Dr Zain Hameed
Zain qualified in Dentistry from King’s College London in 2019, having also obtained a Biomedical Sciences degree from the same institution. Whilst undertaking Dental Foundation Training as part of the Guy’s and King’s College Hospital Pilot scheme, Zain provided acute dental care, oral surgery and oral medicine based treatment, alongside care to high needs patients within general practice. Redeployment during the Coronavirus pandemic led to Zain serving as a part of the Dental Clinical Assessment Service, supporting NHS 111.
Having enjoyed the blend of primary and secondary care, Zain embarked upon his recent role as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental Core Trainee (DCT). Whilst meeting the demanding responsibilities of managing facial traumas and severe dental infections, alongside routine oral surgery treatment and running clinical skills workshops, Zain proactively sought leadership roles to represent the needs of his colleagues and profession. He became the DCT representative for both Ipswich Hospital and the Junior Doctors forum, as well as the Dental representative of the Health Education England (HEE) Inclusivity in Education group, to advance equality, diversity and inclusion for trainees in the East of England. Zain’s passion for quality improvement and education resulted in his appointment as the first Dentist within the HEE Learning to be Educators and Facilitators (LEAF) BUD initiative, delivering online and face to face teaching to senior healthcare professionals, whilst concurrently gaining his membership to the Faculty of Dental Surgery, with the Royal College of Surgeons England.
Reason for applying for the scheme
Zain is keen to strengthen his understanding of healthcare management and the crucial role of the Office of the Chief Dental Officer in contributing towards wider NHS priorities. The invaluable transferable skills gained through this fellowship, such as policy development and programme management, as well as the opportunity to work on projects that have the potential to transform dentistry on a national level, will further develop Zain as an NHS leader.
His recent clinical experience has shed light on the current challenges facing dentistry, such as health inequalities and barriers to accessing NHS dental services, which have been significantly exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic. During this critical period in the profession, Zain hopes to address these issues by working with key healthcare organisations and experienced colleagues to develop strategies to improve the wellbeing of patients and practitioners alike. This experience will ultimately equip Zain with the essential skills and knowledge to stimulate change at local level.
