College of General Dentistry News

Catherine Rutland to deliver 2026 College Lecture

The College has announced that Catherine Rutland FCGDent will be delivering the 2026 College Lecture.

The Ethical Shield: Protecting enamel, professional integrity and patient smiles 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.

This 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 in 2026. 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 College of General Dentistry Lecture 2026 will take place at 3pm on Thursday 25 June in the historic Cutlers’ Hall in London, and is the centrepiece of the Summer Day programme of events marking the College’s fifth anniversary. The other Summer Day events include the Fellows’ Summer Reception, the inaugural Academic Court Convention, and a lunch for retired members.

All dental professionals, and others with professional interests in contemporary dental practice, are eligible to attend the 2026 College Lecture. Discounted places are available to College members.

To secure your place, click the button below:

BOOK YOUR PLACE

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

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College of General Dentistry News

Occlusion symposium Manchester – early bird booking open

The Introduction to Occlusion Symposium, which took place in London and Edinburgh last year, is heading to Manchester on Saturday 24 October 2026. Registration is now open and an early bird discount is available until 26 May.

Introduction to Occlusion Symposium, London and Edinburgh

The aim of the event, which has been organised by the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation in conjunction with the College, is to elevate delegates’ knowledge of the fundamental principles of occlusion and how they can support the placement of successful, long-term restorations for patients presenting with tooth wear and other conditions. It is designed for early career dental professionals but all dental professionals are welcome to attend.

Members of the College are asked to share details of the symposium with friends and colleagues who may wish to attend.

The programme will be delivered by the panel of six renowned speakers who impressed delegates at the symposia in London and Edinburgh.

The day will commence with a lecture by Dr Bereznicki, who will use real failure cases to illustrate what can happen if a patient’s occlusion is not assessed and treated.

This will be followed by lectures from renowned speakers Professor Paul Tipton, Dr Ken Harris, Dr Tif Qureshi, Dr Shiraz Khan and Dr Koray Feran, who will examine the five basic principles of occlusion and how they can be applied in practice to ensure the longevity of restorative treatment.

Symposium speakers l-r: Dr Shiraz Khan, Dr Ken Harris, Prof Paul Tipton, Dr Tom Bereznicki, Dr Koray Feran, Dr Tif Qureshi

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.

The fees have been set to ensure the symposium is accessible to all dental professionals. A limited number of free places are available to students who graduate after 2026. For early career practitioners who qualified between 2021 and 2026, the fee is £90.

For all other dental professionals, the early bird rate is £175 and is available until midnight on Tuesday 26 May. The full fee of £225 will then be available. Fees include refreshments throughout the day, a two-course lunch and 6 hours of verifiable CPD.

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

book your place

The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, in collaboration with the College, offers a range of clinical skills competitions and events for early career practitioners. Two competitions are currently open for entries:

Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry – open until Monday 8 June 2026 – 23 successful candidates will each receive a fully funded place on a two-day digital dentistry course.

Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases – open until Monday 10 August 2026 – 20 winners will each be awarded a fully funded place on an injection moulding course.

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College of General Dentistry News

Education partnership with Dentistry Show 2026

The College will once again be an education partner at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show this year.

CGDent speakers at British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2026: Helen Kaney FCGDent (left) and Tom Bereznicki FCGDent (right). Centre: College representatives at the CGDent stand

The College will be delivering two lectures, which will be open to all dental professionals and free of charge for members and non-members of the College alike:

Oral cancer risk management

Friday 15 May 2026, 3.30pm – 4.15pm

Helen Kaney FCGDent, Head of the Dental Division at the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, will deliver this lecture in the Private Dentistry 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.

