Admittedly, it wasn’t that often, but I did socialise occasionally before the eternal lockdown cycle kicked in. At the corporate I joined after I sold my practice in 2013, I was introduced to a new phenomenon - actually socialising with dental people that I worked with. Previously, I had shunned mixing with ‘dentals,’ but this lot were very different.
You Can’t Be Brilliant At Everything! - Let The Nurses Take Charge
A leading supplier of dental education, Healthcare Learning will deliver high quality content and on-going support for all apprentices. Widely recognised learning platforms such as the Dental Nurse Education Zone (DNEZ) will also be made available to apprentices, offering them even more resources to complete their studies and maintain their skills in the long-term.
Barnet and Southgate College has extensive experience in successfully providing a wide range of high quality apprenticeship programmes across various different industries, and will be delivering first-rate classroom-based workshops for dental nurse apprentices as well as providing full quality assurance for the overall programme.
Benefits of getting involved
The first clear benefit for practices getting involved with the programme is that their apprentices will learn on the job, developing the hands-on skills and experience they need to excel in the role of a dental nurse. What’s more, the majority of the course is delivered through online webinars from Healthcare Learning, so apprentices will need to take little time away from the practice.
The programme reflects all the clinical responsibilities of modern dental nurses, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, behaviours and practical workplace experience they need to perform the role effectively. For the practice, this affords complete confidence in the capabilities of the apprentice upon completion of the course to fulfil the duties of a dental nurse effectively. Plus, team members working alongside apprentices have an opportunity to help mould them into highly accomplished professionals, who understand and align with the principles and values of the existing team and business.
For practices that meet the criteria, there is also extensive funding to subsidise the costs of training each apprenticeship. The government has pledged to boost apprenticeships by creating 3 million programmes by 2020 and the Dental Nursing programme is a key beneficiary of this initiative. Therefore, the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) will deliver £2 for every £1 the practice invests, up to the £6,000 core funding cap. For practices that qualify for all the additional government incentives, while they will initially invest £3,000 per apprentice, they are set to receive £3,600 in rebates once the course is completed and so will actually benefit by £600 per apprentice.
A bright future
The Apprenticeship in Dental Nursing provides students with a Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing, which is equivalent to two A-levels. Not only does this enable apprentices to register with the GDC and embark on a long and successful professional career in dentistry, but it also offers enormous potential for them to undertake further training in order to advance and move onto senior roles. All this continues to benefit the practice – highly motivated staff with the chance to progress can help expand the services available and drive the business forwards.
Intake for the apprenticeship programme begins every few months with the next start dates in early 2016. An eligibility criteria form is available to provide a quick assessment of candidates’ suitability for the course. Generally, candidates need a grade C or above in GCSE English and Maths.
The Apprenticeship in Dental Nursing provides a fantastic opportunity to develop a highly skilled and experienced workforce for the future success of every dental practice. Find out more today.
For more information or applications contact Healthcare Learning
Tel: 020 7400 8989
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
‘We aim to source as much as possible from The Dental Directory’
Bethan Holding, Senior Nurse at Station Dental Practice in Leyland says:
“We have been using The Dental Directory for a few months now. Competitive pricing and the personal touch was a big attraction for us. Our rep, Rebecca, comes in to see us often and it's no trouble to arrange an extra visit.
“We buy all our consumables from The Dental Directory and we aim to source as much as possible from them in the future.
“I order using the website, which remembers our prices and favourites, for quick and easy ordering, saving us time and money. Delivery is pretty quick and the quality has been great so far. I would absolutely recommend The Dental Directory to other practices.”
For more information, contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586 or visit http://www.dental-directory.co.uk
