Dr. Miriam is Connaught Sensitive Dentist of the Year 2015
BALLINA-BASED dentist Dr. Miriam Grady has been named the winner of the Connaught Sensitive Dentist of the Year Award 2015. Dr. Grady was nominated by a family member of a patient for her outstanding empathy in treating their elderly mother while seriously ill in Ballina hospital.
The awards, sponsored by Oral Care GlaxoSmithKline, the makers of Sensodyne toothpaste, invite patients to nominate their dentist if they believe they have gone above and beyond normal patient care in treating patients.
The family member who nominated Dr. Grady said: “Dr. Grady, who treated my mother in hospital as she was coming towards the end of her life, proved herself to be a warm, sensitive, caring and special lady.
“During a hospital move from Castlebar Hospital to Ballina Hospital, my mother’s dentures were mislaid. Being an elegant lady who cared for her appearance, it was important to my mother to have a replacement set made but given my mother’s failing condition, I was not hopeful this could be done.
“But Dr. Grady was extremely supportive and empathetic to the situation and agreed to organise the dentures by personally calling to the hospital to take impressions and even following up on progress while on holidays. Sadly, my mother passed away before she got to wear them but she did manage to wake up and thank Dr. Grady and squeeze her hand in appreciation. Dr. Grady went over and beyond patient care and is a credit to her profession.”
Dr. Grady said she was 'honoured and delighted' to receive the award. “It highlights the importance of the dentist-patient relationship built on respect for each individual patient which puts the patient first,” she added.
Hundreds of nominations were received from patients across the country, with a total of 18 dentists honoured at the awards ceremony held in the RDS Concert Hall, Dublin.
Professor Leo Stassen, honorary editor, Journal of the Irish Dental Association, said the awards highlight the excellence of the Irish dental profession through the eyes of the patient and reinforce the importance of the dentist-patient relationship.