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AIBU?

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Original poster

To this this wage is far too low?

142 replies

thirtytalking · 30/11/2023 10:14

I work as a dental nurse. Have to pay £55 a day childcare, have to pay £120 a year subscription to the GCC, and £40 a year for a CPD programme. It's hard, stressful work.

I get £11.20 an hour. I thought that was bad. Talking to others who have been there longer, they don't even earn that. Some have done extra courses and have other duties and have been refused a pay rise.

I worked in pubs and came home with more. I claim UC and the pay is so low (I only do a few days) it's triggered a back to work meeting. In my last job there was no stress, I didn't have to be qualified or pay anything.. I just served a few drinks and came home with more money. It's a joke.

OP posts:
Musicaltheatremum · 30/11/2023 12:26

thirtytalking · 30/11/2023 10:32

I'm not sure as I only work 2 days so I don't get taxed. I work 15 hours a week and I come home with £720 after £10 into pension.

Would your employer pay your GDC membership. We pay for our practice nurses' membership fees and pay the defence union fees for our salaries GPs. The practice can then claim tax relief on that as an expense so would cost your employer very little (though I know dentists are really struggling just now.)

trulyunruly01 · 30/11/2023 16:20

You'd be better off working at Tesco as a general assistant. Better hourly rate, more flexible shifts plus £1000 a year staff Clubcard discount on your shopping.
It's deplorable that the above should be said to someone who has a professional qualification and pays dues every year to keep that qualification.

Densol57 · 30/11/2023 20:35

Sconehenge · 30/11/2023 11:55

Can you retrain in something cosmetic? Doing injectables and medical facials should align well with your skills and pay a lot more?

Hey YES !! This is a brilliant idea 👏
my mate started training as a midwife, then gave up, paid for an aesthetics course and does mobile fillers and botox and once a month holds a clinic in a local beauty salon. Makes really decent money too 👍🏼

3is1toomany · 01/12/2023 01:39

Fellow dental nurse here … 👋

20’years experience with radiography qualification ( qualified 18 years) and I earn £11.40 an hour! So currently 98p above minimum wage.
my practice does pay my gdc registration.
but with the minimum wage increase coming next year to 11.44 - I can seriously see myself been on minimum wage 😢
People usually presume we are paid good wages /nhs pay and pension. I wish!! ( only if work in the hospital/community).
no banded pay / no pension apart from a basic work place pension. No sick pay /enhanced smp.
I suppose the only difference is I do actually enjoy the job and the practice I woke in is quite nice.

I have thought many times about a change.

coxesorangepippin · 01/12/2023 03:01

And you've been qualified for 13 years???

Wtf.

Would you consider moving abroad?

I'm sure Australia or Canada would bite your hand off

Kona84 · 01/12/2023 03:31

Do you claim the childcare costs back through UC?

Goldbar · 01/12/2023 06:11

Have you looked at cleaning? Cleaners round here earn £18-20 per hour and the work has a fair degree of flexibility.

It's awful, OP. I pay next door's teenager £10 per hour to come and do homework with my DC once a fortnight.

wiseoldcat · 01/12/2023 06:16

Minimum wage is £10.42 an hour. As a dental nurse with qualifications it's outrageous that you are earning barely more than someone in a completely unskilled job.

Are you a member of a union OP? Can you try and raise it with them?

Beezknees · 01/12/2023 06:23

I earn more that than and I have no qualifications in anything. And I'm getting a £1500 bonus this Christmas.

I'd look for something else honestly.

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 01/12/2023 06:26

Where I work they have promised staff that their minimum wage for all staff is £12.50 ph. I think your wage is low and you should look for something else.

RosaGallica · 01/12/2023 06:34

This is the reality now for anyone in low-level ‘educated’ jobs. Minimum wage caught up ages ago, so you’re being required to have huge numbers of qualifications, skills and responsibility for minimum wage. I expect 18k is take-home pay, and for one pp, no a health care assistant in a hospital does not get paid more.

sgvibes · 01/12/2023 06:43

Any big supermarkets you could get to? IME they don't seem to advertise on indeed, more on their own websites.

