Sector Spotlight: Karyn Tait, Oral Health Team Lead

This week is No Wrong Path week, when we are helping young people see the options that are available to them and that there is no wrong path to success.

As part of that we are continuing our Sector Spotlight campaign, which shines a spotlight on some of the different jobs available in Orkney, and the route people took into their current roles. This week we will hear from people in different sectors, and in our first post this week, we hear from Karyn Tait, Oral Health Team Lead at NHS Orkney Dental. NHS Orkney Dental provide dental care free to young people up to the age of 26, as well as undertaking work in schools and care homes to help promote good dental health.

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Can you describe a typical day in your role as Oral Health Team Lead?
It's busy, and it’s a good busy, and it normally starts with a cup of tea checking emails.

Along with my team we have a varied role in Oral Health Improvement, so we may be asked to visit a school to speak with children about looking after their oral health, or we may head out to a care home to deliver some Caring for Smiles training, giving good practice information for looking after oral health for older people.

I don’t usually go with my team to deliver the fluoride varnish programme in schools, but sometimes I do get to go out to support my team. This is great fun. We visit toddler groups, nurseries, primary, secondary pupils and college students, always talking good oral health.

We are always making up displays to share information on good oral health. We love our many sugar bags. I try to get out to see how our toothbrushing programme is going in nurseries and schools as often as I can. That is a real treat. I work with colleagues in the Health Improvement Team, Dieticians, and with the Early Years Team, School Nurses and Health Visitors and more. I love working with so many different people.

Overall my role is all about promoting good oral health for all ages in Orkney. With my team we all get stuck in, to whatever is needed, to try to get our good oral health messages across, with whoever will work with us.

How did you end up in this role?
I left school, and was determined to go away to Uni after S6. I went to Queen Margaret College (now Uni) in Edinburgh, and loved it. I went away to do a combined Psychology and Social Sciences course initially, but the very quickly changed to a more focussed course. I studied Social Sciences and Health Promotion, and when I finished my degree I came home, and there happened to be a Drug and Alcohol Development Officer post going with NHS Orkney, and I was lucky enough to get this. I worked in that for 8 years.

Then the Oral Health Promoter post was advertised, and I was really interested and then delighted to get the job. I was 6 months pregnant at the time, so I started and then quite soon went on maternity leave, then came back and got stuck in to the role. I’ve been here ever since... that's now 19 years.

What is the best thing about your job?
I’m very lucky to be working in a job that allows me to work with a wide variety of people. I have a wonderful team, and work with some lovely colleagues and partners in a range of organisations in our work to promote good oral health for all, and to spread the importance of good oral health for healthy bodies.

I love the variety of work we get involved with. Some days are such fun working to promote, in any way we can, good oral health. Knowing that our programmes particularly the toothbrushing programme, is effective is great. Most children in Orkney do have healthy teeth.

What is the worst thing about your job?
Always having that feeling that there is so much we could be doing, but we don’t have the time, frustrates me. Prioritising, and being able to juggle priorities is something I must work hard at.

Knowing that tooth decay and gum disease are largely preventable, and that there are clear inequalities in oral health and these are our biggest challenges. We always want to give extra support and extra help when we can.

What skills do you need to undertake your role?
What skills? It's all people-ey type skills, I’d say. Working as a team, communicating well with others, being organised (I try), being friendly, and a good listener and having empathy for all sorts of conversations is important.

Being flexible and patient, proactive and positive all help in my role.

What qualifications do you have?
My formal qualifications are:

7 Standard grades – English, Maths, History, French, Office and Information studies, Chemistry, Accounting
5 Highers – English, Maths, History, French, Chemistry
CSYS French – I loved French at school
BSc (Hons) Social Sciences and Health (Health Promotion)
Post Grad Diploma in Drug and Alcohol Studies
Childsmile Programme training – SCQF Level 7

Would you recommend this job to young people? If so, why?
I enjoy my job and all the parts in it. Having fun working with children is a joy. Working with partners to promote oral health is a good and positive experience and working in health improvement generally gives good opportunities for connecting with people. If you like helping people and are interested in positive healthy smiles and wellbeing, working in the oral health is great.

Visit NHS Orkney Dental on their website: https://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/our-services/dental-and-oral-health/