HEE Midlands and East

The Educational Supervisors: Balraj Dhami: Raj graduated top of his year in 2003 with BDS Hons. In 2012 he was awarded an MSc with Distinction in Restorative Dental Practice from the Eastman Dental Institute. This has allowed him to treat more advanced and challenging restorative cases with a higher degree of precision and successful outcome. Raj has been a practice principal of 2 multi-surgery practices  since 2010 and has been an Educational Supervisor at Oakville Dental since 2011. Alongside general practice Raj works as an dental expert witness and a clinical advisor. Raj is married, has 2 young children, enjoys traveling and the odd round of golf when time allows. 

Hussein S Patanwala: Nasser worked in Maxillofacial Surgery in Boston, and returned to general dentistry completing studies at  Eastman Dental Institute in prosthodontics. He is working with King’s College London researching minimal intervention dentistry.
Nasser also holds a clinical lecturer post (since 2007) at the University of Birmingham, where you will find him teaching final years as their head of firm. He completed a degree in medical education and is a fellow in higher education academy. He also lectures practical courses to both undergraduates and postgraduate dentists around the UK and Europe. Nasser played cricket and hockey for Lincolnshire, is a keen skier and has climbed mountains in South America, Himalayas, and Borneo. He also has a love for music and is jazz saxophonist.

The Practice: Oakville Dental is a friendly family orientated practice situated ideally on the boundary of leafy Bournville and Selly Oak. It is a succcessful independent NHS and Private practice that has been established over 60 years. The Educational Supervisors are young and enthusiastic and have been Educational Supervisors since 2011. 
Oakville Dental is a modern 4 surgery practice with all the mod cons. The practice utilises digital photography to document cases with access to 3 Canon SLR cameras and intra oral Kodak cameras, digital radiography, Carestream R4 software, sandblasters, electrosurgery and rotary endodontic systems. There is vast array of all the latest materials available to the FD from functional to cosmetic. The practice also has its own facebow, Denar articulator and casting facilties to enable cases to be worked through in house. 
The practice boasts an experienced team of dental care professionals who the FD will work alongside including, Rali Patanwala (a practice principal), an associate dentist,  an implant surgeon, 2 x therapists and nurses with radiography and oral health education training as well.
The Practice has a large on-site staff car-park to the rear, a dedicated decontamination room, separate staff kitchen and staff room, shower facilities as well as an on-site osteopath and acupuncturist. 

The Area: The practice is situated on the border of Selly Oak a leafy suburb and Bournville an affluent and well established area. The practice is well serviced with transport links, being on the A38, less than a 10min walk from the local train station and on a major bus service route. The practice is also in close proximity to Birmingham Dental Hospital and Birmingham City Centre.  The local demographic of the area is very varied due to the unique position of Oakville Dental. There are numerous young and older families from the local suburbs, as well professionals working in the local Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Birmingham University. The practice also has some transient patients that study and work at the local University. The varied demographics provides different dental needs and challenges, which is ideal for a training practice. 

Accommodation is readily available as the local area services both undergraduate and postgraduate students as well working professionals. There has been significant investment in Selly Oak in recent years resulting in a large increase in new build accommodation, infrastructure and local amenities including bars and restaurants. 

Locally there are several golf clubs, sports facilities, tennis clubs and a nature reserve. 

Other Points of Interest: The practice and staff have a family orientated feel and regularly go out for staff meals and bonding days throughout the year. This years successful candidate would be free to join the practice on its annual summer bbq in July - an opportunity to meet the team before September.  Both Nasser and Raj provide postgraduate courses to FDs on the local West Midlands Scheme, as well as Nasser lecturing both in the UK and internationally. Steven Clements, who until May 2019 ran the City Foundation Training Scheme also works alongside the ESs. 

The practice has both Denplan Excel and BDA Good Practice accreditation.