Why Woodcock Lane Became the First Dental Practice to Deploy Ripple’s Technology

Established in 1986, Woodcock Lane Dental Practice has long been a crucial part of its community. What began as a small four-person team is now a practice that sees thousands of patients every year. Practice Manager and Registered Dental Nurse Jackie Hayes has been at the heart of that journey, joining in 1989 as a trainee and now leading the day to day running of the practice.

As the practice expanded, so did Jackie’s understanding of the pressures facing her colleagues. Within days of stepping into management, several members of staff came to her in tears, each struggling with different personal and professional challenges. It was a moment that shifted her perspective.

Since then, Jackie has made mental health a core focus for the practice. She has encouraged staff to train as Mental Health First Aiders and has become increasingly aware of the unique pressures within dentistry: rising workloads, growing regulation and the emotional demand of clinical work. Combined with the stresses people face outside the practice, these challenges can quickly accumulate.

It was this growing awareness and a desire to strengthen the support available to both staff and patients that led Jackie to explore Ripple’s digital crisis intervention tool.

Why Woodcock Lane chose Ripple

When Jackie first discovered Ripple’s technology, she was struck by how practical and immediate it felt. Ripple sits quietly in the background of a device or network and activates when someone searches for harmful content online, intercepting those results with calming, hope-led messages and signposting to free mental health support.

For Jackie, it was “a very simple way of potentially saving somebody’s life,” particularly because it required almost no ongoing effort from the practice.

Woodcock Lane had already supported colleagues through episodes of mental health challenges and bereavement by suicide, and Jackie was aware that dentistry carries its own heightened risks. Clinical pressure, regulatory demands and long working days can leave dental professionals vulnerable, often without a clear route to help. She also knew that patients - many of whom use the practice’s open WiFi - could be facing their own private battles.  

The ability for Ripple’s technology to offer instant, confidential support to both groups made the decision even clearer. As she puts it, it is “a small amount to pay for such a huge benefit.”

There were questions at first, particularly from the IT function, but these quickly faded once installation began. The process was smooth, secure and straightforward, with the team “actually very impressed” by how seamlessly it integrated into their existing systems.

Today, Ripple acts as a silent guardian for the practice - protecting dental professionals and patients alike, and offering immediate signposting at the exact moment someone may need it most.

Expanded protection and hope for the future

Woodcock Lane also benefits from Ripple's new functionality which extends support beyond searches directly related to suicide. This covers a broader range of scenarios linked to increased risk, such as addiction or difficult life transitions. For Jackie, this development simply makes sense. Timely intervention matters, and as she explains, “people aren’t going to go looking for help if it doesn’t appear at the right moment.”

This focus on timely, compassionate support aligns closely with what gives Jackie hope for the future. She believes that greater tolerance, understanding and patience can reduce the pressures that so often intensify personal struggles. A more tolerant society, she feels, would give people the space to speak openly and seek help without fear or hesitation.

By adopting Ripple, Woodcock Lane Dental Practice has strengthened its commitment to safeguarding staff and patients alike. Through Ripple's digital crisis intervention, the practice is helping to create a safer environment where hope is just a click away.