Nurses in Dental settings

[liloadro]

I'm curious to know if anyone out there, past or present, has worked as an RN in a dental setting. I'm aware of nurses in specialty offices such as Oral Surgery and Periodontics. I'd like to know what skills you would use in those settings that set you apart from the Assistants and/or Hygienists. Were you satisfied in those jobs? Did you make use of your nursing skills and knowledge? The reason I ask is this: I'm a new grad RN with many years dental assisting experience. I have considered taking a position back in a dental setting with my RN degree and just wonder if that's too wierd a combination?? ...

[uptoRNin04]

I worked as an LPN in an oral surgeon's office for 5 years then went back to get my RN. I loved working there. As an RN in that setting, you would be starting IV's, pushing meds for sedation, assisting during the surgery etc. You could also be going to the hospital to assist with surgeries that can't be done in the office setting. The group I worked for did a lot of jaw reconstruction, Fx's, dog bites that needed lot of facial fine suturing. It would definitely be a lot of surgery setting. I don't know about just the dentistry end of it.

[liloadro]

Thanks for your reply. I have more ?? for you. What meds were you using for sedation and did you have a CRNA on staff or was it the OS directing sedation? What monitoring was going on during surgery? Were you one of many nurses on staff or just you?

[grangianni09]

hello.nice to hear your post.am also a newbie in the nursing dept,but i worked in the dental dept, not a hospital setting but a dental clinic.am now anxious bout nursing skills wanted to continue in the dental as a nurse any advise/updates.thanks