A passion for driving positive change

By Kate Quinlan

Elisa Fisher moved to London in 2008 during the financial crisis and by chance found herself working in dentistry. After qualifying as a dental nurse in the UK, she relocated back to Australia a few years later. She then returned to London and worked as a practice manager before her current role. Elisa now has over 16 years' experience in dental nursing, practice management and for the last six years as a Good Practice Adviser for the British Dental Association (BDA).

Interview

What were your early career ambitions?

I've always been interested in public service and politics and the idea of serving people for the greater good. For as long as I can remember I have been passionate about driving some form of tangible change that makes a real difference for people in their everyday lives. I was always involved in campaigns and projects throughout high school and university that advocated for positive change. My ambitions are driven by not only the satisfaction of helping a person with a specific issue or concern but also empowering them with knowledge, so that they can have a voice and do the same for someone else.

Did you attend college or university after high school?

I obtained a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Government/International Relations & Italian Studies from the University of Sydney.

What attracted you to dentistry?

Dentistry is such a unique environment in that it is obviously a healthcare setting but also in many scenarios what is essentially a small business, so has so many moving parts to consider. I really fell in love with the fact that each day is fast paced and different and the relationships I formed with patients and the other members of the dental team were something that brought me so much joy. Every day brought new experiences and challenges that were so multi-faceted. Particularly rewarding were the interactions that felt like I was making a real difference to a patient's life.

How did you get your first role in dentistry?

It was the end of 2008, and I moved to the UK straight after completing university as I wanted to travel and explore living in a new city. It wasn't until I got to London that it became apparent that it probably wasn't the best time to move as the job market was bleak with lots of lay-offs as a result of the financial crisis. I had moved to North London and noticed a job advert in the window of a practice. I had experience in customer service in Australia so I figured a role as reception or admin would be a good temporary solution. Little did I know that I would find myself also taking a dental nursing course a short time later and working chairside and all the positives that this decision would bring!

Did you complete training on the job or take a course?

It was a combination of the two. I took the NEBDN dental nursing qualification which involved practical and theory-based training over a ten-month period. The practice was a very supportive environment as I was a trainee learning the ropes, and I had the pleasure of working with lots of experienced dentists who had a loyal and long-standing patient base. If someone had asked me what a luxator or a barbed broach was months prior I would have looked at them blankly! In dental nursing you have no choice but to learn quickly and I approached this as I would to any other new skill. It was at this practice where I first understood the importance of good patient communication. This was instilled in me at this time and has never left me. It was a pleasure to go to work with the team as the culture was so patient focused and quickly resulted in me having lots of rewarding experiences as I was learning.

What did you enjoy about dental nursing?

It was always so gratifying when assisting with a patient whilst they were being treated to relieve them of pain or when finishing an orthodontic case where the patient had a brand-new smile. I used to liken being in a dental team to being part of cabin crew on an aircraft. As we all know there are some patients that truly fear going to the dentist. The thought of it fills them with dread. Much like people who hate flying. As a dental team, you too have your specific roles and once you do them day in and day out it becomes second nature, so the team were always relaxed and in-control. We tried to convey this to our anxious patients and eventually finding them come to quite enjoy attending appointments was something I loved seeing. They used to ask us if we could smell and hear all that they could. I suppose you come to get used to the sights and sounds of a dental practice. It was always helpful to remind yourself that not everyone feels as at home in the surgery as the dental team do. We always looked at ways in which we could make things more pleasant for patients and provide them with as much information as possible so that they could have a greater understanding of treatments and feel empowered in their decision making. This helped to create an environment where they could feel comfortable to ask us anything, if it meant it would put their mind at ease. We would always invite anyone who was nervous and thinking about booking an appointment to come in first and get a feel for the practice. I think this helped manage patient expectations and anxiety levels. Simply taking that time before the patient even joined the practice made sure that they felt so comfortable that they would not ever consider going anywhere else.

What career steps did you take when you moved back to Australia?

