Dental Nurse Network Dental News & Community

Annual Fee Reminder

Dental nurses and other dental care professionals need to be aware that their annual fee to the GDC is due 31st July 2013. The General Dental Council (GDC) has reminded DCPs that they must pay this fee is order to stayed registered with the GDC and eligible to work. This payment can be made on or before the 31st July but no later. Payments can not be processed after this deadline. 

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Dental Nurse of the Year: Stacey Salter ‘Inspirational figure, dedicated head nurse and exceptional cake baker!’

DNN launched ‘Dental Nurse of the Year’ in 2010. It is an annual occasion for colleagues and practices to show appreciation and support for someone they believe has been an outstanding dental nurse. DNN received lots of nominations, all honest, engaging and inspirational stories. It has been an opportunity for dental nurses and other dental health care professionals to stand back and show recognition and appreciation for all the hard work that lots of dental nurses do.

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Orthodontic Therapy- A direction for dental nurses.

Orthodontic Therapists assist dentists in completing orthodontic treatment as well as carrying out specific parts of orthodontic treatment (under the prescription from a dentist)themselves. The patient is always under the care of their Orthodontists. Orthodontic Therapists also support patients and conduct emergency assistance by relieving pain or making, inserting or removing appliances safely. To train as an Orthodontic Therapist you must be qualified in dental nursing, dental hygiene, dental therapy or dental technology.

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Binky’s SuperStar Smile

Made In Chelsea’s lovable celebrity star Binky Felsead has team up with the company Wrigley, who own Extra chewing gum, with the aim to spread knowledge of oral health to young teens. Wrigley launched an investigation into the oral health of teenagers and young adults. Research demonstrated that this age range (teenagers to early 20s) are the demographic prone to ‘unsatisfactory’ oral care routines. It was also reported that this age group is most at risk to poor oral health and its side effects in later life. With National Smile Month (20th May to 20th June) up to all tricks and campaigns, Binky and Extra now join the forces to help boost oral health across the UK.

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Dental Complaints Service MakeOver

A new website has been launched in response to the large increase in complaints on the Dental Complaints Service website. The Dental Complaints Service witnessed a recent surge in online visitors. They decided that they needed to renovate their website to cope with the increase in visitors to their site. The DCS deals with complaints concerning private dental care. However, it will also refer NHS patients to the right source or establishment to help them.

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Further Checks for quality CPD

 Following concerns raised over the quality of CPD which is accessible and available to dental care professionals, the GDC has issued a call for further information involving the quality of CPD.

The GDC underwent research, involving a public consultation focusing on CPD review and assessment. The feedback and results of this research reflected that some CPD providers were not meeting the registrants’ expectations in terms of quality. Due to these revelations the GDC has decided to find out more about how CPD quality is being assured.

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Louise Bambrick, ‘Out in the Sticks’

Dentaid, Uganda

Louise Bambrick started her career as a dental nurse with an apprenticeship in September 2010. She attended college part time and worked full time as a dental nurse. She became qualified at the age of 23 and now works full time as a dental nurse.

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Heart your :) Innovation 360

Heart your Smile is a Dental Charity which honours and celebrates the dental profession. It provides tools and methods with the aim to engage with local communities. Heart your Smile wants to alter the public’s perception of the dental industry.It's goal is to increase attendance of members of the public to the dentist.

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The HTM 01-05….What’s changed!?

What is the HTM 01-05?

The HTM 01-05 which stands for Health Technical Memoranda is one of several guidance documents in a series if Health Technical Memoranda which give comprehensive advice and guidance on the design, installation and operation of specialised building and engineering technology used in the delivery of healthcare. The HTM 01-05 which was first published in 2009 specifically aims to “progressively raise the quality of decontamination work in primary care dental services by covering the decontamination of reusable instruments within dental facilities.”

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Angela Northfield: Dental Nurse at sixteen makes her way back to first ever practice, this time as a Dentist!

So, you started out as a dental nurse how did you get into dental nursing?

I started dental nursing when I was sixteen. I had left school and I knew I didn’t want to work in an office. I went to a job recruiters and told them this and they suggested, ‘what about dental nursing?’ I applied to several practices, got a position as a trainee dental nurse and never looked back.

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