National Diploma for Dental Nurses – Training Course.
There are two courses per year commencing in March and August.
To complete the comprehensive list of training opportunities we are able to offer your dental team, we are very proud to include a course, accredited by the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN), which prepares trainee or unqualified dental nurses to take the Diploma in Dental Nursing (formerly the National Certificate). This qualification is nationally recognised and remains the benchmark by which other training courses are measured. The course is delivered to a very high standard and the NEBDN's Quality Assurance auditor said of this course on granting us Accreditation: "...Absolute Dental Training places assessment and feedback to both students and employers in high regard. The process and procedures showed great linkage and documents were of a high standard. This centre was a pleasure to audit."
The course covers all areas of the Diploma in Dental Nursing syllabus from Infection Control through to Oral Surgery – and everything in between! Each subject is looked at in detail, with the emphasis on the role of the dental nurse in each situation. The course consists of weekly tutorials (6.30-8.30pm) with full lecture notes and homework activities.
The course is presented, predominantly, by its originator Diane Cox. Diane is well placed to know what it takes to pass the National Certificate having passed her own exam with a distinction. Since then, Diane has continued to enjoy a very active dental nursing career and now wishes to focus some of her attention on mentoring other dental nurses, helping them to achieve equally high (or higher) grades and therefore offering employers and patients a consistently high level of patient care. Diane has been invited to speak to local and national DCP groups on the importance of customer service skills in the dental nursing profession and her course focuses largely on the patient journey – considering the dental nurses actions from the patients perception. Diane is also an examiner for the National Certificate and National Diploma examination.
With a September or March start date, the course runs weekly for approximately 30 weeks and aims to prepare dental nurses for either the May or November exam respectively.
The new National Diploma examination consists of three elements:
Firstly, the practical Record of Experience (RoE) where trainee dental nurses must record their role in specific work place tasks to a standard considered satisfactory to their workplace mentor (this can be a dentist, hygienist, therapist or any other GDC registrant). This is written on a Personal Experience Record Sheet (PERS) and also includes the students reflective account of the procedure, witness feedback and tutor feedback too. The RoE must be completed in order for the student to apply for entry to the written exam. The RoE is closely monitored by the course tutor, and deadlines are clearly highlighted for the students.
The next element is a written exam consisting of approximately 75 multiple choice questions and extended matching questions which takes place over one morning. If a student is successful in passing this element they go onto the final element which is a more practical assessment.
The final element is the OSCE section (Objective Structured Clinical Exam), this tests the students practical skills over 15 OSCE stations, ranging from CPR to dental charting.
Students must be currently employed within a dental practice and be able to have a workplace mentor nominated to them who can assist with their RoE completion and mentor their workplace activities. We strongly recommend the students mentor attends the induction session at the beginning of the course
Each week the students will receive a comprehensive tutorial consisting of Power Point presentation, group discussions and on occasion practical demonstrations. Detailed handouts, which act as revision aids, accompany each tutorial and weekly homework set in a style similar to the format of the National Diploma to further help students prepare for the actual exam. Throughout the course there are mock-style written and OSCE exams to help build confidence in the nurses as their real exam approaches.
Diane knows that the period of preparation for the exam can be very stressful for the nurses, and therefore wants her students to know that if they have any questions or concerns between the weekly sessions, she can always be contacted to ease any worries. Diane prides herself on being approachable & enthusiastic, and wants to use these attributes to motivate and inspire her students. |
