At any level of competitive sports, every second counts to deliver a positive result.

When, with 48 hours to go, the Kenyan Rugby team needed 28 mouthguards to compete in the World Rugby Under 20 Trophy in Edinburgh, there was only one solution – get in touch with Dr Fiona Davidson, Practice Principal at Clyde Munro’s SmilePlus Dental Care and Implant Centre, the official dentist of the Scottish Rugby Union since 2009, and King Leung, dental laboratory technician at SmilePlus.

The U20 Kenyan Rugby team took the near 5,000-mile trip to Edinburgh to compete in the tournament, organising logistical needs for 28 players, alongside support team, coaches, managers and physios. Fundamental parts of kit – such as rugby boots and mouthguards – were simply not available within the budget.

Storm Trentham, founder and CEO of DBA Africa, a social enterprise group helping to fund and grow youth sport in Africa, contacted her former Wales lacrosse teammate Dr Anni Seabourne, England Rugby team dentist, looking for help – she, in turn, went to Dr Davidson.

The Kenyan team arrived in St Andrews late in the afternoon on 28^th June, and the race against time began.

Jim Hall, CEO and Founder of Clyde Munro, met the squad the next afternoon and was delighted to offer the dental group’s support for the Kenyan team. Dr Charlie Evans, a Clyde Munro Regional Clinical Support Manager, began the process of scanning players’ dentitions for their  mouthguards, with the help of Dr Callum Graham, Chief Clinical Officer and Head of Advanced Dentistry at Clyde Munro.

The scans were passed onto the SmilePlus laboratory, and dental technician King Leung and Dr Evans were able to turn around 28 custom fitted mouthguards, each sporting the Kenyan Rugby Union logo and flag, within just 48 hours. The technology available and the hard work of the Clyde Munro team meant that the players could take to the field against Uruguay on 2^nd July at the Hive Stadium, home of Edinburgh Rugby, with effective dental protection.

Leung and Dr Evans were invited along to travel with the Kenyan team and present the mouthguards to the players just minutes before their warm up.

Recounting the monumental task that was presented to him, Leung said: “At first, we thought it would be manic, but the reality was the scans were taken and emailed over to me on the Sunday. I had them designed, and they were being printed on Monday morning. As they were printing, they were readied to be pressure formed. So, we had printing, pressure forming and trimming at once, and it was a nice workflow.

“We were on the Kenyan team coach going into Murrayfield Stadium, and the atmosphere – they were hyped! There was music blasting on the bus, and everyone was in high spirits. It was exciting.”

The Kenyan team and management were extremely grateful for Clyde Munro and SmilePlus’ time and generosity in providing an essential piece of kit.

For SmilePlus Practice Principal Dr Davidson, the opportunity that dental professionals have to support sportsmen and women is fundamental: “My path to sports dentistry began with a love of sports from a young age.

“As I got older, I pursued a career in dentistry and, in 2007, set up SmilePlus Dental Care, just a short walk from Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. The same year, I met James Robson MBE, the team doctor for the Scotland Rugby Union team and very quickly, we became their official dentists.

“We have a three-tiered approach to our sports dentistry strategy. Firstly, preventing dental disease in athletes. We encourage all of the athletes we treat to regularly visit so we can identify and treat any potential issues early, ensuring these don’t develop into anything serious that may affect their matches.

“Secondly, we specialise in creating high-quality, bespoke mouthguards. We have been providing these to the Scottish rugby team for over 12 years but have also supplied Team Scotland hockey players and boxers for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Custom-made mouthguards are key to preventing dental trauma and long-lasting damage.

“Finally, we provide pitch side general and emergency dental care to the Scottish rugby team during matches at Murrayfield. Thanks to the changes James and I have made, dentists are now classed as a key member of the medical team.”

With the help of Clyde Munro and SmilePlus Dental Care, the Kenyan U20 Rugby team were able to race to the try line with well-protected dentition.

Want to be part of exciting projects like this? Join Clyde Munro, explore our opportunities here!

As part of this year’s Flying Start Programme at Clyde Munro – year-long training for dentists in their early careers – dentists are going behind the scenes in Germany with Dentsply Sirona.

