Free NEBDN Diploma (Dental Nursing) Exam Flashcards

'Put patients' interests first' - this is the foundational principle underpinning all nine GDC Standards for the Dental Team.

The General Dental Council (GDC). NEBDN awards the qualification, but the GDC maintains the professional register that a nurse must join to legally practise.

The principle that a child under 16 can give valid consent to their own treatment if a clinician judges they have sufficient understanding and intelligence to fully appreciate what is involved.

It must be given voluntarily, by a patient with capacity, and the patient must be adequately informed about the treatment, risks, benefits and alternatives (including no treatment).

50 hours minimum (with at least 10 hours in any 2-year period), plus an annual CPD statement to the GDC. Dental therapists/hygienists need 75 hours; dentists need 100 hours.

The right of access (subject access request) - the practice must normally respond within one month and generally cannot charge a fee to provide copies of records or radiographs.

HTM 01-05 'Decontamination in primary care dental practices' - it sets the standards for cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of reusable dental instruments in England.

Clean, then inspect, then sterilise, then store. Cleaning must always precede sterilisation because residual debris shields micro-organisms from the sterilising process.

134-137 degrees Celsius with a minimum holding (plateau) time of 3 minutes.

All blood and body fluids from every patient are treated as potentially infectious, because infection status is often unknown - this protects staff and patients consistently on every procedure.

Effective hand hygiene (handwashing or alcohol hand rub at the correct moments) - recognised as more important than any single item of PPE.

Encourage the wound to bleed gently, wash thoroughly under running water without scrubbing or sucking, dry and cover with a waterproof dressing, then report the incident for an occupational health risk assessment.

A mercury suppressant, to limit release of mercury vapour. Amalgam waste and amalgam-containing extracted teeth are collected by a licensed contractor for mercury recovery, kept separate from clinical waste streams.

30 compressions to 2 breaths, delivered at 100-120 compressions per minute to a depth of 5-6 cm (Resuscitation Council UK guidance).

Intramuscular adrenaline 1:1000 (1 mg/mL); adult dose is 500 micrograms (0.5 mL), repeated after 5 minutes if there is no improvement, alongside calling 999.

A salbutamol (beta-2 agonist) inhaler delivering 100 micrograms per actuation, ideally via a spacer, to relieve bronchospasm.

This suggests hypoglycaemia - give fast-acting oral glucose (sugary drink, glucose tablets or gel) if the patient is conscious and able to swallow; if unconscious, give intramuscular glucagon 1 mg.

300 mg aspirin, chewed (if not allergic), because it inhibits platelet aggregation. Oxygen and reassurance are also given while awaiting the ambulance.

Protect the patient from injury, do not restrain them, do not place anything in the mouth, and time the seizure. If convulsions last over 5 minutes, buccal midazolam is indicated and 999 should be called.

The upper right first permanent molar. The first digit gives the quadrant (1 = upper right permanent) and the second digit gives the tooth position from the midline (6 = first molar).

20 teeth in the primary dentition (2 incisors, 1 canine, 2 molars per quadrant, no premolars); 32 teeth in the permanent dentition.

The trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V), with ophthalmic (V1), maxillary (V2) and mandibular (V3) divisions; local anaesthetic blocks target branches of V2 and V3.

The periodontal ligament - a band of fibrous connective tissue that suspends the tooth in its socket, allows slight physiological movement and provides proprioception.

Approximately pH 5.5. After sugar intake, plaque pH can fall below this level for 20-30 minutes before saliva buffers it back up (the Stephan curve).

Gingivitis is reversible plaque-induced inflammation of the gingiva with no loss of attachment. Periodontitis involves irreversible destruction of the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone.

A non-healing ulcer with raised, rolled margins persisting more than 3 weeks warrants urgent referral (suspected cancer pathway) for specialist assessment and biopsy.

Tobacco use and alcohol - their effects are synergistic when combined. HPV and areca/betel nut use are also recognised risk factors.

Plaque is a soft bacterial biofilm that is the primary cause of caries and periodontal disease; calculus is plaque that has mineralised (hardened) with calcium and phosphate salts and must be removed by professional scaling.

1350-1500 ppm fluoride. Higher-strength pastes (2800 or 5000 ppm) are prescription-only for higher-caries-risk patients.

Rinsing with water washes away residual fluoride from the toothpaste; spitting without rinsing leaves a higher concentration of fluoride in contact with the teeth, maximising the protective effect.

Frequency of free-sugar intake matters more than total amount, because each exposure produces a separate acid attack on the enamel.

A resin or glass ionomer material placed into the pits and fissures of newly erupted permanent posterior teeth to create a smooth, cleansable surface and reduce occlusal caries risk.

IR(ME)R 2017 (Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations) - requiring every exposure to be justified, optimised and authorised, and defining the referrer, practitioner and operator roles. IRR 2017 separately protects staff and the public.

The bitewing radiograph - it captures the crowns of upper and lower posterior teeth plus crestal bone on one film.

A probing depth of 6 mm or more, indicating advanced periodontal disease requiring detailed assessment and treatment. Scores range 0 (healthy) to 4, with an asterisk denoting furcation involvement.

Warfarin is an anticoagulant that prolongs clotting and increases the risk of prolonged post-operative bleeding; INR is often checked and local haemostatic measures planned.

Liquid mercury mixed with an alloy powder composed mainly of silver, tin and copper.

Approximately 37% phosphoric acid - it creates a micro-rough surface and removes the smear layer, allowing a strong micromechanical bond with the bonding agent and composite.

It chemically bonds to tooth structure and releases fluoride over time, offering ongoing caries protection - valuable as a restoration, base, liner or luting cement.

With a blue curing light (typically around 450-470 nm wavelength) that activates the photoinitiator, hardening the material in increments; the light should never be viewed directly.

Gutta-percha, used with a sealer, fills the canal space three-dimensionally to prevent bacterial reinfection of the root canal system.

To isolate the tooth, improve moisture control and visibility, and crucially protect the airway from inhaling or swallowing small instruments and irrigants during endodontic treatment.

A smear of toothpaste containing at least 1000 ppm fluoride for children under 3; a pea-sized amount of at least 1000 ppm fluoride for children aged 3-6, brushed by/with an adult twice daily from first tooth eruption.

Frequent or prolonged exposure to sugary drinks in a feeding bottle, especially at night, which pools sugar around the upper anterior teeth and drives rapid decay.

Loss or failure of the blood clot in an extraction socket, presenting 2-3 days after extraction with severe throbbing pain, a bad taste and an empty-looking socket.

Bite firmly on gauze for about 20-30 minutes; avoid rinsing, hot food/drinks, alcohol, smoking and vigorous exercise for 24 hours; and avoid disturbing the socket (e.g. with the tongue or a straw).

A collection of pus at the apex of a non-vital (dead) tooth, caused by bacterial infection of the pulp, which may cause swelling and can point and discharge.

Lidocaine (lignocaine) 2%, typically combined with adrenaline (epinephrine) 1:80,000 as a vasoconstrictor to prolong anaesthesia and reduce bleeding at the injection site.

A titrated mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen, adjusted to the individual patient to produce relaxation while the patient remains conscious and cooperative.

Conscious sedation must maintain a level at which the patient remains responsive to verbal command throughout. Flumazenil is the specific benzodiazepine reversal agent for midazolam and must be available during IV sedation.