The College is seeking the next Dean of its Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, and all dental nurses and orthodontic therapists are invited to consider applying.
The Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy is a constituency of the College automatically comprising all members who are dental nurses or orthodontic therapists. The interests of these members as a discrete professional group are advanced within the College by both a Faculty Board, which advises and reports to the elected College Council, and by an elected Faculty representative on the Council.
The four faculties of the College have to date been led by the Chairs of the Faculty Boards, but to reflect their increasing responsibilities as CGDent continues its journey toward Royal Charter, the incumbent Chairs have recently been inaugurated as Deans.
The Deanships each have a three-year term of office, however the inaugural Deans are serving shorter terms as a sequential process of re-appointment is implemented, with the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy the first to be re-appointed.
The new Dean will be appointed for a non-renewable term from June 2026 – June 2029, during which they will be expected to attend the three formal meetings of the Council each year, and to coordinate at least three meetings of the Faculty Board annually with these dates. (Council holds full-day hybrid meetings, with attendance in person preferred.)
The Dean, who will work closely with the President and the other Deans in developing career and membership pathways, standard-setting, development of effective teams and other College priorities, will support and be appointed by the Council and also advises Council on the wider membership of the Faculty Board.
Candidates will need to be an Associate Member, Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College at the time of application, and anyone interested in applying who is not yet a member of the College is advised to allow at least two weeks for their membership application to be fully processed prior to applying for this role.
The role attracts a small honorarium, with essential expenses covered. A role profile is available below.
Applications should be made by email, headed “Dean FDNOT”, to [email protected], attaching a CV and covering letter addressing the role profile.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 17 May 2026.
Interviews will be held online from the week beginning Monday 25 May 2026 with a selection panel convened by Council, and the appointee should be available to attend the College Council meeting on Friday 12 June 2026.
If you have questions or would like a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Simon Thornton-Wood PhD, Chief Executive of the College, at [email protected]
The College has inaugurated the first Deans of its four faculties, which develop its work in support of each dental team role.
Bill Sharpling FCGDent (left), Poppy Dunton (second from left), Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent (second from right) and Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent (right) were inaugurated by College President Roshni Karia MCGDent (centre). The new Deans’ gowns and President’s gown were donated by Rahul Arora FCGDent and Nandini Arora through the College’s Coat of Arms Appeal Fund.
Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent was inaugurated as the first Dean of the Faculty of Dentists, Poppy Dunton has become the first Dean of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent is the inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, and Bill Sharpling FCGDent has been appointed the first Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology.
One of the founding ambitions of the College was to convene distinct faculties for the professions within the dental team, and it is the only college of its kind in the world to have done so. The Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy and Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology were all formed in 2022, and the Faculty of Dentists created in 2024.
All members of the College are automatically assigned to the relevant faculty for their registrant group, and appointed faculty boards advise the elected College Council on the interests of their specific constituencies, and support the work of Council in developing career and membership pathways, standard-setting, development of effective teams and other areas.
Each board has to date been led by a Chair, and to reflect their increasing responsibilities as CGDent continues its journey toward Royal Charter, the role of Chair has now been replaced by the Dean, with the incumbent Chairs becoming the inaugural Deans. The new Deans were inaugurated by College President Roshni Karia MCGDent at a meeting of the College Council in London on 6 March 2026.
Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent holds a Chair in Cariology and Operative Dentistry, and is a clinical Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals Foundation Trust. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and raised in Bolton, UK, after graduating in 1993 from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals (UMDS, now part of KCL), he became a clinical House Officer in oral surgery and orthodontics at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, and then subsequently a Senior House Officer in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Mount Vernon, Hillingdon and Watford General Hospitals.
With over thirty years’ experience as a clinician, researcher, teacher and examiner, he holds an MSc in Mineralised Tissue Biology and a PhD in Cariology from University College London. In 2022 he received the International Association of Dental Research’s William H Bowen Distinguished Scientist Award for Research in Dental Caries, and in 2024, he was awarded the British Dental Association’s esteemed John Tomes Medal in recognition of his scientific and clinical academic eminence and outstanding service to the dental profession. He currently holds three international honorary chairs, is a Trustee of both the Oral & Dental Research Trust and the Oral Health Foundation, and is Editor-in-Chief of the BDJ Portfolio. He is author of over 200 published peer-reviewed papers and author or editor of seven books, most recently A Clinical Guide to Advanced Minimum Intervention Restorative Dentistry (Elsevier).
