Winning smile: Cork dentist most sensitive

A CORK dentist was all smiles yesterday after she was named the Sensodyne Sensitive Dentist of the Year.

Dr Freda Guiney, who runs a busy practice in Classes Lake, Ballincollig, was nominated by her patients Mary and Ciaran Cunningham after she dealt with a late night dental emergency.

The national awards scheme, which is run in association with the Journal of the Irish Dental Association, honours dentists who go above and beyond the call of duty to care for their patients, or who strive to make anxious and nervous patients feel comfortable in the dentist’s chair.

Dr Guiney was honoured for treating Mary, who was 39 weeks pregnant with the couple’s first child, after she woke with excruciating facial pain.

The couple thought the pain would pass but it got worse the next day. They went to the maternity hospital, but were told that little could be done.

“Late that evening my wife decided she could no longer cope with the pain, so I contacted our dentist,” Ciaran said.

“So at 11pm on a Friday evening, we found ourselves knocking on Dr Guiney’s door to be met with welcoming concern.”

Dr Guiney said Mary’s treatment options were limited because of her pregnancy.

An X-ray and certain pain killers were ruled out.

So Dr Guiney dressed the tooth, and faxed a prescription to a late night pharmacy. She followed up with Mary over the weekend.

Mary herself had reason to smile on the Sunday when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. And the family won a €5,000 holiday to Florida for nominating Dr Guiney.

Chairman of the judging panel Dr Barry Harrington said Dr Guiney showed immense courage and professional ability when she accepted a pregnant patient at 39 weeks for treatment at that hour on a Friday night.

Dr Guiney, who runs her practice with dentist Paul Newman, said she was surprised, delighted and honoured with the award.

“There are loads of dentists out there who do equally good work,” she said. Dr Guiney’s staff are also trained to put nervous patients at ease.

“We have a good, easy atmosphere in the clinic, which is both professional and efficient, and we focus on patient care,” she said.

The most recent MRBI survey conducted by Sensodyne showed that 45% of Irish people suffer from nerves at their check-up and a further 24% of these said this resulted in the cancellation of an appointment.