Course details
The school provides an intensive 27-month course that prepares candidates to take the Diplomas in Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The course commences each January.

Training courses for dental therapists and hygienists have traditionally been affiliated to dental hospitals. However, as the focus of dental care is now in the primary care setting, new funds are available to start training in primary care. Hygienists are recognised as valuable members of the general dental practice team. Therapists have worked in hospital and community practice since the 1960's, but not in general dental practice.

From 1st July 2002, following Government approval, dental therapists are now permitted to work in general dental practice. Combining the training of dental therapists and dental hygienists will lead to the development of a new multi-skilled member of the primary care dental team.

The training will take place in primary care in Manchester and Salford, with clinical placements in clinics within the Community Dental Service and Personal Dental Service, and with the Oral Health promotion and Education Teams.

The aim of the course is to train competent Dental Care Professionals for primary care, by integrating the clinical and theoretical components of the training course.

When qualified and registered, dually qualified hygienists/therapists can perform a wide range of duties in any branch of dentistry. The duties they can perform are as indicated below, but are likely to expand in the future: -

• Intra and extra oral assessments, including the recording of dental indices
• Monitoring of dental diseases
• Supra and sub gingival scaling
• Applying prophylactic and antimicrobial materials
• Polishing of teeth and fillings
• Application of topical fluoride
• Fissure sealing teeth
• Taking dental radiographs
• Restorations (fillings) in both primary (baby) and permanent (adult) teeth
• Pulp treat primary teeth with extensive tooth decay
• Placement of pre formed metal crowns on primary teeth
• Replacing temporary crowns and fillings
• Taking impressions
• Treating patients who are sedated using conscious sedation as long as the dentist remains in the surgery throughout the treatment and you have received training in use of conscious sedation
• Tooth whitening
• Health education to patients and to groups

The treatments carried out require the development of a high level of manual dexterity.

What roles?
The majority of dental hygienists and therapists work in dental practice carrying out clinical dentistry. Some work in the field of dental health education in Oral Health Promotion Departments of NHS trusts, encouraging people to live healthy lives. Others work as representatives for the dental industry, working to promote dental equipment, materials and resources. Opportunities also arise in dental research, or in training the next generation of dental hygienists and therapists.

Dental hygienists and therapists, as registrants of the General Dental Council, can get involved in the regulation of the dental profession and dental training.

Course structure and methods of assessment
To ensure that current accepted practices are being taught, the full time course will be continually reviewed, allowing students to learn about new techniques and advances taking place in dentistry.

The course is demanding but also enjoyable as the students are continuously developing their skills. They are provided with regular feedback on their progress.

Students will attend tutorials, participatory seminars, practical sessions, assessments and examinations, supported by self-directed learning. This ensures that they are equipped with the underpinning knowledge and practical skills to enable them to work appropriately and safely within the dental team and environment. They will also be expected to give presentations to their peers and other healthcare professionals throughout the course.

0 - 12 months (Year 1)
Subjects in the first year will underpin the teaching and learning during the rest of the course. These include:

• Introduction to clinical responsibility
• Law and ethics
• Cross-infection control
• Audit and risk management
• Team skills
• Integrated oral biology
• Dental materials science
• Nutrition
• Prevention
• Oral health promotion
• Behaviour management
• Paediatric dentistry

During this time students will have the opportunity to visit various schools/clinics in the Manchester area, where they will provide relevant oral health advice alongside a member of the Oral Health Promotion Team. This allows them to gain valuable communication skills early in the course.

Students will then receive an introduction to clinical practice and begin the Clinical Skills Course, where work on 'phantom heads' will commence in the Clinical Skills Classroom. This essential part of the course enables students to gain and build practical and communication skills. Knowledge and practical experience of the following will be gained:

• Local anaesthesia
• Management of caries
• Management of periodontal disease

Practical skills will be continually assessed and constructive feedback given during the Clinical Skills Course, to ensure students are confident and competent before treating patients.

To complete the first year, students will attend lectures and seminars on:

• Biological sciences
• Human development and ageing

You will commence treating patients in primary care clinics within Manchester and Salford, where you will be supervised whilst providing different types of treatment to adults, children and patients with special needs.

13 - 24 months (Year 2)
The second year is made up mainly of clinical work. Students will continue treating patients in primary care clinics within Manchester and Salford, where they will be supervised whilst providing a range of treatments for adults, children and patients with special needs. These allocated sessions will allow students to maximise the communication and clinical skills already gained.

There is also a continuation of tutorials, seminars, lectures, practical sessions and assessments on subjects including:

• Audit and projects
• Radiography & Radiology
• Oral medicine
• Pharmacology
• Dental public health
• Prevention
• Behaviour management
• Human disease
• Management of caries
• Management of periodontal disease

Students will also attend the Advanced Clinical Skills Course. This involves learning advanced skills and techniques on phantom heads and performing them on patients. This will lead to developing your skills further and includes the care of patients having orthodontic treatment, oral surgery or those with dental implants.

To complete the second year, students will attend seminars on subjects including pathology and microbiology.

There will be assessments, written and oral examinations and patient presentations throughout the course.

Final examination
The final examination will comprise written, practical and clinical elements. Each student will give a presentation about the treatment they have provided for a periodontal patient; an adult and paediatric restorative patient, for whom they have provided care.

