Inspirational Woman: Anna Middleton | Leading Dental Hygienist, Therapist & Founder, London Hygienist

No, I actually studied sound engineering and music technology at college before becoming a dental nurse. When I started I didn’t even know what a hygienist was until I started nursing with one. Working with her is what then prompted me to pursue a career as a hygienist. I also never planned to become a dental therapist – this is what I did during lockdown – a top up degree at the University of Essex. Even creating ‘London Hygienist’ didn’t truly come to life until after I qualified as a hygienist in 2017.

I didn’t have the required A Levels to get into university to become a hygienist but I didn’t let it stop me from applying. I poured every bit of my heart and life experience into my personal statement and ended up getting offered 2 places in the end. Finding my feet after I qualified in the professional world was challenging too and I felt isolated and unfulfilled but I overcame that when I started building my business.

This weekend I held my first ever in-person 1 day course called ‘Thrive’ for hygienists and therapists. It is something I have wanted to do for sometime but let my own limiting belief factors hold me back – until now. The course was designed to share my journey of how I build my business and inspire others who may wish to pursue a similar route.

Constant self development and always working with purpose. Even when I have hard days I go back to my company / personal promise and remind myself why I started all of this. 

I think it’s been one of the most important things I have had on my journey. I have a mixture of professional but also personal people I turn to for help and advice. It’s something I think I would like to do more of for others and partly why I created my course too. I have an open door policy at work and regularly have students and qualified clinicians come to spend the day with me.

Interestingly, I work in a very female dominated job role where there are more female hygienists/therapists than male. However, this is changing which is fantastic and I even had 2 male delegates on my course. I personally feel that focusing on the results, rather than the person, is the fastest way to accelerate change, along with fair play = fair pay. 

I wish I stood up for myself more when I was faced with some tough encounters. I worked for someone who wasn’t very pleasant and looking back I should never have let myself be treated in that manner and nor would I ever want someone else to experience that.