College of General Dentistry News

New PDJ online: Leadership

The new issue of the Primary Dental Journal, on the topic of ‘Leadership’, is available to read online now.

This ‘Leadership’ issue of the PDJ has been brought together by Guest Editor Dr Sreenivas Koka FCGDent, co-founder of Executive Leadership Enterprises and the Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) programme, and founder of both the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership workshop series and the non-profit Career Design in Dentistry organisation.

The focus of this issue is on helping every member of the primary oral healthcare team to become better leaders and better team members. A wide range of topics are explored, in both clinical papers and opinion pieces, including the hotellier secrets that can help us provide a five-star dental experience for our patients; professional parenting tips and how to juggle the demands of work and family life; how to successfully manage difficult conversations; identifying growth moments, negotiating and embracing your career transitions; and the power of emotional intelligence in leadership. A full list of papers can be found under ‘Issue Contents’ below.

Dr Koka outlines his ambition for this PDJ:

“As you progress on your leadership journey, I hope that you will find some valuable perspectives in this issue that can help you choose to be a wonderful leader; one who is followed because your team members want to follow you and not because they have to.”

Full online access to the majority of articles in this and previous issues is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can expect their printed copies to arrive by the end of December. New joiners wishing to receive a copy of this issue can let us know by emailing [email protected]

For non-members / non-subscribers, at least one paper in each issue is made available online free of charge, with all other articles available to purchase via the links below.

An annual print subscription to the PDJ is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to over 1,500 current and past articles in the PDJ Library and a range of other benefits.

On behalf of the College, the PDJ editorial team would like to express its gratitude to all the authors and peer reviewers who have contributed to this issue.

ISSUE CONTENTS:

  • Everyday leadership by Akira Maeda, Kohji Nagata, Elizabeth O. Carr, Sreenivas Koka, Sawako Yokoyama

CGDent members can view full articles by logging in via the yellow button below, then clicking ‘Access the PDJ Library’:

PDJ MEMBER ACCESS

The next issue of the journal, on the topic of TMJ, is due out in Winter 2025/2026.

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College of General Dentistry Blog

Career barriers and breakthroughs for academic dental therapists and dental hygienists

Sarah Murray MBE, Reader in Dental Therapy Education at Queen Mary University of London and Board Member of the College’s Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, and Leon Bassi, Clinical Lecturer in Primary Dental Care (Dental Therapy) at the University of Liverpool, discuss academic career pathways for dental therapists and dental hygienists.

The development of academic expertise within a professional group is essential to the process of professionalisation. To foster ownership of a specific body of knowledge, professional groups must possess adequate academic training to identify (through scholarly and research study), defend (through critical understanding and articulation), and sustain (through research and scholarship) that knowledge. Therefore, it is critical to provide opportunities for professionals to cultivate research skills and engage in research that is specific to their field. This strengthens the professional group to claim custodianship over their clinical discipline but also contributes to the broader process of professionalisation. (Dussault, 1981)

Utilising all of the dental team

In recent years, the NHS has placed increasing emphasis on ‘Building Better Teams’ (NHS England 2017), recognising that high-quality care relies on the effective integration of different professional skills. This is very relevant in dentistry, where the role of dental hygienists (DH) and dental therapists (DThs) has expanded significantly over many years. In a review of the literature, Nash and colleagues (2008) concluded that “access to basic dental care will not be available without the utilisation of dental therapists in the workforce”, whilst Johnson (2009) argues for a paradigm shift using dental hygienists to shift the culture “from treatment to prevention, wellness and self-care”. Research has shown that DTh are able to undertake over 70% of tasks routinely delivered in NHS primary care and ‘that only around 23% of clinical time was spent on “dentist only” tasks within the NHS nationally’ (Wanyonyi et al., 2015). Harnessing the potential of dental hygienists and dental therapists through skill mix, not only enhances efficiency but also addresses workforce challenges for greater access for the population to access dental care.

The NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan in 2023 highlighted the need to invest in dental education, and the Dental Schools Council (DSC) has called for an increase in both dentistry and dental therapy training places as a key priority. Chen et al. (2021) conducted a global scoping review of the education and career pathways of dental therapists, dental hygienists, and oral health therapists, synthesising 53 sources to explore their professional development. The review found that, despite advocacy for expanded roles beyond traditional clinical practice, most professionals in these fields continue to primarily practise as clinicians and express dissatisfaction with limited career progression opportunities. In our opinion, the Health Education England’s Advancing Dental Care project failed to illustrate how dental hygienists and therapists can have a fulfilling academic career. The World Health Organization’s Global Strategy and Action Plan for Oral Health (WHO, 2024) emphasises the need to focus on the oral healthcare team, particularly mid-level care providers, which we feel includes dental hygienists and dental therapists and their unique place in offering research led preventative based care to help tackle the global burden of non communicable diseases.