He is Deputy Lead of the NIHR Clinical Research Delivery Network Oral & Dental Specialty, a Council Member of the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry, and a member of the BDA Health & Science Committee and BDA Indemnity Advisory Panel. He has previously served as a Council Member of the British Society of Restorative Dentistry and is currently serving as President of the British Society of Oral and Dental Research. He is an Honorary Consultant Advisor to the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for England, Visiting Professor at CEU Cardinal Herrera University in Valencia, and Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University in Bhubaneswar and at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals in Chennai. He was previously a Visiting Professor at Oman Dental College and an Honorary Professor at Hong Kong University.
A Fellow of CGDent, he has previously served on the editorial board of its Primary Dental Journal, as Chair of the its Career Pathways Programme Board and as a subject matter expert for the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP). He has also gained Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, of the Higher Education Academy, of the International College of Dentists and of the former FGDP. He was appointed Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Dentists in 2024.
Poppy Dunton is a dental therapist working in general dental practice and implant clinics in Harrogate and County Durham, a Clinical Lecturer in Dental Hygiene at Teesside University, and a dental business consultant who helps ailing squat practices to improve their periodontal care. She was previously Operations Manager, CQC Manager and Lead Dental Therapist at a private dental practice group in Northampton. Having first worked in dentistry on a work placement as a 15-year-old, she has also been a receptionist, compliance and treatment coordinator and dental nurse.
She completed the National Certificate in Dental Nursing in 2008 and graduated from Cardiff University with a Diploma of Higher Education in Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene, where she was awarded the Johnson and Johnson Clinical Excellence Prize, in 2011. She also holds a City & Guilds Diploma in Leadership and Management, a Level 6 qualification in employment law from the Institute of Paralegals, the Perio School Diploma in Periodontics for Hygienists and Therapists and the Smile Dental Academy Diploma in Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry for Dental Therapists, and has completed training as a Menopause Coach in order to help improve the care provided to her patients. In 2026 she launched the Diploma in Advanced Dental Health and Business Strategy, an EduQual-accredited Level 7 programme for dental hygienists and therapists which bridges clinical dentistry with leadership, reflective practice and business development.
She joined the College as an Associate Member in 2022, enrolled on the Certified Membership Scheme, was appointed to the Board of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy and was a facilitator at the College’s NextGen Leadership Workshop in 2023. She is also a member of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, the British Association of Dental Therapists, the Association of Dental Implantology and the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry. She was appointed Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy in 2025.
Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent is a Reader and Lead for Faculty Development in the Faculty of Life Science and Medicine at King’s College London. She was previously Head of the Centre for Professional Practice, then Head of Digital and Lifelong Learning and latterly Director of Advanced and Specialist Healthcare in Global and Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent, where she developed and ran its MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare. A dental nurse for almost forty years, she had a 23-year career in the Royal Navy and is a past Executive Chair of the British Association of Dental Nurses.
She became an Affiliate Member of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK in 2008 and was a Founding Contributor to the College, later serving as Chair of the Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy Working Group which contributed to its Professional Framework for Career Pathways in Dentistry. She is a peer reviewer for the British Dental Journal and the Annual Clinical Journal For Dental Health, is on the editorial board of the Advanced Journal of Professional Practice and was a contributor to An introduction to clinical research for health and social care professionals.
She is a Doctor of Education and also holds an MSc in Human Resources Development, a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, the FGDP(UK) Certificate in Dental Practice Appraisal and a BA in Post Compulsory Education. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a past Honorary Vice President of the British Society for Dental Hygiene and Therapy. In 2020 she received the BADN Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award, and in 2021 she received the inaugural FGDP(UK) Janet Goodwin Award. Vice Chair of the inaugural Board of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, in 2023 she became the College Council representative for dental nurses and orthodontic therapists and in 2024 was appointed Board Chair.
Bill Sharpling FCGDent is an Associate Dean and Director of the London Dental Education Centre at King’s College London, and is teacher and examiner for its MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry and MClinDent in Fixed & Removable Prosthodontics. He is also an Honorary Professor at RAK College of Dental Sciences in the UAE, a Visiting Professor at the British University in Egypt, Chair of the Dental AI Association’s Division of Removable Prosthodontics and Chair of the CPD work-stream for DentALLiance, a partnership between King’s College London, the University of North Carolina, the National University of Singapore and the University of Melbourne. Previously, he has been Head of Dental Technology at Guy’s, King’s College and St Thomas’ Hospitals, Chief Instructor in conservative dental technology at Guy’s Hospital Dental School and an external examiner for the BSc (Hons) in Clinical Dental Technology programme at the University of Central Lancashire.
