We are saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We give thanks for her extraordinary life of service to our nation; our thoughts and prayers are with the Royal Family at this sad time.
New PDJ online: Oral surgery
The new edition of the Primary Dental Journal, Oral Surgery, is now online.
Guest edited by Dr Aneesha Shah of King’s College London, this issue highlights the pertinent themes relevant to common oral surgery problems, covering a wide array of topics facing the primary dental care team.
It clearly presents many of the latest oral surgery approaches, techniques, and philosophies, featuring papers on predicting dental extractions, considerations for the medically complex patient, temporomandibular disorder, and managing complications.
The issue also features the first of five domains from the College’s Career Pathways in Dentistry: Professional Framework, which describes the knowledge, skills and other attributes expected of primary care dental professionals at different career stages – from safe practitioner through to accomplished practitioner. The ‘Clinical & Technical’ domain published in this issue will be followed by ‘Professionalism’, ‘Reflection’, ‘Development’, and ‘Agency’ domains in future issues of the Primary Dental Journal.
Full access to the majority of articles is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers. For non-members / non-subscribers, individual print issues are available to purchase from £37. An annual print subscription, normally costing £114, is included with membership of the College. Membership is available from £94 for dentists and £33 for all other registered dental professionals, and also includes online access to the PDJ Archive of over 1,300 articles, and a range of other benefits.
CGDent members and PDJ subscribers should expect their printed copies to arrive in the next 2–3 weeks.
On behalf of the College, the PDJ editorial team would like to express its gratitude to all the authors and peer reviewers who have contributed to the publication of this issue.
A full list of papers is below.
CGDent members can view full articles via the links below by first visiting the PDJ Member Access page and clicking ‘Access the PDJ Archive’.
PDJ Autumn 2022 oral surgery issue contents
- Oral surgery for primary dental care by Igor R. Blum, Editor-in-Chief
- Oral surgery by Aneesha Shah, Guest Editor
- President’s update by Abhi Pal, CGDent President
- Research abstracts: oral surgery by Ario Santini
- Preventing wrong tooth extraction in primary care oral surgery: developing local safety standards for invasive procedures (LocSSIPs) by Harjit Kaur Tagar
- Making dental extractions predictable: a methodological approach by Jashme Patel, Aneesha Shah
- Safe intravenous sedation for oral surgery in a primary care setting by Samina Nayani-Low, Jashme Patel
- Record-keeping in intravenous sedation: are we meeting the standards? by Rebecca Ball, Richa Arya, Jashme Patel
- Oral surgery: considerations for the younger patient by Cathy Bryant
- Oral surgery: considerations for the medically complex patient by Cathy Bryant
- The evolving role of the dental nurse in oral surgery and implant surgery by Sheila McDonagh
- Obstructive salivary gland disease by Kiran Beneng
- When dental extractions go wrong: an overview of common complications and management by Olamide Obisesan, Cathy Bryant, Aneesha Shah
- An evaluation of patient informed consent for dental extractions by Richa Arya, Sarah Jadun, Aneesha Shah
- An audit of dental nurses’ confidence with intravenous sedation within an oral surgery department at a UK dental hospital by Elizabeth Barry, Aneesha Shah
- Osteonecrosis of the jaw in primary dental care: recognition and referral by Megan Burns, Vinod Patel
- Temporomandibular disorder: a guide for general dental practitioners by Aneesha Shah, Ambareen Naqvi
- An overview of assessment and management of acute dental pain by Sarah Jadun, Aneesha Shah
Vacancy for independent Trustee
Help us in our historic mission to build a future Royal College for dentistry
Closing date extended to Friday 7 October 2022 in response to feedback from members.
An independent Trustee is being sought for the College of General Dentistry, as we bring the dental team together, to advance oral healthcare in the UK and beyond. Our independent Trustees, who come from outside dentistry, are central role to the effective delivery of our mission.
The Board of Trustees has identified a particular need to supplement their skills in the following areas:
- legal matters as they pertain to a Charity
- matters relating to the College’s objectives as a professional body and member organisation.
Our mission has never appeared so critical. At a time when dentistry faces immense challenges, we are developing a vital role. We are building a strong and trusted professional community of practice, serving patients and public. Our ground-breaking career pathways and Certified Membership provide new support needed by all dental professionals, and our Guidance and Standards underpin high quality in the practice of dentistry in every part of the country.
