SPONSORED: My Career: Neil Sikka, Director of Dentistry at Bupa Dental Care and Chief Medical Office at Bupa UK Dental Insurance
My Career: Neil Sikka, Director of Dentistry at Bupa Dental Care and Chief Medical Office at Bupa UK Dental Insurance
I was born in Yorkshire, raised in Grimsby, and now live in London with my wife, sons, and daughter.
Dentistry wasn't a career I initially considered, but taking care of people has always been important in my family; my father was an eye surgeon, and my mother was a doctor who continued to practice well into her late eighties, so you could say that working in healthcare was somewhat pre-destined.
In 1987, I graduated from Leeds University and moved to London to start my first job in the heart of the East End, working in an NHS practice. While it can be a challenging working environment, it gave me the skills and confidence for what came next.
At that time, private dental care in the UK was mainly centred around Harley Street and a few other locations outside of London, but there was generally limited choice and variety in the sector. I recognised an opportunity to offer high quality and accessible care, especially to the corporate community in the growing area of Canary Wharf.
In 1992, I opened my first practice, Barbican Dental Care, in the City of London. Through proactively engaging with nearby businesses, we were able to attract a strong base of corporate clients. This led to opening second practice in Canary Wharf in 1995, and several others in the years that followed, resulting in a network of 10 practices across central London that served over 50,000 patients a year.
After many years of growing the portfolio, Barbican Dental Care was acquired by Bupa – one of the leading healthcare insurers and dental providers in the UK. Following the acquisition, I transitioned into the role of chief dental officer for the Bupa UK insurance business. In this position, I continue support with new product development and streamlining the patient journey in our network of more than 300 dental practices.
Earlier this year, I was appointed director of dentistry for Bupa Dental Care, reporting in general manager Mark Allan, to lead our Clinical Advisory Team and build on the great work already in place to grow engagement with our clinical community of more than 8,000 people.
Alongside my leadership roles, I still prioritise and am passionate about my clinical work and continue to look after long-standing patients, many of whom I have known since my early Barbican days over 30 years ago. I am also passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community, which is why I joined Bupa's dental foundation committee, supporting the work of many wonderful charities including Dentaid The Dental Charity.
One particularly rewarding experience has been my involvement with The Lifeline Express, a hospital train providing essential surgical care to underserved populations in India, which has positively impacted the oral health of over one million individuals since it started. In 2010, I sponsored the addition of a dedicated dental carriage to the train and participated in a mission, providing dental services to the homeless and vulnerable.
For graduate dentists, I suggest embracing all opportunities, including volunteering, as it’s great for gaining broader experience, acquiring transferable skills, and networking.
Balancing my professional and personal life is also important so that I can spend quality time with my three children. I also enjoy playing golf, the violin, and fossil hunting in my free time. As I look ahead, I am excited about continuing to shape the future of dentistry with the team at Bupa Dental Care and creating more memories with my family.
