Oral Health Practitioner Standard Level 4 Apprenticeship

Oral Health Practitioners have a high degree of autonomy and have responsibility for working directly with patients performing a range of oral health preventive procedure which involve working in a patient's mouth.

The Oral Health Practitioner role complements the role of other dental professionals and fits in the dental career structure a higher level than a dental nurse but below a dental hygienist, hygienist / therapist or dentist.

Working to the direction of a dentist you will take dental bacterial plaque indices and debris scores, apply fluoride varnish, take clinical photographs, take impressions and carry out tooth brushing in the patient’s mouth. You will prepare and maintain the clinical environment, carry out infection control and prevention procedures, and prepare, mix and handle bio-materials. 

Often working alone in the community, you will deliver oral health prevention with patients, deliver oral health education and promotion to the public including clinical preventative advice interventions to targeted groups such as care givers for older people or ante-natal groups. You will provide integrated general, oral health advice and preventative treatments in line with treatment plans to the community your practice serves. 

You will work with early years groups, primary and secondary schools, in care homes, in ‘care at home’ situations, in the child and adolescent mental health arena, in hospitals, in general dental practice or other healthcare and community settings to provide services.  This includes brief interventions such as targeted oral health advice to meet the needs of the individual.

You will carry out general health screening activities, alongside oral health ones, to measure the holistic health of the individual you are working with eg checking for diabetes, blood tests or taking blood pressure.

To become an Oral Health Practitioner, you must already be a dental nurse or other appropriate dental care professional registered with the General Dental Council eg an orthodontic therapist. You will work autonomously, including in people’s mouths, acting within your scope of practice and under referral of a registered clinician eg Dentist, Dental Hygienist or Dental Therapist whilst undertaking dental activities.