Dental Nursing

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,
• Essential Skills
• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Pathway (Dental Nursing) is 67 credits.

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 4 Pathway (Dental Nursing) is 138 credits.

Entry requirements

Applicants to this Apprenticeship will be from different age groups, with differing backgrounds and experience.

As a guide, applicants may enter via a range of routes including from:

• work
• work experience
• school
• college
• training and/or experience which may include a portfolio showing what they have done.

Applicants may have already achieved a range of qualifications (This is not an exhaustive list, and these are not a pre-Pathway requirement).

These can include:

• Essential Skills Wales
• Foundation Apprenticeship
• GCSEs
• GCEs
• Welsh Baccalaureate (there is no credit transfer at this time)
• Welsh Baccalaureate (there is no credit transfer at this time)
• Other level 2 qualifications

Other requirements

Employment in a dental setting during the course that enables the work-based learning component of the award to be fulfilled.

• Agreement from their employer to support the applicant during the award and ensure, in conjunction with the educational provider, effective mentoring whilst undertaking the work-based learning to also enable the individual:
• to understand the responsibility of being a registered Dental Nurse as part of the wider Dental Team and have the ability to judge one’s limitations and work within them to deliver high quality patient care based on evidence-based practice that puts the needs of the patient first.
• To be able to comply with the General Dental Council’s (GDC) Standards for the Dental Team and requirements for lifelong learning.

Personal Attributes:

Employers look for health sector apprentices who have:

• A caring and friendly nature
• Excellent communication skills

And they also expect them to be:

• Conscientious
• Calm
• Discreet
• Respectful
• Personable and approachable
• Highly organised
• Flexible enough to respond to unexpected situations as they arise.
• Able to work effectively in a team.
• Meticulous in carrying out their duties.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 3: Dental Nursing

Level 3: Dental Nursing Qualifications

Participants must achieve one of the following combined qualifications below

Please see Annex1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh and all Essential Skills should be contextualised to the dental sector.

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• Agored Cymru Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing -50 credits /310 GLH

OR

• C&G Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing - 58 credits /367 GLH

OR

• NCFE/CACHE Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice of Dental Nursing-49 Credits /366 GLH

To be completed over a period of up to 18 months.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy

Level 4: Dental Nursing

Level 4: Dental Nursing Qualifications

Participants must achieve the following combined qualification below.

Please see Annex 2 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh and all Essential Skills should be contextualised to the dental sector.

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

Level 4: To satisfy the requirements of this pathway an apprentice will need to complete a total of 120 credit / 1335 on and off the job training hours over 24 months.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy

Other additional requirements

None

Job roles

Dental Nursing

The role of a Dental Nurse is regulated by the General Dental Council.

Dental Nurses provide ‘chair-side support’ for the clinical team including Dentists, Dental Therapists, Hygienists, Clinical Dental Technicians and others.

Dental Nurses play a vital preventive and educational role, advising on oral and dental health.  Dental Nurses may move into other dentistry associated roles such as Head Dental Nurse or Dental Nurse Team Leader or Dental Nurse Tutor.

Progression

Progression routes into:

See Entry Conditions.

There are proxies or relaxations for Essential Skills Wales and candidates must   complete Communication, Application of Number at the level stated above.

There are no proxies or relaxations for Digital Literacy which candidates must complete at the level stated above.

Progression routes from:

There are a range of post registration courses available to Dental Nurses looking to progress in their career.

These may include further vocational qualifications, a range of higher education qualifications or other work-related education and training to support Continuing Professional Development.

Dental Nurses can undertake additional training in available advanced units, in areas including, for example: Orthodontic Nursing, Dental Radiography, Dental Sedation and Oral Health Education.

Other opportunities include:

• Dental Technician
• Dental Health Educators/Oral Health Promotion Officers
• Dental Practice Managers and Receptionists
• Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Technologists
• Orthodontic Therapist
• Laboratory Technician
• Clinical Dental Technician
• Dentist
• or within related healthcare roles such as Nursing and Radiography.

Dental Nurses play a vital preventive and educational role, advising on oral and dental health.

Dental Nurses may move into other dentistry-associated roles such as Head Dental Nurse or Dental Nurse Team Leader or Dental Nurse Tutor.  Following appropriate further education and training, they may also train in other areas of dentistry and healthcare.

Further detailed information and advice on careers as a Dental Nurse within the health sector can be found at: https://heiw.nhs.wales/careers/

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics

Our aim is to see the progression, not just of women, but of all under-represented groups. There should be open recruitment of Apprentices to the programme, which is available to all people, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, religion or disability who meet the stated selection criteria.

Information to help disabled students to understand the Equality Act has been produced by Disability Rights UK and can be found:    https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/understanding-equality-act-information-disabled-students

All partners involved in the delivery of the apprenticeship - providers, assessment centres and employers must be committed to a policy of equal opportunities and must have a stated equal opportunities policy and procedure.

Apprenticeships should have flexible entry and progression routes into the professions which can support mid-career, career interchange and career returner opportunities.

This will help talent, regardless of background or qualifications to have the opportunity to develop and thrive. This Pathway therefore aims to tackle these issues.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. 

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of the pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government/Medr Apprenticeships Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Medr

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