Tag: College people

.Janet Clarke MBE FCGDent, Chair of Trustees, reviews the College’s achievements over the last twelve months.

The transfer of FGDP to the College of General Dentistry in July and August of 2021 was not the end of a process, but just the beginning for the new organisation…

The first few months were dominated by the immense task for the small staff team, of building the necessary infrastructure to support our members and embark on the broader mission that we have set for ourselves. That work continued into 2022 – not just in building a College for the future, but re-thinking our role as an independent professional body, in the modern, post-pandemic world.

The most significant keystone for the College’s future will undoubtedly prove to be the Career Pathways that we have been developing in this time, culminating in the publication of the underpinning Professional Framework in June. So why is this quite so significant?

Dentistry, alongside so many other healthcare professions, faces immense challenges in attracting and retaining the talented people that will define the character of the profession for a generation, and inspiring the best from them. Yet dentistry in the UK faces a greater challenge than other healthcare professions, in lacking the structure and support of a national structure for progression, outside the Specialist Dentist pathway. Our Career Pathways provide a concrete, but adaptable framework, across the entire dental team, upon which we and others can now build the opportunities and recognition that dental professionals crave. It starts with College membership: we now have a clear point of reference for defining the ways in which your membership can reflect your capabilities and experience in dentistry.

Early this year (2023) we opened our Certified Membership scheme to a first group of candidates: a modern approach in supporting dental professionals to find their way and build a career in a fast-moving and confusing world. A chance to fully recognise their commitment and capability. It has been gratifying to see the immense level of interest in Certified Membership across so many organisations that are grappling with the workforce challenges we have been working to address, including regulators, policy makers, and dental corporates.

In April 2022, we launched our new Fellowship by experience, bringing new opportunity for highly accomplished dental practitioners, across our community, to be recognised. We have been delighted with the response, with a significant number submitting applications. The eligibility criteria are being further developed to embrace the great diversity of senior professionals. Feedback has been so positive: at last, we are told, their work can be properly acknowledged.

The College aims to build an authoritative community of leadership in dentistry, enabling the professional team to engage constructively with the challenges for all. In January, we hosted our first Fellows’ Winter Reception in Manchester, to complement the Summer Reception which has attracted an impressive group in the past two years. This is an inspiring occasion in itself; but important, too, in our ambitions to attract active support from those with the influence to make a positive difference in dentistry – harnessing their energy in a common cause. In the same vein, we also hosted our first meeting of the 1992 Circle in Manchester: nurturing the community of outstanding dental professionals in retirement, many of whom have so much more to give to support the profession that has been central to their lives. 2022 marked the 30^th anniversary of the foundation of FGDP, and the 1992 Circle celebrates that anniversary in its title, providing the opportunity to reflect on all that the Faculty achieved, and inspiring us in our continuing mission today.

CGDent is now the authoritative body for standards in dentistry, building on the highly respected work of FGDP and reflecting our commitment to setting standards, supporting careers. We continue to revise and update our standards to serve the profession, but also to extend into other areas where we see a need to support the profession. In 2022, we published our Implant Dentistry Mentoring Guidelines, and plan to do more in the arena of implant dentistry in 2023.

One of the major areas of interest for FGDP under Ian Mills’ leadership was diversity in the profession, and we have continued that work in CGDent. Most notably, we are pleased to host the Diversity in Dentistry Action Group, previously hosted by the CDO for England. We have hosted a number of important webinars on the subject, all of which are available to members online.

We have continued the FGDP partnership with Dental Protection to offer a significant discount for Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows – but now, with our wider remit, we are delighted that Dental Protection have been able to extend their offer to all dental professionals. All our work aims to address the needs of the whole team, and this is a welcome step in line with our overall philosophy and mission.

Twelve months after the opening of the College for business, we were pleased to publish a special issue of the Primary Dental Journal to mark our own special anniversary: a year since the activation of CGDent. The journal continues to thrive, with a number of notable issues in this past year. The number of high-quality articles submitted to the journal has also increased, as illustrated by the special back-to-back “general issues” that were published in 2022.

Your College depends on the support of its members. These are historic times, as we seek to fulfil the long-held ambition in dentistry for our own Royal College, but that goal cannot be achieved without a strong membership. Help us build that support – which translates into a richer offer for all members, greater authority in the profession generally, and ultimately better advocacy for our patients.

Your membership helps to secure our future: we must not let this opportunity pass us by.
Do tell friends and colleagues!

Sadly this will be my last blog as I stand down as Chair of Trustees at the end of March. I have very much enjoyed my time as Chair and am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. I am delighted to be handing over the role to Mick Horton, so I know the College’s Trustee Board is in safe hands!

