My journey through the Oral Health Practitioner Apprenticeship
By Charlee Cummins, Qualified Dental Nurse
“Apprenticeships have always suited my learning style, so after doing some research, dental nursing stood out to me as an interesting and rewarding career.”
I started my career in dentistry just five years ago, after being made redundant from my previous career in marketing during Covid. I felt this was the perfect time to reassess my career and finally pursue my interest in the medical field.
Apprenticeships have always suited my learning style, so after doing some research, dental nursing stood out to me as an interesting and rewarding career. I completed my Level 3 Dental Nursing apprenticeship with Tempdent and then progressed onto the Level 4 Oral Health Practitioner apprenticeship, as it felt like the natural next step in my career.
Why the Oral Health Practitioner apprenticeship felt like the right next step
I chose to do the Oral Health Practitioner apprenticeship because it felt like a clear and natural progression for me. There can be a perceived lack of career development opportunities for Dental Nurses, so when Tempdent started offering this apprenticeship, I jumped at the chance to upskill even further and progress. The apprenticeship has allowed me to advance my career, develop new skills, work directly with patients and support oral health promotion, which is a part of dentistry I feel very strongly about.
I would definitely recommend Tempdent as a training provider. I completed my Level 3 Dental Nursing apprenticeship with them, which was a great experience, so I knew I would get the support I needed to succeed on the Oral Health Practitioner apprenticeship. Throughout the course, I have really felt that everyone at Tempdent is on my side and genuinely wants me to progress and achieve as much as I can.
From theory to the clinic
The most valuable part of the apprenticeship for me has been being able to apply what I’ve learned directly in real clinical settings. Working with patients has helped me build confidence and improve my communication skills. Practising new clinical skills under the guidance of my mentor has helped me build stronger relationships with my colleagues and has made me feel like an integral part of the clinical team. Providing preventative care and advice has also made me realise how important oral health is to a patient’s overall health outcomes.
The structure of the apprenticeship balances theory and practical learning really well. Each module is supported by e‑learning, which I can then apply in the clinical setting. The theory has expanded my knowledge of anatomy, clinical procedures and communication techniques, including motivational interviewing and how to better support and advise different types of patients.
How the Skills Labs helped build my confidence
The in‑person Skills Labs offered as part of this apprenticeship have been one of the most valuable parts of the course. Being able to build strong professional relationships, and even friendships, has given me ongoing support throughout the apprenticeship. The training itself has played a huge role in building my confidence. We are taught by professionals with real‑life clinical experience who can prepare us for different situations and a wide range of patients. The tutors provide valuable insight, reassurance and advice, and it has been very motivating to hear about their own career journeys within dentistry. Being part of the London Skills Lab and training at the Eastman Dental Hospital has felt especially rewarding. Training in this environment gave me a strong sense of pride and motivated me even more to keep progressing my career in oral health.
Using my new skills to make a difference within my community
One of the key skills I learned during the in person Skills Labs was the application of fluoride, which I now use regularly in practice. This plays an important role in caries prevention, particularly for children, and feels more important than ever given the current child caries crisis.
Being able to provide this care not only benefits patients but also supports the wider dental team by freeing up diary time and allowing clinicians to focus on more complex treatments, helping to improve overall practice efficiency.
As part of expanding my scope of practice, I am now seeing patients clinically under the supervision of my mentor. This includes applying fluoride during examinations, delivering tailored oral health advice and taking impressions when needed. Working more closely with patients has helped me build stronger relationships and apply my learning in a meaningful way.
One of my favourite parts of the apprenticeship has been delivering oral health advice within the wider community. I have visited local primary schools, a scout group and a mother and toddler group to deliver oral health sessions, which I really enjoyed as it felt like I was genuinely making a difference. The feedback from both patients and the public has been very positive. People appreciate the tailored advice, as it feels more personal and helps build trust and stronger relationships between patients and clinicians. I also feel I am helping to improve oral health awareness, particularly around the links between oral and general health. For example, many diabetic patients are unaware of the relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease, and being able to share that information feels incredibly important.
Support, challenges and growing in confidence
Both my employer and Tempdent have been very supportive throughout the apprenticeship. My employer has allowed me time to complete my off‑the‑job training hours, attend Skills Labs and develop new clinical skills, while always being available for advice and guidance when needed.
One of the biggest challenges for me was adjusting from providing chairside assistance to becoming more clinical. At times, I experienced imposter syndrome, but with the support of my mentor and my Tempdent Tutor Assessor, I was able to overcome this and gain much more confidence in myself and my clinical abilities.
What’s next for me?
In the future, I would love to continue working in a community setting and providing oral health advice to different groups. Especially at this crucial time for NHS dentistry, I strongly believe that prevention is better than cure. I have a particular interest in paediatric dentistry and prevention and would like to focus on delivering education and preventative advice to children and parents. Once I complete this course, I plan to explore further qualifications that focus more specifically on this area.
The Oral Health Practitioner apprenticeship has given me the baseline knowledge and skills I need to progress and has helped me realise that there are more career options available after being a Dental Nurse.