We aim to pursue a Royal Charter, elevating the standing of general dentistry alongside its medical professional peers. Dentistry deserves that recognition.
So this is an exciting time to join the Trustee Board of the College. You will help us to establish and shape its development – after one year of operation.
You will be expected to contribute to effective custodianship of the organisation, with a thorough appreciation of the role of a Trustee in a modern Charity and professional membership body.
The Trustee Board, chaired by Dr Janet Clarke FCGDent, works alongside the elected Council of the College, which oversees the professional affairs of the organisation and is chaired by the President of the College, Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent.
You will have an appreciation of business imperatives that underpin a growing organisation, reconciling financial viability with delivery of our overall mission in the patient and public interest.
Profile for the role of independent Trustee.
Applications (by CV and covering letter, which should address the requirements described in the role profile, citing two references) must be received by 7 October 2022, addressed to [email protected]. Prospective candidates are advised that interviews are planned to be held in mid October in London.
College seeks new Dental Trustee
Help us in our historic mission to build a future Royal College for dentistry
Closing date extended to Friday 7 October 2022 in response to feedback from members.
A Trustee is being sought for the College of General Dentistry, as we bring the dental team together, to advance oral healthcare in the UK and beyond.
Our mission has never appeared so critical. At a time when dentistry faces immense challenges, we are developing a vital role. We are building a strong and trusted professional community of practice, serving patients and public. Our ground-breaking career pathways and Certified Membership provide new support needed by all dental professionals, and our Guidance and Standards underpin high quality in the practice of dentistry in every part of the country.
We aim to pursue a Royal Charter, elevating the standing of general dentistry alongside its medical professional peers. Dentistry deserves that recognition.
So this is an exciting time to join the Trustee Board of the College. You will help us to establish and shape the development of the College – after one year of operation – reflecting the interests of a diverse and dynamic profession. This is a significant role at a critical moment in our own development, and for the wider profession.
We have a vacancy for a dental professional to contribute as a Trustee to the development of the values of the organisation, demonstrating high standards of behaviour and attitude, reflecting the inclusive professionalism that we seek to embody and our status as a Registered Charity. You will be expected to contribute to effective custodianship of the organisation, with a thorough appreciation of the role of a Trustee.
The Trustee Board, chaired by Dr Janet Clarke FCGDent, works alongside the elected Council of the College, which oversees the professional affairs of the organisation and is chaired by the President of the College, Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent.
You will have an appreciation of business imperatives that underpin a growing organisation, reconciling financial viability with delivery of our overall mission in the patient and public interest. A particular interest in, and understanding of issues related to the professional indemnity of dental practitioners would be an advantage, as they affect the work of the College.
We are particularly interested in attracting people who can help us to engage widely across the dental team, as we seek to reflect their wide range of backgrounds and aspirations. The proportion of women and dental professionals from different backgrounds on the Register is growing, and we want our Trustee Board to be truly inclusive and reflective of our community.
Profile for the role of Dental Trustee.
Applications (by CV and covering letter, which should address the requirements described in the role profile, citing two references) must be received by 7 October 2022, addressed to [email protected]. Prospective candidates are advised that interviews are planned to be held in mid October in London. To be eligible, you must be a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of CGDent at the time of appointment.
Education partnership with Dentistry Show London
The College will be the headline education partner for the Clinical Excellence Theatre at Dentistry Show London 2022, hosting nine seminars in three CPD theatres over the two-day conference.
CGDent speakers: top row: Jalpesh Patel, Kevin Lewis, Jason Wong, Wendy Thompson; bottom row: Tim Newton, Jacqui Elsden, Pynadath George, Abhi Pal
The College will be welcoming members and non-members alike to its sessions, with eight experts in their fields sharing their knowledge and giving advice on an array of subjects encompassing clinical dentistry, professionalism and career support:
- Introduction to facial aesthetics and the current educational pathways
- Duty of Candour: the legal and regulatory risk
- Professionalism – a medico-legal perspective
- Creating a positive patient safety culture in dentistry
- Antimicrobial prescribing in dentistry
- Mental health wellness in dentistry
- Supporting staff through menopause (co-hosted with the BADN)
- Mentoring in implant dentistry: good practice guidelines
- Record-keeping in the real world of general dental practice
College representatives will also be available throughout the conference at Stand F58 to talk to delegates about the College, its vision for the profession and the benefits of membership, and to answer questions.