The dental academic landscape

Within academic institutions, there are other registered dental care professionals who work alongside their dentist colleagues, however, their route to comparable academic career pathway opportunities is varied across the United Kingdom. Unlike the standardised and managed academic career pathways for dentists, the career pathways for DH and DTh working in dental academia are neither standardised and at times not comparable in terms of academic opportunities.

As an example, we thought we would share our own academic career journeys.

Sarah Murray

My academic journey began with a primary qualification as a dental hygienist and dental therapist. My curiosity was sparked by thinking about how different professionals across the wider healthcare community could work together, which led me to pursue an MA in Primary Health and Community Care, with the University of Westminster.

During my postgraduate studies I developed a strong grounding in reflective practice and learning from other healthcare professionals, that included health visitors, GPs, complementary therapists, and these interactions helped me to consider the challenges surrounding working together for enhanced patient centred outcomes. However, at the time there were no structured academic pathways for me to take, so I had to find my own path, seeking out opportunities and mentorship for myself.

I am currently a Reader in Dental Therapy Education at Queen Mary University of London, and have held previous roles with the University of Essex as a Senior Lecturer within the Oral Health Sciences team, and the University of Suffolk in 2023 as the Curriculum Development Lead for their new BSc (Hons) in Dental Hygiene and Therapy. These opportunities have helped shape my academic career journey, each contributing differently, but complementing my academic development as an educator, leader and academic innovator.

Leon Bassi

I graduated as both a dental therapist and dental hygienist from Queen Mary University of London (Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry). I went on to complete an MSc in Advanced Specialist Health Care at the University of Kent, and then a PG Diploma in Paediatric Dentistry for Dental Therapists.

My career spans community, hospital and specialist private practice. Alongside my clinical practice, I work as a Clinical Lecturer in Primary Dental Care (Dental Therapy) at the University of Liverpool.

It is important that student dental hygienists and dental therapists are taught by colleagues within their own profession, because this ensures teaching is grounded in the specific scope of practice, professional identity, and affords the opportunities to explore what the professional boundaries are in various care settings, and real-world challenges unique to their roles. Interprofessional education is key for us to meet the WHO global oral health strategy (WHO, 2024), however, peer-led education is also crucial to foster a deeper understanding of clinical competencies, role boundaries, and teamwork, while also modelling career pathways and inspiring professional confidence.

Conclusion

Dental hygienists and dental therapists play an integral role in oral healthcare, yet the academic pathways leading to professionalisation in these fields remain underdeveloped compared to other dental professions. As the demand for advanced clinical practice, research and teaching continues to grow, it is crucial to support the academic development of these professionals, fostering their ability to become the next generation of researchers, academics and advanced clinical practitioners.

Through the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, the College offers structured support to colleagues, helping to forge their academic career. Through professional development, mentorship and networking opportunities, dental hygienists and dental therapists can enhance their skill set and strengthen their leadership, educational, policy and research skills within the wider dental community.

References

Chen, D; Hayes, M; Holden A (2021). A global review of the education and career pathways of dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists. BDJ Team 8, 36-42 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41407-021-0654-4

Dussault, G. (1981) The Professionalisation of Dentistry In Britain: A Study of Occupational Stratification, published PhD thesis. The University of London.

Johnson, P. (2009). International profiles of dental hygiene 1987 to 2006: a 21-nation comparative study. International Dental Journal, 59(2), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1922/IDJ_2076Johnson15

Health Education England (2021). Advancing Dental Care: Education and Training Review – Final Report. HEE, London.

NHS England (2017). Building Better Teams: Exploring the contribution of skill mix in NHS primary dental care. NHS England.

Nash, D.A., Friedman, J.W., Kardos, T.B., Kardos, R.L., Schwarz, E., Satur, J., Berg, D.H., Nasruddin, J., Mumghamba, E.G., Davenport, E.S., & Nagel, R. (2008). Dental therapists: a global perspective. International Dental Journal, 58(2), pp. 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595x.2008.tb00177.x

Wanyonyi, K.L., Radford, D.R., & Gallagher, J.E. (2015). Alternative scenarios: harnessing mid-level providers and evidence-based practice in primary dental care in England through operational research. Hum Resour Health. 2015 Sep 15;13:78. doi: 10.1186/s12960-015-0072-9

WHO (2024). Global strategy and action plan on oral health 2023–2030. [online] www.who.int. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240090538.

