Reaching out to the community

I was just 17 years old when I joined a youth training scheme (YTS) in Cornwall and I started working in a dental practice. I've always had a passion for helping people, so when I stumbled across an article about the role of a dental nurse, I couldn't believe my luck. Now, 27 years on, I still love the role as much as I did when I started – possibly more! I especially get work satisfaction out of helping people overcome their dental fears and thrive on being able to help patients improve their oral health. I've worked in various positions since qualifying as a dental nurse, treating approximately 89,000 patients so far. In my current role with Smile Together, a staff-owned community interest company in Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly's leading primary care dental provider, I work as an access and community dental nurse. On a normal day (if such a thing exists!), I divide my time across four clinics, working in collaboration with four dentists, four dental nurses, two decontamination technicians and administrative support.