Tempdent launches new Dental Reception Excellence Apprenticeship Programme

Tempdent are delighted to announce the launch of our brand new Dental Reception Excellence Programme (Level 2). This specialist apprenticeship is designed to recognise, support and develop the vital role Dental Receptionists play in patient experience and practice success.

View the brand new apprenticeship here. 

The Dental Receptionist is often the first and last point of contact for patients. From managing appointments and payments to handling sensitive conversations and setting the tone for every visit, the reception team sits at the heart of every dental practice. This new programme has been designed to reflect that responsibility and to give Dental Receptionists the confidence, skills and commercial awareness needed to thrive.

Designed by the dental sector, for the dental sector

Developed following extensive consultation with dental employers and sector experts, the Dental Reception Excellence Programme has been built specifically for real dental practice environments. While the programme aligns to the Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard, it goes further by incorporating dental‑specific content that reflects genuine patient interactions, dental terminology and industry expectations.

The programme is brought to market by Tempdent and delivered by Babington (part of the Knovia Group alongside Tempdent). Babington brings more than 50 years’ experience in professional services training and apprenticeships, with a strong national reputation for developing customer service and professional skills across the UK.

Supporting outstanding patient experiences

The Dental Reception Excellence Programme is focused on helping reception teams confidently manage the full dental patient journey, while delivering a consistently high standard of care.

Key areas of learning include:

• Professional communication in a dental setting
• Managing challenging conversations and complaints
• Dental terminology and treatment pathways
• Ethical influencing and presenting private options and membership plans
• Compliance, confidentiality and relevant dental legislation
• Resilience and professionalism in fast‑paced reception environments

Throughout the programme, learners will develop the practical skills needed to support both patient care and practice performance.

What learners will gain

By the end of the apprenticeship, Dental Receptionists will be able to:

• Deliver a confident, welcoming and professional patient experience
• Handle complaints and difficult conversations with empathy and assurance
• Think commercially and professionally when discussing treatment options and payment plans
• Understand organisational policies, internal procedures and key compliance requirements
• Flexible, accessible and cost‑effective

The apprenticeship runs over 12 months, with monthly start dates and online delivery, making it accessible for dental practices across the UK.

As a government‑funded apprenticeship, it offers a highly cost‑effective way for practices to upskill existing team members or support new entrants into dental reception roles. Funding is available for both levy‑paying and non‑levy‑paying employers.

A role that deserves recognition

Commenting on the launch, Lorraine Nadel, Chief Executive Officer at Tempdent, said:

“The Dental Receptionist is the first and last point of contact for patients. This programme has been developed to acknowledge the importance of that role and to give Dental Receptionists the confidence, professionalism and commercial awareness needed to support both patient care and practice success.”

Find out more

To support the launch, we’ve created a new Dental Reception Excellence Programme overview brochure, which you can download below.

If you’d like to find out how this programme could support your team or your practice, we’d love to hear from you.