After qualifying in 1986, he spent the next 10 years working as a Dental Technician, gaining advanced qualifications in fixed and removable prosthodontics. He served for 16 years in the Royal Army Dental Corps, has worked in commercial dental laboratories and continues in practice as a Clinical Dental Technician running his own dental laboratory in Surrey. He holds an HND(Sc) in Dental Technology from South London College, a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from the University of Portsmouth and an MBA with distinction from London South Bank University. In 2024, he also completed the MIT Sloan School of Management Executive Programme in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.
He is a Fellow of CGDent, the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the British Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the International Team for Implantology and the British Association of Clinical Dental Technology. He also serves on the International Federation of Denturists’ education committee, and previously served on the former FGDP’s Dental Care Professionals committee and on the editorial board of the Quintessence Journal of Dental Technology. He has authored chapters in the textbooks Essentials of Aesthetic Dentistry: Principles of Practice (Elsevier) and Practical Procedures in Aesthetic Dentistry (Wiley). In 2022 he was appointed the dental technicians’ and clinical dental technicians’ representative on the College Council, and in 2024 he was appointed Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology & Dental Technology.
The Deanships will each have a three-year term of office, however the inaugural Deans will serve shorter terms as a sequential process of re-appointment is implemented. The first to be re-appointed will be the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, with recruitment to begin shortly. The second Deans of the Faculty of Dentists and the Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology will be appointed next year, and the next Dean of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy will be appointed in 2028.
Dr Mick Horton FCGDent, Chair of Trustees and co-host of the recent Presidential Q&A, reviews the College’s achievements over the past twelve months.
As we look forward to celebrating our fifth anniversary this summer, it’s worth reflecting on our journey in the historic establishment of a College for dentistry, which had been an aspiration for 150 years.
We started with the transfer of an initial, dentist-only membership from the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FGDP(UK)). Since then, we have shaped our own distinct, whole-team approach, opening our arms to those amongst the wider team who have so much to contribute to the intellectual life of the organisation, and bringing their distinct perspectives on the development of our professional community.
FGDP(UK) made an indelible contribution, over thirty years, in postgraduate skills-based qualification, and in setting standards for practice. That legacy has been built upon by the College of General Dentistry, and transformed for a different age.
Our Summer Reception for 2025 was held in the wonderful Sheffield Cutlers Hall, which is a worthy competitor to its London namesake in its historic building and elegant interiors – a fine setting for our key event in the year. 2025 saw the introduction of the College Lecture, the inaugural lecture given by Martin Kelleher FCGDent. His incisive analysis provides a provocative opening salvo for the College’s interests in the philosophy of care – about which our Members and Fellows will be hearing much more.
In January 2026, we opened our long-planned credentialing scheme, Certified Practitioner, in response to an ever-more confusing market for postgraduate training, to give patients and practitioners alike a clear mark of advanced capability. The first credential, for Endodontics, is now open for applications, and others are planned for opening in 2026. It is sad to see the final cohort of our renowned Diploma in Restorative Dentistry completing their programme this year, but we are no less committed to career and skills development for all dental professionals and credentialing provides our way forward.
Credentialing was one focus of a key meeting on Implant Dentistry, at our Fellows Winter Reception this year. It also provided an opportunity to hear about the development of the new edition of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry, now in development. Implant Dentistry is just one of the many fields of practice in which the College is making its mark.
Fellowship of the College remains the ultimate mark of accomplishment for our professional community, and in 2025 we updated our criteria for admission, to reach across a broader range of experience amongst practitioners – whilst holding true to the standard we have set. The new scheme also widens the opportunities for Associate Fellowship, in different Domains of practice, and introduced a new Role Fellow designation for members of the wider team, for whom achievement across two Domains can now be recognised.
Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent presenting to participants at the CGDent Leadership Development Masterclass
Leadership is an elusive quality that the College is interested to develop amongst our community of practice. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Prof Sreenivas Koka FCGDent, who has Guest Edited our recent thematic issue of the Primary Dental Journal, and ran a Masterclass in Leadership (together with his colleague Dr Elizabeth Carr FCGDent) in the autumn. The popular Masterclass will run again this September.
On a related theme, we were grateful to Prof Avijit Banerjee FCGDent, (now) Dean of the Faculty of Dentists, for his generous contribution to a new Foundation Nakao -CGDent award in mentoring and coaching for the wider dental team. This award further highlights the holistic approach that the College espouses for team development, and we plan a further round of the award in 2026.
In close partnership with the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, the College’s focus on early careers has continued to expand, with the development of a further clinical award offering fantastic training opportunities, in addition to several one-day symposia around the UK, and more activities in the pipeline.
