What are those dental nursing essentials?

Rebecca Silver, 29, started her dental nursing career in 2009 and obtained her national qualification in 2011. Originally from Birmingham, she moved to London and immediately secured a dental nurse position – and ‘the rest is history.’ She says. ‘Although dentistry was never a career I thought I would end up in, I now can’t imagine doing anything else.’

She works at Waterside Dental Health in Canary Wharf, London, and understands the qualities required as a dental nurse. She explains: ‘I feel that being able to read patients and co-workers non-verbally is very important, especially when it comes to the care that the patient receives. As the dentist or dental hygienist/dental therapist work within such a small space, it is up to all of us to ensure the patient is comfortable during treatment. However, many patients do not say that they are in pain or nervous and will just bear it. Therefore, you must be able to read the little cues from patients, such as a raise of the eyebrows or the clench of a fist.’