Category: Article

 *The following press release was provided by The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN)

The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the professional association for dental nurses in the UK, is delighted to announce that Chief Executive Pam Swain has been awarded an MBE in the 2025 New Year’s Honours list for services to dental nursing.

“I have known Pam for years; I have witnessed her working alongside various Presidents and the BADN Executive Committee for the empowerment and benefit of the dental nursing workforce” said BADN President Preetee Hylton. “Although not a dental nurse herself, she has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the profession. Her tenacity and passion in standing up for dental nurses is admirable.  I am delighted and honoured to have her by my side as I start my tenure as BADN President.”

Pam, who has worked for the Association since 1992, has had a varied international career.  Following a gap year studying German  whilst selling newspapers outside Vienna’s Wien Mitte railway station and working as an au pair and English tutor in Vienna, and a brief spell at the Home Office Research Unit in the late 70s, Pam  brushed up her French in the pharmaceutical/food (CPC Europe) and hotel industries (Hilton International European Office) in Brussels, before working at the NATO Headquarters in a number of posts, ranging from Electronic Warfare to Crisis Management, Exercise & Training.

In the late 80s, she moved to Bermuda to work in the Bank of Bermuda’s Investment Department, where she completed three quarters of her American Institute of Banking Diploma and several business management courses before moving on.  During this time, she trained as a hotline counsellor with the Bermuda Rape Crisis Centre, manning the phone hotline once a week; and was Vice President of the Alliance Francaise des Bermudes.

Some 15 years after her first gap year, Pam took another – spending 12 months in Boston, Massachusetts studying holistic therapy at the Massage Institute of New England and obtaining the American Massage Therapy Association certification.  During her year in the US, Pam volunteered at a children’s charity in Boston, and provided voluntary admin support to a local community film project.

Pam returned to her hometown of Fleetwood in 1991 and began working for BADN (then ABDSA) in 1992, whilst running her own holistic therapy business in her spare time.  As well as being BADN’s Chief Executive, Pam is Editor of the “British Dental Nurses’ Journal”, and also writes regular columns for “The Probe” and other dental publications.

Having been a member of Soroptimist International Fleetwood until it closed in 2004, Pam is now an active member of SI Blackpool & District; and was President of SI Blackpool 2012-2014. During her Presidential term, Pam organised various events – including a chocolate Tombola and a Meat Free Mondays piggy bank campaign – to raise money for her Presidential charities:  Bridge2Aid and the Household Cavalry Occupational Casualties Fund.  Another ad hoc project was the provision of filled backpacks for the Mary’s Meals Backpack Project – a number of dental companies provided children’s toothbrushes and toothpaste for inclusion in SI Blackpool’s backpacks.

Pam obtained the City & Guilds Licentiate in Management in 2005 and a Master’s degree in Business Administration in 2007.  She is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

In 2012, Pam was awarded Outstanding Achievement Award at the Dental Awards, and the BADN Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award.  Pam celebrated 32 years of employment with BADN in 2024 and lives in Fleetwood.

NEBDN is proud to work with the British Association of Dental Nurses as an affiliate.

Nascot Dental Team Trainings Head Tutor Verne Rice has been NEBDN Qualified 30 Years and talks about her Dental Career 

I can’t quite believe I have now been qualified 30 years, after passing my NEBDN qualification in November 1992.

My clinical career as a Dental Nurse started in summer 1989.  I have since this time had the opportunity to  work in both private and NHS practices, been a Head Nurse, Practice manager and since 2016 a Dental Tutor. During my career I have seen many changes and developments in Dentistry.

Back in June 1989, when my career started as a Trainee Dental Nurse in an NHS practice and I can remember that day as if it was yesterday.  It was a hot summer and I had been sunbathing the day before and was now suffering with sunburn. My uniform was a popper button up dress that came “unpopped” frequently!

We never wore any PPE, only sterilised extraction instruments.  All other instruments were “Cold Sterilised” along with metal aspirator tubes and mouthwash cups.

