Dental nurse
Help people feel comfortable when they visit the dentist. Assist the dentist to give treatments and other patient care.
About the job
A day in the life – Dental nurse
What it's like
Dental nurses look after people and make them comfortable when they visit the dentist. You’d assist the dentist as they give treatments and help with other aspects of patient care.
Your patients might be there for a simple check-up or having advanced specialist treatment.
You’d need to be calm and reassuring to help patients who are nervous relax. You’d try to make sure they're comfortable at all times.
What you might do:
tidy, sterilise and prepare the dental surgery
sterilise instruments
pass instruments to the dentist, therapist or hygienist
remove water and saliva from the patient’s mouth during treatment
prepare materials, for example, to make fillings
help the dentist record information about each patient
check the stocks of dental materials
Some dental practices offer facial aesthetics work, also known as anti-wrinkle treatments. These are non surgical cosmetic treatments, for example Botox injections or lip fillers. A trained medical practitioner, such as a dentist, would carry these out and you could assist them in this work.
At a general dental practice, you may also help at the reception area, especially during busy periods.
This would involve booking appointments, taking payments for treatment, and greeting patients.
You could work for the National Health Service (NHS) or in the private sector. You can see more about this role in the National Health Service on the dental nurse page on the NHS Scotland Careers website.
Hours
You would normally work from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may work outside of these hours if the practice you work for opens during the evening. Part-time work is sometimes available.
Environment
You would wear a uniform and surgical gloves for protection. Safety glasses and a mask are also used to reduce the risk of cross-infection.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- dental care
- orthodontics
- dental experience
- restorative dentistry
- dental appliance fabrication and care
- dental records
- cosmetic dentistry
- dentures
- dental instruments
- prosthodontics
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- attention to detail
- empathising
- written communication
- verbal communication
- reading
- supporting
- cooperating
- positive attitude
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Biology
Care
Human Biology
Skills for Work: Health and Social Care
Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You'd need a dental nursing qualification. This could be a Higher National Diploma (HND) or work-based qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Dental Nursing.
To enter a dental nursing course, you'd likely need 3 to 4 National 4 or 5 qualifications, including English and a science subject.
Entry requirements will vary for jobs and Modern Apprenticeships. Some employers will need qualifications at SCQF level 4 or 5.
Qualifications that demonstrate understanding of health, wellbeing and care such as:
Health and Social Care
SQA Wellbeing AwardÂ
To pass a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Disclosure check.
Once in the job you can gain a relevant qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Dental Nursing.
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