For Aneeka Ashraf, taking part in The Smile Within has served as an important invitation to rediscover a part of herself that had quietly slipped into the background.
Currently a Dental Core Trainee 2, Aneeka has deliberately moved location every year of her clinical career so far, seeking breadth of experience and personal growth.
Amid the demands of training, relocation and life changes, creativity had taken a back seat until this unique exhibition encouraged her to pick it up again.
“When I saw the call for submissions,” she reflects, “it felt like a good way to support a charity but also a way to reconnect with something I’d lost time for.”
Early Creativity and Cultural Roots
Aneeka’s creative story begins in childhood. Growing up within a South Asian community, she was surrounded by intricate henna designs of patterns that adorned hands and arms at weddings and celebrations.
By the age of ten, she was already practising henna paintings; by fifteen, she had started her own henna business, working at weddings and festivals while studying for her GCSEs.
Art was always present. Alongside henna, she explored mandalas, South Asian design, GCSE art and eventually oil painting. It has been a journey that moves between structure and experimentation. Creativity became a way to express identity, emotion and curiosity long before it became something she felt she had to “make time for.”
Choosing Dentistry: Where Art and Care Meet
When deciding between careers in dentistry and law, Aneeka was drawn to dentistry’s hands‑on, creative nature. Shadowing dentists and observing restorative work, particularly veneers, she saw artistry at play: design, planning, and the careful execution required to restore confidence and a smile.
“Dentistry brings creativity and purpose together,” she says. “You’re creating something meaningful, lasting, and personal.”
Returning to Art: A Shift in Perspective
Recent personal challenges, including disruption to home life due to flooding, changed Aneeka’s routine and sense of control. In the absence of structure, she found herself returning to art, not with pressure or expectation, but as a space to breathe.
“Art became a way to switch off,” she explains. “There’s no pressure to be perfect. It softens that fixation on rigidity.”
Painting again helped her reset perspective, let go of perfectionism, and create space for reflection.
The exhibition gave that return a meaningful focus; encouraging her not only to make art again, but to recognise its value in supporting mental wellbeing.
Featured Artwork: Serenity
Minimum bid: £80
- Original artwork
- Acrylic Paint on Canvas with Gloss Finish
- Deep-edged canvas
- 18 x 24″
Serenity is inspired by the work of Californian artist Julia Thomas. It explores the quiet, often unseen growth of confidence, health and wellbeing beneath the surface. Flowers in bloom symbolise an inner smile. One that develops through care, trust and nurturing long before it becomes visible.
Inspired by nature’s ability to heal and reassure, the work deliberately softens clinical boundaries, inviting calm reflection. For Aneeka, the piece reflects the essential yet invisible work that happens behind every smile: planning, patience, emotional labour and resilience.
“It’s about appreciating the journey,” she explains. “not just the end result and recognising the effort behind the growth.”
The act of creating Serenity became an exercise in mindfulness, focusing on process rather than outcome, and allowing space for herself to bloom again.
Beneath the Surface
A central theme of Aneeka’s work, and her dental practice, is the importance of acknowledging what lies beneath appearances. We often celebrate achievements quickly, yet dwell on perceived negatives for much longer. Through both art and dentistry, she explores how growth happens quietly, behind the scenes, through consistency and care. That awareness, she believes, is key to sustaining wellbeing in demanding professions.
“Art gives you permission to slow down,” she says. “To notice what you’ve already done, not just what’s left.”
Art as Balance
Art is something Aneeka had lost for a while due to the pressures of dentistry and life. She is now committed to revisiting it more regularly and introducing more balance by reconnecting inwardly, expressing emotion and finding space outside clinical demands.
By revisiting creativity through The Smile Within, she has reclaimed a practice that supports both her mental health and her sense of identity.
She hopes that others, particularly within dentistry, feel encouraged to do the same. You can connect with Aneeka on Instagram:
Meet the other Artists
Below is a selection of other featured artists. Click on the links to see their artwork submissions, each deeply connected to mindfulness and mental wellbeing.
Join us at The Smile Within art exhibition in May and make a difference, one pledge, one piece of art, one smile at a time.
We look forward to seeing you there.
An online bidding site is now live. You can bid on artwork online, as well as at the event.
Online bidding ends at 3:45 pm on 16 May. The winning bidder can collect their artwork on Saturday, 16 May, from the stand after 4pm. If you (or a trusted friend) are unable to take your piece with you, we’re happy to arrange delivery. Please note that postage and packaging costs will be added and confirmed after purchase.
