The Last Word

What would be your favourite meal and where?
Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding and all the trimmings at my mother’s, followed a close second by my wife’s!

Favourite wine/drink?
A chilled bottle of Sancerre sat on the patio with my wife. For everyday it would have to be a cup of tea.

Who would your ideal companion be (excluding your partner which I assume is a given!)?
Ellen McArthur as she is an ultimate professional and invariably comes out on top. I am a great admirer.

What do you do to relax?
I probably don’t relax as much as I should, but I love spending time walking along the Vale coastline with our dog, Jake. I have recently taken to a bit of road biking and I enjoy windsurfing when I get the chance.

Favourite place in the Vale of Glamorgan and why?
In the summer, I think there’s no better place than Monknash/Wick beach with its hundreds of yards of sand and because it’s quite tucked away, it never gets overly busy. On a summer evening, I think St Donats Castle has a lot to offer, with a vista that couldn’t be beaten anywhere in the world. In the winter, it would have to be next to a log fire in one of the Vale’s many country pubs, but you’d have to go a long way to beat the Plough and Harrow.

What’s missing from the Vale?
A live music venue/good quality wine bar would really appeal to a wide range of age groups. Also a good quality restaurant, maybe one with a Michelin Star.

What event in the Vale is a must?
It would have to be the Vale of Glamorgan Show. With this age of information technology and the ever quickening pace of life, it’s good to see that the traditional arts, crafts, leisure and country pursuits still play a part in the Vale’s life.

Favourite music?
Andrea Bocelli, U2, Cold Play, Jimmy Hendrix and classical, depending on my mood.

What gadget could you not be without and why?
I’m no technophobe. I do carry a mobile phone occasionally, but that’s about as far as it goes.

If you weren’t a dentist, what would you be?
It was always my childhood ambition to be a vet. I spent too much time playing rugby to get into the course, although I can’t complain at what’s life has thrown at me so far.

Any life long ambition?
To sail the Atlantic – setting off from Barry and ending up in Barbados, Antigua or some other Caribbean Island. Sum yourself up in three words Ambitious, caring, untidy!

If we weren’t talking to you now, what would you be doing?
Looking in someone’s mouth or writing a report to someone about their mouth and what I can do to improve it.

A phrase you use far too often…
Open wide!

A common misconception of you is…
People often think that I can be stern but that’s all part of the myth that goes with being a dentist. In reality, I’m pretty laid back and like a laugh and a joke.

If you were a politician, what would you try to change?
I would change the health and fitness of the younger generation. It concerns me that with all computer games and fears for our children’s’safety, we are developing children who stay indoors and don’t exercise enough.

I’m very good at…
Making a mess in the kitchen. I make a mean Italian meal or curry, but I do use every piece of crockery and utensil there is.

I’m very bad at…
Washing up afterwards!

My ideal night out would be…
A meal with friends, a show at the Millennium Centre or watching a game of rugby.

In moments of weakness I…
Will polish off a whole tub of quality ice cream.

The best age to be is…
27 or 28. Young enough to do whatever you want to old enough to have some experience of the world.

My philosophy is…
Enjoy life – don’t take it too seriously. Be the best you can be and look for the positive in everything. Listen to everyone even if you disagree with what they say.

What do you do in your spare time?
I try to spend as much time as I can helping my two girls to play the piano and read. We go swimming as a family whenever we can.

What is the best thing about being a dentist?
Meeting nice people and restoring a smile or creating a great one from a challenging situation. A great result can change a person’s personality and that is really satisfying.

What car do you drive?
Volvo XC90

Are you happy?
Yes. Especially when I watch my daughters’ faces whilst they’re cantering and jumping our ponies, and also our son, Owen, giggling in the garden.

Simon is married to Nadine, a GP working in Cardiff. They have three children Heulwen (8) Menna (6) and Owen (2) and a dog called Jake.