It certainly has been ‘all smiles’ recently for one of our North Yorkshire dentists as he continues his journey back into lecturing.
Guy Wells, Clinical Director working at our Vitality Dental Care practices in Stokesley and Northallerton, has been keen to get more involved with the teaching side of dentistry, to compliment his day-to-day role and to pass on his knowledge to others.
Guy originally got involved with the IAS Academy back in 2018 when he started their advanced orthodontic course, primarily run by Professor Ross Hobson. Since then, he has been providing orthodontics using their support forum – a brilliant way to sense check his treatment plans and tap into the wealth of experience that the available specialist orthodontists can bring as treatment progresses.
“Essentially, it’s a lovely way for a general dentist like me to gain experience in, and provide, orthodontics safely for my patients” Guys explains.
Once he’d finished the advanced course, he attended several other IAS Academy courses to further develop his knowledge and skills. Whilst there, he got chatting to Professor Ross Hobson about teaching opportunities; something he hadn’t done for a while following a brief foray doing small-group training for foundation dentists several years ago. It was during that conversation that Ross encouraged him to give it a go again whilst explaining their training structure for lecturing.
“I was then put in touch with Tif Qureshi (via Ross) and he suggested that his Align, Bleach & Bond course would be a perfect fit for me as it’s a mix of Orthodontics and Aesthetic Restorative – which is what I spend most of my clinical time doing!
I’ve helped on the course three times now over the last year, including on the recent course held for Riverdale associates. This has initially been as a ‘clinical trainer’, where I help delegates with the hands-on components of the course, while I familiarise myself with the lectures.”
However, most recently, Guy has been fortunate enough to deliver a couple of small sections of the course presentation, which has helped to ease him back into lecturing whilst providing fantastic experience.
His involvement with the IAS Academy has also coincided with the opportunity to assist Riverdale Group Clinical Director, Neeraj Diddee, in delivering his hands-on Anterior & Posterior Composite courses for the Northern Deanery.
“Three days after I lectured at the IAS Academy course, Neeraj asked me to present some of his Posterior Composite course which, I’m told, went well too. Was certainly quite a week!”
Guy’s motivation has seen him take advantage of the opportunities available to him, and he is keen to keep going with what he has started:
“I’m very much in the infancy of my teaching journey but I have already received good feedback from both trainers and delegates alike, which at this stage is as good as I could hope for!”
National Dental Nurse Day
/in UncategorisedManaging Your Anxiety with Angela Daniel
/in UncategorisedGender Pay Gap Report FY 2022
/in UncategorisedINTRODUCTION
Riverdale Healthcare is a group of independent dental practices located across England. Following the establishment of the Group in December 2018, we have grown rapidly acquiring 59 practices and a dental laboratory to date. As a group we are now focusing on developing our people processes and policies as well as embedding our values. This activity has included the introduction of a pay structure for our practices, which has rewarded our employees and has addressed pay inequalities in our acquired practices. The benefit of this will continue to be visible in our 2023 report.
OUR VALUES
We Care About People
‘We are kind to each other. We build relationships and support each other’s development to fulfil our aspirations and be happy and engaged.’
‘We have fun together, with a ‘can -do’ attitude, delivering outstanding care to the people in our communities to live life with confident and happy smiles.’
We Practice with Integrity
‘We provide high quality ethical dental care. We believe in giving choice to both our patients and our clinicians.’
‘We are open and honest and always act with integrity. We commit to always do the right thing, for our people, patients, communities and the environment.’
‘We embrace individuality. We are diverse and inclusive and want the unique character of our practices to shine through, just like an extended family.’
‘We listen to each other, giving everyone a voice. We respect each other’s opinions, learn from each other, creating an environment for our teams to flourish.’
WHAT IS GENDER PAY GAP?
The gender pay gap is the difference between the average (mean or median) earnings of men and women across a workforce. Since 2017, employers with a headcount of 250 or more must comply with regulations on gender pay gap reporting. This requires employers to annually report and publish specific data about their gender pay gap from the defined snapshot date which is the 5th of April.
