Improving the profile of the Dental Nurse

The skilled list is a just name for a list (I will find you the link to it) with the uk border agency which permits certain professions the opportunity to migrate to the UK. These professions tend to be postgrad doctors and dentists, midwifes, specialist nurses, research scienists....basically people with specialist degrees, Phd's, etc. If you was to have dental nurses listed, there would be a flux of dental nurses from everywhere but esp Oz, NZ, SA and Canada. Competition for jobs would increase and I imagine the pay would be even more rubbish than what it is now. I can see what your thinking is tho Toots and it would make my xmas, birthdays and easter if Australia was to put dental nurses on their skilled list but their not going to ....till then its praying for those six magic numbers to come up on friday/ saturday.

Gooders by getting the profession on the skilled occupations list for immigrant to the UK raises the profile by not being on the unskilled list.

It's all about changing perceptions. This would change the profile on the international stage.

Pay and working conditions will only improve with a change in perception of the profession, especially with practice owners.

We are never going to make clinical decisions but we are on the front line in implementing new regulations. This maybe an area which can be used to raise the profile with our employers.

Toots.....How do you think, that having Dental nurses on the skilled occupation list (for migrants to the UK) would improve the profile of Dental nurses?

Good suggestion Vms118

To raise the profile amongst the dentists I think getting Dental Nurses on the Skilled Occupations List would be a good idea. To do this dental nurses would have to lobby their MP. The fact that we have to be GDC registered gives us professional status and should therefore help the cause.

A national push for DN's to perform charitable events. It could be done through forums and networks such as this. We could have a national DN charity events day etc

Would hopefully equal increased exposure and awareness to the public?

There has been many posts about pay and working condition which I believe will only improve by raising the profile of Dental Nurses.

I would therefore like to ask for suggestions on how this can be achieved