College of General Dentistry Blog

My journey to College Fellowship: Fatimah Jawaid

Fatimah Jawaid FCGDent, a general dental practitioner based in Birmingham, describes her professional journey and how her experience led to Fellowship of the College.

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

A. I am a dedicated general dentist working in Edgbaston, Birmingham. I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2012 with Distinction in Clinical Dentistry. I completed my FD year and went on to complete a further DCT year in Restorative Dentistry at Barts Dental Hospital, London. After this, I settled into an associate role in Birmingham, completed my MSc in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics, PGCert in Dental Education and have recently completed my Implant Training. I am currently in the process of becoming a principal dentist and look forward to the new challenges ahead!

Outside of work, my main job is being mummy to Liyana (aged 5) and Layth (aged 3). We live in Moseley, Birmingham, with my husband, Sadiq, who is a currently a maxillofacial registrar. I enjoy going to the gym, travelling and exploring new cultures with my tribe in tow!

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

A. I obtained College Fellowship (FCGDent) through the ‘Fellowship by experience’ route. I felt this achievement allowed me to demonstrate high standards in primary care dentistry and reflect the commitment I had put into my career since graduation. Upon researching the criteria, I realised that I was able to meet the domains and successfully achieve Fellowship.

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

A. The three domains that I used for my Fellowship application were Clinical; Teaching, Learning & Assessment; and Publications & Research.

My Masters in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics from Kings College London (2019) provided me with the evidence for the Clinical Domain as it had more than the required credits.

The final year dissertation allowed me to the achieve the Publications & Research Domain.

For the Teaching, Learning & Assessment Domain, I used my PGCert in Dental Education and I demonstrated that I had at least four years’ experience in a role as an Educational Supervisor for Foundation Dentists.

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

A. Still considering myself as a young dentist, I am excited to see the opportunities and ideas that are being undertaken within the College and how they will impact my future practising career.

Having completed several challenging postgraduate courses, the recognition I received from the College, and being able to call myself a Fellow of the College at 31, felt very rewarding indeed!

Dental professionals can apply for admission to Fellowship of the College – the mark of accomplishment in dentistry – by two routes: Fellowship by Experience and Fellowship by Equivalence.

To apply for Fellowship by the Fellowship by Experience route, you will need to submit a CV and detailed evidence showing how you meet the eligibility criteria for three of the five fellowship domains. The domains are:

  1. Clinical
  2. Teaching, learning & assessment
  3. Leadership & management
  4. Publications & research
  5. Law & ethics

We have “Gateway” criteria which require less evidence and will be processed more quickly, if you meet all these requirements.

Full details about routes to Fellowship and how to apply are available here.

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College of General Dentistry Event

Fellows’ Winter Reception

Thursday 5 February 2026, 6-9pm, London

The Livery Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR

The College of General Dentistry 2026 Fellows’ Winter Reception will take place on the evening of Thursday 5 February in the historic Cutlers’ Hall in London.

The event is an opportunity to network with peers over drinks and canapés, as well as to meet College Trustees and members of the College Council and Faculty Boards.

After a welcome by the Chair of the College and an address by the President, the College Medal awarded in June 2025 to Kevin Lewis FCGDent will be presented to his son, Nick Lewis FCGDent (a Foundation Member of the College and former Course Director of the FGDP[UK] Diploma in Restorative Dentistry).

This will be followed by the admission of new Fellows and Associate Fellows.

Formal business attire is recommended

Ticketing

This event is open to all members of the College’s Fellowship community, i.e. Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College, as well as members of the College’s Board of Trustees, Council and Faculty Boards.

Information on eligibility for Fellowship (FCGDent) and Associate Fellowship (AssocFCGDent) is available here

If booked early, tickets are free of charge to presenting Fellows (i.e. new Fellows, and any College Fellow who has neither been ceremonially admitted as a Fellow at a previous College Fellows’ Reception nor had their fellowship of the former FGDP(UK) [if applicable] conferred at a Diplomates’ Day).

If booked early, tickets are also free of charge to presenting Associate Fellows (i.e. any Associate Fellow who did not attend the most recent Fellows’ Summer Reception on 13 June 2025 – regardless of whether they have attended any previous Fellows’ Receptions).

Once all complimentary tickets have been taken, tickets for presenting Fellows and presenting Associate Fellows will cost £20.

For all other attendees, tickets are £55 if booked early.

All those eligible to attend may bring up to one guest should they wish. Newly admitting Fellows may wish to bring a partner or family member, other members may wish to bring a colleague (in any dental team role, including trainees).

All guest tickets are charged at £55 if booked early, regardless of the rate paid for the eligible member’s own ticket, and guest tickets must be booked at the same time as the eligible member’s ticket.

Once all early bird tickets have been sold, tickets for all attendees other than presenting Fellows and Associate Fellows will cost £65.