Entry requirements / Person Specification
This sets out the education/qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills/aptitudes and physical requirements, which are required to train for the course. Unless all 'essentials' are addressed in your application, the School will be unable to process it.

Please refer to this document carefully when completing your application form and preparing for your interview. You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria marked 'A' on your application form.

How to apply
You are able to request a candidate information pack via the 'enquire' page on this website or by telephoning the school office. We hope that you find the information we send you, helpful in deciding whether to make an application. Your completed application is our only basis for considering your initial suitability and it is therefore important that this is completed carefully. These guidance notes are designed to help you to complete the application form as fully as possible, ensuring that all information relevant to the position is highlighted.

Verification of overseas qualifications is the responsibility of the applicant. Evidence of verification must be included with the application form - failure to do this will result in the School being unable to process your application.

Applicants must complete the application form in full. Secured, continuation sheets can be used if required. Applicants are welcome to attach their C.V. to the completed application form if they wish, however, this should be in addition to the fully completed application form not instead of. Any application form not fully completed will not be processed.

The Personal Statement is an important section on the application form as this tells us about you and your experience and how you will be suited to the position you are applying for. This section is where you make your case for 'why we should choose you'. When short-listing, the panel will be assessing your application against the criteria listed in the person specification. Rather than repeating your career history, look at the skills and experiences outlined in the person specification and provide evidence that you possess them, preferably by giving specific examples.

Don't forget about relevant skills and experience you may have acquired outside paid employment, such as through community involvement, voluntary work or leisure interests.

Internal candidates (and any external applicants who may know members of the panel) must remember that their applications will be subject to the same scoring system and any prior knowledge that the members of the panel may have will not be considered when scoring. We therefore stress the importance of all applicants completing the application as if they are not known to the panel.

Please give two referees. If you are currently employed, one of the referees must be your present employer. If you are still in education, your college tutor, school head or teacher, should be given. If you are unemployed or returning following a break in employment, you may wish to give the name of someone who knows you sufficiently well to confirm the information you have given and to comment on your ability to train for the course.

Work peers, relatives, friends or someone living in the same household, as you should not be given as referees.

You may ask us not to contact your referees until after interview although this will slow down the selection process.

Remember, it is good practice to approach your referees before giving their names and contact details in your application.

General Information

• Read through all of the documentation supplied in the candidate information pack very carefully, particularly the course structure and person specification
• Do a rough draft first
• Use black ink
• Answer all parts of the application form, above all, relate your information to the criteria in the person specification
• Applicants may find it useful to use the 'essential criteria' as subheadings in their personal statement to ensure all criteria is addressed
• Put your name on all additional sheets
• Get your form to us before the closing date
• Keep a photocopy of your application and the course structure/person specification to read prior to any interview
• It is the responsibility of the applicant to inform the School of any results received after submission of an application form
• Applicants must supply specific grades/levels/credits on the application form
• Return your completed application form to The Greater Manchester School for Dental Care Professionals, 4th floor St James's House, Pendleton Way, Salford, Manchester M6 5FW

Good luck with your application!

Information for posts involving the care of children / vulnerable adults

As NHS Salford meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 an enhanced criminal record disclosure will be requested in the event of a successful application to be paid for by the Trust. This will include cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions. A criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position as each case will be looked at on an individual basis. Our policy regarding the recruitment of ex-offenders, the handling, storage, security and disposal of disclosures and the CRB code of practice is made available on the NHS Salford Internet site.
Log onto www.salford.nhs.uk and select the link jobs then select CRB checks.

If you would like a paper copy of our policy and/or the criminal records bureau code of practice then this can be made available on request by contacting the HR department on 0161 212 4900.

Finance
The course is commissioned by North West NHS which is the lead StHA for DCP education and training in the North West for the development of the local workforce. As a consequence, North West NHS will fund the course and meet the tuition and examination fee contributions on behalf of students [who have resided or lived in the North West region for the 12 month period immediately prior to the commencement of the course] for the normal duration of the 27-month course. Any re-sits will require financing by the student.

NHS Bursary
The NHS Business Services Authority administers bursaries for healthcare and social work students on behalf of the Department of Health.  For full details on eligibility and financial support available, please click on the following link Student Bursaries NHS Business Services Authority

On the offer and acceptance of a place on the course, the School will advise The NHS Business Services Authority of the offer. Once this information is received, they will send the student a Bursary application pack, which should be completed fully (attaching all necessary supporting documentation) and returned to The NHS Business Services Authority as quickly as possible. If a student fails to return the Bursary application form or does not provide all the necessary information, the Bursary award cannot be processed.

On enrolment onto the course and commencement of training, The NHS Business Services Authority will send grant notification letters advising the student of the level of their Bursary.

Awarding body
The Faculty of General Dental Practice of the Royal College of Surgeons of England is the approved examining body for this course. Students will be required to sit the examinations conducted by the Royal College on satisfactory completion of their course.

Following successful completion of the course and examinations, students will be required to register with the GDC before commencing practice as dental hygienists and therapists. They will be required to renew their registration annually.

Interviews
Candidates who fulfil all the entrance criteria may be invited to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

Interviews traditionally take place in August each year. Prospective students should however contact the school office for clarification.