Our suction system wasn’t central so every evening we emptied a bottle (affectionally called “slopping out”) of the days salvia and haemoglobin. The materials were also basic with only one Glass Ionomer available as a luting and restoration material along with amalgam and putty with a wash that was hand mixed with an activator.

It wasn’t until I studied the NEBDN qualification and moving to another practice in 1991 that I realised “Cold Sterilisation” did not exist and we had in fact been disinfecting all the instruments, handpieces and metal mouthwash cups.

Over the next 20 years our PPE changed- we now wore gloves, masks, visors with huge emphasis in cross infection control which became paramount. New treatments and materials became available – in fact dentistry had changed beyond recognition since my first day way back in June 1989.

One of the biggest changes besides PPE, materials and fast developing treatments and technology was mandatory registration for Dental Nurses and the Care Quality Commission. Registration for Dental Nurses brought with it the need for Continued Professional Development.

It was on an Infection Control course back in 2008 by a prominent professor that I first heard the word “Pandemic”. He talked about the likelihood of a worldwide pandemic with Dental Staff wearing breathing apparatus and haslet type PPE. At the time this seemed highly unlikely and rather unthinkable……

In March 2020 the UK went into full lockdown with Dental Practices closed, many dental staff furloughed or being made redundant. In June 2020 it was announced that new Special Operation Procedures and enhanced PPE Dental Practices would once again open for face-to-face treatment.

As a tutor I am a firm believer that it is important I still work in a clinical environment (1-2 days per week) this not only allows me to be up to date with any new treatments, be able to be empathic with my students. This could not have been more significant than returning to clinic in June 2020, we had new SOPs to adhere to, mask fitting for FFP3 masks, fallow times, air filters, wearing a face covering around the practice (that was extremely difficult as I was trained to NEVER leave the clinical environment wearing any PPE), setting everything out before treatments, deep cleaning of surgeries.

Yes, it has been hard.  Dentistry has changed and it’s been a very difficult past few years for us all. I also have had times when I have struggled mentally with all the pressure of Covid 19, New PPE, new SOPs combined with the stress of teaching and preparing my students for their examinations during a worldwide pandemic.

Many have asked why I went back? For my students – how can I be a good empathic Tutor understanding my students’ worries or concerns if I have not experienced the “New Normal” in Dentistry at that time. However, thankfully things are now getting back to some kind of normality.  It’s not only understanding the new procedures, protocols in place and support, it’s also experiencing them thus enabling me to reassure my students throughout their learning journey. I enjoy nothing more than watching my learners develop and learn with many going onto have amazing careers as dentists, hygienists, orthodontic therapists , practice managers, head nurses or becoming self-employed locums running their own businesses. I am looking forward to continuing in my Teaching role delivering a fun, innovative learning experience to the next generation.

I still to this day work in clinic occasionally though my main role is Head Tutor at Nascot Dental Team Training sharing my wealth of knowledge with a new generation of learners. My teaching career started in 2016 when l obtained a Level 3 Diploma in teacher training then progressing to graduating with my teaching degree in 2018. I have taught for private, and government founded colleges delivering the NEBDN Qualifications with also occasionally teaching Oral Anatomy units in other subjects.

SmileWisdom, an NEBDN accredited Delivery Site, has worked with NEBDN since 2011. Their Admissions Director, Rebecca Madigan, gives us an insight into the working relationship and how SmileWisdom work with NEBDN to encourage dental nurse career progression.

