College of General Dentistry News

In memory of Nick Palmer, 1952-2026

We regret to report that Nikolaus Otto Alexander Palmer, Dip. FFGDP(UK), an early leader in the adoption of infection prevention and control protocols in dentistry, and an authority on best practice in dental antimicrobial prescribing, died recently aged 74.

Dr Nikolaus (Nick) Palmer, Dip. FFGDP(UK), 1952-2026

Born in Birmingham, Nick attended the King’s School, Macclesfield, for both his primary and secondary education, after which he studied dentistry at the University of Liverpool from 1971-76. Following graduation, he worked as an associate dentist and in 1981 became a partner in Dowhills Dental Practice in Crosby. Under his leadership, he computerised and modernised the practice and established it as a training practice for foundation dentists.

A member of Sefton Local Dental Committee, he served as Secretary for many years and was a member and Past President of the West Lancashire, West Cheshire and North Wales branch of the British Dental Association (BDA).

He sold his dental practice in 2001 but continued to practise there as a self-employed dentist for a further 11 years, still delivering predominantly NHS care while maintaining a special interest in orthodontics, and continuing as a Foundation Trainer while also mentoring newly registered overseas-qualified colleagues.

During this period, he also served as a Postgraduate Tutor and Research Associate for Health Education North West, organising more than 200 ‘Section 63’ courses and other postgraduate training events, and he later became the region’s Clinical Advisor in dental education, and a Research Fellow.

In the late 1980s, Nick was involved in the development of cross-infection control protocols at the groundbreaking Clinic V HIV clinic at Liverpool Dental Hospital. At a time when dental practices were not subject to standardised infection prevention and control procedures, when HIV was less understood and when effective antiretroviral therapies were not yet widely available, patients with HIV were routinely refused treatment in general dental practice for fear of transmission. In providing HIV-positive patients with full spectrum oral and dental care, Clinic V demonstrated that through the rigorous implementation within dentistry of emerging medical infection control protocols, dental patients with bloodborne viruses could be treated safely and compassionately without risking transmission to staff or other patients.

Following the publication in 1991 of the BDA Advice Sheet A12, Infection Control in Dentistry, Nick became involved in educating the profession to implement its advice, playing his part in moving it from the era of bare-handed (‘wet-fingered’) dentistry, handwashing with soap between patients and the use of boiling water or disinfectant wipe-downs to sterilise instruments, to now-standard precautions such as the use of gloves, masks, protective eyewear and autoclaves.

In 1996, he became a part-time Clinical Lecturer at Liverpool Dental School, teaching and supervising undergraduate dentistry and dental therapy students, and in 1997 he decided to undertake a PhD – even more a rarity among general dentists then than now – which he completed in 2001. His supervisor, Professor Michael Martin – whose work on infection prevention and control had been instrumental in the BDA’s advice – encouraged him to investigate how and why dentists prescribe antibiotics.

So began a lifelong interest, with Nick soon becoming one of the profession’s foremost authorities on the subject. A committed practice-based researcher, he wrote numerous peer-reviewed papers which were published in leading journals including the British Dental Journal, Primary Dental Care, Primary Dental Journal, Dental Update, the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry and the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Nick was a founding member of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) in 1992, later becoming a Fellow and in 2021 only the third winner of the Faculty Medal for his exceptional contribution to dentistry. In 1996 he was elected to its national board, which he went on to serve for over 18 years, including as Chair of Research, Vice Chair of Education, Chair of Publications, member of the Executive Committee and Vice Dean. During his tenure as Chair of Examinations, he oversaw the development and delivery of the Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics and the Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties (MJDF) examinations, as well as the re-development of the FGDP Fellowship assessment. He was also on the national group which developed the Dentists with Special Interests framework which was jointly launched by FGDP and the Department of Health in 2004.

