Yes, it’s that time of week again, and here’s another Practitioner Spotlight interview to satisfy your aesthetics-related needs. This time, we shine a light on the fantastic Anna Davies, principal dentist and owner of Wellwood Dentistry in Penarth. She talks about getting into aesthetics, being an award-winning aesthetic practitioner, and the importance of treating clients in the same way she would expect to be treated.
Hi Anna! Thanks for joining me. How did you get into aesthetics?
I’ve been a dentist for about 16 years and I’m very much an aesthetic dentist, with a special interest in orthodontics - a very facially-driven treatment. So, profiles and soft tissue in the face have been on my agenda for a long time.
For me, dentistry and aesthetics go hand in hand, as our training is so heavily based on anatomy of the head and neck. We spent a lot of time learning about that.
On top of that, we’re very used to being in close proximity with people, administering injections. I have spent my whole practising career using dental injections a number of times a day, and you need to be so accurate with that in dentistry as in aesthetics.
I’m really interested in the creative side of dentistry and I feel that facial aesthetics is another string to the same bow. When I started training I just completely got the bug and felt that I didn’t just want to study botulinum toxin and fillers - I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could.
Aesthetics is a genuine passion; something I’m really interested in. Now I spend 50% of my time doing aesthetics and 50% of my time doing orthodontics and dentistry treatments.
What’s your favourite aesthetic treatment to perform?
The most rewarding treatments are the ones that are a bit more complicated. The ones that are potentially changing someone’s profile, such as treating a high lip line or gummy smile, straightening out a nose or adding volume to a chin or jawline. Those are the ones that can be a huge deal to people, and the ones that I get the most enjoyment from.
You’re a bit of a whiz when it comes to treating a gummy smile. How do you get such great results?
I use a combination of Botox and filler, and sometimes I move people’s teeth as well, which obviously makes it more of a complicated treatment, but it gives great results.
There are lots of reasons why you might have a gummy smile, ranging from the muscles being too strong, to the position of the teeth being incorrect, so I always do a thorough consultation and look carefully at what the best treatment would be for the individual.
Firstly, I’d try botulinum toxin and then once I’ve done that I’ll sometimes add a little bit of filler in the lips to improve the contour of the lips. And, sometimes, I will move the teeth if needed.
Do you ever get aesthetic treatments?
I’ve had Botox in my forehead to prevent lines from forming rather than trying to reverse the ageing process. I’m very happy to tell my patients, “this is what I’ve had done”, which I think they appreciate as they can see what the results of a treatment can look like. It’s nice to be able to talk from a professional point of view but also a personal one.
I’m speaking with an award winner! Tell me about your Best Profile Enhancement award at the 2019 International Academy of Advanced Facial Aesthetics
I was lucky enough to receive an award in 2019 for Facial Aesthetics. It’s really nice to be recognised for the work I’ve done. Especially from Bob Khana - someone I respect and continue to receive training from. It’s great to keep up to date with the latest techniques and advancements.
Continuing to learn in any field is extremely important. Especially in facial aesthetics, which is growing so quickly. There are new development and new techniques all the time. I, personally, feel like it’s so important to stay on top of the game so that I can offer all the latest treatments, products and more.
What’s your advice for anyone wanting to get into medical aesthetics?
It’s important to make sure that the information you’re receiving in any training course is correct and thorough. So, looking for a reputable training company is vital. I’m really passionate about education in the industry and I actually run courses from my clinic in Cardiff now too. It’s essential to wait until you are competent and confident before treating anyone. I could never have considered treating patients with these types of treatment until I had done a substantial amount of training.
What’s your ethos as an aesthetic practitioner?
I really like to fully understand exactly what is troubling someone when they come to see me, and understand what they are looking to achieve. It’s important for me to enhance not completely change someone’s looks. I like to treat people in the way that I like to be treated.
Thanks, Anna. Lovely talking to you!