(l-r): The College’s recently-granted Coat of Arms; Sir Nairn Wilson CBE FCGDent receiving the Grant of Arms at the College of Arms; the College Badge
The end of the year has been marked by the completion of a very successful fundraising campaign, investing the College with its own Coat of Arms and associated branding. As we look forward to the prospect of a Royal Charter – our key aim in consolidating the authority of the College, alongside its Royal College healthcare peers – our Coat of Arms stands out with pride as a marker of our values, commitment and distinct identity. Our thanks are extended to Sir Nairn Wilson CBE FCGDent in leading the campaign, and to the many generous donors who made it possible.
Finally, I’d like to extend my thanks to the small and dedicated College team whodo so much to provide the excellent service for our members and the wider professional community that we support, in the interests of our patients and public.
discuss management of peri-implant health and disease
get practical guidance on hygiene instrumentation and recall intervals
take part in case-based discussions and shared learning
Both events take place from 6-8pm at Rock Dental, a specialist referral practice in Wolverhampton, and attendees will be able to bring along their own cases for peer discussion and advice from its multi-disciplinary team in a relaxed and supportive environment.
The evenings will be led by Dr Minas Leventis DipDS, MSc, PhD, who manages complex cases in oral surgery, bone grafting, and implantology. After qualifying as a dentist from the University of Athens in 1999, he completed an MSc in Oral Pathobiology in 2003, a Specialty in Oral Surgery in 2004 and a PhD in Bone Grafting and Growth Factors in 2010. A faculty member at the University of Athens since 2002, he has practised in the UK since 2013 while continuing to lead experimental and clinical research projects internationally. Lecturing worldwide, he delivers postgraduate training in implantology and bone regeneration and has co-authored over 30 papers in PubMed-indexed journals. He is a Fellow and Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, President of the Scientific Board of Blue®m, and a scientific consultant for several biomaterials companies.
The two Study Club evenings, each of which comes with 2 hours’ CPD, are sponsored by Wrights UK. There are ten places available at each evening; these are free for College members, with a small fee applying for all other dental professionals.
To find out more, and to book your place, click the button below:
The College has announced the topic and speakers for its next annual study day in Glasgow.
2026 CGDent Scotland Study Day speakers (l-r): Dr Noland Naidoo, Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Professor Murali Srinivasan and Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent
Delivering lectures under the title “Digital dentistry for the dental team: you say you want a revolution” will be four speakers: Dr Noland Naidoo, Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Professor Murali Srinivasan and Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent.
The annual study day, organised by CGDent Scotland, takes place at Glasgow Science Centre on the first Friday in December – 4 December this year. With six hours of CPD, the day is attended by up to 400 dental professionals from across the UK, and finishes with a drinks reception which marks the start of the festive season for its many regular attendees.
Dr Noland Naidoo practises prosthodontics and endodontics in Edinburgh and Kelso, and previously co-led a private prosthodontic practice in Johannesburg. He qualified BChD from the University of the Western Cape in 2005 and was awarded a PDipDent in Implantology in 2007. He later completed an MDent in Prosthodontics, thereby qualifying as a specialist within South Africa, at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he later practised in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation. He relocated to the UK in 2022, joining University College London’s Eastman Dental Institute as a clinical lecturer on postgraduate prosthodontic programmes, and then to Edinburgh in 2024, where in addition to his practice he has taught on postgraduate prosthodontic and endodontic programmes at Edinburgh Dental Institute. He is a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology (ITI), an alumnus of Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) and serves on the board of the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership programme. He has contributed to international professional organisations, including the International College of Prosthodontists, and acts as a peer reviewer for leading journals.
Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent is Head of the Dental Division at the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS). She qualified BDS from Glasgow University in 1987 and spent many years in general dental practice as well as working as a clinical assistant in conservative dentistry and prosthodontics at Glasgow Dental Hospital and at Guy’s Hospital in London. She developed an interest in law and ethics early in her career before training and working as a solicitor for a number of years, acting for doctors and dentists in clinical negligence claims, regulatory matters and Fatal Accident Inquiries in Scotland on the instructions of UK indemnity providers. Her first dentolegal role started in 1999, working for a large insurer in Surrey, and she has since accrued significant experience in advising and assisting dentists in the UK and Ireland and in several other jurisdictions, including during 14 years working for Dental Protection, latterly as Head of Dental Services in Scotland. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Diploma in Legal Practice, and completed an MBA at Strathclyde Business School in 2013. A Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, she was an elected member of its Council from 2019-25.