FGDP was the first organisation in the UK comprised primarily of general dental practitioners to publish recognised standards and guidelines for the profession, and soon after joining the board Nick proposed and became lead author and editor of Adult Antimicrobial Prescribing in Primary Dental Care, the general dental profession’s first authoritative reference work on responsible antibiotic use. Developed while Nick was also practising clinical dentistry, managing a dental practice, teaching undergraduates, training FDs, serving on the FGDP board and completing his PhD, it was published in 2001 and was the first edition of what is still co-published 25 years later by the College of General Dentistry and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FDS) as Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines.

The FGDP published the second edition, which Nick had updated and expanded to encompass all patients in primary dental care, in 2012. In 2015, this was published online for the first time, and together with later revisions this has since been accessed hundreds of thousands of times, benefitting patients worldwide.

Nick was also the lead author of the Antimicrobial Prescribing Self-Audit Tool. Co-published by the FGDP and BDA in 2016, updated in 2019 and now available through the CGDent website, the tool helps practitioners and practices audit their prescribing and their management of dental infections in line with the guidelines.

In 2016 he also updated the second edition of the guidelines following changes to some of the prescribing recommendations in the BNF, and the following year he embarked on a project to expand the guidance from a publication aimed principally at general dental practitioners to one encompassing the whole of dentistry. With the additional contributions sourced from and reviewed by all the dental specialties through collaboration with the FDS, of which he had become a Fellow in 2009, the third and extant edition was co-published by the FGDP and FDS in 2020.

What made these achievements all the more remarkable was that they had been undertaken while Nick was living with myeloma, with which he had been diagnosed in 2012. Though he retired from clinical practice following the diagnosis, he maintained an extraordinary determination and a commitment to the profession, continuing to take on roles and complete significant projects while facing significant personal challenge.

He continued working for Dental Protection, which he had joined in 2010 as an Associate Dentolegal Advisor, until 2017, and he remained an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the University of Liverpool until 2021. From 2013-21, he represented the FGDP on both the dental sub-group and pan-healthcare oversight group for Public Health England’s new English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR). And in 2017 he was appointed as a dental adviser to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) committee reviewing its guidance on managing common infections.

Outside of dentistry, golf was Nick’s main hobby (and greatest frustration), and he was a member of Waterloo Rugby Club for many years. He also liked nurturing his lawn and spending time in the garden at home in Formby.

Half Swiss, he was an accomplished skier and climber and loved hiking, with regular trips to the Lake District and annual visits to the Bernese Oberland.

A great listener, he knew a vast number of people both within the profession and through his sporting and charitable associations, and he delighted in socialising with them, including at the post-course meals he organised as a trainer and many formal dinners.

The COVID pandemic was an especially difficult time for Nick – given his illness, the resultant heightened personal vulnerability to coronavirus and the increased restrictions this implied for travel and social contact – and it was a long time before he was able to resume all the activities he enjoyed so much.

Characteristically though, he continued to contribute even while undergoing treatment, and using his own medical knowledge and experience of illness to benefit others, he joined the Patient & Carer Research Panel of Myeloma UK in 2021, and the Patient and Public Involvement Forum at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool in 2022.

After bearing his illness with great courage for many years, Nick passed away peacefully on Saturday 17 October 2026. He will be remembered as a highly respected and principled colleague, and a great friend and mentor to many, generous with his time and deeply committed to the development of others. A firm believer in practice-based research and evidence-based practice, he was a significant figure in the modern history of the profession who has left an enduring professional legacy, not least through the guidelines he established and the careers he supported.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Christine, and his former wife Susan and their sons Alexander and Daniel, and grandchildren Ethan, Blu and Mason, to whom he was a devoted father and besotted grandfather. 

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College of General Dentistry Blog, News

Introducing a philosophy of care for the profession

Dr Roshni Karia MCGDent, President of the College, describes the four pillars of the College’s new philosophy of care, an approach it encourages all oral healthcare professionals to adopt in the interests of patients.

When I first took office as President of the College of General Dentistry, the College Council worked hard to focus our priorities. We carefully crafted our mission and vision for dentistry, which set out our values and anchored our initiatives in professional morality, institutional integrity and the public interest. This ethical foundation speaks directly to our ongoing aspirations for a Royal Charter for our profession.

