I never really knew exactly what I wanted to do. I didn’t know what a dental technician was when I first started looking through courses and subjects to study.
I studied GCSEs, including science and English. I started A levels, but left school and worked in various jobs, including as a carer for several years, and travelled in America and Australia, before deciding I wanted to return to study. I decided I wanted to become a Dental Technician. I had always thought it would be great to be a doctor, but could never have actually been one. I was thinking about nursing and other similar careers when I found out about Dental Technology.
I studied for a year full time for a BTEC National Award in Dental Technology, which allowed me to gain entry to a Foundation Degree at Lambeth College, which will hopefully see me become a qualified dental technician. I am now in my third year, studying two days a week and working as a trainee Dental Technician at Guy’s Hospital.
I am always getting strange looks in the pub when I tell people what I do, most people have only really heard of dentists. I really like that I’m able to help people, and having a specialist skill that I know only a few people can do is really satisfying.
It’s a three year course. At the end of this year I hope to continue working at Guy’s or another London dental hospital as a qualified Dental Technician. I would like to specialise in working on facial disfigurements.
I definitely feel very lucky to be in this position. If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be nearly qualified in a medical profession and doing a degree and having a job, I wouldn’t have believed you!
