This week as part of our spotlight on the great work being done by women in healthcare, we interviewed Bronagh Keene aka Ireland's Tooth Fairy!

Bronagh is a specialist in cosmetic dentistry and facial aesthetics, and is a known expert in providing ‘unique and natural smile makeovers’. If you follow her on social media, you’ll be familiar with the helpful advice and tips she gives on the best treatment options for your smile and how to look after their teeth. Bronagh is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and Irish Dental Association. As we’re celebrating women in healthcare for the month of March, we asked Bronagh a few questions about her achievements so far, advice she has for women thinking of going into dentistry and why she chose to focus on cosmetic dentistry.

Why did you decide to enter the field of cosmetic dentistry?

I have specialised in cosmetic dentistry because before when I was doing the leaving cert, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to our college or go into something more science so I felt like dentistry was the best of both worlds because I'm making other sculptures every day and I am matching up the colours. So especially in cosmetic dentistry,I find it's got a very, it requires a very artistic eye and I just really enjoy it.

What is your biggest achievement so far and is there something you’re working towards in the future?

My biggest achievement has probably been graduating from dental school and it was a long road, but I finally got through it and I love what I do now because the real world is nothing like college.

I hope in the future to be able to help more people than just the people that are able to come to my chair.

And that's why I've come on social media to be able to provide health advice, tips for people that are not able to come here and still need the advice and to get the best possible treatment and look after their health.

What qualities and skills do you think are needed to succeed in the dental world?

I think you need to be very hands on. I think you need to be good with people (or at least like, like people!).

I think women are good because we've got small little hands, but I don't know if that is the defining thing. I think honestly, as long as you like people and are good with your hands, it's good!

What advice would you have for women considering a career in dentistry?

Some advice I would have for women considering dentistry would be to just keep powering through, even if you’re finding college really difficult. It's NOT a representation of the real world at all! It’s still a very male dominated faculty but when you're out in the real world, you get to be a girl boss and that's really fun!

How do you see the future of dentistry?

I am definitely making a bigger progress towards a more holistic approach, more focused on prevention, the rest of the links to the rest of the body. It's definitely something that I hope happens more is that people focus more on their health and that that multidisciplinary approach does come in and that just means getting more people involved in the health care approach from different specialties and also getting patients to like get interested in their dental care and the their health in general and to realise the links to the rest of the body and the importance of looking after your health.

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