Health / ‘Great delight’ for NHS as it appoints experienced clinician to dental team
A SENIOR clinician is set to join NHS Shetland’s dental service in January.
The health board said it was with “great delight” it announced the appointment of Dr Heather Ballantyne from the start of next year.
She has a “wealth of experience” in the public dental service, having been with NHS Tayside for nearly 22 years.
Dr Ballantyne has most recently been serving as its clinical dental director, and will join up with NHS Shetland as its senior clinician on 1 January.
She will also undertake “a vital role” as deputy clinical lead for the public dental service, which will include leading the special care dentistry service.
NHS Shetland said Dr Ballantyne had “dedicated her career to leading, delivering and teaching evidence-based, high quality, comprehensive oral health care”.
She is relocating to the isles to join her partner Richard, and has already taken to island life – enjoying several visits to Bressay parkrun and took part in last year’s Simmer Dim half marathon.
Dentistry director Antony Visocchi said her appointment was “a great success for NHS Shetland dental service”.
“Not only will Heather bring a huge amount of experience, knowledge and leadership, she will also fulfil the role of specialist in special care dentistry, a speciality that NHS Shetland has never had before,” he said.
“As a very well-respected figure within the Scottish dental profession, Heather will continue to be involved on the national stage in order to advocate for the public dental service and for special care dentistry, firmly moving Shetland into the spotlight.
“I am thrilled to formally welcome Heather to Shetland and to start working with her in January, alongside current colleagues, to expand our service and progress our strategy for NHS dentistry in Shetland.”
Dr Ballantyne said she was “very much looking forward to this new adventure and joining such an inclusive and welcoming part of the world.
“I have met such lovely people since first coming here, and I am excited to have been given this opportunity to contribute to both the dental community and Shetland as a whole.”
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