I have been asked to share my story. My name is Joanne, but most people call me Jo. I have a beautiful daughter, who is seven, and a husband who is a children’s magician. I have recently celebrated my big forty with my sisters, who I share my birthday with as we are triplets.

Each month, Dental Nurse Network will take a look at issues that occur in practice and that affect us as dental nurses and as dental teams. If you have any thoughts on topics you would like us to look at, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A career in dentistry was never something that crossed my mind during school or college – in fact, while I was growing up I had no idea what I wanted to do. At the age of eighteen, I found myself desperate for a job and was lucky enough to be offered a position as a trainee dental nurse in a local NHS practice.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name given to a common group of viruses that affect the skin and moist membranes lining the body, such as the cervix, mouth and throat.

How it all started

Throughout my life, I have always been a very caring person with a desire both to help others and to take advantage of opportunities to grow in whichever career I decided to pursue. I have multiple family members working in the health industry, and they all offered me loads of valuable advice.