Clyde Munro, Jim Hall – Chief Executive Officer and Founder – comments:

“We are proud to be recognised as the leading digital dental group in Europe. This passion for digital dentistry led us to extend our partnership with Dentsply Sirona and we are thrilled to be taking dentists to tour the Dentsply Sirona R&D/manufacturing facility in Germany. 

“This is a fantastic chance to view the future of dentistry and the very latest developments in dental equipment. It will be a very special event for our dentists and I hope that it creates a real sense of excitement for the future of dentistry. I also hope they leave feeling confident that Clyde Munro will help them in every possible way to become all that they can be as dentists, through training and education, access to the latest technology and experienced clinical support.”

Find out more about about our Flying Start Programme here careers.clydemunrodental.com/flying-start-programme/

As part of its commitment to supporting professional education at every point during clinicians’ careers, Clyde Munro recently delivered training for dental students from Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. Students were invited to the group’s very own state-of-the-art Advanced Dentistry & Clinical Skills Centre in Perth, where experienced clinicians offered personal insights and practical guidance.

The training covered exciting topics that were selected in order to expand on the standard curriculum and expose students to new clinical experiences. Training for Dundee students explored clinical photography and digital dentistry, and Glasgow students covered digital dentistry and AI-driven technologies. Dr Amanda Bassey-Duke delivered these two training days and says:

“The students loved it and it was a pleasure to present the training days! The discussion around AI technology in dentistry was particularly popular, as it is technology that many students had previously only dreamt of. 

Clyde Munro practices are among the few in Scotland to have access to such equipment. We have everything from in-house CT machines to intraoral scanners, AI-assisted radiography diagnostic software, CEREC machines and an in-house, fully equipped training centre.

Students were impressed to discover that the dentures –which usually take 2 to 3-hour appointments – can be done in just 15 minutes with the latest technology! I think it’s important for students to know what’s available after training and that all of this can be accessed here in Scotland. Clyde Munro has invested a lot in its facilities and in training dentists to ensure they can maintain an exceptional standard of dentistry. 

It’s been a fantastic place to work with a forward-thinking team. They also follow through on their promises – I was promised mentorship and access to quality tools, and that’s exactly what I got when I joined.”

Andrew El-Miligy, is a final year dental student from Dundee Dental School. He comments about the day:

“I thoroughly enjoyed how welcoming everyone was. The facilities were fantastic and, overall, it was a really inspiring, comprehensive and useful day, showing why we are putting in all of this hard work at dental school!

The content was extremely relevant to life as a dentist in primary care and definitely expanded on what we are taught in dental school. In particular, I really enjoyed the clinical photography morning with Dr Greg Bowes. This is definitely something that I am wanting to implement during VT and to receive hands-on experience all morning was invaluable.  

Regarding Clyde Munro, it seems like a very well-connected dental group with a great network, which is forward thinking and would help to stimulate your professional development.”

Glasgow student, Lara Monaghan, shares her experience:

“I thoroughly enjoyed the entire day and feel very privileged that the Clyde Munro team gave up their Saturday to teach us. I thought that the speakers were very engaging and everyone was very welcoming. 

“Although we had received teaching on intraoral scanners in university, it was very beneficial hearing about the pros and cons of using them in the practice. This day also increased my understanding of dentistry from a business perspective. I found this the most enjoyable part as I would want to use the technology in the future. It was also interesting learning about how the intraoral scanner can be used to streamline the process of providing crowns.

“It was clear that Clyde Munro keeps up with the latest technology – I had no idea that something like Pearl AI had been developed let alone was being used across the country to improve patient care. I was very impressed with the training facility too, as it shows Clyde Munro is helping clinicians to learn and improve. It was also great getting to see a state-of-the-art dental clinic like the one in Perth – it is clinics like that we dream of working in when we qualify. I would like to thank Clyde Munro; it was very kind of them to organise transport to Perth and provide food for the day. It was a privilege and a pleasure.”

