Voting is now open for the South East and South West Thames seat on the Council of the College of General Dentistry, and eligible members are encouraged to cast their ballot.
Four candidates are standing, and Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College who have registered an address with the College which is within its South East and South West Thames region are entitled to vote.
The Council is the voice of our members, overseeing our role as a professional body and guiding the development of the College to fulfil its mission. Council members serve three-year terms and elections are held annually on a rotational basis. The elected candidate for the South East and South West Thames region is due to serve from June 2023 – June 2026.
The candidates are listed alphabetically by surname below, together with their election statements, and the deadline to vote is 2359 on Friday 26 May 2023.
All eligible members as of 17 March 2023 have been sent an email by the College’s election services provider, Mi-Voice, to the email address which the member has registered with the College. This contains the unique link/details they will need to cast their ballot online.
Please ensure that your membership of CGDent remains up to date before you vote, otherwise your vote might not count. The CGDent Member Register displays a list of all current Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows, together with their College region.
Each member’s allocated region is determined by the postal address they have registered with the College. This must be where the member either lives or works, and will be where their copies of the Primary Dental Journal and all other physical correspondence is sent. Your registered address can be updated in My Account following any change of location. A map of the College’s regions is here.
Please contact us at contact@cgdent.uk if you think you are a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College but cannot find yourself on the Member Register, or if any of your listed details are incorrect.
If you need to renew your membership, you can do this easily online here.
If you are an Associate Member considering upgrading your membership in order to vote, or a non-member considering joining in order to do so, you will need to allow 1-2 weeks for the process to complete and for your unique voting details to be issued to you. Late votes will not be counted.
Following the election, the results will be announced on Wednesday 31 May 2023.
If you are an eligible member but cannot find the email from Mi-Voice inviting you to vote in your inbox, please check your junk or spam folder, and if necessary double-check the email account you have registered with the College by logging in at https://cgdent.uk/my-account.
If you experience any technical difficulties submitting your vote(s), please contact Mi-Voice at support@mi-voice.com or on 02380 763987.
Candidates for the South East and South West Thames seat
Anthony Bendkowski
“I enjoy working as a part of a team contributing both experience and humour. I have a proven ability in bringing teams together so that they can achieve more together than they could individually.”
Candidate statements
Tell us a little about yourself, your background and your professional and personal interests.
Qualifying in 1983 from University College Hospital Dental School, based in the South-East for all of my working life. I am a specialist oral surgeon and have worked in all sectors including general practice, community service, hospital, university and a long standing commitment as chair of our local dental committee. I run an 8 surgery general and specialist practice in South-East London and an implant referral practice in Maidstone.
I have a strong interest in developing pathways for lifelong education and training. I believe that primary care is the home of a high quality patient journey and is the environment for each member of the dental team to develop a fulfilling career.
For me, the College of General Dentistry is the new voice for our profession in primary care. I want to help this voice to be heard clearly for the future with all the many challenges that face us.
Why did you decide to stand for election?
I have decided to stand because I believe that the profession is facing many challenges for the future including recruitment, over-regulation, litigation, underfunding and the prevailing economic situation. I want to help and support the College to be heard as the cohesive and authoritative voice of our profession and to overcome these challenges.
What are your ambitions for the organisation?
For the College to expand its membership and to take its rightful place at the table representing our profession at all levels.
For the college to become the home of a comprehensive pathway of training ,education and qualifications for the dental team.
Give some examples from your professional or personal life that show you have the right skill set to make a contribution to the work of the Council.
Commitment to practice based research – participating in two ongoing multicentre clinical studies in implantology.
Various research and professional publications over many years.
Ongoing commitment to lifelong training and education.
Chair of Greenwich and Bexley LDC for over 15 years.
Past President of Association of Dental Implantology. Organised national conferences and study clubs. Contributed to development of implant training standards guidance with GDC and FGDP.