To book your place(s), click the button below:

SECURE YOUR PLACE NOW

Please note that the following events will also be taking place in and around the same venue earlier in the day:

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College of General Dentistry Event

Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows

Thursday 5 February 2026, 6-9pm, London

Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent being ceremonially admitted into Fellowship by College President Dr Roshni Karia

The Livery Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR

Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College are invited to be presented for ceremonial admission into our Fellowship community by the President of the College, Dr Roshni Karia.

The presentations will be incorporated within the Fellows’ Winter Reception, and will take place in front of gathered Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College.

This is only the second opportunity for Associate Fellows to be presented, and all Associate Fellows attending the Fellows’ Winter Reception will be ceremonially admitted and can attend the event free of charge (subject to timely registration – deadline to be confirmed).

New Fellows, and any College Fellow attending the Fellows’ Winter Reception who has neither been ceremonially admitted at a previous College Fellows’ Reception nor had their fellowship of the former FGDP(UK) conferred at a Diplomates’ Day will be ceremonially admitted and can likewise attend the reception without charge if they book early (deadline to be confirmed).

Each presenting Fellow or Associate Fellow may bring one guest. Guest tickets are charged at £55 if booked early and £65 thereafter. Guest tickets must be booked at the same time as the presenting member’s ticket.

Photographs of each presenting Fellow and Associate Fellow being ceremonially admitted by the President will be made available shortly afterwards to download free of charge.

The Fellows’ Winter Reception is an opportunity for dental professionals to network with their peers, as well as to meet College Trustees and members of the College Council and Faculty Boards.

Book your ticket(s) via the button below:

SECURE YOUR PLACE NOW

Associate Fellowship of the College recognises enhanced knowledge and skills, and demonstrates commitment to lifelong learning and the highest levels of patient care. Associate Fellows are senior members of the College who are advancing their journey towards Fellowship. Recognised as Enhanced Practitioners on the College’s Career Pathway, their professional standing is marked with the use of the postnominals ‘AssocFCGDent’.

Associate Fellowship is open to those holding an eligible Postgraduate Diploma or Masters level qualification in a relevant subject or those who successfully complete an application by portfolio.

BECOME AN ASSOCIATE FELLOW

Fellowship is the most senior membership of the College; a mark of distinction across clinical and professional domains, and of significant commitment to the art and science of dentistry through professional development, reflective practice and diligence in upholding the highest standards of clinical care. Recognised as Accomplished Practitioners on the College’s Career Pathway, the professional standing of College Fellows is signified through the use of the postnominals ‘FCGDent’.

Admittance to Fellowship can be achieved by experience or by equivalence.

BECOME A FELLOW

Anyone who successfully completed an application to join the College as an Associate Fellow or Fellow (or who upgraded their pre-existing membership to become an Associate Fellow or Fellow) by 30 November 2025 will have the opportunity to be ceremonially admitted at the Fellows’ Winter Reception and can therefore book their reception ticket at no charge.

Places for ceremonial admission are subject to availability of tickets for the event, so once applications are approved, early registration is advised. Anyone unable to be accommodated, or whose application or upgrade completed later than 30 November 2025, will be given priority for registration at the next available Fellows’ Reception, which will be in Summer 2026.

Please note that the following events will also be taking place in and around the same venue earlier in the day:

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College of General Dentistry News

Nominations open for Council elections

Nominations are now open for elections to six seats on the College Council, and all Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College are invited to nominate themselves as candidates.

Nominations are sought for the following seats:

  • East of Scotland
  • National representative
  • Overseas representative
  • South East & South West Thames
  • Wessex & Oxford
  • West & North of Scotland

Candidates for regional seats must live or work within that region, and be registered with that region with CGDent. Candidates for the National seat must live or work in the UK, and have a registered UK address with CGDent. Candidates for the Overseas seat must practice dentistry wholly outside the UK, and have a registered overseas address with CGDent.

All eligible members as at 16 January 2025 have been emailed a link to the nominations website by the College’s election services provider, Mi-Voice. If you are interested in standing for election, you will need to complete the nomination process via that link, where you will be asked for further information, the names of two supporting members, and to submit an election statement.

Members may stand simultaneously for both the National seat and the regional seat for which they are eligible (if applicable) by submitting a separate nomination form for each seat.

Further information on the role, nomination requirements and the election timetable can be found via the button below.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The deadline for receipt of nominations is Sunday 16 February 2025.

If you think you might like to put yourself forward as a candidate and would like further information before deciding, we would be pleased to have a confidential discussion and to answer any questions you may have about the role and the process. Please get in touch via contact@cgdent.uk

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College of General Dentistry Event

Driving quality in implant dentistry

Thursday 5 February 2026, 3-5pm, London

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

The Court Room, Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR

This event will celebrate the significant contribution of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) to raising the quality of education and practice in implant dentistry through its publication of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry and its renowned Diploma in Implant Dentistry programme.

