Dental nurses

Average National Salaries (2020)

What does this career do?

Dental nurses prepare patients for, and assist with, dental examinations, prepare and sterilise instruments and maintain case records.

Typical tasks

• prepares patient for examination
• prepares and sterilises instruments and follows guidelines to maintain sterile conditions within the surgery
• hands required equipment and medication to dentist during examination
• assists with minor treatment, such as preparing materials for fillings
• removes water and saliva from patient’s mouth during treatment
• maintains records, processes and mounts x?ray films and undertakes reception duties.

Current entry requirements

Entry is most common with GCSEs/S grades. Training is available both off- and on-the-job. Most entrants work towards the National Certificate for Dental Nurses.

Percentage in work

• Employed

• Unemployed

Due to insufficient sample sizes, some data was excised.

Predicted employment status in 2022

• Part-time

• Self Employed

• Full-time

Predicted employment levels in the East Midlands

Career related courses available at West Notts

• Biology A Level - Level 3
• Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care (Intermediate) - Level 2

About the statistics

Data is powered by LMI for All and is sourced from labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Institute for Employment Research, the Department for Works and Pensions, and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.