Will dental nursing remain an in‑demand job in a new AI world? In short, yes, I think so. Even as artificial intelligence becomes more embedded in healthcare, there are too many stages of the dental journey where things could go wrong without human intervention. Dentistry isn’t just technical; it’s emotional, relational and situational. That makes dental nurses not only relevant, but absolutely essential.

A growing number of dental nurses are choosing to return to the GDC register. As a nurse who has been through the process, I can say with confidence that it’s no picnic. A recent survey run by Dental Nurse Network sheds some light on why nurses left, why they’re returning, how they feel navigating the process, and how the ‘Get Back on the Register’ course from Dental Nurse Network helped. 

Some people step into dentistry. Others step forward and reshape what it can do. Adeniké, also known as Emma, is one of the latter. Motivated by a desire to give children the oral health education she wished more families had access to, she created a social enterprise (SE) that now brings practical, empowering lessons directly to children and young people. Her passion for community-led change has just been recognised on a national stage, as she received the Inspirational Dental Nurse Award at the Dental Nursing Awards. Presented by the Chair of the GDC and the Chair of the SBDN in Manchester, the award highlights what everyone who meets her already knows: Adeniké’s commitment, energy and heart make her a true inspiration.

It’s happened to the best of us; the feeling of a complete lack of motivation for dental nursing. Whether it’s through stress or no recognition, the feeling of apathy can sometimes creep up with little to no warning in the dental nursing field. It’s easy to get bogged down, get stuck in the rut and let the bad stuff in – we’re all human, after all! 

As dental professionals, we’re often the first to spot the signs of sugar creeping into children’s diets. Early enamel erosion, tiny carious lesions in first molars, and parents genuinely confused as to how it’s happened when they’re “doing everything right”.