Conference registration is free, and delegates will have access to over 100 seminars in all across 6 lecture theatres, as well as over 180 exhibiting suppliers, and the opportunity to network with thousands of dentists, practice managers, hygienists and therapists, dental nurses, technicians and laboratory owners.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Eugene Chan appointed first overseas College Ambassador
The College of General Dentistry has announced the appointment of Dr Eugene Chan SBS BBS JP as an ambassador.
Drawn from a variety of backgrounds, College Ambassadors have a remit to advocate for the College’s mission and vision, and Dr Chan’s appointment further expands the range of expertise and scope of influence within its ambassadorial team.
Eugene Kin Keung Chan is the principal of a multi-disciplinary dental group practice in Hong Kong, where he was born and raised, and the Chief Dental Officer & Chief Public Affairs officer of EC Healthcare, a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He graduated BDS from the University of Adelaide in 1988, and later attained the certificate of the National Dental Examining Board of Canada, memberships of the FGDP(UK), Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) and the Hong Kong College of Dental Surgeons, and the FGDP(UK) Diploma and Advanced Certificate in Implant Dentistry.
With over 20 years of teaching experience, Dr Chan is a visiting professor at Jinan University, Guangzhou, and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and was previously a part-time Clinical Lecturer in the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Dentistry. For ten years he was also an Examiner for the FGDP and RCS.
A past President of both the Australian Doctors & Dentists Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Dental Association, he has also served as Co-Chairman of the 26th Asia-Pacific Dental Congress, Vice President of the Asia Pacific Dental Federation, a member of the Dental Council of Hong Kong, and a Governor of Prince Philip Dental Hospital.
In 2006, he was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the FGDP for his contribution to continuing dental education, and he also holds honorary fellowships of the International College of Dentists, American College of Dentists, Pierre Fauchard Academy and the Academy of Dentistry International.
Outside of dentistry, he has been a member of the Advisory Committee of the School of Chinese Medicine of Hong Kong Baptist University, the Quality Education Fund Steering Committee and the Council of City University of Hong Kong, as well as both Chairman and President of the Association of Hong Kong Professionals, and an independent non-executive director of Hong Kong listed companies PuraPharm Corporation and Classified Group. He has also served on over 15 government committees and was made a Justice of the Peace in 2011, awarded a Bronze Bauhinia Star Medal (equivalent to MBE) for meritorious public service in 2016 and a Silver Bauhinia Star Medal (equivalent to OBE) in 2021.
Co-author of eleven books, host of a health awareness television show and anchor of an English language current affairs television programme for TVB Limited, he also publishes news articles about Hong Kong and is a past Chairman of the Board of Advisors of Radio Television Hong Kong.
Dr Chan is the College’s sixteenth ambassador to be appointed, and the first based outside the UK. Previously appointed College Ambassadors include:
- Dr Louise Belfield, Associate Professor of Biomedical and Oral Health Sciences, Peninsula Dental School
- Professor Jonathan Cowpe, former Director of Postgraduate Dental Education in Wales
- Dr Shelagh Farrell, Founder Member of the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK
- Dr Marina Harris, Senior Lecturer and Periodontology Lead, University of Portsmouth Dental Academy
- Professor Jacky Hayden CBE, President, Academy of Medical Educators
- Professor Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet
- Dame Parveen Kumar DBE, Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Education, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London
- Professor Jason Leitch CBE, National Clinical Director, Scottish Government
- Dr Ian Mills,Past Dean of the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK
- Dr Govin Murugachandran, Founder, Flynotes
- Dr Yewande Oduwole, Associate Dentist
- Marie Parker,Deputy Programme Director of Hygiene and Therapy at University College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London
- Rt Hon Sir Mike Penning, Member of Parliament
- Dr Wendy Thompson, Lecturer in Primary Dental Care, University of Manchester
- Dr Pouya Zohrabpour, Associate Dentist
Details of all College ambassadors are available here
Non-voting Council members 2022-23
Maria Clark and Igor Blum have been re-appointed as non-voting members of the College Council for 2022-23.
Professor Igor R. Blum FCGDent has been Editor-in-Chief and Clinical Editor of the Primary Dental Journal since 2017, and is a Foundation Fellow of the College and a member of its Professional Affairs Committee.
After qualifying DDS (Hons) from Semmelweis University, Budapest, in 1995, he completed an MSc in Oral Surgery and a PhD in Restorative Dentistry at the University of Manchester, and a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree at the University of Frankfurt, Germany. Following several years in general dental practice and working as part time clinical assistant at the Manchester Dental Hospital, he became a Clinical Lecturer/Honorary Specialist Registrar in Restorative Dentistry at Bristol Dental School.
