What initially sparked your interest in dentistry and how did you begin your career?
Since I was young I have always wanted to be a dentist. It stemmed from my own dentist when I was a child, he was always so friendly and there was a great choice of stickers for kids at the end of the appointment. So from here, I used to look forward to visiting the dentist.
As I grew up and looked into the profession I thought this job is something I would really love to do. I undertook work experience at the local dentist and loved it. I was then fortunate enough to be accepted into The University of Dundee to study dentistry.
Describe your career journey so far.
After graduating from dental school I completed my vocational training in Paisley and then went on to be a dental associate in Airdrie. I really enhanced my skill set further at these practices from being introduced to digital dentistry and working in a large dental team. It was then two years ago I joined Bupa Dental Partick East and to say it’s flown by would be an understatement.
“From the onset there was a clear direction the practice was moving in. There was a big push for patients being at the centre of our care, the whole dental team were so welcoming and friendly.”
What attracted you to working at this particular practice?
When I came to see Bupa Dental Partick East I was greeted by Karen, our practice manager. From the onset, there was a clear direction the practice was moving in. There was a big push for patients being at the centre of our care, the whole dental team were so welcoming and friendly.
There really was a great buzz about the practice. So for me, it was a no-brainer to come work at Bupa Dental Care Partick East and I was fortunate enough for Karen to offer me the job.
What advice or words of encouragement would you give to other aspiring dentists?
Still being relatively young in my career I am still in the process of getting to where I want to be with my knowledge and clinical skill set. I recently started my journey working towards a Post Graduate Diploma in Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry.
However, for younger dentists just qualifying or turning associates, my advice would be to find your feet in a forward-thinking practice. Think about where you want to be in five years and what courses and further learning you need to get there. And start investing in yourself straight away, it makes your job even more rewarding knowing you can provide a high standard of consistent service to your patients.
Our culture is centered around going above and beyond for patients. Whether you’re working with patients directly or indirectly, you’ll be based within an empowering environment to give your all to create positive experiences and broad smiles.
Our caring approach extends to our employees too. It’s why we’re so big on training, development, and progression. It’s also why our practices are such friendly, collaborative places – people quickly become friends as well as colleagues.
As the only corporate dental provider in the UK not backed by private equity, we’re in a unique position. We’re committed to the UK dental industry for the long-term – both private and NHS – and are ready to treat not just today’s patients, but generations to come.
Furthermore, Bupa has no shareholders, so we’re able to focus 100% on delivering the best service for customers. We are run commercially to ensure we remain competitive, but we reinvest 100% of our profits to help provide better care for patients across the world.
Why not join us today? You can find our latest vacancies here.
Our clinical interviews with dentists are an important part of our recruitment process and offer a great chance for you to discuss your experience and where we can support you in your career with us.
We asked Craig Fleming, one of our Regional Clinical Leads to give his advice on how to get the most out of them and his tips on how to prepare.
