ABOUT ME

Hi, I’m Leena, a fourth-year dental student at King’s College London. While my studies are giving me a strong foundation in the core areas of dentistry, it’s the hands-on experiences, leadership roles, and opportunities to connect with others that have really shaped my journey so far and fuelled my passion for the profession.

I’m always looking to grow, both in and out of the clinic. I’ve attended conferences, taken part in clinical courses like the Mini Smile Makeover by Dr. Dipesh Parmar, and shadowed inspiring clinicians to help refine my practical skills and broaden my understanding of patient care. As I move into my final year and look ahead to the future, I want to stay open, adaptable, and ready to meet the ever-changing needs of dentistry.

Outside of the clinical setting, I’m passionate about leadership and working as part of a team. In 2024/25, I led a team of 24 to organise the national British Dental Students’ Association (BDSA) Conference for King's College London, bringing together over 700 delegates from across the UK. I’m now proud to be serving as the current Co-President of the BDSA, helping to represent and support over 5,000 dental students across the UK. These experiences have taught me a lot about communication, responsibility, and the impact of collaborative work - lessons I’ll carry with me as I continue to grow, both personally and professionally.

MY PORTFOLIO

Attended the European Dental Student's Association Spring meeting as the UK representative 2025

British Dental Student's Association Autumn Council meeting during our term as Co-Presidents for 2024-25

Presenting at the BDSA Leeds conference 2025

Led the organisation of the BDSA Kings Conference 2024 with over 700 dental students in attendance

Dentinal Tubules Young Dentist Committee 2023

QUALIFICATIONS

King's College London

Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) 2021-2026

Stockport Grammar School

A-levels - Biology (A*), Religion, Philosophy & Ethics (A*), Chemistry (A)

Languages

Fluent in English, Ukrainian and Russian with limited proficiency in Arabic

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2022

Treatment Planning Bootcamp

Sep 22. Dr Lincoln Harris

Minismile Makeover 2022

Nov 22. 2-day anterior composite course with Dr Dipesh Parmar.

2022

FaceExpo Congress

Nov 22. Lectures by Dr. Zainab Al-Mukhtar, Julie Scott and Arthur Gasperazzo.

A ‘New Era in Aesthetic Dentistry’ Congress

Dec 22. Lectures by Dr Miguel Stanley, Bill Dorfman, Majd Naji, Jameel Gardee and Ash Parmar.

2022

2023

New Boundaries of Dentistry Symposium

May 23. Symposium by Dr Miguel Stanley.

Dentinal Tubules Student Congress

Jun 23. Attended a Posterior Composites workshop by Dr Rachel Derby and lectures by Dr Dev Patel, Bertie Napier, Gurvonder Bhirth and Ian Dunn.

2023

EDSA Annual Conference

Aug 23. European Dental Student’s Association Conference in Liverpool.

BACD Annual Congress

Nov 23. Attended day 2 with lectures by Dr Lukasz Lassmann and Nazariy Mykhaylyuk on full mouth reconstruction and digital dentistry.

2023

Headstart to Final Webinar Series

Nov 23-Jan 24. Lectures by Prof. Riaz Yar, Dr. Mike Gregory, Dr. Chris Waith and Dr. Shivani Patel.

Harley Street Institute ‘Facial Ageing & Aesthetic Treatments’ and ‘Facial Ageing & Aesthetic Treatments’ online courses

Jul 24. Completed with CosmeDocs and Dr Hena Haq.

2024

WORK EXPERIENCE

Medic Mind tutor

2021-23. Tutored year 12 students, providing them with the necessary skills to succeed in their dental interviews. Tailoring my approach to each individual student to address their strengths and weaknesses and boost their confidence.

UK Dental Specialists St Albans

Jun 23. Two days of shadowing in different specialities, including implantology, periodontology, orthodontics, endodontics and restorative. Observed various difficult cases and surgeries including the placement of several implants and gum graft surgery.

The Andersson Clinic

Aug-Nov 23. Professionally nursed for Dr Andersson on Harley Street in general and cosmetic dentistry, as well as assisting in administrative duties.

Ten Dental Clapham

Nov 23. Shadowed Dr Jenni Rawes to understand the complexities of aesthetic treatments and work environment in private-only clinics. Gained a valuable insight into entering the cosmetic field as a young dentist. Learned about the use of AI in dentistry.

Borough Dental Care

Mar 24. Two days of shadowing Dr Chinwe Akuonu in a mixed NHS/private practice. Obtained a greater understanding of the different systems available to dentists, examining the pros and cons of both. Observed effective communication with patients and general dentistry treatments.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACHIEVEMENTS

2021

Dentinal Tubules' Student Representative

2021-23. Promoted events to students across all dental schools in the UK.

National Dental Student's Network Ambassador

2022-23. King's College London student representative for the British Undergraduate Dental Research Conference 22/23.

2022

Vice-President of King's College London's Egyptian Society

2022-23. Organised monthly events within Kings and in collaboration with other universities that helped foster a close-knit relationship between the Egyptian students on campus and the broader community.

Dentinal Tubules Student Communication Lead

2023-2024. Led a team of student representatives to promote events, including the annual Congress and Head Start to Finals webinar series.

2023

British Dental Student's Association Conference Organiser

2023-24. Led a team of 24 students in organising the national BDSA Conference 2024 at King's, bringing together over 600 dental students across the UK for a weekend of lectures from national and international speakers and three social events.

British Dental Association's (BDSA) Junior and Senior Student Representative

2023-current. Currently fulfilling a 2-year role on behalf of my university as the student representative at the bi-annual BDA council meetings and raising awareness of events within the university.

2023

2024

Cosmedocs' Student Lead

2024-current. Working directly with the company to organise inclusive student events focused on creating a greater understanding of facial aesthetics and exploring pathways into the field.

BDSA Co-President

2024-current. Current Co-President of the British Dental Students’ Association. This role involves leading a team of executives in organising events such as the annual conference, sports day, and the Douglas Jackson Grant. Running bi-annual council meetings with the BDSA Reps and BDA board, facilitating discussions on educational matters between their respective universities and the BDA.

2024

European Dental Student's Association UK Delegate

2024-current. Current UK representative on the EDSA board of delegates. Representing the UK dental students on an international platform.

PUBLICATIONS

BDJ Student Conference Article 2024

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41406-024-1359-x

King's College London News Article 2024

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/kings-hosts-british-dental-students-association-conference

BDSA Conference Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bdsa.kings

Professional Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/leenasoltan.dent

CHARITY

Dentaid

Planned and executed a national conference to raise awareness and funds for Dentaid.
Secured donations for raffle prizes from local businesses and sponsors to raise more funds.
Successfully raised £3,000 for Dentaid through the conference and raffle events.

Bookmark Reading Charity

Developed engaging and interactive reading activities to motivate and inspire primary school children.
Utilised a variety of teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and abilities.
Helped children develop essential reading skills that will contribute to their overall cognitive development.

Mouth Cancer Foundation

Marshalled at the annual Mouth Cancer Foundation 10km walk
Engaged with participants to hear their personal stories and experiences, deepening my understanding of the impact of mouth cancer.