JUNE 2025 NEWSLETTER
- Karl Walker-Finch
- Jul 17
- 4 min read
A special edition newsletter this month as June marked the end of an era at the practice when Jenny began her retirement.
HIGHLIGHTS
The end of an era
Blog - Does tooth whitening damage your teeth?
Team Smiles Relay Marathon
Welcome Imaan
Impact Leaders
Jenny's Leaving Letter
Read on for the full details below
Karl, Marisa & all of Team Smiles.
FOR OUR PATIENTS
Jenny clearly had such an enormous impact on so many of our families, she cared for multi-generations of smiles over the years. This really is what the practice always has been (and always will be) about, caring for you and your family.
We would like to say a massive 'thank you' to Jenny and wish her a long and happy retirement. We've been very lucky to have had the opportunity to take the reins of such a lovely dental practice, with so many wonderful patients. Both Jenny and Richard have provided a lot of support while we've adjusted to becoming practice owners and I hope we continue to do them, and our patients, proud by maintaining the exceptional level of service that you've become so used to. We certainly feel we have big shoes to fill.
You can read Jenny's heartfelt leaving letter (full of some gorgeous memories) at the bottom of this newsletter.
OUR BLOG
Your questions are answered in our latest blog:
FOR OUR COMMUNITY
Team Smiles are taking on a relay marathon in October in support of Yorkshire Cancer Research. The training has already begun!
We are aiming to raise £1,000 to help fund life-saving treatments and research for those affected by cancer across the region.
Every mile we run is for someone's fight, and every pound you give brings hope.
Any sponsorship will be much appreciated via our JustGiving page.
We have spent a lot of time making sure we found the right person to look after the patients Jenny was caring for, someone who is kind and great with nervous patients, which we know a lot of people were, before coming to see Jenny. We are therefore delighted to welcome Imaan to our team.
Imaan graduated with Distinction from the University of Leeds and was recognised as a finalist in the 2018 Future of Dentistry Awards and has been on many postgraduate courses since then to further her skills.
Imaan is committed to delivering ethical, minimally invasive, and high-quality patient care and she's passionate about dental education and mentorship.
Outside of work Imaan likes travelling, baking, swimming and spending time with family and friends. I think you will agree that all of this demonstrates that you will certainly be in safe hands with Imaan on your visits to the practice.
FOR OUR PLANET
Last time we were explaining how we are now sustainability champions.
Since then Karl was interviewed in ZeroBees as part of their impact leaders series for the pioneering work we are doing for eco-conscious dentistry.
You can read the full Q&A here.
When your friends join Smiles in Tandem we plant another tree.
Thank you SO much for spreading the word about Smiles in Tandem!
GOODBYE FROM JENNY
As my last day draws closer and I am saying so many goodbyes, it makes me realise how many of you have been with the practice for 25 and 30+ years ... quite an achievement!
Some will recall the days of carpets in surgeries ... when we only had one surgery; the third one not added until Juliette started straight from hygienist school 25 years ago. We had children’s polaroid photos on the walls to mark their first dental visit, large cartoon posters on the ceiling to help young patients keep still while they looked for various characters - the Winter Olympics was a particular favourite I remember. We used carbon paper to provide copies of invoices and everything was recorded in ledgers. We were even finalists of Practice of the year ......1996 !!
Starting working life at Grayes was a first step on the career ladder for many. Sharon our first nurse is now a dental therapist in Halifax, others have gone on to be a Macmillan nurse, hospital pharmacy dispenser, personal trainer, midwife, hospital dental nurses in oral surgery plus 7 newly qualified dentists had their first positions with us and now work in Australia , Dublin, Scotland and Yorkshire.
Having been in existence for over 30 years we sadly have had some longstanding patients who have passed away - people we felt we had a close connection to - Freda, Marjorie, Charles, Ernie, Ivy, Andrea, Philip, John, Patricia, Kenneth, George, Prue and most recently Caroline - all still remembered and talked about to family members.
Many of the faces you see here have stayed the same. As I’ve said Juliette marks 25 years this year, Mandy 19 and Sinead clocked up 20 years before she moved on to pastures new. Georgi was our last employee before Karl’s ownership and she has been here 4 years already.
I know Karl and his team will continue to improve on what Richard and I started back in 1991 and I hope you will continue to give him your support. He has been very kind in allowing me the opportunity to have a ‘6 months long goodbye’ - this is not always possible in the dental world - and I am grateful for that. Although I am not sure if 34 years working in the same room is an achievement or a life sentence!!
Most days in these last few weeks there have been handshakes, hugs and a few tears and you have been very thoughtful with gifts also - not expected. Thank you so much for everyone’s kindness and best wishes. I have so appreciated your loyalty to the practice and to me; I have enjoyed getting to know you all - especially through the generations. I’m on the third generation for some families - really old school general practitioner stuff!
You are a most lovely group of people and, although I am a little biased, Imaan is really lucky to have patients to look after who are keen to achieve the best dental outcome possible .... keep striving for those one one ones !!!
With much love and best wishes for the future,
Jenny
Don't forget you can submit your dental questions and have them answered in our blog!!
Karl, Marisa & The Smiles Team
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