To help guide the evolution of contemporary oral health care, the College has now established a four-pillar philosophy of care – a living blueprint which serves as a professional compass for our entire oral healthcare community:

1. Holistic care

Oral health is inextricably linked to general health, and we are developing an Oral Health for Healthcare curriculum for the wider health and social care workforce. This initiative, in which we are working with the Chief Dental Officer for England and supported by Colgate, will create an ecosystem of resources which finally recognises oral health as a central tenet of systemic health and wellbeing.

By adding an oral health dimension to their practice, healthcare colleagues beyond dentistry will be equipped to raise awareness of oral-systemic connections. Actionable prompts and accessible resources will empower patients and streamline communication throughout health and social care. Importantly, it will aim to synchronise the care patients receive between general and oral healthcare systems.

We are already collaborating with stakeholders in many relevant sectors:

  • pharmacy and retail
  • general nursing and general medical practice
  • dietetics and diabetes care
  • cardiology, bone health and oncology
  • health visiting, early years, and care homes
  • undergraduate medical education

This means the resources will be directly applicable to those involved in:

  • early years and maternity care
  • care of adults and chronic disease management
  • elderly and dementia care
  • disabilities and complex care needs

To ensure widespread clinical utility, we have collated early insights and hosted a workshop designed to understand the real-life challenge that our frontline colleagues face. We have now started to work through potential solutions to navigate these hurdles, as we progress to engineer simple, realistic and pragmatic resources. This initiative will position the College as the leading authority in oral health among our health and social care colleagues.

2. Assured care

Through our formalised career pathways, credentialling schemes and portfolio of guidelines, the College promotes higher standards of care to assure clinical quality and patient safety. Our Faculty Deans have worked hard to develop progressive career pathways, underpinned by our Professional Framework, to provide a more structured and supported career trajectory for all those working in dental primary care.

To take but one example, our Certified Practitioner programme will help to validate the higher skill levels individuals have achieved, and the greater knowledge and further experience they have gained, in specific disciplines. Planned to extend to all members of the oral healthcare team, this will support colleagues in more strategic decisions about their career choices as well as help patients to make informed decisions about the care they receive.

Fellowship, the most distinguished membership of the College, focuses on how members of the whole team have developed their practice for the benefit of both patients and the wider profession. Whether it be through clinical expertise, teaching, research, leadership or in the legal/ethical field, Fellows help the College serve as a catalyst for a shared community of practice. This ensures we can support one another in realising our professional aspirations and reinforce our sense of belonging, while serving patients at our very best.

To ensure greater confidence among practitioners in navigating postgraduate and post qualification education, the College is launching a Training Provider Forum. This group will allow post-qualification education providers to help shape the College’s developing role in quality assurance, guide early-career practitioners, and support our credentialling schemes. Furthermore, our Academic Court will recognise those whose intellectual contributions are central to the delivery of the College’s mission, bringing them together to ensure the College’s continued authority in promoting high standards in education and practice.

Together, these initiatives empower the workforce, advance the profession and support the public and patients to achieve and maintain good oral health.

3. Responsive and proactive care

We aim to drive a major shift from reactive treatment to patient-centred prevention, early detection and tooth preservation, and have convened an international expert consensus group to review the evidence and create a pragmatic framework around initial caries management for the whole oral healthcare team.

Supported by vVardis, this work is led by Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent, Dean of the CGDent Faculty of Dentists, who has set out the details of this pivotal aspect of our philosophy of care in the latest issue of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ). It is intended that this paper will form the basis for upcoming, evidence-based recommendations on the management of early caries in general dental practice.

4. Ethical and Professional Care

The College actively promotes a moral and ethical framework for treatment choices. This includes the importance of beneficence and the decided focus on diagnosis, while carefully weighing the nuanced detail and salient facts that inform our management options.

