Meet The Team

I always wanted to be happy at work. From school days, I had this one goal in mind and decided that dentistry was for me. I wanted to work with people and not paper; I wanted to be creative.

I loved every minute at University. It was apparent to me that after uni was when you begin to learn your craft.

To that end my analysis suggested that joining the military, and in particular The Royal Air Force, would provide me with a career pathway of working and, very crucially, learning from excellent clinicians. The Air Force at that time had been very progressive. I learned that they were the body that introduced the concept of dental hygienists to the profession!
I had a wonderful boss at Cranwell, Colin Brookes. He taught me all about PREVENTATIVE DENTISTRY – a great benefit to those budding fast jet pilots at the flying school, the Budgies.

RAF Germany was next. I was the junior in a team of four with Iain McIntyre and Graham Smart as mentors – both outstanding clinicians. Germany at that time was the land of opportunity for dentists and whilst I was tempted to stay in the RAF, I had a great offer to go into German private practice. It really was fantastic. The dental technology available was some of the best in the world. We avoided extracting teeth and created happy, functional smiles. There were some situations, though, for which not even their resource and technology could provide the answers.

Then I read about DENTAL IMPLANTS. My boss said YES, go learn about it.
I did, at the Medical College of Georgia 1988-89 and there I met one of the most wonderful, generous people of my life. Dr Hilt Tatum saw something in me. He took me under his wing, taught me and treated me like a son. Over a period of 5 years I spent many weeks a year with him at the Edward White Hospital complex in Florida soaking up knowledge and experience.

I remember a lady from Chicago. She had had implants placed in her 80s and was now in her 90s, still mobile and fit. She said, “with dental implants I can eat good food. Before my implants I could only eat soft trash and afterwards I began to be able to eat good, healthy and nutritious food. You are what you eat and I feel great – all down to Dr Tatum’s wonderful implants”. This was repeated time and time again. The message was clear – this was the future!

Since then I have become an experienced implant dentist. I have to thank Dr Tatum for showing me how.

In Germany I also met the eminent English orthodontist, Dr Winston Senior. I also thank him and his students, David Barry and Chiara Menghi, for their superb support in helping me to re-create people’s dentition – giving our patients back their health, function, aesthetics, self-confidence and self-respect.

Member of the AAID (American Association of Implant Dentistry), ADI (Association of Dental Implants), SPOH (Society for Preservation of Oral Health) and SAAD (Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry)

I qualified in 1997 with merit in Wales and initially worked in a hospital setting as an Oral Surgery House Officer in Cardiff. I then progressed into General Practice in the South Wales area. I am originally from Surrey but enjoyed the Welsh countryside and so chose to study Dentistry there.

In 2004, I joined the team at Barkhill Dental Clinic. I knew straight away that Barkhill was an outstanding practice with a progressive vision and I was very excited to begin working at the practice.

I am interested in many areas of dentistry and have undertaken additional training in:

Intermediate/advanced techniques of facial aesthetics (facial: furrows, wrinkles, contours)
Conscious sedation for anxious patients
Paediatric dentistry
I have also gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in orthodontics, working closely with our Orthodontist, Dr Chiara Menghi-Barry and the late Dr David Barry.

Since joining Barkhill Dental Practice, I have also been blessed with three lovely children. I very much enjoy family life, camping and walks together and simply time spent at home together.

In my spare time I enjoy reading, wood carving, piano, mountain biking, running, karate, camping and walking trips and gardening.

I come from a charming little Italian town on the north east coast called Ravenna, world famous for its byzantine mosaics, but also for good food!

In Ravenna I attended the same grammar schools as my parents and then moved to Bologna University to study dentistry. I got my dental degree with honours in 1989. My interest in Orthodontics started many years ago, when, as a teenager, I had to get braces. Unfortunately, the dentist who treated me decided to take teeth out whereas nowadays it probably wouldn’t be done. The treatment was unsuccessful and as a result I had to be retreated. Unfortunately, an ideal result could not be obtained any more. This personal negative experience dictated my future path, as I decided I wanted to become an Orthodontic Specialist to be able to deliver to each individual patient the correct treatment to the highest standard.

