The College has revised its criteria and application process for Fellowship, and encourages experienced dental professionals to review the revised criteria with a view to applying.
Our landmark experience-based route to Fellowship, launched in 2022, offers recognition of the skills, knowledge and experience accrued by committed general dental professionals over the course of their careers. The revision, four years on, is designed to widen relevance across different aspects of professional achievement, and to further recognise, within the College’s community of practice, the diversity of contributions made to the profession in the service of patients.
As before, all those with at least ten years’ practice as a registered dental professional can apply. Applicants will need to provide evidence of meeting the criteria in at least three of the College’s five Fellowship domains, which are published openly and transparently so that prospective Fellows can easily check their eligibility and be confident in their application.
The previous distinction between ‘standard’ and ‘gateway’ criteria in each domain has been removed, and the application process has been further streamlined to suit the busy modern dental professional, with the submission of reflective statements and CVs no longer required in most cases.
Satisfying the Clinical & Technical (previously Clinical) domain of Fellowship now requires the applicant either to hold a recognised and eligible postgraduate qualification or diploma of membership, or to submit a clinical portfolio demonstrating equivalent training and capability.
The Teaching & Assessment domain now requires applicants to either be recognised by an authoritative body in this field, to have a relevant postgraduate certificate together with three years’ qualifying experience, or to have eight years’ qualifying experience plus verified training.
The Leadership and Management domain, now called Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance, requires applicants either to hold an eligible diploma-level leadership qualification, to hold a certificate-level leadership qualification together with three years’ service in a relevant leadership role, or to have three years’ experience in a defined senior leadership role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD.
The Research & Publications domain requires applicants either to have had at least fivepeer-reviewed articles published in relevant and recognised publications, or to have completed a relevant doctorate or master’s degree with a research dissertation.
The Law & Ethics domain requires applicants to have either five years’ experience in a qualifying role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD, or to have a law degree or relevant postgraduate qualification together with a year’s experience in a relevant role.
Anyone previously admitted as a Fellow of the former FGDP, of one of the surgical Royal Colleges in the UK or Ireland or their faculties of dental surgery or dentistry, of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Dentists of Canada or College of Dentistry of South Africa, or who holds Certification by the American Board of General Dentistry, is automatically eligible for Fellowship by equivalence without reference to the above domains.
Marking professional accomplishment, Fellowship celebrates both excellence in dental practice and commitment to the art and science of improving patients’ oral health. The community of Fellows lies at the heart of the College, providing leadership and collectively supporting the development of dentistry, as well as reflecting the values of the organisation and its focus on professionalism.
Those successfully admitted to Fellowship can use the postnominal designation ‘FCGDent’, and are eligible to attend our regular Fellows’ Receptions, where they can have their Fellowship formally presented by the President. As members of the College, they also receive quarterly print copies of the Primary Dental Journal and free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and other local and national networking opportunities.
Full details of the revised domains, and how to apply for Fellowship of the College, are available by clicking the button below:
Dr Shreya Sharma, an Associate Dentist based in Hampshire, was successful in the 2025 CGDent-GC Award. In this blog, she describes how her reflective practice, a key part of the award entry process, supports her professional development.
Dentistry is a profession defined by lifelong learning. No two cases are ever quite the same and with every patient comes an opportunity to refine our judgement, technique and communication. But true growth doesn’t just come from experience, it comes from reflection.
At university, feedback is constant. Every procedure is supervised, every decision discussed. Once qualified, that safety net disappears and suddenly, we’re left to evaluate our own work. For me, reflection has become a way to recreate that feedback loop, to stay accountable and to keep improving.
I realised this most clearly while preparing my case for the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees. The award places a strong emphasis on reflective practice, with a significant portion of the assessment criteria dedicated to it. Knowing this encouraged me to slow down, document carefully and truly understand the reasoning behind each decision. That’s where the most meaningful learning happened.
What it means to reflect and why it matters
Reflection isn’t just a tick-box exercise for an e-portfolio. It’s an honest look at your own decision-making: why something worked, what could have gone better and how you’ll approach it differently next time.
During my award case, analysing my own work, even small details like line angles, surface texture and the polish of restorations, helped me understand why they mattered and how they influenced the overall outcome.
One example was restoring the fractured UR1 to match the adjacent UL1 crown. I found the process far more challenging than expected, particularly when trying to recreate the same lustre and the way the light reflected off the crowned tooth. Even achieving the correct width proved difficult.
My successful case: pre-op and post-op photographs
To guide the restoration, I used a measuring gauge to record the width of the UL1 and mirrored those measurements for the UR1. Despite this, the restored UR1 still appeared wider than the crown I was trying to mimic. It was only through reviewing my clinical photographs that I realised the issue was not with the measurements, but with the line angles.
The position and width of the line angles dramatically affect how we perceive tooth shape. My initial line angles were placed too far apart, which made the tooth look flat, dull, and visually broader than it truly was. By adjusting their position and narrowing the distance between them, the restoration immediately appeared more natural and better harmonised with the adjacent central.
