Looking to the future

As dental regulation continues to be reformed with a focus on prevention, the role of the dental nurses is changing and this, in turn, is bringing new opportunities. Dental nurses are being encouraged to further develop their knowledge and acquire new skills in extended clinical duties. Increasingly, busy practices want their dental nurses to contribute additional skills and add value to their businesses.

The General Dental Council's (GDC) Scope of Practice (GDC, 2013) has allowed registered nurses to take on more duties, which helps them to further their career and to become a great asset within the dental practice. In order to carry out these extended duties, the GDC has stipulated that further training is needed. The Scope of Practice guidance document sets out the skills and abilities each registrant group should have and describes additional skills that a dental nurse can develop after registration to increase the scope of their practice.