Dr Wendy Thompson FCGDent, College Lead on antimicrobial prescribing, resistance and stewardship, has received a Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR).
Dr Wendy Thompson FCGDent with the plaque commemorating her IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology
Given annually, IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards recognise outstanding research achievements in a variety of disciplines. Considered a mark of leadership in the field of dental research, they are among the most prestigious honours bestowed by the organisation. Dr Thompson has received this year’s award for research in the fields of pharmacology, therapeutics and toxicology.
A general dental practitioner in Cumbria and Clinical Senior Lecturer in Primary Dental Care at the University of Manchester, Dr Thompson researches and lectures nationally and internationally on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), reducing the overprescribing of antibiotics, and optimising the prevention and control of infections. She graduated BDS from the University of Liverpool, was awarded the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, holds a BSc in Microbiology & Microbial Technology from the University of Warwick, and completed a PhD in antibiotic prescribing at the University of Leeds.
She is a CGDent Ambassador, a member of the College’s Research Advisory Group, and represents the College on the UK Health Security Agency’s dental sub-group and oversight committee on antimicrobial use and resistance. Guest Editor of the College’s 2021 Primary Dental Journal issue dedicated to COVID-19 and urgent dental care, she became a Fellow of the College in 2022 and has written about her journey to gaining Fellowship through the experience route. She delivered the Caldwell Memorial Lecture 2024 on using antibiotics sustainably, has lectured for the College at the annual Dentistry Show, presented the College’s Talking Standards webinar on antimicrobial prescribing in dentistry and was the lead developer of its chairside synopsis of Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines.
She is also Vice Chair of the FDI World Dental Federation Science Committee, Chair of its working group on preventing antimicrobial resistance and infections, an advisor to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, a member of the BDA Health & Science Committee, a Council member of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, a member of the BNF Dental Advisory Group, Trustee of the charity The AMR Narrative and a member of Antibiotics Research UK’s Public Engagement and Patient Support Committee. She was an honorary consultant to the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for England on antimicrobial stewardship and attended the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AMR in September 2024. She is a Fellow of both the Higher Education Academy and the International College of Dentists, and prior to becoming a dentist spent nine years working at the Ministry of Defence.
The award was formally conferred last week at the IADR General Session in San Diego, California, where Dr Thompson delivered a keynote lecture on antimicrobial stewardship research in dentistry, spoke on the President’s Panel about research into infection prevention and control, and chaired a session on adverse outcomes from the use of antimicrobials.
Professor Igor Blum, the editor-in-chief of the College’s Primary Dental Journal, won the Ivar Mjör Award, the IADR’s highest award for practice-based research, in 2024; read more here