This experience highlighted how subtle morphological details can completely change the final aesthetic and how essential reflective practice and clinical photography are in developing that level of awareness.
As clinicians, we hold ourselves to incredibly high standards. Reflection helps balance that drive for excellence with curiosity. It allows us to pause, recognise small wins and identify where to grow next. It transforms experience into understanding and uncertainty into progress.
The value of photography and case write-ups
Clinical photography has completely transformed the way I learn. It’s more than documentation, it’s a mirror that reveals what we might miss in the moment: a defective margin, a shade that could blend better or an open contact point. Reviewing those photographs later helps me see patterns and improvements in my work that are often invisible day-to-day.
A significant part of the CGDent-GC Award involves presenting clinical photographs that meet a high aesthetic and technical standard. Working towards this pushed me to refine my photography skills, pay closer attention to detail and critically assess the quality of my own work. Striving to meet that standard ultimately strengthened both my clinical outcomes and my ability to communicate them clearly.
Over time, these images have become a visual record of progress. They remind me that growth in dentistry rarely happens overnight, it builds with one small improvement at a time.
Case write-ups add another dimension to this process. Writing forces you to think through every stage of treatment, to justify your reasoning, material selection and workflow. While preparing my award case, I found myself analysing each choice, from composite selection to polishing technique. Putting those thoughts into words made my clinical reasoning clearer and my approach more deliberate.
Together, photography, writing and reflection drive ongoing development.
How the CGDent-GC Award nurtures reflection and growth
Entering the CGDent-GC Award deepened my appreciation of reflection. It wasn’t just a competition, it was a structured opportunity for learning.
Selecting a case
The process begins with choosing a case that you are about to start treating. Part of the competition is recognising, early on, that a forthcoming case has potential to showcase your skills and be developed into a strong entry. This shift in mindset encourages reflection from the very beginning: What might make this case a good learning opportunity? What challenges could it present?
It’s not about selecting a “perfect” patient or predicting a flawless outcome. Instead, it’s about identifying a case with learning value and approaching it intentionally, with the aim of documenting your decision-making and growth throughout the process.
Documenting the process
Clinical photography was essential here. Each image encourages you to pause, assess, and understand the nuances of your work. The lens doesn’t lie, it reveals subtleties that might otherwise go unnoticed, and the camera, in many ways became my most objective teacher.
Writing the case report
This was the most introspective stage for me. Writing about my case helped me connect my clinical decisions with their outcomes. It gave structure to what I had previously done instinctively and turned my learning into something tangible.
Winning the award
Winning the award was a huge honour, but the greatest reward was the insight gained along the way. Reflecting on my work, documenting the process and sharing it with others renewed my perspective on dentistry, something that’s easy to lose in the rhythm of daily practice.
Beyond the competition
The impact didn’t end when the results were announced. The experience continues to shape how I practice today. I take more photographs, analyse my outcomes more critically, and make time to reflect regularly. The competition gave me a framework for self-assessment and helped turn reflection from something occasional into something routine.
As part of the prize, I attended a two-day composite course in Belgium, where we learned advanced layering techniques and approaches to restoring fractured and discoloured teeth. It was an incredible opportunity to learn from experienced clinicians, refine my practical skills and connect with like-minded individuals.
On GC’s composite layering course in Belgium, July 2025
Competitions like the CGDent-GC Award (and the Advanced Aesthetic Award for more experienced clinicians) don’t just celebrate clinical skill, they nurture the habits that make us better dentists. They remind us that growth isn’t measured by accolades, but by how much we learn from every case, every challenge, and every uncertainty.
How reflection builds confidence
Confidence doesn’t come from avoiding mistakes, it comes from understanding them.
During my award case, I had plenty of moments of uncertainty: shade selection, matrix placement, polishing protocol. At the time, those doubts felt like signs of inexperience. But revisiting them afterwards showed me that those questions were actually the foundation of growth. Each hesitation led to research, feedback and ultimately, better results.
That shift, from fearing mistakes to learning from them, has been one of the most empowering parts of early-career dentistry. Reflection has taught me to value curiosity over perfection and progress over pressure.
Closing thoughts
Reflection turns experience into understanding and everyday dentistry into a journey of lifelong learning.
For me, it has made my clinical work more intentional, my patient care more consistent, and my growth as a dentist more measurable. Dentistry evolves not only through skill, but through self-awareness. Every case, every success and every setback, has something to teach us, if we just take the time to look.
Dentists and dental therapists who qualified in 2025 or are enrolled on DFT are eligible to enter the 2026 CGDent-GC Award – entries are open until Friday 20 February 2026.
The new issue of the Primary Dental Journal, on the topic of ‘Leadership’, is available to read online now.
This ‘Leadership’ issue of the PDJ has been brought together by Guest Editor Dr Sreenivas Koka FCGDent, co-founder of Executive Leadership Enterprises and the Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) programme, and founder of both the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership workshop series and the non-profit Career Design in Dentistry organisation.
