#276 Beyond the Bracket — Claire Nightingale

Claire Nightingale, a consultant orthodontist and former practice owner, shares her remarkable journey through dentistry spanning over three decades.  From her early experiences as a patient that sparked her interest in dentistry, through to her recent venture into stand-up comedy, Claire offers candid insights into practice ownership, clinical excellence, and embracing change in orthodontics.  She discusses her transition from NHS to private practice, her pioneering adoption of Invisalign and digital dentistry, and her recent experience selling to a corporate group.  In This Episode 00:01:45 - Early career influences and becoming an orthodontist 00:04:15 - Digital dentistry adoption and Invisalign journey 00:09:35 - Evolution of aligner treatment 00:12:15 - NHS training challenges and future of orthodontics 00:33:25 - Practice ownership journey 00:42:10 - Keys to running a successful business 00:49:55 - Selling to a corporate group 01:04:35 - Women's Dentist Network 01:21:55 - Blackbox thinking 01:24:00 - Life after practice sale 01:57:15 - Stand-up comedy venture 02:02:15 - Fantasy dinner party guests 02:03:50 - Last days and legacy About Claire Nightingale Claire Nightingale is a consultant orthodontist at Watford General Hospital and private practitioner with over 25 years of specialist experience.  A pioneer in digital orthodontics and remote monitoring, she successfully built and sold Queensgate Orthodontics while maintaining her NHS consultant role. Claire is actively involved in the Women's Dentist Network and recently embarked on a new chapter combining expert witness work with stand-up comedy.