College of General Dentistry News

Recruitment of Board member (Faculty of Dental Technology and Clinical Dental Technology)

The College is seeking a new board member for its Faculty of Dental Technology and Clinical Dental Technology, and all dental technicians and clinical dental technicians are invited to apply.

The Faculty of Dental Technology and Clinical Dental Technology is a constituency of the College automatically comprising all members who are dental technicians or clinical dental technicians. Advising and reporting to the elected College Council, the Faculty Board advances the interests of these members within the College as a discrete professional group.

Faculty Board members are appointed for renewable three-year terms, and the appointee will be expected to attend at least three Faculty Board meetings per year from June 2025 – June 2028.

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 is voluntary, with any essential expenses covered. A role profile is available below.

ROLE PROFILE

Applications should be made by email, headed “Board member (Faculty of Dental Technology and Clinical Dental Technology)”, to [email protected], attaching a CV and covering letter addressing the person specification. 

The closing date for applications is Sunday 4 May 2025.

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College of General Dentistry News

Recruitment of Board Chair (Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy)

The College is seeking the next Chair of the Board of its Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, and all dental hygienists and dental therapists are invited to consider applying.

The Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy is a constituency of the College automatically comprising all members who are dental hygienists or dental therapists. The interests of these members as a discrete professional group are advanced within the College by both a voting representative on the elected College Council and by a Faculty Board which advises and reports to Council.

Membership of the Faculty Board is appointed by Council, including the Chair, who works closely with the President and other Faculty Board Chairs in realising College priorities.

The Chair will be appointed for a non-renewable three-year term from June 2025 – June 2028, during which they will be expected to attend the three formal meetings of Council each year, and to coordinate at least three meetings of their Faculty Board annually with these dates. Council holds full day hybrid meetings, with attendance in person preferred.

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 is voluntary, with essential expenses covered. A role profile is available below.

ROLE PROFILE

Applications should be made by email, headed “Board Chair (Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy)”, to [email protected], attaching a CV and covering letter addressing the person specification.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 4 May 2025.

Interviews will be held online from the week beginning 12 May (tbc) with a selection panel convened by Council, and the appointee should be available to attend the College Council meeting on Friday 13 June 2025.

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

Widening the Circle – ‘1992’ meetings now open to all retired members

The College has expanded eligibility to join its 1992 Circle to all fully retired members.

Cutler’s Hall, London; venue for the next 1992 Circle gathering

Created shortly after the inception of the College, the 1992 Circle initially brought together a dedicated group of retired College Fellows and past Fellows of the Faculty of General Dental Practice with a shared enthusiasm for the work of the College.

The group is named in honour of the year the FGDP(UK) was founded, a key moment which brought together the members of the College of General Dental Practitioners (UK) and the former RCS Advisory Board in General Dental Practice with the shared ambition to create an independent College over time.

More than 30 years later, the 1992 Circle celebrates the vision of those who put the general dental profession in the UK on a journey towards independent collegiate status. Bringing the benefit of our members’ significant experience to the work of the College today, the Circle promotes their continued standing in the profession in retirement and creates a sociable network of like-minded individuals.

Since its formation, the 1992 Circle has since held a series of gatherings prior to the College’s biannual Fellows’ Receptions, and its members have been involved in recording the histories of the formation of the FGDP and of FGDP qualifications, and in raising funds to secure the College’s Coat of Arms. The Circle has also fed into discussions on the ambitions and priorities for the future development of the College.

The College is now building on this by extending Circle membership to all fully retired members, with the aim of fostering continued close connections with and between our whole retired community.

Retired members enjoy the same benefits, rights and privileges of the College as practising members, but enjoy a fee discount of up to 66% from their next renewal – and there is no additional charge for membership of the 1992 Circle.

Circle members receive special invitations to College events, as well as periodic updates from its Convenor, Sir Nairn Wilson CBE, and information on the events and activities of the Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry.