With clinical interests encompassing all aspects of advanced restorative dentistry, Prof Blum is a GDC-registered specialist in prosthodontics, periodontics, endodontics and restorative dentistry, and has lectured widely both nationally and internationally. A Fellow in Restorative Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and a member of the European Prosthodontic Association and the British Society for Dental Research, he has also been appointed to the Specialist Training Committee for Restorative Dentistry. He has authored six book chapters and over 80 peer-reviewed journal papers, holds several visiting professorships in Europe and the US, and is on the editorial board of several dental journals, including the Journal of Dentistry and the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry.
A member and examiner at both the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, he has also been an external examiner at the University of Kent. Holding a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, an MA in Education and an LLM (Medico-Legal), he is a member of the Association for Dental Education in Europe, which last year awarded him its Mature Career Educator Award in recognition of his excellence in dental education. He is also a Fellow of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, of the International College Dentists and of the Higher Education Academy.
He is currently Clinical Lead and Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Hospital, and Head of the Departments of Restorative Dentistry and Primary Dental Care at King’s College Hospital Dental Institute, as well as Maurice Wohl Professor in Primary Care Dentistry and Advanced General Dental Practice at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London, and the university’s Director for Dental Outreach Education.
Maria Clark FFGDP(UK)(Hon.) is the College’s Patient Representative, and was previously a member of the Faculty of General Dental Practice’s Lay and Patient Panel (2016-17) and its Patient Representative (2017-21).
Her interest in health services began in 2006 when going through genetic counselling for a rare genetic condition, and she has been involved ever since both as a service user in maternity and gynaecological services and as a supporter for various family members across a range of NHS departments.
As a solicitor, she spent 10 years supporting people disabled as a result of the negligence of clinicians, employers and others, and she has worked for disability organisations and those aiming to redress the balance in health inequalities.
Driven to ensure patient views are incorporated into healthcare policies and research, Maria holds a range of public involvement and engagement positions, including being a Patient Safety Partner at NHS England, Vice-Chair of the British Medical Association’s Patient Liaison Group and Patient Champion at her local GP practice. She is also a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Women’s Network (and lay examiner for their part 3 MRCOG examination), and external research ethics reviewer (and member of the Research Ethics Committee) at the University of Sheffield.
She acted as Patient Representative during the development of both Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry – Good Practice Guidelines and Implications of COVID-19 for the safe management of general dental practice: a practical guide, and was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the FGDP in 2020.
In memory of Bob Morgan 1952-2022
We regret to report that Robert Leslie Morgan FFGDP(UK)(Hon.), former national board member and West Midlands regional director for the Faculty of General Dental Practice, has passed away aged 69.
Born and raised in South Wales, he was awarded the Licentiate in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1975, and graduated from Birmingham Dental School the same year. He worked at Morgan Dental Practice in Halesowen, a mixed NHS-and-private practice with an orthodontic contract, from its purchase in 1977 with his wife, Sue, until his retirement from clinical dentistry in 2012.
Always encouraging colleagues and peers to go further with their career at whatever stage, and with a particular passion for inspiring the younger generation, he was heavily involved in postgraduate dental education. In the West Midlands, he had been a member of the Postgraduate Education Board, a postgraduate tutor, coordinator for dental nurse access training and Associate Dental Dean, overseeing and running over 100 courses per year. After being awarded the MFGDP(UK), he became a regional MFGDP tutor, later serving as an examiner, then Deputy Chief Examiner, until 2009. As a member of the MFGDP Core Group he was responsible for the OSCE circuit and overseas examinations, and he was involved in planning the merger of the MFGDP and MFDS examinations into the MJDF.
He also lectured and taught throughout the UK as well as in Hong Kong, India, Gibraltar, Singapore and Nepal, on legislative and practice management topics as well as aspects of the MFDGP and MDJF. He achieved the Award in Medical Education from the University of Warwick, and later became an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at its medical school, and for three years he was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Kent, as well as Quality Assurance lead for its MSc in Primary Dental Care.
