Portadown woman Gemma Forsythe, who works in a Lurgan surgery, is the Best Dental Nurse in the UK

The mother of one, who is a Dental Nurse in Magee Dental Care, was given the huge accolade at the Denistry Awards in Leicester at the end of last year.

Gemma, who is a past pupil of Edenderry Primary School, Killicomaine Junior High and Craigavon Senior High, studied the NEBDN National Diploma in Dental Nursing at Southern Regional College (Portadown).

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She said: “The Dentistry Awards are the largest dental awards ceremony in the UK and tagged as ‘dentistry’s biggest party’. The occasion has become a well-respected ceremony, recognising excellence in dentistry across the whole of the UK. The awards are held in Leicester at the end of November each year.

“Unfortunately I was unable to attend the awards this year due to sickness so I had to follow along at home via Instagram! Magee Dental Care also won the award of Best Patient Care Northern Ireland which I am very proud of. We have a great team!

"I was entered this year for the category of ‘Best Dental Nurse (North)’ and was thrilled to be the winner of this category, but to go on to win the overall award of Best Dental Nurse UK is mind-blowing,” she said.

"I am so honoured and it has made me feel so valued. It has been a whirlwind of a year for me, having won the award of Best Team Member at the Irish Dentistry Awards in September.

"I absolutely love my job - I am so passionate about dental nursing as a career and I try to raise the profile of dental nurses where I can. It is often an overlooked career but we are crucial to the smooth running of any dental practice.”

Gemma, who is a qualified Oral Health Educator, also visits schools and other facilities to teach others the importance of a maintaining a healthy mouth. She is also the Infection Prevention Control Lead at the practice.

She says she kind of ‘fell into’ dentistry. “I knew that I wanted to be in a career which allows me to care for others and when a job was advertised for a Student Dental Nurse, I took it and have loved it ever since.”