Jen Upton reminds us that locum dental nurses supplied by agencies are a meaningful part of the team deserving more respect.
Behind every mask, uniform, and GDC registration is a person. They have a career, a family, ambitions, worries, and pride in their work. Yet in the hustle of back-to-back patients, staffing rotas, and diary management, it can be easy to forget that the dental nurse arriving for a day of locum cover is more than ‘just the temp.’
They are, in every meaningful way, part of the team that day. And how they’re treated affects more than just morale. It affects performance, patient safety, team dynamics, and the reputation of the practice.