Bob was on the FGDP West Midlands divisional board for over fifteen years, including three as Divisional Director, and served on the FGDP Education Committee throughout his thirteen years as an elected representative on the National Faculty Board. He contributed to the Legislation and Good Practice Guidelines module of the Faculty’s Key Skills in Primary Dental Care e-learning package, wrote a series of articles about Key Skills for First Hand (one of the forerunners of the Primary Dental Journal), and was a member of the Interfaculty Membership Development Group of the FGDP and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FDS). Achieving Fellowship of the FDS in 2008, he was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the FGDP in 2012.
He was a member of the BDA, on Dudley LDC for over 30 years, and for four years acted as Regional Advisor and Consultant Clinical Assessor for Bupa Dental Cover. Also actively involved in the community outside of dentistry, he was a member of the West Midlands Library Development Group, Chairman of Belbroughton Parish Council, and Area Chairman and past President of the local Round Table. He was also Chairman of the PTA during the school years of his daughter, Sarah – who is now a dental hygienist and dental team representative on the College Council.
On top of his many professional and civic involvements, Bob had a rich array of hobbies and sporting interests. A French speaker, he enjoyed family caravanning holidays in the south of France, as well as skiing trips to the French, Swiss and Austrian Alps. He was a fan of Welsh rugby, liked playing tennis, ran the London and Paris marathons, and made the Guinness Book of Records in 1982 for driving around Britain. He was a keen gardener, photographer and party host, his Christmas lights were said to be better than the Blackpool Illuminations, and he enjoyed taking his granddaughters Georgia and Louisa ‘Gruffalo hunting’ in the woods near their home.
He was kind, generous, welcoming, and had a cheeky smile that belied his strong will. He was very ill in 2011, but survived against all the odds and continued to play an active but non-clinical role in his practice. He passed away peacefully at Worcestershire Royal Hospital on Thursday 14 July 2022, with Sue and Sarah by his side and surrounded by his favourite flowers from his pride and joy of a garden.
College welcomes NHS England contract changes
The College has responded to changes to the NHS England dental contract announced by the Chief Dental Officer for England, Sara Hurley FCGDent.
Dental therapists will soon be able to accept patients for NHS treatments, providing fillings, sealants and preventative care for adults and children. Providers will also be able to claim for five Units of Dental Activity (UDAs), rather than three at present, where a patient requires filling or extraction of three or more teeth in a course of treatment and/or non-molar endodontic care to permanent teeth, and seven UDAs for a course of treatment requiring the provision of molar endodontic care to permanent teeth. In addition, practices may be able to increase their NHS activity by up to 10% beyond their contracted amount if local dental funding is underspent.
Responding to the announcement, Abhi Pal FCGDent, President of the College of General Dentistry, said:
“While the NHS dental contract in England still needs wider and more fundamental reform, we welcome these changes – the first in 16 years – as positive and significant improvements.
“In particular, we have previously called for the removal of unnecessary restrictions on the roles played by members of the wider dental team, and are pleased to see that steps will be soon taken in this direction. The College believes that greater recognition and use within NHS dentistry of the full range of skills of all team members will benefit patients, enable the delivery of more preventative care, and support professional satisfaction and staff retention.
“We have also said that while truly universal access to NHS dentistry can only be achieved with greater funding, access can still be improved through better allocation of existing resources. We therefore welcome the direction of more resource to the treatment of patients with greater needs, as well as the potential for practices to deliver additional care so that all funding allocated to dentistry is used for its intended purpose.”
Vice Presidents and dental team representatives 2022-23
Tashfeen Kholasi and Patricia Thomson have been elected as the College of General Dentistry’s Vice Presidents for 2022-23, and Louise Belfield, John Stanfield, Bill Sharpling and Sarah Hill have been re-appointed to their roles providing representation of the wider dental team on the College Council.
Bottom row (l-r): Bill Sharpling, John Stanfield, Sarah Hill
Patricia Thomson FCGDent, Council representative for the West and North of Scotland, graduated from Glasgow Dental School in 1983 and has worked in general dental practice ever since. She became a principal in 1985, sold her practice in 2017, and now works as a part-time associate. She has provided mixed NHS and private care and has an interest in orthodontics. She has tutored colleagues for entry exams for the Royal Colleges, presented teaching sessions on orthodontics to vocational trainees, and delivers postgraduate lectures at RCPS Glasgow. She served on the National Board of the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) from 2016-21, and is Chair of the College of General Dentistry’s Regional Funding Panel. She is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and a Past President of the West of Scotland branch of the British Dental Association.