2022 GENDER PAY GAP DATA
No bonus payments were made in 2022
PROPORTION OF WOMEN IN EACH PAY QUARTILE
WHY A GENDER PAY GAP EXISITS AT RIVERDALE
Most of our practice employees are women where we do not have a gender pay gap. We also operate an Apprentice programme in our practices who begin their careers on a lower rate of pay with an increase upon qualifying.
Our support and operational roles across Riverdale typically attract a higher rate of pay. Riverdale supports career progression for our practice employees into support and operational roles.
OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE OUR GENDER PAY GAP
Women are represented at senior management level. Since the last report we have recruited a female People and Culture Director and a female Operations Director.
Nurse pay has been increased at a higher % compared to our support and operational teams and we have introduced some additional Nurse levels offering career pathway. As our Nurse Cohort are predominantly women, we will continue to see the benefits of these initiatives in future reports.
We are committed to encourage and facilitate career progression via internal applications for operational and central support roles.
Educating on career options with Riverdale
/in UncategorisedApprenticeship Spotlight – Jennifer McClelland
/in UncategorisedWith National Apprenticeship Week taking place from 6th to 12th February 2023, we caught up with Riverdale’s very own HR Apprentice, Jennifer McClelland, to find out more about what undertaking an apprenticeship means to her and why Riverdale Healthcare.
Why did you choose to do an HR apprenticeship?
I love learning new skills and broadening my knowledge. Apprenticeships are the perfect way to not only gain the knowledge but put it into practice and keep learning and building on your skills.
Taking an apprenticeship was also the perfect opportunity for a change, I didn’t want to feel stuck in a “job”, I wanted a career I could be proud of and progress in. I love the flexibility that comes with the apprenticeship, being able to work whilst learning at my pace.
Why Riverdale Healthcare?
I was really attracted to Riverdale Healthcare as it is a relatively young business, growing at a fast pace, which means I have the opportunity to grow alongside it and am excited by all the opportunities and input I can have. Riverdale’s values also stand out to me, and they really come through and can be felt throughout the business. I feel very lucky to have found a business who cares about their employees. I have had so much support across the group already and have felt very welcomed by every member of staff I have met.
What do I love about it most?
I have loved feeling valued amongst the team, even whilst still being new and learning, I feel like my opinion is valued and respected. I have loved meeting and talking to colleagues in the group, building connections with them, especially my closer team who have supported me so much already. I always come away feeling accomplished with my day and that my efforts have been appreciated within my team.
What would you say to others thinking about doing an apprenticeship with us?
What have you got to lose! It has been my best career decision in the last 10 years, and most importantly I love coming into work and actually look forward to Monday!
Here at Riverdale Healthcare, we are proud of the apprenticeship opportunities we provide. We help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, both clinically or in our many support functions, whilst developing a talented workforce that is equipped with skills for the future.
Keep an eye on our vacancies page for the latest apprenticeship opportunities as they arise.
Riverdale supports team members on the back of rising costs
/in UncategorisedAt Riverdale, we regularly refer to our company values as they underpin everything that we do. But we are always mindful that we demonstrate these values, and that they don’t become just words.
Our ‘we care about people’ value is not only about the patients we treat, but the people that treat them too. We understand that the current cost challenges are causing real concern among households – even placing fuel in the car to get to work can be difficult for some.
That is why Riverdale are pleased to announce that we will be paying all our team members a one-off winter ‘cost of living’ support payment of an extra £100 per month for the next six months! A little bit extra to help with where our team members may need it the most.
Speaking of the gesture, CEO Emma Barnes said, “As a business we are fully aware of the difficulties that many people are facing when it comes to the current cost of living, therefore it means a lot that we can support our team members and recognise their hard work at the same time through these additional payments.”
The support payment forms one of several initiatives that are in place within Riverdale, including the Employee Assistance Programme; provided in partnership with Health Assured. The free service provides 24/7 access to completely confidential free advice on a range of issues from stress & anxiety to financial wellbeing, and is there to support all team members, especially during the current difficult times.
Dental Group Over The Moon after Latest Acquisition
/in AcquisitionsIndependent dental group, Riverdale Healthcare, has announced its latest acquisition with the arrival of Hanji Dental Care into the group.
