What we know so far about the review, and why the protected title ‘dental nurse’ is unlikely to be affected
On 30th July 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched a call for evidence to consider stronger legal protection for the title ‘nurse’, to help prevent misuse by people who are not registered nurses. This has sparked numerous questions and confusion on forums about the future of the title ‘dental nurse’.
What is actually being proposed
The government wants to strengthen the legal protection of the title ‘nurse’. At the moment, only certain nursing titles, such as ‘registered nurse’, regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are protected by law.
A protected title means it is a criminal offence for anyone to use the title unless they are entitled to do so. The title ‘nurse’ is not protected at present, and this means that someone who is not registered with the NMC can still use the word ‘nurse’ in their job title.
The DHSC believes this could be confusing for patients, who may assume that anyone calling themselves a nurse is registered with the NMC. The call for evidence is seeking views on whether the word ‘nurse’ itself should become a protected title.
Why are dental nurses being mentioned?
The government recognises that the word ‘nurse’ is already used in several established professional titles, including ‘dental nurse’. In the call to action, the government has stated that it does not intend to prevent legitimate professionals from continuing to use these titles.
The title ‘dental nurse’ is already protected under separate legislation, the Dentists Act 1984. Nothing in this call for evidence proposes to change or remove that protection, and DHSC has given no indication that it intends to.
The government is asking for feedback on which roles should continue to be allowed to use ‘nurse’ in their title if wider protections are introduced in the future.
What is certain and what is not?
What we know:
- No new legislation or changes to existing legislation have been laid before Parliament. A call for evidence is an earlier and less formal stage than a consultation, and no decisions have been made yet
- DHSC expects to consult formally on any changes in 2027. Any resulting legislation would then need Parliamentary approval
- The government has indicated that established titles such as ‘dental nurse’ are not the target of these proposals
- Currently, the ‘dental nurse’ title is protected under the Dentists Act 1984 and is considered a legitimate use of the title
What is still undecided:
- Exactly how any future legislation around the use of the term ’nurse’ would work
- Which professions would be formally exempt from any new restrictions on the use of the title ‘nurse’ under any new legislation
- Whether additional protections for nursing-related titles will be proposed
Will dental nurses lose their right to use their title?
Based on the information currently available, this seems unlikely. The title ‘dental nurse’ already benefits from legal protection, and the government has signalled that it does not intend to prevent established professions from continuing to use recognised titles. While no final decisions have been made, there is currently no indication that the review is intended to remove or undermine the existing protection for dental nurses.
What can dental professionals and practices do?
The call for evidence is open until 8th October 2026. This is an opportunity for dental nurses, employers, professional bodies and others to respond and share their views on why the title ‘dental nurse’ should continue to be recognised and protected from changes resulting from this review.
What is Agilio doing?
We are monitoring developments closely and will continue to keep members informed as the government reviews the evidence and moves towards a formal consultation, expected in 2027.
