Zara McKibbin

Appletree dental hygienist Zara treats patients who suffer from gum disease using whichever course of treatment is most suitable. Her main role within Appletree is prevention of oral disease through education — she will guide you in the latest methods of plaque removal in order to maintain a healthy mouth.

Zara first came to Appletree as a trainee dental nurse in 2006. She achieved the highest marks in NI in the dental nursing certificate and decided to push herself further. Zara returned to university to complete a Diploma in Dental Hygiene and graduated in 2009. In her first year she won the GSK Perpetual Trophy for best performance in the primary examination, and in her final year she won the Medical Imaging Award for highest marks in Radiography. She finished her diploma by being awarded the prestigious LM Hygienist Award for Best Overall Student, having achieved distinction standard in every module.

Zara has been recognised for her excellent work: in 2014 she won Best Dental Care Professional in NI at the Irish Dentistry Awards; she was a key member of the team when in 2016 Appletree won Dental Practice of the Year at the 17th NI Healthcare Awards; and in 2017 she was awarded Highly Commended for Dental Hygienist/Therapist of the Year at the 18th NI Healthcare Awards.

Zara’s particular areas of interest include challenging periodontal cases and being part of a larger treatment plan involving the dentists in the practice. She builds rapport with patients quickly and enjoys seeing the transformation in their oral health.