We are pleased to have some very hardworking Trainee Dental Nurses within the Centre for Dentistry team. We are delighted to congratulate Nichola Veitch at CFD Benfleet, Sujan Gurung at CFD Brookwood and Charlotte Pick at CFD Chichester who qualified as dental nurses this month. Balancing studying and alongside working can be challenging so we asked them a few questions about their experience.
Nichola Veitch, CFD Benfleet
What is the best thing about being a Dental Nurse? Installing confidence in nervous patients and generally helping people making them feel better about themselves.
Did you have any challenges whilst training? CFD have been a great help especially the company who ran the course initially were not supportive but after changing providers it was much better.
How supportive were CFD? Without the support of Claire Taylor I don’t think I would’ve passed.
Do you have anything else to add? I am very grateful to work within a friendly and supportive team who really helped throughout my training.
Sujan Gurung at CFD Brookwood
What is the best thing about being a Dental Nurse? I feel more responsible for the patients’ well-being and it is satisfying for me when treatment is complete. I love working with my team and my friends.
Did you have any challenges whilst training? I accepted every challenge as it is the nature of the job.
How supportive were CFD? Very. Claire and Amanda came in to help me revise and practice for my exams. The dentists have also been a huge help for me as well as my fellow nurses and reception team – they’ve all been so supportive. Whatever help I’ve asked for I’ve got it.
Do you have anything else to add? I am really proud of my badge and certificate and working for CFD! Thank you to everyone in CFD for all your help and support in helping me complete my qualification.
Charlotte Pick, CFD Chichester
What is the best thing about being a Dental Nurse? For me, the best thing about being a dental nurse is seeing how dental treatment can change people’s lives for the better. By following progress from the beginning of treatment, you can really appreciate how dental work makes a great difference to the patient, as well as the craftsmanship of the dentist and the amazing results that are delivered. It gives great job satisfaction to know that I’ve contributed to that process.
Did you have any challenges whilst training? Learning the name and use of each individual instrument used in the practice was a particular challenge. This was something that could only be helped by spending as much time in the surgeries as possible.
How supportive were CFD? As a self-funded student I did the majority of learning by myself outside of work and did not receive additional training from CFD until I began to prepare for my exams. The two dentists I nursed for during the majority of my traineeship, Dr. Cassandra Pantazi and Dr. Alexandra Luzinschi, were exceptionally helpful in my day to day training. When I was preparing for my exams I had a couple of sessions with the CFD National Training Manager, Claire Taylor, in which we went going past papers and previous exam scenarios which I found very helpful.
Do you have anything else to add? I would like to add that our Practice Manager at Centre for Dentistry Chichester, Louise Lancaster-Shaw, has been incredibly supportive by arranging shifts around the dates of any exams or course I have had to attend and supporting me when I have been feeling stressed or confused with learning.
Becoming a Dental Nurse with Centre for Dentistry
We are delighted to be able to offer full Dental Nurse training opportunities for Trainee Dental Nurses through our internal, qualified National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN) colleagues. Our in house NEBDN course provider will visit the practice to deliver the course content and support you fully throughout your training.