At SmileWisdom we are passionate about dental nurse training and development along with jobs and recruitment, so it means a lot to us to be able to run an approved NEBDN dental nursing Diploma along with a range of Post-Registration NEBDN courses. For the last 10 years we’ve kept in touch with NEBDN on a regular basis to constantly improve on Learners education when it comes to dental nursing. Through working with them we can adopt a clear direction with a scheme of work to train up successful dental nurses of which we’re proud to have a 95% pass rate at first attempt. A yearly audit by NEBDN of our working frame and requirements means that we can be confident we are offering our Learners the best education from a leading awarding body in the UK. As our Consulting Director, Ewa Assaker says, “It give us huge reassurance knowing that the programs we provide comply with the Standards for Education and the regulations and legislation of the  General Dental Council (GDC) enabling us to deliver courses that uphold the standards of patient care. In education we put safety first, making sure our Learners are able to safely deliver in clinic what they learn in the classroom. ”

Our relationship with NEBDN is always a two-way conversation where we can reach out to them at any point if we are facing any challenges to receive support and constructive feedback with a patient-care focus. They help us to find better solutions for Learners allowing us to constantly improve the way we work. Learners education and progression is always at the forefront of our minds alongside the wellbeing of our team and their expert qualifications. Ewa adds, “NEBDN really guides us to provide that A-Z career progression for nurses, starting from Diploma Level 3. They’re always trying to look at the positive side, find the constructive feedback, say what we’re doing well and also give us guidance on how to improve things along with the freedom to make the right choices. All NEBDN processes encourage us in a positive way to fall into the correct working frame of student dental nurses.”

NEDBN regularly checks we are delivering in all respects – guiding us to create lesson plans, checking Learners facilities, verifying team qualifications, structuring the marking guides, looking at health and safety, sampling Learners work, monitoring attendance policies, helping to schedule mock exams, promoting equality and diversity, helping with enrolment processes and more. It’s really reassuring for our Learners to know that we are reviewed so thoroughly on a regular basis as providers. NEDBN works with us to give everyone equal opportunity to be able to enrol on our dental nursing diploma and give Learners different pathways to enrol. Learners can be safe in the knowledge that they are receiving the best education possible from the team at SmileWisdom. Ewa comments, “Since 2011 it’s been a long journey for us, and I’ve seen NEBDN really grow in their structure, online systems and online platforms, allowing us to effectively deliver Learners education online. NEBDN has really helped us to grow to the level we’re at now, from only 10 nurses on the course back in 2011 to over 250 Learners today.”

We all know how challenging 2020 was for many businesses but with NEBDN’s help we were able to implement accredited online learning for our Learners within a matter of weeks. The flexibility of NEBDN’s online exam delivery meant that our Learners didn’t suffer any delays or breaks in learning and that something we envisaged implementing in three years’ time was able to be up and running so quickly. When the pandemic hit, we worked very hard as a team to make online learning happen and to have the support of the NEBDN was invaluable to us.

Dental nursing has evolved into a respected profession with practices seeing the unique value that a qualified dental nurse brings not only to the patients but to the business as well. Professional dental nurses have become a very important part of dentistry offering chair side support, helping to improve working times for the dentist and waiting time for the patients. As a result, dentists are now encouraging nurses more and more to attend post graduate courses. We started offering postgraduate courses three years ago and SmileWisdom currently offers NEDBDN qualifications in Dental Implant Nursing *Level 4, Dental Radiography *Level 4, Oral Health Education *Level 4 as well as a range of CPD and eCPD for dental professionals.

Career progression is something we take very seriously to help our Learners with, and we don’t say goodbye once the education part is over. SmileWisdom has the largest job site when it comes to dental nursing and practice support staff, with around 750 jobs from companies such as Bupa, MyDentist, Dentex, Portman, Royal Navy and a growing number of independent practices.

Josh and Katherine in our jobs and recruitment team are passionate about helping both Learners and qualified dental nurses find their dream job. So, once you’re enrolled on a course with us you really do become part of the SmileWisdom family, and we relish nothing more than to see dental nurses do well!

If you would like more information on enrolling with us as a Centre, click here

Visit our jobs site at www.smilewisdom.co.uk/jobs

*Listed qualifications are equivalent to level 4.

