Community Dental Services CIC’s Strategic Mobiles Lead wins prestigious dental award
Community Dental Services CIC (CDS)’s Strategic Mobile Lead, Nicola Blake, has won Dental Industry Employee of the Year in The Dental Industry Awards 2024. This award recognises her 28-year career dedicated to improving patient care and her significant contributions to CDS.
Nicola coordinates six mobile dental clinics across seven counties. Pivotal in providing inclusive dental care to underserved communities such as the homeless and those in care homes; CDS’s mobile dental clinics treat over 1200 patients annually who face barriers to accessing traditional dental services.
Initially joining CDS as a Dental Nurse, Nicola’s passion for patient care has been the driving force behind her career. From dental nursing at General Anesthetic sessions and overseeing the domiciliary care service in Bedfordshire and collaborating with theatre managers at Bedford and Luton hospitals; to managing teams and delivering dental care to special schools, youth offender sessions and mental health secure units; her dedication and adaptability have made a significant contribution to how CDS supports very vulnerable patients. She has been a strong advocate for mobile dentistry and its role in reaching people often marginalised from accessing dental care.
Inputting into many dental care initiatives, Nicola manages relationships with commissioners and coordinated special projects like the CDS mobile dental clinics providing dental care at the Commonwealth Games 2022 and a Multiple Severe Disadvantage Project in the East Midlands delivering care to people who are homeless. She has also been at the forefront of prevention work, using the CDS mobile fleet to raise awareness of oral cancers and how to spot key warning signs.
Nicola was delighted to win the award: “I am honoured to have been named Dental Industry Employee of the Year. This is recognition for the work CDS does to improve dental care for the most vulnerable in our communities. It’s an exciting time for CDS’s mobile dental clinics and I’m proud to be part of growing our service and ensuring our mobile service continues to make a massive impact on the people who rely on them.”
Nicola has served on the CDS Board as an Employee Elected Director for twelve and a half years; has chaired the CDS Action Charitable Trust which awarded over £400,000 to local community organisations; and co-authored and presented a poster at a national conference, sharing best practices across the dental sector.
