biggest problems around studying

The biggest problem I found when I started studies - to find a practise place. Nobody wants Dental Nurse Trainee

more opportunity to specialise in a particular aspect of dentistry would be good. so far theres ortho,implants,sedation,special care......how about a recognised course for paediatric dentistry and perio or endo?

For me I like to keep up to date on the latest regulations, so at the moment it is HTM01-05 and CQC(who has 40 hours to fill in the registration?)

I also have an interest in perio,

If money and time off weren't an issue, what would you want to learn?

It must be difficult Dumpling especially if it's further education, as in Radiography course etc.... With registration fees going up next year too this must be a cause for concern.

There is a lot of free verifiable cpd about though

yeah sometimes thats difficult. But as an unemployed nurse it's more difficult financially and the fact that you don't have a dentist to supervise you etc.

Andy Its not that I find it boring but I can see that finding time to do it would be a problem for some. When you work full time, have a family and a life outside dentistry fitting in cpd or training for other qualifications can become difficult.

I am lucky in as much my boss pays for all verifiable cpd and I have set up our practice meetings as verifiable cpd under the guidance of our Denplan advisor. Any practice can do this and as regular practice meetings are a part of clinical governance and is easily achievable so I would recommend that dental nurses ask their employers to set it up.

Toots and Dumpling, thanks for your comments (and great screennames!)

Toots, it sounds like it's not something you look forward to? Do you find it boring?

Dumpling -- what kind of support? Like getting time off work to do it?

Not sure if this counts, but I find getting access to affordable courses both cpd and further education hard as i'm currently not in permanent employment. Also finding further education courses that don't require you to be in employment are hard. I'd like to be able to show that i'm doing something constructive with my time in between temping that I can put on my cv like aquiring new skills but most courses are either hugely expensive or require 'support' from an employer.....

One of the biggest problems for me is finding the time. After working all day who wants to then start getting out the books or doing CPD.

We all have lives away from our work, I personally work to live rather than live to work.

Hi everyone.

We've been asked to run a short session around study skills for dental nurses. I've talked to a few people but what do you find hardest when you're studying for a qualification or doing CPD?

Andy