Written by Becky Madigan

Admissions Director

This month we hear from Sangita Marahatta, Founder and Director at Forward Academic Team Ltd. to share her success and experience working as a course provider for NEBDN and talk about how she built her business up from one centre to eight, sitting approximately 150 students a year.

Sangita founded Forward Academic in 2016 and has kindly written this article for NEBDN, to share her recruitment and marketing tips with other industry professionals. Read below:

Forward Academic started to deliver the Diploma in Dental Nursing in January 2016, with a vision to produce dedicated and high-quality Dental Nurses to fulfil the high demand of the profession. Forward Academic has a minimum of five-six cohorts in the year. We do this to give our learners a chance to enroll on the course without having to wait for too long.

We started with a head office in the southeast of London and since 2017, expanded to eight other centres in Woolwich, Harrow, Maidstone, Folkestone, Swindon, Farnborough, and Basingstoke. We believe in diversity, and we are proud to serve multinational learners in our institution.

We were in the process to register for more centres before the UK was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Establishing more centres while still new to the market was a challenge. But we took different approaches to recruiting, including advertisements, small informative seminars in different locations with different communities, local radio interviews, local newspaper, and job sites. Word of mouth recommendation was also a strong factor. NEBDN has been extremely supportive throughout our accreditation and audit reviews.

The procedure to open more centres was not difficult for us and despite NEBDN’s high-quality aspirations set out in their Accreditation Standards, we received very prompt and supportive guidelines from NEBDN and our Quality Assurance manager, which made the completion and addition of the further centres a smooth process.

As well as the above, regular posting on our website and social media accounts have been one of the best tools. Forward Academic provides free video consultations and has done since the country went into lockdown, so our prospective learners get some interaction during this difficult time. We do not only give the overview of the course, but we help them with career aspirations and guide them throughout. We communicate with dental practices regularly to mutually work for the benefit of our trainees and that NEBDN’s mission is fulfilled with a high-quality learning and training environment. In our experience, people have been greatly attracted to dental nursing in recent years. Even some established professionals from other industries have changed their career choice to becoming a Dental Nurse. With the hospitality and many other industries hard hit with job loss due to COVID-19, we have recruited those to dental nurse training, and they have been able to happily work in the dental practices.

The beginning of 2020 was the most challenging time with the dilemma about what we would do when the whole country was badly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. But with the support of NEBDN announcing all its exam online, we rose from that difficulty to offer our classes online. We had to ensure our software was accessible to all the learners and sustainable on our platform, which was very challenging, but we have been very lucky and have continued to recruit the learners who are interested to participate in lessons online and deliver all our classes through real online systems. We are very happy with the way students have coped with the new system despite this difficult time.

NEBDN’s announcement of online exams was a great tool to ease off the stress and panic of the learners. They were really worried for their safety and wellbeing during this time, but with the news of online exams, our candidates felt very supported and capable of doing their exams in a secure environment at home or in practice. New learners prefer this style now.

We chose NEBDN over competitors because NEBDN’s course format is really straightforward, and the learners can qualify in a short duration achieving all the necessary learning outcomes. The written exams and OSCEs are of high standard and NEBDN’s website is full of resources for course providers, tutors, learners and the dental practices. Sample exams, guidance documents and videos are easily accessible to all. The webinars and seminars run by NEBDN on a regular basis are useful, as it gives us an opportunity to interact with staff and other course providers.

Even during the lockdown, we have received prompt help and assistance via email from NEBDN which is invaluable to us. Forward Academic aims to continue working with NEBDN offering the National Diploma and Dental Radiography.

We aim to expand our Post-Registration qualification courses in the future.

Sangita Marahatta-Sharma

Founder and Director

This month we hear from Wayne Thomas, Dental Nurse at The University Dental Hospital of Manchester, to share his experience from trainee dental nurse to working as an Associate Examiner for NEBDN.