Lecturer for Brighton and Sussex Medical School Implantology postgraduate program – helped to develop and implement the program.
Board member of PEERS DentsplySirona Implantology Training and Education Group help to organise national meetings.
Lecture extensively both nationally and internationally.
Member of Faculty of Surgical Trainers (RCS Ed).
Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons (London).
I am an active airshow/display pilot and own and fly a pair of vintage aircraft in a display team.
Ivy Glavee
“To make a difference and create a structure, process and outcome as well as offer innovative solutions to the needs of the organisation and encourage skillmix to address the shortage of dental health care professionals in areas that need them. To implement an Oral health programme to address high decay.”
Candidate statements
Tell us a little about yourself, your background and your professional and personal interests.
I am a Mentor, Poet, Teacher, Visionary and Author of the book Positive Work Life Balance – how to transform from tired individual to happy, empowered and fulfilled individual using top tips listed as part of toolkit. I am also an Innovative Dental Surgeon.
My philosophy of life is to make a difference which becomes a ripple effect to inspire the next generation.
Why did you decide to stand for election?
I wish to use my experiences to make a difference and contribute.
What are your ambitions for the organisation?
My ambitions for the organisation is twofold. First things first is to identify the needs and offer innovative solutions.
Secondly to create an educational training pathway to help others, encourage skill mix and parent focus groups using the time of sugar rationing as inspiration for the KAB model. (Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour).
Finally to create a structure, process and outcome that can be evaluated to find out what worked, what did not work and how best to improve.
Give some examples from your professional or personal life that show you have the right skill set to make a contribution to the work of the Council.
Writing articles on Positive Work Life Balance and published
Creating courses and presenting
Organising a conference with an organisation and being a presenter
Taking part in Artificial Intelligence versus Corona Hackathon with data scientists and our team winning first prize
Taking part in leadership landscape
Taking part in collection of thoughts regards COVID 19 impact and published
Participant in research workshop on tackling differential attainment in the medical profession and report published
Being asked to produce a white paper on staff wellbeing in the workplace
I can teach
Having participated in leadership programmes (BEL leadership program and Advanced Dental Leadership)
Roshni Karia
“‘A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.’ (Colin Powell). I would be humbled to continue the hard work and commitment I have already made and I kindly request your support in accelerating not just a vision but making this an absolute reality.”
Candidate statements
Tell us a little about yourself, your background and your professional and personal interests.
My vision has always been to help develop an environment that promotes clinical excellence and confidence whilst supporting peer learning and collaboration as it is here where I believe we thrive the most.
With this in mind, in 2015 I applied and was subsequently appointed an Early Careers Representative (FGDP UK). In 2017, I was elected to represent the South East and South West Thames Region and re-elected as a member of the College Council (2020-23).
During my time, I have held various chairs and was elected Junior Vice Dean (FGDP(UK) 2019-2020) and Senior Vice President (CGDent 2021-2022). I have remained a member of the President’s (Past Dean’s) Executive since 2017 with a central focus on developing Career Pathways for all members of the Oral Healthcare team. Having qualified from King’s College London (2010) I am a General Dental Practitioner and an undergraduate clinical tutor (Periodontology), King’s College London.
Why did you decide to stand for election?
I set out with a firm vision; for each member to confidently and freely serve our community, with the reassurance that they are supported by a strong clinical backbone; guiding and fostering excellence so that we can all strive to achieve our best. Therefore, over the years I have worked tirelessly; especially in developing the Career Pathways and Chairing the Certified Membership Scheme. This has enabled phase one of this brand-new scheme to launch early in 2023, aimed at providing all members of the oral healthcare team an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and navigate their personal career journey with flexibility, structure and support.
Having started this journey, I am resolute in developing this so we can continue in ‘Setting Standards and ‘Supporting Careers’. I am determined to support the College’s ambition for Royal Charter as it is here, we can nurture these values and strengthen our professional community.
What are your ambitions for the organisation?
