Teamwork 7: A training companion for dental nurses

  • Peter Rothwell
(ed) FGDP(UK) members £19; non-members £28 ISBN: 0954345134 | ISBN: 0-954-34513-4

The concept of Teamwork 7 is not new, what is new is that it is the first training manual specifically for dental nurses. It is a comprehensive training package, which provides fundamental knowledge and underpins the work of a dental nurse, covering all the key competences assessed in the NEBDN National Certificate and NVQ level 3.

The key topics included in the manual are: developing knowledge and practice; plaque, caries and periodontal disease; infection control; restorative procedures; oral health assessment; fixed and removable prostheses; endodontics; communication; anatomy and physiology; health and safety; oral health education; radiology; extractions and minor oral surgery; orthodontics; and equality and diversity.

The book is orderly, logical and easy to read, having been broken down into sections to allow you to explore each in detail before moving on to a new topic. The thorough contents page at the beginning acts as a good signpost. However, the book would still benefit from having an index page, to reduce the amount of time it takes to find a topic if you are not sure which section it falls in to.

Each section is clearly defined, ending with an exercise to recap and also help you to assess your own learning. The illustrations used are also exceptionally good.

Although general anaesthesia and sedation are not a core part of the dental nurses' training curriculum, for the sake of completeness, I wish the publication had incorporated some mention of it. There are also one or two minor typographical errors.

Overall I feel that this book is a valuable teaching and learning tool for dental nurses and tutors alike. I would recommend that my own students and anybody else currently studying towards sitting the National Certificate examination or in the process of completing NVQ level 3 read it.

The FGDP(UK) and the authors should be congratulated on producing such an excellent resource for dental nurses undergoing training.