Tell us a little about yourself
I am a general dentist working as an associate in a mixed practice in Hammersmith. I graduated in 2022 and completed my foundation training in Berkshire before moving to Hammersmith. Being in a position where I am able to help people in pain and give them the confidence to smile again gives me a lot of joy. Outside of clinical dentistry, I enjoy being part of projects, and attending various dental events as it keeps me busy and helps keep dentistry enjoyable!
What inspired you to get involved in the LDC?
I reached out to the LDC Confederation a few months ago to understand what being involved with the LDC means and how it impacts NHS dentistry. I am passionate in improving the perceived value of NHS dentistry, raise the profile of the profession and influence changes that will provide dentists a better environment to work in. As a general dentist myself, I understand the challenges present and hope I can help be a positive influence.
What are you most looking forward to about being a Director of your LDC?
I am looking forward to meeting other members of the LDC, understanding the concerns and challenges faced by other dentists working in the borough and collaborating with them to help improve NHS dentistry.
What do you think are the big challenges facing NHS dentistry?
Access and Value. For patients, there is a real challenge in finding an NHS dentist which leads to their oral health worsening and when they do find a NHS dentist, it is at a stage where the issues are more challenging to treat and manage. For people working in NHS dentistry, there is a big challenge of perceived value and respect towards NHS dentistry – both by the public and the government/stakeholders. These challenges can make it a stressful environment for primary care NHS dentists to work in.
How do you see the LDC helping to tackle those challenges?
By engaging with the stakeholders, I hope we are able to show them the value and the important role that NHS dentistry plays within the wider medical profession. I also hope that LDC is able to provide a safe space for members to share their concerns and also have an opportunity to network with other clinicians working in the same area as dentistry can be an isolating profession.
What does NHS dentistry mean to you?
NHS dentistry plays a key role in providing quality healthcare to the public by supporting the providers to be able to deliver the service. Healthcare is an important necessity and one that everyone should be able to access. In its current state, it is not fully serving its purpose.
If LDCs didn’t exist what would that mean for the profession?
Without LDCs, there would be a lack of representation of primary care NHS dentistry. As a result, the stakeholders would have a poor understanding of how NHS dentistry currently functions and the challenges it brings.
What do you do to relax outside of dentistry?
Outside of dentistry, I enjoy traveling and exploring different countries and cuisines. I also like to keep active and have been playing hockey competitively for the last 15 years.
