It’s a fresh new year in dentistry, and that means there are a whole lot of new dental shows for you to sink your shiny teeth into! The perfect place to hear from leading professionals in the dental industry, to collect Enhanced CPD, or to peruse the latest technology, new product launches, and current details, dental shows are not to be missed – and they’re available to all dental professionals. From the 2023 Dental Technology Showcase to the Dentistry Show, we’ve got your dates covered. 

Personal development plans have always been a useful and highly beneficial tool for all kinds of professionals – but creating them has also been viewed as a daunting and difficult task to carry out. Unfortunately, many nurses struggle with creating (and following) a personal development plan (or PDP) and may put off using one. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. PDPs were not created to make our workload heavier or our day harder – if anything, they were created to make it all that much easier.

Every day, those of us within the dental industry fight the good fight to raise awareness of better oral hygiene practices and to encourage our patients to take their dental health more seriously. Be it flossing and brushing, or avoiding sugary snacks and drinks, there are lots of things which we do so often that they become second nature to us – teeth and oral health are central to our thoughts. But our patients? Not so much. They need help – our help.

I have wanted to be many things in my life. But a dental nurse? It had never even come close to being one of my top ten career ideas. The start of my journey was unplanned and a complete surprise – but it was also the best decision I ever made. It went from being a role I didn’t even know existed, to being a part of my life and identity.

Career paths are very rarely linear anymore. While the generations before us would stick to one track — even if they didn’t enjoy it — today’s employees are waking up to the idea that work can be rewarding and support your lifestyle. It might even be fun, too!

A dental nursing career may not seem like the next logical step for your professional trajectory. But if you’re here reading this article, then the thought has at least crossed your mind ...