Information about dental nursing

Ponta

1. What does the work of a dental nurse involve?

2. What is the course like?

3. Are there options for progression to further study after this diploma?

fonpokno

I just finished dental nursing last Friday! I warn you, I'm not going to paint a good picture of the course.


You work at assisting the dentist in everything and when you're out in practise you're generally in charge of cross infection and all sterilisation.

The course is a nightmare truth be told. Two years of misery. I love the job but the course was just *hell*. It's incredibly strict. They say you need 90% attendance (which is 8/8.30 til 5 Monday to Friday) but they enforce 100% attendance and there is NO leeway whatsoever. In first year, up until Christmas you're mostly in lectures and start clinics around November where you're usually placed with dental students. In second year, we were working with staff members the whole time which was fantastic and you do a private practice (awesome) and HSE placement.

You don't get the same holidays as the rest of Trinity and exams are at totally different times. In first year you don't finish til the last week of June and start second year at the end of august. I was one of the top in my class and I like the job but the course was a nightmare.

There was great camaraderie in my class because we were all so angry and unhappy at how we were treated. Any grievances will be ignored unless you push and push and push and even if they do listen you're unlikely to get anywhere. Out of 21 we started with, only 14 of us are graduating. If you *do* go or this course, just be prepared for a lot of hard work for a job that you don't legally need to be qualified to do.

After you finish the course you can do add-on courses in radiography, phlebotomy and sedation. You can also move onto dental hygiene.

Ponta

Thanks for your reply Fonpoko, it's difficult to find information about this course on boards, so the information you gave was very helpful.

backmonth

hi i'm trying to get an idea of the practice placement hours in 1st and 2nd year, there is very little information on the tcd website. Any help would be greatly appreciated!