The focus of this issue is on helping every member of the primary oral healthcare team to become better leaders and better team members. A wide range of topics are explored, in both clinical papers and opinion pieces, including the hotelier secrets that can help us provide a five-star dental experience for our patients; professional parenting tips and how to juggle the demands of work and family life; how to successfully manage difficult conversations; identifying growth moments, negotiating and embracing your career transitions; and the power of emotional intelligence in leadership. A full list of papers can be found under ‘Issue Contents’ below.
Dr Koka outlines his ambition for this PDJ:
“As you progress on your leadership journey, I hope that you will find some valuable perspectives in this issue that can help you choose to be a wonderful leader; one who is followed because your team members want to follow you and not because they have to.”
Full online access to the majority of articles in this and previous issues is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can expect their printed copies to arrive by the end of December. New joiners wishing to receive a copy of this issue can let us know by emailing [email protected]
For non-members / non-subscribers, at least one paper in each issue is made available online free of charge, with all other articles available by becoming a member or by purchasing them individually via the links below.
An annual print subscription to the PDJ is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to over 1,500 current and past articles in the PDJ Library and a range of other benefits.
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 this issue.
Sarah Murray MBE, Reader in Dental Therapy Education at Queen Mary University of London and Board Member of the College’s Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, and Leon Bassi, Clinical Lecturer in Primary Dental Care (Dental Therapy) at the University of Liverpool, discuss academic career pathways for dental therapists and dental hygienists.
The development of academic expertise within a professional group is essential to the process of professionalisation. To foster ownership of a specific body of knowledge, professional groups must possess adequate academic training to identify (through scholarly and research study), defend (through critical understanding and articulation), and sustain (through research and scholarship) that knowledge. Therefore, it is critical to provide opportunities for professionals to cultivate research skills and engage in research that is specific to their field. This strengthens the professional group to claim custodianship over their clinical discipline but also contributes to the broader process of professionalisation. (Dussault, 1981)
Utilising all of the dental team
In recent years, the NHS has placed increasing emphasis on ‘Building Better Teams’ (NHS England 2017), recognising that high-quality care relies on the effective integration of different professional skills. This is very relevant in dentistry, where the role of dental hygienists (DH) and dental therapists (DThs) has expanded significantly over many years. In a review of the literature, Nash and colleagues (2008) concluded that “access to basic dental care will not be available without the utilisation of dental therapists in the workforce”, whilst Johnson (2009) argues for a paradigm shift using dental hygienists to shift the culture “from treatment to prevention, wellness and self-care”. Research has shown that DTh are able to undertake over 70% of tasks routinely delivered in NHS primary care and ‘that only around 23% of clinical time was spent on “dentist only” tasks within the NHS nationally’ (Wanyonyi et al., 2015). Harnessing the potential of dental hygienists and dental therapists through skill mix, not only enhances efficiency but also addresses workforce challenges for greater access for the population to access dental care.
The NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan in 2023 highlighted the need to invest in dental education, and the Dental Schools Council (DSC) has called for an increase in both dentistry and dental therapy training places as a key priority. Chen et al. (2021) conducted a global scoping review of the education and career pathways of dental therapists, dental hygienists, and oral health therapists, synthesising 53 sources to explore their professional development. The review found that, despite advocacy for expanded roles beyond traditional clinical practice, most professionals in these fields continue to primarily practise as clinicians and express dissatisfaction with limited career progression opportunities. In our opinion, the Health Education England’s Advancing Dental Care project failed to illustrate how dental hygienists and therapists can have a fulfilling academic career. The World Health Organization’s Global Strategy and Action Plan for Oral Health (WHO, 2024) emphasises the need to focus on the oral healthcare team, particularly mid-level care providers, which we feel includes dental hygienists and dental therapists and their unique place in offering research led preventative based care to help tackle the global burden of non communicable diseases.
The dental academic landscape
Within academic institutions, there are other registered dental care professionals who work alongside their dentist colleagues, however, their route to comparable academic career pathway opportunities is varied across the United Kingdom. Unlike the standardised and managed academic career pathways for dentists, the career pathways for DH and DTh working in dental academia are neither standardised and at times not comparable in terms of academic opportunities.
As an example, we thought we would share our own academic career journeys.
Sarah Murray
My academic journey began with a primary qualification as a dental hygienist and dental therapist. My curiosity was sparked by thinking about how different professionals across the wider healthcare community could work together, which led me to pursue an MA in Primary Health and Community Care, with the University of Westminster.
During my postgraduate studies I developed a strong grounding in reflective practice and learning from other healthcare professionals, that included health visitors, GPs, complementary therapists, and these interactions helped me to consider the challenges surrounding working together for enhanced patient centred outcomes. However, at the time there were no structured academic pathways for me to take, so I had to find my own path, seeking out opportunities and mentorship for myself.
I am currently a Reader in Dental Therapy Education at Queen Mary University of London, and have held previous roles with the University of Essex as a Senior Lecturer within the Oral Health Sciences team, and the University of Suffolk in 2023 as the Curriculum Development Lead for their new BSc (Hons) in Dental Hygiene and Therapy. These opportunities have helped shape my academic career journey, each contributing differently, but complementing my academic development as an educator, leader and academic innovator.
Leon Bassi
I graduated as both a dental therapist and dental hygienist from Queen Mary University of London (Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry). I went on to complete an MSc in Advanced Specialist Health Care at the University of Kent, and then a PG Diploma in Paediatric Dentistry for Dental Therapists.
My career spans community, hospital and specialist private practice. Alongside my clinical practice, I work as a Clinical Lecturer in Primary Dental Care (Dental Therapy) at the University of Liverpool.
It is important that student dental hygienists and dental therapists are taught by colleagues within their own profession, because this ensures teaching is grounded in the specific scope of practice, professional identity, and affords the opportunities to explore what the professional boundaries are in various care settings, and real-world challenges unique to their roles. Interprofessional education is key for us to meet the WHO global oral health strategy (WHO, 2024), however, peer-led education is also crucial to foster a deeper understanding of clinical competencies, role boundaries, and teamwork, while also modelling career pathways and inspiring professional confidence.
Conclusion
Dental hygienists and dental therapists play an integral role in oral healthcare, yet the academic pathways leading to professionalisation in these fields remain underdeveloped compared to other dental professions. As the demand for advanced clinical practice, research and teaching continues to grow, it is crucial to support the academic development of these professionals, fostering their ability to become the next generation of researchers, academics and advanced clinical practitioners.
Through the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, the College offers structured support to colleagues, helping to forge their academic career. Through professional development, mentorship and networking opportunities, dental hygienists and dental therapists can enhance their skill set and strengthen their leadership, educational, policy and research skills within the wider dental community.
References
Chen, D; Hayes, M; Holden A (2021). A global review of the education and career pathways of dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists. BDJ Team 8, 36-42 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41407-021-0654-4
Dussault, G. (1981) The Professionalisation of Dentistry In Britain: A Study of Occupational Stratification, published PhD thesis. The University of London.
Johnson, P. (2009). International profiles of dental hygiene 1987 to 2006: a 21-nation comparative study. International Dental Journal, 59(2), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1922/IDJ_2076Johnson15
Health Education England (2021). Advancing Dental Care: Education and Training Review – Final Report. HEE, London.
NHS England (2017). Building Better Teams: Exploring the contribution of skill mix in NHS primary dental care. NHS England.
Nash, D.A., Friedman, J.W., Kardos, T.B., Kardos, R.L., Schwarz, E., Satur, J., Berg, D.H., Nasruddin, J., Mumghamba, E.G., Davenport, E.S., & Nagel, R. (2008). Dental therapists: a global perspective. International Dental Journal, 58(2), pp. 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595x.2008.tb00177.x
Wanyonyi, K.L., Radford, D.R., & Gallagher, J.E. (2015). Alternative scenarios: harnessing mid-level providers and evidence-based practice in primary dental care in England through operational research. Hum Resour Health. 2015 Sep 15;13:78. doi: 10.1186/s12960-015-0072-9
Sarah Murray and Leon Bassi delivered a CGDent lecture on academic career pathways for dental therapists and dental hygienists at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show in 2025.
Members of the College have been appointed to the Executive Committee of the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN).
(l-r): Preetee Hylton, current BADN President; Carolyn Roberts, BADN President-elect; Rebecca Silver AssocFCGDent, the new BADN Treasurer
Carolyn Roberts, an Associate Member of the College and Board Member of its Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy, is the BADN’s new President-elect. Her career in dental nursing began in 1989 with Saturday work at a local practice, and she then spent a decade working in two NHS General Dental Services practices before joining the North Wales Community Dental Service (CDS) in 1999. She is now the Senior Dental Nurse for Anglesey and Gwynedd within Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, covering 21 CDS clinics, and is part of the North Wales CDS Senior Management and Improvement Team. She has developed a local CDS Dental Nurse Peer Review Group and remains clinical, with particular experience in supporting sedation, general anaesthetics, Special Care and also patient and staff wellbeing. A committed advocate for career development, she is currently studying for a BSc in Public Health and Wellbeing.
Preetee Hylton, also an Associate Member of the College, became BADN President last year and will remain so until 2026. A full-time dental nurse and safeguarding lead at a private dental practice in London, she 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 Dental Radiography, a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector qualification and a Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement, and in 2021 she completed the DDS Treatment Coordinator Programme. A founding member and the former Study Club Co-Director of the ITI UK & Ireland Dental Nurse 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.
Rebecca Silver AssocFCGDent has become the BADN’s Treasurer. She has assisted in both NHS and private dental care since 2009, supporting the delivery of a wide range of general and specialist disciplines including endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, orthodontics, conscious sedation, prosthodontics and implant dentistry, as well as facial aesthetics. A Fellow of the BADN and Associate Fellow of the College, she passed her foundation degree in Advanced Dental Nursing with distinction and in 2021 achieved a merit in completing an MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare (Applied to Dental Practice) at the University of Kent. She also holds post-qualification certificates in Oral Health Education and Conscious Sedation and a Level 3 award in Education and Training, and is currently studying to become an assessor. On the editorial board of Dental Nursing and the reader panel for BDJ Team, she has published articles in a variety of UK and international dental publications and her work has been referenced in the British Medical Journal. In November 2025, she won the first prize in the graduate category of the British and Irish Dental Editors and Writers Forum’s new communicator awards for her article, ‘Hierarchy in dentistry: A dental nurse perspective‘.1
College membership is open to dental professionals in all team roles. Associate Membership is open to all registered dental professionals, with Full Membership, Associate Fellowship and Fellowship available based on further eligibility criteria. Dental nurses receive a two-thirds discount on standard membership fees, but receive the same benefits as all other members at each grade, including quarterly copies of the Primary Dental Journal and online CPD (all members), post-nominal recognition and a discount with Dental Protection (Full Members and above), and access to College Fellows’ Receptions (Associate Fellows and Fellows).
The Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy comprises all dental nurse and orthodontic therapist members of the College, and its Faculty Board supports the College in developing career pathways for dental nurses and orthodontic therapists and contributes to the work of the College Council.
Founded in 1940, the BADN is the UK’s oldest and largest professional association for dental nurses.
Silver R. Hierarchy in dentistry: A dental nurse perspective. BDJ Team 2025; 12: 38–39.
Professor Igor Blum, Editor of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ), reviews the meaning of leadership – the theme of the upcoming issue – within the context of dentistry and the general dental team.
Dentistry stands at a crossroads. Today’s dental professionals do more than deliver treatment – they manage teams, communicate under pressure, work across complex systems, manage regulatory challenges, navigate ethical dilemmas, adopt new technologies, and care for increasingly diverse and complex patient needs.
In this context, dentistry depends as much on leadership as it does on clinical competence. Dentistry cannot meet tomorrow’s challenges without educating the leaders of tomorrow, and the dental profession and dental educators have an essential role in shaping that future.
The Autumn 2025 issue of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ) explores what “leadership” means in the context of healthcare and, in particular, dentistry from the perspective of a variety of team members, and why leadership is increasingly recognised as a critical domain for dental professionals.
Leadership in dentistry has long been viewed through the narrow lens of clinical seniority: the most experienced clinician, the most decorated consultant or specialist, or the individual who has simply “been around the longest.” Yet modern dentistry – multidisciplinary, digitally driven, team-based, and increasingly complex – demands a different understanding of what leadership truly means.
Nowadays, leadership in dentistry is less about hierarchy and more about fostering a positive, supportive culture, creating environments where people can thrive. It is the ability to navigate uncertainty, steward organisational or practice culture, support colleagues’ wellbeing, and translate vision, both clinical and non-clinical, into systems and behaviours that improve patient care. In an era marked by relentless workforce shortages, escalating regulatory scrutiny, and a more litigious landscape, let alone increasing patient expectations, and an expanding scope of practice, leadership is no longer optional – it is compulsory.
In many cases, dentists – and sometimes dental care professionals – enter leadership positions almost by chance, without prior preparation or intention, rather than through deliberate career planning. Many find themselves leading teams, services, or departments without formal leadership training, relying instead on clinical logic and common sense to solve organisational challenges. But clinical acumen and common sense do not automatically confer leadership competence.
As readers can glean from articles in this issue of the PDJ, effective leadership in dentistry requires:
reflective practice to learn from error, change behaviour, and model humility
clear communication to translate strategy into day-to-day action
the ability to effectively manage difficult conversations
emotional intelligence to respond to stress, conflict, and diverse personalities
courage to address performance concerns, speak up for safety, and challenge inefficient systems
vision to anticipate future needs – technological, educational, and demographic
These attributes are cultivated, not inherited. As a profession, we must recognise that leadership is a skillset that demands deliberate development.
Good leadership has measurable clinical consequences. Teams led by authentic, supportive leaders demonstrate better compliance with safety protocols, fewer adverse incidents, and higher patient satisfaction. Conversely, poor leadership is a well-recognised contributor to staff burnout, low morale, regulatory referrals, and declining quality of care.
In this sense, leadership is not separate from clinical practice – it is clinical practice. When a leader fosters psychological safety, team members are more likely to ask for help, discuss decisions, and escalate concerns before harm occurs. When leaders model professionalism, the culture follows. Leadership, therefore, is an evidence-based intervention that directly affects patient outcomes.
The document “The Safe Practitioner: A framework of behaviours and outcomes for dental professional education”,1 published by the General Dental Council (GDC) has replaced “Preparing for Practice”2 as the curriculum document for all programmes of undergraduate dental education in the UK from September 2025. The new framework states that all dental professionals should “where appropriate, lead, manage and take professional responsibility for the actions of colleagues and other members of the team involved in patient care.” Although the language of the framework throughout its various domains and sub domains may not always mention “leadership”, the expectations clearly do.