My association with NEBDN goes back a long way. It started back in 2010, when I began my journey as a trainee dental nurse. I studied at the Dental Team Education Centre (DTEC), based at King’s College Hospital in London. I had the choice of either the NVQ Level 3 in Dental Nursing or the NEBDN National Diploma. NEBDN has an excellent reputation, and the course was highly recommended, so I chose the National Diploma. I am glad to say this was the correct choice for my career, in the short and long-term.

The training and experience gained during my two years at King’s, gave me the skills needed to become the dental nurse I am today. I was working four days a week in the Dental Institute at King’s, rotating around the different dental departments every four weeks. The practical experience this gave me was invaluable. Treating patients in real time helped me learn the practical skills I would need, improved my communication skills dramatically, and gave me the confidence that I could do this as a career. I also had one day of classroom time every week, where I was taught the syllabus to prepare for the written exam, given materials to practice the manual skills of dental nursing, and given time to write up assessments for my Record of Experience (RoE). My tutor for the National Diploma was Rebecca Cox. She is a training coordinator at the DTEC and a Trustee for NEBDN. Rebecca was my first mentor, she helped me really buckle down with my studies and was very supportive in getting my RoE submitted on time. Her dedication and passion for dental nursing, and her incredible work ethic, was a real inspiration to me and definitely had a big influence on my career. All the knowledge and skills I had gained from my training, as well as the help and support from everyone involved with the course helped me and I managed to pass.

After I had been at King’s for two years and my training course had finished, I was a newly qualified dental nurse ready to get down to work. I had the option of finding a job in an NHS or private practice, but I was desperate to continue working in the hospital setting. However, there weren’t any jobs available at the time. Being unemployed for an extended period was not an option for me, so I found a job in practice. However, I missed the atmosphere of working in a hospital, the camaraderie with many people in different departments working in the same building. I missed the different types of patients and treatments that you get in the hospital setting. Luckily after a few months, I managed to get a job back at the hospital where it all started — King’s College Hospital.

My new role was not initially based at the hospital. Community Special Care Dentistry is a service that provides dental treatment at community-based health centres and sites in South London, for patients whom treatment by a general dental practice is unsuitable. These included people who have additional needs, complex medical conditions, severe mental health conditions and severe anxiety/phobia. Now my work was so much more than dealing with dental problems. We had to manage the logistics of treating a patient in an electric wheelchair. We had to be aware of our patient’s underlying medical conditions and be ready to act swiftly in the event of a medical emergency. It was sometimes a challenge to get some of our patients to sit in the dental chair.

Providing care to patients who are unable to access a dentist is the most rewarding aspect of Community dentistry. We treated patients at their homes, including care homes and assisted living facilities. Many of these patients had dementia or physical disabilities, they would have struggled to get help without our service. We also had a mobile dental unit to provide dental examinations and treatment at special needs schools, psychiatric hospitals and homeless shelters. Working in Community has been the most enjoyable and rewarding chapter of my career so far. I have helped the people in society who need it the most, and I’ve worked with amazing people. Community dentistry is unique. It requires a special blend of compassion, empathy and hard work.

I started working with NEBDN in 2014, helping out with the OSCEs, because I was excited to be involved in the process of producing the next generation of dental nurses. The exams ran twice a year over two days, and in multiple cities all around the country. I was recruited by Rebecca Cox, who was a Super Coordinator for NEBDN at the time. My job was to reset the OSCE stations after a candidate had finished, ready for the next candidate. The work was taken very seriously, but I had a lot of fun and had the chance to meet new people and network with dental professionals from all over the country, which was a great opportunity.

In 2016, I applied to become an Associate Examiner for NEBDN. My application was successful, and I was invited to an Examiner training workshop. The main objective was to learn how to assess candidates correctly. I watched video footage of previous OSCEs, marked the candidates using specific criteria, and received feedback on my assessment of their performance. The idea is to be objective, accurate, fair and consistent when evaluating a candidate’s performance. Prior to each OSCE, examiners are required to perform a standardisation exercise. This is to ensure that the strict marking criteria is followed so that all candidates are assessed consistently. Although NEBDN’s exams have now moved online, the role of the Associate Examiner is still crucial to the OSCE exams, as it still involves all the above just via an online platform.

