This woman can make your child love dentists

That was until Mrs Carcoforo heard about Dr Marianne Hearsum, who runs an NHS practice especially for children with anxiety.

She took Sara along - and thanks to the practice's expertise and gentleness, the child finally allowed herself to sit in the dentist's chair.

Now the Standard and leading health think tank The King's Fund is celebrating the dedication of people such as Dr Hearsum through the NHS Champions awards. The awards honour the achievements of London's dentists, doctors, nurses, porters and other health staff.

Mrs Carcoforo, of Wanstead, said: "Cristina was three-and-a-half when she had a horrible experience with a dentist. They said they'd have to put her to sleep and she was so frightened they had to hold her down in the chair. It left her deeply traumatised." Cristina then refused all treatment, but a friend told Mrs Carcoforo about Dr Hearsum, 43, and the Special Care Community Dental Service in Barking.

She and her staff use puppets to show children how the dentist will work.

There are also toys including Tiny, a 6ft teddy bear, for the youngest patients.

Dr Hearsum said: "What we do is acclimatise people to their surroundings to reduce anxiety. Unless they're in acute pain we take things very slowly."

Now Cristina does not even blink when she has an injection. Mrs Carcoforo, who works at a local patisserie, said: "The only catch now is that Cristina will only let Marianne treat her."

To nominate your NHS Champion go to www.standard.co.uk/nhschampions. Closing date is 16 October.