You may be interested in Janet’s blog reviewing the College’s inaugural Annual Members’ Meeting in March 2022…

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Dr Shelagh Farrell FCGDent, a College Founder and Ambassador, talks to Professor Nairn Wilson FCGDent, President Emeritus of the College, about leaving a legacy to CGDent.

Nairn: Shelagh, may I begin by thanking you on behalf of the College for your tremendous support for the College as a Founder, one of its first Fellows, Ambassador and now one of its first legators. Such exceptional support is hugely appreciated and of immense importance to the College as it grows and develops. Also, thank you for agreeing to answer the following questions:

Why have you considered it important to support the College with both a Founder’s donation and a legacy?

Shelagh: The Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP(UK)), from the time of its foundation in 1992, always had the ambition of forming a College – Royal College of Dentistry. At the time, we promised the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS Eng) that the Faculty would remain part of the College for 10 years, filling a void left by the Faculty of Anaesthetists which had separated away to form what became the Royal College of Anaesthetists within a matter of a few years. Despite attempts to leave after 10 years, FGDP(UK) remained part of RCS Eng for 28 years.

The income of most, if not all, Royal Colleges comes from its members who pay subscriptions and fees to sit their examinations and benefit from postgraduate qualifications. Over the years, FGDP(UK) changed its qualifications to reflect the ways in which dentistry had moved on; for example, with the increasing use of implants. It is time to change again to create career pathways for all members of the dental team, which are challenging but achievable, thus enhancing standards in the provision of dental care.

When FGDP(UK) was established, it had one office on the ground floor of the RCS Eng. In a short space of time, it was obvious that more staff were needed to support and promote the Faculty’s activities and examination system. The Faculty was then allocated a redundant animal house on the top floor of the RCS Eng building. This became the Faculty offices for the remainder of its time at the RCS Eng.

The new College needs to acquire suitable premises in the process of becoming the Royal College of General Dentistry. This requires money and that is why, besides giving a Founder’s donation, I have left the College a legacy in my will.

N:  What would you like to say to colleagues who have not yet joined and donated to the College?

S: Some colleagues say that they will join the College when it receives Royal status. This, however, creates a “catch 22” situation. Unless the College expands its now growing number of Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows, it is unlikely to receive Royal status. Hence, I would urge colleagues of all ages, specifically younger colleagues to join, support the College and, in the process, benefit from a worthwhile career pathway, with mentoring, which will add to their enjoyment of dentistry and enhance their professional fulfilment.

N: In what ways has dentistry in the UK been compromised by not having its own, independent Royal College?

S: The UK has three Royal Surgical Colleges based in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, all with Faculties of Dental Surgery. Over the years there has been great competition between these Faculties to promote themselves and increase their influence and income both home and abroad. But more important is the opportunity they have to advise and influence (or not) governments, albeit that general dentistry, let alone members of the dental team are not well, if at all, represented in their memberships. Governments listen to Royal Colleges. When the College of General Dentistry becomes the Royal College of General Dentistry, dentistry will at long last have its own independent, UK-wide, collegiate influence, speaking for the whole of the profession. Dentistry, specifically general dental practice, which provides more than 90% of oral healthcare, certainly needs this, as it seems to me at the moment that this core provision of dental services is at the lowest ebb that I have seen over the last 50 years.

N: Shelagh, two more questions. Firstly, what do you see to be the immediate priorities of the College?

S: Recruitment is clearly the way to increase the membership and the influence of the College. Dentistry is the only major healthcare profession which has not got its own Royal College. The majority of dentists are in practice, even if they are specialists. All these dentists, together with the members of their dental teams, need to come together to strengthen their unified voice, to improve standards, and to enhance the care provided to the general public.

N: And finally, what would you like the College to achieve by 2030?

S: I would like to see the College granted Royal status, with the majority of the profession being part of the membership, reaping and continuously improving the benefits the College can provide, enhancing their enjoyment and fulfilment in the wonderful and great career that dentistry can bring. I also hope that the College, then Royal College, will have suitable premises where members, politicians, the media, members of the general public and others can contact and meet staff to enable the College to realise its potential as the much-needed collegiate home for general dentistry.

N: Shelagh, very many thanks for your insightful and thought-provoking answers to my questions. Hopefully, this interview will encourage others to follow your lead as an inspirational Fellow and legator.

With renewed thanks for your exceptional generosity to the College.

Any member wishing to make a legacy to the College is encouraged to contact Abhi Pal, President of the College, or Simon Thornton-Wood, Chief Executive of the College, at [email protected] or Nairn Wilson, President Emeritus, at [email protected].

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