receptionist doubling up as a dental nurse?

ophiuchus

Just wanted to run this past people, as I'm not sure I've encountered this before.


Had a dental appt this week, dentist mentioned to me how difficult it is to find and recruit staff, be it dental nurses or dentists. When the dentist went to clean my teeth the receptionist came in and put the suction tool in my mouth while the dentist was cleaning. Then the receptionist went to the computer, the dentist said to her "1 - 0 - 1 lower teeth, 1 - 2 - 1 upper teeth" (or possibly the other way round, I can't recall exactly), which she typed in hurriedly and then went back to the front desk to do her reception duties.


Has anyone else had this? Is this ok and above board? I'm not entirely sure what training and qualifications are requisite for dental nurses but I would have thought it should be someone other than a harried receptionist, or am I getting concerned unnecessarily?

PasturesNew

Who knows... she might be about to start formal training with him in the coming months to be a fully qualified dental assistant....

It doesn't take much to hold a vacuum tube ... and to type the numbers the dentist says. It's not like she then donned a mask and did a full gum clean!

The NHS page says receptionist AND other work is usual/fine/OK.
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/dental-team/roles-dental-team/dental-nurse

ophiuchus

Interesting link, thank you. She is the receptionist working as a dental nurse, rather than the other way round. Would have thought there might be hygiene issues, too if someone's popping in and out answering the phone, then putting their hand into the patient's mouth?

brook2jack

All of our receptionists are qualified dental nurses. They need to be to answer questions and assess how long treatment needs to be booked in for and triage emergencies. All nurses rotate around the surgeries and reception.

Anyone working in the surgery , by law , either needs to be a registered dental nurse or training to be one.

All nurses have an absolute duty to carry out cross infection measures.

Unfortunately at this time of year staff illness takes its toll and locum dental nurses are in very short supply.

Toothsmith

Same happens with me.

Reception staff are also registered dental nurses.

All sorts of things can happen. A car wouldn't start, a child taken ill, staff taken ill. and if it happens when another staff member is on holiday too, then all of a sudden you find yourself short staffed, and a full day of patients.

Obviously, it's not ideal, but people have often made arrangements so they can come for an appointment, so you keep the show going for them. It is perfectly OK so long as registered or training.

kirtondm

Not quite the same but as an optometrist I sometimes cover the desk during lunch hour so patients are sometimes suprised when I then take them through for an appointment!

Red-Squirrel_2

ophiuchus wrote: »

She is the receptionist working as a dental nurse, rather than the other way round.

How do you know?

sillyvixen

An ex housemate of mine was a dental nurse, they had one full time receptionist, who manned the desk all week, but dental nurses were expended to stand in with desk duties and admin when the receptionist was on holiday or off sick. So maybe the dental nurse was covering the receptionists sickness/holiday.

ophiuchus

brook2jack wrote: »

Anyone working in the surgery , by law , either needs to be a registered dental nurse or training to be one.

To clarify, - all receptionists in a dental surgery have to be trained dental nurses by law?

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

How do you know?

sillyvixen wrote: »

So maybe the dental nurse was covering the receptionists sickness/holiday.

I've been going there for years, the lady is the receptionist.


Thank you all for your replies.

brook2jack

To work in the surgery room you have to be a qualified or in training dental nurse

You do not need to be a dental nurse to be on reception but most surgeries will use qualified nurses as booking and prioritising appointments needs dental knowledge and it provides a pool of staff to fill in for sickness holidays etc.

Dental charting is actually quite complex and a novice would never be able to do it , it's a skill that takes time particularly with the many different things that need to be charted in an average dental exam (over a dozen on a standard check up more if eg an in depth gum check done).

There are hundreds of different materials used which have to be handled in different ways and the knowledge and responsibility os decontaminating after every procedure and patient are not acquired overnight either.

Saffythecat

I had an 8.30am (first appointment of the day) checkup this week and my actual dentist was answering phones on reception. One of the receptionists was held up at school drop off so it was all hands to the pump!