Transitioning to a digital workflow in restorative dentistry

Saturday 16 May 2026, 2.45pm – 3.30pm

Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, general dental practitioner and founder of the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, will deliver this lecture in the Private Dentistry Theatre. After graduating from Edinburgh, Dr Bereznicki worked as a house surgeon at Guy’s and The Royal Dental Hospitals before entering general dental practice, in which he has over 40 years’ experience. With a special interest in restorative dentistry, in particular occlusion and emergence profile, he was also a visiting clinical specialist teacher at King’s College London Dental Institute and later joined the teaching faculty for the university’s MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry. In 2018, he joined the Academy of Dental Excellence as a senior specialist teacher, and in 2021 became a partner associate lecturer for the University of Portsmouth’s Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry. A former member of the FGDP and Founder Member of CGDent, he has been a Fellow of the College since 2022, is a regional speaker on occlusion for the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and is a member of both the Faculty of Dental Trainers at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

College representatives will also be available throughout the show at the College’s exhibition stand (L75) 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 BDCDS26, which is free for all dental professionals.

Conference attendees will have access to 200 CPD lectures, as well as 400 exhibiting suppliers, and the opportunity to network with 10,000 dentists, practice managers, hygienists and therapists, dental nurses, technicians and laboratory owners.

REGISTER HERE FOR FREE

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College of General Dentistry News

Voting open in College Council election 2026

Voting is now open for the Mersey & North West seat on the College Council, and eligible members are encouraged to cast their ballot.

Candidates for the Mersey & North West Council seat: Ralph Pickup FCGDent (l) and Anand Chandrasekaran FCGDent (r)

Two candidates are standing – Anand Chandrasekaran FCGDent and Ralph Pickup FCGDent – and Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College who have registered an address with the College which is within its Mersey & North West region are encouraged to vote.

Dr Anand Chandrasekaran is an associate dentist at a mixed NHS-and-private practice in Helsby, Cheshire, where he accepts referrals for advanced restorative dentistry. He qualified BDS in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in 2000, graduating top of his class in oral medicine, radiology and oral surgery. He later founded a charitable dental practice in the city, providing basic dental care for the underprivileged population of the district of Kolathur. After co-owning a dental practice in India for several years, he re-located to the UK, where he has practised since 2008. In 2017, he completed an MSc in Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry at the University of Manchester with distinction. The following year he joined the course as a tutor and mentor, and in 2021 he was made an Honorary Teaching Associate in Dentistry within the university’s School of Medical Sciences. He holds the Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) award of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and joined the College of General Dentistry as an Associate Fellow in 2023, becoming a Fellow in 2024. He has a special interest in minimally invasive aesthetic dental treatments, has undertaken additional training in periodontics and the restoration of dental implants, and is currently in the final year of an MSc in Orthodontics at the University of Plymouth.

Dr Ralph Pickup is a partner and general dental practitioner in a private dental practice in Clitheroe, Lancashire, where he accepts referrals for endodontic treatment. He graduated BDS from Newcastle Dental School in 1997 with distinction in restorative dentistry, and subsequently practised NHS dentistry in Newcastle, Stanley (County Durham) and Thornton Cleveleys (Lancashire). He holds a Diploma in Conscious Sedation in Dentistry from Newcastle University, both an Advanced Certificate in Facilitating Learning in Healthcare Practice and a Postgraduate Diploma in Endodontics from the University of Central Lancashire, the Diploma in Dental Health Services Leadership and Management and Diploma of Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP), and the Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties (MJDF) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. A former FGDP Fellowship Facilitator, he is a Foundation Member, Founding Contributor, Fellow and Certified Membership Facilitator of the College of General Dentistry, as well as a donor to its recent Coat of Arms Appeal. Chair of East Lancashire Local Dental Committee and a member of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee, he participates in his Local Dental Network and Dental Practitioner Advice and Support Service scheme, and has previously been an educational supervisor for NHS Foundation Training. A Fellow of the International College of Dentists, he is a member of the British Endodontic Society, American Association of Endodontists, Northwest Endodontic Study Circle, Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry, British Society for Restorative Dentistry and the British Society for Academic and Clinical Hypnosis.

The Council is the voice of our members, overseeing our role as a professional body and guiding the development of the College to fulfil its mission. Council members serve three-year terms and elections are held annually on a rotational basis. The elected candidate for the Mersey & North West region is due to serve from June 2026 – June 2029.

