Sunita Verma with Cherie Blair at the Women of the Future Awards in Mumbai 

Sunita Verma, Principal of Sparkle Dental Boutique has just returned from Mumbai, where she attended the Women of the Future Awards.

The evening was hosted by Vicki Treadell, British deputy high commissioner of Mumbai, Pinky Lilani OBE, chairman of the Women of the Future Awards and Cherie Blair, awards patron. The event was part of a whole programme of events organised by Vicki, for women in business in the UK to meet with business leaders in Mumbai and visit charities and NGO’s.

Sunita says, ”Winning Professional of the Year at the Women of Achievements Awards in 2009, has opened up a whole host of opportunities, this trip being one of them. I had the opportunity to meet with some amazing, inspirational women from both the UK and from India. It is great to celebrate such talent and to establish a mutually supportive network of fantastic women.”

“Being a major Bollywood fan, one of the things that I was looking forward to most was the visit to Yash Raj studios, where they make Bollywood films. Sadly there was no film shooting during our visit…but I managed to catch up on all Bollywood gossip.”

Sunita Verma, Principal of Sparkle Dental Boutique has been invited by Vicki Treadell, Deputy High Commissioner in Mumbai to join a delegation of business women in Mumbai, the commercial and entertainment centre of India. The trip will consist of meeting with business leaders, visits to charities and NGO’s in Mumbai.  

Cherie Blair will be hosting the Cherie Blair Foundation Conference on Friday 11^th December aimed at the empowerment of women.  

Sunita says “It’s a great opportunity to meet some of the leading business leaders in India. I am looking forward to meeting Ms Chanda Kochar, the first woman to head ICICI bank. A visit to the House of Tata will also be a truly amazing experience.”

“Mumbai also houses India’s Hindi film and television industry known as Bollywood and the trip also includes a visit to Yash Raj Studio’s. Yash Chopra the “Godfather of Bollywood” will be hosting this segment of the tour and how amazing to meet the maker of India’s most successful films with stars like Amitabh Bachan and Shahrukh Khan. I am so excited about this element of the trip and am hoping to catch a glimpse of some  Bollywood’s stars at the studios whilst I am there!”

“Mumbai is such a melting pot and a city of 15 million living amongst skyscrapers and slums. With the success of Slumdog Millionaire, I am really keen to be exposed to Mumbai’s slums first hand and part of our delegation will include visits to a few NGO’s. I am sure that this will not only be emotionally challenging but also very rewarding”.  

For Sunita, the opportunity of taking part in events like this, widen her breadth of business experience and she enjoys the fact that the success of her dental practice is enabling her to say “yes” to this kind of opportunity. She is revelling in the opportunity to meet other inspirational people outside of clinical dentistry and see what she can bring back to Sparkle Dental Boutique. 

These boots are made for walking…. and that’s just what they did on Sunday 26^th July 2009 when the Sparkle team completed an 11 mile sponsored walk across the bridges of London in aid of the UK based charity Children Walking Tall (www.childrenwalkingtall.com).

Children Walking Tall is a charity dedicated to helping slum and street children in India. They provide food, shelter, medical care and education for some of the poorest children in India. In a safe, playful environment, they receive a fun and creative education, and also have plenty of time to do what children the world over should do, which is PLAY!

There are thousands of children living in slums and on the streets of Goa alone. Some are orphans, others are runaways escaping poverty or abuse. These children originate from all over India and often come with their families looking for work. They build basic homes from bamboo, plastic, cardboard or corrugated iron, forming slum communities on any spare land they can find. 

Kavita Verma says “We all decided early on in the year that we wanted to do something to give back in some way and we chose this particular charity as after some research we found that the most of the monies collected were actually getting to the children that needed it most and making a difference at grass root level.  The walk across the bridges was an idea the team came up with, being holders of Best Practice London two  years in a row.” 

The walk took us past some of the most beautiful landmarks in London including the Peace Pagoda at Battersea Park, Big Ben, the Sphinx at Embankment, finishing at Tower Bridge. 

Sunita Verma, Principal at Sparkle says `It was a great day out. So many people gave us money as we were walking and were extremely generous, We saw so many beautiful sights that you tend to miss when you are in a car. It really feels good knowing that we all did something to help Children Walking Tall.  Doing this walk has certainly inspired us to do something again…but next time we may try something a little more adventurous like abseiling or jumping out of a plane!”. 

