The Dental Nurse Masterclass
Welcome to my second blog post! First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who read my first one about celebrating 25 years in dentistry. The feedback, shares, and likes have been so appreciated.
Over the past four months, I’ve been touring the country delivering a full-day masterclass for dental nurses. The journey began in Belfast and finished in Edinburgh, and it’s been such a privilege to share this with so many of you.
The opportunity came about alongside Chris Barrow as part of his Extreme Business 100. Back in March 2024, while I was presenting a “Reception Masterclass,” Chris and I were chatting about how dental nurses hadn’t had a truly dedicated day of their own. Chris said he’d love to see that happen, and I thought—yes, let me see what I can come up with. I wanted to create a day that felt specific, meaningful, and empowering for every nurse who attended—whether they were just starting out as an apprentice or already bringing years of expertise to the role.
I’ve been presenting for a number of years now, and normally I’m a completist: I like to finish a project and move on (probably something I’ve carried from my theatre background—do the show, then onto the next). But this time feels different. With this programme, I can see there’s so much more still to explore and develop.
The course itself was all about helping dental nurses discover their own clinical nurse brand. It’s about building skills, knowledge, and confidence to perform in a variety of roles and support the wider dental team. We placed real emphasis on being the best chairside support for providers, developing presence, and enhancing effectiveness.
The demands on dental nurses today are huge: embracing new technology, switching seamlessly between roles, and demonstrating exceptional communication skills. But have we really spent enough time nurturing our nurses beyond the basics? Apprenticeships are essential, but many don’t make it past that stage—and yet there’s a whole career ahead.
Our industry needs stronger retention, greater skill development, and more recognition of the full scope of practice. I’m a huge believer in aligning scope of practice with the GDC’s principles and standards. Together, they form two pillars that are not just required, but essential to master.
Chris Barrow very kindly wrote a blog post about the masterclass and encouraged practices outside of the Business 100 to reach out if they’d like to host more events. I’ve since been contacted by several practices—and I’ve listened. For the first time ever, I’ll be putting on an event of my own. Normally, I just turn up and deliver the session as the “actor/presenter.” This time, I’ll be the host and organiser, supported by my team.
And here’s where I need your help:
Could you use my contact form to let me know which of these three locations—London, Manchester, or Norfolk—would work best for you? I’d also love an idea of how many potential delegates you’d bring, so I can plan the right venue and make pricing as accessible as possible for both dental nurses and practice owners/managers.
If you’re a dental partner who’d like to get involved—or if you know someone I should be talking to—please get in touch.
There are over 64,000 dental nurses registered with the GDC, and I’d love to play a part in shining a well-deserved light on this amazing profession.
Chris Barrow’s blog post about the event
My contact page
Thank you again for your support. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you in the next blog.
Michael