Are you ambitious?

Previous articles in this series explored the differences between management and leadership; differing styles of leadership, and gave you some ideas on how to improve and develop your own leadership style. The previous article in the series focused on leadership at the clinical level of the dental practice. This article examines leadership at the more strategic and senior levels.

Take a few minutes to think about the various leaders that influence your daily work as a dental nurse. Have you identified many people? Are they all dental nurses or are some dentists or practice managers? If your dental practice is part of a large organisation or hospital, then you will probably have identified leaders of the organisation or senior hospital staff. Have you thought about identifying your local member of parliament or the Secretary of State for Health? (at the time of writing this is: The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP). Did you think about the dental nurses on the British Association of Dental Nurses or the new British Society of Dental Nurses? What about Kirstie Moons, the only dental nurse on the General Dental Council?