Professor Murali Srinivasan is a specialist prosthodontist, Director of the Clinic of General, Special Care and Geriatric Dentistry at the University of Zurich and an honorary professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He is a past President of the European College of Gerodontology, former Head of the University of Zurich’s Centre for Dental Medicine, and is currently President of both the International Association of Dental Research’s Geriatric Oral Research Group (IADR-GORG) and the Swiss Society of Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry. He qualified BDS in India in 1996, completed his Master of Dental Surgery in prosthodontics in 2001 and also holds both a Master of Advanced Studies in reconstructive dentistry and a Doctorate in Dental Medicine from the University of Geneva. Formerly practising in Dubai, he moved to Switzerland in 2011 on an ITI scholarship, after which he became a Lecturer, later Senior Lecturer, at the University of Geneva. An active Fellow of the ITI, he has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals. His current research encompasses implant dentistry, geriatric dentistry, prevention and the clinical applications of CAD-CAM technology in removable prosthodontics.
Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent is a Consultant in Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast, where his clinical work is focused on fixed and removable prosthodontics, including managing older adults in both hospital and private practice. He also leads oral health research within the university’s Centre for Public Health, focussing on optimising treatment options for older adults. After qualifying BDS from Newcastle University in 2004, he worked in a number of dental hospitals, spent time in dental practice, achieved a PhD on the impact of a tailored dietary intervention coupled with oral rehabilitation on the nutritional status of older adults, and completed specialist clinical training at University College Cork. A Vice President of IADR-GORG and past President of both the IADR’s Irish Division of and the European College of Gerodontology, he is an adjunct Professor at University College Cork, King James IV Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and a Fellow of both the College of General Dentistry and RCS Edinburgh. He has recently published the book Clinical Cases in Gerodontology.
The CGDent Scotland Study Day is open to all dental professionals, and can be attended in person or virtually. Fee discounts are available to College members in all team roles.
Breakfast rolls, a two-course lunch, refreshments throughout the day and evening drinks are all included in the attendance fee, and there will be an accompanying trade exhibition to visit.
Professor Jim McCaul, lead maxillofacial surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, delivering his lecture, ‘Oral Cancer, what you need to know and what you need to do’, to attendees at last year’s CGDent Scotland Study Day
Other discounts to the full rate are available to Foundation Dentists / Vocational Trainees and their trainers, recent graduates and members of the Glasgow Odontological Society and the Royal Odonto-Chirurgical Society of Scotland.
Patricia Thomson FCGDent, former Council representative for North and West Scotland, reviews the College’s recent annual study day in Glasgow.
On Friday 5 December 2025, dental professionals from across Scotland and elsewhere met at Glasgow Science Centre for the CGDent Scotland Annual Study Day. This event was established at the founding of the former Faculty of General Dental Practitioners in 1992, and has been held in Glasgow annually since then, this being the fifteenth year that we have been hosted at the Science Centre.
Our main speaker was specialist periodontist Dr Ian Dunn FCGDent, whose series of lectures was titled ‘Passionate Perio for the Dental Team’. The final lecture, the annual Caldwell Memorial Lecture, was delivered by Professor Jim McCaul, lead maxillofacial surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, on ‘Oral Cancer, what you need to know and what you need to do’.
Over 400 delegates joined us for the day, 361 in person and a further cohort online. The numbers comprised dentists of all levels of experience, many of whom are regular attenders, 87 final year BDS students from Glasgow and Dundee Universities, 113 Vocational Dental Practitioners, and gratifyingly, approximately 30 Dental Hygienists/Therapists.
In addition, we were joined by 12 fourth year BDS student volunteers who assisted with registration and scanning of delegates into each lecture. We were very grateful for their assistance, and they reported that they had all enjoyed the day thoroughly and looked forward to being in the audience at the 2026 Study Day.
We were delighted to host Dr Gillian Leslie, who had been recently appointed the new Chief Dental Officer for Scotland; warm congratulations were conveyed to her by our delegates who were enthusiastic at the prospect of a general dental practitioner having been selected for the role.
Also present was Thomas Lamont, Associate Postgraduate Dean for Workforce Development at NHS Education for Scotland (NES). Thomas has been working to create collaboration between NES, the Royal Colleges in Scotland and CGDent Scotland to better support our colleagues in the first five years in practice, and we were gratified that he attended the day to witness and support our community of practice.
Other esteemed guests included Professor Aileen Bell, Dean of Glasgow Dental School, and Billy Cameron, Assistant Postgraduate Dean for Vocational Training, both of whom have been strong proponents of CGDent Scotland.
The day started at 8am when we welcomed the first delegates with hot drinks and breakfast rolls. The early start presents the opportunity for delegates to visit the stands of our sponsors, who collectively allow us to deliver the day on this ambitious scale. As usual, I would like to reiterate our gratitude for their continuing financial contribution, as well as their enthusiasm and good humour, allowing us to deliver a successful and enjoyable day for the entire team. The exhibitors’ hall runs throughout the day, and we incorporate lengthy breaks between lectures to access the various trade stands as well as networking with colleagues and enjoying refreshments and lunch.
