Chiral Systems Partner Spotlight Series
Fern Hennessey: Practice manager & Nurse at London Endo
Why did you enter dentistry?
About ten years ago, my mum spotted a job advert for a trainee dental nurse in my local newspaper. I’d never considered entering dentistry, not because I had anything against it, but just because it just never passed my mind.
After a few days, I decided to give it a go and sent the practice a copy of my CV. In retrospect, I’m glad I did. It was the start of a long, prosperous career in something that I very quickly learned to love. And in the years that followed, I’ve climbed the ladder, building my skills and taking on more and more responsibilities.
Tell us about your practice and what treatments do you offer?
London Endo is a private endodontic practice located just off Marylebone Road, just by Regents Park station. We’re specialised in one of the patient’s least favourite parts of dentistry — think root canals and periapical surgeries.
Still, it’s a pretty exciting place to work. Our team is excellent. Our lead clinicians, Drs Tony Drutman and Shima Mahdavi are both experts in their field, and we’ve got some of the best diagnostic and treatment technologies on the market. We’ve got a CBCT Scanner, which gives high-definition images of the tooth’s root, making diagnosing (and treating) problems easy.
2020 was a year of challenge and change. How has your practice(s) adapted during COVID-19?
It’s been business as usual, except for the first few months when we had to stop seeing patients, in line with government guidance temporarily. Of course, we’ve had to make some operational changes, particularly when it comes to social distancing, face coverings, and so on, but we’re not alone in this respect. This is true for almost every other practice.
Why did you choose Chiral Systems as the company to provide your practice management software solution? How has Chiral Cloud helped your practice?
We picked Chiral Systems on the back of word-of-mouth recommendations from our other peers. It’s still early days — we only recently integrated — but it’s been amazing to see how it’s helped us, especially in the pandemic days. Having everything stored in the cloud is handy for when you’re working remotely. And it’s one of the most accessible, most straightforward tools I’ve used in my nearly ten-year career so far.
What is your favourite feature of Chiral Cloud?
I’m a big fan of the appointments tool. We’re a busy practice, and people travel to us. Having a way to see what the day looks like quickly and easily move existing appointments makes things run smoother.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned as a dental professional?
I’ve worked in most roles. I’ve been a dental assistant, a treatment coordinator, and a practice manager, to name just a few. And it’s important to remember that when you’re dealing with people, they’re likely in genuine pain. Having a compassionate ear, and listening to what they’re saying, is crucial.
And be thorough. There’s nothing to be lost and everything to gain, from double-checking everything you do.
What advice would you give to someone entering the dental industry?
Most people don’t have a good understanding of how dentistry works. They get a check-up every six months and maybe a filling or two, but they don’t get how the industry ticks.
And that’s a shame because it is an exciting and interesting industry, one full of opportunities. The technology is changing all the time, and there are so many roles. You don’t have to be a dentist to work in dentistry -there are other positions, all critical. Do your research and see what works for you!
Finally, what do you enjoy doing outside of dentistry?
Before the pandemic, I loved to travel and snowboard. Sadly, I haven’t been able to do that as much as I used to. Besides that, I spend my free time seeing friends (mainly on Zoom, although that’s likely to change) and meditating.