Dental Nurse (GDC 2023) ST1431 Apprenticeship Standard

The qualification is open to applications from Apprentice Dental Nurses who are employed in a dental clinical practice/setting.

As an Apprentice Dental Nurse, you will learn, develop, and practice the skills required for employment and career progression in the dental field. The content covers and is mapped to the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSB’s) within the Dental Nurse (GDC 2023) ST1431 apprenticeship standard and meets the requirements of the General Dental Council (GDC) Safe Practitioner Framework (2023).

• You will need to be employed in a dental clinical practice/setting as an Apprentice Dental Nurse to achieve the requirements of the programme. If you are not currently employed, we can support you with seeking employment in a suitable dental clinical practice/setting.
• As an Apprentice Dental Nurse on our programme, if you do not already hold Level 2 certificates in English and Maths, we can also support you to achieve these qualifications. These are delivered alongside the apprenticeship at no extra cost to you, these qualifications are equivalent to C+ / 4+ at GCSE and will further support your career development.
• Understand the role of a Dental Nurse.
• Possess good communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
• Have good manual dexterity skills.
• Be trustworthy and dependable.
• Have a professional manner and be committed to patient care.

• The programme is delivered over 18 months, you will be expected to undertake the academic component of the programme by attending a study day for 1 day per week (this will equate to 20% off the working week).
• The programme is delivered via a blended learning approach, this is through MS Teams and face to face at the school.
• You will be assigned and supported by a designated Assessor/Mentor and Dental Nurse Tutor who are occupationally competent, have a wide range of experience in the profession, are GDC registrants and committed to your success.
• You will be allocated a workplace Mentor to provide onsite support and guidance.
• Throughout the programme and clinical practice/setting, you will gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to complete a portfolio of evidence.
• A Service Level Agreement (SLA) will be drawn up between the school, (training provider), employer and Apprentice Dental Nurse.
• The programme is funded through the Apprenticeship Levy and therefore fully funded.
• Learners are entitled to earn the national minimum wage according to their age through the duration of the course. Current national minimum wage rates can be found here: www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

To achieve the apprenticeship, you will be required to successfully complete the
1. City & Guilds Level 3 Dental Nursing Practitioner Diploma,
2. Maths Grade C+ / 4+ at GCSE or equivalent
3. English Grade C+ / 4+ at GCSE or equivalent
4. End Point Assessment (EPA)

The Apprentice Dental Nurse must complete ongoing assessments to achieve all 11 mandatory units of the City & Guilds Level 3 Dental Nursing Practitioner Diploma.

Full details of Assessment Processes and Assessment overview of End Point Assessment (EPA) available in the course Factsheet [PDF, 244KB]

The City & Guilds Level 3 Dental Nursing Practitioner (Diploma) qualification is required for Dental Nurse Apprentices undertaking the end-point assessment for the Dental Nurse (GDC 2023) ST1431 apprenticeship standard.

Following completion and certification of the City & Guilds Level 3 Dental Nursing Practitioner (Diploma) (England), centres will be required to undertake a Gateway check with City & Guilds.

For the Gateway, the centre will need to provide evidence of completion of

• the City & Guilds Level 3 Dental Nursing Practitioner (Diploma) (England)
• English and mathematics in line with the apprenticeship funding rules

The apprentice is not required to undertake any additional assessment post Gateway.

The successful outcome of the Dental Nurse (GDC 2023) ST1431 Apprenticeship Standard allows the Dental Nurse Apprentice to apply to enter the General Dental Council professional register as a Dental Nurse. After being accepted onto the register, the Apprentice Dental Nurse is then recognised as a qualified and competent dental nurse and may also progress and develop existing skills and knowledge within the dental and healthcare sectors.

General Dental Council (GDC): The General Dental Council (GDC) is the UK-wide statutory regulator of more than 120,000 members of the dental team. The primary purpose is to protect patient safety and maintain public confidence in the dental professions. To achieve this, the GDC:

• Maintain registers of dentists and dental care professionals
• Issue guidance on standards of conduct and practice
• Maintain high standards of dental education
• Ensure that dental professionals keep their skills and knowledge up to date through Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Act if there are doubts about a dental professional’s fitness to practise.
  www.gdc-uk.org/about-us/what-we-do

If you are interested in applying, please complete the attached application form and return it either by post or email to admin.dcp@mft.nhs.uk If you would like to discuss the programme with a member of the team, please telephone 0161 272 5670.