DBS check for dental nurses

Yes, a dental nurse needs a DBS check. CQC’s mythbuster on staff recruitment says guidance states that all clinical staff require a DBS check, and it names dentists, dental hygienists, dental hygiene therapists and dental nurses.

This article covers England. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) deals with England and Wales, and there are separate arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Deciding the right level for a role is the employer’s responsibility, so speak to the DBS or an adviser if a role is unclear.

Which level of DBS check?

The practice decides, based on what the person actually does. GOV.UK says the recruiting organisation is responsible for deciding if a DBS check is needed and at what level. It also says an organisation is breaking the law if it applies for a Standard or Enhanced check for a role that is not eligible for that level.

The DBS leaflet on eligibility for healthcare roles is the most useful document here:

Role	What the leaflet says
Regulated healthcare professional whose normal duties include providing healthcare to children or adults	Eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s and/or Adults’ Barred List check
Not a regulated professional, but providing healthcare under the direction or supervision of one	Also eligible for an Enhanced check with the relevant Barred List(s)
Administrators such as receptionists who have contact with patients because of their work	Can be eligible for a Standard check, if the employing organisation decides the role is involved in providing health services

The General Dental Council is one of the regulators the leaflet lists, and dental nurses are among the titles the GDC registers. The leaflet applies whether a person is paid or unpaid, and it warns that changes to a role can change the level of check that applies.

Enhanced DBS check for dentists

Dentists who provide care to patients fall under the first row of the table. CQC adds a point on NHS work: dentists contracted by the NHS should have completed DBS checks as part of their Performers List checks. In some cases a practice may rely on those checks instead of obtaining another, but it must show suitable assurance from NHS England that an appropriate check has been completed, and CQC also expects a risk assessment.

Non-clinical staff

CQC says there is no general requirement for non-clinical staff to have a DBS check, and that it depends on their specific duties. Its examples are:

Non-clinical staff do not need one if they have access to medical records alone and no contact with patients.
Staff who carry out chaperone duties may need one.
Staff who supervise a baby or child while a parent or carer has an appointment will need one.

If you decide not to carry out a check for a non-clinical team member, you need to record a clear rationale, including an appropriate risk assessment. CQC also says it does not decide who is eligible, but it will look at whether your practice has suitable procedures and checks in place.

Starting work before the certificate arrives

CQC says it would not usually expect to see a member of staff working while waiting for the outcome of a DBS check. If a practice does allow it, CQC expects a risk assessment to have been carried out and action taken to reduce any risks.

Do DBS checks have to be renewed?

Not automatically. CQC says there is no requirement to repeat checks for staff who remain employed if there is no change in their place or terms of work. It is for the employer to decide whether a new check is required, and your practice should have evidence that you have considered this, including risk assessments.

Schedule 3 recruitment checks for CQC

A DBS certificate is only one part of the file. Regulation 19 requires recruitment procedures to be established and operated effectively, and the information in Schedule 3 to be available for each person employed. CQC summarises what you should hold for all staff:

proof of identity, including a recent photograph
a full employment history, with explanations for any gaps
documentary evidence of qualifications relevant to the person’s duties
documentary evidence of registration with relevant professional bodies, such as the GDC
information about any physical or mental health condition relevant to the person’s capability to perform tasks, after reasonable adjustments are made

For staff who have worked with children or vulnerable adults, or in health or social care, you should also have satisfactory evidence of conduct in previous employment and verification of why that employment ended.

For clinical staff, CQC also expects evidence of immunisation against Hepatitis B, including the level of response. Where someone has not responded or evidence is unavailable, there must be a risk assessment. Ask your occupational health provider if a result is unclear.

At inspection

CQC says it will ask about recruitment procedures and check a sample of staff records, and that it expects you to have a recruitment policy that reflects its guidance and to follow it for all staff. Records should be easily accessible and kept securely. For more on this regulation, see our notes on Regulation 19, and on team credentials for what else to hold.

In Compliance UK’s staff credentials, DBS records are kept as a status and a date only, with no document upload by default, and reminders go out 60, 30 and 7 days before a credential expires.

Sources

Sources checked on 10 November 2026.

DBS checks for dental nurses and the wider practice team