Stepping stone

Elizabeth started her career as a dental nurse. After qualifying in oral health education, she went on to gain her teaching certificate, and is now an OHE-Southwest tutor as well as the manager of a dental practice in Bristol. She regularly continues to see her own patients referred by the dentists for oral health education.

There has never been a better time to train as an oral health educator (OHE). OHEs are becoming an increasingly important part of practice life, educating patients to achieve a higher standard of oral health. So, what are the benefits of obtaining an OHE qualification?

Ann Felton, founder of the OHE-Southwest training school, believes dental care professionals (DCPs) were largely ignored in terms of the extra value they could bring to their practice and patients. Many DCPs who have since studied OHE have found the skills and knowledge they have gained have helped them become much more involved in practice life, as well as opened up new career opportunities for them.