All members of the College who are already fully retired from practice have now been enrolled in the 1992 Circle, and College members who are currently in practice will be enrolled once fully retired.

Members of the 1992 Circle are invited, for their Winter 2025 gathering – the first since the expansion in membership – to attend a special reception marking the 50th issue of the Primary Dental Journal. This takes place on the afternoon of Thursday 30 January 2025 in London. There is no charge for this event, but prior registration via the button below is requested.

REGISTER HERE

Circle members are also invited to join the online Annual Members’ Meeting on 4 March 2025, and will soon be invited to the inaugural College Lecture and the Fellows’ Summer Reception in Sheffield on 13 June 2025. Details will be circulated soon, and interest will also be gauged in holding a 1992 Circle Lunch the same day.

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College of General Dentistry Event

London meet-and-greet

Friday 9 – Saturday 10 October 2026, 9.00am – 5.00pm, London

ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL

The College invites all dental professionals to visit its exhibition stand at Dentistry Show London 2026.

College members and non-members alike are encouraged to come and introduce themselves, to find out more about the College and have their queries answered.

Perhaps you have questions about your membership or how to access your benefits? Or want to know whether you’re eligible for Full Membership, Associate Fellowship or Fellowship? Or you wonder what Life Fellowship is, our Certified Practitioner status or how to add your qualifications to the Member Register?

Maybe you’re a former member of FGDP(UK) uncertain of your College status, or the correct way to present your Faculty post-nominals?

Or perhaps you’re a non-member who’s not yet heard much about the College and just wants to find out why we were set up, what our plans are or how we can help you in your career?

Whatever your query, senior College members and staff will be there throughout the conference to help you out, and have live access to College systems to help solve membership queries on the spot.

Or even if you don’t have a query, we’d be delighted to meet you!

The College will also be an education partner for the show, hosting CPD lectures.

Dentistry Show London gives you access to over 180 exhibitors and 4,000 fellow dental professionals, and offers over 100 CPD lectures in all. It’s FREE to attend for all registered dental professionals.

A registration link will be added below once registration is open.

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College of General Dentistry Event

Birmingham meet-and-greet

Friday 15 May (9am-5.30pm) & Saturday 16 May 2026 (9am-5pm), Birmingham

Hall 5, National Exhibition Centre, North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT

The College invites all dental professionals to visit its exhibition stand at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2026

College members and non-members alike are encouraged to come and introduce themselves, to find out more about the College and have their queries answered.

Perhaps you have questions about your membership or how to access your benefits? Or want to know whether you’re eligible for Full Membership, Associate Fellowship or Fellowship? Or you wonder how to download your membership certificate, what Certified Practitioner status is, or how to add your qualifications to the Member Register?

Maybe you’re a former member of FGDP(UK) uncertain of your College status, or the correct way to present your Faculty post-nominals?

Or perhaps you’re a non-member who’s not yet heard much about the College and just wants to find out why we were set up, what our plans are or how we can help you in your career?

Whatever your query, senior College members and staff will be there throughout the conference to help you out, and we’ll have live access to our systems to help solve membership queries on the spot.

Or even if you don’t have a query, we’d be delighted to meet you!

The College will also be an education partner, hosting CPD lectures.

The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show is the UK’s largest dental event, giving you access to 400 exhibitors and 10,000 fellow dental professionals, and offering over 200 lectures across 11 CPD theatres.

Registration for BDCDS26 will be FREE for all dental professionals.

A link will be added below once registration is open.

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College of General Dentistry Blog

My journey to College Fellowship: Fatimah Jawaid

Fatimah Jawaid FCGDent, a general dental practitioner based in Birmingham, describes her professional journey and how her experience led to Fellowship of the College.

