Four newly qualified dental nurses received their dental nursing awards at a presentation evening at Peninsula Dental’s Derriford Education Facility (DEF).
The four – Kayley Fowell, 21, and Molly Reilly, 20, from Plymouth, Claire Stenning, 42, from Torpoint, and Hannah Williams, 21, from Gunnislake, started their training in April last year and qualified this year with a City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing.
During training they worked at both of the city’s DEFs at Derriford and Devonport and attended City College Plymouth weekly where Debbie Jones delivered their lectures.
The trainees also worked in dental clinics alongside students from the Plymouth University Peninsula School of Dentistry under the guidance of clinical educators Lisa Griffiths and Tracy Lees and attended a weekly theory day.
Lisa Griffiths says: “We at Peninsula Dental are so very proud of the girls’ achievements in gaining their Diplomas in Dental Nursing. What a journey they have had with laughter and tears along the way but all the hard work paid off in the end. They leave the school as very sought after nurses.”
To gain their qualification, each nurse passed four exams – in infection control in the dental environment, assessment in oral health and treatment planning, dental radiography and management of oral health diseases and dental procedures. They also passed several practical clinical assessments including crown preparation, root canal treatment and dentures.
Finally, the trainees each completed a one month work placement enabling them to gain valuable experience in the day-to-day running of general dental practices across Plymouth and Tavistock,
The newly qualified nurses are all now working locally; Kayley at Oasis Dental Care, Plymouth, Molly at Plymouth University Peninsula School of Dentistry, Claire at My Dentist, Torpoint, and Hannah at Lynbridge House Dental Surgery in Tavistock.
The awards were presented by Professor Christopher Tredwin, Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Head of Peninsula Dental School.