Sarah Murray and Leon Bassi delivered a CGDent lecture on academic career pathways for dental therapists and dental hygienists at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show in 2025.

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College of General Dentistry News

College members appointed to senior BADN roles

Members of the College have been appointed to the Executive Committee of the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN).

(l-r): Preetee Hylton, current BADN President; Carolyn Roberts, BADN President-elect; Rebecca Silver AssocFCGDent, the new BADN Treasurer

Carolyn Roberts, an Associate Member of the College and Board Member of its Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy, is the BADN’s new President-elect. Her career in dental nursing began in 1989 with Saturday work at a local practice, and she then spent a decade working in two NHS General Dental Services practices before joining the North Wales Community Dental Service (CDS) in 1999. She is now the Senior Dental Nurse for Anglesey and Gwynedd within Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, covering 21 CDS clinics, and is part of the North Wales CDS Senior Management and Improvement Team. She has developed a local CDS Dental Nurse Peer Review Group and remains clinical, with particular experience in supporting sedation, general anaesthetics, Special Care and also patient and staff wellbeing. A committed advocate for career development, she is currently studying for a BSc in Public Health and Wellbeing.

Preetee Hylton, also an Associate Member of the College, became BADN President last year and will remain so until 2026. A full-time dental nurse and safeguarding lead at a private dental practice in London, she is an Associate Examiner for the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses and delivers the NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Principles and Practice in Dental Nursing. A former receptionist, practice manager, lead dental nurse and clinical mentor to student dental nurses, she holds the NEBDN National Certificate in Dental Nursing, BDA Education Certificates in Oral Health and Dental Radiography, a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector qualification and a Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement, and in 2021 she completed the DDS Treatment Coordinator Programme. A founding member and the former Study Club Co-Director of the ITI UK & Ireland Dental Nurse community, she is an honorary ambassador for the Mouth Cancer Foundation, a member of the editorial board of Dental Nursing, and a past contributor to the Primary Dental Journal.

Rebecca Silver AssocFCGDent has become the BADN’s Treasurer. She has assisted in both NHS and private dental care since 2009, supporting the delivery of a wide range of general and specialist disciplines including endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, orthodontics, conscious sedation, prosthodontics and implant dentistry, as well as facial aesthetics. A Fellow of the BADN and Associate Fellow of the College, she passed her foundation degree in Advanced Dental Nursing with distinction and in 2021 achieved a merit in completing an MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare (Applied to Dental Practice) at the University of Kent. She also holds post-qualification certificates in Oral Health Education and Conscious Sedation and a Level 3 award in Education and Training, and is currently studying to become an assessor. On the editorial board of Dental Nursing and the reader panel for BDJ Team, she has published articles in a variety of UK and international dental publications and her work has been referenced in the British Medical Journal. In November 2025, she won the first prize in the graduate category of the British and Irish Dental Editors and Writers Forum’s new communicator awards for her article, ‘Hierarchy in dentistry: A dental nurse perspective‘.1 

College membership is open to dental professionals in all team roles. Associate Membership is open to all registered dental professionals, with Full Membership, Associate Fellowship and Fellowship available based on further eligibility criteria. Dental nurses receive a two-thirds discount on standard membership fees, but receive the same benefits as all other members at each grade, including quarterly copies of the Primary Dental Journal and online CPD (all members), post-nominal recognition and a discount with Dental Protection (Full Members and above), and access to College Fellows’ Receptions (Associate Fellows and Fellows).

The Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy comprises all dental nurse and orthodontic therapist members of the College, and its Faculty Board supports the College in developing career pathways for dental nurses and orthodontic therapists and contributes to the work of the College Council.

Founded in 1940, the BADN is the UK’s oldest and largest professional association for dental nurses.

  1. Silver R. Hierarchy in dentistry: A dental nurse perspective. BDJ Team 2025; 12: 38–39.

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College of General Dentistry Blog

Rethinking leadership in dentistry: beyond clinical excellence

Professor Igor Blum, Editor of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ), reviews the meaning of leadership – the theme of the upcoming issue – within the context of dentistry and the general dental team.

Dentistry stands at a crossroads. Today’s dental professionals do more than deliver treatment – they manage teams, communicate under pressure, work across complex systems, manage regulatory challenges, navigate ethical dilemmas, adopt new technologies, and care for increasingly diverse and complex patient needs.

