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A Julie McNicol, SGDP and honorary SpR in paediatric dentistry


Q&


• What attracted you to a career in paediatric dentistry? I was always attracted to paediatric dentistry from my early undergraduate experience and teaching. The speciality provides an opportunity to deliver a diverse range of treatments in patients with a developing dentition. I find treating children can be as rewarding as it is challenging!


be helpful to carry out some audit projects during your early training and to have one or two published articles to your name. You can also attend local British Society of Paediatric Dentistry meetings to learn more about the range of the specialty and meet colleagues with similar interests. To qualify as a specialist you must


successfully complete your supervised training programme and pass the Membership in Paediatric Dentistry examination. It is expected that a trainee who enters a full-time paediatric dentistry programme with no relevant prior training in the specialty will become qualified in three years. Part-time specialty training is also possible and would usually be completed in around five years.


Career options Specialists in paediatric dentistry may work in the salaried health services either as a community-based specialist or as part of a team in either a district general or a children’s hospital. Paediatric dentistry specialists are also employed in university dental teaching schools and hospitals involved in the teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students and specialty trainees. Many working in these environments will have undergone a further period of supervised training leading to their appointment as a consultant in paediatric dentistry. There are also opportunities in a number of other areas including independent practice, both private and NHS. To find out more speak with the paediatric


dentistry consultants and specialists at your local dental school and hospital. The local postgraduate deanery can provide information on the application process and you can also find out more on the website of BSPD (www.bspd.co.uk) and those of the UK Royal surgical colleges: Edinburgh, Glasgow and England.


Graeme Wright is a specialist practitioner in paediatric dentistry and National Treasurer of the BSPD


• What do you enjoy most about the job? I thoroughly enjoy communicating with children and their families. We largely rely on families and carers to bring the child for treatment and therefore a truly holistic approach has to be adopted when planning their care. I enjoy the opportunities which are available in delivering care utilising behavioural management techniques, sedation or general anaesthetic. Additionally, the speciality supports the provision of oral and dental care for the medically compromised child. The opportunity to contribute to their care and to work closely with medical colleagues is extremely gratifying.


• What do you find most difficult? During the years of my training, I have seen development to some aspects of service and reduction to others. There is an increasing challenge to deliver care to children with an overall reduction in staffing within salaried NHS services. Consequently, patients are assessed in a timely manner however there can be delays receiving and completing treatment. This can be very frustrating for patients and clinicians alike.


• What special challenges do children pose as dental patients? Children can present a range of challenges either due to their stage of development or behavioural issues often linked with dental anxiety. In addition we rely on the primary care giver to engage in the treatment plan for any behavioural modifications, e.g. changes to dietary or tooth brushing habits, and in this sense our speciality is quite unique. Often managing the child within the family unit can present most challenges if the parent or care giver is unaware of their importance in the successful outcome of the child’s treatment.


• Have you been surprised by any aspect of the job? Almost on a daily basis I am surprised by the quirks and humour that children bring to the job. Furthermore, it can be quite surprising when young pre co-operative children manage certain treatments or return for review appointments following some months and often, due to further maturity and development, have significantly improved compliance.


• What advice would you give to a trainee considering paediatric dentistry? It is an extremely rewarding speciality to work in and lends itself to careers in both primary care and hospital settings. Excellent communication skills are required and broad-based early postgraduate training is essential. The opportunity to treat children in general practice as well as in community or salaried posts allows the acquisition of knowledge and skills for treating a range of patients with differing co-operative abilities.


• What is your most memorable experience so far in the specialty? As a SpR in paediatric dentistry we participate in audit projects and are encouraged to have an area of research interest. In our training we are encouraged to present our topics and attend national, European or international conferences to expand our knowledge on practices elsewhere and to develop links with other trainees. A particular memorable experience was the opportunity to present at the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry in Dubrovnik in 2008. It had an excellent scientific meeting and the social events within such a spectacular setting with good friends will never be forgotten.


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