Inaugural College lecture (by Martin Kelleher)

Friday 13 June 2025, 2pm-4.30pm

The Old Banqueting Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, 7-15 Church St, Sheffield S1 1HG

The Inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture will be delivered by Martin Kelleher FCGDent.

‘Satisficing’ standards in dentistry: Who decides? Who benefits? will challenge the notion of the ‘ideal treatment plan’ and contend that subconscious bias and possible self-interests can lead some supposed experts to confuse their version of a questionable ‘gold standard’ with what is really in a patient’s overall best interests and with what the law expects.

Intended to stimulate and provoke healthy debate, the lecture will build on the rich legacy of the Malcolm Pendlebury Lectures hosted by the College’s predecessor organisation, the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP).

Martin Kelleher has been a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Hospital, London since 1984 and has well- known interests in solving seemingly complex dental problems with various minimally destructive approaches. He is on the GDC specialist lists for Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics and owned his own practice in Bromley, Kent for nearly 40 years.

He is a Fellow of the Faculties of Dental Surgery at the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and England, as well as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is also a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, a Fellow and former President of the British Society for Restorative Dentistry, and a former Chairman of the Southern Counties Branch of the British Dental Association. 

Mr Kelleher graduated from University College Dublin in 1971, holds a Master’s degree in Conservative Dentistry and is the author or co-author of very numerous peer-reviewed articles on a wide variety of topics, as well as chapters in dental textbooks and a book on dental bleaching. He served on the board of Dental Protection for a decade, including three years as Chair of its Advisory Committee for Dental Claims. He is a renowned speaker, having lectured to many national dental associations and specialist societies as well as internationally for over 40 years.

CPD approx. 2 hours

Members of the College are invited to attend a self-funding lunch prior to the lecture, hosted by Sir Nairn Wilson CBE and the 1992 Circle, which takes place at 12pm-2pm (places are limited and booking is required).

Registration for the inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture will start at 2pm, with the lecture and Q&A taking place from 2.30pm-4.30pm. This will be followed by the College Summer Reception from 5pm-8pm, including the ceremonial admission of Associate Fellows and new Fellows of the College.

For these events, we will also be gathering alumni, course directors and examiners to celebrate the achievements of the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry programme which was established 20 years ago by our predecessor organisation, the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP). 

All dental professionals, and others with professional interests in contemporary dental practice, are eligible to attend both the Inaugural College Lecture and Summer Reception.

Students and staff at the University of Sheffield who wish to attend the College Lecture should email us at [email protected] using the subject header ‘University of Sheffield place at Lecture’

Tickets are priced as follows:

Lecture onlyReception onlyLecture & Reception
Member or Fellow£20 £15£55 £40£65 £50
Non-member£30 £20£75 £60£95 £70

To secure your place at the above ‘Early Bird’ rates, click the button below:

Associate Fellows and recent Fellows expecting to be ceremonially admitted may book their place at the reception free of charge until 30 April.

Non-members or existing members applying for Fellowship who wish to be ceremonially admitted at the reception are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible in order to allow enough time for admissions procedures to be completed.

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

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Diploma in Restorative Dentistry alumni gathering

Friday 13 June 2025, 2pm-8pm

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

The Old Banqueting Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, 7-15 Church St, Sheffield S1 1HG

Alumni and tutors of the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) are invited to a special gathering marking 20 years of the landmark programme, raising standards and building a strong professional community.

We are delighted that past Directors & Chief Examiners of the programme will be joining us, including Ian Wood FCGDent, Paul BruntonMike Mulcahy FCGDent, Nick Lewis FCGDent, Phil Dawson FCGDent and David Cheshire.

Alumni and tutors are encouraged to pass on this invitation to the reunion to others who were involved in the programme; we do not want anyone to miss out.

The special gathering will be incorporated within both the Inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture and a College Summer Reception. Members of the College are welcome to attend the 1992 Circle Lunch, hosted by Sir Nairn Wilson CBE and the 1992 Circle, which takes place prior to the College Lecture (places are limited).