In this context, dentistry depends as much on leadership as it does on clinical competence. Dentistry cannot meet tomorrow’s challenges without educating the leaders of tomorrow, and the dental profession and dental educators have an essential role in shaping that future.

The Autumn 2025 issue of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ) explores what “leadership” means in the context of healthcare and, in particular, dentistry from the perspective of a variety of team members, and why leadership is increasingly recognised as a critical domain for dental professionals.

Leadership in dentistry has long been viewed through the narrow lens of clinical seniority: the most experienced clinician, the most decorated consultant or specialist, or the individual who has simply “been around the longest.” Yet modern dentistry – multidisciplinary, digitally driven, team-based, and increasingly complex – demands a different understanding of what leadership truly means.

Nowadays, leadership in dentistry is less about hierarchy and more about fostering a positive, supportive culture, creating environments where people can thrive. It is the ability to navigate uncertainty, steward organisational or practice culture, support colleagues’ wellbeing, and translate vision, both clinical and non-clinical, into systems and behaviours that improve patient care. In an era marked by relentless workforce shortages, escalating regulatory scrutiny, and a more litigious landscape, let alone increasing patient expectations, and an expanding scope of practice, leadership is no longer optional – it is compulsory.

In many cases, dentists – and sometimes dental care professionals – enter leadership positions almost by chance, without prior preparation or intention, rather than through deliberate career planning. Many find themselves leading teams, services, or departments without formal leadership training, relying instead on clinical logic and common sense to solve organisational challenges. But clinical acumen and common sense do not automatically confer leadership competence.

As readers can glean from articles in this issue of the PDJ, effective leadership in dentistry requires:

  • reflective practice to learn from error, change behaviour, and model humility
  • clear communication to translate strategy into day-to-day action
  • the ability to effectively manage difficult conversations
  • emotional intelligence to respond to stress, conflict, and diverse personalities
  • courage to address performance concerns, speak up for safety, and challenge inefficient systems
  • vision to anticipate future needs – technological, educational, and demographic

These attributes are cultivated, not inherited. As a profession, we must recognise that leadership is a skillset that demands deliberate development.

Good leadership has measurable clinical consequences. Teams led by authentic, supportive leaders demonstrate better compliance with safety protocols, fewer adverse incidents, and higher patient satisfaction. Conversely, poor leadership is a well-recognised contributor to staff burnout, low morale, regulatory referrals, and declining quality of care.

In this sense, leadership is not separate from clinical practice – it is clinical practice. When a leader fosters psychological safety, team members are more likely to ask for help, discuss decisions, and escalate concerns before harm occurs. When leaders model professionalism, the culture follows. Leadership, therefore, is an evidence-based intervention that directly affects patient outcomes.

The document “The Safe Practitioner: A framework of behaviours and outcomes for dental professional education”,1 published by the General Dental Council (GDC) has replaced “Preparing for Practice”2 as the curriculum document for all programmes of undergraduate dental education in the UK from September 2025. The new framework states that all dental professionals should “where appropriate, lead, manage and take professional responsibility for the actions of colleagues and other members of the team involved in patient care.” Although the language of the framework throughout its various domains and sub domains may not always mention “leadership”, the expectations clearly do.

Therefore, dental schools and postgraduate programmes have an opportunity – and responsibility – to embed leadership development into curricula. Students and trainees should graduate not only as “competent” clinicians, but as professionals equipped to lead teams, contribute to service improvement, and navigate the emotional realities of modern healthcare.

Leadership training should include:

  • human factors and systems thinking
  • communication and conflict resolution
  • reflective and resilient practice
  • understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • ethical decision-making and professionalism
  • real-world exposure to service leadership, not purely theory

We cannot expect clinicians to lead effectively if we never teach them how. If we want graduates who are truly prepared for practice, we must prepare them for leadership.

The College of General Dentistry defines leadership as a learnable “science and art” and integrates it as a key domain within both its Professional Framework for Dentistry and its experience-based route to Fellowship.3,4 Rather than prescribing specific qualities for every single stage, the framework outlines a general progression across career levels, with leadership skills becoming increasingly sophisticated and team oriented as a practitioner advances. The College emphasises that leadership skills are vital for all members of the dental team, regardless of their formal role, as every dental professional is inherently a leader within their practice.

