For readers who may not be familiar with you, could you briefly introduce yourself?

Of course! I'm a dental technician, and I've been in this field for almost 30 years now, which is a bit daunting to think about. I'm a director at S4S Dental Lab, which is based in Sheffield, plus we have a lab in London. In addition, Doing some consultancy for the NHS for the Dental Care Professionals (DCP) Network in the East Midlands, and I'm the editor-in-chief for Laboratory Magazine. So, I'm quite involved in the UK dental technology and laboratory sector.

 

Why do you think networking is particularly important for dental technicians?

Networking is absolutely vital, in my view. That's why I accepted the role as co-chair for the Dental Care Professionals Network. Dental technicians can feel a bit isolated – we're often stuck in labs and don’t interact much with the public or the wider dental team, apart from communication on a lab prescription form, email or even a WhatsApp message. Events like Dentistry Show London and Dental Technology Showcase (DTS) are fantastic for breaking that isolation. There's also the DCP Theatre at the London event, which is a great opportunity to gain some CPD and meet fellow technicians and other members of the dental team.

 

Will you be attending the London show this year? What are you hoping to gain from it?

I'm definitely hoping to get there! If I do attend, it'll be on Friday. I enjoy seeing the different crowds that attend the London event compared to those in the Midlands or the North. I’m looking forward to checking out the new suppliers, seeing the stands, listening to some speakers, and learning about the latest innovations. Dental technology is changing so fast, and the new advancements in digital dental technology are just amazing. So, I hope to take in a bit of everything!

 

You mentioned rapid changes in the industry. Could you explain what's evolving for dental technicians?

Absolutely. I've written about this recently – the profession is going through a bit of a challenge, as we're losing technicians year by year. However, the profile of dental technicians is growing, and we're involved in a lot more these days. You see cases on social media, on Instagram and Facebook, where the quality of work is incredible. And with the ongoing advancements in digital dentistry, some of the cutting-edge technologies are just mind-blowing. What we’re able to do now is light years ahead of where we were even a few years ago.

 

What would you say to someone considering attending London Dentistry Show?

I love going to these shows! Apart from bumping into people from the media, which gives us an opportunity to grow our profile in dental publications, it's a chance to reconnect with colleagues I haven’t seen in years. Even if you don’t come away with new knowledge (although I’m sure you will), you’ll definitely appreciate the social aspect, which is always enjoyable.

 

Lastly, what's new with S4S Dental Lab?

This year, we have a big stand, and we’ve taken a slightly different approach. We’re focusing on showcasing the different specialities within the lab. So, if you want to talk about snoring and sleep apnoea, we’ll have someone there who specialises in that. If bruxism and occlusal splints are more your area of interest, we’ll have an expert for that, too. We’ll also have specialists for orthodontics, clear aligners and mouth guards. It’s all about making sure our team is available to answer any specific questions and share their expertise. We’re really looking forward to it!