All members eligible to vote have been sent an email by the College’s election services provider, Mi-Voice, to the email address which the member has registered with the College. This contains the unique link/details they will need to cast their ballot online, as well as the candidates’ election statements. The deadline to vote is 23:59 on Monday 27 April 2026.

Please ensure that your membership of CGDent remains up to date before you vote, otherwise your vote might not count. The CGDent Member Register displays a list of all current Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows, together with their College region.

Each member’s allocated region is determined by the postal address they have registered with the College. This must be where the member either lives or works, and will be where their copies of the Primary Dental Journal and all other physical correspondence is sent. Your registered address can be updated in My Account following any change of location. A map of the College’s regions is here.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you think you are a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College but cannot find yourself on the Member Register, or if any of your listed details are incorrect.

If you need to renew your membership, you can do this easily online here.

If you are an Associate Member considering upgrading your membership in order to vote, or a non-member considering joining in order to do so, you will need to allow 1-2 weeks for the process to complete and for your unique voting details to be issued to you. Late votes will not be counted.

Following the election, the results will be announced at the end of April.

If you are an eligible member but cannot find the email from Mi-Voice inviting you to vote in your inbox, please check your junk or spam folder, and if necessary double-check the email account you have registered with the College by logging in at https://cgdent.uk/my-account.

If you experience any technical difficulties submitting your vote(s), please contact Mi-Voice at [email protected] or on 02380 763987.

For information on when elections will next be held for other seats, see the College Council webpage.

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College of General Dentistry News

College Fellow honoured with IADR award

Dr Wendy Thompson FCGDent, College Lead on antimicrobial prescribing, resistance and stewardship, has received a Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR).

Dr Wendy Thompson FCGDent with the plaque commemorating her IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology

Given annually, IADR Distinguished Scientist Awards recognise outstanding research achievements in a variety of disciplines. Considered a mark of leadership in the field of dental research, they are among the most prestigious honours bestowed by the organisation. Dr Thompson has received this year’s award for research in the fields of pharmacology, therapeutics and toxicology.

A general dental practitioner in Cumbria and Clinical Senior Lecturer in Primary Dental Care at the University of Manchester, Dr Thompson researches and lectures nationally and internationally on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), reducing the overprescribing of antibiotics, and optimising the prevention and control of infections. She graduated BDS from the University of Liverpool, was awarded the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, holds a BSc in Microbiology & Microbial Technology from the University of Warwick, and completed a PhD in antibiotic prescribing at the University of Leeds.

She is a CGDent Ambassador, a member of the College’s Research Advisory Group, and represents the College on the UK Health Security Agency’s dental sub-group and oversight committee on antimicrobial use and resistance. Guest Editor of the College’s 2021 Primary Dental Journal issue dedicated to COVID-19 and urgent dental care, she became a Fellow of the College in 2022 and has written about her journey to gaining Fellowship through the experience route. She delivered the Caldwell Memorial Lecture 2024 on using antibiotics sustainably, has lectured for the College at the annual Dentistry Show, presented the College’s Talking Standards webinar on antimicrobial prescribing in dentistry and was the lead developer of its chairside synopsis of Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines.

She is also Vice Chair of the FDI World Dental Federation Science Committee, Chair of its working group on preventing antimicrobial resistance and infections, an advisor to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, a member of the BDA Health & Science Committee, a Council member of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, a member of the BNF Dental Advisory Group, Trustee of the charity The AMR Narrative and a member of Antibiotics Research UK’s Public Engagement and Patient Support Committee. She was an honorary consultant to the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for England on antimicrobial stewardship and attended the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AMR in September 2024. She is a Fellow of both the Higher Education Academy and the International College of Dentists, and prior to becoming a dentist spent nine years working at the Ministry of Defence.

The award was formally conferred last week at the IADR General Session in San Diego, California, where Dr Thompson delivered a keynote lecture on antimicrobial stewardship research in dentistry, spoke on the President’s Panel about research into infection prevention and control, and chaired a session on adverse outcomes from the use of antimicrobials.