Some of you will have heard the inaugural College Lecture, Satisficing standards in dentistry: Who decides? Who benefits?, which was delivered by Mr Martin Kelleher FCGDent in June 2025; these questions will also be discussed in the next issue of the PDJ. Building upon the same themes, Dr Catherine Rutland FCGDent will be delivering the 2026 College Lecture, The Ethical Shield: Protecting enamel, professional integrity and patient smiles, on Thursday 12 November in London; this is open to all dental professionals, and others with professional interests in contemporary dental practice, and I encourage readers to attend if you can.

Our upcoming articles and frameworks will guide the profession’s philosophy of care – proving that true sustainability in dentistry starts with preserving enamel.

Writing the future of dentistry

Through these four pillars, we aim to write the future of dental care for the UK and beyond. We are setting a bold direction built upon the firm foundations we proudly inherited from the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP).

As we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the College, I encourage you to be a part of this journey, where our ambitions speak confidently toward a future Royal College – as our Honorary Founding President, Professor Sir Nairn Wilson CBE, has previously said, “a College that befits excellence in the care of patients with dedicated support for the profession.”

I urge all those delivering oral healthcare to adopt this philosophy of care for the benefit of patients everywhere, and to get behind your future Royal College so that it can stand tall on behalf of all the dental professions. Working together, let these be our greatest achievements.

This article was first published in the recent ‘Dental education’ issue of the Primary Dental Journal, further information on which is available via the button below.

‘Initial dental caries management: a College of General Dentistry (CGDent) philosophy of care statement’, by Professor Avijit Banerjee, is in the same issue. This paper is currently restricted to College members and PDJ subscribers, however it is intended that it will be made available to the whole profession in due course.

PRIMARY DENTAL JOURNAL: DENTAL EDUCATION ISSUE

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College of General Dentistry News

In memory of Tom Bereznicki, 1952-2026

Thomas Jack Bereznicki FCGDent, Chair of Trustees of the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and a Founder of the College of General Dentistry, has died aged 74.

Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, 1952-2026

Born in London in 1952 to Polish parents who had arrived in the UK after the Second World War, Tom and his family moved to Glasgow when his father took on a new position, and he was educated at Hutchesons’ Boys’ Grammar School.

In 1970, Tom began studying for a BDS at the University of Edinburgh, and in 1975 he married fellow student Cathy More. After graduating in social science, Cathy became an early leader in career guidance for young people, later becoming the first Chief Executive of the Institute of Careers Guidance and later Chief Executive of The Guidance Council.

After graduating himself in 1976, Tom headed to London and worked as a house surgeon, first at Guy’s and then the Royal Dental Hospital, where he passed the Primary FDS Examination, before entering general dental practice in 1978. After four years as an associate dentist in primary care, he was eager to branch out and in 1982 he opened his own single-handed, private ‘squat’ practice in Queensgate, London.

Over the next 29 years, he developed a special interest in restorative dentistry, occlusion in particular, and built up a loyal list of patients, who appreciated his friendly demeanour as well as his clinical skill. In 2011, he sold his practice and moved, together with many of his patients, to the Dawood & Tanner Dental Practice in Wimpole Street.

Selling up also gave Tom the opportunity to explore other avenues, and in 2013 he was appointed a Visiting Clinical Specialist Teacher at King’s College London Dental Institute, working one day a week in the Department of Primary Dental Care at King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill.

Alongside their highly successful careers, Tom and Cathy enjoyed travelling the world together and exploring different cultures and cuisines. They were soulmates for over 40 years until her death in 2016, a turn of events which took Tom some time to come to terms with.

At King’s, Tom was a firm favourite with the undergraduate students. ‘Dr Tom’, as the students fondly referred to him, was appointed as Extra-curricular Education Co-ordination Officer for the dental students’ society in 2017, and the following year was given a Teaching Excellence Award and also elected Staff President of the dental students’ society – for the first of an unprecedented three times. During his time at King’s, he was also appointed Co-President of the Aesthetic Dental Students Society, where he helped organise hands-on courses; taught on the MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry; was chosen for a King’s Education Award; and served for four years as a member of the Dental Alumni Association Council.