Led by Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent, it will also highlight the College’s inheritance and continuance of these ambitions through the publication of guidelines on mentoring in implant dentistry and dedicated journal issues, an update of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry, the launch of the Register of Mentors in Implant Dentistry and plans to introduce the validation of quality postgraduate courses.

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

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

This event is currently open to College Fellows, Members and Subscribers only. Subject to continued availability, booking will be opened to non-members/non-subscribers on Monday 5 January 2026.

Book your place via the button below:

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

Registering as a College Subscriber is free of charge and ensures you’ll be kept up to date through our regular newsletter. It also gives viewing access to our Standards & Guidance publications. Register via the button below:

REGISTER AS A COLLEGE SUBSCRIBER HERE

Please note that the following events will also be taking place in and around the same location on the same day:

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College of General Dentistry Event

1992 Circle Winter lunch

Thursday 5 February 2026, 1pm, London

Venue to be confirmed

Members of the 1992 Circle (i.e. all members of the College who are fully retired from practice) are invited, for their Winter 2026 gathering, to a lunch hosted by Sir Nairn Wilson CBE FCGDent.

The lunch, which will be self-paying by attendees, will take place in between the 2026 Lilian Lindsay Memorial Lecture (11am-12.30pm, free of charge, separate registration required) and an event to mark the past, present and future contributions of the College and former FGDP to raising standards in implant dentistry (3-5pm, chargeable, separate registration required). Both of these events will take place at Cutlers’ Hall, London (Warwick Lane, EC4M 7BR), and the lunch venue will be a nearby venue to be selected according to numbers closer to the time.

The lunch and daytime events will be followed at 6pm by the College’s Fellows’ Winter Reception, including the Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows, also at Cutlers’ Hall. Circle members who are Fellows or Associate Fellows of the College are eligible to attend and have been notified by email. This is a chargeable event with separate ticketing arrangements.

To register your interest in attending the 1992 Circle lunch, click the button below:

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

About the 1992 Circle

The 1992 Circle aims to foster continued close connections with and between our whole retired community, and comprises all College members who are fully retired from practice.

Named in honour of the year the FGDP(UK) was founded, it celebrates the vision of those who put the general dental profession in the UK on a journey towards independent collegiate status.

Bringing the benefit of our retired members’ experience to the work of the College today, the Circle promotes their continued standing in the profession and creates a sociable network of like-minded individuals.

There is no additional charge for membership of the 1992 Circle, and members receive special invitations to College events, as well as periodic updates from its Convenor, Sir Nairn Wilson CBE, and information on the events and activities of the Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry.

All members of the College who are already fully retired from practice have now been enrolled in the 1992 Circle, and College members who are currently in practice will be enrolled once fully retired.

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College of General Dentistry Event

Lilian Lindsay memorial lecture

Thursday 5 February 2026, 11am-12.30pm (registration from 10.30am), London

The Court Room, Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR

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

The lecture, entitled ‘Movers and shakers: remembered and forgotten‘, will be delivered by Margaret Wilson, former Editor of the Dental Historian (the journal of the Lindsay Society).

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

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

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

Tea and coffee will be provided. 

This event is free of charge and open to all, but prior booking is required via the button below:

BOOK HERE

Please note that the following events will also be taking place in and around the same location on the same day:

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College of General Dentistry Event

Mentoring and coaching course for dental care professionals, part 2

Friday 16 or 23 January 2026 TBC

Funded places on this course are reserved for successful applicants for the Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award in Coaching and Mentoring. It is not possible to register on this course separately.

Delivered online via Zoom

Establishing a mentoring and coaching culture is key to the College’s commitment to workforce diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. In promoting effective mentoring practice, we aim to foster appropriate support in the career pathway progression for all members of the oral healthcare team.

Now, thanks to sponsorship by Foundation Nakao, generously donated through Prof Avijit Banerjee FCGDent, the College is offering a very special opportunity for a three day training course in mentoring and coaching for dental care professionals. Our aspiration is to cultivate a community of College members amongst dental care professionals who are equipped and confident to nurture their peers.

The Mentoring and Coaching Course for Dental Care Professionals is offered only to the winners of the Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award in Coaching and Mentoring, with successful applicants each awarded a fully funded place on the course.

College members who are registered as a dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental nurse, orthodontic therapist, dental technician or clinical dental technician and who have at least two years’ post-qualification experience are eligible to apply.

Please note that the award is now closed for new entries.

The short course will be delivered synchronously online, using the Zoom platform, by UMD Professional, an organisation with more than thirty years of experience within dentistry, medicine, healthcare and law, to establishing coaching and mentoring practices within organisations.