Hanji Dental Care offers both NHS and private dental treatment to its patients through its 18 practices located across South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, Birmingham, Northamptonshire, and the East Midlands.
Speaking of the acquisition, Chief Investment Officer for Riverdale, Chris Aylward said, “This is a fantastic group of practices that further strengthens our proposition as a leading provider of dental care. Hanji Dental Care has become one of the leading independent dental groups in the country therefore we are delighted to be welcoming their clinical and practice teams to Riverdale.”
Chris added, “The acquisition has been completed in record time thanks to the outstanding service from the teams at Mills & Reeve, PWC and Christie & Co with support from Apposite Capital.”
Emma Barnes, Chief Executive Officer for Riverdale, said, “The addition of Hanji Dental Care emphasises how we continue to effectively implement our growth strategy. This acquisition forms part of our planned strategy to link our existing practices in the North and South of the country.
We are excited to welcome all their clinical and practice teams into the Riverdale family at such a positive time on our journey.”
This latest acquisition takes Riverdale to 59 practices plus a dental laboratory.
It has been a busy few months for the dental group after it added four practices to the group during May and June.
Riverdale Healthcare is a dental investment group which was formed in 2019, with an industry-leading management team led by CEO Emma Barnes and backed by specialist healthcare investment fund, Apposite Capital. The team continue to actively source ambitious dental practices which share Riverdale Healthcare’s ethos of providing high quality, ethical dentistry.
Dental Group Sitting Pretty after Latest Acquisition
/in AcquisitionsIndependent dental group, Riverdale Healthcare, has announced its latest acquisition with the arrival of Prettygate Dental into the group.
Located in the historic town of Colchester in Essex, Prettygate Dental offers both NHS and private dental treatment to patients across the Southeast of England through its two practices.
Speaking of the acquisition, Chief Investment Officer for Riverdale, Chris Aylward said, “This is another exciting investment and further strengthens our proposition across the group. Prettygate Dental has been established for over 40 years; therefore, we are delighted to be welcoming their experience into the group.”
Chris added, “The acquisition has been a smooth process. The teams at Apposite Capital, Pinsent Masons and Hazelwoods have yet again provided an outstanding service as we continue our growth strategy.”
Emma Barnes, Chief Executive Officer for Riverdale, said, “The addition of Prettygate Dental emphasises how we continue to effectively implement our growth strategy, and is exciting as it forms part of our planned strategy to extend our offering in the South of the country. We are pleased to welcome them into our great team at such a positive time on our journey.”
The new acquisitions will be clinically led by Neeraj Diddee as part of his new role as Group Clinical Director for Riverdale Healthcare.
This latest acquisition takes Riverdale to 40 practices plus a dental laboratory.
It has been a busy month for the dental group after it also added a further three practices in the Northeast to the group during May.
Riverdale Healthcare is a dental investment group which was formed in 2019, with an industry-leading management team led by CEO Emma Barnes and backed by specialist healthcare investment fund, Apposite Capital. The team continue to actively source ambitious dental practices which share Riverdale Healthcare’s ethos of providing high quality, ethical dentistry.
Dental practice owners interested in finding out how they can secure the future for their team should contact, in confidence, Chris Aylward at chris@riverdalehealthcare.com
It’s all aligned for Guy’s teaching journey
/in NewsIt certainly has been ‘all smiles’ recently for one of our North Yorkshire dentists as he continues his journey back into lecturing.
Guy Wells, Clinical Director working at our Vitality Dental Care practices in Stokesley and Northallerton, has been keen to get more involved with the teaching side of dentistry, to compliment his day-to-day role and to pass on his knowledge to others.
Guy originally got involved with the IAS Academy back in 2018 when he started their advanced orthodontic course, primarily run by Professor Ross Hobson. Since then, he has been providing orthodontics using their support forum – a brilliant way to sense check his treatment plans and tap into the wealth of experience that the available specialist orthodontists can bring as treatment progresses.
“Essentially, it’s a lovely way for a general dentist like me to gain experience in, and provide, orthodontics safely for my patients” Guys explains.