Once again, we welcomed Prof John Gibson, Emeritus Professor of Oral Medicine at Aberdeen University and winner of the CGDent President’s Award in 2024. John now devotes his time to running his charity, The Canmore Trust, which is dedicated to suicide prevention and postvention, and he and his wife Isobel remained with us throughout the day, manning their stand and enjoying social interaction with delegates.
In response to feedback, we opted to keep all students in the lecture theatre for the entire programme this year rather than removing them for a separate session in the afternoon. This proved very successful, and we feel that this has been a positive development to engender inclusivity, and introduce them to the community of practice that the College is endeavouring to foster.
It was with some trepidation that the organising committee elected to have most of the day devoted to periodontics. I am a part-time Teaching Fellow at Glasgow Dental School, and when I informed the final year students that the study day was going to consist of three perio lectures, they were not too impressed. However, I assured them that Ian Dunn is a superbly entertaining speaker with a deep passion for his subject, and that their apprehension was ill-founded. It was immensely gratifying to receive their overwhelmingly positive feedback the following week.
Ian used his warm Liverpool humour to guide the delegates through the concepts of disease aetiology and risk factors, and the S3 guidance with particular reference to the integration of the guidance into the SDR (the Scottish NHS payment system). He also discussed instrumentation and the use of antimicrobials, and he particularly emphasised the methods of patient motivation and the power of the oral hygiene phase. Ian had many amusing patient interaction anecdotes such as: “Madam, do you want a longer tooth, or a tooth no longer?”; and “would you wash your dirty car by rinsing it with a bucket of water and expect it to be clean?”. Apologies to Ian if I have not quite captured the essence of the messages. I did notice that many delegates brought out their phones to take note of these interesting motivational analogies to reuse when they returned to practice. I also have to acknowledge his persistence in repeating his patients’ mispronunciation “Cordosyl” throughout the entire day.
The feedback for Ian’s lecture set was absolutely superb, and many commented that they could not believe that he held their attention for such a long period on the subject of periodontology, several expressing a new enthusiasm for the topic.
We then received Professor McCaul’s Caldwell Memorial Lecture, Jim previously worked at Bradford Teaching Hospitals and the Royal Marsden Hospital, and his unit in Glasgow has one of the highest throughput of head and neck cancer and facial trauma cases in the world. He holds a PhD in Molecular Oncology, continues to work on clinical research for head and neck cancer, and is on the editorial board of numerous international medical research journals.
He was delighted to have access to our large group of dental professionals to deliver his message. His opening comment was that we should refer to him anything that raises suspicion of cancer. He assured us that we will not be considered time wasters if the referral results in a diagnosis of lichen planus, recurrent ulceration or any other benign condition, as he is delighted that nineteen times out of twenty he can deliver good news to patients. Rather, he was concerned that when the one out of twenty referrals that is a cancer diagnosis does not reach him at an early stage, the outcome becomes much more bleak.
He proceeded to use a combination of pictures and video to demonstrate the hugely invasive procedures that these cases undergo, but also showing that faces can be put back together again, and that patients can resume their altered lives if the surgery is successful. It was immensely reassuring to note that a person who carries out this level and complexity of surgery can establish a close bond with the patient and cares deeply about the outcome for the individual. Jim went on to discuss the disturbing fact that the incidence of head and neck cancer is rising significantly among the female population, and it is unrelated to the former recognised risk factors. Work is ongoing to establish a cause.
Jim also discussed the use of immunomodulation therapy, but he was wary to offer any certainty at this moment, as it appears to have some promise in a specific number of individuals, but not all.
The room was completely enraptured by Prof McCaul’s presentation, and again we received wonderful feedback; especially noted was the confidence to refer any suspicion of cancer to Jim’s department without fear of time wasting, and I would strongly encourage general dental colleagues across the UK to adopt the same approach.
We consider that we had two outstanding presenters this year, as confirmed by feedback, and we are indebted to them for coming to Glasgow to make the day such a success.
The day ended with our drinks reception, where the delegates mingled with colleagues, the dental trade, other stakeholders, and our speakers. The day concluded at 7pm with a huge sigh of relief from the organising team, including our superb events coordinator, Patricia de Vries.
We will endeavour to replicate the success of this day in December 2026, when the day will be devoted to digital dentistry.
