Marama Millar – Head of Education Strategy
Marama is a registered dental nurse and has over 20 years of experience in the dental industry, having undergone initial training in New Zealand before relocating to England in 2004. On arriving in London, she started working as a dental nurse at a private clinic on Wimpole Street. Throughout this period, her enthusiasm for education led her to pursue studies in science with the Open University. Motivated by a dedication to personal and professional growth, Marama established the Dental Nurse Network in April 2010. In addition to her substantial experience, she holds qualifications in education and business, and she is soon commencing a Master’s degree in Education Leadership.
During her downtime, Marama enjoys motherhood, music (including singing and playing the guitar and ukulele), and getting her hands dirty in the garden.
Stephanie Carter – Head of Education and Quality Assurance
Stephanie is a registered dental nurse, hygienist and therapist who has worked in dentistry for over 20 years. She joined Dental Nurse Network in 2016. She has recently completed a Level 7 Qualification in Leadership and Management. She also has a Level 5 Diploma in Education and a Level 4 Diploma in Quality Assurance. She is also a member of the Edinburgh Faculty of Dental Trainers. Stephanie plays a vital role in our course development and quality assurance, ensuring all our courses are of a high standard and meet the needs of all our students.
When not working, Stephanie enjoys taking long walks with her dog (Diesel) and swimming.
Melanie Pomphrett – Head of Oral Health Education Development
Melanie, a registered dental hygienist with nearly 15 years of experience in dentistry, joined Dental Nurse Network in 2015. She holds a Master's degree in Professional Dental Practice, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, an Advanced Diploma in Dental Nursing and a Foundation Degree of Science in Oral Health Science. At Dental Nurse Network, Melanie specialises in teaching various courses within our Oral Health Education sector. In 2018, she was honoured with the Phillips 'Shine on' award, acknowledging her commitment to career development and success.
During her downtime, Melanie enjoys keeping fit, trying out new recipes, and chilling out with her two cats, Winnie and Jasper.
Hilary Urry – Head of Assessment and Student Support
Hilary, a registered dental nurse with over 30 years of experience in dentistry, joined Dental Nurse Network in 2019. She holds a Foundation Degree in Advanced Dental Nursing, a Level 3 Certificate in Education and Training, and a Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement. Hilary is dedicated to providing exceptional support to our students, drawing from her own experience as a former student at Dental Nurse Network. Known as the mother figure within the organisation, Hilary's caring nature shines through in her role, supported by her qualification as a Mental Health Lead. She prioritises ensuring that our students receive the highest level of support throughout their courses, contributing significantly to our high success rate.
During her downtime, Hilary enjoys yoga/pilates/Tai Chi, walking on her treadmill, colouring, spending time with her grandchildren and watching the birds and squirrels in her garden.
Emma Leather – Assessor and Student Support
Emma, a registered dental nurse with 18 years of dentistry experience, joined Dental Nurse Network in 2016. Having initially started as a student with us, Emma's familiarity with our organisation stood out when she applied to join our team. She holds a Level 7 Diploma in Leadership & Management, a Level 4 National Certificate in Internal Quality Assurance, a Level 3 Award in Education and Training, and a Level 3 Assessor Qualification. Working alongside Hilary, Emma plays a crucial role in marking our students' assessments and ensuring they receive optimal support throughout their journey with us.
During her downtime, Emma enjoys spending time with her daughter, friends and family, going for long walks, swimming, visiting the theatre and reading.
Rachel Lloyd – Assessor
Rachel has recently joined the team and is a registered dental nurse with over 18 years of experience. She holds a Level 4 qualification in Leadership and Management and a Level 3 Assessor qualification. She is also a qualified payroll manager, and manages the payroll for her family business alongside locum dental nursing and supporting practices with compliance.
In her downtime, Rachel is an avid swimmer. She loves cooking, arts and crafts and being a busy mum to two boys.
Gemma Hutchinson – Student Communications
Gemma, a registered dental nurse with over 10 years of experience, joined Dental Nurse Network in 2023. Having initially enrolled as a student with us, Gemma’s exceptional performance caught our eye, which helped her stand out when applying for her role with Dental Nurse Network. She is dedicated to supporting our students across various areas, ensuring their journey with us is seamless. Gemma is keen to pursue teaching qualifications to further enhance her ability to assist students and share her valuable experiences in dental nursing.
During her downtime, Gemma enjoys catching up with friends over coffee and going to the gym. She has a National Trust membership, so also enjoys spending time outdoors visiting these sites.
Beth Cooper – Digital Learning Support
Beth recently embarked on her dentistry journey with Dental Nurse Network, starting in 2023. With a background in IT, specialising in digital marketing, she brings a wealth of knowledge in cyber security and proficiency in graphic design and photography. Beth's passion for digital media drives her to elevate our online content, focusing on video quality and inclusivity through accurate captions and high-quality audio. Inspired by her experience at Dental Nurse Network, she is driven to pursue a teaching qualification, eager to impart her knowledge and expertise to others.
During her downtime, Beth enjoys catching up with friends, spending time with her family, going for a scenic run or watching true crime documentaries.
Natasha Garthwaite – Dental Education Author
Natasha, who joined us in 2023, brings over a decade of dentistry experience to Dental Nurse Network. Armed with a Bachelor of Science and a Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing, she contributes insightful articles that help our students stay up to date with the latest developments in dental nursing.
During her downtime, Natasha enjoys spending time with her husband and their two wonderful children, be it playing games or going out exploring. She loves to bake yummy cakes and has just found a new passion in chocolate-making (just don’t tell her dentist!). She also has a new-found love of gardening and is excited for spring to arrive so she can get planting with the kids!
Karen Atkinson – Dental Education Editor
Karen, who joined Dental Nurse Network in 2014, boasts a remarkable academic background with a PhD, an MSc, and an LLB. As an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), she meticulously edits all our learning materials, including articles, presentations, and learning quizzes. Karen's dedication ensures that we maintain best practice and deliver the highest quality educational content to our students.
In her spare time, Karen enjoys reading, writing fiction, hill-walking with her dog (Otto), and playing a drum in a samba band.