Listening Within Team Communication

Listening Within Team Communication is part of meeting I 1.2. For dental nurses, this means attending to colleagues, trainees and reception staff when they raise concerns about risk or a patient.

Communication in dental nursing is practical patient-safety work. It supports consent, respect for dignity, reassurance, accurate records, handover, prevention and escalation when needed.

In everyday practice this shows up in small moments: a patient who seems unsure, a receptionist seeking guidance, a dentist moving quickly, a trainee needing feedback, a message in the digital record, a handover, or a colleague who is hesitant to raise a concern. Interpersonal skill is responding with care, clarity and professional judgement.

Practical markers

• Notice: what the patient, colleague, situation or system is indicating.
• Choose: a communication method, team route or escalation step appropriate to the context.
• Respect: role boundaries, confidentiality, dignity, cultural needs and emotional impact.
• Check: understanding, responsibility, handover and whether the next person has the information they need.
• Follow up: record actions, give feedback, raise concerns in supervision or discuss in team meetings where needed.

Useful language can be simple: "Can I check how the patient would prefer us to explain this before we continue?" The phrase is calm and professional and gives the team a clear reason to pause, clarify or escalate.

SPF behaviour links

Non-verbal communication, listening skills and barriers to effective communication helps dental nurses protect patient dignity, team trust and safe care.