Course Overview
The Level 3 Certificate in Oral Health Education and Promotion is suitable for registered dental nurses (including orthodontic nurses) who want to provide oral health education and promotion – in clinic and in community (schools, care homes etc.) – unsupervised and as part of direct access. The certificate is an alternative to the Level 4 NEBDN qualification and was developed to provide more affordable and accessible oral health training for registered dental nurses. The theory is the same for both but the Record of Competence, exam and certificate is different.
See our course comparison chart here.
Oral health affects the oral cavity and the rest of the body - see our free CPD course here. When you are providing oral health education you are impacting someone's entire health. Our vision is that more nurses will be actively involved in oral health education and promotion in clinic and community.
Benefits
Flexible Completion Time: Learners have up to twelve months to complete the course, but fast-track completion is available within three months.
Flexible Learning Schedules: Adapt the course to fit your personal and professional commitments.
Comprehensive Online Tutorials: Access detailed and engaging tutorials to guide your learning.
Outstanding Support: Benefit from easily accessible and exceptional support throughout your learning journey.
Award: Level 3 Certificate in Oral Health Education and Promotion awarded upon successful completion.
Structure
Course Summary
Format: online, self-paced, with in-clinic oral health appointments under supervision
Average completion time: 6 months
Number of Learning Units: 14
CPD Hours: 24 hours
Guided Learning Hours: Average of 50 hours (depending on the learner's speed)
Course Assessments
Unit Quiz: One multiple choice quiz per unit
Assessments: Record of Competence - see information below
Final Assessment: Final online exam
Support
Optional drop-in support session classes available.
One-to-one tutor support is easily accessible by email, telephone, or Zoom.
Modules/Units
- Module 1 Unit 1: The Oral Cavity
- Module 2 Unit 1: Caries
- Module 2 Unit 2 Periodontal Disease
- Module 3 Unit 1 and 2: Other Diseases of the Oral Cavity
- Module 4 Unit 1 and 2: Essentials of OHE
- Module 5 Unit 1 and 2: Patient Groups
- Module 6 Unit 1 and 2: Becoming an Oral Health Educator
- Module 7 Unit 1 and 2: Legal and Ethical Issues
- Additional Module: DoH Oral Health Toolkit
Record of Competence (RoC)
The aim of completing this Record of Competence (RoC) is to demonstrate your ability to provide oral health education and promotion to a range of patients on a variety of oral health topics, both within the dental practice and in the wider community.
Learning objectives
By the time you have completed the RoC, you will:
- Be confident in providing appropriate oral health advice to a range of patients, on a range of topics, in a one-to-one session.
- Be confident in providing oral health promotion in a group setting.
- Be able to identify barriers to good oral health faced by patients and patient groups, and be knowledgeable on ways of overcoming these barriers.
- Be able to create your own resources for use in oral health promotion.
RoC sections
The RoC consists of the following five parts:
- Part 1 – In clinic OHE appointments.
- Part 2 – Display.
- Part 3 – Resources.
- Part 4 – Group sessions.
- Part 5 – Course feedback and signed/completed witness list.
RoC instructions
Click here for the Record of Competence Instructions
If you work at an orthodontic practice, you have the option to complete the orthodontic Record of Competence instead. Please view instructions here.
Tutors
Meet Your Tutor: Melanie Pomphrett
Why learn from Melanie?
Melanie Pomphrett brings a wealth of experience, passion, and expertise to her role as a course tutor. Here’s why you’ll benefit from her guidance:
Extensive Experience: Qualified as a dental hygienist at the University of Essex in 2015.
Award-Winning Professional: Named Best Hygienist at the 2020 Dentistry Awards and highly commended in the Best Hygienist category at the 2020 Oral Health Awards.
Key Qualifications:
Dental Hygienist
Level 3 Award in Education and Training
PGCert in Education
MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare (Dental Professional Practice)
Professional Achievements:
BDEF Young Writers Award: Won in 2021 for her dissertation project on Direct Access.
Melanie’s dedication to education and professional development ensures that you will receive an engaging, insightful, and highly informative learning experience.
Course Assessors
The role of the assessor is to mark your assessments and give you feedback.
Hilary Urry
Registered Dental Nurse
Foundation Degree in Dental Nursing (Including Oral Health Education), University of Kent
Qualified Tutor and Assessor
Emma Leather
Registered Dental Nurse
BDA Qualification in Oral Health Education
Qualified Tutor, Assessor and Internal Moderator
Dates
Next available enrolment dates:
Monday 07 April 2025 - Available
Monday 12 May 2025 - Available
Payment Options
Payment Options:
You have the option to pay upfront before the course starts which is:
- Total: £395.00
Or you have the option to pay the course over three months but this increases the fee to:
- Monthly payment: £140.00
- Total: £420.00
Failure to make monthly payments will result in automatic removal from the course.
Discounts
Please note that discounts are applied to the VAT-exclusive fee. Discounts cannot be applied to payment plans.
Multiple applicant discounts
- Two applicants: 5% discount
- Three applicants: 10% discount
- Four or more applicants: 15% discount
Multiple course discounts
- Two courses: 5% discount
- Three courses: 10% discount
- Four or more courses: 15% discount
Please apply by telephone or use the application form here. DNN will send you an invoice.
Upgrade to the NEBDN Level 4 Certificate in Oral Health Education
Looking to upgrade?
Simply pay the difference in fees to upgrade your certification. You must upgrade within 2 years, or the full fee will apply. Please note that an additional upgrade administration and NEBDN assessment fee of £150.00 will apply.
Do you need to upgrade?
It is a personal choice and not a requirement by the GDC. Competency training is a perfectly accepted form of training. The GDC does not specify that you need to complete NEBDN accredited training.