After a change of subject area and a second degree, Cerise Harriss is going from strength in her dental career as the owner of a private practice and an NHS Speciality Doctor.
Cerise’s love of dentistry started when she was studying the BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences at the University of Central Lancashire and spent one day a week doing work experience at a local dental practice. Talking about her decision to start studying the BDS Dentistry, Cerise said: “I knew of the BDS Dentistry programme at UCLan and knew it was something I would like to apply to. I have always enjoyed the sciences and caring for people. The facilities at UCLan are second to none so I had no hesitation in applying to study there again.”
After graduating from BDS Dentistry, Cerise went straight into her first job as an NHS Dentist, based in Kent. Cerise said: “Studying Dentistry at UCLan gave me a lot of clinical experience, which made the transition to my first job quite easy and not too stressful.”
After spending a year working as a dentist, Cerise moved on and gained a job as a Dental Core Trainee in an Oral Surgery and Maxillofacial Department at a hospital in Kent, where she now works part-time as a Speciality Doctor in this area. Alongside this, Cerise owns her own private dental practice in Kent, where she provides both general and specialist dentistry in the form of oral surgery and placing dental implants.
"Do something you love then it will never be a days’ work in your life! It’s never too late and you can never stop learning."
— Cerise Harriss, BSc Biomedical Sciences and BDS Dentistry graduate
Since graduating from UCLan, Cerise has also successfully achieved a master’s in Primary Dental Care and Oral Surgery and a Foundation Degree in Implantology.
When asked about her greatest achievement since leaving UCLan, Cerise said: “Being offered my first job in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, as the competition was very high.”
Talking about the advice she would give to students thinking of studying, Cerise said: “Do something you love then it will never be a days’ work in your life! It’s never too late and you can never stop learning. It has been a long time studying and a lot of hard work but I absolutely love my job now and wouldn’t change it for anything.”
