Sadie Buswell

I am responsible for the day to day running of our practice at Truro Health Park, ensuring all clinical, legal and health and safety requirements are adhered to, including CQC compliance, across the range of our referral services and urgent dental care provision for patients. Maintaining a safe and efficient environment for the team and our patients is paramount and I’ve especially enjoyed creating and managing a space where colleagues feel well supported and have the space to grow, learn, have autonomy and feel happy at work.

Being responsible for managing our daily operations sees me frequently problem solving and ensuring excellent communication between our clinical team members, professional support colleagues and our patients. Every day I strive to be a good leader, coach, friend and role model.

I enjoy being inspired by others and inspiring others. The most fun aspect of my role is working with my team in Truro, meeting new people and building relationships, especially with my fellow Practice Managers. I love being a part of working groups within our company, sharing best practice and coming up with exciting new ideas or service improvements, and generally networking across Smile Together, getting to visit other practice locations and meeting colleagues across the company.

It’s such a refreshing business environment where everyone’s voice is heard and we are encouraged to be inspirational and creative. Not only does this feel like fun, but we can bring our own personality to the workplace.

In a role such as this there are always unexpected challenges, but I am slightly excited by that. I enjoy learning and when I feel uncomfortable, I know I am learning and developing – something that we are all actively encouraged to do.

I have both private and NHS practice management experience and, prior to joining Smile Together and moving to Cornwall, I worked for a Community Dental Service within an NHS Trust. I managed the clinical team in delivering primarily special care (paediatric and adults) including under general anaesthetic and sedation, and from a mobile dental unit.

Inspired into a dental nursing career as a young girl, I began my journey, achieved all the necessary qualifications and thoroughly enjoyed the patient interaction through dental nursing in practice. I achieved further post-qualifications and gained experience in NHS practice, private practice, community and secondary care, often finding myself in a mentor role and feeling inspired to make my environment better. This developed into more senior roles and then into management, where I aim to make a positive impact on others and my environment, to foster a space for growth and development where staff feel safe and valued. I am lucky to have had some amazing leaders and teachers in my time, my one focus is to lead with kindness.

Working in Smile Together is equally inspirational and I love the shared ethos for community, social and environmental impact. It was the first dental practice in the UK to achieve B corporation certification and is an employee-owned social enterprise investing profits into improving patient facilities, communities and environment – over £7m since 2016 is amazing! The company is very active in the world of dentistry and stands out. It’s a proactive, creative and modern company with strong values that everyone here shows every day, which is outstanding to see and be a part of.

To anyone considering working for Smile Together, I would say that although it may look like a large company due to all its different locations, it feels much smaller and like a family. Regardless of your base, you are part of a big, friendly team and support network where your voice is heard and encouraged.

Outside of work I enjoy walking my pug, yoga, meditation, sea swimming, spending time with family and friends and skiing. I am learning to surf and have signed up to the local rowing club.