After having returned to Australia from the UK for family reasons I worked in a dental practice near the harbour in Sydney. It was such a close-knit and supportive team led by long-time practice principals who had trained together at university. They encouraged me to take on more responsibility wherever I could, and this made me look for ways to continuously improve the systems at our practice. As Australia does not have any formal dental nursing qualifications, I felt the NEBDN training in the UK had provided me with a really sound clinical footing. I was able to share this with the other dental assistants in the practice.

The London bug had not fully left me after only having lived here for two years, so I returned to the UK and took up a position in a practice opposite Big Ben and right next to the London Eye. You couldn't get much more London than that! It was at this practice that I was encouraged to take on more responsibilities and upskilling by the most wonderful and supportive mentor, our practice principal, who has continued to still be a big supporter of mine today and is always encouraging me to know my worth and continue to make a difference. She demonstrated such genuine care and commitment to her patients which she imparted on the rest of the team – leading by example by treating them as people first and patients second. She was always open to any suggestion, oral health campaign, promotion or marketing idea and had cultivated such a loyal patient base that it felt like the patients were all friends of ours. One patient once remarked that he looked forward to his six-monthly check-ups only so he could catch up with the whole team. Patients often said that they felt like they were part of a private members club! This feedback felt like a real win as we always strived to make each patient feel like they were the only one booked in that day. We took the time to get to know their dental and social history and treated things holistically with a joined-up team approach and then referred out where necessary. We also tried to keep things light-hearted each day, so it meant the team mostly always enjoyed being around each other and tried to have fun wherever possible. The patients also appreciated coming in to such a friendly and warm atmosphere. A dental practice is such a close and intense work environment and can be stressful when things don't go to plan. This meant that having a positive, zero blame attitude and nothing being too much of a problem to resolve was important in maintaining a strong sense of team cohesion.

I have always believed that it is easiest to lead with kindness and empathy and you see better results because of it.

Did you enjoy being in charge of a busy dental practice?

I never viewed it as being ‘in charge', but simply listening, leading and implementing change wherever needed. I see the role of a practice manager as removing any barriers to care for the team and patients. So, I tried to do that wherever necessary and have a fair, balanced and innovative approach when doing so. The team used to see me as an ‘Agony Aunt' of sorts. Sometimes not only with their work life! I always valued this as I knew they trusted me, and I listened whenever there was an issue and would take the time to hear all views and perspectives on the situation. I have always believed that it is easiest to lead with kindness and empathy and you see better results because of it. I know we can hear of ‘personality clashes' or ‘drama' in the dental practice but I feel this can belittle what is essentially someone speaking up. I always tried to see these scenarios as learning opportunities and to find ways to improve things as a result. So, it was never discouraged. I've always promoted a flat organisational structure as I think it serves no-one well if those who are involved in decision making aren't willing to have a collaborative leadership style and take on the views of the wider dental team.

Were you happy being in the PM role instead of assisting chairside?

I know there are dental nurses who love assisting with all kinds of procedures that allow them to have a close-up view of what is happening in the mouth. I have to say, I was probably not one of those dental nurses! I was happier with the mouse in hand rather than the suction! I enjoyed being chairside and it was a great experience but was much happier focusing on how we could improve the patient journey, act on staff feedback or what oral health campaign we were going to next promote to our patients.

When did you come across the vacancy at the BDA?

I am a firm believer in everything happening for a reason and coming across this role at the BDA was again something that happened by chance. I was wanting to expand my skill set further and this role felt like the perfect opportunity to do so. I believed in the vision and mission of the BDA and wanted to be involved in something bigger. The role allows me to use my in-practice experience to empathise and relate to members and help to deliver for them and the wider dental team.

Can you outline what your BDA role involves?

