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You have full access to this article via your institution. Download PDF SAKINA SYED, 44, is a dually qualified dental hygienist and dental therapist, a writer and a researcher. She will be

sharing some of her work in _BDJ Team_'s DCP research themed issue this September. SAKINA'S DAY On a typical day I get up at 6 am. I'm originally from Rochdale in Lancashire -

I am a British Pakistani - but now live in London. I'm married with a son aged 15 and a daughter aged four. For breakfast, I'm trying to be good and eat at home - eggs nowadays -

to break my Pret a Manger stop in the mornings. It seems to be working! I work predominantly as a dental hygienist at Bupa Dental Care in London and at Serene by Dr Safa in Knightsbridge,

London. I walk to the station which is ten minutes away, normally on the phone to one of my five sisters, and then travel by DLR if I am going to Bupa Bank or by tube if I am travelling to

Serene which takes me one hour. I work full time between 4-5 days: one day at Serene and the rest at Bupa. I start at 8 am and finish between 4-5 pm. My week is often caught up between

rushing to and from nursery for my daughter and the practice. I have a great team of dental nurses I work with who make the day run smoothly. I see a mixture of direct access and referral

patients which is heavily periodontal treatment. I do spend a huge amount of time on oral hygiene and motivation which helps with the overall treatment outcome. My evenings after the kids

are asleep are catching up on emails, especially if we are planning a BSDHT regional study evening. It sounds full on but I am getting a better balance of work and life now. STARTING OUT IN

DENTISTRY I was a bank manager for NatWest Bank and my mother was concerned I did not have a long-term career. My sister Dr Mahnaz Syed is a periodontist who used to work as a consultant at

Barts and The London and now runs her periodontal clinic, Elite Perio in Perth, Australia. She is the reason I entered the field of dentistry: she told me about the dental hygiene and

therapy diploma and encouraged me to apply. Family pressure but it was the best decision I made for my family and for me. At school, I had applied for Optometry and did better in my A levels

but did not get my firm offer so I had to go through clearing. My father encouraged me to do any degree from King's College London and said that I would be okay in life, and he was not

wrong. I completed a BSc (Hons) Human Biology in 2002 and believe it helped me to gain a place on the dental hygiene and therapy diploma without dental experience. I completed the double

diploma (Dip DH, Dip DTh) with Queen Mary and Westfield, School of Medicine and Dentistry (QMUL) in 2007. DENTAL HYGIENE AND THERAPY I have been loyal to Bupa Dental Care since January 2008.

I like the corporate umbrella and reputable name of Bupa and I am part of a big team. I got my first job with Bupa before I had even sat my final exams. I used to work at two Bupa sites,

but now just one. > I love meeting new people and building long-term relationships with > them. I have had many patients move away and then still come and > find me when back in 

London. We are a 13-surgery practice at Bank over two floors and expanding. In my hygiene team, there are seven part-time hygienists, part of a full team of 60 - dentists, specialist dental

nurses, treatment coordinators, receptionists and managers. It's a really great practice with very supportive managers and great colleagues that help you develop. Last year I wanted a

change and that's when I moved one day to Serene by Dr Safa. It has been lovely to work in a smaller but more intimate practice in a different location. I also wanted to be part of the

wider dental hygiene and therapy community and put myself forward to volunteer at the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT). I have done all the BSDHT regional roles but I

have been chair for over one year now and I am so proud of what the London group has achieved in terms of growth. It has been a humbling experience to win Dental Hygienist of the Year at

both the Dentistry Awards and Private Dentistry two years in a row, 2022 and 2023, which has certainly given me a lot more confidence. Winning BSDHT Member of the Year in association with

Kin Dental 2023 was amazing. I designed a patient leaflet and it's being distributed within dental practices - it has been a great achievement. INVOLVEMENT WITH RESEARCH My involvement

with research started whilst at university in my final year at QMUL. I saw there was a dental conference happening in Dubai and wanted to go so I started to research it and decided to give

the poster competition a go, which was based on my final year dissertation. No one had ever entered the competition as a student from my university before and my tutor Bal Chana ended up

going with me. I have taken part in four now and enjoy the achievement of seeing the final poster completed. Taking part is not about winning but showcasing my work to share with others.

Another project I am involved with is for BioMin. I was introduced to BioMin products at a regional BSDHT meeting and love them. I am currently finalising a presentation on the clinical

applications of BioMin toothpaste for dental hygienists and dental therapists as a professional educator. THE BEST BITS I love meeting new people and building long-term relationships with

them. I have had many patients move away and then still come and find me when back in London. I also love gums! The more challenging element of my work is that even after so many years of

experience there are still a few patients you just can't crack or motivate, and I find that hard. I am currently doing some work on reskilling my dental therapy which is taking time

with a busy family. I applied for the dental therapy return back to work but could not be placed into a practice near me, so I hope to try again. DOWN TIME I finish work at different times

each day but typically get home between 4-6 pm. > This year, I'm finally planning to go to Pakistan to visit family. I > haven't been for 30 years and can't wait!

Outside work I love travelling, going for walks along the riverside, watching some box sets and of course spending time with my children. Weekends are family time and we like to get

outdoors, watching my son play sports and going out for lunch. We also enjoy mini day trips. My daughter is learning to ride a bike at the moment, so we are often out with it. This year,

I'm finally planning to go to Pakistan to visit family. I haven't been for 30 years and can't wait! Over the years, I have been very supported by my practice when needing time

out or for childcare reasons. Being a dental hygienist or therapist can be stressful at time, and you must be on the ball, but for me it has been a balanced and rewarding career. INTERVIEW

BY KATE QUINLAN AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * BDJ Team, Editor, London, UK Kate Quinlan Authors * Kate Quinlan View author publications You can also search for this author

inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Kate Quinlan. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Quinlan, K. A balanced and

rewarding career. _BDJ Team_ 11, 298–300 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41407-024-2714-z Download citation * Published: 19 July 2024 * Issue Date: 19 July 2024 * DOI:

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