The University of Kent Foundation Degree in Advanced Dental Nursing students had the great privilege of receiving a personal visit from the new Chief Dental Officer for England, Sara Hurley.
Sara was interested to find out more about the programme, taking time to chat to all students and staff.
The Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Advanced Dental Nursing (ADN) is a unique collaborative partnership with Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex (HEKSS), MidKent College and the University of Kent’s Centre for Professional Practice.
The Foundation Degree is an innovative, flexible, practice-based, structured foundation degree programme specifically for dental nurses that is consistent with the needs of this evolving profession in terms of academic and extended duties. The programme combines the skills and competencies required for extending the ability to work across the scope of practice, and the academic credibility of a foundation degree. It has an accessible and student-centred approach with a modular structure. It provides the opportunity to develop both personal and professional skills enabling effective engagement in meeting patient care needs and raising standards of oral health care in a changing dental care context.
For anyone interested in participating on the Foundation Degree further details can be found on the Mid Kent College website http://www.midkent.ac.uk/course-details/applied-science/foundation-degree-in-advanced-dental-nursing/87p112-a1516/
Programme Lead Jane Dalgarno, a University of Kent MSc student – said ‘…. I am absolutely delighted that Sara Hurley, the new Chief Dental Officer for England has such an interest in the dental nurse workforce and has taken time to meet with students and discuss development opportunities for the future’.
After the visit CDO commented “ Clearly the aspiration and ambition of the Dental Nurse community was captured in this impressive group”.