Sir, in response to the letter from L. C. Hampshire entitled Set up to fail (BDJ 2009; 206: 507–508) I would like to highlight the following.

The National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN) has a robust Quality Assurance process in place whereby only training centres accredited by NEBDN can offer training. Although this ensures a standardised approach to the delivery of the training programme, it would be unrealistic to include selection criteria as part of the accreditation process. Educational providers should be responsible for accepting students on their courses, and many would resent interference from external agencies such as NEBDN.

Education providers do 'take on' the students when they accept them on to the course. They have a responsibility to provide training of an adequate standard for students in preparation for examinations. NEBDN accreditation is an important indicator that a range of quality measures are in place, but courses will not be identical. As there is no strong evidence that previous academic qualifications are a reliable indicator of an ability to learn, course leaders should be able to use their own judgement and ensure that students will be competent to sit the examination.

NEBDN agrees wholeheartedly that employers should consider a trainee dental nurse's educational needs when recruiting. With mandatory registration, such oversight is likely to become more uncommon as employers will have a constant problem unless they are able to recruit dental nurses capable of qualification.

Education providers should endeavour to overcome problems of lack of employer support through a learning agreement which all three parties commit to prior to commencement of the course. It is important that the dental profession works cohesively to ensure that we have highly trained, highly able dental nurses.