible outcome for your patients by using your knowledge and skills, acting as an advocate for their needs where appropriate.
- Speak up to protect others from harm.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based prevention at a community and or population level.
- Proactively address discriminatory language, behaviour and microaggressions from colleagues, patients and other professionals.
- Evaluate the role of health promotion in terms of the changing environment, community and individual behaviours to deliver health gain.
- Evaluate and apply the evidence base in relation to the environmental impacts of common treatment methods and approaches to the delivery of oral healthcare.
- Contribute positively to the healthcare communities of which you are a part.
- Evaluate an evidence base.
- Utilise the receipt of effective feedback in the professional development of self.
- Demonstrate personal development planning, recording of evidence, and reflective practice.
- Evaluate the impact of new techniques and technologies as they relate to dental nurse practice.
- Accurately assess your own capabilities and limitations in the interest of high-quality patient care and seek advice from supervisors or colleagues where appropriate.
- Recognise personal assumptions, biases and prejudices and manage the impact of these on patient care and professional behaviour with colleagues, patients and wider society.
- Recognise the impact of contextual factors on the health care environment and patient safety and manage this professionally.
- Demonstrate own professional responsibility in the development of self.
- Develop and maintain professional knowledge and competence.
- Demonstrate engagement with systems and personal strategies which promote and maintain physical and mental wellbeing.
- Demonstrate appropriate continuous improvement activities.
- Recognise when and how to take action if wellbeing is compromised to a point of affecting an individual’s role or professional relationships.
- Effectively manage your own time and resources.
- Underpin all patient care with a preventive approach, that takes account of patient compliance and self-care, to contribute to the patient’s long-term oral and general health.
Training schedule
Level 3 Dental Nurse apprenticeship standard, which includes:
- A level 3 qualification which has been approved by the General Dental Council as meeting the requirements for entry to the professional register as a dental nurse
- Level 2 functional skills in maths and English (if required)
- End-Point Assessment (EPA)
There will be limited sessions that will require college attendance at our Walsall Campus, during the training period. All other sessions remain virtual on a once weekly basis.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C/4 or above)
- Maths (grade C/4 or above)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
About this employer
High quality dental treatment can improve your quality of life, whether it's a confidence-boosting new smile or implants to replace awkward dentures. At the Solihull Dental Centre and Implant Clinic, your Midlands smile centre, we strive for clinical excellence and the best patient care in a relaxed, warm and friendly environment. From family NHS dentistry and private restorative treatments to facial aesthetics and dental implants, our team is ready to meet your every dental need.
https://www.solihulldentalcentre.co.uk/index.html (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
Once qualified you can register as a dental nurse with the General Dental Council. Progression routes are available, and you can study further in dental related qualifications at Level 4:
- Radiography
- Oral Health education
- Sedation
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WALSALL COLLEGE
Kerry Hall
khall@walsallcollege.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000335428.
Apply now
Closes on Monday 15 September 2025
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