As part of National Dental Nurses Day, (Tuesday 22nd November), Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) celebrated the work of its amazing team of dental nurses.
The team of 12 dental nurses complement the Maxillofacial service with a vast range of skills and experience, treating patients with a variety of oral health issues including trauma, cancers, and surgical cases, as well as complex orthodontic treatment that cannot be treated in dental practices.
As part of their ongoing career progress and development, the team also complete qualifications, using these enhanced skills in the areas of conscious sedation, radiography, orthodontic nursing, oral health and education and teaching, allowing the team to continually improve WWL’s dental services.
Recently, an inhalation sedation procedure was introduced for paediatric patients, providing an alternative for patients who are required to undergo general anaesthetic for dental extractions. This has helped to significantly lower the waiting list for general anaesthetic with 228 patients treated using this method between September 2021 and September 2022.
Rabina Tindale, Chief Nurse at WWL praised the team and the work they do saying: “Our dental nurses are such valued members of WWL, and we are forever grateful for the work they do to deliver first class care to our patients.
“The team are immensely important to the Trust and their expertise and innovative ways of working are constantly helping us to evolve the way we provide dental care.”
Sharon Williams, manager on the Maxillofacial Unit is a great example of this, having worked at WWL for more than four decades.
During Sharon’s 43 years with WWL she has completed her anaesthetic nursing course, sedation exams and has had three publications in anaesthetic journals, one of which received an award.
"My advice to anyone looking to progress within the Dental and Maxillofacial field would be to never give up your dream.”