From pitchside to practice: lessons from sports dentistry

We hear from sports dentist Umair Mohammed, one of only a handful of clinicians worldwide to hold an MSc in sports dentistry, on why oral health belongs at the heart of athletic performance. Umair reflects on carving out a niche many once dismissed, combining his background in sport with his clinical career to help shape a growing movement in UK dentistry. He shares what it really means to be a sports dentist – from working pitch-side with elite teams to educating athletes and medical staff on the impact of oral health, sleep, nutrition and prevention. A turning point came when he realised that if the profession was to take sports dentistry seriously, someone had to champion it – helping to establish the UK Sports Dentistry Association and building an international network of like-minded clinicians.