Irina graduated in Medical University Plovdiv, Bulgaria in 2011 and moved to the UK in 2013 to follow her passion for aesthetic dentistry. Irina felt the UK was the best move due to its diversity, good universities and a rich history.
Moving to a different country can be a challenge and a huge change, but that didn’t stop Irina;
“I am an adventurous person, so the change was not difficult. In fact, both my journey and experience have been full of fun and positive stories and people. The language was not an issue, as I speak 5 in total. My documents were ready in about a month and within another one I already had a job offer. I worked for nearly 4 years in West Midlands, while I was doing postgraduate training in Aesthetic and Restorative dentistry, before I moved to Nottingham and started working for Bupa.”
Irina’s career in the UK did not start with Bupa, though made the move once discovering the advantages as an associate dentist;
“My first two positions were in independent practices. The teams were lovely, though seemed that no matter how hard we tried to keep on board with all the news – clinical compliances, medical law, CQC, etc., we were getting behind.
“When I moved to Bupa, I felt enormous support in that aspect. It is a big company, so all the tasks are delegated, you have a team to look after you and keep you updated with the latest changes in law, compliances, etc. So, from my view things are easy – I need to take care of the patients and their problems. I don’t need to worry if the lab work has been sent or if new materials have been ordered – it’s simple and it runs smoothly.”
“Working at Bupa gives me clinical freedom and unconditional team support and as a clinician I believe this is one of the most important things. It gives you confidence and reassurance. Bupa has a strong policy for accepting diversity, so I feel at home.”
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Amongst other plus points, Irina feels the network of support throughout Bupa enables her to be at her best;
“The best thing is that I am not isolated in one surgery. I have the chance to communicate with a lot of people, not only from the practice but in the whole company. Sometimes I consult with colleagues, sometimes ask for advice, sometimes get and send referrals. I feel part of a big family and I really enjoy going to work every day. My team is very positive, and the only moaning every now and then is about the weather, with which we’ve been quite lucky with actually, for the last month.
“Working at Bupa gives me clinical freedom and unconditional team support and as a clinician, I believe this is one of the most important things. It gives you confidence and reassurance. Bupa has a strong policy for accepting diversity, so I feel at home. Also, there are a lot of opportunities to explore, as well as help with career progression, which I find quite exciting.”
After a few years, Irina feels right at home in the UK and, in particular, our Newark practice – from the people she has met to the great food on offer;
“In Bupa Newark, I am really fortunate, as my colleagues are my friends. We get along really well. We work hard and laugh harder. It’s a “Girl Power” team, we have lots of fun together. It seems like there is always someone on a diet… until the moment someone else decides to order pizza for lunch which puts the plans for a beach body on hold for another day.”
Irina came from Bulgaria to practice in the UK at Bupa
Irina’s journey has been amazing so far, though it doesn’t stop there;
“At the moment I am doing an MSc programme in Endodontics. However, my ambitions are a bit more than just finishing the programme and start receiving referrals from colleagues. I am a fan of the digital world and Digital Dentistry. I want to be one of the first clinicians in Bupa who will integrate the Digital approach in practice and prove its excellent results and simplicity of workflow. Bupa is a modern forward-thinking company, and I believe getting support for my plan is not going to be an issue at all. In fact, my team is already very excited about the idea.”
Finally, Irina wanted to share what she’d say to someone thinking of joining Bupa Dental Care;
“I would advise them to go ahead without hesitation. There is nothing to be concerned about. You will not get better support than in here. And it is full of opportunities to progress and develop your career path. The best thing about it is that you will meet a lot of lovely people and new friends.”
If you’d like to hear about what opportunities there are for you with Bupa, we’d love you to get in touch.
