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We have been dental nursing collectively for more than 60 years and love the job but it would appear we are going to have to hang up our gloves next July. We don't suffer from the delusions of grandeur that seem to be sweeping the profession. We are all qualified, registered, valued and respected in the workplace but at the end of the day we are just dental nurses. Like most of our friends and colleagues we work to live, not live to work. What's next for us – a fancy new job title to make us feel more important?

We have heard all the arguments for registration but at ground zero do you really think it will make the slightest difference to the average nurse! We are not interested in statutory registration. We object to spending our hard-earned salary on medical certificates and revenue generators. We just want to work!

Perhaps we will seek employment elsewhere, a job where we can still serve the public without having to pay for the privilege and prove we are all healthy, honourable and respected citizens.

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