Meet the team at Blue Cross Dental Care, Watford
Our dentists and dental hygienists, are fully qualified and work with a team of experienced dental nurses and reception staff.
They undertake post-graduate education covering a wide range of interests in dentistry, together with regular attendance at clinical meetings and study groups which enable our dentists to gain from the experience of others thus bringing the benefits to our patients.
Dr Rafath Affarka
Dr Affarka is the principal dentist and qualified in 2011and in the same year completed her MJDF diploma at the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons of England. She further extended her skills by undertaking a postgraduate diploma in Conscious Sedation for Dentistry at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London and more recently, has completed a one-year course leading to a postgraduate diploma in implant surgery from Smile Dental Academy.
She has extensive clinical experience having worked as a Senior House Officer in the Oral and Maxillofacial department at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital and has extended skills in oral surgery. She has taught undergraduate students at King’s College Hospital London and was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice by King’s Institute of Learning & Teaching.
Having also worked in Special Care Dentistry, Dr Affarka is particularly good in treating anxious/nervous patients which enables her to build rapport whilst providing an excellent level of patient care with both adults and children, often without sedation.
Dr Affarka offers a full range of private and NHS general dentistry but has a keen interest in cosmetic dentistry, especially composite bonding and implant treatment. She enjoys professionally mentoring trainee dental nurses and apprentices and is committed to providing work experience placements to local Watford high school students aspiring to further study dentistry or a medical related degree.
Dr Gbenga Olusanya
Dr Gbenga is a Fellow in Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He is also a General Dental Council registered specialist in oral surgery. He is a member of several professional associations and bodies including:
- Member - British Association of Oral Surgeons
- Member - British Dental Association
- Member - Association of Dental Implantology (UK)
- Member - International Team for Implantology (ITI)
- Member - American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
Gbenga has a wide range of experience in clinical general dentistry and has worked for many years at some of the leading centres in the UK for oral and maxillofacial surgery. His special interests are in dental implants and cosmetic dentistry.
Dr Riaz Qureshi
Dr Qureshi is a specialist oral surgeon with a very warm personality. In addition to providing specialist support in oral surgery and implant dentistry in our practice, He has been an invaluable mentor.
He started his career in Oral Surgery in 1985. He did Masters in Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery from Bristol University from 1987 to 1989.
Besides gaining experience and an understanding of the basics in both fields, he also did research in the ‘Psychological and Psychiatric Sequel of Maxillofacial Trauma’. He has worked at various levels in a number of NHS hospitals, where he gained experience in all fields of Oral Surgery.
In 1995, he joined Manchester University as a clinical lecturer. After working as a Consultant Oral Surgeon at Victoria Hospital, he joined the most prestigious Institute of Medical Sciences in South East Asia, Agha Khan Medical University in Karachi, as a Professor in 1999. Here, he was involved in teaching medical students Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery, as well as designing problem-based learning scenarios for the medical course. He developed a team of doctors and co-workers that would reconstruct the jaws after re-section in oral cancer cases.
Amongst his famous cases is the re-implantation of an avulsed mandible. He was appointed as the Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at King Fahad National Guard Hospital in 2001. He moved back to the UK in 2004 and began working at Consultant level in several NHS hospitals.
His special interest is Dental Implantology & reconstruction of jaws. He recently gained diploma in implantology from Royal College of Surgeons England & a Certificate from University of Lille, France.
Dr Qureshi is an International Speaker and lectures on all aspects of Oral Surgery and Dental Implantology.