Exciting opportunities for career development – Michael Wheeler -The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 4th April 2019
Apprenticeships are not a new concept. In fact, they’ve been around longer than the modern formal education system, as people have learnt their trade on the job for centuries.
The benefits of modern apprenticeships are plentiful. Not only can individuals learn while earning, they are also able to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, tailoring their education to ensure they get the very most from their education.
Michael Wheeler – Programme Manager for the Dental Apprenticeships, Health Education England – is keen to promote the learning opportunities afforded by the scheme. He says:
“For the first time ever, apprenticeships provide an opportunity for dental nurses – regardless of where they work – to have a much more defined pathway of training. This pathway is also now partially or completely funded.
“The apprenticeship scheme is an interesting avenue for individuals to consider. Every apprenticeship fits into a formal framework of education, offering professionals a unique opportunity to develop their skills. If a dental nurse works in a general dental practice, the government will pay a set amount towards the training. A dental nurse’s employer will only need to pay 5% of the total fee in order to obtain a formally validated qualification. If the professional is in a large, NHS or corporate practice, they often don’t need to pay anything at all as the entire fee is covered. This has never happened before.
“Another aspect that dental nurses may not be aware of is that there are several apprentice courses out there, aside from those with ‘dental’ in the title, that might be appropriate for them. Various higher level (4,5 and 6) qualifications could be adapted to the dental nursing role, giving professionals more opportunities to advance their skills and experience. These also offer the chance to think differently and take new approaches to everyday challenges, benefiting both the individual and their practice.”
A very comprehensive list of apprenticeship programmes is available in the UK. Many of them, while not specifically tailored to the dental industry, could still be advantageous to dental nurses, as well as their practice owners and managers. For example, there are courses available in accounting, care leadership and management, IT and software, marketing and public relations, recruitment and social media, to name but a few that could be applied to the dental profession.
Michael Wheeler will be exploring the options available to individuals in the Dental Nurses’ Forum at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show. About his session, which will be sponsored by the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), he comments:
“The session will help all members of dental team to better understand how apprenticeships provide opportunities for career development. Anyone who wants to progress need only take steps to see what’s available and engage with the process. There is even an MSc level apprenticeship for academic professionals involved with teaching and/or research to explore.
“For dental practice owners, while they may have struggled in the past to fund staff training, there is now the chance to get significant financial support for the development of all their team members.”
The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019 will offer two days of first class education delivered by national and international experts in their fields. There will be educational programmes designed specifically for each member of the dental team, with dental nurses gaining access to enhanced CPD in the STO Lounge, Special Interest Theatre, Core CPD Theatre and many other features, in addition to the Dental Nurses’ Forum. Further still, the extensive trade exhibition will host more than 400 suppliers of dental products and services, enabling delegates to discover all the latest innovations in the UK profession.
Michael adds:
“This is a vibrant meeting, offering a wonderful opportunity to learn and gain CPD. I don’t think we always give enough credit to industry partners with regards to the time and effort they put into making events like this the success that they are. I believe we should congratulate industry members on what they bring to dentistry and what they offer professionals. Dentistry can be isolating for individuals working in the same practice every day, but events like this help us to engage with the wider dental community, develop our skills and find inspiration for career development.”
The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019 is completely free for all delegates to attend. To get yourself up-to-date with the latest news, ideas and career opportunities in the profession, register for your pass online today.
The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2019 – Friday 17thand Saturday 18thMay – Birmingham NEC, co-located with DTS.
Visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270
or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com
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