‘You can teach a person all you know, but only experience will convince them that what you say is true.’ –Richelle E. Goodrich
To visit Dr Girgis' private practice - please visit https://ngperio.dental/
Dr. Nancy Girgis
Founder & Director, Best Dental Training | Dentist with Special Interest in Periodontics | Former RCS Clinical Lecturer & OSCE Examiner
Dr Nancy Girgis is an experienced dental clinician and educator with over 25 years of clinical experience and more than 14 years of experience teaching and mentoring internationally qualified dental professionals in the UK.
Originally qualifying in dentistry in Egypt, she moved to the UK and successfully completed the LDS examination at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, giving her first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by overseas-qualified dentists navigating the pathway to UK registration.
Her career in dental education has included many years teaching at the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England, where she was an Honorary Clinical Lecturer and contributed to a wide range of educational programmes. She has also worked as an OSCE examiner and OSCE writer, bringing valuable insight into clinical assessment, examination design and the standards expected of candidates.
Alongside her educational work, Dr Girgis has continued to develop her clinical career with a particular focus on Periodontics. She completed an MSc in Periodontology with Distinction at UCL Eastman Dental Institute and currently works in private multidisciplinary practices as a Dentist with Special Interest in Periodontics, managing patients with complex periodontal and peri-implant conditions.
She is the Founder and Director of Best Dental Training, which she established in 2013 to provide high-quality education and support for internationally qualified dentists preparing for UK registration and clinical practice.
What Dr Girgis brings to our LDS training
Having personally experienced the overseas registration pathway before going on to teach and examine within UK dental education, Dr Girgis brings a particularly valuable perspective to LDS preparation.
Her teaching combines an understanding of what is expected within the examination with what is expected of a safe dentist entering UK clinical practice. She places particular emphasis on clinical reasoning, communication, professionalism, patient safety and the ability to apply knowledge appropriately rather than simply memorising model answers.
Over many years of teaching internationally qualified dentists, she has developed a strong understanding of the areas candidates commonly find challenging and the differences that can exist between dental training and clinical practice internationally and the expectations of UK dentistry.
She is particularly known for providing individualised support and detailed feedback, recognising that candidates arrive with very different professional backgrounds, strengths and learning needs.
This philosophy remains at the heart of Best Dental Training: preparing candidates not simply for an examination, but to become safe, confident and well-prepared dental professionals within UK practice.
Beyond Best Dental
Alongside teaching, Dr Girgis continues to practise privately with a Special Interest in Periodontics and remains actively involved in dental education and professional development.
Outside dentistry, Nancy is a mother of two daughters and two dogs. She enjoys music, keeping active, travelling and volunteering within her community.
For periodontal consultations and clinical information, please visit ngperio.dental.
Dr Fadwa El Shinnawy
Marketing & Operations Coordinator
Dr Larissa Zarjitsky de Oliveira
LDS 3 Tutor
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) — Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), Brazil
Forensic Science - London South Bank University (LSBU), United Kingdom
Specialist in Periodontics — Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Brazil
Specialist in Facial Aesthetics — FACOP, São Paulo, Brazil
Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) — Royal College of Surgeons of England
Dr. Larissa Zarjitsky is a Brazilian dentist with advanced training in Periodontics and Facial Aesthetics. She completed an exchange program in London during her undergraduate degree, focusing on Forensic Sciences, which strengthened her interest in international dentistry. She currently practices in Brazil while lecturing in the United Kingdom, combining clinical experience with a global academic perspective. With a deep passion for dentistry and patient-centred care, she now supports candidates preparing for the LDS Part 3 examination.
Miss Martina Yacoub
Communication Instructor
Martina is a specialist communication instructor at Best Dental Training, dedicated to helping clinicians master the art of safe, structured, and confident communication for dental exams.
With six years of clinical experience as a dental nurse and two years as a treatment coordinator, Martina has developed advanced skills in building rapport, supporting anxious patients, and translating complex treatment plans into clear, patient-centred language. Her expertise lies not just in what to say but how to say it with empathy, clarity, and professionalism.