Course dates

FURTHER INFORMATION

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Foundation Nakao – also known as The Nakao Foundation for Worldwide Oral Health – was founded in Luzern in 2018 by Makato Nakao, Chairman of GC Corporation, a leading manufacturer of dental materials and equipment. GC also partners with the College on the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees.

College of General Dentistry Recent event

CGDent Scotland Annual Study Day

Friday 5 December 2025, 9am-5.30pm (registration from 8am, drinks reception until 7pm)

Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific Quay, Glasgow G51 1EA

Passionate Perio for the Dental Team

and

Oral Cancer
“What you need to know, what you need to do!”

Dr Ian Dunn FCGDent
Professor Jim McCaul

Lecture programme

The CGDent Scotland Study Day 2025 featured Dr Ian Dunn FCGDent, registered specialist periodontist, presenting on the topic of perio for the dental team.

Professor Jim McCaul, oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow, delivered this year’s Caldwell Memorial Lecture on oral cancer.

Format

The CGDent Scotland Study Day could be attended in person or virtually.

For in-person attendees, the six hours of CPD lectures was interspersed with two coffee breaks, a two-course lunch, and a drinks reception afterwards. Delegates could also to visit the accompanying trade exhibition. Free parking is available.

Fees

Non-member dentist: £349 (current early bird rate: £249)

Odonto ticket (Glasgow Odontological Society & The Royal Odonto-Chirurgical Society of Scotland Members) : £319 (current early bird rate: £219)

CGDent member dentist: £249 (current early bird rate: £149)

Non-member retired, technician, hygienist, therapist, nurse or practice manager: £149

CGDent member retired, technician, hygienist, therapist, nurse or practice manager: £129

Recent graduate (graduated in or after 2021): £149

Foundation Trainee / Vocational Trainee: £75

Membership of the College of General Dentistry is open to all registered dental professionals. Membership is available from £135 for dentists, £45 for dental nurses and £91 for other registered dental professionals. The full list of CGDent membership rates is here  

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College of General Dentistry News

Registration opens for Occlusion Symposium

Dentists are invited to book their place at the Introduction to Occlusion Symposium for Early Career Dentists, which has been organised by the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation in conjunction with the College.

The Symposium is designed for dentists but others are welcome to attend. It is open to those who qualified in the UK or overseas between 2019 to 2023 and have been practising in the UK for at least the past two years.

Book your place here.

The event will take place on Saturday 5 April 2025 at the Kensington Conference and Events Centre in London. Six renowned speakers will deliver a series of lectures to enhance delegates’ understanding of the fundamentals of occlusion and how these principles can support the placement of successful, long-term restorations for patients presenting with tooth wear and other conditions.

Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, Founder of the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, explains why accessible postgraduate training on occlusion is essential:

“Occlusion is the cornerstone of everything that happens in your mouth and sometimes young dentists don’t appreciate that to maintain somebody’s healthy dentition you still have to consider their occlusion. You have to prevent wear which is very often occlusally-related. And when providing restorations, whether simple fillings, advanced multiple crowns, or indirect restorations which you want to last as predictably and as long as possible, if you don’t take the occlusal scheme into consideration then they are likely to fail prematurely.”

The opening lecture will be delivered by Dr Bereznicki, whose dental education charity also funds the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees, and the College’s new Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry.

Further lectures will then be delivered by Professor Paul Tipton, Dr Ken Harris, Dr Tif Qureshi, Dr Shiraz Khan and Dr Koray Feran. Read speaker profiles.

Dr Tom Bereznicki
Prof Paul Tipton
Dr Ken Harris
Dr Tif Qureshi
Dr Shiraz Khan
Dr Koray Feran

Describing the programme, Dr Bereznicki said: “To cover the length and breadth of the subject of occlusion would in all probability take a week. In the time available we will try to deal with the basic fundamental principles involved, particularly the intraoral occlusal examination which is crucial in treatment planning.  In addition, examples of clinical success as well as occlusally-related failures will be covered.”

Alongside the programme of lectures, delegates who wish to develop their knowledge of occlusion further can visit a hand-picked selection of education stands to learn more about leading postgraduate courses available in this field.

To ensure the symposium is accessible to early career dentists, the fee has been set at an affordable rate of £75 and it takes place on a Saturday to avoid time away from clinic.

In this video, Dr Karina Kowalski, a Trustee of the Tom Bereznicki Foundation, asks Dr Bereznicki about the symposium and what delegates can expect.

You can find further information and secure your place by clicking the button below.

secure your place

The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, in collaboration with the College, will hold a second symposium for early careers on the topic of perio-occlusion on 20 September 2025, with speakers Dr Reena Wadia MCGDent and Dr Raman Aulakh FCGDent. Dentists interested in attending can register to receive a notification when bookings open.

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