Leadership in dentistry: Part 3

Natalie is currently undertaking her specialist training in Special Care Dentistry and is passionate about addressing the oral health of vulnerable groups. She has experience working in general practice, community and hospital services as well as completing a fellowship with the Chief Dental Officer’s Scheme. She is an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur and dental blogger, with her blog ‘A Tooth Germ’ reaching over half a million views this year

Zahra studied her undergraduate dental degree at the University of Sheffield, where she also received a Bachelors of Medical Science intercalated degree. Graduating in 2020, she has just begun work as Foundation Dentist as part of the Guy’s and King’s Pilot Scheme in London. She has an interest in research, presenting at University research presentation days as well as at the British Society of Oral and Dental Research/International Association for Dental Research General Meeting (London, 2018), where she was awarded the undergraduate Junior Colgate Prize and the International Association for Dental Research General Meeting (Vancouver, 2019) where she was a finalist in the international Hatton competition.

Vinay is an academic Dental Core Trainee based at the Birmingham Dental Hospital where he is a Topol Fellow in Digital Healthcare, part of the Health Education England initiative to upskill the healthcare workforce in digital technology. This role is focused around a primary research project, however also engages with policy making bodies in HEE, NHSX and NHS Digital.

Prior to this, he was part of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management’s Chief Dental Officer Scheme in academic year 2018/19. Whilst in this role he was placed in the Office of the Chief Dental Officer, based at NHS England and Improvement. Through experiential learning, Vinay has been able to pick up knowledge about how the NHS system works and was given the task of leading the Dental section of the NHS Interim Peoples Plan.

Lauren qualified from Cardiff Dental School in 2009. She owns Sparkle Dental Centre and created the Facebook group Mental Dental- A Group for Dentists in Crisis. Lauren is also a founding member and secretary of Confidental, the helpline charity for Dentists in crisis. She sits on several BDA committees and working groups; she is the Acting Chair of the Young Dentists Committee, Vice Chair of the Welsh General Dental Practice Committee and also sits on the UK General Dental Practice Committee and Welsh Council. She is currently involved with several EDI projects as well as her work on mental health and burnout

Roshni’s role at the FGDP began as an Early Careers Observer to the Board in 2015.  During this time her role was to listen to the views of the Board and offer opinion and advice to help facilitate development in the profession particularly from the view of an Early Careers Dentist.  

In 2017, Roshni ran for and was duly elected to the Board to represent the South West Thames and South East Thames Region, England. As a newly Elected Board Representative, her vision was to create a Professional Community of like-minded dentists who felt they had a support network and 'Professional Home' that stimulates peer learning and collaboration, as it is here where she believes we thrive the most.  Roshni began work alongside the FGDP (UK) team to re-establish her region first by close analysis of member feedback and presented this initial journey nationally at a Divisions Event on 'Emerging Leaders.' Following involvement with the Membership Affairs Committee, she was offered the position of Chair and subsequently joined the Deans Executive Board.  

Within her capacity so far with the FGDP (UK)  Roshni has attended various Board meetings outside of which,  she has also  consulted on and co-ordinated  (in line with her vision), various projects to help advance dental care, raise standards, develop membership (including  for dental students),  prepare for independence, facilitate regional CPD/ focus group sessions  as well as  recently develop a new regional study club.  

In addition to her involvement directly with the Faculty, Roshni also is a representative on the Child Oral Health Improvement Board at the Department of Health and Social Care,  Public Health England.  This group meets regularly to discuss various initiatives with relevant stakeholders that all have key leadership roles for children and young people; with the overarching ambition that " every child grows up free from tooth decay as part of every child having the best start in life." 

In 2019, Roshni was elected as Junior Vice Dean, at the FGDP (UK), which she feels was a real ‘privilege and honour’.  Within her capacity, she has been now working closely with the Educations and Qualifications committee to help  develop a  new Professional Career Structure for the whole Dental Team, giving practitioners the chance to develop freely and flexibly with a real sense of satisfaction in their professional careers.