Taken time out — maternity leave, another job, health, anything — and thinking about coming back to dental nursing? Here’s what actually happens.
If your GDC registration lapsed
You’ll need to apply for restoration, not start from scratch. In practice:
- It usually takes around 15 working days to process
- If you’ve built up a CPD backlog while you were away, you’ll need to catch up on it — check exactly how much with the GDC before you apply, as it depends on how long you’ve been away
Refreshing your clinical skills
If it’s been a while, it’s completely normal to feel rusty. Most practices expect this and will ease you back in — be upfront about it in interviews rather than pretending nothing’s changed. A short refresher CPD course before you start applying can also boost your confidence.
What to put on your CV
Don’t hide the gap — briefly explain it in one line (“career break for family reasons, 2023-2025”) and then focus on your actual dental nursing experience before the break. Practices care far more about your qualification and prior experience than a gap itself. For more on this, see our CV and interview tips guide.
The honest bit
Employers are short of trained dental nurses right now, so a returning, GDC-qualified nurse is a genuinely attractive candidate — you’re not starting from zero.
Ready to get back into it? Register your CV with Horizon Dental Jobs and we’ll match you with a practice that’s a good fit for where you’re at.