Job summary
This role is located in a British Overseas Territory, therefore UK legislation such as the Data Protection Act (2018) and the Equality Act (2010), or similar, may not apply.
The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) is looking for an experienced dental therapist to join their friendly and supportive team.
The dental team (3 clinicians and 5 nurses), delivers a comprehensive range of oral health services to the local population including primary care, public health initiatives, and emergency dental care. The dental facility boasts three well-equipped surgeries with digital radiography and a small laboratory area, following UK standards of care while tailoring practices to meet the unique local needs.
Main duties of the job
This position presents an exciting opportunity for the successful applicant to contribute to the oral health of the Falkland Islands, delivering quality restorative and preventative dental care as part of the dental team.
Specific benefits of this position include:
- The support of a dental nurse in surgery
- Broad range of patient groups and treatments to offer access to in-house and external CPD
- Fee-free dental service, eliminating need for financial discussions with patients
The role is split half and half between dental hygiene and dental therapy lists, up to the full General Dental Council (GDC) scope of practice for dental therapists.
Specific duties may include:
- Patient assessment and examination including taking and interpreting radiographs and formulating treatment plans
- Performing periodontal treatments to prevent and manage gum disease
- Providing direct restorative treatments including fillings and sealants
- Extracting deciduous (baby) teeth safely and effectively
- Applying fluoride treatments and other preventive measures
In addition to your clinical responsibilities, you will be expected to:
- Participate in developing and applying the Falkland Islands' Oral Health Strategy
- Participate in clinical governance activities, mentoring of trainee dental nurses, and community oral health promotion activities
About us
The Health and Social Services Directorate, Falkland Islands provides emergency, primary, secondary and community healthcare as well as social services assistance, support, and advice. Most health services are based at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) which is the Islands only hospital and is based in the capital Stanley. We serve the local community of about 3,700 residents, short-term residents and visitors.
The Falkland Islands are an unique natural environment located in the South Atlantic, 8,000 miles south of the UK mainland, which is a British overseas territory with a full internal self-government. The Islands boasts unspoilt beaches, outstanding wildlife, and stunning landscapes with a good work/life balance. Stanley is a friendly and busy city with a wide range of amenities and a variety of clubs and associations. Our vacancies are in our local currency, Falkland Islands pound (FKP), which is directly equal to the U.K. pound (GBP).
The hospital environment is one in which clinical staff have the time, resources, and support to provide the highest standards of care and to develop their careers. In addition to being supported to practise with a broad scope, clinical staff are encouraged and assisted to develop particular areas of clinical expertise.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical duties
- Examining patients teeth and mouth for signs of disease or other dental problems, planning treatments, and referring patients to colleagues for further dental care as required
- Prescribing and taking dental radiographs as required
- Administering local anesthetic
- Assessing the periodontal tissues and oral hygiene, using pocket charting, plaque scores or similar
- Carrying out periodontal cleanings, including prophy polishing, supragingival and subgingival scaling and debridement using both hand and powered instruments
- Applying fissure sealants and topical fluoride treatments
- Undertaking further dental procedures as per the UKs General Dental Council GDC Guidelines Scope of Practice - Dental Therapists, modified to meet local needs and circumstances. This will include but not be limited to - Temporary and permanent direct restorations on primary and secondary teeth, Pulpotomies on primary teeth, Extraction of primary teeth, Placing pre-formed crowns on primary teeth, Adjusting restorations
- Working closely with orthodontic patients to help ensure that their oral health and hygiene is up to standard throughout their orthodontic treatment.
- Preventive dental care including, but not limited to - Providing Smoking cessation advice, Developing personalised oral hygiene plans for patients, in collaboration with dentists, Providing tailored oral hygiene instruction, diet advice, and other oral health guidance and demonstrations to patients
- Helping manage dental and medical emergencies if necessary
- Responsibility for aspects of the community dental services including, but not limited to - Participating in community-level oral health promotion and education activities, e.g. fluoride application programme, nursery education, school visits, Leading on Oral Health Promotion for the Falkland Islands in general, Treatment in a domiciliary setting, School and care home oral health sessions.
Non-clinical and administrative duties
- Responsible for mentoring and supervision of trainee dental nurses alongside dental colleagues
- Maintaining detailed and accurate records of all patient encounters
- Managing appointments
- Participating in clinical audit, and contributing to the development of relevant departmental policies
- Assisting with wider administrative duties as appropriate, such as the annual stock take
- Maintaining knowledge through the completion of mandatory CPD activities and courses - free access available to several online CPD providers
- Responsible for stock management of all materials, tools and specialist equipment relevant to Dental Therapy/Hygiene, within the available budget.
Health and Safety
- Ensuring work is carried out in compliance with the applicable regulations on safety and hygiene concerning, for example, the sterilization of all equipment and instruments, or the cleaning and disinfection of all work areas
- Protecting patients and employees by adhering to infection-control guidelines
- Ensuring operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, following manufacturers instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, and calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques
- Maintaining patient confidence and protecting operations by keeping information confidential
- Radiation safety, infection control, and clinical governance lead in absence of dental officers.
