Gemma Steventon with student Weronika Partyka, who was receiving the 2019 Walsall College Adult Student of the Year for Health award
I was just 17, working in a care home, when a friend told me about her job as a dental nurse in a large practice which was seeking more staff. It sounded interesting so I applied and by chance stumbled into a profession in which I quickly became fascinated. No two days were the same, I could transfer skills I’d gained in the care home to dental patients and I was meeting so many different people. I then moved to a small practice with a lovely manager and boss who wanted me to be head nurse just six months after starting. To do that, my employer sponsored me on an 18-month, day release apprenticeship in dental nursing to qualify me as a dental nurse to work in a dental surgery.
Meanwhile, I continued to get great support from the practice owner who took me along to meet people and find out about new technologies. That and discovering the reasons why we were doing what we were doing really triggered my passion for dentistry. Biology had always been one of my favourite subjects at school so I really took to finding out about anatomy, how it all worked, the medications used, and how application of certain treatments could affect a patient’s entire general health.
After qualifying as a dental nurse, I took a course in radiography to allow me to take dental x-rays and this put me in touch with physics, diagnosis and many other disciplines. Later whilst still nursing, in my own time I gained a teaching qualification and an assessor’s certificate. After some 12 years as a practice nurse, I joined Walsall college in 2015 as a trainer/assessor.
I was used to supporting worried dental patients - who likes going to the dentist? - so helping students stressed out by exams was in many ways similar. The challenge was in learning how to deliver that support. Fortunately my practice manger had encouraged me to do oral health mornings to teach children and adults about their health, diet, what things were good to eat and not so good as well as how to look after and clean their teeth - I was already teaching people how to do things.
I am only teaching at present due to covid restrictions, but as a trainer/assessor I would normally fulfil both roles - spending two days a week teaching evening sessions to fit in around apprentices’ workplace hours. I’ll get students ready for exams, stretching and challenging their knowledge, ensuring that any knowledge we deliver is not just to pass an exam but applies to their working day. You have to be knowledgable across the board as most practices work slightly differently and use different materials and technologies.
As an assessor I’d normally visit our apprentices in the workplace; I’d physically do observations with them, making notes in their portfolios to mark progress towards the strict competency levels required before getting registered with the General Dental Council as a dental nurse or a dental care professional (DCP). All trainer/assessors are registered to protect our patients and ensure they get the best treatment possible.
The syllabus comes in four sections: 1) Infection control - micro-organisms and the diseases they cause; how to control infection using sterilisation and disinfection techniques. 2) Assessment for treatment planning - focus on anatomy to show when and why particular assessment methods are used. 3) Management of oral health diseases - what treatments are provided and why. 4) Dental radiography - principles and legal requirements in its use; processing of radiographs (but not taking actual radiographs)
After completing an intense 18-month level 3 apprenticeship in dental nursing, students can progress to a level 4 in dental radiography or oral health or do A-levels, eg with a biology A-level and a postgrad qualification they can go on to become a dental hygienist, orthodontist therapist or general therapist (equivalent to a dentist but limited in treatments they can give). They can become a practice manager, change career and go into laser eye surgery (also linked to the anatomy of the head so they have good transferable skills), or enter general nursing and other nursing roles. Not all students have GCSEs so we help to support students to get the equivalent of a level 2 in functional skills.
Meeting so many people from different backgrounds and discovering how a patient’s culture, family and personal beliefs can all affect oral health. There’s also nothing nicer than seeing a student achieve and develop pride in themselves and go on to achieve big things.
I start at 12.30pm on Monday and Tuesday as I teach apprentices from 5-8pm to fit in with their practice’s working hours. It’s a 9am start on the other three weekdays (one of which I use to study for a teaching diploma). I normally teach in three-hour sessions, some double, to deliver the topic of the day across a 37.5-hour working week, stretching to 40 to get us up to speed on new professional standards coming in. We’re not lecture-based and expect students to research the necessary information - I currently teach via zoom and regularly use breakout rooms and other interactive technologies to involve learners in activities.
During the pandemic, I’ve been teaching about 70 learners online each week. In my usual non-covid trainer/assessor role I’d be teaching a class of around 15 in one weekly three-hour session and visiting/assessing some 20 apprentices once every two months who work in dental practices across the West Midlands.
Most lessons are currently given via zoom but in-house first aid and oral health simulation training sessions have to be delivered face to face to demonstrate the recovery position and CPR. We use a covid risk-assessed room on campus with socially distanced measures in place: For the oral health simulations we demo use of interdental brushes, toothbrushes, disclosing tablets, mouth wash and dentures so the students can then can show patients how, to clean their teeth and appliances.
Microbiology as it links to infection control.
Infection control as this is relevant to patient safety and something I have always been very passionate about, and radiography, which is a bit more challenging and thus more interesting.
Online teaching – supporting students with distance learning and ensuring they manage themselves and their time.
The sheer number of students I have supported to become qualified and my own professional development.
Being a people person, outgoing, bubbly and enthusiastic, strong on pastoral care and a good listener. Good IT skills and a willingness to collaborate with your peers who teach related subjects.
A level-3 dental nursing qualification (via an apprenticeship), level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET - formerly PTLLS in my day) and then a level 3 Assessor Award, followed up in my case by a level 5 diploma in Education and Training (DET) I am studying for. Students with less experience will be expected to study for a basic level 3 Award in Education and Training (AET), which can be followed by a level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (CET) and finally a level 5 diploma (DET).
Don’t be afraid to try new things and then ask students for feedback. Most days, I’ll give them lots of different tasks to complete in collaboration with their peers and normally within short time-scales to keep them on topic and motivated.
What transferrable skills can you bring from previous job roles? How do you feel about blood (body fluids)? And do you have back problems (dental nursing is an active job)?
Seeing students realise what they can achieve and then grow in self-esteem and progress in their chosen careers.
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