Role: Dental Nurse
Company: Braden Dental Care
Track Record: ‘A recent high point was Braden Dental Care being named the Best Practice in Northern Ireland at the UK Dentistry Awards’
What does your job entail?
I’m a dental nurse at Braden Dental Care. I work with Jim Braden, one of the principals. I assist with all dental procedures, help write up dental records on the computer and I’m also responsible for cleaning and sterilising all equipment and clinical areas between appointments.
A really important part of my job is making patients feel as comfortable and welcome as possible. We always have a bit of a chat on the way up to the treatment room, which helps put them at ease.
Is it 9-5?
The job is almost 9-5. I start work at 8.30am and finish at 5.30 most days. But the great thing about being a dental nurse is that no two hours are the same, let alone two days.
Each patient will have different needs and require different treatments. We do a lot of cosmetic work as well as more routine procedures, which means the work is very varied.
The first patient is usually booked in at nine in the morning so I have to have everything set up and ready before that. I always need to have the correct equipment ready and anticipate what is needed next.
It’s a very close working relationship and you get to know how your dentist works, that way everything runs smoothly.
Before I finish for the day I leave everything clean for the next day. As well as nursing, occasionally I help out on reception which involves booking appointments and dealing with people arriving or leaving — there’s always something to keep me busy.
Outline your career to date?
I left school at 18, with GCSEs and Alevels, and was offered a job as a trainee dental nurse. I’ve worked in dental practices for the last 10 years and have been working at Braden Dental Care for a year and a half.
Tell us about your qualifications/training.
I am a registered dental nurse with the General Dental Council. I am also continually undertaking training and this helps maintain my registration.
To keep up GDC registration, dental nurses have to undertake a set number of hours of post graduate lectures and training courses. These include important subjects such as cross infection control, radiography and medical emergencies. We also have external trainers who provide in-house training in non-clinical areas such as customer service.
What qualities are required for your job — personal and professional?
I would say you need to be a people person, efficient and have quick responses. You also need to be organised, have a good knowledge of the various treatments and all the equipment the dentist needs, so that you can work effectively.
What are the biggest rewards and challenges of your work?
The best reward for me is the satisfaction I get from helping to complete a successful treatment that has a positive impact upon the patient. We are a progressive practice, offering cutting edge treatments, including the latest teeth whitening systems and adult orthodontics, which straightens teeth without fixed braces. These treatments can positively change the way a patient views themselves.
I’m genuinely very lucky because I enjoy every aspect of my job. If there is one downside it is seeing how nervous some patients get, so the challenge is to make them feel more relaxed.
The greatest challenge is managing the concerns and expectations of patients. Our focus is on providing a high standard of customer service, trying to ensure that each patient has a positive experience. Any potential challenges of the job are outweighed by the positives though. Receiving thanks from patients and being recognised professionally are two of those.
A recent high point was Braden Dental Care being named the Best Practice in Northern Ireland at the UK Dentistry Awards, and being highly commended in the Best Team section of the awards.
On top of that we were recently granted the British Dental Association Good Practice Award, which is not easy to achieve. The whole team worked very hard to obtain this, and we all felt a considerable sense of achievement and pride in receiving the awards.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Retail therapy is a personal favourite, and I enjoy catching up with friends and family at the weekends.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself
Last year I met Brendan Fraser, star of the The Mummy series of Hollywood blockbusters, at the closing party for the Belfast Film Festival. We had an opportunity to chat and he was a really nice guy, but once he found out what I did, he pointed to his mouth and asked if I could help out with his veneer. I told him I knew a good dentist!
Who has inspired you most in your life?
I have two sisters, one older and one younger, and two brothers, one older and one younger. I am hugely proud of them, and they are always there for me when I need them. They inspire me to be as successful and happy as them, both professionally and in my home life, and to make them as proud of me as I am of them.