Dental nurses with an oral health education qualification play a vital role in educating patients on the importance of oral health. The best way to utilise this qualification is by planning and carrying out oral health education sessions regularly. These can be one-on-one with patients in practice or in a group environment in the wider community. Regardless of the setting, these sessions require good organisation and planning to ensure a structured session is delivered with effective learning.  

In recent years, there has been a growing understanding of how oral health impacts general health. This includes its connection to mental health, which we will explore in this article. Mental health problems may occur in the short-term due to certain life events and circumstances or may form a long-term chronic condition. These can be equally distressing and impact day-to-day life. 

Dental Nurse Network strongly supports the UK Government’s newly announced supervised toothbrushing programme, aimed at preventing tooth decay in young children from deprived communities. As an organisation dedicated to advancing oral health education, we welcome this long-awaited initiative as a vital step toward tackling the ongoing crisis in children’s oral health.

Dental nursing is a highly rewarding and varied career, with many professionals choosing to remain in the field for years. However, if you’re looking to expand your career opportunities and develop new skills, consider branching out into dental tutoring or assessing. Whether you continue working as a dental nurse or transition entirely into an educational role, it’s essential to understand the qualifications, skills, and opportunities each path offers.

Becoming a mum can be overwhelming, especially in today’s digital age, where parenting advice seems to come from every direction. Oral health may not be a top priority at the start of a parenting journey, but as teeth can typically emerge from 6 months, it soon becomes necessary for mums to feel confident managing their children’s oral health. Dental professionals are in the ideal position to provide support to mums in a non-judgemental way. This article will explore some of the ways to support mums to ensure their children start off life with good oral health habits.