A very BIG thank you to all friends, family, patients and suppliers who have sponsored us. We hope to have raised  £1500.00.   

Its till not too late..you can still donate at www.mycharitypage.com/kavita

 Sponsored Walk over the bridges of London, finishing at Tower Bridge

The team at Sparkle Dental Boutique will be hitting the streets of London on Sunday 26th July 2009, in aid of the UK Charity, Children Walking Tall (www.childrenwalkingtall.com) 

Walking the bridges of London from Battersea Bridge to London Bridge an 11 mile walk with the aim of raising monies to help slum and street children in Goa, India, with food, education, medical facilities and shelter. Dr Sarb Cholia, the resident Special Orthodontist also plans to sing at each bridge to raise monies from passer-by’s.

There are thousands of children living in slums and on the streets of Goa alone. Some are orphans, others are runaways escaping poverty or abuse. These children originate from all over India and often come with their families looking for work. They build basic homes from bamboo, plastic, cardboard or corrugated iron, forming slum communities on any spare land they can find. 

Any monies raised will be used to provide, milk, fruit, vegetables as well as educational equipment for children and will be delivered in person by Kavita Verma, Boutique Manager at Sparkle. Kavita is taking a sabbatical for 3 months at the end of this year to volunteer her time with these children. 

Kavita says `I am really looking forward to spending time with the children. It is something that I have wanted to do for ages. I have no doubt that it will be challenging but also very rewarding. I loved the work that Sunita and I did painting classrooms and playing with children over Christmas, in India two years ago. I am hoping that we manage to raise enough monies so that I can take some toys and possibly a lap top for educational purposes, when I go.”     

The team are already in training with some team members getting off a few stops earlier from their bus route and walking to the practice to serious walking practice over the weekends. The vocal chords are also being warmed up in preparation for singing!!  

Watch out Britain’s Got Talent because the team at Sparkle certainly have!!!   

You can make a donation at http://www.mycharitypage.com/Kavita/ 

On average per month 

Chicken & Eggs  £37

Dry Provisions    £55

Fish                    £17

Fruit                   £54

Milk                    £42

Rice                   £24

Vegetables         £36   

It’s official - the Brits aren’t kissing enough. The latest survey from online magazine getlippy.com reveals that a staggering 95% of young women believe they aren’t getting enough when it comes to kissing.

This isn’t surprising considering that nearly a third (29%) of women polled claim that they don’t even manage to pucker up once on an average day. National Kissing Day (6 July) could be the perfect opportunity for Brits to join the lucky lot who claim they kiss up to 10 times a day (19%).

What’s more nearly a quarter of women (24%) have experienced a kissing drought and gone for over a year without so much as a hint of a kiss. The average period of non-lip action is three to six months for nearly a third (30%) of women. The forecast is not so bad for a fifth (21%) of women who don’t go any longer than a month without a kiss.

The good news is, what we lack in quantity, we definitely make up in quality. In the league of best and worst kissers, the Brits sweep the board with nearly half (42%) of the vote for great kissing. The Italians - the Casanovas of Europe come in second with 15%, closely followed by the French with 13%.

When it comes to kissing etiquette, there are some things you just shouldn’t do. Well over a third (35%) of women voted bad breath as the worst offender. Slobbering all over your partner is a passion killer for a third (31%) of women and nearly a fifth (18%) are put off kissing someone who smokes.

Sunita Verma, Sparkle Dental Boutique says `National Kissing Day is a great way to show affection and we should all pucker up more often – not just for National Kissing day.’

If you are concerned about discoloured teeth or bad breath for the big day, then don’t forget to visit your dentist and hygienist.

Is it tennis’ golden couple…Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf?…

 …or is it current Wimbledon Champion, Rafael Nadal?….

 …or former Champion, Martina Navratalova

    …could it be everyone’s favourite…Roger Federrer?

…Maria Sharapova certainly thinks her smile is something to jump up about!

 …or the Williams sisters…who seem to be hiding their smiles!!! 

 …you cannot be serious..it must be John McEnroe!

Cherie Blair QC presenting the award of Professional of the Year to Dr Sunita Verma

Dr Sunita Verma, one of the UK’s leading cosmetic dentists, was named Professional of the Year at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in London last night (20 May).