Q. Can you tell us about yourself and your career?

A. I am a dedicated general dentist working in Edgbaston, Birmingham. I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2012 with Distinction in Clinical Dentistry. I completed my FD year and went on to complete a further DCT year in Restorative Dentistry at Barts Dental Hospital, London. After this, I settled into an associate role in Birmingham, completed my MSc in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics, PGCert in Dental Education and have recently completed my Implant Training. I am currently in the process of becoming a principal dentist and look forward to the new challenges ahead!

Outside of work, my main job is being mummy to Liyana (aged 5) and Layth (aged 3). We live in Moseley, Birmingham, with my husband, Sadiq, who is a currently a maxillofacial registrar. I enjoy going to the gym, travelling and exploring new cultures with my tribe in tow!

Q. Why did you decide to apply for Fellowship of the College?

A. I obtained College Fellowship (FCGDent) through the ‘Fellowship by experience’ route. I felt this achievement allowed me to demonstrate high standards in primary care dentistry and reflect the commitment I had put into my career since graduation. Upon researching the criteria, I realised that I was able to meet the domains and successfully achieve Fellowship.

Q. Which three of the five fellowship domains does your professional experience meet?

A. The three domains that I used for my Fellowship application were Clinical; Teaching, Learning & Assessment; and Publications & Research.

My Masters in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics from Kings College London (2019) provided me with the evidence for the Clinical Domain as it had more than the required credits.

The final year dissertation allowed me to the achieve the Publications & Research Domain.

For the Teaching, Learning & Assessment Domain, I used my PGCert in Dental Education and I demonstrated that I had at least four years’ experience in a role as an Educational Supervisor for Foundation Dentists.

Q. What would you say to others who are considering applying for Fellowship through the experience route?

A. Still considering myself as a young dentist, I am excited to see the opportunities and ideas that are being undertaken within the College and how they will impact my future practising career.

Having completed several challenging postgraduate courses, the recognition I received from the College, and being able to call myself a Fellow of the College at 31, felt very rewarding indeed!

Dental professionals can apply for admission to Fellowship of the College – the mark of accomplishment in dentistry – by two routes: Fellowship by Experience and Fellowship by Equivalence.

To apply for Fellowship by the Fellowship by Experience route, you will need to submit a CV and detailed evidence showing how you meet the eligibility criteria for three of the five fellowship domains. The domains are:

  1. Clinical
  2. Teaching, learning & assessment
  3. Leadership & management
  4. Publications & research
  5. Law & ethics

We have “Gateway” criteria which require less evidence and will be processed more quickly, if you meet all these requirements.

Full details about routes to Fellowship and how to apply are available here.

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College of General Dentistry Event

Fellows’ Winter Reception

Thursday 5 February 2026, 6-9pm, London

The Livery Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR

The College of General Dentistry 2026 Fellows’ Winter Reception will take place on the evening of Thursday 5 February in the historic Cutlers’ Hall in London.

The event is an opportunity to network with peers over drinks and canapés, as well as to meet College Trustees and members of the College Council and Faculty Boards.

After a welcome by the Chair of the College and an address by the President, the College Medal awarded in June 2025 to Kevin Lewis FCGDent will be presented to his son, Nick Lewis FCGDent (a Foundation Member of the College and former Course Director of the FGDP[UK] Diploma in Restorative Dentistry).

This will be followed by the admission of new Fellows and Associate Fellows.

The event will be preceded in the same venue by a reception to mark 20 years of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry and the Lindsay Society’s Lilian Lindsay memorial lecture.

Formal business attire is recommended

Ticketing

This event is open to all members of the College’s Fellowship community, i.e. Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College, as well as members of the College’s Board of Trustees, Council and Faculty Boards.

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

If booked early, tickets are free of charge to presenting Fellows (i.e. new Fellows, and any College Fellow who has neither been ceremonially admitted as a Fellow at a previous College Fellows’ Reception nor had their fellowship of the former FGDP(UK) [if applicable] conferred at a Diplomates’ Day).

If booked early, tickets are also free of charge to presenting Associate Fellows (i.e. any Associate Fellow who did not attend the most recent Fellows’ Summer Reception on 13 June 2025 – regardless of whether they have attended any previous Fellows’ Receptions).

Once all complimentary tickets have been taken, tickets for presenting Fellows and presenting Associate Fellows will cost £20.

For all other attendees, tickets are £55 if booked early.

All those eligible to attend may bring up to one guest should they wish. Newly admitting Fellows may wish to bring a partner or family member, other members may wish to bring a colleague (in any dental team role, including trainees).

All guest tickets are charged at £55 if booked early, regardless of the rate paid for the eligible member’s own ticket, and guest tickets must be booked at the same time as the eligible member’s ticket.

Once all early bird tickets have been sold, tickets for all attendees other than presenting Fellows and Associate Fellows will cost £65.

To book your place(s), click the button below:

SECURE YOUR PLACE NOW

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College of General Dentistry Event

Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows

Thursday 5 February 2026, 6-9pm, London

Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent being ceremonially admitted into Fellowship by College President Dr Roshni Karia

The Livery Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, Warwick Lane, London EC4M 7BR

Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College are invited to be presented for ceremonial admission into our Fellowship community by the President of the College, Dr Roshni Karia.

The presentations will be incorporated within the Fellows’ Winter Reception, and will take place in front of gathered Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College.

This is only the second opportunity for Associate Fellows to be presented, and all Associate Fellows attending the Fellows’ Winter Reception will be ceremonially admitted and can attend the event free of charge (subject to timely registration – deadline to be confirmed).

New Fellows, and any College Fellow attending the Fellows’ Winter Reception who has neither been ceremonially admitted at a previous College Fellows’ Reception nor had their fellowship of the former FGDP(UK) conferred at a Diplomates’ Day will be ceremonially admitted and can likewise attend the reception without charge if they book early (deadline to be confirmed).

Each presenting Fellow or Associate Fellow may bring one guest. Guest tickets are charged at £55 if booked early and £65 thereafter. Guest tickets must be booked at the same time as the presenting member’s ticket.

Photographs of each presenting Fellow and Associate Fellow being ceremonially admitted by the President will be made available shortly afterwards to download free of charge.

The Fellows’ Winter Reception is an opportunity for dental professionals to network with their peers, as well as to meet College Trustees and members of the College Council and Faculty Boards.

Tickets for this event are not yet available; a booking link will be added shortly.

SECURE YOUR PLACE NOW

Associate Fellowship of the College recognises enhanced knowledge and skills, and demonstrates commitment to lifelong learning and the highest levels of patient care. 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 with the use of the postnominals ‘AssocFCGDent’.

Associate Fellowship is currently open to those holding an eligible Postgraduate Diploma or Masters level qualification in a relevant subject.

BECOME AN ASSOCIATE FELLOW

Fellowship is the most senior membership of the College; a mark of distinction across clinical and professional domains, and of significant commitment to the art and science of dentistry through professional development, reflective practice and diligence in upholding the highest standards of clinical care. Recognised as Accomplished Practitioners on the College’s Career Pathway, the professional standing of College Fellows is signified through the use of the postnominals ‘FCGDent’.

Admittance to Fellowship can be achieved by experience or by equivalence.

BECOME A FELLOW

Anyone successfully completing an application to join the College as an Associate Fellow or Fellow (or to upgrade their existing membership to become an Associate Fellow or Fellow) by 30 November 2025 (to be confirmed) will have the opportunity to be ceremonially admitted at the Fellows’ Winter Reception and can therefore book their reception ticket at no charge.

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

Places for ceremonial admission are also subject to availability of tickets for the event, so once applications are approved, early registration is advised. Anyone unable to be accommodated will be given priority for registration at the next available Fellows’ Reception, which will be in Summer 2026.

The Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows will be preceded in the same venue by a reception to mark 20 years of Training Standards in Implant Dentistry, further details of which will be published in due course.

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