Meet Toyin, 37, a dental therapist working at AF Dental Hackney, in London. Find out more about her job and how she got into the role.
Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
I care for people's oral health and help them feel good about their smile.
Toyin:
My name is Toyin and I'm a dental therapist.
I care for people's oral health and help them feel good about their smile.
A dental therapist is a dental care professional and we can do a lot of the core treatments that dentists can do. So we examine your mouth, we treat gum disease, we place fillings, we take teeth out, orthodontic treatments that have braces. So we go through the different types of braces with them.
You have to be very diligent with it because you have to wear it for at least 20 to 22 hours a day (to patient).
Patient:
Oh wow, okay.
Toyin:
So it takes a lot of dedication and things. We also do things that a hygienist does as well. That's oral health care promotion, that's removing bacteria from above and below the gums and again educating our patients on how to take care of their mouth.
Some patients come and see me as a dental therapist first because a lot of patients have dental anxiety and they feel a lot more at ease and feel more comfortable with seeing me and discussing their concerns before going on to see the dentist.
There's never a dull moment. Dentistry is always evolving, always changing and it's very nice to keep up with the ever- changing times and the procedures and the skill sets that we have.
I feel the two subjects that really helped in my GCSEs were English and that's because of communication. Communication's something that I do daily, it's a big part of what I do, it's very important. Also Science, especially Biology and Chemistry. I'm working with individuals, I need to understand the body, I need to understand the anatomy.
The thing I love most about being a dental therapist is just helping people, meeting new people, communicating with them. Just helping them take charge and control of their health, just making them understand the link between the mouth and the body, because I believe the mouth is the window to the rest of the body.
So once a patient understands that, it's absolutely amazing. And just making it fun, delivering it in a way that they will understand, that doesn't seem too clinical, but just fun and relevant to them.
Mohammed, manager:
So what makes Toyin great at her role is she's an excellent communicator. So not only with the patients, but also any concerns that she may have she always lets myself know, or my team and we can work together to do the best that we can for the patients.
Toyin:
The good thing about going into a career as a dental therapist, I'd say work experience is very important. Get into a dental practice and observe the day-to-day running.
The next time you're having a dental check-up, be inquisitive, ask your dentist loads of questions. The why is just as important as the how.
Dental therapy isn't something that I always wanted to do, it's something that I kind of just fell into, but sometimes that's the best way.Once you fall into something, you fall in love with it and I fell in love with dentistry.
- Toyin is a dental therapist. She carries out treatments such as fillings, plaque removal, tooth whitening, and tooth removals.
- The main skills Toyin uses in her role include communication, team work, empathy, and technical skills.
- Subjects such as Science, Biology and Chemistry are valuable for this role. English is also useful for communicating with patients and colleagues, which is a big part of the job.
- Toyin applied to be a dental nurse aged 17. After qualifying, she trained as an oral health practitioner.
- Toyin then decided to return to college to study A-level Biology. After repeating her exam she got into King's College London to study Dental Hygiene and Therapy and graduated with an award for clinical excellence.
- Toyin really enjoyed the practical aspects of dental school and the technical part of her job.
Top tips
- Don't give up. Even if you don't get the grades you need, keep going. It's a long journey to become a dental therapist but it's worth it in the end.
- Do your research. Read dental books and learn about basic anatomy to get you started.
- Get work experience in a local practice. Find out if the job is right for you.
What to expect if you want to be a dental therapist
- Dental therapist average salary: NHS bands 5-6. Read more about NHS bands. Salaries will differ in private healthcare.
- Dental therapist typical working hours: 39 to 41 hours per week.
What qualifications do you need to be a dental therapist?
To be a dental therapist, you'll need a diploma or degree in dental therapy and to be ed with the General Dental Council.
Entry requirements for the diploma or degree vary but you'll usually need: at least five GCSEs, or equivalent, at grade 4/C or above; at least two A-levels, or equivalent, with one in a science subject. Some dental schools may accept science-based level 3 vocational courses. You may also be asked to show relevant work experience in dental nursing.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service, NHS Health Careers, Studying Healthcare.
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website, NHS Health Careers website and Studying Healthcare website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
Why I love my healthcare career. video
A series of ten short films that reveal lesser known roles in the healthcare sector.
Naomi: dental nurse. video
Naomi is a dental nurse in a surgery in London.
Josh: podiatry assistant. video
Josh is a podiatry assistant at a private clinic in Edinburgh.
