The dental and oral and maxillofacial surgery trainee experience during COVID-19

Aliya graduated from The University of Birmingham in 2016 and completed her Dental Foundation Training in Essex. Since then, she has gone on to complete various dental core training roles including oral surgery and dental public health at Kings College London as well as completing a post in paediatric dentistry at Great Ormond Street Hospital. During her time at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Aliya completed a quality improvement project with two medical teams, leading to her winning the prestigious Health Education England DCT Regional Presentation Day Prize for London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

Aliya is a keen presenter, having presented at regional, national and international level.  She is an active member of the dental community and is currently on the board of the charity Dental Trauma UK, helping to advise the public and dental professionals on the management of dental trauma.

Aliya is a Clinical Fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at The Royal London Hospital with various clinical duties including day and night on call commitments, theatre sessions and outpatient maxillofacial clinics. She strongly believes in supporting dental trainees through the early years of their careers, helping to improve their skills and knowledge.

Declan Hughes graduated from Cardiff University Dental school with Honours in 2017 and obtained Membership of Faculty of Dental Surgeons with Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh in 2019. Following graduation, he spent a year practising general dentistry in East London.

After finding a passion for surgical dentistry he entered dental core training working in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery units across London including Queen Mary Hospital Sidcup, Kings College Hospital, Whipps Cross Hospital and the Royal London Hospital.

Following Dental Core training, he has been accepted to the accelerated medical degree at Queen Mary University of London to pursue a career in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery.