College of General Dentistry News

PDJ editor honoured with prestigious international research award

Professor Igor Blum, editor-in-chief of the College’s Primary Dental Journal, has been chosen as this year’s winner of the esteemed International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Ivar Mjör Award.

Professor Igor Blum (right) being presented with the Ivar Mjör Award 2024 by Professor Richard Wierichs, Chair of the IADR Network for Practice-Based Research

Given annually, the award is named in honour of the late President of the IADR, the Norwegian dentist Professor Ivar Mjör, who was a world-renowned researcher and one of the most eminent champions of practice-based dental research in Europe, the US and elsewhere.

The highest award conferred by the IADR for practice-based research, it was given to Professor Blum in recognition of his distinguished contributions to the field, particularly the national and international importance of his translation of practice-based research findings into clinical recommendations.

His impactful publications on the management of failing dental restorations, the reasons for the placement and replacement of direct restorations, and the longevity of posterior composite restorations placed in practice-based settings were among those considered by the selection committee.

Professor Blum coined the term ‘reparative dentistry’, and the citation also notes that his contribution over a quarter of a century to the development, teaching and promotion of the repair of failing yet serviceable dental restorations, as a minimally invasive alternative to replacement, has paved the way for it to become an internationally acknowledged and recognised treatment approach.

Another notable example of his influence are his 2002 standardised diagnostic description criteria for dry socket (alveolar osteitis). ‘Blum’s definition’[i], which is widely referenced in textbooks and presentations and has become the most used definition for dry socket worldwide, has been cited in over 750 journal papers to date.

Professor Blum was also nominated in recognition of his promotion of practice-based clinical, educational and research articles through the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ), in combination with its increased international profile during his tenure as editor. The PDJ is our quarterly, peer-reviewed, professional development journal. Uniquely dedicated to primary dental care, each issue is distributed in print to our UK and international members and subscribers and made available online in over 10,500 academic institutions worldwide.

Professor of Primary Care Dentistry and Advanced General Dental Practice at King’s College London, and a consultant and specialist in restorative dentistry, Professor Blum is only the second UK-based recipient of the Ivar Mjör Award – the first being Professor Sir Nairn Wilson, the PDJ’s inaugural editor.

The award was presented in October in Bern, Switzerland.

[i] Blum IR. Contemporary views on dry socket (alveolar osteitis): a clinical appraisal of standardization, aetiopathogenesis and management: a critical review. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2002 Jun;31(3):309-17. doi: 10.1054/ijom.2002.0263.

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College of General Dentistry News

Oral medicine, leadership and TMD – PDJ themes for 2025

The College has announced the themes and guest editors for the 2025 issues (volume 14) of its Primary Dental Journal (PDJ).

(l-r) 2025 PDJ guest editors: Dr Ziad Al-Ani, Dr Emma Hayes and Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent

The Spring issue will be a general edition with articles covering a wide range of topics relevant to general dental practice. The 50th issue of the PDJ, it is expected to be published in April.

The Summer issue will be the first to be dedicated to oral medicine. Due out in July, it will be guest-edited by Dr Emma Hayes.

The Autumn issue, devoted to leadership in dentistry, will be guest-edited by Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent and will go to press in late September.

The Winter issue will be the first thematic edition of the PDJ to explore temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Guest-edited by Dr Ziad Al-Ani, it will be distributed in December.

Uniquely dedicated to primary dental care, PDJ is the College’s quarterly, peer-reviewed, professional development journal. In partnership with one of the world’s leading journal publishers, each issue is printed and distributed to the College’s UK and international members and subscribers, indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus, and made available online in over 10,500 academic institutions worldwide.

Dr Hayes is a Consultant and Clinical Lead in Oral Medicine at King’s College London Dental Institute, with special interests in facial pain and paediatric oral medicine conditions. After qualifying as a doctor from the University of Oxford in 2008, she worked in the north of England and gained Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. She then studied dentistry on King’s College London’s three-year programme for medical graduates, also working part-time in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Graduating in 2013, she completed specialty training in oral medicine at the Eastman Dental Hospital in 2019. She also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education from University College London and contributed to the 2023 update of the Oral Medicine Specialty Training Curriculum.

Professor Koka is Dean of the University of Mississippi Dental School. In addition to qualifying as a Doctor of Dental Surgery, he holds a Master’s in Prosthodontics from the University of Michigan, an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master’s in Applied Sciences from Johns Hopkins University and a PhD from the University of Nebraska. He was the founder and owner of Premium Dental Editing in Rochester, Minnesota, and of both Koka Dental Clinic and the non-profit Career Design in Dentistry in San Diego. He has been a lecturer at the University of Michigan and University of California Los Angeles, and a professor at Loma Linda University, the University of Nebraska and the Mayo Clinic. Author/co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed articles and nine book chapters, he is co-founder of the Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) programme and founder of the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership workshop series. Brought up in Romford, he emigrated to the United States at the age of 19 and is one of 16 dentists in his family.

Dr Al-Ani is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Recognised-Excellence-in-Teaching Fellow at the University of Glasgow Dental School, and former professor of Temporomandibular Disorders at the College of Medicine and Dentistry. He graduated BDS and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Damascus, before being awarded an MSc in Prosthodontics and PhD on temporomandibular disorders and occlusion at the University of Manchester. He then became a Clinical Teacher in Restorative Dentistry and Research Co-ordinator for the TMD clinic at Manchester, later obtaining Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. He is a former Director of the International Association for Dental Research’s Prosthodontics Research Group, former member of the editorial board of the Journal of Prosthodontics, and author of the books ‘Temporomandibular Disorders: A Problem-Based Approach’ and ‘Practical Procedures in Dental Occlusion’. 

Submissions will be accepted for the issue on leadership until 7 January 2025 and for the issue on TMD until 7 April 2025. Submissions on any other topic relevant to primary dental care can be made until 7 July 2025 for consideration for the Spring 2026 general issue. Instructions for authors are available here.

Dr Al-Ani’s paper, Whiplash-associated temporomandibular disorders: a review article (PDJ vol. 12, no. 1, March 2023) has been made available for all dental professionals to download free of charge.

He was also author of Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthrosis: a review of clinical aspects and management (vol. 10, no. 1, March 2021) and Occlusion and Temporomandibular Disorders: a long-standing controversy in dentistry (vol. 9. no. 1, April 2020), and co-author of Occlusion on a single implant-supported crown: any differences? (vol. 11, no. 2, June 2022).

These are available in the online PDJ Library to College members and PDJ subscribers, as is Dr Hayes’ paper, An overview of vesicobullous conditions affecting the oral mucosa, (vol. 5 no. 1, March 2016).

Members can read these articles by logging in via the button below, then clicking ‘Access the PDJ Library’:

PDJ MEMBER ACCESS

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

London meet-and-greet

Friday 3 – Saturday 4 October 2025, 9.00am – 5.00pm, London

Hall N7, ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL

The College invited all dental professionals to visit its exhibition stand (B29) at Dentistry Show London 2025.

College members and non-members alike were 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, 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 were be delighted to meet you!

The College is also an education partner for Dentistry Show London, hosting two lectures.

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

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

From disclosure to action: domestic abuse and the dental professional’s duty

Saturday 4 October 2025, 3.15pm-4.00pm, London

Preetee Hylton RDN

Dental Care Professionals Hub, Hall N7, ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL

This lecture was delivered by Preetee Hylton RDN, Associate Member of the College and President of the British Association of Dental Nurses.

A full-time dental nurse and safeguarding lead at a private dental practice in London, Preetee is an Associate Examiner for the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses and delivers the NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Principles and Practice in Dental Nursing. A former receptionist, practice manager, lead dental nurse and clinical mentor to student dental nurses, she holds the NEBDN National Certificate in Dental Nursing, BDA Education Certificates in Oral Health and in Dental Radiography, a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector qualification and a Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement, and in 2021 completed the DDS Treatment Coordinator Programme. A founding member and the former Study Club Co-Director of the ITI UK & Ireland Dental Nurses community, she is an honorary ambassador for the Mouth Cancer Foundation, a member of the editorial board of Dental Nursing, and a past contributor to the Primary Dental Journal.

CPD:

  • 0.75 hours

This lecture was free to attend for both members and non-members of the College, and is one of two College sessions at Dentistry Show London 2025 (DSL25), a two-day conference hosting over 100 CPD lectures in 6 theatres, 180 exhibitors and 4,000 dental professionals.

College representatives were available throughout the conference at the CGDent exhibition stand (B29) to talk to delegates about our vision for the profession, the benefits of membership and fellowship, and to answer questions.

It was not possible to register for specific lectures in advance, but those wishing to attend should register for DSL25 either in advance or on the day. Registration was free for all registered dental professionals.

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

AI in dentistry – an indemnity perspective

Friday 3 October 2025, 9.15am-10.00am, London

Helen Kaney FCGDent

Keynote Theatre, Hall N7, ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL

This lecture was delivered by Helen Kaney FCGDent, Deputy Head of the Dental Division at the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, and a dually qualified dentist and solicitor.

Helen qualified 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 and is a Fellow of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians. She served as an elected National Representative on the College Council from 2019-2025.

CPD:

  • 0.75 hours

This lecture was free to attend for both members and non-members of the College, and is one of two College sessions at Dentistry Show London 2025 (DSL25), a two-day conference hosting over 100 CPD lectures in 6 theatres, 180 exhibitors and 4,000 dental professionals.

College representatives were available throughout the conference at the CGDent exhibition stand (B29) to talk to delegates about our vision for the profession, the benefits of membership and fellowship, and to answer questions.

It was not possible to register for specific lectures in advance, but those wishing to attend should register for DSL25 either in advance or on the day. Registration was free for all registered dental professionals.

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

Dentistry Show London 2025

Friday 3 – Saturday 4 October 2025, 9.00am – 5.00pm, London

Preetee Hylton RDN (left) and Helen Kaney FCGDent (right). Centre image: representatives at the CGDent stand

Hall N7, ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL

The College was an education partner for Dentistry Show London 2025 (DSL25) once again, hosting two lectures during the two-day conference.

The College welcomed members and non-members alike to its sessions, with experts in their fields sharing their knowledge and giving advice to support the professional development of the whole dental team:

Friday 3 October:

Saturday 4 October:

Delegates had access to over 100 CPD lectures in all across multiple lecture theatres, as well as over 180 exhibiting suppliers, and the opportunity to network among 4,000 dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, dental nurses, practice managers, dental technicians and laboratory owners.

College representatives were available throughout the show at the CGDent exhibition stand (B29) to talk to delegates about our vision for the profession, the benefits of membership and fellowship, and to answer your questions.

Registration for DSL25 was free for all dental professionals.

*This title was updated on 22 August 2025; it was originally titled ‘AI and social media in dentistry – an indemnity perspective’

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

College Summer Reception

Friday 13 June 2025, 5pm-8pm

The Old Banqueting Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, 7-15 Church St, Sheffield S1 1HG

The College Summer Reception, incorporating the fourth annual College Fellows’ Summer Reception, was an opportunity to network with peers in the grand surroundings of the historic Cutlers’ Hall, Sheffield.

All dental professionals and those with professional interests in contemporary dentistry were invited to attend, with discounted tickets available to College members.

The Summer Reception will include the ceremonial admission of new Fellows, and for the first time also Associate Fellows of the College. The President’s Award was also presented during the Reception, and the 2025 winner of the prestigious College Medal was announced. Photographs of the event will be made available to attendees shortly afterwards to download free of charge.

Taking place at 5pm to 8pm, with registration open from 4.30pm, it followed the 1992 Circle Lunch (12.30pm-2pm – open to all College members) and the Inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture, which will be delivered by Martin Kelleher FCGDent, Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Dental Hospital.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COLLEGE LECTURE

For these events, we also gathered alumni, course directors and examiners to celebrate the achievements of the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry programme which was established 20 years ago by our predecessor organisation, the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP). 

These special events were open to all dental professionals and others with professional interests in contemporary dental practice.

Lecture onlyReception onlyLecture & Reception
Member or Fellow£20 £15£55 £40£65 £50
Non-member£30 £20£75 £60£95 £70

Associate Fellows and recent Fellows expecting to be ceremonially admitted could book their place at the reception free of charge until 30 April.

Non-members or existing members applying for Fellowship who wished to be ceremonially admitted at the reception were advised to submit their applications as soon as possible in order to allow enough time for admissions procedures to be completed.

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

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

Presentations of Associate Fellows and Fellows

Friday 13 June 2025, 5pm-8pm

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

The Old Banqueting Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, 7-15 Church St, Sheffield S1 1HG

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

The presentations were incorporated within the College Summer Reception, and took place in front of gathered Fellows, Associate Fellows and members of the College, alumni of the former FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry programme and other members of the dental professions.

This is the first time Associate Fellows had the opportunity to be presented, and all Associate Fellows attending the Summer Reception were ceremonially admitted and can attend the event free of charge if they booked their place by 30 April 2025.