Beyond King’s, Tom taught on postgraduate courses as a senior specialist teacher for the Academy of Dental Excellence, and in 2021 became a partner associate lecturer for the University of Portsmouth’s Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry. He also lectured nationally and internationally on occlusion, emergence profile and other aspects of restorative dentistry, and published highly practical articles in the Primary Dental Journal, British Dental Journal and Dental Update.

For a number of years Tom was involved with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, of which he was a longstanding member, and from 2017-21 he served on its Advisory Board in Primary Dental Care. From 2017-22 he was a member of the steering group for its Faculty of Dental Trainers, becoming a member of the newly-established faculty himself in 2018, and in 2024 he was awarded a prestigious Fellowship in Dental Surgery ad hominem.

Having joined the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) in 2018, he became a Founder Member of the College of General Dentistry, which was at the time in development to become the FGDP’s independent successor, the same year. He was enrolled as one of the first Fellows of the College in 2022, and later became a major benefactor and legator.

In 2023, he established the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Education Foundation in order to help early career professionals reach their maximum clinical potential. The Foundation soon became the primary focus of his energies, and it will be one of his lasting legacies. Working in partnership with the College of General Dentistry over the last three years, the Foundation has developed a number of educational opportunities for recent graduates across the dental team, including the Award for Foundation Trainees and Award for Tooth Wear Cases (with support from GC), the Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry Award (with Dentsply Sirona) and the Introduction to Occlusion symposia, with the Tom Bereznicki Award for Periodontal Management due to launch later in 2026. The Foundation also supports young practitioners through the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Earlier this year, Tom was inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the profession over many years.

Tom passed away peacefully at home on Friday 16 October 2026. He will be remembered as a most generous, highly committed member of the dental profession who dedicated himself in his later years to putting back into dentistry as much as it gave him. He will also be remembered as an immensely affable colleague who lived life to the full, with a passion for good food and wine, sports, travel and the company of friends and like-minded peers. 

The College of General Dentistry and the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Education Foundation wish to thank Sir Nairn Wilson CBE FCGDent for his help in compiling this tribute.

Our range of awards and symposia for early career practitioners are organised by the College and the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation.

Introduction to Occlusion Symposium

The symposium first took place in London in 2025 and then in Edinburgh later that year. This year, the symposium will take place in Manchester on Saturday 24 October 2026. Led by renowned speakers, the programme aims to demystify the core principles of occlusion and reveal how they support successful, long-term restorations.

CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees 2027

Now in it’s fourth year, the CGDent-GC Award offers fully funded training in composite layering in Belgium to dentists and dental therapists undertaking foundation training in the UK or Ireland. The prize includes the costs of hotel accommodation and travel. The 2027 award is open for entries until Monday 22 February 2027.

Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases 2026

This clinical skills competition is open to dentists who have been qualified between two and five years. Successful candidates each receive a fully funded place on GC’s composite injection moulding technique course, including hotel, travel and subsistence. The inaugural cohort of successful candidates will be announced in November.

Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry 2026

Open to dentists who have been qualified between two and five years, this award offers fully funded training in digital dentistry, including a two-night stay in a hotel, travel costs and subsistence. Successful candidates in the 2026 award will be announced in December.

Tom Bereznicki Award for Periodontal Management

This award will be open to dental therapists and dental hygienists who have been qualified for two to five years. Successful entrants will receive fully funded training with high-quality training providers. The inaugural award will open for entries soon.

For all our educational opportunities for early career oralhealth professionals, visit our early careers page

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College of General Dentistry News

Fellowship by equivalence: update

The College has added the College of Dental Surgeons of Hong Kong and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, to the list of organisations whose fellows automatically qualify for Fellowship of CGDent by equivalence.

Founded in 1993, the College of Dental Surgeons of Hong Kong is one of 15 constituent colleges of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. Its Fellowships in eight dental disciplines (Community Dentistry, Endodontics, Family Dentistry, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Periodontology and Prosthodontics) are usually required in order to register as a specialist with the Dental Council of Hong Kong.

The Academy of Medicine, Singapore, established a College of Dental Surgeons in 2008. Its examinations in Endodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Prosthodontics and Public Health Dentistry are required for specialist registration with the Singapore Dental Council and enable admittance into Fellowship of the Academy.

