Sarah Fligelstone

I am currently a Dental Core Trainee in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery based in Swansea and Bridgend.I graduated from Cardiff University before moving back home to Swansea to complete my foundation training and my current post. I have experience working within a mixed general dental practice setting providing a wide range of predominantly NHS and private dental care and treatment. Presently, I am building my experience in OMFS with involvement in outpatient clinics, surgery (minor oral, day case, orthognathic, cleft lip and palate and head and neck ablative and reconstructive), trauma, cutaneous malignancy and salivary gland diseases. In addition, there is a close working relationship with other allied specialties including orthodontics, restorative dentistry, ear, nose and throat and plastic surgery.This resulted in a desire to commit to orthodontics and I have tailored the remainder of my post to maximise my exposure to this specialty. I also have an interest in academia, teaching and management/leadership that I am actively pursuing through publications, presentations and poster presentations, training, qualifications, clinical governance and audit/service evaluation/quality improvement and research. I come from a sporting background and thus when an opportunity came up to get involved with OPRO visiting appointed schools and clubs throughout the UK to take dental impressions I jumped at it. This provides the additional benefit of ongoing postgraduate clinical experience in another specialty.I am involved in dental organisations and volunteering - I am a Young Dentist Representative for the British Dental Association, Regional Representative for the Royal Society of Medicine and Dental Adviser with Crisis.Outside of dentistry, I spend most of my time doing sport. Throughout school hockey was my activity of choice, culminating in national representation. However, I have since moved away from this and now typically surf, run and boulder at every available opportunity to make the most of my idyllic surroundings in Gower. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to turn these activities into jobs as an RNLI Lifeguard and an Outdoor Pursuits Instructor. In addition to being fundamental to balance, this has honed skills relevant to dentistry, namely teaching, team involvement and management/leadership.