The lecture, ‘Satisficing’ standards in dentistry: Who decides? Who benefits?will be delivered by Martin Kelleher FCGDent, Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Dental Hospital. Taking place on Friday 13 June 2025 in the historic Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield, it will build on the rich legacy of the FGDP’s Malcolm Pendlebury Lectures. Registration on the day opens at 2pm, with the lecture starting promptly at 2.30pm and the event concluding at 4.30pm after Q&A/discussion.

The Summer Reception will follow from 5pm to 8pm, with registration from 4.30pm. Incorporating the fourth annual College Fellows’ Summer Reception, this is an opportunity for dental professionals to network with their peers and will include the ceremonial admission of new Fellows and Associate Fellows, the presentation of the President’s Award and the announcement of the 2025 winner of the College Medal (tbc). There will be an opportunity for a range of alumni photos and photos with other guests, all of which will be made available to attendees shortly afterwards to download free of charge.

The FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry brings automatic eligibility for Associate Fellowship of the College and also satisfies the Clinical Domain of Fellowship, and alumni are encouraged to join the College in order to support its historic mission to build a Royal College for dentistry.

Anyone successfully completing an application to join the College as an Associate Fellow or Fellow (or to upgrade their existing membership to become an Associate Fellow or Fellow) before 30 April will have the opportunity to be ceremonially admitted at the Summer Reception and will be able to book their reception ticket at no charge.

It is advised to submit applications as soon as possible in order to allow enough time for admissions procedures to be completed.

Prices are otherwise as follows:

Lecture onlyReception onlyLecture & Reception
Member or Fellow£20 £15£55 £40£65 £50
Non-member£30 £20£75 £60£95 £70

To secure your place at the above ‘Early Bird’ rates, click the button below:

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1992 Circle lunch

Friday 13 June 2025, 12.30pm–2pm

La Bottega Italian restaurant, 1–3 Leopold Street, Sheffield S1 2GY

All members of the College are invited to attend this informal lunch hosted by Sir Nairn Wilson CBE (Honorary Founding President of the College) and the 1992 Circle.

The lunch takes place prior to the Inaugural College Lecture and the restaurant is a five-minute walk to the lecture venue, Cutlers’ Hall.

Details of La Bottega are available here and you can view the menu here.

Meal expenses are to be covered individually by each attendee.

The 1992 Circle, comprising all fully retired members, supports the further growth and development of the College and the recording of its history as well as that of the FGDP(UK). Those members planning retirement and wishing to know more about the Circle and its activities are particularly encouraged to attend.

Members who wish to book a place at the lunch should contact Sir Nairn Wilson at [email protected] using the subject line ‘1992 Circle Sheffield lunch’ by no later than Friday 30 May 2025 (though please note that as space is limited, the lunch may be at capacity prior to this date).

The 1992 Circle Lunch is followed by the Inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture and a College Summer Reception.

The lecture, ‘Satisficing’ standards in dentistry: Who decides? Who benefits?will be delivered by Martin Kelleher FCGDent, Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Dental Hospital. Taking place on Friday 13 June 2025 in the historic Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield, it will build on the rich legacy of the FGDP’s Malcolm Pendlebury Lectures. Registration on the day opens at 2pm, with the lecture starting promptly at 2.30pm and the event concluding at 4.30pm after Q&A/discussion.

The Summer Reception will follow from 5pm to 8pm, with registration from 4.30pm. Incorporating the fourth annual College Fellows’ Summer Reception, this is an opportunity for dental professionals to network with their peers and will include the ceremonial admission of new Fellows and Associate Fellows, the presentation of the President’s Award and the announcement of the 2025 winner of the College Medal (tbc). There will be an opportunity for a range of alumni photos and photos with other guests, all of which will be made available to attendees shortly afterwards to download free of charge.

Sign up to the College’s monthly newsletter