So, after a couple of years work as a General Dentist, I entered the three year orthodontic programme at the Aarhus Royal Dental College in Denmark with Professor Birte Melsen. In 1995 I passed the Danish board exam for Orthodontics and one year later I got a Masters degree with a research work on Biomechanics.

After Denmark I moved to Germany, where I shared an Orthodontic practice with my late husband Dr David A. Barry for almost twelve years, and where my three children were born.

In 2007 we moved to Italy.

David worked as an Orthodontic Specialist at Barkhill for over ten years, and as the practice expanded I was asked to join the team.

Due to the continuing success of the practice, I have been travelling to England every month since 2006 to work at Barkhill, and I am proud to be part of it!

Experience: Member of the ASIO (Associazione Italiana Specialisti in Ortodonzia)

After graduating from the University of Birmingham with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery, I completed two postgraduate diplomas in Restorative Dentistry under the supervision of internationally acclaimed dentist Dr Paul Tipton. Over the years, I have invested in my continuing education and am always eager to learn new treatments that are at the cutting edge of dentistry.

I have vast experience working in a general practice setting carrying out a variety of treatments. Passionate, caring and a bit of a perfectionist, I can make the quest for a beautiful smile both attainable and fun. I particularly enjoy treating anxious patients through adjuncts such as hypnotherapy and IV sedation.

In my spare time I enjoy pottering in my garden and doing pilates.

Dr Islam is an associate dentist at Barkhill Dental Clinic. With an inbuilt passion to help people, he wanted to become a dentist from a young age. Islam started his journey at the Alexandria School of Dentistry, where he became a fully qualified dentist in 2010. From graduation to this day he strives to have a positive influence on the lives of many by creating unique, beautiful and confident smiles.

Dr Islam regularly attends further dental educational programmes in the UK as a part of his continued efforts to provide the best care to her patients and completed his masters in fixed Prostheses in 2021. He enjoys all aspects of general dentistry with a special interest in aesthetic dentistry, restorative dentistry and crown and bridge work.

When he is not creating beautiful smiles, Islam likes to spend time with his family and loves travelling too.

George is a General Dentist who has a practice limited to advanced Restorative Dentistry and Dental Implants. He is a graduate of Liverpool Dental School and since then has completed the Membership exams from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Through his career he has also completed a Postgraduate Diploma and Master's Degree in Restorative Dentistry from the prestigious Eastman Dental Institute, UCL and a separate Postgraduate Diploma and Master's degree in Dental Implants from Warwick University. Currently he works as a peripatetic clinician providing implants and mentoring dentists in more than 7 practices across the UK from Yorkshire to London. He was a part time Clinical Teacher/Lecturer, teaching Restorative Dentistry and Dental Implants in Liverpool Dental School. He previously worked as a Dentist in a tertiary level hospital treating cancer patients with fixed and removal prosthetics utilising implants.

He is also involved in the development of the "Advanced General Dental Surgeon" qualification from the Royal College of Surgeons.

His scope of practice is limited to dental implants which involves simple single implants and advanced bone grafting to complex cases involving fitting screw retained full mouth bridges immediately onto implants.

He is currently the Treasurer for the Association of Dental Implantology.

Ben Beyqi has more than 30 years experience in Oral & Implant Surgery, treating patients in both hospital and primary care settings. He undertook his specialist training at the internationally renowned Eastman Dental and University College Hospitals, receiving his certificate of completion of specialist training in ‘Academic Oral Surgery’ in 1998.

He also received additional training in the United States as a visiting resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, affiliated to Harvard Medical & Dental School as well as University of Chicago Medical Centre.

