Three locum dental nurses discuss the motives for taking on a roaming role.

Working as a locum dental nurse can open up a wealth of opportunities – for you, your earnings potential and your work-life balance. The role is flexible, so you have more freedom over the hours you are in surgery. But choosing this career pathway can also enhance your day-to-day experiences as a dental nurse and help develop your confidence. You get opportunities to embrace new skills, knowledge and qualifications and get to meet more people, work with a variety of clinicians and in a wide range of practices.

Here, Sara Revelo-Saltos, Lizzy Pyle and Helen Summers share their experience (and some insider tips) when it comes to working as a locum dental nurse.

Is it important to add to a skillset throughout a career?

It is vital to keep your mind active and maintain an interest in the job you’re doing. In the process, you might discover new things about yourself. I enjoy my job most when I am familiar with a sub speciality, such as experience in surgical, implants, endodontics, prosthetics and so on). That’s because I can feel 100 per cent involved in the treatment, I know what to expect and can offer better support. This helps to enhance the positive feelings I get in helping others. It also helps me to remain flexible. You'll be able to increase your skill set, and also go to more varied practices. A winner for all sides!

In a job market desperate for dental nurses, would you recommend seeking out education and skill development opportunities?

Any dental nurse should aim to be familiar with all treatments of general dentistry and this should be sufficient. However, if you have a chance to dip into any specialty available at your practice, that’s always a bonus.

There are many opportunities to choose from that can accommodate your desired working hours. When I started to train, working full-time was a requirement whereas now a practice will take part-time dental nurses, too, which means more flexibility for new starters to broaden their understanding and add to their skillset.

Where should dental nurses begin if they want to become a locum dental nurse?

Make a point of researching the agencies you apply for. Go with an agency who offers to not only care for your work life, but also provide support behind the scenes. Being organised and making sure all your compliance is up to date will make the transition to being a locum nurse much easier.

What qualities do you believe make a great locum dental nurse?

You need good organisational skills and, of course, must show professionalism at all times – outside of work as well as in practice. Friendliness is essential but having a chilled-out personality is probably one of the most important character traits.

Essential, too, are good cross infection standards. Always have a ‘game face’. If the day is difficult, just smile (I like to kill them with kindness) and do your best. After all, you will be somewhere else tomorrow!

Locum life is all about flexibility and drive to want to experience new challenges. Remain open minded and take away something from every practice you work in. Having a positive mental attitude, the ability to think quickly on your feet and, occasionally, outside the box are all important.

How can dental nurses be sure they make a great first impression?

First of all, be on time. Smile and they will love you – all practices are so glad to see you coming in to help out. Arrive smartly dressed with an ironed uniform.

If you’ve got a gap in your day, be proactive and ask if anyone else needs help. During treatment, go that extra mile to add value to your role. Adjust the mirror, retract cheeks to allow better visibility, check with your patient to make sure they are okay and so on. In essence, get more involved – you won’t get bored and you will definitely be more appreciated. And don’t forget to commit to those all-important cross infection rules.

How important is to ask questions at any placement?

All clinicians work differently and the amount of knowledge you can get from working with many people is vast. Asking questions will expand your knowledge – you might be able to use it at your next work placement and impress them with it! Being an excellent dental nurse means that you have superior knowledge – why is a certain material being requested, for example? Understand how method and materials can affect patients’ dental problem, as well as certain medical contraindications and how they may influence dental treatments or patients’ oral health.

Asking questions will make any day go much smoother – no one expects a locum nurse to be a mind reader – so have the courage to ask questions.

How key is adaptability?

Practices will cancel from time to time and you need to understand that shifts will change when needed. When you get a cancellation, make sure you are on standby until a new job comes through. Some days you may work with therapists and some days with dentists, or even specialists, so you will have to adapt your skills accordingly. Equipment can vary from practice to practice, so try to stay up to speed on the newer models as well as adapt to what you have to hand.

Some practices may even be short of equipment so you need to adapt and do the best and safest job with what you have.

What are the benefits of becoming a locum?

It offers a flexible schedule and better pay. There is also an enormous opportunity for development, adding to your experience. You can also choose to have a holiday whenever you’d like (respecting notice ahead) – instead of waiting to get annual leave the same time as your dentist. You may meet some lovely new colleagues (ignore the not so lovely ones!) who may even become friends.

The ‘thank yous’ you receive as a locum nurse are always sincere. Having control over your diary and being able to walk away from a job in the evening without having to take anything home to your family life are both benefits.

With Cavity Dental Staff, the benefits are far and away more than just a good pay packet – competitions, reward schemes, mileage is paid, so much support from managers and mental health support, too.

What are the challenges?

Commuting can be tiring and you need to learn new routes to work. Also, not all people are going to be jolly and smiley with you and you learn not to take it personally. You just need to do your job and remember to not draw conclusions quickly. Often it is the smallest things, such as a new software system that no one knows how to use or tracking down the decon room code, that can prove a challenge. You have to take it all in your stride.

What makes for a successful experience?

Adopt a friendly attitude and try to stay calm, whatever the day throws at you.

Organise your time wisely so you don’t forget key tasks. And do check bus and train times if commuting and ensure you know how long it will take to get there.

Always remember confidentiality – no one needs to know your rota except you. Can you request me? Yes, but it doesn't guarantee you will get me. Do I want a job? No thanks, I've got one!

Can an agency help dental nurses settle into a role? If so, how? What support should a good agency offer?

Having a platform where all dental nurses could communicate so that they can ask questions is a helpful service to offer. Some form of regular check-in (similar to appraisals) can also help to shape a locum dental nurse’s career.

What paperwork will a locum dental nurse require?

You need GDC registration and your own indemnity, as well as the immunisations we are expected to have and up-to-date CPD hours.

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