UCLan graduate’s worldwide recognition in Dentistry: Arnold’s story

Arnold decided to study Dental Surgery (BDS) at the University of Central Lancashire after learning that it was a four-year accelerated course which placed heavy emphasis on clinical work. This was appealing to Arnold as he was particularly interested in the journey of the patient.

Arnold enjoyed his time at UCLan and recalls many wonderful moments, such as developing lasting friendships and the long sessions spent in the library during his final year. He remembers learning new skills, such as injecting local anaesthetic for the first time on his clinical partner and being introduced to the use of clear aligners to straighten teeth.

After graduation, Arnold spent a year working as a Foundation Dentist at the Jones Dental Practice in Chorley. He then moved onto a Dental Associate position at Penwortham Dental where he worked for four years providing NHS and private treatments.

Arnold currently works as a Private Dentist for Toothtalk Preston Dental, a private practice in Penwortham. He provides general dental and cosmetic treatments and has a strong interest in smile makeovers, which usually consist of composite bonding, teeth straightening, or a combination of both. He credits the course’s practical work as a benefit to his career, “Having regular patients to treat as a student was key in helping me transition from dental school into general dental practice.” Arnold said.

Arnold is proud of how far he’s come and all his accomplishments since graduating from UCLan. He has won several awards such as ‘Best Young Dentist in the North-West’ at the Dentistry awards in 2020, published three articles for the leading print in the dental industry, ‘Dentistry’, and he is in the top 1% of aligner providers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has also mentored aspiring dentists and filmed a global advert with Sensodyne.

If Arnold had any advice for prospective Dental Surgery students, it’d be to “be inquisitive during the dental foundation year and focus on honing your skills. It can be tempting to want to increase your speed, but it is best to become confident with your skills and improve the quality of your work. Communication skills are also a necessity for being an effective dentist.”