As far back as I can remember, I always had a fascination when attending the dentist for my own check-ups. I loved the smells, noises, hustle and bustle. I remember feeling intrigued as to what all the various equipment did and what all the dental terminology meant. This interest continued to grow, and at the age of 16, I carried out some work experience at my local dental practice. The dentist I observed was patient, calm and gentle with all her patients. This one week insight into dentistry re-affirmed this was the type of job I wanted to pursue as a future carer.
Whilst studying for my A Levels at college, a careers advisor introduced me to dental hygiene and therapy. This was an area of dentistry I was unaware of as a 16-year-old. I had only ever been made aware of dentists and dental nurses, however, I carried out some research into it and decided this would be my chosen career path. I continued to finish my A levels and applied to university to study dental hygiene and therapy.
I studied Dental Hygiene and Therapy at the University of Birmingham from 2006-2009. Since graduating in 2009 I have worked in both mixed and private dental practices. Whilst working in practice I carried out my zoom whitening qualification (2010).
In 2014 a new challenge arose when I accepted a job working for BCHC full time in their community clinics. My time was dedicated to treating a wide variety of patients, from very young anxious children, to severely medically compromised adults. During this time, I also gained my inhalation sedation qualification (2015), which allowed me to treat these challenging patients under sedation.
In 2019, I accepted the position of part time Dental Hygiene and Therapy tutor at the University of Birmingham, where I hope to gain my PGcert in education.
Having worked in paediatrics for the past 6 years, the best aspect of my role is making a difference to children’s perception of coming to the dentist. I enjoy the challenge of working closely with anxious children, who may initially be so petrified of the dentist they won’t even sit on the dental chair. However, I work hard with these children to ensure their dental phobia becomes a thing of the past and they enjoy coming to the dentist to have their treatment completed. To see these children grow in confidence and achieve treatment in the dental surgery they never thought was possible is by far the best part of my job.
The most challenging part of my job is managing patients' (or parents' when working in paediatrics) expectations. Managing what the patient wants or expects versus what can be achieved can often be challenging. It is important to always be open and honest with patients from the first appointment.
My advice to prospective students would be that as a person, you need to be calm, honest and reassuring, even when you feel under pressure, or in a challenging situation. A good ‘bedside’ manner’ is essential as a healthcare professional. Secondly, as a Dental Hygienist and Therapist you have to have good manual dexterity and enjoy working practically.