One of the most enjoyable things about being a dentist is that there is no such thing as a routine day. Every day is different, and every day is varied, but there are some key things that appear at some point each week.
Patients
Most of my time is spent in surgery assessing and treating patients. This is the part of the job that I love, being able to improve patients’ lives, through thorough assessment and appropriate treatment planning. It is now well recognised that oral health can have a big impact of your general wellbeing as well as your mental health, so I am always pleased when someone chooses us to look after this for them and we work hard to ensure that we always offer the highest possible standard of treatment.
Managing the team
I would not be able to work efficiently without my skilled and efficient team and at Valley Dental Practice I am lucky to have one of the best. The nurses help to keep the surgery running to time, ensuring the right instruments are ready for whenever I need them, performing all the instrument decontamination and full cleaning protocols after each patient, whilst the reception team are highly skilled at ensuring that my appointment book is always full but that we always have the ability to see a patient in a dental emergency.
It is very important that the whole team works together, and this is why we have regular team meetings and staff appraisals to ensure that we are all working towards the same goal of the best possible patient experience.
Training
As part of my ongoing registration with the GDC I am required to complete a certain amount of training every year, some of this is linked to improving my skills and knowledge so that I can provide a higher service to patients, whilst other parts are involved in health and safety, safeguarding, infection control or medical emergencies. To name but a few! So, some portion of my week is always spent training, whether this be through webinars delivered in an evening after work or face to face at training sessions either at the practice or at other locations. This ensures that I am always up to date with the latest dental advancements and further helps to ensure that at Valley Dental Practice we can provide the highest level of care for our patients.
Policies and Protocols
I am lucky to have a fantastic Practice Manager who deals with a lot of the policies and protocols for me, but still some part of every week is spent reviewing and updating changes. This has been especially true over the past few months, due to the changes brought about by Covid-19. With a complete shake up of our Standard Operating Procedures and guidance changing on an almost daily basis, we have had to work hard to ensure that we are always following the latest guidance as well as ensuring our patients needs are met, despite longer appointment times, increased costs and the risks to both our staff and patients.
Over the years dentistry has changed far more than I could ever have imagined when I first qualified and I am sure will continue to grow and evolve in the years to come, ensuring that patients are pain free and feel confident in their teeth and smile.
If you would like to book in for a routine dental appointment or are looking to improve your smile with a cosmetic consultation. Do not hesitate to contact Valley Dental Practice on 01255 220322.
