Why it's about time Dental Nurses spoke up!

I cannot talk to my dentist. The practice manager is one of the principle dentists. Talk and you get singled out. I love dental nursing and have done for 35 years. The job is everything to me. To get another job I need to give 8 weeks notice ( re my contract ). That makes it impossible. Plus I'm almost 51 so am over the hill. All I want to be is part of a team, stuff big money! I'm also a qualified OHE but not used by the practice as they don't deem it viable. I want to do a fluoride app course but won't let me, say there are none. I have lots of probs could complain about but know its not ethical. My husband is now telling me to give up a career I have loved for more than half of my life, because I come home from work in tears almost every night. I love the job, I love the patients, I love the challenges that are thrown up with cases every day. Not being trusted to even clean a spitoon is demoralizing. Looks like my career could be at its end and feel as depressed as hell!
Is it really just me?

Hi, I have been across with that cleaning things before, just said, I’m very sorry but I was hired as Dental nurse not cleaner.
Just refused to do it.

I see nurses are in silence many times, the dentists happy ££££, I think is time to give a BIG NO to all this.

If you are not happy change job, change job or go agency, do some more courses and when you look for a job set your rate £/h whatever happens don't be afraid, if they offer less what you expected and anyway they offer the job,say NO Thank you,but i have been offer better other place.

After all a dentist can´t work without a nurse, when they struggle to get a nurse they become to offer what we deserve also.

The nurses have to become more confident, active, and learn to say NO.

Hi it's my first time in your forum .I do believe that's the right way.do not keep it bottled up inside.,but last time I had to stand for my self ,I have been accused from my manager as a bully person.I must admit I was angry and I could't hide that from my face because looks like nothing can help I felt like a slave.My dentist is great person and he advise me some times you need just to do it and keep it inside.
Funny enough mishmash we recently get that new role as a dental nurses -to clean staff and patients toilets.My college as a qualified nurse jokes with me that her new role after qualification was to reposition the bins from the front of the garden to the back of the garden.Maybe that's a sign to move on further after 7 years service.

In the long run they did me a favour as it wasnt a nice place to work for, the extended duties lists were getting lobger and longer and we were even expected to clean the staff/patient toilet....if we didnt have time we were told to do them in our lunch hour

mishmash, that's awful!!
I have voiced a few concerns with the Practice Manager and the owners to be given excuse after excuse....I'm sure they really do feel we are "just a nurse"....I wish things would change but they just won't

I also voiced my concerns, the PM took the dentists side and sacked me and i cant do a thing about it as i hadnt worked for them for 2 years yet

Personally I don't feel it is professional to openly criticise a dentist in front of the patient that he was rushing, the nurse should of grabbed a post it note and written something down and drawn his attention to it or mentioned it after the patient had left.

If feel to honest that most dentists still see dental nurse us as 'hand maidens' and that we should not have an opinion in the surgery environment , and that if we do DARE to stick are head above the parapet we deserve to get shot down.

We are in fact as RDNs years behind general nurses when it comes to pay, roles and reasonability's concerning patients care/treatment in a surgery environment.

Personally I feel that RDNs should be trained to administer L.A, do sealants, and basic scale/polishes too

There are a lot of able and highly competent RDNs out there, but they can only do what their dentist ALLOWS them to do within the surgery environment, this must change soon otherwise we will loose excellent RDNs.

Rant over!!!!

It really is a horrible shame that us PROFESSIONALS are treated in such a way. I feel dentists constantly think: "You're just the nurse, what do you know?!" The only way a dentist would understand is if they'd previously been a nurse.
Up until a few months ago I really didn't see my job as enjoyable, just "a job" but in the last few months I have really started to love my job again. I am rather unhappy in my current position and am looking for another job elsewhere but am constantly shot down with "you'll never find a wage like that elsewhere" at interviews. I am extremely lucky to be earning the wage I am but I still feel with extra qualifications I (and many MANY others like me!) should be paid more. I'm really losing faith in Dental Nursing.
Signed, One very sad Dental Nurse

Good for you to speak up. i work with an excellent dentist now and have done for almost 3 yrs. He asks us our opinions he involves us with everthing that goes on in the practice. We`re just like one happy family. Im pleased to say he is one of a minority .He also listens to our concerns.

