Dr Gwyneth is a Dentist with a special interest in Endodontics and plays an incredibly important role here at Oakwood Dental Practice.
Endodontics focuses on repairing and maintaining the health of the dental pulp (the nerve) and its surrounding structures (tooth, root and bone).The aim is to preserve a functional tooth rather than having to extract it. Dentists with a special interest in Endodontics, like Dr Gwyneth, provide care for our patients who require more complex endodontic treatments beyond the scope of general dentistry such as complex root canal treatments.
We managed to grab a few moments out of Dr Gwyneth’s busy day to find out a little more about her background and what makes her tick!
Tell me a little about how you got into dentistry
I decided to go into dentistry after my first taste behind the scenes at a dental practice during work experience at school. I loved the environment and the contact with patients and knew it was something I wanted to be involved in. Skip a few years and in 2002 I’m graduating from Newcastle Dental School and moving on to my vocational training in general dentistry in Darlington to help build my experience in a clinical setting.
After a year of training I decided to move to Leeds and gain experience in secondary care, working in the hospital setting of maxillofacial (the diagnosis of patients with diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck) and restorative dental surgery. During this time I worked under some fantastic registrars and consultants, learning a breadth of knowledge and skills that not only gave me confidence in surgery, but also helped me to better understand and manage the patient experience and their treatment pathways through primary and secondary care.
I also gained my membership to the faculty of Dental Surgeons at the Royal College of Surgeons London – an accreditation that I’m very proud of.
Following my time in secondary care I moved back into general dentistry, with a new set of skills that meant I could really make the role my own. After some time working in the NHS and subsequently privately, I took a special interest in Endodontics – a challenging area that I’ve really been able to ‘get my teeth into’.
I’m currently studying towards a postgraduate degree in Endodontics and regularly work with the team at Oakwood Dental Practice to support in this speciality field.
How long have you been working at Oakwood Dental Practice?
I have been working on and off at Oakwood for the past 5 years. Barbie is such a great principal dentist and she is supported by a fantastic team. There is a lovely friendly vibe within the practice which puts patients at ease and makes it a really nice place to work. I’m really happy to now have a regular spot in surgery there.
What would you say your favourite part of your role is?
Mainly, I love meeting lots of new people! When you work at a practice for a number of years you really get to know your patients, giving them continuity of care and getting to meet some lovely people along the way!
My passion in dentistry is carrying out ‘CPR for teeth’ – saving teeth from having to be extracted by carrying out root canal treatment. It’s so rewarding, and I love being able to relieve my patients of pain and discomfort, and achieve the best outcome for them
I also really enjoy working in the dental team at Oakwood – everyone is so friendly and helpful!
It’s always great to hear more about the person behind the face mask – what is it that you’re passionate about outside of work?
I spend my life juggling work, studying and being mum of two so to relax I like to run – it’s the perfect way to unwind after a busy day! I do a bit of road running but it is trail running that ticks the boxes of mental unwind with a dose of fresh air and mud for good measure. I also love reading and listening to audiobooks.