North London Dental Centre (NLDC)

Dental nurse training and recruitment in the UK

North London Dental Centre (NLDC) is a training centre accredited by the NEBDN (National Examining Board for Dental Nurses) that combines dental nurse education with its own recruitment service. Its head office and training centre are located in North London, and the organisation states it has a national network of more than 17,000 dental professionals registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) signed up to DRN.

The company presents itself as a provider of dental nurse training and recruitment in the UK and states it has an in-house recruitment team specialising in placing trainee dental nurses within its network of dental practices and surgeries.

The Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing and the earn-while-you-learn model

The core programme is the NEBDN Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing, a qualification that, according to the company, leads to registration with the General Dental Council (GDC) once successfully completed. It requires no previous qualifications or experience. NLDC presents it under what it calls the "earn while you learn" model: students work and study at the same time to obtain the diploma.

Alongside this face-to-face route, the organisation offers FlexiLearn, an online training programme registered with the NEBDN and designed for studying from home or on the go with greater flexibility.

NEBDN certificates and post-registration qualifications

The catalogue includes several NEBDN certifications aimed at dental nurses who wish to specialise:

• NEBDN Certificate in Oral Health Education, aimed at dental nurses who want to deepen their knowledge in this area.
• NEBDN Certificate in Fluoride Varnish Application.
• Orthodontic Dental Nursing, a post-registration qualification for registered dental nurses who aspire to assist in orthodontic procedures.
• Dental Radiography, announced as coming soon and aimed at dental nurses, therapists and hygienists who need to take x-rays of patients under prescription as IR(ME)R operators.

The website also mentions a Dental Nursing Taster Session announced as coming soon.

Study resources and student support

Among the support products the website shows for sale are one-to-one 60-minute booster sessions via Zoom with an experienced dental nursing tutor, and an online self-study pack to prepare for the NEBDN Knowledge Test. There is also a TQUK Level 5 course for teaching English as a foreign language, unrelated to the dental field.

The company highlights the support of tutors and mentors, and attributes to its academy a 97% pass rate, which it presents as higher than that of other dental training academies in the UK.

Facilities, awards and publishing activity

NLDC describes its training centres as spaces equipped with modern facilities, resources and spacious classrooms with up-to-date equipment. In the awards section, the organisation mentions a group award and another for contribution to dental nurse education and training awarded to Cristina Burtila, director of NLDC Ltd. and associated with the organisation for nine years according to the quoted NEBDN text.

The company maintains a blog on dental health with articles on the skills employers look for in a dental nurse, preparing for NEBDN exams and the career opportunities of the qualification. It also states that it has appeared in various industry publications.

Financial advice for the dental sector

NLDC recommends Alexander Associates and Alex Chrysostomou as specialists in accountancy, taxation and financial advice for the dental profession, a recommendation the company presents as a response to its students' frequent enquiries about these types of services.