The pressures of contemporary practice – clinical, financial, organisational, and regulatory – will only intensify. Strong leadership is the compass that keeps teams aligned, grounded, and focused on what matters most: the delivery of safe, compassionate, and high-quality care. It is recognised that, ultimately, there is no “one size fits all” approach to leadership in dentistry, but recognition of its importance, and perseverance with establishing a leadership model that works, can transform our clinical environment.5

Our profession must embrace leadership as a collective responsibility, not a title reserved for the few. Every dental professional – whether in training, practice, education or governance – has a role to play in shaping a culture where people feel valued, supported, and inspired.

The future of dentistry will not be defined only by the technologies we adopt or the treatments we deliver, but by the leaders we develop. In this token, I am deeply grateful to Dr Sree Koka, the guest editor of the upcoming leadership-themed issue, and to the many other contributing authors for their essential input producing such wealth of excellent, interesting, and informative articles which can serve as an invaluable source of wisdom for the general dental practice team. It is my sincere hope that readers will find the collection of articles of interest and that the issue will be an asset to all dental professionals in their working environment.

To receive the Leadership issue of the PDJ, join the College by Thursday 4 December 2025.

find out more about the pdj

The Primary Dental Journal is the College’s quarterly peer-reviewed journal dedicated to general dental practice. The titles and abstracts of PDJ papers are available to all dental professionals via the searchable PDJ homepage, with full paper access available to College members through the PDJ Library.

The leadership issue will be available online in mid-December and printed copies should arrive with College members in late December.

References

1. General Dental Council (GDC). The Safe Practitioner: A framework of behaviours and outcomes for dental professional education. [Internet]. London: GDC; 2025. Available at gdc-uk.org/education-cpd/dental-education/quality-assurance/learning-outcomes-and-behaviours#safe [Accessed Nov 2025].

2. General Dental Council (GDC). Preparing for practice: Dental team learning outcomes for registration (2015 revised edition). [Internet]. London: GDC; 2015 (updated 4th July 2019). Available at gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/registration/registration-for-dcps-qualified-in-an-eea-member-state/preparing-for-practice-(revised-2015).pdf?sfvrsn=e76ff46d_2 [Accessed Nov 2025].

3. The College of General Dentistry (CGDent). Career Pathways in Dentistry: Professional Framework. [Internet]. London: CGDent; 2022. Available at cgdent.uk/career-pathways [Accessed Nov 2025].

4. The College of General Dentistry (CGDent). Fellowship by experience. [Internet]. London: CGDent; 2024. Available at cgdent.uk/fellowship-by-experience [Accessed Nov 2025].

5. McColl E, Bryce G. Leadership in dentistry: what does it really mean? Dental Update. 2025;51(6):383-384.

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College of General Dentistry News

Certified Practitioner status in Endodontics / Implant Dentistry / Oral Surgery – register your interest now

The College is now accepting registrations of interest for the first three of its Certified Practitioner schemes.

Dentists interested in the Certified Practitioner in Endodontics, Certified Practitioner in Oral Surgery and/or Certified Practitioner in Implant Dentistry schemes can now register their interest online, and will be emailed once detailed eligibility criteria and application requirements for the relevant scheme have been finalised and applications opened.

The Certified Practitioner programme will enable general dental professionals to have their enhanced skills, knowledge and experience in particular fields of practice recognised. Created in close consultation with stakeholders, including NHS authorities, it will provide authoritative validation of enhanced capability for patients, colleagues and commissioners.

Intended to support recognition across both NHS and private practice, Certified Practitioner statuses will be open to both UK-based dental professionals and those practising elsewhere, and a range of schemes will be developed covering roles across the oral healthcare team.

The Certified Practitioner schemes for dentists are benchmarked against Level 2 case complexity and will align with the capabilities achieved following successful completion of a skills-based, university-awarded postgraduate diploma. The College is working with partners across the professional community to determine appropriate requirements for training and clinical cases, and these will be published discipline-by-discipline in due course.

The first scheme to open will be Certified Practitioner in Endodontics – CertPract(Endo) – the requirements for which now been developed in consultation with the British Endodontic Society. This will be followed by criteria for Oral Surgery – CertPract(OralSurg) – and Implant Dentistry – CertPract(ImpDent) – with further disciplines expected thereafter.

It is anticipated that applicants will be required to have at least five years’ post-registration experience, of which at least two years should be providing general dental treatment. They will need to present a CV, training log and logbook of cases which meet the required standard. They will also need to submit a detailed portfolio of some of these cases, which will form the basis of a peer-reviewed assessment.

Successful applicants will be entitled to use the ‘CertPract’ post-nominal for the relevant discipline. Their Certified Practitioner status will also be published on a Register of Certified Practitioners, and the designation will feature in the College’s Register of Members & Fellows.

