Linda Kesington, a periodontal patient, shares her journey to taking control of oral health and improving well-being. Topics include childhood dental experiences, proactive oral care decisions, benefits of a hygienist, empowering patient communication in dentistry, and the importance of consistent dental care for preventing tooth loss.

Welcome back to the Eastman Dental Podcast! In this mini-series, we're delving into real patient experiences to help dental professionals gain an insight from a different angle. In Episode 1, we hear the amazing story of a patient diagnosed with Tongue Cancer at only 32. Barbara Fountain shares her journey through diagnosis and treatment and how tongue cancer has affected her life. Barbara is now the CEO & Founder of the Young Tongues, a global peer support group for young people diagnosed with Tongue Cancer.

Jyoti Sumel, a dental therapist with a focus on community care and support for vulnerable patients, discusses her journey in the dental therapy field. She highlights the importance of audits in dental practice, advocates for dental therapists and other dental care professionals, and reflects on her accomplishments and future aspirations in dental therapy.

Marie Parker, Deputy Programme Director of Hygiene & Therapy at the Eastman Dental Hospital, shares valuable tips and insights on entering the dental industry as a nurse and progressing into management. She discusses the benefits of training in a hospital, importance of self-development and getting involved in professional societies, challenges in dental nursing, mindset differences in job applications, and embracing opportunities by stepping out of your comfort zone.

Peter Briggs, previous Postgraduate Dental Dean for London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex, talks about his educational journey, leadership experiences, receiving feedback, and reflecting on achievements. He also discusses challenges in the dental field such as urban migration, pediatric care, and cognitive decline.

Orthodontic Technician James Green joins The Eastman Dental Podcast to discuss his work with cleft lip and palate patients, the variety of orthodontic appliances used for their treatment, and the shortage of dental technicians in the field. He also shares insights into his career and collaborations with different hospitals in running regional services.

Dr Debbie Reed, a senior lecturer at the University of Kent, shares her inspiring journey from the Royal Navy to academia. She discusses the importance of leadership and teamworking, her personal achievements, and the unconventional routes taken by dental care professionals in pursuing postgraduate training. Debbie also highlights the positive impact of academic qualifications in career progression and the excitement of investigating dental history.

Jill Harding, Communication Director of Dentaid The Dental Charity, shares the inspiring story of the charity's origin and their incredible initiatives like providing dental equipment to Ukrainian prisons and delivering entire dental practices in a wheelie bin to remote areas. They discuss their collaborative work environment, expansion of services, and funding sources. The podcast emphasizes the importance of dental professionals in delivering care and highlights Dentaid's achievements and plans for the future.

Sarah Maher, a dental nurse turned operations director, discusses her unconventional career journey in dentistry, from starting as a dental nurse at 15 to becoming the director of operations. She shares challenges of running an urgent care center, taking on a service lead role, and developing an orthodontic therapy apprenticeship program. She emphasizes the importance of dental nurse training, exploring different areas of interest, and having determination to achieve future plans and aspirations.

For Episode 3 of The Eastman Dental Podcast, Simone Ruzario discusses her career journey from studying Chemistry to Dental Therapy. After completing her degree in Medical Microbiology, Simone completed her dental training at Barts. Since then, she has completed her post graduate training and gained a Master of Public Health - MPH from The University of Manchester. Simone shares her experience working in the voluntary sector and her inspirational outreach work across the globe.