BDA Good Practice is a quality assurance programme for dental teams, allowing members to communicate to patients their ongoing commitment to standards of good practice on professional and legal responsibilities. This role has given me the opportunity to cultivate strong relationships with colleagues and facilitate cross team working within the organisation. Whether that be collaborating with our compliance team who are experienced and extremely knowledgeable colleagues, or where I have taken a special interest in safeguarding and am heavily involved in the advice that helps to communicate this guidance and training requirements to members and their teams. I also work with our marketing team on our newsletters and updates from the profession as well as with our design team on producing resources and marketing collateral for our members. My passion for the importance of leadership and teamwork within the dental team has allowed me to work with our education team to create useful courses in aid of this focus. We have covered areas such as equality, diversity and inclusion and the importance of a mental health lead in the practice. As part of the role, I also provide written feedback and advice on the many policies and procedures required in a practice and the ways in which these can be utilised to maximise benefit. I also write articles for BDJ In Practice and when invited, speak at events and webinars on Good Practice or other topics. Attending the annual dentistry show on behalf of Good Practice provides me with the opportunity to engage with members and non-members alike and is always interesting to see what is new in the profession. Practice visits are also a very enriching experience as they allow for me to meet new applicants and existing members. Some members we have had for what is now approaching 25 years!

I am so fortunate that I get to be part of striving to achieve this and doing what I set out to do: make a real difference.

Are you pleased with the direction your career has taken?

Although it is perhaps not the path I thought I might take or in a sector I had ever thought about, I am pleased I have been able to progress through different chapters of my career and pick up so much knowledge and life experience along the way. As well as lots of transferable skills! The BDA is a not-for-profit and all income is reinvested for the benefit of the profession. I'm proud to be working in an organisation that exists purely for that reason and has done so since 1880. There is so much collective knowledge and experience within the organisation and people that are so willing to share this with colleagues and members, which is such an interesting, supportive and collaborative place to get to work. For the profession, I think there is still much work to do on improving the wellbeing of dentists and the dental team as well as continuing to look at ways in which we can improve the culture in a dental practice. I was fortunate enough to have experienced many positive interactions with practice principals and I want to try and encourage ways in which we can ensure this is the same for all when working in this setting. I think recruitment and retention is a big issue now for the dental sector and would like to help make a real difference in that area.

Everyone in the UK, myself included wants to see better oral health for all be made a priority. I am so fortunate that I get to be part of striving to achieve this and doing what I set out to do: make a real difference. Hopefully not just now but well into the future.

It is so rewarding when you have efficiently and comprehensively assisted a member with a query, and they have valued your advice.

What are the highlights of your working life?

Speaking to members and practice managers and providing them with information that they previously didn't have is what I find really satisfying. It is so rewarding when you have efficiently and comprehensively assisted a member with a query, and they have valued your advice. Visiting practices for on-site assessments is an enjoyable and fulfilling aspect of my role. This means spending a few hours touring a practice, talking to the principal, practice manager and various other members of the dental team to help them to provide us with a snapshot and an understanding of what is happening across the practice using the Good Practice framework. It allows me the opportunity to provide feedback and support face-to-face and feel the enthusiasm of the team and hear of all the good work they are doing. It helps us to maintain our quality assurance standards but also provides a valuable insight into the needs of the profession first hand.

Do you enjoy living in South London?

I live in Brixton and love how much energy there is in this place. It is such a hub for nightlife and concerts and is quite literally a melting pot when it comes to food. The village and market are always buzzing with plenty to take in. It's a place that is diverse and inclusive and where it feels as if there is never a dull moment. I appreciate that there is so much on my doorstep but also, I can get to Central London so quickly and easily which enables me to continue to experience the city like a tourist! I think living in this spot for so many years has helped me to truly appreciate London for the one-of-a-kind city that it is.

What are your interests outside work?

One of the reasons I have enjoyed living in London for 14 years has been the arts, theatre and culture you can find here any day of the week. I love being in a gallery and just taking the time to slow down and enjoy it all at my own pace, within the bustle of a busy city. I find it to be a relaxing experience and try to see new exhibitions whenever I can. I also enjoy seeing all types of theatre, whether that be a play in the West End or in a small neighbourhood space. There is nothing like experiencing the energy of a powerful and captivating performance that moves you to run the gamut of emotions. I truly value how affordable and accessible theatre is in London and I try to experience it once a week if I can. I've always enjoyed cooking and hosting friends but also trying new restaurant and bar openings. This is something there seems to be a never-ending list of in London with so many new ones to try and give your own verdict on popping up all the time.

Find out more about the BDA Good Practice scheme: https://www.bda.org/learning/bda-good-practice/.