Thai Reynolds

Initially an apprentice dental nurse with Smile Together, I qualified in 2018 and am now a Tier 1 Dental Nurse. I have gained so much confidence and experience, working alongside our dentists and dental therapists and supporting our new trainees. Supporting patient care across many parts of our service, I regularly get to travel to different practice locations and meet with lots of different colleagues, which I really enjoy.

I believe strongly in our values at Smile Together and always try to demonstrate these as best I can. Generosity is something that comes naturally to me both inside and outside of work. In addition to my work in practice I have volunteered to help with Brighter Smiles (now Smarter Smiles) Cornwall’s oral health programme, especially in local schools and nurseries – it’s just lovely to see the children so engaged and enthusiastic about improving their oral health. We set up a toothbrushing club in one location, making it lots of fun, and this was really enjoyable. Some of those children may not be brushing at home and I really felt like we were making a difference.

I also voluntarily took on responsibility for the Colgate Terracycle programme at Smile Together, encouraging colleagues across the company and our patients as well as members of the public to bring in their old oral health items for recycling. Everything from old toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes to associated packaging, and I feel this has inspired many people to recycle more which in turn is benefitting the environment.

I was inspired to stand for election to SIB and thrilled to be elected by my colleagues to represent them. I am a good listener, am always approachable and joining SIB will help me become even more bold as a person, able to voice colleagues’ views and ideas at meetings so that as a team we can come up with solutions and positive change which in turn will benefit Smile Together, our people and our patients as well as our local community and the environment.

To anyone thinking of joining Smile Together, I would say it really is a great place to both start and develop your dental nursing career. I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially the in-house mentoring that I receive from the dental nurses and dentists who are so supportive. It really is an amazing team and an amazing workplace in which to stretch yourself.