Dr. Danny Collins from Docklands Dental Clinic, Mayor Street Lower, IFSC, Dublin 1 has been named ‘Sensodyne Sensitive Dentist of the Year 2016’.
Dr. Collins was nominated by his patient Patrick Peppard for his kindness and compassion in treating him for extensive dental work free-of-charge during an extremely difficult time in his life when his daughter was terminally ill. The awards, held at the RDS last night, highlight the excellence of the Irish dental profession through the eyes of the patient where patients can voluntarily nominate their dentist for an award if they believe they have gone above and beyond normal patient care. In coming to their decision, the judges acknowledged Dr. Collins’ “ability to see beyond a clinical problem and to provide an act of profound kindness at a time of severe duress for a patient”.
Mr Peppard said, “Last spring I presented to Dr. Collins with a chipped tooth and Dr. Collins took the opportunity to carry out a full oral health check. It transpired I required extensive expensive dental work including multiple fillings, crowns and some root canal work. As part of his examination Dr. Collins picked up on the stress I was experiencing in my life as I was showing evidence of teeth grinding. I explained that my-self and my wife had spent the previous 14 months living in Crumlin Children’s Hospital with my sick daughter, who was terminally ill, while also trying to juggle work and home life and look after our two young boys. Without me asking Dr. Collins told me that he and his business partner Dr. Gregg Barry in the practice would provide the treatment at no charge given the tough year I had come through. I was literally moved to tears. I had wanted to show my appreciation in some way but had no idea how to go about it. The awards gave me the opportunity to acknowledge on some level the kindness shown to me and the amazing dental treatment I received.”
Dr. Collins who also took the accolade of Dublin Regional winner said he was honoured to receive the award. “Clinical and professional treatment is our top priority but it also important to have empathy with patients when you pick up on a matter such as stress in a patient’s life during clinical examination. I was happy to be in a position on this occasion to make life a little less stressful for the patient given what he had just come through.”
Outstanding acts of patient care recognised at the awards also included saving a patient’s life by a timely spot of early stage oral cancer; treatment of a patient who received extensive damage to her front teeth by being hit by a bottle thrown from a moving car and the concern and support provided to a nervous ten year old boy admitted to hospital to have a benign oral tumour removed.
Professor Leo Stassen, Honorary Editor, Journal of the Irish Dental Association said, “the awards celebrate the commitment by dentists the length and breadth of the country to the highest standards in patient care. It is a very powerful testament to the work dentists do to have patients advocate their trust and confidence through their nominations.”
Eilis Tobin, Brand Manager, Oral Care, GlaxoSmithKline, parent company of Sensodyne, said "the success of the awards over the past eight years is due to the fact that patients themselves freely and willingly participate in the nomination process by telling their individual stories. We are delighted to support the awards programme again this year.”
2016 Sensodyne Sensitive Dentist of the Year Awards
List of Winners
Overall and Regional Dublin Winner - Dr Danny Collins, Docklands Dental, Lower Mayor Street, Dublin 1
Connacht Regional Winner - Dr Peter Doyle, Summerhill Dental, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Munster Regional Winner - Dr Aidan Higgins, Verona Dental, Limerick City
Ulster Regional Winner - Dr Aneta Spring, Spring Dental, Buncranna, Co. Donegal
Rest of Leinster Regional Winner – Dr. Caitriona Begley, Avondale Dental, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Dental Team of the Year Winner – Lucey Dental Services, Greystones, Co. Wicklow