Certified Practitioner dentists will be eligible for Associate Fellowship of the College, and deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of the Clinical & Technical domain of College Fellowship. College members will receive a fee discount.

To register your interest in the Certified Practitioner in Endodontics, Certified Practitioner in Oral Surgery and/or Certified Practitioner in Implant Dentistry schemes, click the button below:

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

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College of General Dentistry News

Celebrating contributions to implant dentistry: past, present and future

An event will be held in the new year to celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of both the College and former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) to raising the quality of education and practice in implant dentistry.

Candidates awaiting conferral of awards by the former FGDP(UK) at a Diplomates’ Day

The event will take place 20 years after the publication by the FGDP of the first edition of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry. Recognised by the General Dental Council and now made available by the College, this document summarises the training that should be undertaken to carry out implant dentistry safely, and the standards which should be met by training courses.

Alongside the FGDP’s renowned Diploma in Implant Dentistry, which started in 2003, the Training Standards in Implant Dentistry have driven a significant improvement in the quality of postgraduate education in dental implantology in the UK over the last 20 years [i].

Led by Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent, the event will also highlight the College’s inheritance and continuation of this ambition through the publication of Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: good practice guidelines in 2022, the launch of the Register of Mentors in Implant Dentistry and publication of dedicated journal issues in 2024, development of an updated and amalgamated Training and Mentoring Standards in Implant Dentistry (due in 2026), and plans to introduce the validation of high-quality postgraduate courses.

Dr Pal will also outline the emerging Career Pathway for Implant Dentistry – a progression from new practitioner in the field to Associate Fellowship (by portfolio), Certified Practitioner in Implant Dentistry and ultimately Recognised Mentor – through which implant dentists can develop their careers and gain recognition for the skills, knowledge and experience acquired at each stage.

Dr Pal is Principal of The University Dental and Implant Centre in Birmingham, editor of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry, co-editor of Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines, Immediate Past President of the College and a member of its Career Pathways Reference Group.

The event, Driving quality in implant dentistry, will take place from 3pm-5pm on Thursday 5 February 2026 at Cutlers’ Hall in London.

Tickets cost £20 and are currently available to Members & Fellows of the College. Secure your place via the button below:

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Booking will be opened to College Subscribers on Monday 8 December 2025. Registering as a College Subscriber is free of charge and ensures you’ll be kept up to date through our regular newsletter and gain viewing access to our Standards & Guidance publications. Register via the button below:

REGISTER AS A COLLEGE SUBSCRIBER HERE

Booking will then be opened to non-members/non-subscribers on Monday 5 January 2026.

Driving quality in implant dentistry will be followed in the same venue at 6pm by the College’s Fellows’ Winter Reception, including the Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows. This is a chargeable event with separate ticketing arrangements. It will be preceded in the same venue by the Lindsay Society’s Lilian Lindsay Memorial Lecture. This is a free event but prior booking is required.

[i] Kim, N.Y., Stagnell, S. Postgraduate education in dental implantology in the United Kingdom: a review. Int J Implant Dent 4,8 (2018). Available at https://journalimplantdent.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40729-017-0115-1

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College of General Dentistry News

‘Act now: protect our present, secure our future’: UK dental organisations support World AMR Awareness Week

Thirty million deaths directly related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are expected globally in the period between 2025 and 2050, with an annual mortality rate by 2050 (8.2 million) approaching that of cancer (9.7 million).

The more we use antimicrobial agents, the more AMR is expected to develop. This is leading humanity to face a situation similar to the era before the discovery of antimicrobials, when it was not possible to treat even simple infections.

Dentists prescribe approximately 10% of antimicrobials in the UK and Ireland, and there is evidence of increasing rates of reported resistance to many antimicrobials in head and neck infections. It is important that the dental community acts now in response to this global health threat. Appreciating the requirement for system-level changes to facilitate the provision of best evidence practice, we need to take the lead and protect antimicrobial use to cases when it is justified based on evidence. This could be guided by the available resources in three major national platforms:

  1. Dental antimicrobial stewardship: toolkit (UK Health Security Agency; this includes a link to the Antimicrobial prescribing in dentistry guidance published by the College)
  2. Keep Antimicrobial Working website (British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)
  3. Dental stewardship resources (Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group)

This year, the United Nations focus has been on non-communicable disease such as cancer, and diabetes. People with these conditions are susceptible to rapidly advancing infection.