The job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive definition of your duties. You shall undertake such additional or other duties as may reasonably be required by FIG commensurate with your role and grade.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical duties
- Examining patients teeth and mouth for signs of disease or other dental problems, planning treatments, and referring patients to colleagues for further dental care as required
- Prescribing and taking dental radiographs as required
- Administering local anesthetic
- Assessing the periodontal tissues and oral hygiene, using pocket charting, plaque scores or similar
- Carrying out periodontal cleanings, including prophy polishing, supragingival and subgingival scaling and debridement using both hand and powered instruments
- Applying fissure sealants and topical fluoride treatments
- Undertaking further dental procedures as per the UKs General Dental Council GDC Guidelines Scope of Practice - Dental Therapists, modified to meet local needs and circumstances. This will include but not be limited to - Temporary and permanent direct restorations on primary and secondary teeth, Pulpotomies on primary teeth, Extraction of primary teeth, Placing pre-formed crowns on primary teeth, Adjusting restorations
- Working closely with orthodontic patients to help ensure that their oral health and hygiene is up to standard throughout their orthodontic treatment.
- Preventive dental care including, but not limited to - Providing Smoking cessation advice, Developing personalised oral hygiene plans for patients, in collaboration with dentists, Providing tailored oral hygiene instruction, diet advice, and other oral health guidance and demonstrations to patients
- Helping manage dental and medical emergencies if necessary
- Responsibility for aspects of the community dental services including, but not limited to - Participating in community-level oral health promotion and education activities, e.g. fluoride application programme, nursery education, school visits, Leading on Oral Health Promotion for the Falkland Islands in general, Treatment in a domiciliary setting, School and care home oral health sessions.
Non-clinical and administrative duties
- Responsible for mentoring and supervision of trainee dental nurses alongside dental colleagues
- Maintaining detailed and accurate records of all patient encounters
- Managing appointments
- Participating in clinical audit, and contributing to the development of relevant departmental policies
- Assisting with wider administrative duties as appropriate, such as the annual stock take
- Maintaining knowledge through the completion of mandatory CPD activities and courses - free access available to several online CPD providers
- Responsible for stock management of all materials, tools and specialist equipment relevant to Dental Therapy/Hygiene, within the available budget.
Health and Safety
- Ensuring work is carried out in compliance with the applicable regulations on safety and hygiene concerning, for example, the sterilization of all equipment and instruments, or the cleaning and disinfection of all work areas
- Protecting patients and employees by adhering to infection-control guidelines
- Ensuring operation of dental equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, following manufacturers instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, and calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques
- Maintaining patient confidence and protecting operations by keeping information confidential
- Radiation safety, infection control, and clinical governance lead in absence of dental officers.
The job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive definition of your duties. You shall undertake such additional or other duties as may reasonably be required by FIG commensurate with your role and grade.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A degree in a relevant subject i.e. Dental Therapy
- Registration with the UKs General Dental Council (or recognised international equivalent) at the level of Dental Therapist. This registration must be maintained throughout the duration of the post
- Vocational training accreditation i.e. clinically up to date with CPD requirements of the UKs General Dental Council
Desirable
- Post Graduate qualification in a relevant area
- Further relevant professional vocational qualifications
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of three years relevant work experience in a similar role, ideally in a UK practice providing NHS care provision
- A sound knowledge of professional dental hygiene and therapy instrument and methods
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to explain treatments to patients in a calm and reassuring manner
- Good eyesight and steady hands for carrying out precise dental work along with the ability to maintain concentration for long periods of time
- Good time management and ability to prioritise and organise complex work flows
- Able to work effectively in a busy general practice
- Sound working knowledge of clinical governance practices and experience in conducting quality audits
- Knowledge of the principles & practices of oral health promotion
- Effective listening and motivational skills to educate patients to maintain healthy oral hygiene and diet
- Able to work as an effective team player and develop good working relationships with colleagues and external agencies
- Sound IT skills, including a solid level of competency in Microsoft packages such as Word, Excel etc
- Ability to deal with sensitive information and respect confidentiality
- Excellent manual dexterity and confidence in handling dental equipment
Desirable
- Experience of working in a small multi-disciplinary health team
- Ability to effectively train, develop and mentor dental team members as required
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A degree in a relevant subject i.e. Dental Therapy
- Registration with the UKs General Dental Council (or recognised international equivalent) at the level of Dental Therapist. This registration must be maintained throughout the duration of the post
- Vocational training accreditation i.e. clinically up to date with CPD requirements of the UKs General Dental Council
Desirable
- Post Graduate qualification in a relevant area
- Further relevant professional vocational qualifications
Experience
Essential
- A minimum of three years relevant work experience in a similar role, ideally in a UK practice providing NHS care provision
- A sound knowledge of professional dental hygiene and therapy instrument and methods
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to explain treatments to patients in a calm and reassuring manner
- Good eyesight and steady hands for carrying out precise dental work along with the ability to maintain concentration for long periods of time
- Good time management and ability to prioritise and organise complex work flows
- Able to work effectively in a busy general practice
- Sound working knowledge of clinical governance practices and experience in conducting quality audits
- Knowledge of the principles & practices of oral health promotion
- Effective listening and motivational skills to educate patients to maintain healthy oral hygiene and diet
- Able to work as an effective team player and develop good working relationships with colleagues and external agencies
- Sound IT skills, including a solid level of competency in Microsoft packages such as Word, Excel etc
- Ability to deal with sensitive information and respect confidentiality
- Excellent manual dexterity and confidence in handling dental equipment
Desirable
- Experience of working in a small multi-disciplinary health team
- Ability to effectively train, develop and mentor dental team members as required