Martina creates a realistic yet supportive learning environment where candidates can strengthen their verbal reasoning, refine consent discussions, and develop the confidence needed to communicate effectively under exam pressure.
Mr Adam Brody
Professional Actor
Duncan Moore
OSCE Communication coach
Duncan is a communication skills trainer and coach; delivering and designing leadership, management and effective communication courses, with a particular focus on practical activities, often using drama-based training to provide bespoke learning experiences. He regularly works with health care professionals across a wide range of backgrounds from NHS, Nuffield Health and Spire Healthcare. Some of the other organisations he has worked with recently include Microsoft, Morgan Sindell, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Local Space and Oxford University.
He regularly delivers 1:1 training sessions focusing on personalised communications skills training, interview technique and public speaking.
Dr Abubakar Baana
LDS Tutor
Dr Abubakar Baana graduated from Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London in 2021 and has since built a focused career in endodontics and advanced restorative dentistry, working across a network of practices in London, Essex and the South East of England.
He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics and has developed particular expertise in complex root canal treatment, including cases requiring retreatment, tertiary endodontic care, and management under magnification. Sought after for this work, he operates across 8+ practices including Harley Street, accepting both internal and external referrals and working closely with referring colleagues to ensure seamless continuity of care.
Known for his meticulous approach and calm precision, he is committed to preserving natural tooth structure wherever clinically possible, combining evidence-based protocols with refined technique.
Beyond the surgery, Dr Baana is the co-founder of DentoCandy, a brand aimed to make oral care fun, accessible, and part of everyday life. He is also a devoted father, and regularly travels internationally to provide dental care to underserved communities.
What Dr Baana brings to our LDS training:
Dr Baana brings current, clinically focused expertise in endodontics and restorative dentistry to our LDS teaching. His experience managing complex cases across a wide range of clinical settings allows him to help candidates understand not only the underlying knowledge, but how to apply it safely and logically within clinical scenarios.
Through case-based teaching, he supports students in developing the structured clinical reasoning expected within the LDS examination, including diagnosis, treatment planning, risk assessment, management of complications and justification of treatment decisions.
His meticulous, evidence-based approach helps candidates develop the confidence to work through challenging endodontic and restorative scenarios while maintaining a strong focus on safe, patient-centred clinical practice.
Dr Darshan Boindala
Oral Surgery & Dental Implantology | Former ORE Examiner & RCS Trainer
Dr Darshan Boindala qualified in dentistry in India in 1999 before moving to the UK in 2000. He subsequently spent five years working across Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery units in the UK as a Senior House Officer and Locum Registrar, developing extensive experience in oral surgery and in managing complex clinical cases.
During this time, he completed the MFDS RCS (Eng) in 2001 and successfully passed the International Qualifying Examination (IQE) in 2004. He later completed his medical degree (MBBS) in 2008 and an MSc in Dental Implantology and Oral Surgery from the Marconi Institute, Italy, in 2020.
Dr Boindala has extensive experience in postgraduate dental education. He has previously worked as an RCS MJDF and ORE trainer, served as an ORE examiner, and was awarded an Honorary Lecturership by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2009.
He now works primarily in oral surgery and dental implantology, alongside his continued passion for teaching and mentoring dental professionals.
What Dr Boindala brings to our LDS training
Dr Boindala's combination of clinical, surgical, teaching and examining experience makes him particularly valuable to candidates preparing for the LDS examination.
Having previously trained overseas candidates and worked as an examiner, he brings an understanding of the standards expected of overseas-qualified dentists seeking UK registration and, importantly, how candidates are expected to apply their clinical knowledge within an examination setting.
His teaching helps our students move beyond simply memorising information. Through clinically focused discussion and case-based learning, he supports candidates in developing safe clinical judgement, structured decision-making and the ability to justify their management appropriately, particularly within oral surgery and related clinical scenarios.
His own experience of completing the IQE also gives him a valuable understanding of the journey undertaken by internationally qualified dentists entering UK practice.
Outside dentistry, Darshan is a keen wildlife enthusiast and scuba diver, having qualified as a Dive Master. He is also an avid cricket fan and, perhaps most importantly, a devoted dog lover.