Professor Igor Blum, the editor-in-chief of the College’s Primary Dental Journal, won the Ivar Mjör Award, the IADR’s highest award for practice-based research, in 2024; read more here

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New award offers injection moulding training

The College has partnered with the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and GC to develop a new tooth wear award for early career dentists.

The Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases recognises restorative and aesthetic dentistry skills and patient care and is open to dentists who qualified between 2020 to 2024 and practise in the UK or Ireland.

College members are urged to share the details with eligible colleagues.

Up to 20 successful candidates will each receive a fully funded place on a bespoke, hands-on injection moulding course which takes place on Saturday 5 December 2026. The prize, worth around £1,000, includes the cost of travel to GC’s UK training facilities, as well as hotel accommodation and subsistence.

Successful entrants to the CGDent and GC Award for Foundation Trainees on the composite layering course at the GC training facility in Leuven

The composite injection moulding technique course, created solely for the award by Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent and Dr Chris Leech FCGDent, has been designed specifically for early career dentists and is not available commercially. 

Delivered through theory, demonstrations and comprehensive hands-on sessions, the course aims to equip clinicians with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills required to plan, execute, and maintain predictable composite injection moulding cases for aesthetic and restorative dentistry.

To enter, candidates must submit pre-op photographs of a tooth wear case they are about to start treating and upload a final case report when treatment is complete. The case must involve at least four anterior teeth, and the use of composite to restore teeth, either manually by hand or by the injection moulding technique. Full case eligibility guidance is outlined on the Award web page.

The inaugural award is now open and the deadline to enter the competition with pre-op photographs is Monday 10 August 2026. Entrants have until Monday 19 October to complete the treatment and submit their final case. The successful candidates will be announced in November and the injection moulding course will take place on Saturday 5 December 2026. The number of award entries has been capped at 100, and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Announcing the new award, Dr Roshni Karia MCGDent, President of the College of General Dentistry, said:

“I am delighted that the College is further extending its collaboration with the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation through our new tooth wear award. The award provides a valuable opportunity for newly qualified practitioners to develop their knowledge and skills, and progress their careers in dentistry.”

Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, Chair of the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, added:

“Successfully and efficiently treating common tooth wear cases using the injection moulding technique is a vital skill for early career colleagues to master – it is more predictable, quicker and provides a more aesthetic result than building up manually. So, I am thrilled that our new award will provide high-quality training in injection moulding for up to 20 successful candidates.”

John Maloney, GC Director and Country Manager for the UK, Ireland and South Africa, commented: 

“Providing the highest quality training to the dental profession is core to our mission and we are honoured to facilitate the clinical development of early career colleagues through this exciting new award.”

Click the button below for further information about the award, links to guidance for entrants and the entry form.

further information

Further opportunities for early career dental professionals

The College is collaborating with the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and other partners to deliver a range of educational opportunities for early career dental professionals.

Eligible candidates for the Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases may also enter the Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry, which is open until Monday 8 June 2026 and provides each winner with a fully funded place on a digital dentistry course. Separate cases must be entered into each competition.

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College of General Dentistry News

Recruitment of Dean, Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy

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.

ROLE PROFILE

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]

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College of General Dentistry News

First Faculty Deans inaugurated

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.

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OPPORTUNITIES

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College of General Dentistry News

Midlands Study Club implant series

The College has announced a two-part exploration of dental implants by its Midlands Study Club over the coming weeks.

Dr Minas Leventis DipDS MSc PhD will be leading the CGDent Midlands implant series

Part one, on the evening of Monday 9 March 2026, will be devoted to implant restoration. Attendees will be able to:

  • gain hands-on implant restoration practice
  • gain insights from experienced specialists across multiple disciplines
  • explore evidence-based restorative protocols

Part two, on Monday 20 April 2026, will focus on after-care of dental implants. Attendees will have the opportunity to:

  • review evidence-based implant maintenance protocols
  • 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.

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College of General Dentistry News

The CGDent Scotland Study Day 2026: digital dentistry for the dental team

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.

For further information, visit our events pages.

SECURE YOUR PLACE AT EARLY BIRD RATES HERE

A review of the CGDent Scotland 2025 Study Day is available here

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