Affiliation:
1. Dental education facilitator for Health Education Kent Surrey & Sussex (HEKSS); tutor and learning set facilitator for DipCDT RCS Eng for dental technicians; chairman of NEBDN's Quality Assurance Committee; NEBDN examiner for the National Diploma Qualification for dental nurses, and DCP representative for FGDP(UK) South East Thames division.
Abstract
With the introduction of direct access to treatment from dental care professionals (DCPs) in 2013, dental nurses are being trained to support the wider dental team in a number of additional skills. The name for this expanded team role is Extended Duties Dental Nurse (EDDN). These new duties take the EDDN into new territories, one of which includes the issue of consent. This article explains the background to direct access and the extra responsibilities for EDDNs in terms of consent and indemnity. It explores the new knowledge required to gain valid consent and presents a scenario for consideration. The article concludes that it is important for EDDNs to develop their professional approach, taking early advice from the referring dentist and/or professional indemnity adviser if faced with an unfamiliar scenario.