This dentist travels thousands of miles to work in Hartlepool

Michelle Safavi has moved from Karachi, in Pakistan, to treat patients at the Hartlepool Dental and Implant Centre.

She is undertaking a year of validation, known as a Performers List Validation by Experience (PLVE), which overseas dentists must complete to be fully certified by the NHS.

While practices can charge up to £24,000 for PLVE dentists to work with them, the Hartlepool Dental and Implant Centre, which has three branches across town, is allowing Michelle to train for free.

The centre’s Dr Caroline Jackson said: ”Michelle has loved her time with us and is loving spending time in Hartlepool. It is so very different from Pakistan.

“I know she has very much enjoyed meeting the friendly people from the town.”

Michelle, 30, has explained how she ended up in Hartlepool and why she has enjoyed her stay her so far.

She said: “I have trained as a dentist in Karachi. My mum is originally from Nuneaton and I have been lucky enough to enjoy growing up in two countries.

“I am loving my work and as I live on the marina and would now like to add sailing to my wish list during my time training in Hartlepool.

“To learn to sail in Hartlepool would be a dream come true for me.

“The locals are really friendly here in town and I can only speak highly of the area in general since I arrived a few months ago to continue my training here.

“But after just a few days in Hartlepool I was convinced that I had made the correct choice.

“It has been great to be given such a warm welcome via people on my travels around the town.”

Dr Jackson said the practice was “inundated” with applications for the role and added: “I needed someone who would complement the team I’m building and Michelle is a perfect fit.

“She started seeing and treating patients at the beginning of December and I’m so impressed by the high calibre of work she has produced.

“The patients and staff love her and it feels like she’s always been with us at the Hartlepool Dental and Implant Centres.”