Some of our more longstanding patients will remember my niece Yasmin who worked at our practice prior to studying Dentistry at Bristol University. Many of you have been very kind in asking about how she is, and so I thought I'd fill you in a little more.

She is now in her 2nd year and with the COVID restrictions has been having a mixture of online lectures and in-person teaching at the Dental Hospital. She has been practising drilling, filling and scaling on plastic teeth, as well as injections on her classmates. They are now preparing to see their very first patients for initial assessments and review appointments. Best of luck Yasmin - we remember how nerve-wracking this was for us!

With some of the COVID restrictions soon to be easing, many of you may be heading into the outdoors with your families. During our most recent medical emergencies training session with Clive from First Response, he recommended a free service and app called what3words to help give your precise location should you require help.

Every 3 metre square of the world has been given a unique combination of three words which you can search for on their website or app. For example, the 3 word address we use at the practice is works.quick.task. Most emergency services use this address and the app will provide your address without a mobile signal.

This is not only useful for emergencies but many other situations such as meeting up with someone in a large open area, locating buildings or the entrance where the postcode doesn't pinpoint it accurately enough, or sharing the location of your favourite outdoor spot.

If you’re given a what3words location, you can open it in the app, then tap ‘Navigate’ and select ‘Google Maps’ to open the exact location in Google Maps and get directions.