Dental Nurse Level 3 Apprenticeship

Paul Lowe Dentistry

SOLIHULL (B90 4EH)

Closes on Tuesday 12 August 2025

Posted on 17 June 2025

---

Summary

Fantastic opportunity, to join a supportive and friendly private dental practice as an Apprentice Dental Nurse. Paul Lowe Dentistry are looking for an enthusiastic individual who will be responsible for assisting patients in the treatment room as well as admin duties, whilst working towards a Level 3 Dental Nurse Apprenticeship Standard.

• Wage:

  £11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

  National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Apprenticeship wage is paid for the first 3 months probation period, after this you wage will then increase to minimum wage for your age.

• Training course: Dental nurse (GDC 2023) (level 3)
• Hours: Practice operates Monday 8am until 7pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8am until 6pm and Thursdays 8am until 5pm. With the occasional Saturday 8am until 1pm. Days and hours to be confirmed at interview stage.

  30 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 19 August 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

We are looking for someone that enjoys working with people, building relationships and is passionate about providing excellent care to our patients.

As an apprentice dental nurse, your duties will include:

• Working alongside the dentist taking instruction from them and responding in an appropriate manner
• Maintaining good infection control procedures and adhering to policies and protocols
• Ensuring cleanliness of surgery, equipment and instruments used and carrying out general housekeeping duties
• Dictate information from dentist and recording patient information correctly
• Arrange appointments, answering calls and inputting data on the computer
• Assist with administration tasks and ensure records are kept up to date and to maintain confidentiality at all times
   

Dental nurses interact daily with patients and therefore you must be able to make patients feel welcome and offer reassurance to anxious patients endeavouring to make their experience as comfortable as possible.

Where you'll work

31 FARMHOUSE WAY
SHIRLEY
SOLIHULL
B90 4EH

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

WALSALL COLLEGE

Your 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.

Your training plan

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)
• 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.

Full-time apprentices will typically spend 18-24 months on-programme working toward the occupational standard, with off-the-job training. 

The focus is now on the outcome of an apprenticeship and apprentices must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours that employers have identified they need.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4)
• maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Administrative skills
• Team working
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Enthusiastic
• Good Time Keeping

Other requirements

This role will require you to obtain a full DBS and also Hep B and TB vaccinations to enable you to work in surgery. This role may also include working with nervous patients and coming into contact with bodily fluids including blood and saliva.

About this company

Here at Paul Lowe Dentistry in Solihull we believe that everyone should enjoy excellent oral health. We want you to experience the remarkable benefits to health and well-being that first class dental care can deliver. We also want you to enjoy a welcoming environment which combines friendly, personal service with the professional expertise of a highly accomplished dental practice. Our Practice, established in 1988, has always strived to be at the forefront of developments in dental care and our team is passionate about its work. We are first and foremost a family general dental practice providing high quality dental care and advice for those of all ages. We also offer a specialist service in oral surgery. Our philosophy is based on striving to provide a first-class level of service and support – we value the personal touch. As dental patients ourselves, we treat you as we would expect to be treated ourselves!

https://www.paullowedentistry.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Once qualified, you can register as a dental nurse with the General Dental Council. Progression routes are also 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:

Paul Lowe Dentistry

Samantha Kendall

pm@paullowedentistry.co.uk

01217112424

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000326495.

Apply now

Closes on Tuesday 12 August 2025

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.