Welcome

Consent is part of safe, respectful dental care. For dental nurses it affects how patients are received, how questions are picked up, how uncertainty is recognised, how records are made, and how the team responds when a patient hesitates or changes their mind.

This course is for dental nurses working in general practice, community dentistry, specialist services, and training settings. It focuses on practical ways nurses can support valid consent while staying within their role, competence, and local policy.

Why This Course Matters

• Patients may not say they are unsure: anxiety, embarrassment, language difficulties, power imbalance, cost concerns, or trust in the clinician can prevent questions.
• Consent is ongoing: patients can pause, ask for more information, or withdraw consent before or during treatment.
• Dental nurses notice details: body language, repeated questions, carer pressure, confusion, and distress may be easier to spot from the nurse's position.
• Clear records protect patients and teams: factual handover and notes help show what was discussed and what happened next.

How This Course Will Help You

The course follows the consent pathway from first principles through communication, capacity, children and young people, withdrawal, emergencies, documentation, and speaking up. It aims to help dental nurses support patients confidently without taking on decisions or explanations that should come from the treating clinician.