Special Care Dental Nursing
Special Care Dentistry is about providing and enabling the delivery of oral care for people with additional needs.

The NEBDN Certificate in Special Care Dental Nursing is a qualification suitable for Dental Nurses who help to care for people whose health and social needs may require special oral health provision. The syllabus is structured to ensure that you receive a broad range of knowledge and understanding relevant to special care dentistry. This includes social and ethical issues, together with a working knowledge of the relevant current legislation and guidance.
Who is it for?
This qualification is suitable for registered Dental Nurses who help to care for people whose health and social needs may require special oral health provision.
More Information
You will be required to complete a work-based Record of Competence (RoC). There are four sections to the RoC:
- Practical Competence Assessment Sheets (PCAS)
- Case studies
- Directly Observed Clinical Skills (DOCS) Assessments
- Supplementary outcomes
This is a 90-minute written examination composed of two sections:
- Part A – 45 multiple choice questions (MCQ)
- Part B – 30 extended matching questions (EMQ)
Examinations are held twice a year in March and September.
In order to be awarded this qualification, you must:
- Complete and satisfy the requirements of the RoC
- Pass the examination
- Delivering Better Oral Health an evidence-based tool kit Third Edition Department of Health (currently being updated)
- Special Care in Dentistry. Handbook of Oral Care Authors, Crispian Scully, Pedro Diz Dios, Navdeep Kumar
- Holistic Oral Care. A guide for Health professionals. Second Edition, Authors, Janet Griffiths, Steve Boyle
- BDA Clinical Guide to Special Care Dentistry Authors, Fiske and Dougall
- Advanced Dental Nursing Author Robert Ireland
- British Society for Disability and Oral Health www.bsdh.org
- Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme www.sdcep.org.uk
- All Wales Special Interest Group www.Sigwales.org
Next Steps
On completion of this course you may want to consider the following options to further your career.
Where can you progress to?
Entry: Level 3
Dental Nursing
Upon completion of the NEBDN Apprenticeship or Level 3 Diploma you will be qualified and registered with the General Dental Council as a Safe Practitioner.
Certificate in Special Care
Certificate in Special Care Dental Nursing
A qualified Dental Nurse who is awarded the NEBDN certificate in Special Care Dental Nursing will help you gain the knowledge and experience needed to work in a specifically dedicated and empathetic team. You will gain understanding of specific patient factors recognising the care that a patients individual situation requires.
Next Steps
Career pathways once qualified
- Practice Manager
- Lead Dental Nurse
- Dental Nurse Tutor
- Domiciliary Special Care Nurse
- Dental Hygenist
- Dental Therapist
- Advanced Clinic Practitioner
- External Quality Assurer
- NEBDN Associate Examiner, Marker, faciliatator, Subject Matter Expert
- NEBDN Trustee