Empowering Dental Nurses: Enhancing Skills for a Preventive Future

Measuring and Recording Bleeding and Plaque Indices for Dental Nurses 

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) dental section is proud to introduce an extended skills course for dental nurses: In alignment with A Healthier Wales and its commitment to prevention-focused dental care. This new innovative training, Measuring and Recording Bleeding/Plaque Indices, equipes our registered dental nurses with essential skills to assess and document bleeding and plaque indices, enabling them to contribute more effectively to patient care as part of the wider dental team. 

Designed to enhance the role of dental nurses, the course provides a blend of hands-on training and real-world application. The one-day programme includes practical experience using phantom heads, followed by supervised clinical practice, allowing participants to build confidence and competence in their new skill set. By broadening the scope of practice for dental nurses, this course supports a multi-skilled dental workforce and improves choices in delivering oral health care to patients.   

With 6 hours of verifiable CPD, our course supports professional development and aligns with national goals to improve population oral health through proactive prevention. The next session is scheduled for May 2025, and more options are scheduled throughout the year ahead.

 Kirstie Moons, Postgraduate Dental Dean said “This training is an important step in a multi-professional approach to delivering preventative oral health care to patients. It empowers dental nurses, enriches and expands their roles and ensures patients are able to see a wider range of dental professionals as part of their ongoing oral health care provision.

For more information visit our website Extended duties for DCP's - HEIW