New Fellows, and any College Fellow attending the Summer Reception who has not either been ceremonially admitted at a previous College Fellows’ Reception or had their fellowship of the former FGDP(UK) conferred at a Diplomates’ Day, were also be ceremonially admitted and can likewise attend the reception without charge if they book by 30 April 2025.

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 Summer Reception was an opportunity for dental professionals to network with their peers and also included the presentation of the President’s Award and the announcement of the 2025 winner of the College Medal (tbc).

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE SUMMER RECEPTION

The Summer Reception was preceded in the same venue by the Inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture, ‘Satisficing’ standards in dentistry: Who decides? Who benefits?. Delivered by Martin Kelleher FCGDent, Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Dental Hospital, the lecture will build on the rich legacy of the former FGDP’s Malcolm Pendlebury Lectures. Registration on the day opened at 2pm, with the lecture starting promptly at 2.30pm and the event concluding at 4.30pm after Q&A/discussion.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COLLEGE LECTURE

Members of the College were also welcome to attend the 1992 Circle Lunch, hosted by Sir Nairn Wilson CBE and the 1992 Circle, which took place prior to the College Lecture.

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) before 30 April had the opportunity to be ceremonially admitted at the Summer Reception and could therefore book their reception ticket at no charge.

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

Prices were as follows:

Lecture onlyReception onlyLecture & Reception
Associate Fellow or presenting Fellow£20 £15£55 FREE£65 £15
Member or Fellow£20 £15£55 £40£65 £50
Non-member£30 £20£75 £60£95 £70

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

Diploma in Restorative Dentistry alumni gathering

Friday 13 June 2025, 2pm-8pm

Candidates awaiting conferral of awards by the former FGDP(UK) at a Diplomates’ Day

The Old Banqueting Hall, Cutlers’ Hall, 7-15 Church St, Sheffield S1 1HG

Alumni and tutors of the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) were invited to a special gathering marking 20 years of the landmark programme, raising standards and building a strong professional community.

We were delighted that past Directors & Chief Examiners of the programme joined us, including Ian Wood FCGDent, Paul Brunton, Mike Mulcahy FCGDent, Nick Lewis FCGDent, Phil Dawson FCGDent and David Cheshire.

Alumni and tutors were encouraged to pass on this invitation to the reunion to others who were involved in the programme; we did not want anyone to miss out.

The special gathering was incorporated within both the Inaugural College of General Dentistry Lecture and a College Summer Reception. Members of the College were welcome to attend the 1992 Circle Lunch, hosted by Sir Nairn Wilson CBE and the 1992 Circle, which took place prior to the College Lecture.

The lecture, ‘Satisficing’ standards in dentistry: Who decides? Who benefits?, was delivered by Martin Kelleher FCGDent, Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at King’s College Dental Hospital. Taking place on Friday 13 June 2025 in the historic Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield, it built on the rich legacy of the FGDP’s Malcolm Pendlebury Lectures. Registration on the day opened at 2pm, with the lecture starting promptly at 2.30pm and the event concluding at 4.30pm after Q&A/discussion.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE COLLEGE LECTURE

The Summer Reception followed from 5pm to 8pm, with registration from 4.30pm. Incorporating the fourth annual College Fellows’ Summer Reception, this was an opportunity for dental professionals to network with their peers and will include the ceremonial admission of new Fellows and Associate Fellows, the presentation of the President’s Award and the announcement of the 2025 winner of the College Medal (tbc). There was an opportunity for a range of alumni photos and photos with other guests, all of which will be made available to attendees shortly afterwards to download free of charge.

FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE SUMMER RECEPTION

The FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry brings automatic eligibility for Associate Fellowship of the College and also satisfies the Clinical Domain of Fellowship, and alumni are encouraged to join the College in order to support its historic mission to build a Royal College for dentistry.

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) before 30 April had the opportunity to be ceremonially admitted at the Summer Reception and could book their reception ticket at no charge.

Prices were otherwise as follows:

Lecture onlyReception onlyLecture & Reception
Member or Fellow£20 £15£55 £40£65 £50
Non-member£30 £20£75 £60£95 £70

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College of General Dentistry Recent event

Birmingham meet-and-greet

Friday 16 May (9am-5.30pm) & Saturday 17 May 2025 (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 (Q01) at British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2025

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 Life Fellowship 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 is also an education partner for the Enhanced CPD Theatre, where it is hosting four 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 200 lectures across 11 CPD theatres.

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