College of General Dentistry News

New member elected to College Council

The College has announced that Dr Ralph Pickup FCGDent has been elected to the Mersey & North West seat on its Council.

Dr Ralph Pickup FCGDent, the newly elected College Council member for Mersey & North West

Dr 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.

He will be inaugurated at the Council’s Summer meeting in London on Friday 12 June, and succeeds Janine Yazdi-Doughty FCGDent

The Council is the voice of the College’s members, overseeing its role as a professional body and guiding its development to fulfil its mission. Elections are held annually on a rotational basis, with elected members serving three-year terms after which they are eligible to stand for re-election (subject to a lifetime limit of nine years’ service on the Council, including any past service on the National Board of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK).

Nominations will open in January for 11 seats due for election in 2027:

  • Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy
  • Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy
  • Faculty of Dental Technology & Clinical Dental Technology
  • Faculty of Dentists
  • Central London
  • North Thames
  • South West England
  • Trent & East Anglia
  • Wales
  • West Midlands
  • Yorkshire & Northern

To stand for a Faculty seat, you must be an Associate Member, Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College, and must be registered with the GDC (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant role for the seat. Candidates for regional seats must be a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College (in any team role) and must live or work within that region, and be registered to that region with the College.

Further information is available here

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College of General Dentistry News

Four new routes to Associate Fellowship

The College has opened four new routes to Associate Fellowship, expanding eligibility to those with suitable knowledge and experience in teaching, leadership, research or dento-legal matters.

A stepping stone to Fellowship, Associate Fellowship was introduced by the College at its inception to increase the standing of those dental professionals who have significantly developed their knowledge and skills. Open to those in all dental team roles, it bridges the large gap between Membership and Fellowship which previously offered no further recognition of these individuals’ achievements.

To date, Associate Fellowship has only been open to those holding particular qualifications, broadly aligning it to the requirements of the old Clinical domain of College Fellowship.

However, to widen relevance across different aspects of professional achievement, and to further recognise the diversity of contributions made to the profession in the service of patients, Associate Fellowship is now open to any dental professional with at least five years’ experience in practice who meets the requirements of any one of the College’s five Fellowship domains.

The recently revised domain requirements are openly published so that prospective Associate Fellows can easily check their eligibility and be confident in their application.

A summary of the domain requirements is below:

Clinical & Technical

This domain requires the applicant either to hold an eligible award or to submit a clinical portfolio demonstrating equivalent training and capability.

Qualifying awards include a relevant Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s degree or PhD from a recognised UK or EHEA higher education institution or an accredited UK provider; the CGDent Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics or Certified Practitioner status; specialty membership of a UK Royal College or Royal College faculty; a diploma in a specific dental discipline from RCS England, RCS Edinburgh or the former FGDP; the MGDS, MAGDS, MDS or MRACDS; and Accredited Full Membership of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Alternatively, applications by clinical portfolio are currently open in Restorative Dentistry, with specifications for Implant Dentistry and Orthodontics due to be published soon.

Teaching & Assessment

This requires applicants to either be recognised by an authoritative body in this field, to have a relevant Postgraduate Certificate together with three years’ qualifying experience, or to have eight years’ qualifying experience plus verified training.

For example, applicants can qualify if they have eight years’ service as an NHS Educational Supervisor (for at least 200 hours per year), together with either 27 hours’ relevant and recent CPD or Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance

Applicants under this domain should either hold an eligible diploma-level leadership qualification, or a certificate-level leadership qualification together with three years’ service in a relevant leadership role, or have three years’ experience in a defined senior leadership role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD.

For example, applicants qualify if they have three years’ experience of leadership, oversight and accountability as principal or partner of a multi-chair practice with a minimum of six registrants, together with a relevant Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate or ILM Level 5 diploma.

Research & Publications

Applicants should either have completed a relevant Doctorate or Master’s degree including a research dissertation, or have had at least five peer-reviewed articles published in MEDLINE-indexed publications (such as the Primary Dental Journal) or Dental Update.

Law & Ethics

This domain requires applicants to have either five years’ experience in a qualifying role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD, or to have a law degree or relevant postgraduate qualification together with a year’s experience in a relevant role.

Associate Fellows are senior members of the College who are advancing their journey towards Fellowship. Recognised as ‘Enhanced Practitioners’ on the College’s Career Pathway, their professional standing is marked out by the use of the postnominal AssocFCGDent.

As members of the Fellowship Community, Associate Fellows reflect the College’s values and focus on professionalism, and help provide leadership and support to the development of dentistry. They can attend the prestigious biannual Fellows’ Receptions, and have the opportunity for ceremonial admission by the President.

Associate Fellows receive a 5% reduction in their dental indemnity fees with Dental Protection. They are also eligible to enrol on a ‘top-up’ MSc in General Dental Practice, completion of which can be achieved in a single year of part-time distance learning and would take them a further step towards Fellowship by satisfying the Research & Publications domain.

Like all College members, Associate Fellows receive quarterly print issues of the Primary Dental Journal, the only peer-reviewed professional development journal dedicated to general dental practice, as well as free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and networking opportunities.

There is no fee for applying to become an Associate Fellow, and existing members who successfully upgrade will only start paying the applicable higher membership fee from their next annual renewal.

Full details of the domains, and a link to apply for Associate Fellowship of the College, are available by clicking the button below:

FELLOWSHIP DOMAINS

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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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College of General Dentistry News

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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