I have examined for NEBDN many times since 2016 and there are always plenty of nerves, and some tears, from the candidates throughout the process, as it means so much to them, but as an examiner I must maintain calmness, professionalism and objectivity. The majority of the candidates do amazingly well which makes me so proud, and I can honestly say it’s the most enjoyable experience. I love it.

NEBDN has provided high-calibre qualifications for many years which is one of the reasons I chose to work with them over other Awarding Organisations. I have completed two NEBDN qualifications and the knowledge and skills I needed to complete these courses was extensive, and thoroughly prepared me for my role as a dental nurse. NEBDN is staffed with professionals who are dedicated and passionate about the development of dental nurses, and I share this drive to be involved in the future of the profession.

As a male in a female dominated profession, I feel this has been of benefit in my journey as a dental nurse. I have sometimes been able to connect to patients in a different way to some of my other colleagues. I have worked with children and younger people, and I feel that I have been an example of doing what you love, regardless of gender, race or any other perceived barriers.

If you would like to work with us as an Associate, please visit this page for more information.

Wayne Thomas

This month we hear from Ellen Davison, Manager of Dental Nursing and Technology at Leeds Dental Institute, to share her experience working as a course provider for NEBDN whilst navigating through a global pandemic. Ellen shares information on how Leeds Dental Institute run their courses and how they operate a successful business.

Ellen has successfully worked at Leeds Dental Institute for 32 years and has kindly written this article for NEBDN, to share her journey with other industry professionals. Read below:

The School of Dental Nursing has been training dental nurses since 1956. In 2015, the School of Dental Nursing and School of Dental Technology combined to form one joint school to become the School of Dental Nursing and Technology – Leeds Dental Institute, which currently delivers training to well over a hundred dental nurses and technicians a year. The joining of the two schools has meant that we and our learners benefit from the expertise of the two disciplines, and we are able to collaborate and share expert knowledge and skills, to enable a greater understanding of the differing roles within dentistry.

Our aim is to provide well trained, dynamic, and inspired dental care professionals who take real value from their training and will go on to deliver quality, patient centred care to the wider Yorkshire and Humber region.

Leeds Dental Institute is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and is committed to delivering the highest quality and safest treatment and care to every patient, with a vision to be the best for specialist and integrated care within the region. As a team, The School of Dental Nursing and Technology is responsible for delivering the pre-registration NEBDN National Diploma in Dental Nursing to dental nurses in general dental practice.

The school has been an accredited course provider since the early 80’s delivering NEBDN qualifications, and in our experience, dental practices understand and value the qualifications NEBDN offer.

The school also offers post-registration NEBDN qualifications in Oral Health Education, Sedation Dental Nursing, Orthodontic Dental Nursing and Fluoride Varnish Application.

The communication and service we receive from NEBDN is excellent, knowing that we can talk to someone is invaluable. Our auditor, Sandra, is so helpful and always there to support us along with the customer support staff who we know by name!

The school is, and always has been, passionate about supporting the career progression of dental nurses and with an experienced team of tutors and assessors, we understand the importance that NEBDN has in supporting the development of dental nursing career pathways. We work closely with them to improve the lives of dental nurses by providing industry approved qualifications.

During 2020, training providers had to quickly adjust their educational provision to accommodate the lockdown measures enforced throughout the pandemic, which meant like many other organisations, the delivery of face-to-face teaching had to change, and we had to adapt by implementing a range of technological applications that would offer the best support to learners. The School of Dental Nursing and Technology rose to the challenge that Covid-19 presented to the delivery of dental education and has rapidly enhanced all training programmes with technology assisted learning environments that support the dental nurses and trainee dental technicians to continue the development of their skills and knowledge, with minimal interruption to their training to complete their qualifications. The school has quickly developed their blended learning methodology that now covers both pre- and post-registration qualification courses, creating an online environment which is both stimulating and rewarding for learners, and they have transitioned well to this new method of blended learning –

 NEBDN’s change to online exams has helped facilitate this new method.

