A time to look forward

As I wrote this I found myself typing the words ‘I am looking forward to…’ many times which sets the scene perfectly! After a challenging time, we’re all ready to see some changes in how we live and work, so looking forward seems appropriate and positive.

I’ve always found the BSP to be a welcoming, friendly society offering a genuine support network. Its fantastic reputation is well-deserved. Giving back is important and this underpins my all-round approach to being President next year. This also leads me to my strong desire to continue the sterling work on projects already in motion and collaborating with the new Education Advisory Committee, ECG and other societies and organisations. Bringing in new angles and fresh thinking will diversify our initiatives, especially educationally, for our members. We can learn so much from each other. Watch this space!

2022 promises many things – a burst of annual activity around Gum Health Awareness Day (May), the impressive international stage of EuroPerio10 in Copenhagen (June) and the excellent BSP conference (October) to name just three. What these events have in common is the excitement of returning to face-to-face environments and the opportunity to bring the human touch to everything we do going forward.

For my conference, I am working with the theme of ‘New Horizons’, where we’ll refocus on basics done well, engaging the dental team, guidelines and disease management, embracing digital implant dentistry and the interdisciplinary interfaces we address daily in clinical practice. Again, this highlights the theme of working together and valuing the combined team contribution. There’s no real substitute for making these essential connections. Zoom and Teams can only do so much!

The past three years have seen me investing a huge amount of time in setting up my specialist practice in the Midlands. During this time, I also suffered a physical setback which led me to take a year out to recover from emergency hand surgery. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and so I’m in a good position to understand some of the challenges we all face – long hours, juggling family commitments, continuing to invest in our education, furthering careers and developing businesses alongside providing the best patient care we can. It’s hard of course but rewarding.

Outside of work I am a family man through and through. My wife Sharon and I have two beautiful girls, Eva who is 6 and Ella, 3. Ella has just joined Eva at school, which is a parenting milestone, adding much excitement and joy to the recent start of term! They are both mad about arts and crafts which means we tidy as they create! They are both also learning to play the piano and tennis (not at the same time). We spend a lot of time outdoors, walking, going on bike rides, visiting our favourite places. Every year we go to Spain to relax, detox and enjoy our time together. We are really looking forward to getting back out there in 2022, spending quality time with friends and family. In the UK we love the Cotswolds, particularly its countryside, farms and parks. We like to make the most of the weekends together. Eating out is big for us and as a family, Italian food always wins out because that is our daughters’ favourite.

Looking forward, I am feeling optimistic about reconnecting properly and seeing you all at the forthcoming BSP meetings and other dentistry events.