Rachel’s round up: Dental Radiography and your Nurses

Taking radiographs to the prescription of a dentist has long been a line of progression for dental nurses, but I speak to so many dental nurses who don’t get to use the skill actively in practice. It’s always the same excuses… ” I feel my dentist doesn’t trust me” or ” my dentist thinks it’s just quicker and easier for them to do it”.

Taking a full set of diagnostic radiographs can be time consuming for a dentist, add to that a patient with a gag reflex or who is dentally anxious and before you know it your behind schedule and under pressure in surgery and potentially cutting corners on care and communication. So why not pass these over to a dental nurse who can complete the appointment, deliver a high level of care and communication but also engage with the patient on a different level.

Patients will feel more relaxed and quite often conversation leads itself to discussing other services you offer in house. In addition the patient gets to see the nurse and a nurses role from a different perspective. If nurse lead clinics are to be the future of dentistry then dentists you need to let your nurses release their potential and start giving them the autonomy to carry out their extended scope. Not sure or convinced of their ability then mentor them, nurture and develop the skill! It WILL make your life much easier.

Rachel

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