Tailored implant learning for dental nurses – the opportunity of a lifetime
UncategorisedPosted by: Dental Design 5th April 2023
Especially in the current climate, some dental nurses may be considering their future. Ambitious dental nurses may be wondering about the long-term, their career progression and the available rewards. If you are a dental nurse, you may have friends who side-stepped into practice management or patient co-ordinator roles, or took the dental hygienist/dental therapist clinical route. If you’re a principal dentist, maybe you supported a much-valued colleague on one of these pathways.
But there will also be dental nurses who love their job, are determined to remain in their role, yet want to offer their team and patients more. If this sounds like you, ensure you have an employer who knows, and is willing to help you achieve your goal. Tell them you want to build on your skills and knowledge, and take your role to a new level without diversifying too far from the fundamentals of what makes a great dental nurse. If they invest in you, the benefits to practice and patients will be significant, and ongoing.
Seek out courses specifically tailored to dental nurses, and to deepening your knowledge and skills in a certain area. This will empower you, and boost your confidence. It could also open doors to opportunities you never would have expected career-wise, as well as in terms of your job satisfaction and personal fulfilment. You will see more variety in your work, to keep your level of enjoyment and engagement high, every day.
Dental implants are now the preferred choice for people of all ages who want an efficient, stable and aesthetic solution to a damaged tooth or teeth. As demand grows, so has the competition among practices who have added implant therapies to their service list. What is also noticeable is how prominent professional associations are taking a team-centric approach, in their mission to educate the general public about the benefits of implants and set guidelines for best practice. The delivery of successful and stable implant therapy, from a straightforward single-tooth replacement to complex, whole mouth rehabilitations, requires a range of skills, talents and abilities. The implant dentist who has a core group of professionals around them, to support with the entire process from beginning to ongoing aftercare, will stand out from the rest.
A dental nurse who has had training in dental implants will be an asset to any team. The highly specific and individual nature of treatment planning and maintenance means that before, during and in the years following placement, there must be a good relationship between patient and practice. The dental nurse is at the forefront of patient relationships – the friendly, trusted face who can answer any question, no matter how ‘small,’ and can give practical guidance and reiterate advice.
A dental nurse with an expanded knowledge of dental implants will work with the dental hygienist and/or therapist to ensure the care plan is followed. Pre-treatment, this might include work to improve oral hygiene and take control of behaviours like smoking, which will compromise the longevity of the implant. Post-surgery, they will be key to the ongoing maintenance, having really got to know the individual over a period of time. There are plenty of studies that correlate the outcome of implant therapies to patient compliance, thus the trained, knowledgeable dental nurse is an essential part of how you achieve successful outcomes.
During the treatment itself, the dental nurse will routinely assist with asepsis protocols, but they can do so much more. Being able to observe the dentist at work will boost knowledge even further, including about ‘practical’ things, such as why a particular implant system was chosen, for that case. With tailored learning, they will be able to provide post-op feedback to patients and instruction. Anything that comes up that is outside their competency will be passed on to the implant dentist, who will feel confident that any information received by the dental nurse is accurate.
For every dental nurse, accessing education is a wonderful way to expand their professional community, too. They can meet with others who face the same challenges and share ideas about how to solve them. The One to One Implant Education, which has been running postgraduate and advanced courses for dentists for many years has recently launched an Implant Diploma for dental nurses. Taught at stunning purpose-build facilities, in the heart of London’s west end, the high-quality programme has been devised by the same team of educators who have changed the careers of respected clinicians.
If you are a dental nurse, now is a perfect time to learn more about implants, a high-demand treatment that relies on both technical expertise and also a good relationship between patient and team. If you are a principal, give your dental nurse(s) the opportunity to expand their role, while remaining in the job they love! Seek out tailored learning in dental implants, to improve outcomes, career prospects and, ultimately, your reputation.
To reserve your place or to find out more, please visit
https://121implanteducation.co.uk or call 020 7486 0000
Dr Fazeela Khan-Osborne
Principal Implant and Restorative Surgeon
MSc.BDS (Lon) BSc(Hons) LDS.RCS (Eng) DRDP Dip. Imp. Dent.(RCS.Eng)Advanced Certificate, FCOI
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