NSK’s new Product Specialist for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland describes how her experience of working in a dental practice brings a different perspective to the role

My name is Stephanie Gilliland. I live in Co Fermanagh with my husband and three children who give me the support I need to do the work I love – working in dentistry. I’ve been working in dentistry for more than 20 years. I first qualified as a dental nurse in Belfast and worked in practice for 18 months before moving to Fermanagh to join Blueapple Dental, a private dental practice in Belcoo.

Blueapple was a very forward-thinking practice, working a lot with dental implant patients. They were always looking to offer something different to other practices. I was lucky enough to work there as a dental nurse for 11 years before being given the role of treatment coordinator. When the practice changed ownership, I became the practice manager. This was a busy but enjoyable role, which I held for three years before becoming a sales representative for one of the world’s leading dental implant companies.

After five years working in the field of dental implants, I was offered the chance to join NSK as Product Specialist for Ireland. I had been using NSK products for a long time in practice and because of my previous roles I was very familiar with NSK’s surgical equipment, including Surgic Pro micromotors for implants and oral surgery and the VarioSurg ultrasonic bone surgery system.

“Knowing that I’m now working with a company that prides itself on providing outstanding customer support is very important to me”

I therefore felt very comfortable in my new role at NSK. I knew I was working with really good products and understood not only how they work in practice but also the benefits they can bring to dental professionals. I cannot sell a product that I don’t truly believe in. I have to know it’s a good product before I talk to any dentist or practice manager, so being able to work with NSK and sell products I truly believe in is paramount to me.

My work in practice

I will never forget working in practice, seeing how dental treatment can completely change a person’s life. I’ve witnessed patients transform from being quiet and self-conscious to bursting with new-found confidence once treatment was complete – and that was all to do with changing their smile.

Working in dentistry and being able to be involved in patients’ journeys is what makes me love my role so much. Good dentistry makes such a difference to people’s lives and their confidence, and we should never forget that the patient is at the centre of everything we do. 

I’ve had many roles over the years but being a practice manager was definitely the hardest. It’s a role that demands constant juggling and you wear many different hats. You need plenty of help and support to keep things running smoothly.

Knowing that I’m working with a company that prides itself on providing outstanding customer support is very important to me. As a practice manager, NSK was exactly the type of company I wanted to partner with. Basically, a company that could take some of the pressure off my day-to-day role, be that a product specialist to come in and train the team on a new product or providing aftercare for new products. And, of course, if something goes wrong, those in the practice rely on support on the ground to get things sorted as quickly as possible.

Here to help 

Although I’m only seven months in, I’m looking forward to putting my own stamp on my role at NSK and carrying on all the good work my predecessor did before me. I’m here to support every practice in any way that I can, so please reach out to me and let me know how I can help. I’m an open door and you can reach me by phone, email, through WhatsApp, or I can arrange a practice visit wherever you are based and at a time to suit you.

Remember – just shout for Stephanie!

Stephanie Gilliland
Contact details
M: UK: +44 (0)7435 840097
E: sgilliland@nsk-uk.com