Dr Archana Naik

GDC No: 5372

Areas of Practice: Dentolegal Consultant

As a registered mentor on the NHS hub, I have seen the immense impact mentoring can have on professionals. I am therefore determined to support as many colleagues as I can, as we navigate through turbulent times and the changing landscape of dentistry today.

Being an overseas dentist, my career in the UK began as a dental nurse and a hygienist before I qualified as a dentist. Through my career, I became aware of how much of an impact system-wide changes can have on our profession, so I became determined to contribute on a broader scale. My MA in Dental Law and Ethics has helped me deepen my knowledge and understand how regulatory bodies operate and how this translates into the legal and ethical parameters that regulate dental professionals on a daily basis. After working in varying roles in clinical practice for over 25 years, I now feel lucky to be able to support my colleagues through difficult times as a Dentolegal Consultant at Dental Protection.

My mentoring journey initially began by supporting overseas dentists with preparation for the International Registration Examination, followed by integration into daily working life in the UK and through complaints and General Dental Council (GDC) Fitness to Practice processes. This soon translated into mentoring of UK dental graduates, nurses, hygienists, orthodontic therapists- the full spectrum of our dental workforce.

The NHS leadership programme also enhanced my strengths as a strong communicator and a collaborative adaptive leader. I am part of the Dental Leadership Network at the GDC where I feel privileged to be able to contribute meaningfully towards driving change for our profession. Having completed training in Mentoring Senior Leaders, I have mentored dental professionals in developing their leadership and communication skills and supported them with well-being and career progression. Through my mentoring journey, I continue to enjoy learning from each of my mentees as I grow along with them.

In my experience, most challenges, including technical, career or well-being issues, are often triggered by isolation and communication breakdowns; opening these communication channels through mentoring can often be the key to resolving them. This is why I believe mentoring can be invaluable for all dental professionals at any stage of their career. With support from a trained mentor, talking through issues and working through your thoughts within guided frameworks can help overcome challenges that distress many of our colleagues today.

Mentoring is also not only for when a professional is in difficulty- a mentor can help you find your career path, and help you grow so you can find joy and fulfilment in your daily work. But reaching out for support is up to each one of us. It is time we took charge of our professional development, personal well-being, and happiness.

So if you want to talk about career growth, an unhappy patient or simply need someone to listen to who understands our ‘dental world’, I am here for you. I have been fortunate enough to be a part of many of my colleagues’ journeys and would love to be a part of yours, too.