When Aberdeen dental students visited the Clyde Munro Advanced Dentistry & Clinical Skills Centre, they focused on composite restorations and material science, led by Dr Bruce Duguid. He adds:

“This was an opportunity to show students what a ‘normal’ GDP, who works hard in practice, can achieve. It was also great to work in our wonderful training centre for the day, getting students out of their normal learning environment and away from the usual pressures to have some fun while trying new things. The new composite materials and techniques we covered were accessible to all students from every year – they all did very well and it was well-received. In fact, it was lovely to see such an enthusiastic and wide-eyed group of dental students and reassuring to know that the future of our profession is in safe hands.”

Find out more about our career opportunities and vacancies available with Clyde Munro today visiting careers.clydemunrodental.com or contact joinus@clydemunrodental.com for a confidential chat.

In January, Clyde Munro Dental Group organised a theory and practical session about Composites at the Advanced Dentistry and Clinical Skills centre in Perth. Sixteen students took part in this exclusive training day lead by Bruce Duguid, Associate Dentist and part of the Clinical Team at Clyde Munro.

Jack Ferguson, the social representative at Aberdeen Dental Society, attended this exciting day. Here’s what he had to say about the experience:

When we arrived at the Clyde Munro training facility in Perth, we were greeted by Nora who brought us in for breakfast. The coffee and bakes were a lovely touch, which helped us get settled straight into the talk from Dr Diguid about the history, science, and art of composite restorations.

It was interesting to hear from him as well as find out more about Coltene products and what they bring to the market. After the talk was finished, we went straight into the clinical skills room. The facilities were amazing, and I was able to use a microscope for the first time – game changer! We were doing class 2 restoration preps during the first session, which was supervised by Dr Diguid. It was helpful to see different techniques from him and my peers, as this type of preparation can be difficult.

The final session was filling our preparations from earlier. I unfortunately did not have an awful lot of time to fill my own cavity, but watching more experienced clinicians utilise the full capability of Coltene composite products has inspired me to develop my technique further.

Overall, a great day was had by everyone who went down. Thanks again to Clyde Munro for having us. It was a pleasure.

Looking to host a session at our Advanced Dentistry & Clinical Skills Centre? This facility is now open for external hire. To learn more, contact us.

There are many benefits to living in Scotland. Not least of these are the stunning scenery and great outdoor pursuits, a vibrant culture, fascinating history, excellent education and healthcare, lower cost of living than other areas of the UK and a booming economy.

Clyde Munro also offers an array of benefits for all members of their practice teams across the country.

These include dedicated career development pathways and educational schemes, competitive salaries, paid GDC fees, enhanced family-friendly policies, ‘you days’ (for moving house, getting married etc.), an extensive support network and help developing in your digital dental journey.

Could your next career move take to you Scotland? Find out more about what Clyde Munro could offer you today.

Find out more about the career opportunities and vacancies available with Clyde Munro, get in touch today joinus@clydemunrodental.com

“It was good to have a day in Stirling and connect with people in the exact same position as myself. To hear more about the company and the investments it makes in new graduates was great!

“The lectures offered a refresh on a lot of topics and it was great to hear from John Cameron who taught me at Aberdeen University. He was very informative and it was good to get his advice on what I have to do moving forward as an associate.”

“Clyde Munro is really supportive and the staff here are great. I knew going in that I would be supported, but it’s been better than I expected. I really feel like a valued member of the team. Clyde Munro’s investment in technology and equipment is just as evident in the practice. I’m glad to be part of such a progressive company.”

For further information on the Best Foot Forward programme please contact us at joinus@clydemunrodental.com

Dental therapist turned dentist, Bronagh Wishart, is currently working at M&S Dental Care in Fort William, which is part of leading Scottish dental group, Clyde Munro. She reflects on the group’s Best Foot Forward programme for VT dentists: 

“It was good to have a day in Stirling and connect with people in the exact same position as myself. To hear more about the company and the investments it makes in new graduates was great!

“The lectures offered a refresh on a lot of topics and it was great to hear from John Cameron who taught me at Aberdeen University. He was very informative and it was good to get his advice on what I have to do moving forward as an associate.” 

“Clyde Munro is really supportive and the staff here are great. I knew going in that I would be supported, but it’s been better than I expected. I really feel like a valued member of the team. Clyde Munro’s investment in technology and equipment is just as evident in the practice. I’m glad to be part of such a progressive company.”

For further information on the Best Foot Forward programme please contact us at joinus@clydemunrodental.com