When I graduated from King's College London (KCL) in 2019 with my BDS, I never imagined that just a few years later I would be writing this as the first British postgraduate dental resident in Paediatric Dentistry at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), Dubai.
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My journey has taken me from NHS and private practice in the UK, through foundation and dental core training, to completing an MSc in Paediatric Dentistry in 2025 at MBRU. Along the way, I have combined clinical practice with research, education, and outreach - and discovered that international postgraduate training can broaden both professional and personal horizons.
After completing my BDS at KCL, I began Foundation Training in London. My foundation training (DFT) in the North East London scheme exposed me to a wide variety of patients across NHS and private dentistry, and gave me early experience balancing the pressures of clinical efficiency with patient-centred care.
I then pursued Dental Core Training (DCT1) in Paediatric and Special Care Dentistry at the Royal London Dental Hospital. Here, I was guided by inspiring consultants who instilled in me not just clinical skills but also the values of empathy, patience, and adaptability. It was here that my interest in paediatric dentistry, particularly for children with special healthcare needs, deepened further.
These experiences reinforced my commitment to children's dentistry and gave me solid grounding in behaviour management, inhalation sedation, and hospital-based dentistry - skills that I would later build upon in Dubai.
Many of my peers remained in the UK, applying for specialist training. I felt drawn, however, to an international route. I wanted to experience paediatric dentistry in a different healthcare system, one that would expose me to diverse patient needs and broaden my professional horizons.
Training at MBRU was demanding, diverse and transformative. The clinical exposure was broad - from managing early childhood caries in toddlers, to advanced cases requiring pulpectomies, stainless steel crowns, and interceptive orthodontic care.
One striking difference from the NHS was the ability to offer aesthetic and functional options often unavailable in a publicly funded system. We placed zirconia crowns on primary anterior teeth, fitted Bioflx and zirconia crowns on primary molars, as well as stainless steel crowns, and even provided Roberts appliances for missing anterior teeth in children as young as three or four. These treatments made a real difference to both function and self-esteem.
The patient base in Dubai is incredibly diverse. Dubai is a transient city, with many families relocating every few years for work. This meant we treated children from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, each with different expectations of dental care. Learning to adapt treatment plans and communication styles to meet these cultural nuances became a key part of my training. Although the programme was taught in English, working with Arabic-speaking families also gave me the chance to develop new linguistic skills, which enhanced my ability to connect with patients and parents alike.
Our professors and consultants also reflected this diversity. Faculty included Emirati consultants, British consultants, American board-certified paediatric dentists, and experts from around the world, giving us a breadth of perspectives and teaching styles. Importantly, we were trained in both UK guidelines (such as NICE and SDCEP) and US guidelines (AAPD), giving us the ability to apply best practice from both systems in everyday care.
In my final year (2024-25), I was elected Chief Resident, a role that allowed me to mentor peers, represent the resident body, and support academic and clinical coordination. Graduating in June 2025 felt like both a culmination and a beginning - the end of an intense three-year residency and the start of a new chapter enriched by this international experience.
Research formed a core part of my residency. My MSc thesis was a randomised controlled trial evaluating the immediate effect of benzocaine 20% gel on pain perception during orthodontic separator placement in children receiving Hall Technique crowns.
This gave me the opportunity to contribute to the evidence base in paediatric dentistry while developing strong skills in research design, biostatistics, and critical appraisal. Presenting my findings at postgraduate symposiums, having an abstract published with the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD), and most recently presenting my research at the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry Confrence in September 2025, were milestones that affirmed my commitment to combining clinical practice with academic work.
Training in both the UK and UAE highlighted important similarities and differences.
Similarities: Both systems emphasise evidence-based practice, safeguarding, and multidisciplinary team care. The structure of postgraduate learning, case-based discussions, journal clubs, log books, presentations and assessments, was familiar.
Differences: In Dubai, we were able to offer children advanced aesthetic and functional restorative options that are not typically available under NHS constraints. This broader range of treatments reflected different healthcare priorities and gave me valuable experience in tailoring care to individual needs.
Living in Dubai also brought personal insights. The city is extremely safe, welcoming, and easy to navigate - factors that helped me adapt quickly to living abroad.
Outreach and education have always been central to my professional journey. During my time at MBRU, I participated in initiatives such as Wellness on Wheels and The Clinic of Hope, which brings healthcare to underserved communities across the UAE. These experiences reminded me of the power of dentistry to impact lives beyond the dental chair.
British dentists are increasingly considering postgraduate training abroad, often in countries such as Spain and Bulgaria. My experience shows that the UAE deserves to be part of this conversation.
The training at MBRU is rigorous, research-focused, and internationally oriented. The clinical exposure is diverse, the facilities are world-class, and the opportunities for outreach and networking are extensive. The combination of international faculty and multicultural patients creates a truly global training environment.
For any UK dentist considering postgraduate training overseas, I would encourage keeping an open mind. It requires adaptability and resilience, but the professional and personal rewards are substantial.
Reflecting on my journey, I feel privileged to have had experienced two very different yet complementary healthcare systems.
Dentistry is both local and global. The skills and values I learned in London and Dubai are complementary, and together they have shaped me into the clinician I am today. Whether in the UK, in the UAE, or on a wider international stage, the principle remains the same: to place the child at the heart of care.
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