Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Dental Therapist

The closing date is 14 September 2025

Job summary

Do you want to make a difference?

If you are well organised, able to prioritise and work on your own initiative without direct supervision but also enjoys working as part of a team to provide excellent patient care, then we look forward to hearing from you.

Part Time (22.5 hours per week) 1 year fixed term contract Applications are invited from Dental Therapists with an interest in Special Care Dentistry to join our motivated and committed teams. You will provide comprehensive dental care for adults and children within our special care dental service both in the fully equipped clinic and occasionally on a domiciliary basis. The post includes line management of other Dental Therapists in the service, with clinical work based at Morley Street Dental Clinic, Brighton and Crawley Hospital. Full GDC registration is essential.

The Special Care Dental Service is part of a countywide service providing NHS Dental treatment to patients on referral, operating Mondays to Fridays, 08:30am to 4:30pm.

Main duties of the job

  • To take responsibility for ensuring that informed consent has been obtained from patient or parent, or in the case of adults who do not have the mental capacity to consent for themselves, adhering to Mental Capacity Act guidance
  • To keep up to date with current techniques and dental materials, restoring teeth using a wide range of treatment and materials appropriate to the patient.
  • To take responsibility for the care of a patient in a medical emergency, carrying out appropriate emergency care and resuscitation, and to keep up to date in the diagnosis and treatment of medical emergencies including the use of emergency drugs (which may involve supervising the patient outside of normal working hours until an escort or suitable transport arrives).
  • To maintain a high standard of professional competence and integrity, including Continuing Professional Development and keep records of this to fulfil future mandatory General Dental Council requirements
  • Demonstrate on-going, continuous professional development and not work outside their defined level of competency, raising any concerns regarding this immediately with the prescribing dentist and/or manager as appropriate
  • To actively participate in Clinical Governance including Audit and Research, and to actively participate in staff and peer review meetings in order to develop service policies, procedures, guidelines and protocols
  • Participate in and deliver Clinical Supervision and Appraisals according to Trust policy

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?o Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staffo Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details

Date posted

02 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum pro-rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 years

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

150-CP2059-PC

Job locations

Special Care Dental Service, School Clinic

Morley Street

Brighton

BN2 9DH


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To deliver dental therapy to a higher training standard to patients with a wide range of special needs at any Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust dental clinic or on a domiciliary basis.
  • Assist in the manoeuvring of patients using mechanical aids, for instance hoists, wheel chair tilting platform.
  • To carry out the full range of dental care within the statutory remit governed by the General Dental Council (details Appendix 1).
  • To administer and provide treatment for patients utilising inhalation sedation.
  • To work closely with the dentist prescribing the course of treatment to ensure the provision of appropriate care for patients including preventive oral care, treatment of caries, periodontal disease and tooth wear.
  • Monitor dental health of all patients, record indices and report findings to dentist responsible for patients course of treatment.
  • To give current and accurate advice to patients with complex needs, parents and carers on oral health matters and treatment in a way that can be understood.
  • To evaluate patient progress, reassess and liaise with the dentist with respect to oral health, recognising abnormalities of the oral cavity and the rest of the patient and raise concerns where appropriate.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To deliver dental therapy to a higher training standard to patients with a wide range of special needs at any Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust dental clinic or on a domiciliary basis.
  • Assist in the manoeuvring of patients using mechanical aids, for instance hoists, wheel chair tilting platform.
  • To carry out the full range of dental care within the statutory remit governed by the General Dental Council (details Appendix 1).
  • To administer and provide treatment for patients utilising inhalation sedation.
  • To work closely with the dentist prescribing the course of treatment to ensure the provision of appropriate care for patients including preventive oral care, treatment of caries, periodontal disease and tooth wear.
  • Monitor dental health of all patients, record indices and report findings to dentist responsible for patients course of treatment.
  • To give current and accurate advice to patients with complex needs, parents and carers on oral health matters and treatment in a way that can be understood.
  • To evaluate patient progress, reassess and liaise with the dentist with respect to oral health, recognising abnormalities of the oral cavity and the rest of the patient and raise concerns where appropriate.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for further information.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • GDC Registered
  • Dentistry BDS
  • Performer number

Skills & Knowledge

Desirable

  • Dental Software

Experience

Desirable

  • Working within the NHS or a similar healthcare setting
  • Special Care Dental Experience
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • GDC Registered
  • Dentistry BDS
  • Performer number

Skills & Knowledge

Desirable

  • Dental Software

Experience

Desirable

  • Working within the NHS or a similar healthcare setting
  • Special Care Dental Experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Special Care Dental Service, School Clinic

Morley Street

Brighton

BN2 9DH


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Special Care Dental Service, School Clinic

Morley Street

Brighton

BN2 9DH


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Assistant Clinical Director

Michael Morcos

michael.morcos1@nhs.net

07917050989

Details

Date posted

02 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum pro-rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 years

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

150-CP2059-PC

Job locations

Special Care Dental Service, School Clinic

Morley Street

Brighton

BN2 9DH


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)