My DS used to work for tesco and they were great, really flexible over hours and if you worked a Sunday it was either time and half or double time, can't remember.

BarbaraofSeville · 01/12/2023 06:51

wiseoldcat · 01/12/2023 06:16

Minimum wage is £10.42 an hour. As a dental nurse with qualifications it's outrageous that you are earning barely more than someone in a completely unskilled job.

Are you a member of a union OP? Can you try and raise it with them?

It's well known in the industry.

I don't know what recruitment and retention is like for dental nurses but this gives a picture of what it's like:

https://www.badn.org.uk/NewPublic/News/BADN-2020-Salary-Survey-Report.aspx

And it seems that there is little pay progression for more experienced nurses, who are often amongst the lowest paid.

BADN 2020 Salary Survey Report

BADN has released its findings from a salary survey report conducted at the end of 2020.

https://www.badn.org.uk/NewPublic/News/BADN-2020-Salary-Survey-Report.aspx

Thmssngvwlsrnd · 01/12/2023 06:58

The thing is, I expect if the OP wanted to work in Tescos, she would already be working in Tescos. People who suggest this mean well, but are sort of missing the point. OP probably enjoys being a dental nurse, she's trained hard for it, and most importantly, wants to do it! I get told this "why don't you go and work in Tescos?" too, and it annoys me. I get a lot of satisfaction from my job but the pay is appalling. Tescos isn't always the answer.

RancidRuby · 01/12/2023 07:04

Thmssngvwlsrnd · 01/12/2023 06:58

The thing is, I expect if the OP wanted to work in Tescos, she would already be working in Tescos. People who suggest this mean well, but are sort of missing the point. OP probably enjoys being a dental nurse, she's trained hard for it, and most importantly, wants to do it! I get told this "why don't you go and work in Tescos?" too, and it annoys me. I get a lot of satisfaction from my job but the pay is appalling. Tescos isn't always the answer.

Edited

The OP has already said that she doesn't enjoy the job.

Parentofeanda · 01/12/2023 07:07

I was getting £18 per hour as a cleaner and worked 40 hours a week.... Im not even qualified at anything so yes yanbu your wage is terrible

SusanKennedyshouldLTB · 01/12/2023 07:13

You might have more flexibility and better pay / pension moving to health care in a hospital.

BrendaHope · 01/12/2023 07:19

Hello,
Have you looked for jobs in NHS dental hospitals? I reckon you'd be a Band 4, so that would be more than what you're getting now, good pension, prospects for further development.

Hollyhead · 01/12/2023 07:21

I thought UC was meant to cover 80% of the childcare costs? How much do you get on top of your wage in Uc?

Longtimelurker26 · 01/12/2023 07:23

Have you looked in to joining an agency? Agency dental nurses tend to get paid a higher hourly rate and you have a bit more flexibility in choosing your hours. I don't know where you're based, but Cavity is a fairly big dental staff agency. Dental nurses are ridiculously underpaid, especially when there seems to be a real shortage at the moment

fyn · 01/12/2023 07:25

I’m an unqualified Parish Clerk paid £18.10 an hour. It goes up when you qualify. It’s completely flexible so I do most work evenings, weekends, naptime to reduced the need for childcare. Once you qualify you get a few extra £s an hour. Experienced clerks working for Town Councils can earn £60/70k a year.

Morewineplease10 · 01/12/2023 07:27

If you claim UC you can claim back 85% of your childcare OP.

Lifeisgood1 · 01/12/2023 07:27

Not much but do you get tax relief on uniforms and professional membership? Just phone the tax office and they'll amend your tax code. It's backdated too.

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 01/12/2023 07:27

Full time is £21840- low but legal.

You have choices and will need to look for a better paid role.

Looking on Indeed that seems normal for the role tbh.

Take the meeting in good grace and ask them for advice for what you should be doing to improve your income.

baileybrosbuildingandloan · 01/12/2023 07:30

thirtytalking · 30/11/2023 10:49

I'm fully qualified and I passed my exam in 2010.

I would look at becoming a dental nurse Tutor Assessor. You would up your income considerably and build a career fit when you can go back to full time.