Reference/Features

Lessons learnt: Changing perceptions

7 mins read Clinical governance
During the pandemic, have you been looked down upon or dismissed by other healthcare professionals because you’re ‘just’ a dental nurse? Melissa O’Connor addresses dentistry’s damaged reputation and suggests dental nurses are the powerhouses of any practice

I’m a dental nurse and clinical support worker with 10-plus years’ experience in healthcare, including an acute hospital setting. However, I left that sector because I was sick of the culture and the bullying.

When I recently told a registered general nurse that I was a dental nurse, she said: ‘Oh so you’ve not actually got ANY healthcare experience, because a dental nurse isn’t really a registered healthcare professional!’

I love dental nursing and have really found my niche. I love my practice and the team. These comments usually don’t bother me, but this really got me down, especially as I was helping with the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.

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