Mandatory training for all dental nurses could make it difficult to recruit staff to practices, according to Baroness Gardner of Parkes, a former member of the GDC who worked as an NHS dentist for 35 years.

Speaking in a debate on the Health and Social Care Bill last month, Baroness Gardner (Conservative), former chair of the Royal Free Hampstead Trust and former vice-chair of North East Thames Regional Health Authority, who sat on disciplinary committees during her time at the GDC, said mandatory CPD for all DCPs from August 1 'must be good, but it is important that some flexibility is applied.'

The requirement for anyone registering as a dental nurse after July 30 to have a qualification might affect recruitment, she suggested. 'When I was in practice dental nurses, then known as chairside assistants, were trained on the job,' she said. 'Some went to evening classes and got extra qualifications, but they were optional, not mandatory.'

'I can remember when there was full employment and it was extremely hard to get anyone to work as a chairside assistant – it is not a job that has instant appeal and is quite hard work. I am concerned that the time might come when it will be hard to attract enough applicants,' she said.

'To have proper, well trained dental nurses is good for everyone: for the nurses who will have achieved a high standard, for the dentists they work with and for the patients. How can we ensure we have enough qualified nurses?' she added.

A former NHS adjudicator, Baroness Gardner said a shortage of nurses could produce medico-legal problems for dentists. 'The dentist has a medico-legal requirement not to treat patients unless another adult is in the surgery with them, because they can be accused of attacking the patient, for which I have seen dentists struck off,' she said. 'What will the dentist do if his nurse is ill and there is no one to step in? Will he simply send the patient away? There must be some degree of flexibility in these things.'