Our speakers then will be: Dr Noland Naidoo, a prosthodontist and endodontist, originally from South Africa, who has worked in the UCL Eastman Dental Institute and Edinburgh Dental Institute, and who has an interest in dental technologies and biomaterials; Professor Murali Srinivasan, a specialist prosthodontist from Zurich University whose current research focus is among, other things, the clinical application of CAD-CAM technology in removable prosthodontics: Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent, Consultant in Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast; and Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Head of Dental Division at MDDUS .
We hope that our programme next year will attract a number of Dental Technicians and Clinical Dental Technicians, as well as the entire dental team, and that College members and others from across the UK will consider joining us as the organising committee endeavours to make the day as worthwhile, relevant and enjoyable as ever.
Further information and tickets are available via the button below.
The College has appointed Dr Catherine Rutland FCGDent and Professor Andrew Eder FCGDent to its Board of Trustees.
New members of the College’s Board of Trustees: Dr Catherine Rutland FCGDent (l) and Professor Andrew Eder FCGDent (r)
Dr Catherine Rutland FCGDent is Head of Policy at Dentaid, representing the dental charity across the profession and engaging with MPs, public health teams and commissioners. She is also Director of Policy and Clinical Affairs at The Association of Dental Groups, whose members work with over 22,000 registered dental professionals in treating over 10 million dental patients. Previously Clinical Director at Simplyhealth, including Denplan, she is part of the General Dental Council’s Dental Leadership Network.
After qualifying as a dentist in 1992 from the University of Leeds, where she achieved a Distinction in oral surgery, she spent two and a half years in secondary care as a House Officer at Leeds Dental Institute and Senior House Officer at Newcastle University Dental Hospital before moving into general dental practice. She completed Vocational Training in Sunderland and spent a year there as an associate GDP before practising in Reading for three years. From 2000-2019, she was Principal Dental Surgeon and a joint partner at a private dental practice in Thatcham, West Berkshire. She joined Denplan as a Dental Advisor in 2010, and was later promoted to Senior Dental Advisor, Head of Professional Support Services and Head Dental Officer before working there full-time from 2019.
In 2013, she completed a Master’s degree in Medical Ethics and Law at King’s College London, writing her dissertation on whether both professional integrity and patient autonomy can be satisfied in fulfilling patients’ cosmetic dental desires. She became a Certified Member of the Institute of Risk Management in 2015 and was awarded a Chartered Management Institute Level 7 Certificate in Leadership Mentoring and Coaching in 2016. She became a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry in 2023, and in 2024 was a keynote speaker at the CGDent Scotland Annual Study Day, the College’s largest annual CPD event, lecturing on ethical and legal considerations in the provision of aesthetic and cosmetic dental procedures.
A Trustee of the Dentists’ Health Support Trust, which supports dentists facing mental health and addiction challenges, she also brings governance experience as a past Chair of the Clinical Governance Committee at Simplyhealth and of the Denplan Excel Board.
Professor Andrew Eder FCGDenthas almost forty years’ experience of both NHS and private practice as a general dental practitioner and a specialist in restorative dentistry and prosthodontics. He graduated BDS from King’s College London in 1986 and is now the Specialist Engagement and Clinician Talent Lead at PortmanDentex, helping to build a supportive professional environment for clinicians and patients.
He is also Emeritus Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Dental Education at University College London’s Eastman Dental Institute, reflecting over three decades of commitment in a variety of roles, including developing Europe’s largest CPD centre for dental professionals during a decade as Director of Education.
He holds an MSc in Conservative Dentistry from UCL, the Diploma of Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK, and the Membership in Restorative Dentistry jointly awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is also a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, the Royal Society of Medicine, the RCS Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) and the Higher Education Academy, and an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
He is a past President of the British Society for Restorative Dentistry, the Odontological Section of the Royal Society of Medicine and the London group of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity, and a longstanding member of the British Society for the Study of Prosthetic Dentistry and the British Dental Association. He is a former board member of the FDS, was Chair, now external examiner, of its restorative specialty membership examinations, and is a Specialist List Assessor for the General Dental Council.
He is the AI and digital innovation lead for the Faculty Dental Journal, was the British Dental Journal’s joint academic lead for CPD, is a past Chair of the editorial board of Premium Practice Dentistry, and has also been on the editorial boards of the European Journal of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics, Private Dentistry and Dental Tribune. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, co-edited textbooks on tooth wear and tooth surface loss and contributed to textbooks on special care dentistry and culturally sensitive oral healthcare.
He serves as Chair of Alpha Omega’s London Charitable Trust and brings significant governance experience from his tenure as Chair of Trustees of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.
Trustees, who serve three-year terms of office, are accountable for the fulfilment of the College’s legal and regulatory duties as a charity, and for ensuring the proper running of the organisation.
Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College are reminded that they are eligible to enrol on a ‘top-up’ Master’s degree which can be completed during a single year of part-time distance learning. The next cohort starts in September 2026 and successful completion satisfies the Research & Publications domain of Fellowship.
Holders of ‘FCGDent’ and ‘AssocFCGDent’ status can enter via advanced standing into Stage 3 of the MSc in General Dental Practice offered by Aston University, with their attainment recognised as equivalent to 90 credits of relevant prior learning at level 7.
The arrangement applies regardless of dental team role or location, so long as the applicant meets the university’s standard postgraduate admissions criteria.
The course consists of a 30-credit taught module in advanced research methods followed by a 60-credit individual research project pertaining to clinical dental practice.
The programme develops competence in research skills including:
development of hypotheses
research design and execution
data analysis and interpretation
critical evaluation of literature
understanding of ethical issues
reporting of an empirically-based project
On completion of the taught component, students will be able to select and implement appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques for different research questions and designs, and will know how to manage their time and resources when undertaking research independently. They will then develop a suitable research question for their topic of choice within the field of general dental practice and plan a programme of research.
Led by Dr Stuart Ellis FCGDent, a former FGDP(UK) examiner and Clinical Director of a five-surgery general dental practice, the programme is delivered by the Cambridge Academy of Implant Dentistry. Learning methods include online lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group activity, independent study, assignments and reflections on assignment feedback. Assessment will be through a combination of continuous assessment, logbook, research proposal, presentations and a dissertation.
In meeting the requirements of the Research & Publications domain of College Fellowship, successful completion of the MSc in General Dental Practice would enable most Associate Fellows to take a step closer to full Fellowship, which requires the fulfilment of three of the five Fellowship domains.
For further information, and to register your interest, email [email protected], call 0121 204 3200 (Monday-Friday 9.30am-4.30pm), or click the button below.
The Advanced Orthodontics course is a comprehensive, 120-credit, Level 7 programme leading to the award of the CGDent Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics.
Delivered by IAS Academy, it is designed to give General Dental Practitioners the skills and knowledge needed to treat more complex malocclusions, including extraction cases, taking them up to just below specialist training level. It covers all appliance systems – fixed functional, aligners, lingual and Inman – and includes both the theory and practical aspects of orthodontic care.
In addition to lectures, students will discuss multiple new cases, participate in hands-on practical sessions and receive one-to-one mentoring by specialists for ten treated cases. The syllabus, which is delivered across six 3-4 day training blocks as well as weekly online planning discussions, includes:
Records, assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning
Treatment planning for Class I, Class II div1, Class II div 2 and Class III malocclusions
Radiography – Ceph/OPG/CBCT
Fixed appliances
Lingual appliances
Removable appliances
Functionals
Retention
Aetiology of malocclusion, growth & development
Development of the dentition and tooth movement
Dental material & biomechanics
Multidisciplinary care, including restorative, periodontics & surgery
Critical reading skills
Health education, health & safety, legislation and audit
This training block is specifically for candidates accepted onto the 2026-28 cohort of the diploma course and is limited to 12 places. To ensure enough case-flow and experience, the course is recommended for dentists who have treated at least ten fixed cases, are treating a minimum of ten orthodontic cases per annum, and are familiar with using fixed appliances.
The Advanced Orthodontics course is a comprehensive, 120-credit, Level 7 programme leading to the award of the CGDent Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics.
Delivered by IAS Academy, it is designed to give General Dental Practitioners the skills and knowledge needed to treat more complex malocclusions, including extraction cases, taking them up to just below specialist training level. It covers all appliance systems – fixed functional, aligners, lingual and Inman – and includes both the theory and practical aspects of orthodontic care.
In addition to lectures, students will discuss multiple new cases, participate in hands-on practical sessions and receive one-to-one mentoring by specialists for ten treated cases. The syllabus, which is delivered across six 3-4 day training blocks as well as weekly online planning discussions, includes:
Records, assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning
Treatment planning for Class I, Class II div1, Class II div 2 and Class III malocclusions
Radiography – Ceph/OPG/CBCT
Fixed appliances
Lingual appliances
Removable appliances
Functionals
Retention
Aetiology of malocclusion, growth & development
Development of the dentition and tooth movement
Dental material & biomechanics
Multidisciplinary care, including restorative, periodontics & surgery
Critical reading skills
Health education, health & safety, legislation and audit
This training block is specifically for candidates accepted onto the 2026-28 cohort of the diploma course and is limited to 12 places. To ensure enough case-flow and experience, the course is recommended for dentists who have treated at least ten fixed cases, are treating a minimum of ten orthodontic cases per annum, and are familiar with using fixed appliances.
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