Profession equine dental technician

Equine dental technicians provide routine equine dental care, using appropriate equipment in accordance with national legislation.

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Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative

Related professions dental

• Dental assistant
• Dental hygienist
• Dental prosthesis technician
• Dentist

Knowledge

• Animal welfare legislation

  The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.

• Environmental enrichment for animals

  Types, methods and use of enrichment for animals to allow the expression of natural behaviour, including the provision of environmental stimuli, feeding activities, puzzles, items for manipulation, social and training activities.

• Veterinary terminology

  Spelling and meaning of commonly used terminology of veterinary terms.

Skills

• Manage animal hygiene

  Plan and use appropriate hygiene measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure an effective overall hygiene. Maintain and follow hygiene procedures and regulations when working with animals, communicate site hygiene controls and protocols to others. Manage the safe disposal of waste according to destination and local regulations.

• Deal with challenging people

  Work safely and communicate effectively with individuals and groups of people who are in challenging circumstances. This would include recognition of signs of aggression, distress, threatening and how to address them to promote personal safety and that of others.

• Advise on animal welfare

  Prepare and provide information to individuals or groups of people on how to promote the health and well-being of animals, and how risks to animal health and welfare may be reduced. Provide recommendations for corrective actions.

• Handle horses during dental procedures

  Handle, position and immobilise horses safely for dental procedures.

• Monitor the welfare of animals

  Monitor animals’ physical condition and behaviour and report any concerns or unexpected changes, including signs of health or ill-health, appearance, condition of the animals' accommodation, intake of food and water and environmental conditions.

• Handle veterinary emergencies

  Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.

• Carry out equine dental procedures

  Undertake equine dental procedures as appropriate for the horse and the agreed treatment plan. Specific interventions may vary in accordance with national and EU legislation.

• Manage animal biosecurity

  Plan and use appropriate biosafety measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure effective overall biosecurity. Maintain and follow biosecurity procedures and infection control when working with animals, including recognising potential health issues and taking appropriate action, communicating site hygiene control measures and biosecurity procedures, as well as reporting to others.

• Use equine dental equipment

  Ensure that equine dental equipment is maintained to high standards, prepared and assembled ready for use, including personal protective equipment with the aim of minimising risk of transmission of animal diseases.

• Communicate with customers

  Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.

• Manage personal professional development

  Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.

• Maintain professional records

  Produce and maintain records of work performed.

• Conduct veterinary client consultation

  Conduct structured and empathetic communication with clients in order to ascertain or provide relevant clinical information concerning health status, treatment options or other ongoing care of the veterinary patient.

• Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting

  Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and work environments.

• Assist customers

  Provide support and advice to customers in making purchasing decisions by finding out their needs, selecting suitable service and products for them and politely answering questions about products and services.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB