College of General Dentistry News

CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees now open for 2027

The CGDent and GC Award for Foundation Trainees, which promotes clinical skills and patient care, is now open for entries to the 2027 competition.

Now in its fourth year, dentists and dental therapists who are undertaking Dental Foundation Training or Dental Vocational Training in 2026/27, or who qualified in the UK or Ireland in 2026 and are practising in the UK or Ireland, are invited to enter. Entrants must submit a restorative case they are about to start treating which will involve composite restoration on at least one anterior tooth.

There are 18 winning places available, with each successful candidate receiving a fully-funded place on a hands-on, two-day composite layering course at the GC Education Campus in Leuven, Belgium. The prize is worth around £1,400 per place and includes the costs of international travel, hotel accommodation and subsistence.

Successful candidates at the GC composite layering course in Belgium, July 2026

One of the successful candidates in last year’s competition said that in applying for the award, they “particularly enjoyed planning and completing a case from start to finish, while exchanging ideas with colleagues. It was a great opportunity to refine my skills and bring new techniques into my clinical practice”. Subsequently being among the winners was “a fantastic recognition of the passion and dedication I have for restorative dentistry”.

Another candidate, reflecting on the bespoke composite layering course which the winners undertook in July 2026, said they enjoyed “getting to meet other foundation trainees from around the UK, which allowed us to share and discuss our experiences on our journey as young practitioners.”

With the 2027 award now open, the closing date for initial entries is Monday 22 February 2027, and final cases must be submitted by Monday 26 April 2027. The winners will be announced in May, and their course will take place on Thursday–Friday 22–23 July 2027.

The CGDent-GC Award is funded by The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and organised in conjunction with the College of General Dentistry and GC. The Foundation supports educational opportunities for early career dental professionals in the UK, and was founded by Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, a general dental practitioner with a special interest in restorative dentistry.

GC is an oral health company which manufactures dental systems and products which are sold around the world, and has won awards for its products and innovations. It provides both online and in-person training covering many areas of dental practice.

In addition to the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees, the three organisations collaborate to offer the Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases, which provides early careers practitioners with the opportunity of fully-funded training in composite injection moulding technique.

CGDent and Dr Bereznicki’s foundation also work together on a range of additional awards and educational opportunities for newer practitioners. These include the Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry, which offers dentists training in digital dentistry, and the Introduction to Occlusion symposia, the next instance of which takes place in Manchester on Saturday 24 October 2026 (book here).

The two charities are also developing a new Tom Bereznicki Award for Periodontal Management, a periodontal case competition for early career dental therapists and dental hygienists which will be launched soon.

For further information about the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees 2027, links to guidance for entrants and the entry form, click the button below:

Further information

For details about all our educational opportunities for early career dental professionals, visit our early careers page.

Subscribe to receive to our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry Blog, Student Advice

CGDent-GC Award: Building composite skills in Belgium

Dr Mariam Ahmed, one of the successful candidates in the 2026 CGDent-GC Award, reflects on entering the competition and what she gained from the experience.

More than a competition: The award explained

The CGDent-GC award was founded by the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation in conjunction with the College of General Dentistry and GC. The award requires entrants to submit a clinical case report involving at least one anterior tooth restored with composite, with winning entrants each being awarded a fully funded place on a two day composite layering course in Belgium.

Entering the award is an easy process, with guidance documents available on the College website providing everything an entrant could need, from examples of acceptable photography to advice on compiling a written case report. As well as this, a dedicated email address is available for further enquiries with helpful staff on the receiving end to provide support. After gaining consent to enter the award from your patient, educational supervisor, and preferably your training programme director, it’s time to take and submit pre-op photos following which suitable cases will be accepted. Then once the case has been completed, submit your post-op photos and final report, and patiently wait to hear if you are one of the successful candidates. There is also a window of opportunity to change your case should you identify a more suitable case later on.

Inside my winning entry

After hearing about the award on social media during my final year of dental school, I was keen and ready to enter as soon as I identified a suitable case. As I am undertaking joint dental foundation and core training, my case was carried out in the Dental Hospital Restorative department and involved six anterior composite build ups to manage tooth surface loss aided by a diagnostic wax up. The timeline of the award is extremely manageable. I entered the award in September 2025, submitted my report in February 2026, and was proud to have been selected as a winner in May 2026.

Belgium unwrapped

Home to the GC European campus (and plenty of chocolate), winning entrants travelled to and stayed together in Leuven, a university city just east of Brussels. With a whole host of restaurants and ice cream parlours lining the cobbled streets, entrants had plenty of time to get to know each other on arrival to the city and throughout the evenings, before returning to the hotel to wind down over games of cards and pool. It was rewarding to meet likeminded foundation trainees from across the country and share our experiences so far, as well as our future ambitions. A highlight for many from this trip was our final night in Belgium during which we joined the CGDent and GC team for a celebratory dinner before finishing the night enjoying Leuven’s annual open air summer music festival.

Layering composite and learning new skills: The course

The course itself was split over two days and led by Dr Simone Moretto, GC’s training manager.  The campus was well equipped with a comfortable café, spacious seminar rooms and an advanced clinical skills unit. The first day involved a lecture on colour theory, bevelling, and material selection before moving onto phantom models and working in tandem with Dr Moretto to restore a class IV cavity on a central incisor using a layered technique. The second day involved further clinical practice to restore a discoloured lateral incisor using a direct composite veneer, and multiple class II cavities using various approaches such as a cusp by cusp, injection moulding, and stamp technique. Emphasis was placed on recreating anatomical details, utilising new instruments and materials appropriately, implementing a step wise polishing protocol to achieve life like results. Over both days, Dr Moretto was on hand to critically appraise our work under the microscope and provide personalised feedback and demonstrations.

The course helped me develop an understanding of how small anatomical details can significantly improve the aesthetics of the final restoration. I gained practical experience in creating a natural emergence profile and contact point using anterior sectional matrices which I found provided me with a consistent outcome as opposed to the traditional mylar strip I previously used with difficulty. I began learning how to layer enamel and dentine shades in order to highlight anatomical features such as mamelons to create a more lifelike result. I also had the opportunity to learn about polishing protocols and how altering the direction and speed of my polishing discs could better enhance surface anatomical details such as perikymata whilst still achieving a gloss finish.

The pace of the course encouraged precision, and with the help of further tutorials and regular feedback from my educational supervisor, I have begun to consolidate my knowledge and implement these skills in practice.

Thinking of entering? My top tips

Photos are key

The advice I would give future entrants is to take photos of everything! Clinical photography is an invaluable skill to develop early in your career. Photos are essential in completing milestone cases and case based discussions which is a requirement of successful completion of foundation training, but are also invaluable for reflection and self-improvement, building a portfolio to aid future employment, to gain second opinions and make referrals, and in educating and motivating patients.

Picking up a camera can be daunting, especially early in your career when you have so much else to focus on, but confidence comes with practice. Take notes during your photography study day, request further practice in a tutorial with your educational supervisor, and practice on your colleagues during cancellations!

Advice from colleagues

The second piece of advice I would give future entrants is to discuss cases with colleagues! Make use of the experience your senior colleagues have and ask how they would approach the case, what materials and instruments they would use, what problems they think you could encounter, and how to overcome these. Before beginning my case I presented the pre-op photos to my educational supervisor in practice and a Restorative consultant in hospital and asked all of the above which made me feel much more prepared to manage my case. Discussing with colleagues also reminded me that dentistry is dynamic, there is rarely one right answer to a problem and the best way to learn is by trial and error until you find out which techniques work in your hands.

The power of reflection

The third and final piece of advice I would give future entrants is to not rush your reflection. It’s easy to become tunnel visioned when focusing on minute details for an extended period of time. Step back from the case and revisit it with a fresh set of eyes, whether that be reviewing post-op photos or the patient themselves sometime after completing the case. I have found that my best reflection often comes weeks after completing a case, particularly if I have observed or carried out a similar style treatment since then. I am lucky to work alongside a large team of trainees and specialists in Restorative Dentistry in hospital, and I asked one of my supervising consultants to provide feedback on my winning case. They kindly agreed and when the patient returned for review, they carefully inspected my composite work from aesthetics to function and enquired about my technique, giving me much to reflect on when compiling my final report.

I am a firm believer that every day is a learning opportunity if you are willing to look for it. Implementing the above three pieces of advice will help any foundation dentist or therapist begin their journey of development from trainee to trusted clinician.

Find out more about entering the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees 2027

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry News

College supports GDC pivot from standards to principles

The College has expressed its support for the General Dental Council’s intention to replace Standards for the Dental Team with a new Framework for Professionalism.

Responding to the regulator’s consultation on the proposed change, which closed last week, the College endorsed the ambition to move away from an approach founded primarily on detailed rules and prescribed behaviours to a principles-based framework, which it says, “has the potential to provide greater flexibility, enabling registrants to exercise appropriate judgement in complex and varied situations.”

However, the College acknowledges that this would be a significant culture change, placing new expectations of agency and responsibility on the practitioner, and that at present many registrants derive confidence from understanding precisely where boundaries lie, particularly when faced with difficult professional or ethical decisions. It is therefore calling for the profession, which “[may not] trust those standing in judgement of their practice”, to be adequately supported in applying broad principles to real-world situations, and equipped to interpret and apply these principles consistently and confidently.

The College’s response encourages the GDC to ensure that the framework will be relevant and meaningful to every part of the registered workforce, regardless of professional title, role or practice setting, and says that the transition to a more principles-based approach will be most successful when accompanied by appropriate support that builds confidence, encourages reflection and promotes consistent understanding across the profession.

The College also says that it stands ready to play a strategic role in this respect, helping to bridge the gap between high-level principles and practical decision-making through the provision of guidance, education, professional development, reflective learning and the sharing of good practice.

Details of the GDC’s proposals are available in its consultation document. The College’s response is available here.

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry News

Rescheduled College Lecture

The 2026 College of General Dentistry Lecture will now take place on Thursday 12 November.

Dr Catherine Rutland FCGDent will deliver the 2026 College Lecture

The Ethical Shield: Protecting enamel, professional integrity and patient smiles, to be delivered by Dr Catherine Rutland FCGDent, will explore how dental professionals can continuously integrate ethical values into their working lives in order to provide patients with assurance and confidence in the care they receive.

Originally scheduled to take place on 25 June, the lecture was postponed following the issuing of a red heat health alert by the UK Health Security Agency, with transport firms advising against non-essential travel.

Marking the fifth anniversary of the College, it will be the second annual College Lecture, and will build on both Martin Kelleher’s inaugural College Lecture, Satisficing standards in dentistry, and on the rich legacy of Malcolm Pendlebury Lectures previously hosted by the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP).

Dr Rutland is Head of Clinical and Policy at Dentaid, representing the dental charity across the profession and engaging with MPs, public health teams and commissioners. She is also a Board Member of Dental Protection, which indemnifies and supports 70,000 dental professionals worldwide, and a Non-Executive Director and Council Member of the Medical Protection Society, which has a further 245,000 medical professional members in 40 countries. Part of the General Dental Council’s Dental Leadership Network, she is a Trustee of the Dentists’ Health Support Trust, which supports dentists facing mental health and addiction challenges, and was appointed a Trustee of the College of General Dentistry earlier this year. She was previously 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, and Clinical Director at Simplyhealth, including Denplan, where she chaired both the Clinical Governance Committee and the Denplan Excel Board.

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 in Leeds and Senior House Officer in Newcastle 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 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.

The lecture will take place at 3pm at Regent’s University in London.

All dental professionals, and others with professional interests in contemporary dental practice, are eligible to attend, with discounted places for College members. Early bird rates apply for all attendees throughout September.

Those previously registered for the lecture in June have the option to either transfer their ticket or request a refund by emailing [email protected]

To secure your place, click the button below:

BOOK YOUR PLACE

For further information, visit the College’s events pages.

Subscribe to receive to our monthly newsletter

Presidency
College of General Dentistry News

Recruitment of next College President

The College has begun the process of appointing its next President, and all voting members are eligible to apply.

The President chairs and represents the elected College Council, is accountable to the Board of Trustees, and is the College’s most senior and visible office holder. (S)he will work closely with the Chief Executive to deliver the College’s ambitions as a professional body and charity in the public interest, and will provide leadership across the profession at a critical time on the journey to secure dentistry’s own Royal Charter.

Applicants must be a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College in good standing at the time of application. The appointment will be made by a selection panel with a majority drawn from the College Council, and the appointee will be the College’s third President since its independence, following Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent and Dr Roshni Karia MCGDent.

The Presidency is a paid position for 1.5 days per week, but demands flexibility in time commitment, with frequent travel to London and other parts of the UK. The appointee will serve a three-year, non-renewable term from June 2027 – June 2030. A role profile is available below.

ROLE PROFILE

Applications should be made by email, headed “President”, to [email protected], attaching a CV and covering letter, and citing two supporters who are also current Full Members, Associate Fellows or Fellows of the College. College membership status can be checked on our Member Register.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 6 December 2026.

Interviews are expected to be held in the week beginning 4 January 2027, and the appointee will take office at the June 2027 College Council meeting in London.

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]

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry Blog

My journey to Fellowship: Tom Booth

Dr Tom Booth FCGDent, a general dental practitioner based in Cumbria, describes his professional journey and how his knowledge, skills and experience led to College Fellowship.

Q. Can you tell us about yourself and your career?

A. I am a general dentist, working in the private sector for 21 years. I have always strived to stay educated and up to date. Early in my career I completed a Master’s in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, followed by a Diploma in Dental Implantology, Certificate in Periodontology, Diploma in Orthodontics and most recently a Master’s in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics.

I work 3.5 days providing general dentistry and more specialist work, mainly oral surgery, implantology and complex restorative cases. I also teach one day a week on the Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics Master’s course at the University of Manchester.

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and have a mentoring qualification too. I am currently halfway through a six-year part-time Law degree, studying with the Open University, with the aim of helping dentists in medicolegal trouble, offering independent legal advice.

Outside of dentistry, I am a keen road cyclist, runner and car enthusiast, which I hope I can pursue into old age!

Q. Why did you decide to apply for College Fellowship?

A. I applied to become a College Fellow, as it provides a pathway which recognises my commitment to education in dentistry, as well as the high standards I aim to achieve for my patients. It also now represents an avenue in which clinical and academic credentials can be recognised in the Certified Practitioner Scheme, which is currently being rolled out. This will hopefully help me become even more referral based and carry out more of the advanced procedures I am trained to do.

Q. Which three of the five fellowship domains does your professional experience meet?

A. My professional experience fits in with the Clinical & Technical, Teaching & Assessment and Research & Publications domains.

Having obtained a Master’s of Science in both Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics, I met the Clinical & Technical domain. These qualifications also satisfied the Research & Publications domain via a written dissertation for both qualifications.

I managed to satisfy the Teaching & Assessment domain, as whilst working at the University of Manchester I was lucky enough to complete the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, an eligible teaching qualification.

Q. What would you say to others who are considering applying for Fellowship through the experience route?

A. I would advise anyone considering applying for Fellowship through the experience route to give it a try! The process is fair and allows a wide range of evidence to be used across all domains and recognises years, sometimes decades, of hard work!

Collating all your evidence and checking and organising your curriculum vitae is essential to a successful application, with all criteria clearly stated on the College of General Dentistry website.

Fellowship of the College

Fellowship of the College is the mark of accomplishment in dentistry, celebrating achievement across the different dimensions of your career.

All dental professionals can apply for admission to Fellowship by providing evidence to show how your knowledge, skills and experience meet the criteria of our fellowship domains.

explore fellowships

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry News

The CGDent Award for Distinguished Service to Dentistry and Oral Health: nominations open

The College has launched a new award to recognise those whose selfless service to the dental professions or patients in the UK has had a transformational impact or reach.

The CGDent Award for Distinguished Service to Dentistry and Oral Health is intended to celebrate inspiring ‘unsung heroes’, from across the dental professions, whose contributions to dentistry and oral health align with the College’s mission and values as a professional body and registered charity serving the public interest.

The College is open to receiving nominations based on contributions of a wide variety, for example those with a longstanding record of service in voluntary roles, or those whose outstanding practice sets an example for others. Eligible contributions can be local, regional, national or international in scope, and could (for example) be clinical, educational or organisational in nature, or in a leadership capacity.

Any registrant or former registrant with the General Dental Council (or a national equivalent elsewhere) can be nominated, however for the initial 2027 awards nominations can only be made by members of the College. (Please note that we actively discourage, and will rule out, nominations that appear to have been solicited by the nominee).

The relevant Faculty Board will then review nominations and recommend potential recipients to the College Council, which will determine up to one recipient of the Distinguished Service Award annually for each of the College’s four faculties (Faculty of Dentists; Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy; Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy; and Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology).

The Faculty Deans will then present the awards at the College Fellows’ Summer Reception in June 2027.

To make a nomination, complete the nomination form below and submit it to [email protected] with the subject line “Distinguished Service Award nomination” by Monday 30 November 2026. Please note that the award is available for UK nominations only this year.

DOWNLOAD THE NOMINATION FORM

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry News

New Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy

The College has appointed Professor Charlotte Jeavons FCGDent as Dean of its Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy (FDNOT), succeeding Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent.

Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent (l) and Professor Charlotte Jeavons FCGDent (r)

Charlotte Jeavons FCGDent is a Professor of Dental Public Health and Head of the School of Human Sciences at the University of Greenwich, where she was previously the Programme Lead for the BSc in Public Health and MSc in Global Public Health. She began her career as a dental nurse before moving into oral health improvement with the Community Dental Service, has been a Dental Public Health Lead and Dental Services Manager for two NHS Primary Care Trusts, and has 25 years’ academic experience.

She holds a Certificate in Oral Health Education, a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical and Dental Teaching and Learning and a Master’s in Public Health (all from Queen Mary University of London), as well as a PhD in Dental Public Health Ethics from City University.

A Fellow of the College and previously the National Representative on the College Council, she is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, an Honorary Member of the Faculty of Public Health, a past Chair of the National Oral Health Promotion Group and past President of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry.

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. She designed the first part-time BSc degree for Dental Care Professionals, and then developed and was Director of the 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 (BADN).

She became an Affiliate Member of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK in 2008 and in 2021 received the inaugural FGDP(UK) Janet Goodwin Award. She was a Founding Contributor to the College, later serving as Chair of the Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy Working Group, Vice Chair of the inaugural FDNOT board, Council representative for dental nurses and orthodontic therapists, Faculty Chair and the inaugural Faculty Dean.

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 College and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, was an Honorary Vice President of the British Society for Dental Hygiene and Therapy and in 2020 received the BADN Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award.

The Dean is appointed for a three-year term, and Professor Jeavons will lead the faculty board, advise and report to the Council, and work closely with the President and the other Deans – Avijit Banerjee FCGDent (Faculty of Dentists), Poppy Dunton (Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Therapy) and Bill Sharpling FCGDent (Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology & Dental Technology) – in realising College priorities for the whole dental team. The faculty board also includes Ken Binnah AssocFCGDent, Sharon Morrow AssocFCGDent, Rachael Hartley, Vandana Kanda, Carolyn Roberts and Lianne Scott-Munden.

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

“Thank you Debbie for your dedicated and determined efforts in championing the College for the whole oral health team, and in particular for your tireless work on developing a structured and experience-based career pathway for the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, and your support in progressing the mentoring training now available to Dental Care Professional members of the College. You have been an inspiration to many and I am sure you will continue to motivate and inspire others to be the best versions of themselves. With our sincere gratitude for everything you have done, we wish you well.

 “Many congratulations Charlotte on your appointment; I look forward to working with you as Dean, as we have together on Council, to further develop the College for the benefit of dental nurses and orthodontic therapists.”

Subscribe to receive to our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry News

In memory of Simon Gallier, 1958-2026

Dr Jerry Asquith FCGDent writes a moving tribute to his friend and colleague Dr Simon Mark Gallier FCGDent, who passed away recently.

Dr Simon Gallier FCGDent, 1958-2026

The dental profession has lost one of its true characters with the death of Simon Gallier. Soldier, dentist, entrepreneur, innovator and friend, Simon lived a life that was anything but ordinary. He brought to dentistry the same courage, determination and vision that had characterised his remarkable military career, leaving a lasting impression on colleagues and patients alike.

Originally from Oldham, Simon qualified from Manchester Dental School in 1982 before joining the Royal Army Dental Corps. Although dentistry provided his professional foundation, military life quickly became his passion. After passing military parachute selection, he served with a Parachute Field Ambulance before becoming an infantry officer with both the Parachute Regiment and later UK Special Forces. Those experiences shaped the qualities that everyone who knew Simon recognised immediately: discipline, resilience, quiet confidence and, above all, unwavering loyalty.

On leaving the regular Army, Simon returned to dentistry, initially building successful general dental practices in North London while continuing his commitment to the Reserve Forces. His professional career flourished. He developed practices with particular interests in cosmetic dentistry, laser dentistry and facial aesthetics before moving his business to Harley Street. Never content simply to follow established paths, Simon was continually looking ahead to where dentistry was going next.

His entrepreneurial instincts led him to pioneer the provision of dental hygiene services within Superdrug, an innovative concept at the time. Later, as Clinical Director of one of the country’s largest dental corporates, he gained first-hand experience of large-scale dental management. Rather than accepting the prevailing corporate model, Simon drew his own conclusions and established Future Health Partnership, believing that practice owners should be able to retain their independence while receiving the management support increasingly demanded by modern regulation. It was a vision well ahead of its time and one that proved highly successful.

Simon also gave generously to the profession. He served as President of both the British Dental Laser Association and the Metropolitan Branch of the British Dental Association, and was elected to the BDA Representative Body, where many colleagues came to know him not simply for his thoughtful contributions but for his warmth, humour and willingness to help others.

He also supported the ambitions of the College of General Dentistry, of which he was a Fellow, and he enjoyed attending its regular summer gatherings. One of the College’s most generous donors, he gave both towards its initial establishment and to its later Coat of Arms Appeal.

I was fortunate enough to count Simon among my closest friends in dentistry for over twenty years. We first met after we were both elected to the BDA Representative Body, and from that moment a friendship developed that endured for the rest of his life.

One story perhaps captures Simon’s sense of humour better than any other. Before an LDC Conference in Sheffield, Simon mentioned that he wanted to attend but had neither accommodation nor an invitation. I managed to arrange both, including what turned out to be the only twin-bedded room occupied by delegates at the conference. The situation caused considerable amusement among our colleagues. Unknown to almost everyone, I had only recently undergone prostate surgery, while Simon had scarcely slept for five nights following the birth of his daughter. I retired to bed after the first course of dinner feeling distinctly unwell, and Simon, exhausted through lack of sleep, followed shortly afterwards. Needless to say, our unexpectedly early night fueled plenty of good-natured speculation the following morning.

Another treasured memory came when my beloved Luton Town reached the play-off final at Wembley. Simon, despite being a devoted Manchester City supporter, generously invited me to share one of the finest hospitality experiences at the stadium. On another occasion he visited Kenilworth Road to watch Manchester City play Luton. His final comment afterwards has always stayed with me. “I didn’t feel safe in the ground,” he said. Coming from a former Parachute Regiment officer and member of the Special Forces, that was quite a statement.

Behind Simon’s achievements lay an extraordinary generosity of spirit. He was endlessly curious, always enthusiastic about new ideas, and never afraid to challenge accepted thinking if he believed there was a better way. Yet for all his professional accomplishments, it was his loyalty that defined him. His military service had instilled in him a profound sense of duty, and his friends knew that, whatever the circumstances, Simon would always be there when he was needed.

Outside dentistry, Simon embraced life with characteristic energy. Whether competing in the World Triathlon Championships, climbing mountains or racing on skis towards the Magnetic North Pole, he approached every challenge with enthusiasm and determination. He lived by the mantra, “I care, I believe, I thrive,” and encouraged others to follow the paths that inspired them rather than simply conforming to expectation.