Tashfeen Kholasi FCGDent, Council representative for the North East and North West Thames region, was re-elected after serving as one of the College’s inaugural Vice Presidents in 2021-22. She is an associate dentist and Chief Clinical Information Officer in general dental practice, as well as a Clinical Tutor in Special Care and Sedation at King’s College London, from where she qualified. With a strong interest in digital health, she is a Fellow of the Faculty of Clinical Informatics, and a former health informatics clinical lead at NHS Digital. She has a Diploma in Conscious Sedation and a Master’s in Legal Aspects of Medical Practice, and is currently completing a Master’s in Healthcare Leadership and Commissioning. She was elected to the FGDP’s board in 2020 and serves on the College’s Membership Affairs Committee, Professional Affairs Committee and Membership Admissions Panel.
The Vice Presidents support the College President in the delivery of the strategy and policy agreed by the Council, from which they are elected.
Roshni Karia MCGDent stood down as a Vice President after completing the maximum two years’ service in the role, having previously been Vice Dean of the FGDP in 2019-20. During her tenure, she has been instrumental in the development of the College’s soon-to-be-launched Certified Membership scheme, and has been appointed Chair of the College’s Professional Affairs Committee for 2022-23.
Louise Belfield, John Stanfield and Bill Sharpling have been re-appointed to the College Council for a further year as the respective voting representatives of dental nursing & orthodontic therapy, dental hygiene & therapy, and dental technology & clinical dental technology. It is intended that these positions will become elected in 2023 following the formation of professional faculties within the College. Sarah Hill has also been re-appointed to provide additional non-voting representation of dental professionals other than dentists.
Louise Belfield AssocFCGDent is a dental nurse, research scientist, lecturer, Health Education England Dental Clinical Fellow, and National Examination Board for Dental Nurses Trustee. Louise trained as a dental nurse in Devon, qualifying in 2001. She has worked across a range of dental specialties at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust including community, special care, and emergency dentistry, as well as in general dental practice. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Human Biosciences, a doctorate in immunology, and a postgraduate certificate in clinical education. She was awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2019 in recognition of her continued contributions to dental education. She is a member of the College’s Professional Affairs Committee and Membership Admissions Panel.
Bill Sharpling FCGDent is Associate Dean (CPD) and Director of the London Dental Education Centre (LonDEC) at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London. Previously, he was Head of Dental Technology at Guy’s, King’s College and St Thomas’ Hospitals. He is also the External Examiner for the BSc(Hons) Clinical Dental Technology programme at the University of Central Lancashire. After qualifying in 1986, Bill spent the next 10 years working as a Dental Technician, gaining advanced qualifications in fixed and removable prosthodontics. He has worked in commercial dental laboratories, the Armed Forces and as the Chief Instructor in Conservative Dental Technology at Guy’s Hospital Dental School. He is a member of the College’s Careers and Training Committee.
John Stanfield AssocFCGDent has over 40 years’ experience as a dental hygienist, and works in private dental practice in Cheshire. He was Editor of the FGDP’s Team in Practice journal and Vice-Chair of its DCP Committee, and now serves on the College’s Membership Affairs Committee. Originally qualifying in the Army in 1980, he has experience of hospital, NHS, teaching establishments and private practice. He has studied learning and teaching, with a special interest in the use of technology and media, was a clinical lead for NHS Test & Trace, and is a trustee for the dental charity Maasai Molar, enabling the education of children of the Maasai region towards better dental health.
Sarah Hill AssocFCGDent qualified as a dental hygienist from the University of Bristol with distinction in 2012, and holds a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Southampton and a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Education from the University of Plymouth. Working as a hygienist in a mixed orthodontic practice in Halesowen, she has previously delivered presentations for TePe, been a sales representative for GlaxoSmithKline, and a lecturer in Community-Based Dentistry at Peninsula Dental School. An assessor for the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and past Chair of the South West and South Wales group of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, she was an Affiliate Member of FGDP from 2013-21, and the DCP representative on both its West Midlands and national boards.
Abhi Pal FCGDent, President of the College, said:
“On behalf of our members, I congratulate Patricia on her election as Vice President, Tashfeen on her re-election for a second term, and Louise, Bill, John and Sarah on their re-appointment as dental team representatives. I look forward to drawing on their vast and varied experience, knowledge and expertise as the College continues to fulfil its historic mission to build a professional body for all dental professionals.
“I would also like to thank Roshni for her service as Vice President, and look forward to continuing to work with her as we launch Certified Membership and in her new role overseeing our professional affairs activity.”