Once he’d finished the advanced course, he attended several other IAS Academy courses to further develop his knowledge and skills. Whilst there, he got chatting to Professor Ross Hobson about teaching opportunities; something he hadn’t done for a while following a brief foray doing small-group training for foundation dentists several years ago. It was during that conversation that Ross encouraged him to give it a go again whilst explaining their training structure for lecturing.
“I was then put in touch with Tif Qureshi (via Ross) and he suggested that his Align, Bleach & Bond course would be a perfect fit for me as it’s a mix of Orthodontics and Aesthetic Restorative – which is what I spend most of my clinical time doing!
I’ve helped on the course three times now over the last year, including on the recent course held for Riverdale associates. This has initially been as a ‘clinical trainer’, where I help delegates with the hands-on components of the course, while I familiarise myself with the lectures.”
However, most recently, Guy has been fortunate enough to deliver a couple of small sections of the course presentation, which has helped to ease him back into lecturing whilst providing fantastic experience.
His involvement with the IAS Academy has also coincided with the opportunity to assist Riverdale Group Clinical Director, Neeraj Diddee, in delivering his hands-on Anterior & Posterior Composite courses for the Northern Deanery.
“Three days after I lectured at the IAS Academy course, Neeraj asked me to present some of his Posterior Composite course which, I’m told, went well too. Was certainly quite a week!”
Guy’s motivation has seen him take advantage of the opportunities available to him, and he is keen to keep going with what he has started:
“I’m very much in the infancy of my teaching journey but I have already received good feedback from both trainers and delegates alike, which at this stage is as good as I could hope for!”
Gender Pay Gap Report FY 2021
/in UncategorisedINTRODUCTION
Riverdale Healthcare is a group of independent dental practices located in the North of England and Cambridge. Following the establishment of the Group in December 2018, we have grown rapidly acquiring 35 practices and a dental laboratory to date, with on-going acquisition planned. As a group we are now focusing on developing our people processes and policies as well as embedding our values. This activity has included the introduction of a pay structure for our practices, which has rewarded our employees and has addressed pay inequalities in our acquired practices. The benefit of this will be visible in our 2022 report.
OUR VALUES
We Care About People
‘We are kind to each other. We build relationships and support each other’s development to fulfil our aspirations and be happy and engaged.’
‘We have fun together, with a ‘can -do’ attitude, delivering outstanding care to the people in our communities to live life with confident and happy smiles.’
We Practice with Integrity
‘We provide high quality ethical dental care. We believe in giving choice to both our patients and our clinicians.’
‘We are open and honest and always act with integrity. We commit to always do the right thing, for our people, patients, communities and the environment.’
‘We embrace individuality. We are diverse and inclusive and want the unique character of our practices to shine through, just like an extended family.’
‘We listen to each other, giving everyone a voice. We respect each other’s opinions, learn from each other, creating an environment for our teams to flourish.’
WHAT IS GENDER PAY GAP?
The gender pay gap is the difference between the average (mean or median) earnings of men and women across a workforce. Since 2017, employers with a headcount of 250 or more must comply with regulations on gender pay gap reporting. This requires employers to annually report and publish specific data about their gender pay gap from the defined snapshot date which is the 5th of April.
2021 GENDER PAY GAP DATA
PROPORTION OF WOMEN IN EACH PAY QUARTILE
Female 76%
Female 97%
Female 99%
Female 100%
WHY A GENDER PAY GAP EXISITS AT RIVERDALE
Most of our practice employees are women where we do not have a gender pay gap. We also operate an Apprentice programme in our practices who begin their careers on a lower rate of pay with an increase upon qualifying.
Our support and operational roles across Riverdale typically attract a higher rate of pay. Riverdale supports career progression for our practice employees into support and operational roles.
OUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE OUR GENDER PAY GAP
Women are well represented at senior management level. We have a female Chief Executive Officer, and all of our operational team are female. Our next report will also show additional females that have joined the executive level and senior central support roles.
Since the 2021 snapshot date we have increased Nurse pay (which are predominantly women) at a higher % compared to our support and operational teams reducing the gender pay gap.
We will continue to encourage career progression via internal applications for operational and central support roles.