Other organisations whose Fellowships are automatically recognised by the College are the:

  • Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
  • Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  • Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
  • Faculty of Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
  • Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
  • Royal College of Dentists of Canada
  • College of Dentistry of South Africa
  • American Board of General Dentistry (Board Certification)
  • former Faculty of General Dental Practice of the Royal College of Surgeons of England

The awards of other globally renowned institutions are due to be considered soon, with additional qualifications expected to be deemed at least equivalent to College Fellowship in due course.

Fellowship of the College, which is denoted by the post-nominal letters ‘FCGDent’, reflects accomplishment in dentistry. It is the most distinguished membership of the College; a mark of excellence and significant commitment to the science, art and practice in oral health. It indicates a dental professional’s commitment to development and reflective practice, diligence in upholding the highest standards of clinical care, and distinction across clinical and professional domains.

In addition to the equivalence route above, Fellowship of CGDent can be achieved through fulfilling the criteria of any three of the College’s five fellowship domains – Clinical & Technical; Teaching & Assessment; Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance; Research & Publications; and Law & Ethics.

Fellowships in Dental Nursing (FDN (CGDent)), Orthodontic Therapy (FOT (CGDent)), Dental Hygiene (FDH (CGDent)), Dental Therapy (FDTher (CGDent)), Dental Technology (FDTech (CGDent)) and Clinical Dental Technology (FCDT (CGDent)) are also available to members of the dental team with the required knowledge, skills and experience in any two domains.

Full details of the College’s Fellowship requirements are available via the button below:

FELLOWSHIP CRITERIA

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College of General Dentistry News

New PDJ online: dental education

The latest issue of the Primary Dental Journal, exploring dental education, is now available online.

The issue has been produced in collaboration with Dental Education at University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE). Established in 1873 and previously known as the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, PACE is the world’s oldest university department specialising in continuing education.

The new issue includes a range of topics that span the teaching and learning journey, such as aligning undergraduate learning with primary dental care, navigating postgraduate qualifications, considering types of assessment, and mentoring and credentialling in dentistry.

It also includes the second in a series of articles charting the history of the College, an introduction to its new Philosophy of Care, and its Philosophy of Care Statement on Initial Caries Management.

It is the first of the journal’s 54 issues to date to explore education as a theme, and is the first of what the College intends will be many collaborations between the Primary Dental Journal and expert organisations in fields relevant to general dentistry.

The Guest Editor for the issue is Stuart Ellis FCGDent, Director of the Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Education and Assistant Teaching Professor in Dental Education at the University of Cambridge. Principal of a five-surgery general dental practice in Cambridge for over thirty years, he is also Director of the Cambridge Academy of Dental Implantology and Clinical Lead for both the MSc in Advanced Dental Implantology and the MSc in General Dental Practice at Aston University. He holds a Diploma and a Master’s in Postgraduate Dental Studies from the University of Bristol, a Master’s in Medical Law & Ethics from the University of Edinburgh and both a Postgraduate Diploma and Master’s in Medical Education from the University of Cambridge.

A full list of contents can be found below.

Full online access to most articles in this and previous issues is reserved for College members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can expect their printed copies to arrive shortly. New joiners wishing to receive a copy of this issue can let us know by emailing [email protected]

For non-members / non-subscribers, five peer-reviewed papers and a number of other articles in the Dental education issue have been made available online free of charge, with all other articles available by becoming a member or by purchasing them individually via the links below.

An annual print subscription to the PDJ is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to over 1,500 current and past articles in the PDJ Library and a range of other benefits.

On behalf of the College, the PDJ editorial team would like to express its gratitude to the Guest Editor and to all the authors and peer reviewers who have contributed to this issue.

ISSUE CONTENTS:

CGDent members can view full articles by logging in via the yellow button below, then clicking ‘Access the PDJ Library’:

PDJ MEMBER ACCESS

The next issue of the journal, which is a double issue, “General dentistry”, is due out in December 2026.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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

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