Sunita founded Sparkle Dental Boutique, a multi award-winning private practice in west London which helps reconstruct people’s lives after trauma. Now in their 10th year, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, held in association with Lloyds TSB, celebrate the contribution of Asian women to British life in the media, business, the arts, politics and the voluntary sector.

The judges, chaired by British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nicholas Young, said this year’s winners were some of the most impressive and inspiring individuals ever to be honoured in the programme’s 10-year history. They said Sunita was “an inspiring role model” who has achieved significant success through her “passion, commitment and risk-taking”, rather than a professional or entrepreneurial background. They also praised her as a “beacon for young girls” thanks to her “anyone can do it” attitude.

The ceremony was attended by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

Commenting on the night, Pinky Lilani said: “Each of these 10 women is making a breathtaking contribution to British society in very different ways. What unites them is their positive representation of Asian women and their ability to act as role models for others. We congratulate every one of them and thank them sincerely for their tremendous commitment.”

Sparkle Dental Boutique is helping to spread the message of good oral health in Hanwell, West London by organising an event for National Smile Month. 

National Smile Month 2009 is taking place between May 17 and June 16 under the tagline ‘Look After Yourself, Brush for Health.’  

The campaign is focusing on the vital importance of looking after your mouth to your body – as systemic links between oral health and overall health are made ever clearer. Research has linked gum disease to heart disease, diabetes, strokes and premature and low birth weight babies. 

To get into the spirit of things Sparkle Dental Boutique in Hanwell is organising a food tasting in its waiting room on May 17. By offering free healthy snacks the practice is hoping to teach patients about the importance of a healthy diet. 

Dr Sunita Verma, Principal from Sparkle Dental Boutique commented: “We are delighted to get involved in National Smile Month and to give a little bit back to our patients. Good oral health is very important and it promises to be great fun!” 

This year’s National Smile Month maintains the British Dental Health Foundation’s key messages: brush twice-a-day with fluoride toothpaste, cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visit the dentist regularly as often as they recommend. 

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, who organise National Smile Month, commented: “We are delighted that Sparkle Dental Boutique has joined the many dental practices, schools, health professionals and community groups promoting good oral healthcare beneath the umbrella that is National Smile Month. 

A good oral healthcare routine can help guard against all sorts of oral and general health conditions from bad breath and decay to gum disease, which has been linked to a number of more serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and strokes. 

By promoting good oral healthcare in a fun and imaginative way we hope to persuade more people of the importance of taking care of their teeth.”  

The search to find the most inspiring women in the United Kingdom is nearly over with the announcement of the shortlist for the 10^th Asian Women of Achievement Awards. Amongst the shortlist is Dr Sunita Verma, Cosmetic Dentist, Sparkle Dental Boutique under the category of Professional of the Year.  

Founded and chaired by Indian born author and entrepreneur Pinky Lilani OBE, and held in association with Lloyds TSB, the awards celebrate the contribution that Asian women make to UK’s business, public, cultural, and political sectors.Now an important event on the Asian community’s calendar, the initiative has come to symbolise multi-cultural Britain.   

Previous accolades have been awarded to actresses Shaheen Khan and Nina Wadia, BBC newsreader Mishal Husain and world-leading academic Professor Xiangqian Jang. Judges includes human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti CBE, also an award recipient, Dragons Den star James Caan, actress Meera Syal and Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive of the British Red Cross.

Pinky Lilani said: “We founded these awards in 1999 to recognise the contribution that Asian women were making to British life – a celebration of the cultural and social enrichment they provide. Over the last 10 years, they’ve become both a barometer of social change and an important platform for Asian women. “This year, we’re casting the net far and wide to identify those women who – through their passion and commitment – symbolise today’s diverse society.”  

Dr Sunita Verma says “I am extremely proud of my roots and of the great contribution that Asian women have and are making to the workplace. I am genuinely delighted to bring Asian women in Dentistry to the forefront, as I love the profession that I work in. To be shortlisted amongst such outstanding women is a great achievement and I look forward to attending the Awards ceremony (and meeting James Caan!) at the London Hilton on Wednesday 20^th May 2009.”

Mothers Day or Mothering Sunday is a special day when we give thanks for all the things our mum’s do for us. 

It always falls on the fourth Sunday in Lent and is a time when children pay respect to their mum’s by giving gifts and a card.  

Rather than the traditional gift of flowers or a Sunday roast, why not give a long lasting gift of a sparkling beautiful smile, for memories that last forever…