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Looking to the future: the changing role of the dental nurse

8 mins read Training and leadership Indemnity and registration GDC Professionalism/career development
This is the first article of a two-part series that will discuss the changing role of the dental nurse and the new opportunities that these changes will bring. This article will examine how the role is changing and how the Scope of Practice is contributing towards this change

Dental nurses have played a vital role in the delivery of dentistry ever since the profession of dentistry began. Traditionally, their role has very much been focused on being at the chairside, or preparing the clinical environment before and after the patient has attended the surgery. The limitations of the Dentists Act 1984 (HM Government, 1984) meant that dental nurses could not carry out procedures in the patient's mouth.

Statutory registration with the General Dental Council (GDC) was fully implemented for dental nurses in 2008 and the Scope of Practice (GDC, 2009) was introduced following the Dentists Act (Amendment) Order 2005 (HM Government, 2005). This allowed dental nurses to use a wider range of skills as part of their extended duties.

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