Therefore, dental schools and postgraduate programmes have an opportunity – and responsibility – to embed leadership development into curricula. Students and trainees should graduate not only as “competent” clinicians, but as professionals equipped to lead teams, contribute to service improvement, and navigate the emotional realities of modern healthcare.
Leadership training should include:
human factors and systems thinking
communication and conflict resolution
reflective and resilient practice
understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion
ethical decision-making and professionalism
real-world exposure to service leadership, not purely theory
We cannot expect clinicians to lead effectively if we never teach them how. If we want graduates who are truly prepared for practice, we must prepare them for leadership.
The College of General Dentistry defines leadership as a learnable “science and art” and integrates it as a key domain within both its Professional Framework for Dentistry and its experience-based route to Fellowship.3,4 Rather than prescribing specific qualities for every single stage, the framework outlines a general progression across career levels, with leadership skills becoming increasingly sophisticated and team oriented as a practitioner advances. The College emphasises that leadership skills are vital for all members of the dental team, regardless of their formal role, as every dental professional is inherently a leader within their practice.
The pressures of contemporary practice – clinical, financial, organisational, and regulatory – will only intensify. Strong leadership is the compass that keeps teams aligned, grounded, and focused on what matters most: the delivery of safe, compassionate, and high-quality care. It is recognised that, ultimately, there is no “one size fits all” approach to leadership in dentistry, but recognition of its importance, and perseverance with establishing a leadership model that works, can transform our clinical environment.5
Our profession must embrace leadership as a collective responsibility, not a title reserved for the few. Every dental professional – whether in training, practice, education or governance – has a role to play in shaping a culture where people feel valued, supported, and inspired.
The future of dentistry will not be defined only by the technologies we adopt or the treatments we deliver, but by the leaders we develop. In this token, I am deeply grateful to Dr Sree Koka, the guest editor of the upcoming leadership-themed issue, and to the many other contributing authors for their essential input producing such wealth of excellent, interesting, and informative articles which can serve as an invaluable source of wisdom for the general dental practice team. It is my sincere hope that readers will find the collection of articles of interest and that the issue will be an asset to all dental professionals in their working environment.
To receive the Leadership issue of the PDJ, join the College by Thursday 4 December 2025.
The Primary Dental Journal is the College’s quarterly peer-reviewed journal dedicated to general dental practice. The titles and abstracts of PDJ papers are available to all dental professionals via the searchable PDJ homepage, with full paper access available to College members through the PDJ Library.
The leadership issue will be available online in mid-December and printed copies should arrive with College members in late December.
3. The College of General Dentistry (CGDent). Career Pathways in Dentistry: Professional Framework. [Internet]. London: CGDent; 2022. Available at cgdent.uk/career-pathways [Accessed Nov 2025].
4. The College of General Dentistry (CGDent). Fellowship by experience. [Internet]. London: CGDent; 2024. Available at cgdent.uk/fellowship-by-experience [Accessed Nov 2025].
5. McColl E, Bryce G. Leadership in dentistry: what does it really mean? Dental Update. 2025;51(6):383-384.
The winning entrants comprise five Dental Therapists, four Dental Nurses, two Clinical Dental Technicians, one Dental Hygienist and one Orthodontic Therapist from across the UK and elsewhere.
Candidate name
Role
Membership
Region
Zahra Akhtar
Dental Therapist
Associate Member
Yorkshire and Northern
Humair Alam
Clinical Dental Technician
Associate Member
North Thames
Dena Andrews
Dental Therapist
Associate Member
Trent & East Anglia
Kenneth BinnahAssocFCGDent
Dental Nurse
Associate Fellow
Central London
Steven William Catterall
Dental Nurse
Associate Member
Mersey & North West
Poppy Louise Irvine
Dental Hygienist
Associate Member
Yorkshire and Northern
Sara Amina Jalloul
Orthodontic Therapist
Associate Member
Wessex & Oxford
Maria de los Llanos MartinezAssocFCGDent
Dental Therapist
Associate Fellow
Overseas
Caroline Persaud
Clinical Dental Technician
Associate Member
Wessex & Oxford
Carolyn Roberts
Dental Nurse
Associate Member
Wales
Michaela Christina Robinson
Dental Therapist
Associate Fellow
Wessex & Oxford
Georgina Smith
Dental Nurse
Associate Member
South Thames
Tyra Anne Watt
Dental Therapist
Associate Member
West & North Scotland
The successful candidates have each been awarded a fully-funded place, worth £375, on a three-day training course in mentoring and coaching. Delivered online by UMD Professional – an organisation with more than thirty years’ experience of establishing coaching and mentoring practices within medical and legal organisations – the short course takes place over two days in November 2025 and one in January 2026, with eight weeks of assimilation and application and a 30-minute 1:1 supervision session in between.
Course content will include:
What are coaching and mentoring?
