The College of General Dentistry is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Ambassadors – Dr Wendy Thompson and Dr Yewande Oduwole.
Those Ambassadors of the College who are dental healthcare professionals are drawn from across the spectrum of dentistry. They support the mission and vision of the College and encourage inclusive professional engagement in the development of the College. Ambassadors help the College promote dentistry as an important element of general healthcare and wellbeing. Ambassadors support the College’s mission to promote life-long, preventatively orientated, minimum intervention, personalised, holistic dental care.
More Ambassadors will be appointed in the coming months as the College works towards its historic, formal launch, rescheduled for early 2021, COVID restrictions permitting.
Chair of the College Board of Trustees, Professor Nairn Wilson, said: “I am delighted that both Wendy and Yewande have accepted the invitation to become Ambassadors for the College. With their help and support, it is hoped to engage many more early career members of the dental team in the further development of the College, which, as key elements of its mission, aims to provide all dental healthcare professionals with new leadership and much-needed career pathways. The Board of Trustees looks forward to working with Wendy and Yewande in realising the College goal of being valued by a large diverse, inclusive membership.”
Commenting on her appointment Wendy Thompson said: “The College of General Dentistry is a fantastic opportunity for the dental profession to come together. Together we can speak with one voice for the benefit of patients and dentistry. It is a huge honour to become an Ambassador at this exciting moment in the history of UK dentistry. I look forward to supporting the College as it works towards putting oral health at the heart of the nation’s health.”
Yewande Oduwole said: “I am incredibly honoured to become an Ambassador for the College of General Dentistry. It is paramount that young dental professionals like me have an independent college that focuses on providing us with much-needed leadership and support throughout our careers. This of great importance to the further development of postgraduate training and to the provision of integrated, holistic team care to meet patients’ needs and expectations.”
Wendy Thompson PhD MFGDP(UK)
Wendy is a National Institute for Health Research Clinical Lecturer in Primary Dental Care at the University of Manchester. She is a general dental practitioner, practising in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria. Wendy is an honorary consultant to the Office of the Chief Dental Officer (England) and advisor to the FDI World Dental Federation on tackling antibiotic resistance.
As a special advisor to National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE), Wendy has been involved with guideline and quality standard development on antimicrobial stewardship and shared decision making. She is co-chair of the Society for Academic Primary Dental Care’s special interest group on academic primary dental care, a member of the British Dental Association’s Health & Science Committee, a Council member of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and a member of the British National Formulary’s Dental Advisory Group.
Wendy is passionate about equality and diversity across the profession.
Yewande Oduwole BDS
Yewande graduated as a dentist from Peninsula Dental School and is currently completing her Dental Foundation Training.
She was the winner of the 2020 FGDP (UK) Dental Student of the Year Award, which she received for her demonstrable passion for oral health and dentistry. This includes mentoring prospective dental students and the online delivery of oral health advice to the public through her YouTube channel.
Yewande enjoys engaging in community outreach, focusing on oral health promotion in both schools and in her local community. She received a student scholarship from the Afro-Caribbean Dental Association in her third year of dental school. This then led to her embarking on a project in Ghana to provide free dental care and oral health education to communities, schools and orphanages. She has contributed to various articles for Dentistry.co.uk and Young Dentist Magazine and been a guest on online podcasts.
Yewande has been a student representative for various dental organisations, including the British Dental Association (BDA), British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD), African & Caribbean Dental Association (ACDA-UK) and is currently an Editorial Board Advisory Member for Dentistry Online and a part of the FDGP (UK)/ College of General Dentistry Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Programme Board.