Dr Wendy Thompson, the College’s AMR Lead, explained:

“Prevention is better than cure. Preventing non-communicable diseases, such as dental infection, reduces antimicrobial use and must be a global priority to secure our future. That is why, in New York for the 80th session of the UN General Assembly earlier this year, I emphasised that universal access to oral healthcare is an essential element of efforts to keep antibiotics working.”

World AMR Awareness Week, commemorated annually from 18 to 24 November, is a global campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of AMR and to promote global action to tackle the emergency and spread of drug-resistance pathogens.

Twenty-three national dental organisations have come together to support the WAAW 2025 theme ‘Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future’:

  • Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists (ACOM)
  • Association of Dental Groups (ADG)
  • Association of Dental Hospitals (ADH)
  • British and Irish Society for Oral Medicine (BISOM)
  • British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD)
  • British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN)
  • British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT)
  • British Association of Oral Surgeons (BAOS)
  • British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD)
  • British Dental Association (BDA)
  • British Endodontic Society (BES)
  • British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC)
  • British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT)
  • British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD)
  • British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry (BSP)
  • College of General Dentistry (CGDent)
  • Dental Schools Council (DSC)
  • Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (RCPSG)
  • Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd)
  • Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FDS)
  • Oral Health Foundation
  • Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG)
  • Society of British Dental Nurses (SBDN)

Dr Noha Seoudi of the Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists, who co-ordinated this year’s statement, said:

“Working together is key to improving knowledge and raising awareness of AMR.”

ACCESS OUR ANTIMICROBIAL PRESCRIBING GUIDANCE

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College of General Dentistry News

College to host Lindsay Society lecture

The College will be hosting the Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry for the delivery of the 31st annual Lilian Lindsay Memorial Lecture.

The lecture, entitled ‘Movers and shakers: remembered and forgotten‘, will take place on Thursday 5 February 2026 at the historic Cutlers’ Hall in London.

It will be delivered by Margaret Wilson, former Editor of the Dental Historian (the journal of the Lindsay Society). After graduating from the University of Liverpool Dental School in 1972, Lady Wilson worked in hospital and in Community Dental Services, later becoming a consultant in restorative dentistry and then clinical head of division at Central Manchester University Hospital NHS Trust, as well as an honorary senior lecturer in restorative dentistry at the University of Manchester and Honorary Curator of the city’s Dental Hospital Museum. She completed a PhD in biomaterial sciences, held a number of visiting professorships in the UK and the United States, and became Director of the National Advice Centre for Postgraduate Dental Education. After retiring in 2013, she served as President of the East Lancashire & East Cheshire branch of the British Dental Association (BDA) in 2015-2016, became Honorary Curator of the BDA Museum in 2016 and received Life Membership of the BDA in 2023. In 2024 she was awarded the Lindsay Memorial Medal for services to the history of dentistry.

The Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry promotes interest, study and research into the history of dentistry and aims to bring together people who share these interests.

The Society is named after Lilian Lindsay (1871-1960), a leading dental historian and the first woman to be educated and trained as a dentist in the UK. After qualifying from Edinburgh in 1895, she went on to become the first female member, first librarian and first female president of the British Dental Association; President of the British Society for the Study of Orthodontics; and President of both the Odontological Section and History of Medicine Society at the Royal Society of Medicine. She was also the author of A Short History of Dentistry and published the first English language translation of Pierre Fauchard’s Le Chirurgien Dentiste (The Surgeon Dentist).

The Lilian Lindsay Memorial Lectures have taken place annually since 1995, delivered around the UK by prominent members of the profession and other notable individuals.

The event is free of charge, with refreshments provided. Registration will open at 10.30am, with the lecture and post-lecture discussion taking place from 11am – 12.30pm.

The lecture will take place as part of a series of College events that day in the same venue. These include a forum, 20 years after the first publication of training standards, to discuss the College’s plans for structured career progression in implant dentistry; and the College’s Fellows’ Winter Reception, including the Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows. These are ticketed events, with further details and booking available on our Events page.

To attend the Lilian Lindsay Memorial Lecture 2026, reserve your place via the button below:

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College of General Dentistry News

Recognition of Indian postgraduate qualifications

The College has published an updated policy on its acceptance of Indian postgraduate dental qualifications when determining eligibility for its highest grades of membership.

Dentists who have successfully completed the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) or a PhD from a higher education institution recognised by the Dental Council of India (DCI) are now eligible by default for Associate Fellowship of the College. The MDS is also recognised as fulfilling the requirements of the Clinical & Technical domain of College Fellowship, and a PhD as fulfilling the requirements of the Publications & Research domain.