Hi there,
I would first like to say that we as dental nurses had to work and study hard for our qualifications. A vast majority of us do not get to utilise the knowledge we have learned. We are at times treated as a silent commodity to assist and sterilize and not voice our opinions.
After lunch this afternoon the first pt was for a crown fit on lr with fillings. I was alarmed when the dentist administered La to ur quadrant,ul. and ll This to me was excessive as the pt could have been booked for another appointment to do fillings on the left. The treatment was rushed and the commencing scaling was in my eyes bordering on harsh and hurried. I know i should of shut my mouth but at this point i asked the dentist 'why are you rushing?' Dentist reply 'Im not rushing and dont speak in front of the pt'. I wish to point out i did not shout and neither did the dentist.
When the pt left i was furious i went straight to the principle dentist and told him this was a bit inhumane to numb 3 quadrants in 1 treatment. By then the other dentist was in the room just as furious with me. He did not answer me just stood there. The dentist then asked the principle 'Have you ever numbed up all 3 quadrants at once?' Yes was his reply. And further more the dentist said 'the pt consented to this'. In my opinion no one in there right mind would want there whole mouth numbed unless you are swayed somewhat to do so. I voiced my opinion that i thought it was a bit inhumane but im sure that i would be put in a bad light. While they both pompously looked at me i did say some other things that are true which i wont add to this blog. I then said i was leaving so im now here at home. I wish dental nurses had a strong representative to support us as we deserve to be respected and acknowleged as the backbone to dentist that we are.

I once worked in a Dental Practice near Manchester back in the 1990s. During the interview the dentist said to me if you have any problems speak to the receptionist shes also the manager. Any problems within the surgery Ill deal with. The receptionist wasnt one to be trusted with private talks its amazing how fast the private talk got to the other nurses in the practice and I was told so you think you own the practice then by the way you look down our noses at us. I only expressed my concern that the head nurse was new to dental nursing wasnt qualified had only been there 3 weeks nad she was put in a postion of authority over the other nurses who had had numerous years experience.

At The Dental Nurse Network we speak to dental care professionals on a daily basis. Do you know what we hear time and time again?

Nurses who are unhappy with some part of their job but still keep it bottled up inside. If you have any greviances about any part of your job it is vital that you let your dentist know! After all, we can't expect him/her to be a mind reader.

It's an all too fimilar story. We will discuss our work problems with our friends, colleagues, partners, and even hairdresser. What we have to realise is that whilst they can offer us moral support they don't actually have the power to solve the problem. It's up to you talk to your dentist and get it off your chest!

Speaking to your boss is one job that can lead to restlessness in many dcp's. You never know when your attempt at talking to him/her may backfire and land you in to trouble. But, this in no way means that you need to remain silent at all times. Communicating with your dentist is not that tough after all. Here is how to go about it:

It is necessary for you to know that during the day you and your dentist are busy people. For this reason it is imperative that you seek to talk outside of the surgery, preharps in the reception area, either before of after work. If you are someone who is going to worry about what to say alll day, get it over and done with asap!

You will stress more thinking about it then when the moment actually comes. You also need to make sure that your dentist has enough time to listen to you and that you are not going to be disturbed by patients. If timed well, you will get his/her undivided attention and will be able to put your point across clearly.

Stay away from negative conversations. If you are continuously talking about negative things to your boss, then you are absolutely certain to be seen in a bad light. So, even if you wish to complain about a person or situation, ensure that you present it as a problem and suggest a solution to the same.

Never say, "I hate working with lab X". Instead, put it as, "The quality of patient care suffers because lab X doesn't produce the standard of crowns that we should expect. I know of an alternative Lab which has a great reputation for producing quality crowns." This will make certain that you don't look like a whiner. Present yourself as a motivated team player and not an individual who moans.

Common grievances with dental nurses is that they are made to work overtime and are not rewarded for it. Possible ways of approaching the situation may include the following:

Explain,

- That whilst you enjoy working for the practice and always work hard, you feel you should be compensated and paid for your hard work. You feel that the long hours are counterproductive and are making the team less productive, including the dentist him/herself.
- You feel that more balanced working hours would make the team more efficient and would help retain staff.
- The practice is growing quickly and you feel it would continue to grow faster and more efficiently if more staff were employed to address overstreched resources.

It's often helpful to try and put yourself in you dentists' shoes and try to understand why he/she might be so concerned working overtime. For example, perhaps the practice is struggling financially? Try to engage in open dialogue whilst putting your point across in a constructive and sensitive manner.

As a dcp you are lucky to have an insight into how the practice runs from front-to-back office. You have a valuable contribution to make, don't think that your dentist doesnt want to hear what you have to say.

The Dental Nurse Network.