Credit: ©Shendart/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Mary Moss,

Dental hygienist

Age: 40

Job title: Dental hygienist

Town: Preston, Lancashire

Workplace: Kirkham Dental Care

Marital status: Married

Partner's name and job: Martin, Security Engineer

Children and names: Harry (14) and Savannah (10)

How long have you worked in dentistry? Since I was 17! As a dental nurse. I went to Birmingham Dental Hospital in 1997-1999.

Why did you choose dentistry for your career? Well I originally I wanted to be a police woman, but decided dentistry was maybe safer! I guess both help people.

Do you have any special responsibilities within your dental practice? Yes I am lead child protection and I write/produce the practice newsletters. I love this as I get to say all the things I sometimes don't get time to say in a normal appointment.

What do you like best about your job? Helping patients make a difference and understand how to prevent gum disease and decay.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Thinking of new ways to try to engage those patients who don't take on board the messages we give to prevent disease.

Do you have any ambitions that you would like to share with us? So many! I have an ever-growing bucket list. I recently ticked off a sky dive and hopefully in 2017 will do a half marathon.

What are your other plans for 2017? This year (2016) I did an impression course, to be able to provide whitening trays under prescription from the dentist, so hopefully I will do more added duties at work like this. I would love to help expand our oral health services we offer at work, with children's sessions etc.

What do you like to do outside work? I recently started running. We do lots of walking with the dog and kids.

Tell us a secret. Oooh! No! Can't possibly!

What do you like about BDJ Team? That it's for the whole team! Full of facts and need-to-know information.

What three things could you not live without (besides people)? My dog Daisy, music, and a beach ... any beach (preferably hot!).

Christine Smethurst,

Auxiliary dental tutor

Age: 36

Job title: Auxiliary dental tutor

Town: Leeds

Workplace: Leeds University

Marital status: Married

Partner's name and job: Mark, works in market research

Children and names: One child called Seb

How long have you worked in dentistry? 13 +

Why did you choose dentistry for your career? Firstly I wanted to go into general nursing and I wanted on the job training and dental nursing seemed to cover both care and on the job training. Going to uni when I was younger was not on my radar.

Do you have any special responsibilities at your workplace? I lead a module called Clinical Practice 1 at the dental school. I also teach international students the language of dentistry.

What do you like best about your job? I like marking assignments and facilitating communication skills workshops. These workshops have actors pretending to be patients; it's great fun and excellent learning for the students.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Trying to please everyone.

Do you have any ambitions that you would like to share with us? I hope to become a Social Media Manager so I can work my career in and around children. I'm currently studying to achieve this goal.

What are your plans for 2017? I am hoping to start my own business in digital marketing, and specialising in dentistry. I would love also to take my little boy to Thailand.

What do you like to do outside work? I love to visit National Trust sites with my little boy, spend time with my family and friends and eat out.

Tell us a secret. When I was younger I was really good at running 800 metres and 1,500 metres and was told I had the potential to be professional runner. However, due to my family not having much money and no car, I struggled to keep up with the demands of competing.

What do you like about BDJ Team? Friendly staff and great online presence.

What three things could you not live without (besides people)? Eyebrow pencil, mascara and water.

Loraine Lee,

Oral health educator/dental nurse

Age: 51

Job title: Oral health educator/dental nurse

Workplace: Redhill Hospital

Marital status: Divorced

Children and names: Gemma (dentist), 27; Oli (recruitment), 26; Emily (hospitality), 23 and Alice (hospitality), 18

How long have you worked in dentistry? I qualified as an RDN in 1984 and have worked part time and full time over the years. I have several post qualifications and ten years' experience in maxillofacial.

I fell into dentistry after I dropped out of A-levels at school and my mother told me to go find a job! I went for a trainee dental nurse job in Croydon, with over 100 candidates I didn't think I would get the job. I had the most amazing year with a young postgrad dentist who really inspired me and we learnt so much together. I always knew he would do well; he is now a consultant restorative dentist and he looked after my dentist daughter during her work experience at his hospital in Chichester.

I am now part of an amazing pilot project at my hospital to improve the oral health of hospitalised patients, and it has been so successful that we are being funded to roll the project out to other trusts with the backing of the Chief Dental Officer for England, Sara Hurley.

My dental experience from early implants in practice, maxillofacial and orthodontics with radiography, oral surgery and being a part time ambulance responder has given me so much to pass on, that my role now as oral health educator in hospital has been a natural and rewarding progression.

I like the fact we are improving patients' oral health in hospital as the mouth seems to have been left out of the body for a few years.

The job can be challenging at times, especially training doctors to look in the mouth!

I would like to see a dental nurse/oral health educator in every hospital in the future to ensure patients get top to toe care from staff, especially as patients are living longer with more complex oral and health needs.

What are your plans for 2017? I hope 2017 is better for me personally outside of work but dentally I hope the project is recognised as important as hand washing!

What do you like to do outside work? I love meeting up and relaxing with friends and family.

Tell us a secret. My secret wish is to retire to France or Italy one day with a kind and genuine person.

What do you like about BDJ Team? I love to read the articles and recognise faces from over the years.

What three things could you not live without (besides people)? My hair straighteners, my phone and my heels.