Apprentice Dental Nurse - Level 3
No experience required | Fully funded apprenticeship | £10 per hour | 35 paid hours
Location: The Observatory Dental Practice, Falmouth
Qualification: Level 3 Dental Nursing Practitioner Diploma
Contract: Fixed-term apprenticeship of approximately 18 months, subject to a three-month probationary period
Hours: 35 paid hours per week, including protected apprenticeship study and training time
Rota: Monday to Friday, including two shifts finishing at 8:15pm each week (not on Fridays)
Expected start date: Flexible but around August/September 2026
Closing date: 16th July 2026
Earn while you learn and begin a professional career in dental healthcare. You will receive structured training, protected study time, a dedicated mentor and supervision from a named GDC-registered dental professional.
No dental experience is required. We are looking for someone who is caring, dependable, eager to learn and committed to giving patients an excellent experience.
About us: The Observatory Dental Practice is a modern, fully private and independently owned practice, approximately a 10-minute walk from Gyllyngvase Beach. Founded in 2022, we have grown from one to three surgeries and plan to grow to five by 2029. We are a small, supportive team that values kindness, high clinical standards, clear communication and helping one another during busy days.
What we offer
· Pay: £10.00 per hour during the first 12 months. From month 13, you will receive at least the statutory minimum wage applicable to your age and apprenticeship status.
· Qualified rate: £14.50 per hour if you successfully complete the apprenticeship, obtain GDC registration and are appointed to a permanent qualified role.
· 35 paid hours per week, including protected apprenticeship study and training time.
· 20 days' paid holiday plus bank holidays during the apprenticeship. If appointed to a permanent qualified role, this will increase to 25 days plus bank holidays.
· Fully funded Level 3 apprenticeship training and assessment.
· Free non-cosmetic dental treatment.
· Workplace pension, subject to eligibility.
· Opportunities for continued development within the dental profession.
Why train as a dental nurse?
Dental nursing is a practical, fast-paced and rewarding career. You will work with people, learn hands-on clinical skills and make a genuine difference to patients' health and confidence. A recognised qualification can lead to further development in areas such as dental radiography, treatment coordination and practice management.
About the role
You will work alongside experienced dentists and qualified dental nurses across a varied range of general and advanced dental treatments. Clinical responsibilities will be introduced gradually and undertaken with appropriate supervision.
As your confidence and knowledge grow, you will learn to:
· Assist dentists and other clinicians during treatment.
· Prepare surgeries, instruments and equipment.
· Maintain excellent infection prevention and cross-infection control standards.
· Support and reassure patients throughout their appointments.
· Complete accurate clinical records.
· Help keep the clinical team organised and prepared.
· Contribute to the smooth day-to-day running of the practice.
· Provide occasional reception cover during colleagues' annual leave.
Our intention is to support the successful apprentice into a permanent qualified dental nurse position following completion of the apprenticeship and GDC registration. Any permanent appointment will depend on successful completion, performance and the needs of the practice at that time.
Course information: https://skills4dental.co.uk/programmes/dental-nurse
What we are looking for
We are more interested in your attitude, reliability and willingness to learn than previous dental experience. You will be:
· Friendly, caring and approachable.
· Reliable, punctual and dependable.
· Organised, with good attention to detail.
· Eager to learn new skills and complete the Level 3 apprenticeship.
· Calm and professional in a busy environment.
· A supportive team player.
· Committed to delivering excellent patient care.
· Able to travel reliably to Falmouth for a 7:30am start.
· Available to work two shifts finishing at 8:15pm each week.
Working hours
You will usually work a mixture of the following shifts:
· 7:30am-3:00pm
· 10:30am-6:00pm
· 12:45pm-8:15pm
Your rota will be agreed before you start. The shift pattern provides two free weekday mornings or afternoons each week. You will be paid for seven hours each day and receive a 30-minute unpaid lunch break. Occasional flexibility may be needed to cover colleagues' annual leave.
How to apply
Please send your CV and a covering letter answering all three questions below. The covering letter is an important part of the application and helps us understand your motivation and attention to detail.
1. Why are you interested in becoming a dental nurse?
2. Why do you think you would be a good fit for our practice?
3. Tell us about something you taught yourself and how you approached it.
Applications that do not address all three questions will not be considered.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.
Applications close on 31 July 2026
We look forward to hearing from you!
Pay: £10.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
Work Location: In person
