Job summary
Would you like to work in a welcoming and enthusiastic clinic with a diverse patient group?
If you are well-organised, able to prioritise and work on your own initiative but also enjoys working as part of a team to provide excellent patient care, then we look forward to hearing from you.
West Sussex Special Care Dental Service provides NHS dental treatment to patients on referral from General Dental Practitioners, GPs and other health and social care professionals. We have clinics across the county, opening Mondays to Fridays, 08:30am to 4:30pm, as well as a domiciliary service.
The Special Care Dental Service is for patients with specific health and social care issues including: Alcohol and drug use Challenging behaviour / severe behavioural management difficulties Child Protection Register and looked after children Dental phobias Homeless Learning disabilities Medical problems Mental health diagnosis Physical disabilities Social problems
Main duties of the job
This is a clinical role and as such the main duties will be utilising the full scope of practice to a diverse patient group.
Clinical developmental opportunities will be offered.
Non-clinical duties may include conducting audits for service development and attending courses in line with Trust policy.
Main Tasks include:
a) To take responsibility for ensuring that informed consent has been obtained from patient or person with parental responsibility, or in the case of adults who do not have the mental capacity to consent for themselves, adhering to Mental Capacity Act guidance.
b) To keep up to date with current techniques and dental materials, restoring teeth using a wide range of treatment and materials appropriate to the patient.
c) To take responsibility for the care of a patient in a medical emergency,carrying out appropriate emergency care and resuscitation, and to keep up to date in the diagnosis and treatment of medical emergencies including the use of emergency drugs.
d) To ensure the patient is fit and able to leave after treatment.
e) To maintain a high standard of professional competence and integrity, including Continuing Professional Development and keep records of this tofulfil future mandatory General Dental Council requirements.
f) To actively participate in Clinical Governance including Audit, Supervision and Appraisal, and to actively participate in staff and peer review meetings in order to develop service policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols.
About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?o Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trusto Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast
Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This post provides an excellent opportunity to develop clinical skills and explore other areas of personal development.
Key responsibilities include:
a) To deliver dental care within the dental therapist scope of practice to patientswith a wide range of special needs at any Sussex Community NHS Trust dental clinic or on a domiciliary basis.
b) To administer and provide treatments for patients using inhalation sedation.
c) To work closely with the dentist prescribing the course of treatment to ensure the provision of appropriate care for patients including preventive oral care, treatment of caries, periodontal disease and non-carious tooth surface loss.
d) To evaluate patient progress, reassess and liaise with the dentist with respect to oral health, recognising abnormalities of the oral cavity and the patient as a whole and raise concerns where appropriate.
e) Obtain a detailed dental history from patients and evaluate their medicalhistory taking responsibility for checking and updating important, confidential and sensitive personal information in patient records, including medical histories and consent forms in line with UK legislation.
f) Recognise the significance of changes in a patient's medical or oral health status and take appropriate action.
g) Be competent at interpreting and managing a treatment plan (vary the detail but not the direction of the prescription) according to the patient needs and arranging appropriate referrals when necessary
h) Recognise the importance of, and record a comprehensive andcontemporaneous patient history, taking responsibility for dental treatment provided and maintaining accurate written and electronic records of all discussions and treatment carried out.
The successful applicant will be based at Jubilee Dental Centre, St Richards Hospital in Chichester week (Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Once the Worthing Integrated Care Centre opens the successful applicant will move there 1 day a week and remain at JDC 2 days a week.
Systems For Dentists is the patient management software in use, and full training will be given on its use.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This post provides an excellent opportunity to develop clinical skills and explore other areas of personal development.
Key responsibilities include:
a) To deliver dental care within the dental therapist scope of practice to patientswith a wide range of special needs at any Sussex Community NHS Trust dental clinic or on a domiciliary basis.
b) To administer and provide treatments for patients using inhalation sedation.
c) To work closely with the dentist prescribing the course of treatment to ensure the provision of appropriate care for patients including preventive oral care, treatment of caries, periodontal disease and non-carious tooth surface loss.
d) To evaluate patient progress, reassess and liaise with the dentist with respect to oral health, recognising abnormalities of the oral cavity and the patient as a whole and raise concerns where appropriate.
e) Obtain a detailed dental history from patients and evaluate their medicalhistory taking responsibility for checking and updating important, confidential and sensitive personal information in patient records, including medical histories and consent forms in line with UK legislation.
f) Recognise the significance of changes in a patient's medical or oral health status and take appropriate action.
g) Be competent at interpreting and managing a treatment plan (vary the detail but not the direction of the prescription) according to the patient needs and arranging appropriate referrals when necessary
h) Recognise the importance of, and record a comprehensive andcontemporaneous patient history, taking responsibility for dental treatment provided and maintaining accurate written and electronic records of all discussions and treatment carried out.
The successful applicant will be based at Jubilee Dental Centre, St Richards Hospital in Chichester week (Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Once the Worthing Integrated Care Centre opens the successful applicant will move there 1 day a week and remain at JDC 2 days a week.
Systems For Dentists is the patient management software in use, and full training will be given on its use.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Utilisation of full scope of practice
- Delivery of oral health promotion to individuals, carers and parents
Desirable
- Significant dental therapy experience
- Experience with special care dental patients
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Able to use initiative, prioritise and take responsibility for clinical work
- Excellent communication skills
Desirable
- Clinical governance and audits
Qualifications and/or Professional Registration
Essential
- Full registration with General Dental Council
- Professional indemnity
Desirable
- Inhalation sedation qualification
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Utilisation of full scope of practice
- Delivery of oral health promotion to individuals, carers and parents
Desirable
- Significant dental therapy experience
- Experience with special care dental patients
Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Able to use initiative, prioritise and take responsibility for clinical work
- Excellent communication skills
Desirable
- Clinical governance and audits
Qualifications and/or Professional Registration
Essential
- Full registration with General Dental Council
- Professional indemnity
Desirable
- Inhalation sedation qualification
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