Simon leaves behind his devoted wife as well as two daughters and a son, together with countless friends and colleagues who were enriched by knowing him. Dentistry has lost an innovator and a leader, but those of us privileged to have called him a friend have lost someone far more important. He will be remembered for his courage, his generosity, his vision and, above all, his steadfast friendship.

He will be greatly missed.

This article was first published on GDPUK.com

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter

College of General Dentistry News

Education partnership with Dentistry Show London 2026

The College will once again be an education partner at Dentistry Show London this year.

CGDent speakers at Dentistry Show London 2026: Dr Nicola Gore FCGDent (top left), Poppy Dunton (bottom centre) and Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent (top right). Representatives at the CGDent stand (bottom right) and delegates at Dentistry Show London (bottom left)

The College will be a partner in three CPD theatres, delivering one lecture in each; the Clinical Excellence Theatre, which brings together leading figures in dentistry to share their expertise; the Aesthetic & Digital Dentistry Theatre, which highlights the latest innovations transforming patient care; and the Dental Care Professionals Hub, which offers a programme tailored to dental hygienists, therapists, nurses and the wider team. All three lectures will be free of charge for members and non-members of the College alike:

Oral cancer risk management

Friday 9 October 2026, 1.15pm-2.00pm

Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Head of the Dental Division at the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, will deliver this lecture in the Clinical Excellence Theatre. A dually qualified dentist and solicitor, Helen graduated 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 and studied law, obtaining an LLB, and then trained and worked as a solicitor for several years, acting for doctors and dentists in clinical negligence claims, regulatory matters and Fatal Accident Inquiries (Coroner’s Inquests) on the instructions of UK indemnity providers. She has significant experience in advising and assisting dentists in the UK and Ireland and in several international jurisdictions, and spent 14 years at Dental Protection as a Dentolegal and Senior Dentolegal Adviser and latterly as Medico and Dentolegal Services Team Lead and Head of Dental Services, Scotland. She completed an MBA at Strathclyde Business School, is a Fellow of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians, and served as an elected National Representative on the College Council from 2019-2025.

Developing your career in restorative dentistry: key dental and non-dental skills for early career practitioners

Saturday 10 October 2026, 10.30am-11.15am

Dr Nicola Gore FCGDent, principal of a dental practice in north London and co-author of Dentistry in a Nutshell, will deliver this lecture in the Aesthetic & Digital Dentistry Theatre. Since qualifying as a dentist from the University of London in 1993, Nicola has held various general practice and hospital maxillofacial posts within the UK and Australia, has taught undergraduate and graduate dental students and has trained 25 Foundation Dentists. She holds the MJDF, an MClinDent in Fixed & Removable Prosthodontics from the Royal London, a Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Education from the University of Bedfordshire, and has also undertaken postgraduate training in orthodontics. Co-founder and President of the British Iranian Dental Association, she is a past committee member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and a member of the British Society of Prosthodontics. She is among the authors of Standards in Dentistry, was elected to represent the North Thames region on the College Council in 2024 and is a Vice President of the College.

Could you become a Fellow? A world-first opportunity for Dental Care Professionals

Saturday 10 October 2026, 1.15pm-2.00pm

Poppy Dunton, Dean of the College’s Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, will deliver this lecture – which follows the College’s recent launch of fellowships for each role in the wider dental team – in the Dental Care Professionals Hub. Poppy is a dental therapist working in general dental practice and implant clinics in Harrogate and County Durham as well as a Clinical Lecturer in Dental Hygiene at Teesside University. Also 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 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.

College representatives will also be available throughout the show at the College’s exhibition stand (B36) to talk to attendees about all aspects of membership, fellowship and the College’s vision for the profession.

It is not possible to register for any specific lecture in advance, however those wishing to attend will need to register for Dentistry Show London 2026, which is free for all dental professionals. Conference attendees will have access to up to 100 CPD lectures, as well as 180 exhibiting suppliers, and the opportunity to network with 4,000 dentists, practice managers, hygienists, therapists, dental nurses, technicians and laboratory owners.

REGISTER HERE FOR FREE

Subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter