I very much enjoyed reading the case study Dental nurse vs. medical nurse (Vital spring 07 pages 26-28). It really brought home how long overdue the formalisation of dental nursing as a career in the UK has been (within the context of dental care professionals).

Although both of the interviewees obviously got job satisfaction, their opportunities for progression and continuing professional development appear to be in stark contrast.

Sadly, the dental nurse's partner who thought her job was to ‘sit down and pass things’ was (and still is), the view taken by many dental practitioners! Hopefully the gulf between dental nurses' job status and career opportunities will reduce in light of recent national policy and the establishment of more training programmes.

I am British-trained but now work in the academic side of Dental Public Health in the West Indies, and am really interested in issues related to the dental team. I have found many of the articles in Vital very useful and topical, even here in Trinidad!