Course Information
Date: 13/10/2026
Start Time: 09:30
Completion Time: 5.5 Hours
Venue: Online
Speakers: Stacy Topping: Dental Continuing Education Co-ordinator, NIMDTA; Melanie Witherall: Alzheimer’s Society; Aaron R J Hutton: Lecturer in Pharmaceuticals, School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ulster University; Jacqueline O’Hagan: Health City Co-ordinator, Belfast Health Cities, Belfast
Course Description
Record of Competency
Aim
To equip dental professionals with the knowledge and practical strategies to effectively build and maintain a Record of Competency required for the Foundation Dentist Dental Nursing course.
Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Identify key components that should be included in a RoC.
- Apply best practices for documenting learning and development activities.
- Reflect on personal learning and professional growth through RoC entries.
Learning Content
This training session is intended to create an awareness and understanding of the requirements of the ROC.
GDC Development Outcomes
- B
Dementia Awareness
Aims
- Increase knowledge and understanding of dementia.
- Increase your confidence to be able to support people living with dementia.
Objectives
- Enhanced knowledge of dementia.
- Be able to identify vulnerable customers and understand their needs.
- Confidence in interacting effectively with people living with dementia
- Provision of better access to services by making small changes.
Learning Content
- Dementia – What is dementia, causes of dementia, sign & symptoms.
- How dementia can impact memory.
- Person-centred approach.
- Communication tips.
- Environmental consideration.
- Local Alzheimer’s Society Services & Support.
What Can Your Pharmacy do for You
Aim
To provide information for dentistry in relation to services available to patients from community pharmacies.
Objectives
Outline community pharmacy service such as:
- Pharmacy First Minor ailment scheme
- Medication Use Review
- Smoking Cessation Scheme
- Identify what over-the-counter medicines are and outline the indicators for use.
- Highlight safety concerns, namely: cautions, contraindications, interaction profile and abuse/misuse potential
- Appreciate the evidence base (evidence of effectiveness)
Learning Content
This training session is intended to create an awareness and understanding of the role of community pharmacists and how/when dental professionals may signpost patients to a community pharmacy. It is also intended to increase awareness about over-the-counter medicines in a dental context, thereby helping to ensure safe and effective recommendations of such medicines to the public by the dental team.
GDC Development Outcome
C
Health Literacy
Aim
- To gain critical awareness band knowledge of health literacy.
- Advanced communication skills in relationship to health literacy professional – patient interaction..
- Sustainability of skills developed and application practiced.
Objectives
- Inform and educate – Professionals know about health literacy problems, their impact and interventions to tackle health literacy problems.
- Teach communication skills – Professionals develop patient centred communication skills to address problems with health literacy.
- Support behaviour change – Professionals adopt, change and maintain behaviour to address health literacy problems.
Learning Content
- Awareness of health literacy – Understand what health literacy is, including the of impact low health literacy
- Self-management to enhance critical health literacy – Understand how to critically appraise health information to assess its effectiveness to deliver health messages
- Shared decision making to enhance interactive health literacy – Understand how to apply communication techniques to enhance people’s health literacy
- Sustaining health literacy focused communication – Apply and review communication techniques to improve your health literacy skills.
GDC Development Outcome
A & D
Resources
Dietary Requirements
Please advise the Dental Continuing Education Team dentalcourses.nimdta@hscni.net if you have any dietary requirements.