Meet our Team at Wood and Woolfstein Dental Practice

Since qualifying in Sheffield in 1980, the majority of my time has been spent in Chorlton and it seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye, possibly because I have enjoyed, and still do, looking after people and their mouths. I have a great enthusiasm for dentistry and I am keen to make your visit an enjoyable experience.

Nowadays, as much more emphasis is placed on appearance, people are more aware of the cosmetic aspect of dentistry, which has always appealed to my artistic side. Consequently, I regularly attend courses to keep my knowledge about developing techniques and materials up to date.

I have now got to the stage where I am treating the next generation of those families I saw when I first started, and it seems our philosophy of care for the family and active prevention has worked.

My three children, Natalie, Alex, and Sophie, have now grown up and almost left home, which gives me chance to indulge in other pastimes. Due to a bad neck injury a few years ago, I now spend half my time restoring my ‘Grand Design’ – a Grade I listed stately home and estate in North Wales. The exercise helps to maintain my flexibility, which is beneficial when performing dentistry. Interestingly, the principles of house conservation and restoration are surprisingly similar, it’s just the scale, materials, and tools that are a little different!

The distraction of my many interests continues to keep my musical career on hold.

I qualified from Leeds University in 1987 and gained my initial experience working alongside a number of well-regarded dentists in Leeds and Manchester. In 1991, I joined Wood & Woolfstein as a partner, which now seems like such a long time ago!

So much has changed since then, with huge advances in technology, techniques, materials and equipment. However, I have been able to stay up-to-date with the fast moving world of dentistry by attending numerous post-graduate courses.

Some things that do stay the same are the pride I feel for my practice, my love of dentistry and interacting with my long-standing patients. I’m now treating the children and grandchildren of many of these, as well as enjoying meeting and treating new patients.

I still relish the challenge of creating beautiful smiles, working with my patients to improve their dental and oral health, and providing high quality treatment in all aspects of dentistry, as well as taking on the challenge of many complex cases.

Away from the practice, I am married to Barbara and we have four wonderful children who are all now busy developing their own careers, allowing me to spend more time with my beautiful grandson.

I have a passion for sport and staying fit, and regularly cycle and play tennis.

Although my footballing days are on the decline (a bit like my football team Blackburn Rovers), I still stay involved via my charity work with my ‘Fundraising Football’ organization. Through football competitions, we have been able to raise much needed funds for The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity, as well local social care charities.

After graduating from Leeds University in June 2000, I worked in a dental practice in Yorkshire before moving back to this area and joining Wood & Woolfstein Dental in 2004.

Since joining the practice, my aim has always been to provide high-quality dentistry in a gentle, considerate way and I am particularly pleased when I can improve patients’ self-esteem and confidence. I also enjoy the interactions I have with my patients, especially with the many families I regularly treat.

I have a very hectic family life. My wife, Harriet, and I have three lovely young children, Hugh, Reuben and Verity. They keep us extremely busy with their various activities and provide much enjoyment.

When not involved with the above, I enjoy family days out and relax by doing various DIY projects and learning to play the piano.

After graduating from Manchester University in 2017, I have worked as a general dental practitioner at a practice in Trafford before settling at Wood and Woolfstein in August 2021.

I am passionate about providing high quality care to my patients in a relaxed, caring way and enjoy helping anxious patients overcome their dental fears.

I strive to provide the most up to date techniques in dentistry and have furthered my knowledge with postgraduate training. I am currently in the process of gaining my MFDS qualification with the Royal College of Surgeons and I have recently completed a year-long course in restorative dentistry at the Tipton Training Academy.

Outside of dentistry, I love travelling and visiting different places. I am a keen cook and enjoy following Liverpool FC, my hometown team.

I qualified from The University of Manchester Dental hospital in December 1987, having won ‘The Dentsply Best Practical Award’.

After working in research on a part-time basis for a leading toothpaste and electric toothbrush company and setting up a hygienist surgery, I decided to join Wood & Woolfstein Dental Practice in 1996.

I am passionate about my job and the pivotal role hygienists play in the overall dental health of all patients. It is extremely rewarding to see the improvements that our patients make to their oral hygiene and the increase in confidence that comes from having a clean, fresh and healthy mouth. Ultimately, general dentistry can only be successful with excellent life-long home care!

I enjoy the wide variety of work within the practice, from treating nervous patients and helping them conquer their fears to advanced periodontal non-surgical treatments.

In 2003, I was offered a part-time job as a hygienist advisor (one of only two in the country) with a leading indemnity organisation. It was challenging and very different from my work within general practice, but it was an extremely rewarding role in which I provide help, support and advice to its members.

In October 2020, I was offered and accepted a new and different role as a clinical advisor/expert witness with the General Dental Council. This is an enormously prestigious position, which I was thrilled to accept. I am always learning, and it is my priority to stay current and up to date with continuing professional development.

I am married to my husband, Brad and have two grown-up children, Nick and Rachel.

In my spare time I like to swim and go to the theatre to see a good musical.

I have been the Practice Manager at Wood & Woolfstein for 15 years and thoroughly enjoy my role. I have 28 years’ experience in the dental field and significant knowledge about all aspects of the practice. I am responsible for its day-to-day operation to ensure patient and staff needs are met efficiently and everything runs seamlessly. My role is busy and varied, with the overall aim of providing our patients with the highest quality care.

I deal with personnel, finance, marketing, and planning, all of which assist in developing the practice and complying with current legislation. I am here to ensure patients feel welcome and have the best possible dental experience.

My teenage daughter shares my passion for animal welfare. I regularly support animal charities and have rescued a number of animals over the years.

In my spare time, I enjoy a variety of music and try to venture to as many gigs as possible.

Dr. Ankush Vij is a dentist passionate about creating healthy and beautiful smiles for his patients. He graduated with honours from King's College London in 2017 and honed his skills through foundation training in Kent. Since then, he has served the Manchester community, focusing on comprehensive dental care. Dr. Vij believes in a holistic approach, prioritising restorative dentistry to ensure a strong foundation before undertaking any cosmetic procedures. He offers short-term aligners like Invisalign and Spark to enhance smiles subtly and efficiently. His expertise extends to implant dentistry, with a diploma completion expected in 2025. Dedicated to providing the best possible care, Dr. Vij enjoys building trust and long-term relationships with his patients. Don't hesitate to reach out—he's happy to discuss your dental goals and create a personalised treatment plan for a confident, healthy smile.

When I'm not tackling teeth at work, you'll find me out for a refreshing hike or sweating over the Manchester United results.