How I’m working towards my dental nurse qualification while planning my own aesthetics business
By Isabella Isaac-Griffiths, apprentice dental nurse at Stafford Dental Surgery, Riverdale Healthcare
Summary
After starting a beauty business as a teenager, Isabella Isaac-Griffiths is now working towards her dental nurse qualification at Stafford Dental Surgery while building the skills and experience she hopes will one day support her own aesthetics business.
Training as a dental nurse has opened up opportunities I never expected
When I finished my A-levels with three As, I thought my next step would be university. My original plan was to study law, but before committing I decided to spend some time working and exploring different options.
That decision led me somewhere unexpected – an apprentice dental nurse role through TempDent at Stafford Dental Surgery, part of Riverdale Healthcare. At the time, I didn’t know much about dentistry or what a dental career could look like.
Once I started, I quickly realised how much responsibility the role involves and how many different skills it requires. A typical day can include:
- Assisting dentists during procedures
- Preparing surgeries and equipment
- Sterilising instruments
- Updating patient records
- Managing stock and supplies
Alongside the practical work, I’m studying towards my dental nurse qualification through Riverdale’s clinical training courses, which involves one day of learning each week while working full time in the practice.
Being part of a close-knit team and working directly with patients has made the role far more rewarding than I expected. It has also helped me see how many different directions a dental career can take.
Just as importantly, working in the practice has given me opportunities to develop skills I hadn’t expected to use in a clinical environment.
Explore current career opportunities at Riverdale and see where a dental career could take you.
The practice helped me develop business skills alongside my clinical training
A few months after joining the practice, I mentioned to our practice manager, Mel, that I was comfortable using social media. She asked if I’d like to take over the practice’s TikTok account.
At the time the account had very little activity, so I began experimenting with different types of content. Social media can be unpredictable, but relatable posts tend to perform well. One video ended up reaching more than 1.4 million views.
The opportunity also drew on experience I had built earlier. While studying for my GCSEs and A-levels, I ran a small beauty business offering eyelash and eyebrow treatments. Managing that business meant handling:
- Social media promotion
- Client bookings and appointments
- Customer communication
- Payments and basic business admin
Without realising it at the time, those early experiences helped me understand how online platforms work and how to connect with an audience – skills that have turned out to be surprisingly useful during my life at Riverdale while training as a dental nurse and contributing to the practice’s marketing.
Working in dentistry showed me how much dental nurse career progression is possible
The longer I’ve worked in dentistry, the more I’ve realised how many opportunities exist within a dental career.
One of the things that surprised me most is the range of dental nurse career progression available once you qualify. Dental nurses can develop their careers in treatment areas such as:
- Orthodontics
- Radiography
- Oral health education
- Practice management
Seeing those pathways has helped me understand how flexible a dental career can be and how many different directions it can lead.
Dental nursing is helping me build the foundation for my future aesthetics business
My own long-term ambition is slightly different from the routes many dental nurses take. I’d like to move into facial aesthetics and eventually run my own aesthetics business.
Working as a dental nurse at Riverdale is helping me build the right foundation for that goal. Every day I’m developing clinical knowledge, learning more about facial anatomy, and gaining experience working directly with patients.
At the same time, the business and marketing skills I developed earlier are helping me understand how to attract and build relationships with clients.
Together, those experiences are starting to come together in a way I never expected when I first applied for the role.
Is dental nursing a good career for you?
Working in dentistry wasn’t part of my original plan – but from my experience so far, it’s a great option for people who enjoy:
- Working with people
- Learning practical skills
- Being part of a supportive team
At Riverdale, I’ve been able to start building a dental career, gain real experience and work towards my dental nurse qualification while working at Stafford Dental Surgery.
For me, it’s been the perfect place to start building the future I want – and whether you’re thinking about dental nursing or exploring other vacancies, Riverdale offers a wide range of opportunities to learn new skills and grow your career.
Explore careers at Riverdale
Explore current career opportunities at Riverdale and see where a dental career could take you.
