Are you an experienced dental nurse ready to take the next step in your career, with the opportunity to progress into a Lead Dental Nurse role?
Senior Dental Nurse – Future Lead Nurse Opportunity
Optimal Dental Health – Marylebone, London
From £38,000 per annum, depending on experience | Full-time
Private, Multi-Specialist, Five-Surgery Practice
You are already a confident and capable dental nurse. Now you’re looking for a long-term position where you can take on greater responsibility, develop your leadership skills and, in time, progress into a Lead Dental Nurse position.
At Optimal Dental Health, we combine modern private dentistry with a holistic and biological approach. We are committed to exceptional clinical standards and have created a team culture that is warm, professional and forward-thinking.
We do dentistry differently. Our services include ozone therapy, live bacteria sampling, sleep studies, SMART amalgam removal, ceramic implants, myofunctional therapy, biomarker and blood testing, and homeopathic remedies.
Think whole-body health, all under one roof.
We’re looking for a Senior Dental Nurse who can provide excellent chairside support, help the clinical day run smoothly and act as a positive role model for the wider nursing team.
This position offers a genuine opportunity to develop into a Lead Dental Nurse role as your confidence, knowledge and leadership experience grow. We are looking for someone who wants to make a long-term commitment to the practice, grow with us and become an important part of our future.
Why you’ll love working here
- Genuine development and long-term progression
- A clear pathway from Senior Dental Nurse to Lead Dental Nurse
- Opportunities to gradually develop your leadership and management responsibilities
- Support and mentoring from our experienced Practice Manager and Clinical Director
- Leadership coaching, digital workflow training and career development
- Opportunities to become involved in local charitable work
- Team training days, networking events and individual progression support
- A family-run practice where ideas and decisions can be acted upon quickly
A workplace that invests in you
- Gym membership
- GDC registration and professional indemnity
- BADN membership
- Your birthday off when it falls on a working day
- Access to Apolline compliance and CPD platforms
- Access to Bright Exchange
- Regular, practical and paid in-house training
- Opportunities to attend national exhibitions, conferences and dental shows
- Team events including theatre trips, puppy yoga, HYROX and wellness days
- Support to complete additional post-qualification certificates, including radiography, sedation, oral health education, impression-taking and phlebotomy
Great dentistry in a great environment
- Work alongside specialists, dentists, hygienists, therapists and a Treatment Coordinator
- Gain experience in implants, endodontics, paediatrics, sedation, biological dentistry and digital dentistry
- Work in a practice committed to new technology and innovative treatments
- Central London location with excellent transport links
- Join a team that is kind, capable and proud of the care it provides
The role
This is a hands-on Senior Dental Nurse position combining chairside nursing with additional responsibility across the clinical floor.
You will work closely with our Principal Dentist, Clinical Director, associate dentists and nursing team. As you develop, you will be supported in taking on more responsibility for mentoring colleagues, maintaining clinical standards and coordinating the day-to-day running of the nursing team.
The position will initially involve up to four clinical days each week. As the role and your leadership responsibilities develop, there will be the opportunity for dedicated administrative and leadership time.
What you’ll do day to day
- Support our lead nurse with daily operations
- Clinical and patient care
- Provide confident, calm and attentive chairside support for our Principal Dentist, Clinical Director and associate dentists
- Assist with general dentistry and advanced treatments, including implants, endodontics, sedation, SMART amalgam removal and biological dentistry
- Prepare surgeries, instruments, materials and equipment to a consistently high standard
- Help patients feel comfortable, informed and supported throughout their visit
- Provide clear pre- and post-operative instructions
- Maintain accurate clinical notes, consent forms and supporting documentation
- Take radiographs, clinical photographs and digital scans where appropriately trained and qualified
Supporting the clinical day
- Help ensure all five surgeries are prepared, fully stocked and running efficiently
- Anticipate clinicians’ requirements and respond calmly when appointments or treatment plans change
- Support smooth diary flow, patient handovers and communication between the clinical and reception teams
- Coordinate laboratory work and help ensure cases are tracked and ready on time
- Monitor clinical stock, expiry dates and ordering requirements
- Report equipment faults and help coordinate maintenance and repairs
- Help maintain an organised, safe and welcoming clinical environment
Supporting the nursing team
- Be an approachable point of support for qualified, trainee and decontamination nurses
- Help allocate daily duties and respond to changes in staffing or clinical requirements
- Support new nurses through their induction and help trainees build their skills and confidence
- Share knowledge, demonstrate best practice and provide kind, constructive feedback
- Help maintain consistency and high standards across all surgeries
- Step up and support the day when the Lead Nurse or Practice Manager is unavailable
- Gradually take on greater responsibility as you develop towards a future Lead Dental Nurse role
Compliance and clinical standards
- Follow and promote excellent infection prevention and decontamination procedures
- Complete daily and weekly clinical checks, including equipment, emergency drugs, waterlines and surgery logs
- Support stock rotation, batch tracking and expiry-date monitoring
- Help complete clinical audits and maintain accurate compliance records
- Work in accordance with CQC, GDC, GDPR and Health and Safety requirements
- Identify opportunities for improvement and contribute to updating clinical systems and SOPs
- Help ensure the practice is consistently prepared for audits and inspections
Teamwork and professional development
- Participate actively in morning huddles, team meetings and training sessions
- Communicate clearly and professionally with clinicians, nurses, reception and management
- Contribute ideas that improve efficiency, teamwork and patient care
- Support a positive, respectful and accountable working environment
- Complete agreed clinical and leadership training
- Work closely with the Practice Manager and Clinical Director to prepare for progression into the Lead Dental Nurse role
What we’re looking for
- A GDC-registered Dental Nurse with at least three years’ experience
- Level 3 Dental Nursing qualification or equivalent
- An experienced Senior Dental Nurse who is ready to develop into a leadership role
- Confidence supporting advanced or specialist treatments, ideally including implants, endodontics or sedation
- Organised, proactive and calm under pressure
- A clear, kind and supportive communicator
- Someone who enjoys mentoring colleagues and raising standards positively
- Comfortable with digital dentistry, ideally including Dentally, radiography, CBCT and clinical photography—training can be provided
- Confident supporting audits, compliance processes and inspections
- Motivated to commit to the practice for the long term and grow into a future Lead Dental Nurse position
You do not need to be an established Lead Nurse already. We are interested in finding a strong and experienced Senior Dental Nurse who has the right attitude, commitment and potential to develop into the role with our support.
Working hours
This is a full-time position:
- Monday or Thursday: 8:00am–6:30pm
- The alternative Monday or Thursday: 8:00am–5:30pm, depending on business requirements
- Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:00am–5:30pm
- Friday: 8:00am–4:30pm
Apply now
Please submit your CV through Indeed with your response to this question:
“What does being an exceptional dental nurse mean to you, and how would you help other members of the nursing team develop and succeed?”
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an initial conversation.
Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position. This role is not suitable for trainee or newly qualified dental nurses.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From £38,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Gym membership
Ability to commute/relocate:
- London NW1: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Dental Nursing: 3 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- GDC Registration (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