The MDS is a three-year, full-time postgraduate degree which combines a wide-ranging post-BDS curriculum with additional study and research in a chosen specialist area. It is the accepted qualification for specialist practice in India, and candidates are selected via a competitive, nationally-set entrance examination.

Equivalence for other India-awarded qualifications will continue to be determined on a case-by-case basis, with applicants required to provide a Statement of Comparability from the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills (UK ENIC, formerly UK NARIC). This can be obtained for a small fee.

A searchable register of recognised institutions in India is available on the homepage of the DCI website. Applicants are advised to search the full list for their institution rather than filtering for MDS courses; if the institution’s name cannot be found, they should provide a letter from the DCI stating its recognition of their institution and MDS speciality branch.

College membership marks a dental practitioner’s commitment to professional development and career progression. While the College welcomes all qualified and licensed dental professionals around the world into Associate Membership, postgraduate qualifications are required to enter into Full Membership and are the primary route to admission into Associate Fellowship and for satisfying the Clinical & Technical and Research & Publications domains of College Fellowship.

The College already recognises relevant Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, Master’s-level qualifications and PhDs awarded by recognised higher education institutions or regulated awarding bodies in the UK and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Those awarded elsewhere, with the exception of an MDS or PhD from an institution recognised by the DCI, should be accompanied by a Statement of Comparability as above.

In all cases, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Master’s-level qualifications must provide, respectively, 60, 120 or 180 UK academic credits or their equivalent (60 UK credits is the equivalent to 30 ECTS or 15 US credits) at Level 7 (as defined by the relevant qualification frameworks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or equivalent (e.g. Level 11 in Scotland).

The College also accepts a number of awards conferred by Royal Colleges and equivalent bodies in the UK and beyond.

Full details of eligibility for each type of membership are available here.

Members who practise wholly overseas and are not registered with the UK’s General Dental Council pay a concessionary membership fee which is one third of the standard rate.

Overseas members receive the same benefits as UK-practising members, including use of College postnominals and copies of the Primary Dental Journal by post.

Overseas-based Associate Fellows and Fellows are also eligible to attend the College’s biannual Fellows’ Receptions, which are usually held in London; those attending for the first time will also be ceremonially presented.

To apply to join the College, click the button below:

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College of General Dentistry News

Certified Practitioner scheme to recognise enhanced skills

The College has announced a new initiative enabling general dental professionals to have their enhanced skills, knowledge and experience in particular fields of practice recognised.

Created in close consultation with stakeholders, including NHS authorities, Certified Practitioner status will provide authoritative validation of enhanced capability for patients, colleagues and commissioners. Intended to support recognition across both NHS and private practice, they will be developed for all roles in the oral healthcare team and open to both UK-based dental professionals and those practising elsewhere.

Initially, a number of Certified Practitioner schemes will be opened to dentists. Benchmarked against Level 2 case complexity, they will also align with the capabilities achieved following successful completion of a skills-based, university-awarded postgraduate diploma. The College is working with partners across the professional community to determine appropriate requirements for training and clinical cases, and these will be published discipline-by-discipline in due course.

Applicants will be required to have at least five years’ post-registration experience, of which at least two years should be providing general dental treatment. They will need to present a CV, training log and logbook of cases which meet the required standard. They will also need to submit a detailed portfolio of some of these cases, which will form the basis of a peer-reviewed assessment.

Successful applicants will be entitled to use the ‘CertPract’ post-nominal for the relevant discipline. Their Certified Practitioner status will also be published on a Register of Certified Practitioners, and the designation will feature in the College’s Register of Members & Fellows.

Certified Practitioner dentists will be eligible for Associate Fellowship of the College, and deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of the Clinical & Technical domain of College Fellowship. College members will receive a discount on the credentialing fee.

Requirements for the first Certified Practitioner scheme, Certified Practitioner in Endodontics – CertPract(Endo) – have now been developed in close consultation with the British Endodontic Society, and will be published when applications open shortly. This will be followed by criteria for Oral Surgery and Implant Dentistry, with further disciplines expected thereafter.

Dr Roshni Karia MCGDent, President of the College, said:

“Getting a qualification is no longer enough to show your capability at a more advanced level, yet the dental profession has lacked a clear designation for those who have invested in high levels of skill development, beyond qualifications, for primary care practice. Our new Certified Practitioner scheme is the answer, enabling practitioners with an enhanced level of skill to demonstrate independent certification of their professional capabilities.”

Further details will be added to the Certified Practitioner page as they are announced.

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