Skills, knowledge, attributes and behaviours required in coaching and mentoring
A personal SWOT
Contracting in coaching and mentoring
Understanding boundaries
Communication theories:
Shannon and Weaver
Transactional analysis
Johari
Assertiveness
Objectivity v emotional response and unconscious bias
Setting meaningful objectives and action planning
Giving feedback
The GROW model
The OSCAR model
Scaling
Reflection
Successes and challenges
Cognitive distortion
The role of emotional intelligence
Supervision, group supervision and peer review
Action learning using delegate examples
The award was made possible by the generous donation through Prof Avijit Banerjee FCGDent of sponsorship by Foundation Nakao. Also known as The Nakao Foundation for Worldwide Oral Health, it was founded by Makato Nakao, Chairman of GC Corporation, a leading manufacturer of dental materials and equipment. (GC also partners with the College on the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees.)
To enter the award, participants each submitted an application form stating how they would be able to apply their mentoring or coaching skills in practice during the assimilation and application period, and how they would apply the learning to support less experienced colleagues thereafter. The award was open to all Dental Care Professional members of the College.
Establishing a mentoring and coaching culture is key to the College’s commitment to workforce diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. In promoting effective mentoring practice, we aim to foster appropriate support in the career pathway progression for all members of the oral healthcare team. Our aspiration is to cultivate a community of College members amongst Dental Care Professionals who are equipped and confident to nurture their peers.
It is anticipated that the Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award 2026 will open soon. To register your interest in the 2026 award and receive notifications as soon as applications open, email [email protected] with the subject line “Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award 2026”.
The College recently hosted a Leadership Development Masterclass for dental professionals.
Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent presenting to participants at the CGDent Leadership Development Masterclass
The masterclass taught some of the most critical elements needed to be an effective team leader, with carefully curated content offering appropriate breadth and depth for early-career leaders, including
Giving and receiving feedback as a leader
Learning one’s motivations for leadership (and adapting accordingly)
Measuring your leadership effectiveness
The one-day programme, which took place at the Royal Society of Medicine in London on Tuesday 14 October 2025, was restricted to Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College and was attended by members from across the dental team.
The event was led by Professor Sreenivas Koka DDS MS PhD MBA MAS FACD FCGDent and Professor Elizabeth Carr MAADH DHA FACD(Hon) FCGDent.
Professor Koka is co-founder of Executive Leadership Enterprises and the Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) programme, and founder of both the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership workshop series and the non-profit Career Design in Dentistry organisation. He is also a former Chair of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management Alumni Board. Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry from 2021-2024, 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. 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 MIT, 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 Koka Dental Clinic in San Diego, and is the author/co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed articles and nine book chapters. A Fellow of CGDent, he was brought up in Romford, emigrated to the United States at the age of 19 and is one of 16 dentists in his family.
Professor Carr is Chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene, Professor of Dental Hygiene and Director of the Mississippi Population Oral Health Collaborative at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, where she has worked for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene and a Doctorate in Health Administration from the University of Mississippi and a Master’s in Dental Hygiene from the University of Tennessee. She has also completed the MIT Sloan School of Management’s Executive Certificate programme in Leadership and Management. A Fellow of the CGDent, she is also an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Dentists, a past President of the Mississippi Dental Hygienists’ Association, and a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the American Academy of Dental Hygiene. Her peer-reviewed articles on leadership and dental education have been published in the Journal of the American College of Dentists, the Journal of International Oral Health, the Journal of Prosthodontic Research, the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the Journal of Dental Hygiene and the Journal of Dental Education.
Professor Koka is also the guest editor of the next issue of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ), which will be published later this year on the theme of leadership, and co-author of its paper ‘Oral health in the context of patient well-being: Implications for the general dentist’. Professor Carr is the author of ‘Effectively managing difficult conversations with patients and dental teams’. Both are co-authors of ‘Everyday leadership’.
Simon Thornton-Wood PhD, Chief Executive of the College, said:
“To practise dentistry requires years of education, yet people can take on leadership roles with little or no training at all. First-time and second-time dental leaders are challenged because other people’s actions now define them; the potential to fail in a leadership role is high and the consequences can be significant.
“Leadership can be taught and learned, so we were delighted to be able to host this masterclass, and privileged that it was delivered by two College Fellows who are world-leading scholars in the art and science of practising leadership in the context of oral healthcare delivery.”
Professor Igor Blum, Editor of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ), outlines the evolution of oral medicine – the theme of the latest issue, which provides an overview and update of the field for the general dental team
The art and science of oral medicine begins with the pioneering work of Sir Jonathan Hutchinson (1828–1900), a surgeon at the London Hospital, who is also regarded in the UK as the Father of Oral Medicine.1 He reported on the dental manifestations of congenital syphilis, intraoral pigmentation and perioral pigmentation associated with intestinal polyposis, later described by Peutz in 1921.2 Subsequently, ten further cases were described by Jeghers, McKusick, and Katz who also reviewed the literature on this topic in 1949.3 Individuals with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome commonly present with an association of gastrointestinal polyps, mucocutaneous pigmentation, a familial incidence, and are at an increased risk of various cancers.
