As a registered mentor on the NHS hub, I have seen the immense impact mentoring can have on professionals. Therefore, I am determined to support as many colleagues as I can as we navigate through turbulent times.

Being an overseas dentist, my career in the UK began again as a dental nurse and a hygienist before I qualified as a dentist. I have been practising as an associate dentist for 17+ years. Alongside my clinical role, my postgraduate diploma in Dental Law and Ethics has deepened my knowledge of legal frameworks and regulatory processes, helping me fulfil many leadership responsibilities, from managing regulatory compliance to supporting colleagues through complaints and litigation.

My mentoring journey began by supporting overseas dentists with preparation for the International registration examination, followed by integration into daily working life in the UK and through dentolegal Fitness to Practice (FTP) processes; this soon translated into mentoring of UK dental graduates, nurses, hygienists, orthodontic therapists, the full spectrum of our dental workforce. I have mentored dental professionals in developing their leadership and communication skills and supported them with well-being and career progression. Along my unique journey, I continue to enjoy learning from each of my mentees as I grow with them.

The NHS leadership programme enhanced my strengths as a strong communicator and a collaborative adaptive leader. In my experience, most issues, including technical, career or well-being issues, are often triggered by isolation and communication breakdowns; opening these communication channels through mentoring can 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 our thoughts within guided frameworks can help overcome the many challenges that distress many of our colleagues today.

But reaching out for support is up to 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 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.

 Click here to download my CV