Dental Care Professionals

Modern Apprenticeships offer those aged over 16 in paid employment the opportunity to train and work towards a vocational qualification.

The trainee dental nurse will undertake:

The Qualifications Scotland Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) & Professional Development Award (PDA) in Dental Nursing.

In addition, trainees will evidence the five Qualifications Scotland Core Skills Units as they progress through the Modern Apprenticeship programme:

• Communication
• Working with Others
• Problem Solving
• Information and Communication Technology
• Numeracy

Upon successful completion, the trainee will be able to register with the General Dental Council (GDC). 

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) inspects all providers of apprenticeship training in Scotland. HMIE inspected our Modern Apprenticeship in Dental Nursing programme in 2026 and graded  ‘Excellent – Outstanding and Sector Leading’ across all quality indicators.

Inspectors Report: https://educationinspectorate.gov.scot/media/1a0jxjhl/ma-nhs-nes-210426.pdf

NES offers Dental Nurse Training programmes across each of their five sites: Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. This is a blended learning programme with thirteen online study days and six in person training days at the dental education centre.  This year we are offering an online programme with one in person day at a local dental education centre.  Study days are full days, on a fortnightly frequency.

Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland) will provide an opportunity within a defined period to enable trainee dental nurses employed in a dental environment to apply to undertake the pre-registration Dental Nurse training programme, which commences annually. 

Programme Format

PSD Scotland will offer a Dental Nurse Training programme across five sites: Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, delivered through blended learning, with 13 online study days and up to 6 in‑person days at the dental education centre.

In addition, a predominantly online programme will also be offered, with 18 online study days and one in-person study at the candidate’s local dental education centre.

Roles and Expectations

PSD Scotland would like to clarify the roles and expectations to undertake the Dental Nurse Programme.

• Candidates must be employed as a trainee dental nurse providing chairside support for a minimum of 15 hours per week during a variety of dental procedures throughout the training programme.
• Off the job training is the responsibility of PSD Scotland.
• On the job training is the responsibility of the Employer and their representative.
• Employers must pay their trainees for off the job training; this means that they must be paid for the programme study days whether attending training virtually or in person.
• PSD Scotland will honour any pre-planned holidays which are communicated before the course commences and if PSD Scotland is notified promptly upon course commencement.  Any other holidays during the programme must not be authorised by employers if they fall on a planned study day.
• Study days are full‑day sessions held fortnightly. Candidates must be permitted to attend off the job training.  As the course is extremely fast paced failure to attend is a significant disadvantage to the trainee and can prevent them from progressing. All absences are notified to all relevant parties.

Roles and Responsibilities of all parties, PSD Scotland, Trainee and Employer will be further detailed within the ‘Educational Agreement’ during the registration process.

Application Details

• Applications will be on a Microsoft Form and will open from 9:00am Monday 27 July to  9:00am on Monday 3 August 2026.
• If trainees are unavailable during the duration of the application process opening times, an employer or employer representative may complete the application on the trainee’s behalf.
• Applicants are encouraged to have their Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) available ready to include within the application.  (If you have undertaken education within the Scottish system a Scottish Candidate Number will have been allocated – you can find this on your certificate).
• Trainees can only apply for one programme.
• Trainees must select one of the 6 Programmes e.g. 1 site in Scotland (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness) or the Online Programme.
• Following the end of the application process, all applications will be reviewed. Trainees will be offered places on a first come first served basis per site programme, providing the form has been fully completed.
• If capacity allows PSD Scotland may commence a second round of applications.
• Before the programme commences trainees will be invited to attend an Initial Assessment and Learning Plan meeting to discuss the course requirements and the trainee’s learning needs.
• A minimum of 14 places within the 2026-2027 programme have been prioritised for training posts with an employer that is a NHS Scotland Board, subject to meeting all programme requirements.

If you have any further questions before submitting your application, please contact dcp.hub@nes.scot.nhs.uk 

Raising a Safeguarding concern

Karen Wilson, Safeguarding Lead 

Karen Wilson, is the main point of contact for safeguarding within the organisation. She leads the delivery of safeguarding policies and procedures, ensuring that staff, volunteers, and service users understand how to recognise, report, and respond to concerns about children, young people, and adults at risk of harm or abuse. Karen has been a nurse for over 40 years with experience working clinically in NHS Scotland and then in various education settings, before joining NHS Education for Scotland in 2018. She provides leadership for, amongst other things, nursing, midwifery and allied health professions in the organisation.  

Should you wish to raise a concern you may contact: Karen Wilson, Deputy Chief Executive (Clinical) & Director of Nursing, Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP) Directorate: karen.wilson@nhs.scot 

Please remember, if a child, young person, or adult is in immediate danger, you should contact Police Scotland on 999.