Gleaming smiles were seen all around, as the Welsh Dental Awards recognised the best Wales’s dental industry has to offer.
Held at the Hilton Hotel on the 8th of May 2026, hosted by BBC Wales’s Behnaz Akhgar, the Welsh dental community gathered for the first ever Welsh Dental Awards!
The awards have been established to celebrate the incredible achievements of Wales’s top dental professionals, to recognise the essential role they play, providing both life-changing and life-saving dental care. This year acknowledged both a winner and a highly commended category, due to our high number of incredible applicants.
The Winners, and Highly Commended individuals and practices are as follows:
Patient Experience of the Year
- Winner – Ruabon Road Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Wyndham House Dental Practice
Oral Health Excellence of the Year
- Winner – Wyndham House Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Kirsty Chappell – Kirsty’s Smile Academy
Compassionate Care of the Year
- Winner – Whitland Dental Co
- Highly Commended – Pontcanna Dental Care
Community Initiative of the Year
- Winner – The Dental Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) – University Dental Hospital
- Highly Commended – Wyndham House Dental
Green Practice of the Year
- Winner – South Wales Specialist Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Centre
- Highly Commended – Y Bont Faen Dental Centre
Digital Practice of the Year
- Winner – Red House Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Y Bont Faen Dental Centre
Practice Transformation of the Year
- Winner – Y Bont Faen Dental Centre
- Highly Commended – Whitland Dental Co
Dental Nurse of the Year
- Winner – Jasmin Mae James – Brynteg Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Heidi Clay – Rhoose Dental Practice
Dental Hygienist/Therapist of the Year
- Winner – Catherine Teear – Wyndham House Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Chanelle Bowen
Receptionist of the Year
- Winner – Hannah Neale – Brynteg Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Cheryl Roberts – Wyndham House Dental Practice
Treatment Coordinator of the Year
- Winner – Jayde Thomas – Brynteg Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Chloe Harris – Dental Lounge Glynneath
Practice Manager of the Year
- Winner – Vikki Leigh Edwards – Laffan Dental Care
- Highly Commended – Claire Seaborne – Newport Orthodontic Centre
Practice Principle of the Year
- Winner – Dr James Hayden – Hayden Dental
- Highly Commended – Dr Alexandra Davies – Whitland Dental Co
Rising Star Dentist of the Year (Under 33)
- Winner – Oliver Jones – Mumbles Dental Suite
- Highly Commended – Dr Ryia Roy – Smart Smiles Ebbw Vale
Dentist of the Year
- Winner – Dr Rory Dewhurst
- Highly Commended – Dr Chloe Harrington-Taylor – Hereford Dental Implant Clinic
Facial Aesthetic Excellence of the Year
- Winner – Dr Sarah Khalil – Wellwood Dentistry & Aesthetics
- Highly Commended – Nadia Khan & Sara Herbert Evans – Hayden Dental
Dental Team of the Year
- Winner – Wyndham House Dental Practice
- Highly Commended – Rumney Endontics & Dental Care, Newport Orthodontic Centre
Welsh Practice of the Year
- Winner – Whitland Dental Co
- Highly Commended – Bethcar Dental
Welsh Dental Awards Champion 2026 – Wyndham House Dental Practice
The co-founder of the awards, Wesley Skene (WS Marketing) said: “The inaugural awards have shown why the Welsh dental sector is so important to Wales. It’s this industry that is at the forefront of the Welsh healthcare, and we are incredibly proud to shine a light on the work that is being done across Wales.”
Co-founder Dr Zena Aseeley said: “Congratulations to all our finalists and winners alike. Friday was a hugely successful evening, and the Welsh dental industry did itself proud. You truly are the best of the best, and we look forward to celebrating with you next year for the 2027 WDA’s
“A huge thank you to our Feature sponsors, Denplan and Woodlane Dental Equipment, and our Event Sponsors: JCP Solicitors, Lloyds Bank, DermaFocus, Wesleyan and Practice Plan, who helped to ensure a successful awards evening.”
