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Staff profile: Anne Francis is a hygienist in our dentist practice in Carlow

We sat down and talked to Anne about her passion for her work, the importance of good oral hygiene and why she loves working in our dentist practice in Carlow.

 

 

What does your role entail?

I am a Dental Hygienist. This means I will clean all the deposits and stains from patients’ teeth, scale away tartar build-up and then polish the teeth.

What do you most love about your job?

I love restoring the oral health of all my patients, both young and old.

Why did you choose to become a Dental Hygienist?

I wanted to be a Dental Hygienist because I want to help people look after their mouths.

Where did you study?

I studied in the Dublin Dental Hospital.

What advice would you give young people about entering dentistry as a career?

The advice I would give to young people entering dentistry as a career would be to expect that the job can be stressful at times, but it is very rewarding.

What piece of advice do you tend to give to all your patients?

The advice I would give to my patients is to attend the dentist regularly, that is very important.

What’s the best way to encourage children to keep their teeth strong and healthy?

A happy, healthy smile is better than a bad one is the advice I would give to encourage kids to keep their teeth healthy.

What should older patients do to look after their teeth?

Older people should ensure they attend the dentist regularly and get their teeth cleaned in order to keep their teeth healthy.

What are the most common problems you see?

The most common problems we see in the dentist practice in Carlow would be gum disease, tooth decay or poor diets.

And how do you advise patients to deal with them?

We stress the importance of a good diet and good dental hygiene.

What do you most like about working in Dental Care Ireland?

I love working in Dental Care Ireland as I love helping the patients. And the team here is great too!

How do you relax after work and on the weekends?

I relax after work and on the weekends by spending time with my family, reading and doing yoga.

If you hadn’t entered dentistry, what would your dream job have been?

If I hadn’t entered dentistry, my dream job would be a travel consultant.

Find out more about Dental Care Ireland in Carlow. To find the Dental Care Ireland practice nearest you, go here: https://www.dentalcareireland.ie/practices/

Carlow dentist provides the best care for all the family

Carlow dentist, conveniently located at 83 Tullow Street, has been providing a professional and caring service to Carlow and the surrounding community for many years

Carlow dentist team has built an excellent reputation in the town over the past 30 years due to its professional approach as well as for looking after all your family’s dental needs. Formerly Gillman Dental Clinic, the practice joined the Dental Care Ireland group in 2016 and is now called Dental Care Ireland Carlow.

The team at our Carlow dentist includes two dentists, three hygienists as well as an Orthodontist, an Endodontist and Oral Surgeon. This means that it can look after all your family’s needs under one roof and which is why it has such a good reputation in Carlow.

General dental treatments provided in Dental Care Ireland Carlow include check-ups and cleaning as well as fillings, extractions, bridges, crowns and veneers. Our Carlow dentist also provides teeth whitening treatment which is becoming increasingly popular among our patients. To find out more about teeth whitening, you can also check out the advice of the Irish Dental Association.

Specialist treatments at our practice include the high-quality orthodontic treatment provided by our Carlow orthodontist for all members of the family as well as the effective treatment of periodontal or gum diseases.

As one local Carlow patient of ours said recently: “The whole experience was great, very professional and friendly. I highly recommend this practice to anyone I talk to.” All of our team are dedicated to maintaining this friendly and professional reputation in the town and in the community around Carlow.

If you want to book an appointment with a Dental Care Ireland dentist in Carlow, please get in touch with our team. The dentist is open from 9am to 7pm on Mondays and Thursdays; from 9am to 5.30pm on Tuesdays; from 9am to 5.40pm on Wednesdays and Fridays; and from 9am to 12.40pm on Saturdays. You can also phone our Carlow dentist on 059-9141245. 

To find out more about the Dental Care Ireland practice in Carlow and about our practices around the country, go here: https://www.dentalcareireland.ie/practices/

Carlow dental practice a pillar of the community

Dental Care Ireland Carlow practice manager Sinead Dowling discusses how important the Carlow dental practice is to the community, and how the future is bright for the team

 

Dental Care Ireland’s practice in Carlow town, located on Tullow Street, dates back nearly 30 years, when it was established by Dr Richard Gillman as the Gillman Dental Clinic. After Dental Care Ireland took over the management of the Carlow dental practice in 2016, all of the existing staff were retained.

Well acquainted with the community

“I’ve worked at the practice for 10 years, and I’m one of the newer faces!” says Sinead Dowling, practice manager at DCI Carlow. “We have a great team here who are well acquainted with the Carlow community – we have two dentists, three hygienists and four dental nurses working here, as well as a visiting orthodontist and endodontist.”

It is clear from talking to Sinead that community means a lot to the whole team in the Carlow dental practice. “We’ve all been working here for a good amount of time, and we know all our patients on a first-name basis. There aren’t too many people we don’t recognise, to be honest. And that’s a great thing!

Carrying on the same traditions

The DCI Carlow dental practice has been completely refurbished and was officially launched this week, and Sinead says the refurbishments have made a huge difference. “We’re carrying on the same traditions in a whole new, modern practice,” she says. “It looks like a new place but we’re still the same staff providing the same great service.”

What’s the atmosphere like in the Carlow dental practice? “As a team, we all get on really well,” says Sinead. “It was a bit challenging when renovations were happening, but now they’re finished it really makes a difference. We go for nights out together and really enjoy each other’s company,” she says.

A light-hearted atmosphere

“In terms of a patient experience, we try to keep things light-hearted while staying professional,” says Sinead. “Some people can be nervous coming in to see us, so it always helps to greet people with a smile and try not to be too clinical. That really helps people to relax, as does the fact that we know them all to start with!

Are there any trends that Sinead and the rest of the team have been seeing in recent times? “People are very aware of their overall oral health, and their teeth in particular,” says Sinead. “Our patients want aesthetically pleasing teeth for that ‘Hollywood smile’, and you can see that across the board. For example, white fillings are a lot more popular now, whereas silver fillings would have been the norm some years ago.”

People want the best

It is also clear that more and more people are looking for specialist treatments. “That’s why we have both an orthodontist and endodontist, who each come in to the Carlow dental practice on a part-time basis,” she says. “People want the best for their teeth, and of course we love to see that. It’s so important that people look after themselves in this way.”

The newly refurbished Carlow dental practice represents a boost for the town. “The recession wasn’t great for us, like so many towns around the country,” says Sinead. “But refurbishing our practice in this way is a great step for us, and it’s nice for the locals in the town to see, too. As I said, we know most of our patients on a first-name basis, so the atmosphere in the practice is just fantastic.”

‘We’ve got big plans!’

Sinead and her team are excited about what the future holds for Dental Care Ireland Carlow. “We’ve got big plans now,” she says. “We want to be the outstanding practice in the south-east, and we’re always looking for ways we can achieve that goal. Opening this newly refurbished practice is just one step on the journey!”

The DCI Carlow dental practice is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9am to 7pm; on Tuesdays from 9am to 5.30pm; on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 5.40pm; on Saturdays from 9am to 12.40pm; and every lunchtime. Get in touch with the team today to book an appointment. See https://www.dentalcareireland.ie/practices/dentist-carlow/contact-us/ or call 059-9141245