Job Description

We are looking for a dedicated and compassionate Specialist in Special Care Dentistry to join our dynamic and forward-thinking community dental team.



We are a large organisation providing paediatric and special care dentistry across ten boroughs in north London. You will work alongside our dedicated team including specialists, therapists, and oral health promoters, in fully equipped clinics and be well-supported by an experienced nursing and management team. Dental care is carried out in our modern clinics, on a domiciliary basis, or in hospital sites.



The postholder will mainly work from Hounslow with the expectation to cover and support neighbouring boroughs



The post-holder will be responsible for specialist treatment of patients referred to the service, as well as supporting with clinical leadership for the overall development of services for special care patients. Care may involve the provision of treatment under IS, IV and IN sedation, and general anaesthesia. The majority of the post will involve providing clinical care but there will also be responsibilities in the areas of clinical governance, training, management and supervision.



Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.



CLINICAL



a) To provide specialist clinical care to adults with additional or special care needs. The following main care groups are included under this description:



People with Learning Disabilities



Medically-compromised and physically disabled adults



Frail Older People



Adults with mental health problems



Adults with challenging behaviour, anxiety or dental phobia



Adults in secure units and prisons



a) To provide a comprehensive dental treatment service for patients who require special care



b) To manage the delivery of special care dentistry within appropriate venues including on a domiciliary basis, and to ensure that treatment is provided safely, effectively and efficiently.



c) To provide clinical care under sedation, and/or general anaesthesia when required



d) To demonstrate professional and clinical leadership in the clinical setting in providing treatment safely and to a high standard



e) To provide clinical care for other CDS patients, according to the needs of the service



f) To comply with all relevant professional and Trust policies, guidelines and standards including mandatory training, health and safety and infection control



g) To provide clinical cover, when required, in health centres other than their base clinic, and in other settings such as care homes and hospital



LEADERSHIP and MANAGEMENT



a) To provide clinical supervision of junior staff, including trainees in special care dentistry as a shared responsibility with other colleagues



b) To carry out appraisals of the work of junior colleagues



c) To demonstrate leadership in the development of special care dentistry locally, and to make presentations to stakeholders and commissioners where appropriate



d) To take on management roles as part of the senior leadership team in Dental Services



ORAL HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTION



To develop and evaluate health promotion and preventive programmes, in collaboration with others, that reflects the needs of adults with special needs and their carers.



COLLABORATION



a) To work with others in the health, local authority and voluntary sectors to raise awareness of the oral health needs of adults with special needs, promote oral health and to improve access to dental services



b) To work with colleagues in other sectors of dentistry to ensure that adults with special needs receive high quality care in the most appropriate setting. This may involve working with colleagues in secondary care, and on a pan-London basis.



NEEDS ASSESSMENT



a) To carry out screening and surveys of adults with special needs to identify their oral health needs.



b) To provide written reports, as required to commissioners.



TRAINING



a) To support induction, support and training to community dental staff, including professions complementary to dentistry, as part of developing dental services for adults with special needs



b) To provide training and advice when requested



c) To be responsible for your own current and future development needs and be highly motivated in updating knowledge, skills and abilities relevant to a leadership role