We actively support course provider networking events, national conferences and have been involved in the different qualification committees as committee members and chair.

We’re looking forward to the exciting times ahead with Ofqual recognition and hopefully an apprenticeship offering.

Ellen Davison

Manager of Dental Nursing and Technology

NEBDN is supporting its course providers by sharing monthly articles named ‘Crowning Courses’, to highlight the Post-Registration qualifications on offer for accreditation. The articles are also useful for qualified dental nurses wanting to progress their careers, or those thinking of becoming a course provider wanting to know more about the qualifications we offer and how the course syllabus works.

This month’s Crowning Courses article features our new Fluoride Varnish qualification, launching 1 November 2020!

The course at a glance

NEBDN course providers offering the Fluoride Varnish qualification can support qualified dental nurses in the progression of their Post-Registration journey.

The new qualification acts as a natural progression for those who have undertaken NEBDN’s Oral Health Education (OHE) qualification, or it can be taken as a stand-alone course without having to hold the OHE qualification prior to registration.

The course content

Information on our Fluoride Varnish qualification or syllabus will be released on our website 1 November following the launch date.

Exam schedule – no exam

This is the first NEBDN qualification that is Record of Competence based only, with on-demand registration and award on achievement; allowing course providers and students to work to their own schedule. (Course provider timescales may differ for completion of the RoC.)

Success stats

• New vocational qualification
• Online portfolio RoC based only
• No written exam
• On-demand registration and award on achievement – no need to work around NEBDN’s schedule
• £95 course fee to NEBDN (other Post-Registration qualifications are £195)
• No accreditation fee for existing course providers (£500 for new applicants)
• Featured on our course provider search list
• Currently, we have 6 course providers offering this course following our trial qualification success

As an awarding organisation, NEBDN offer the most Post-Registration qualifications across the UK in Radiography, Implant, Sedation, Oral Health, Orthodontics, Special Care and Fluoride Varnish. Offering a wider range of qualifications provides flexibility for course providers wanting to expand and grow their businesses, as it allows students to stay within the same course provider practice when moving on to another area of dental nursing.

Process for accreditation

For more information, or to apply for accreditation, please contact the accreditation team at accreditation@nebdn.org or telephone us on 01772 429917.

Benefit of choosing an NEBDN accredited course

• NEBDN’s long-standing reputation outweighs many competitors, with over 75 years of providing dental nursing qualifications in both pre-registration and post-registration areas.
• Our primary qualification is recognised by a regulatory body, and as a registered charity we don’t charge any hidden fees or incentives, because our vision is to support the education and development of dental nurses in the UK.
• All candidates who successfully pass their qualifications are awarded certificates of completion as opposed to certificates of attendance which are of different relevance.
• Holding accreditation for delivery of qualifications indicates that the standards for education, policies, process and procedures in place, highlight an effective quality management system which is the core foundation of a course provider.
• An accredited qualification could be more favourable with employers who are aware of the standards required to achieve qualification.

Costs

• Accreditation fee for existing course providers – no charge
• Accreditation fee for new course providers £500
• Course fee to us £95* per candidate

*Additional fees to students may apply, subject to each course provider policy and course schedule

Where can this qualification take me?

A qualified dental nurse who completes the qualification in Fluoride Varnish Application provides dental nurses with an educational experience in knowledge, critical understanding, intellectual skills, practical skills and personal attitude. This will enable them to provide effective fluoride varnish application within a community-based programme and/or on prescription from an appropriately qualified Dental Care Professional, or as part of a specific patient structured dental health programme.

How do I register my interest?

If you are a student wanting to take the NEBDN qualification in Fluoride Varnish Application, please share your interest with your course provider who can email us for accreditation details.

