About The Organisation
Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.
We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.
The Role
The Childsmile programme is tasked with reducing inequalities in oral health and ensuring access to dental services for every child across Lanarkshire.
Childsmile combines targeted and universal approaches to tackling children’s oral health improvement through the four programme components (Core, Practice, Nursery and School). This combination will provide a comprehensive pathway of care that is tailored to the needs of individual children. This post is primarily focused on Childsmile Core, the Nursery and School Toothbrushing Programme and about 60% of time will be spend on this programme
Childsmile Core is a Scotland-wide initiative to help improve the health of our children's teeth, through the distribution of free dental packs and supervised toothbrushing programmes in all nurseries and in priority schools.
The postholder will be involved in delivering the Childsmile Core programme in a variety of nurseries and primary schools across Lanarkshire.
Childsmile Nursery and Childsmile School provides clinical prevention programmes offering twice-yearly fluoride varnishing, through public dental services for children attending nurseries and primary schools. The post holder will spend about 20% of their time in nurseries and primary schools making fluoride varnish applications.
The post holder will also be involved in delivering oral health advice, toothbrushing advice and making fluoride varnish applications to suitable residents in Care Homes throughout Lanarkshire. About 20% of the postholder’s time will be spent on this programme
A key role is to educate and promote awareness of oral health issues amongst children, parents, teachers, care homes residents and their carers and staff who work in care home to deliver new initiatives in compliance with national required or as directed by the Head of Oral Health Education
Please note there are two types of contract:
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Permanent
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Fixed-term contract for 12 months. Where a post only has temporary funding and an existing member of NHS Lanarkshire staff wishes to apply, this will be treated as a secondment. The employee MUST already have written agreement from their line manager to be released on a secondment before applying for the post.
In this key role, you will:
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Regular liaison with nursery and teaching staff
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Educating clients in toothbrushing skills
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Orally communicating detailed information in a clear and concise manner as part of structured training activities. This requires skills that are persuasive, motivational and negotiating, and also varying degrees of tact and patience
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Providing and monitoring the supply of materials
- Overcoming barriers such as lack of understanding, attitudes to health, cognitive abilities and behavioural difficulties.
- Providing support, continuous monitoring and reinforcement of the programme.
What You'll Bring:
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Must be a Qualified Dental Nurse and have chairside experience as a Dental Nurse
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Previous experience as a Dental Nurse or Oral Health Educator
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Must be registered with the GDC
- Have knowledge and understanding of the impact of oral disease on general health underpinned by theoretical knowledge gained through expanded formal training, continuous professional development and relevant practical experience
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A driving licence is required; this must be a full UK/EU/EEA licence.
What we Offer
As a valued employee of NHS Lanarkshire, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:
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Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
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Generous NHS pension scheme
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Annual incremental salary progression
- Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
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NHS discounts and more.
NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent - regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.
- Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.
For informal discussion, please contact Gillian Strain, Senior Oral Health Educator on [email protected].
If you have any questions about the recruitment process or require support with your application, contact Anna Baran, Recruitment Administrator on [email protected].
