Feedback to Trainees and New Staff

Feedback to Trainees and New Staff addresses I 1.8. For dental nurses, this means supporting colleagues' learning while keeping patients safe and maintaining confidence in the team.

Communication in dental nursing directly affects patient safety. It supports consent, dignity, reassurance, records, handover, prevention and escalation where needed.

In practice this appears in everyday moments: a patient who seems uncertain, a receptionist asking for guidance, a dentist working quickly, a trainee who is nervous, a message that needs a reply, a handover, or a colleague unsure about raising a concern. Interpersonal skill is the ability to respond with clarity, care and professional judgement.

Practical markers

• Notice: what the patient, colleague, situation or system is communicating.
• Choose: a communication method, team route or escalation step that fits 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: through records, feedback, supervision, team discussion or concern-raising where needed.

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

SPF behaviour links

Giving feedback effectively to other members of the team helps dental nurses protect patient dignity, team trust and safe care.