He was the director of MSc programme in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Eastman Hospital 1998-2002. From 2003-2011 worked as a Consultant/Senior Lecturer and Director of the Oral Surgery training programme at Birmingham Dental Hospital. He also ran an independent training programme in implant dentistry at the Tatum Institute in London from 2006-2016. He currently works as a specialist Oral Surgeon at supporting primary care dentist also provides regular mentorship and surgical support in Implant Dentistry, oral surgery and intravenous sedation to several of his past trainees.

Sonil has over 30 years’ experience working in dentistry and has been involved in the field of orthodontics for over 20 years. He founded the practice in 2000 and has built a reputation within the dental profession as a respected specialist orthodontist.
Sonil qualified from the University of Sheffield Dental School and the Royal College of Surgeons (UK). He completed his speciality training at the Royal Dental College of Aarhus, Denmark, where he also teaches postgraduates part-time.
He provides all types of adult orthodontics including Invisalign treatment and Orthocaps aligners. He is a certification dentist for the Orthocaps aligner system and has certified many dentists to be proficient in the system in Europe and the USA.
Sonil has attained postgraduate qualifications in orthodontics and has attended some of the world’s leading orthodontic practices to gain experience and knowledge. He has delivered numerous lectures at congresses and symposiums both home and abroad.
Sonil currently accepts referrals from other dental professionals to carry out orthodontic treatments on patients of all ages. He is also fluent in German.

Naila joined Barkhill Dental Clinic in 2022 and has become a firm favourite of our patients. She is extremely thorough and it is her attention to detail which makes patients feel they are in safe hands.

Naila has not only gained a Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy at the University of Leeds in 2016 but also a National Diploma in Dental Nursing NEBDN in 2012.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family.

Sue first joined the practice in 1995 as a dental nurse and has progressed to Patient Care Manager. Friendly and personable, Sue makes patients feel relaxed and welcome on arrival. She liaises closely with the clinicians and spends time with each individual patient to make sure they understand every stage of their treatment plan.

Hi I'm Anne. I qualified as a dental nurse in 1999 and joined the team at Barkhill in 2020.

I have had the opportunity to work in a very diverse team at Barkhill and have gained an extra sedation qualification. I am now working towards my cannulation qualification too.

In my spare time I enjoy going for walks, reading and spending time with family and friends.

I qualified as a dental nurse in 2000 and joined Barkhill in 2008. I extended my qualifications into dental radiography, IV sedation and impression taking whilst at Barkhill and enjoyed gaining further experience into implant and restorative treatment whilst working chairside with Dr Wellings and orthodontic experience with Dr Menghi Barry. I have now joined Sue in reception running the day to day of the practice, greeting patients, and discussing next stages of patient treatments, although very different to surgery I love the ‘other side’. My time out of Barkhill I enjoy socialising with friends and travelling on holiday.

Hi I am Sofia, I have recently joined the Barkhill dental team as a qualified nurse. I am patient, kind and understanding to others worries and pains when visiting the dentist. I am currently training to become a sedation nurse and I am excited to develop my skill set at Barkhill.

When I'm not at work I enjoy spending time in my allotment growing veg and spending time with my friends and family.

Dental Nurse

Raheesa Begum
Dental nurse
GDC reg 298586

Raheesa Begum
Dental nurse
GDC reg 298586

Hi my name is Abi, I joined Barkhill Dental Practice in January 2019. I have been a dental nurse for 11 years.

I am qualified in sedation and work closely with our oral surgeons where I see lots of nervous patients and am able to reassure them and put them at ease throughout their treatment.

I also work alongside our orthodontists where I love seeing the difference a straighter smile can make.
When not at work I enjoy spending time with my family and friends going on holiday and visiting new places.

Angela has worked at Barkhill for 5 years supporting Dr Ian Wellings with the administrative side of the clinic and clinic accounts. Outside work she loves to spend time with her family making special memories.