I am now looking forward to building on the progress made to embed a Career Pathway for all members of the Oral Healthcare Team. I have always believed in a professional environment driven by high quality and ethics, however, the environment in which this is learnt and thereafter delivered should be conducive in which to do so. Our profession requires support, refreshed confidence and synergy to be able to do this. As a College, we must rebuild bridges and celebrate peer support with fully supported professional development, so we can all make much more strategic decisions about our careers.
I believe it is absolutely necessary for the College to respond to the contemporary needs of all of our members and pursue our Royal Charter so we can now have an independent, yet cohesive voice and that Dentistry becomes central to mainstream Healthcare; working together at the forefront of clinical excellence.
Give some examples from your professional or personal life that show you have the right skill set to make a contribution to the work of the Council.
Participation within roles as:
• Elected Board and Council Member (FGDP (UK) and CGDent) (2017-2023)
• Past Vice Dean 2019-20, Past Senior Vice President 2021-22
• Chair: Certified Membership Scheme Programme Board and Professional Affairs Committee.
• Past Chair: Membership Affairs and Careers and Training Committees.
• Member: Career Pathways Programme Board
• Member: Forward Planning Group for COVID-19
• Successful completion of Healthcare Leadership Academy Scholarship Programme (2020-21)
• Completed (awaiting results) PGCert in Clinical Practice Management and Education (2022)
• Fellow: Higher Education Academy
With these professional commitments, alongside investing in my own personal development I believe I have a broad understanding of the work undertaken and now required to progress as an authoritative organisation for the Dental Profession with an aspiration for Royal Charter.
The experiences and networks I have built have helped to shape me and have equipped me with the skills necessary to make a meaningful contribution to the work of the Council.
Ian Kerr
“I believe I can bring my passion, my focus, my leadership qualities, and my organisational skills all of which can be used to further the cause of the College.”
Candidate statements
Tell us a little about yourself, your background and your professional and personal interests.
I qualified from Newcastle Dental School in 1989 and have worked full-time in dentistry ever since.
I have worked in both the NHS and Private primary care and at King’s Dental Hospital and Kent and Canterbury.
I have completed an MSc, with distinction, in Advanced Specialist Healthcare and an LLM by research I have also completed a diploma in Restorative and Aesthetic dentistry, a Pg Cert in Implantology, a Pg Cert in civil law expert witness work, and a Pg Cert in Risk Mitigation.
I have developed an interest in dento-legal work and am active in this field as an expert witness.
Outside of dentistry, I have enjoyed rugby, martial arts, and boxing along with endurance events such as triathlon and a half iron man. I now limit my activities to sea swimming and training in the boxing gym without the need to ever let anyone hit me again!
Why did you decide to stand for election?
I feel that the college is a step in the right direction for dentistry and believe that a key lesson learned from the COVID crisis was that dentistry is in urgent need of a Royal College if it wishes to have a stronger voice at the highest levels. This is a process that I would like to be part of and want to offer whatever support I can.
What are your ambitions for the organisation?
I would like the college to become a Royal College and to have the full backing and support of the profession who would see it as the primary authoritative voice within dentistry.
Give some examples from your professional or personal life that show you have the right skill set to make a contribution to the work of the Council.
My organisational skills have been used in organising an expert witness group into a significant body within the field of Expert Witnessing in dento-legal matters, now with over 80 participants.
I have successfully run a multi-surgery private practice for 18 years, having started it from a squat.
From my student years as President of the Society to my rugby days as Club Captain in two of the four clubs I played for and as the founding partner of my dental practice, I have always tended to take positions of leadership when I felt it was an area that I could add value to.
REMINDERS:
VOTES SHOULD BE CAST THROUGH THE UNIQUE LINK SENT TO ELIGIBLE MEMBERS BY MI-VOICE BY EMAIL
VOTING CLOSES AT 23:59 ON FRIDAY 26 MAY 2023