You could do a course at college that would give you the skills and knowledge to become a dental nurse.

Courses include a level 3 diploma in dental nursing and a T Level in Health. 

The courses will usually be a mix of full-time study with work experience in a dental surgery.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

You could apply to do a Dental Nurse Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This takes up to 2 years to complete. You'll need to be working in a dental surgery to do the apprenticeship.

Armed forces

You could also do a dental nursing apprenticeship in the armed forces.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

You could start as a trainee at a dental practice. You could then study for a dental nurse qualification on the job. This is a common route to take to become a dental nurse.

You'll need:

• the ability to work well with others
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• sensitivity and understanding
• knowledge of medicine and dentistry
• customer service skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to work well with your hands
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

In this role you could:

• sterilise instruments and pass them to the dentist
• prepare materials to make fillings
• remove water and saliva from the patient's mouth during treatment
• make sure the patient is comfortable
• tidy the surgery and keep records about each patient

You could work at a dental practice, at a health centre or in an NHS or private hospital.

You may need to wear protective clothing and a uniform.