See what we get up to at ashbourne dental practice

Our lovely Dentist, Anna, unfortunately left the Practice just before Christmas. This was a very difficult decision for her to make as she loved working here. Anna had decided to move down to London to go and live with her partner. Anna was thought of very highly by all the team at Ashbourne and by her patients as she is an exceptional dentist and is missed dearly.

The Practice is becoming increasingly busy. We have had a new dentist, Asha, start with us. Asha is one of Anna’s very dear friends having grown up together and Asha was eager to start with us following in Anna’s footsteps!

The garage conversion has now been completed and is looking wonderful. Annette is enjoying her new space and her patients are loving it also!

We have started work on converting the garage at the practice. The garage will be converted into a space usable for a lovely Chiropodist/Podiatrist, Annette Wilkinson, to treat her patients in. Annette currently works in Ashbourne already but is moving office to our premises and we look forward her joining our team.

We welcomed our charming new dentist, Jake, who has filled the boots of Anna well already. He has settled well and befriended many of our patients. Jake, like Anna, has come highly recommended from Jenny, the dentist at Littleover Dental Practice (Ravi’s other Practice), having worked previously together.

The past few months have been busy for us at the practice since Anna has started and she has settled in well. The team have embraced the new computer system and adapted well to it, and patients also! As it’s the Christmas season staff have been out early this month on their Christmas do. It was Ravi’s treat to take us all and partners to the Lamplight in Ashbourne for a lovely three-course meal. Thank you, Ravi! 

The staff at Ashbourne Dental Practice would like to wish all our patients a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

At the very end of October to early November, the practice underwent a change from a paper-based patient record system to one that is fully computerised to include digital x-rays. This took some adapting and getting used to from some of our member of staff but thanks to Hannah and Anna having used the system before, they were able to help us transition much more smoothly. The computer management system has put is more into the 21st century in Dentistry. It means we can record and be more detailed with patient notes and therefore also more compliant with CQC. It also means that we are well on the way to completing our aim of one day being a paperless practice. As part of being computerised, we now complete the medical history forms on iPads, or as we call ‘Clinipads’. These get sent over to the computer once completed and the signed copy can be view on the computer. One less bit of paper! We hope the iPads do not put many people off but we have Julie, who is somewhat of an expert on the iPads to help our patients should they need it. 

The CQC, who are like the health sector’s version of Ofsted, have been to inspect our practice to make sure we are providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. It is safe to say that the inspector was very pleased with the care we provide here, in particular commenting on how friendly and clean the environment was. We take a lot of pride in the service we provide here and are very proud of the comments and results we achieved after the inspection. It is fair to say well done to all the staff at Ashbourne Dental Practice for all the hard work they always continue and strive to put in.

If you would like to read the full CQC report, it is available online at:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-2288785206#accordion-1 

Sophie is now working with us full-time as the Practice Manager, making sure the practice is keeping up with legislation and making sure the day-to-day running of the practice is smooth. Sophie has been working hard to update all the latest policies to make sure we remain compliant with the healthcare watchdog that is the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We are due an inspection from the CQC in October.

Refurbishment of both the upstairs and downstairs surgeries has been completed. We have had a fresh lick of paint, new flooring and brand new high-tech dental chairs installed to enable us to carry out quality yet comfortable dental treatment. The new surgeries allow a cleaner and safer working space, keeping in line with requirements from the CQC also.

If September hadn’t already had a lot happening, we now have Anna working with us full-time. She has settled in well to the practice and patients have commented on how thorough and gentle she is. 

Dr Anna Lad is expected to join our team full-time from the end of September. She comes with great recommendation from many colleagues in the dental industry, in particular from Jenny, the Dentist at Littleover. Anna and Jenny had studied together at Leeds and Anna had also done some work experience at Littleover Dental Practice before becoming a qualified dentist. Anna has spent recent years working in London, building up her experience in general restorative dentistry. We look forwards to Anna joining our team. 

After looking hard for someone to fill Karen’s shoes, we have now employed a new Dental Nurse, Hannah, who is a trainee dental nurse but is set to qualify in the new year. She is very enthusiastic and friendly and we look forward to her working as an integral member of our team. 

This month also, our staff have undergone annual training in dealing with medical emergencies and carrying out CPR. This was an afternoon event carried out at The Farmhouse in Mackworth along with the staff at one of Ravi’s other practices; Littleover Dental Practice. 

Karen our Dental Nurse has decided to leave us at Ashbourne Dental Practice after 15 years of service and has taken up a new venture in her life as a dog walker to which she is thoroughly enjoying. Karen was a very hard working dental nurse and took pride in her work and was very caring and reassuring to patients, particularly those that were nervous. Karen will be missed and we wish her all the best for her new career. 

Ravi has been working at Ashbourne for a good month now and has won over the smiles of many of our patients. It is at this time also that Ravi has taken on a new member of staff; Sophie joined as the Practice’s Dental Hygiene Therapist, keeping the patients’ smiles in tip top health and, as part of her Therapist role, carrying out any fillings patients may need as referred from Ravi. Sophie, like Ravi, has also gained approval from our patients with her calm and gentle manner.

We have said our goodbyes and best wishes to Peter and Dooley Manley as they embark on their retirement. The staff at Ashbourne Dental Practice went to Callow Hall to celebrate and enjoyed a lovely meal together and reminisced the great times working together. Julie recited Pam Ayre’s poem “Oh, I Wish I Looked After Me Teeth”, which can be read online at http://pamayres.com/index.php/2011/08/oh-i-wish-id-looked-after-me-teeth/ 

The beginning of a new chapter for Ashbourne Dental Practice… An enthusiastic, caring and friendly new dentist named Ravi Nathwani brought the practice from Mr and Mrs Manley as they themselves are about to start a new chapter in their own life and enjoy the wonders of retirement. As a helping hand to Ravi, Peter and Dooley carried on working until the end of December.

Our lovely wee Heather has returned to nursing from maternity leave after giving birth to a beautiful baby boy named Daniel in December 2014. We are delighted to be having Heather back in our team again although just for one day a week.