Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing (5238-30)

This qualification is for adult learners aged 19 or above in England, who are either not eligible for or do not wish to complete an apprenticeship in Dental Nursing.

This qualification allows learners to gain knowledge, skills and behaviours required for employment and career progression in the dental field. The content covers and is mapped to the GDC Learning Outcomes for Dental Nurses and relevant National Occupational Standards.

This qualification has been developed by City & Guilds and mapped to both the General Dental Council (GDC) – The Safe Practitioner: A framework of behaviours and outcomes for dental professional education – Dental Nurse and Skills for Health National Occupational Standards.

• The programme is delivered, part time over 18 months, you will be expected to undertake the academic component of the programme by attending a study session for one morning per week (9.30am to 12.30pm).
• The programme is delivered via a blended learning approach, this is through MS Teams and face to face at the SDCP’s.
• 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 dental clinical practice/setting, you will gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to complete a portfolio of evidence.

Courses are delivered throughout the duration of the year. If you are currently employed as a trainee dental nurse and wish to apply to undertake our next training programme the school can issue you with a covering letter as per GDC requirements to state that you are ‘in training’ and are employed in the workplace as per standard 6.6.2 of ‘Standards for the Dental Team’ (2013).

To be eligible for the course you must:

• undertake an informal interview to ensure you can meet the requirements of the course. This qualification is not approved for use by trainee dental nurses under the age of 16, there is no upper age limit.
• be working in a clinical setting for a minimum of 3 days per week or a minimum of 22.5 hours per week, this does not include the study session.
• attend all academic study sessions weekly via a blended learning approach. You must be able to commit to attending the DCP school for face-to-face sessions and have access to a suitable electronic device to access remote Microsoft Teams sessions.
• have the full support of your employer, both within your clinical environment and attending all your timetabled study sessions.
• carry out a variety of dental procedures and treatments to meet the requirements of the qualification.
• be able to commit to 100% attendance on the given study sessions for the 18-month duration of programme.

A significant amount of training to become a qualified dental nurse is undertaken in the dental clinical practice/setting. Here you will develop your skills as a trainee dental nurse. The DCP school will work closely with your employer whilst you are undertaking all aspects of your training during the 18-month programme.

To gain this qualification, the learner must achieve all of the evidence requirements in the Units, gain a pass mark in the Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) tests and pass a summative practical observation.

There must be evidence of a minimum of three observations in the dental clinical practice/setting, which can be holistic in nature and cover several units across the qualification. Observations must be carried out by a qualified Assessor. Dental procedures not observed within the three holistic observations may be carried out by an Expert Witness Testimony.

Additional minimum evidence requirements are included in each unit, to reflect the minimum requirements required for the portfolio. Where outcomes are not required to be covered by the portfolio, these will be incorporated within the MCQ tests.

The content assessed in the MCQ tests are clearly identified in each unit. The content of these will be delivered during the academic blended learning sessions. Trainee dental nurses will be advised to provide evidence of content, which can then be used as revision materials to help prepare for the MCQ tests.

NHS Practices/NHS employees that operate within the NHS England catchment areas of Cumbria/Lancashire, Cheshire/Merseyside, Greater Manchester will receive full funding for the course. Private Practice employers and/or NHS practices that operate outside of the NHS England catchment areas; are unfortunately not eligible for funding. A fee of £1,800 will be required, the discussion of payment will be carried out at your interview.

Full details of units, assessment grading, MCQ assessments, portfolio of evidence and practical observation available in the course Factsheet [PDF, 176KB]

The team delivering the qualification is occupationally competent, comprised of GDC-registered professionals with extensive experience in the field, and fully committed to your success.

Successful completion of this qualification enables individuals to apply for registration with the GDC as a Dental Nurse. Once registered, they are recognised as qualified and competent to work in a clinical dental setting. Registration also opens the door to further career progression within the dental profession.

Opportunities for consideration may include, but are not limited to:

• Specialist dental nursing roles.
• Dental hygiene or therapy.
• Dental technology.
• Dental decontamination.
• Teaching/mentoring/coaching.
• Practice management.

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.