Never has there been a better time to consider the role of the dental nurse. No one can deny that dental nurses are a key component in any dental procedure, whether directly and indirectly. New technology, new techniques and new procedures demand more of current dental nurses and as a profession we need to ensure we keep up in times of change. The concept of being that all-round dental nurse looks very different today, what has gone before is dated and often means we are giving time to elements of our work that perhaps are unnecessary and in some cases of little value. It is important to consider not only your current role, but roles that are of use in becoming that better dental nurse. It is timely to consider how diseases at a population level link across almost every field of dentistry, and implantology is no different.
There is evidence showing that teamwork not only enhances the patient journey, but motivates dental nurses and is linked to job satisfaction, and with this in mind dental nurses are well placed to drive the oral health and general well-being mantra home.
The session will consider the role of the dental nurse across a diverse field of dental procedures, it will consider how dental nurses can contribute to changes in patient behaviour and will draw upon existing and current data and future projections of oral health, making links between good oral health and complex treatments.
Learning Objectives:
- To contextualise the role of the dental nurse across different fields of dentistry
- To recognise how dental nurses contribute to a change in patient behaviour
- To discuss the impact of current data and future projections of oral diseases
- To consolidate and make links to good oral health and complex treatments