NEBDN is supporting its course providers by sharing monthly articles named ‘Crowning Courses’, to highlight the Post-Registration qualifications on offer for accreditation. The articles are also useful for qualified dental nurses wanting to progress their careers, or those thinking of becoming a course provider wanting to know more about the qualifications we offer and how the course syllabus works.

This month’s Crowning Courses article features our Orthodontics qualification.

The course at a glance

NEBDN course providers offering the Orthodontics qualification can support qualified dental nurses in the progression of their Post-Registration journey.

NEBDN’s certificate in Orthodontic Dental Nursing is one of our Post-Registration qualifications aimed at registered dental nurses in specialist practice, where skills and knowledge above general dental nursing training would be advantageous in the workplace.

The course content

For more information on our Orthodontics qualification or syllabus click here

Exam schedule

Currently NEBDN provide two exam dates a year in March and September for all Post-Registration exams.

Prior to sitting the exam, candidates are required to complete a work-based assessment portfolio called the Record of Competence, which can now be completed online for ease of use to candidates, course providers and the environment.

Click here for full exam schedule.

Success stats
• Third searched for Post-Registration qualification in 2020
• Over 4,000 Orthodontics page visits on our website since January 2020, with over 1,600 course provider searches for the qualification this year.
• Currently, we have 16 course providers offering this course, and as you can see above, the demand is there for new students to join.

Following a recent survey to Post-Registration candidates, the below quotes highlighted how candidates feel towards studying their Post-Registration course and if they would consider using another awarding organisation for their Post-Registration qualifications.

“No. No others are recognised on the same level as an NEBDN qualification.”

“No, highly recommended NEBDN with it being a national recognised qualification.”

“Really good course. Straight forward and really informative – I was hesitant to start the qualification due to thinking it may be too hard work, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it!”

As an awarding organisation, NEBDN offer the most Post-Registration qualifications across the UK in Radiography, Implant, Sedation, Oral Health, Orthodontics and Special Care. Offering a wider range of qualifications provides flexibility for course providers wanting to expand and grow their businesses, as it allows students to stay within the same course provider practice when moving on to another area of dental nursing.

Process for accreditation
For more information, or to order an accreditation enquiry pack, please complete the Contact Form and return to the accreditation team at accreditation@nebdn.org or telephone us on 01772 429917.

Benefit of choosing an NEBDN accredited course
• NEBDN’s long-standing reputation outweighs many competitors, with over 75 years of providing dental nursing qualifications in both pre-registration and post-registration areas.
• Our primary qualification is recognised by a regulatory body, and as a registered charity we don’t charge any hidden fees or incentives, because our vision is to support the education and development of dental nurses in the UK.
• All candidates who successfully pass their qualifications are awarded certificates of completion as opposed to certificates of attendance which are of different relevance.
• Holding accreditation for delivery of qualifications indicates that the standards for education, policies, process and procedures in place, highlight an effective quality management system which is the core foundation of a course provider.
• An accredited qualification could be more favourable with employers who are aware of the standards required to achieve qualification.
• Accredited courses offer guided learning hours and credits – where appropriate these can be transferred to further education, whereas non-accredited courses cannot offer this opportunity.
• Students can purchase the widely recognised NEBDN pin badge that dates back to 1951!

Costs
• Accreditation fee for existing course providers – no charge
• Accreditation fee for new course providers £500
• Course fee to us £195* per candidate
*Additional fees to students may apply, subject to each course provider policy and course schedule

Where can this qualification take me?
A qualified dental nurse who is awarded the NEBDN certificate in Orthodontics, will learn a mixture of treatment styles using removable appliances such as wire orthodontic techniques and the use of standard Edgewise systems and functional appliances which are widely used in many specialist practices. This qualification also emphasises the medico-legal aspects of treatment and the importance of good communication between patient and the dental team.

Successful completion of this qualification will enhance your professional development and provide evidence to employers that you have had thorough training in this specialist area.

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