Much of the early description of oral mucosal diseases was found in dermatology textbooks, as documented in the works of the English surgeon and dermatologist Sir William James Erasmus Wilson (1809–1884).4,5 Sir William Osler (1849–1919), a Canadian physician and co-founder of the Medical Library Association of Great Britain and Ireland, recognised the importance of the oral cavity and believed that the tongue and oral mucosa reflect a patient’s overall health.6 This idea, held in various medical and traditional practices, suggests that changes in the appearance or condition of the mouth, including the tongue and soft tissues, can indicate underlying systemic health issues.
In a thoroughly researched and well written article by Professor Crispian Scully in 2016, he described the immense contributions of various stalwarts who were instrumental in the initiation and popularisation of the discipline of oral medicine over a 50-year period, between 1920 and 1970.7 In the UK, the evolution of oral medicine has its origin in oral pathology and resulted in its recognition as a dental specialty by the General Dental Council in 1998, with tribute paid to the founders of the British Society for Oral Medicine (BSOM) – the predecessor organisation of The British & Irish Society for Oral Medicine (BISOM) which was established in 1981.
Although not a substitute by any means for an extensive quality textbook on oral medicine, the editorial team felt it was timely to produce an issue of the Primary Dental Journal devoted to the common and important oral medicine conditions encountered in general dental practice. This themed issue on oral medicine is geared to primary care dental practitioners and dental care professionals as a refresher and an update on oral medicine-related diseases. The articles in this issue provide an overview of current thinking in the more relevant areas of oral medicine. The clinical aspects of the relevant disorders are discussed, including a brief overview of the aetiology, detail on the clinical features, and how the diagnosis is made. Guidance on management and when to refer is also provided, along with relevant websites which offer further detail.
A major challenge in the diagnosis of oral disease is the need for memorising long lists of oral lesions from oral medicine/oral pathology literature. This is made more difficult because many of these lesions are not frequently encountered by the primary care dental team. This new issue of the journal highlights common oral conditions that may be encountered in the dental practice. Pulpal, periapical, and periodontal diseases are intentionally not discussed in this issue since primary care dental clinicians are experienced in diagnosing and managing those conditions.
I trust that the oral medicine-themed issue of the PDJ will serve as a tabletop reference in General Dental Practice. The discussion of the entire spectrum of oral diseases is beyond the scope of this single issue; instead, we have selected what we believe to be important oral medicine conditions. The introductory article addresses an approach in formulating clinical diagnosis and management of the various types of oral candidosis. This is followed by articles on oral lichen planus and lichenoid lesions, managing a dry mouth in primary care, a review of common oral medicine conditions in children, oral facial pain, burning mouth syndrome, and chronic graft versus host disease (cGvHD). Although the latter is less common, it can occur in the increasing numbers of patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplants.8
The information presented is primarily aimed to cover the diagnostic aspects and an overview of patient management, including patient referral. The main objective is to provide readers with a cutting-edge update on the above topics, including raising awareness of the need to diagnose and manage patients with oral medicine conditions in primary care, and when to make a referral to an oral medicine service if available. Alternatively, a referral to a specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery can be made when appropriate.
It is hoped that this themed issue will help the primary care dental team to integrate the principles of oral medicine and oral pathology into clinically applicable concepts that will enable the practitioner to develop clinical differential diagnoses and participate in definitive diagnosis through a multidisciplinary approach with dental specialty teams. It is my further hope that the reader will not only be provided with updated information as to the multiple facets of oral medicine conditions but will also find new information to further aid them in the diagnosis and management of these occasionally enigmatic disorders.
No issue of the Primary Dental Journal could come to successful fruition without the contributions of well-qualified authors. I am extremely thankful to the guest editor, Dr Emma Hayes, consultant in oral medicine, and to all contributing authors for their invaluable input to this issue. I believe that this edition of the Primary Dental Journal will be an asset and resource to the general dental practice team.
The Primary Dental Journal is the College’s quarterly peer-reviewed journal dedicated to general dental practice. The titles and abstracts of PDJ papers are available to all dental professionals via the searchable PDJ homepage, with full paper access available to College members through the PDJ Library.
Printed copies of the Summer 2025 issue on oral medicine should arrive with College members in the second half of September.
References
1 Spielman AI. History of Oral Diagnosis, Medicine, Pathology and Radiology. In: Illustrated Encyclopedia of the History of Dentistry. [Internet]. New York: History of Dentistry and Medicine; 2023. Available at historyofdentistryandmedicine.com [Accessed Jun 2025]
2Peutz JLA. Over een zeer merkwaardige, gecombineerde familiaire pollyposis van de sligmliezen van den tractus intestinalis met die van de neuskeelholte en gepaard met eigenaardige pigmentaties van huid-en slijmvliezen (Very remarkable case of familial polyposis of the mucous membrane of the intestinal tract and nasopharynx accompanied by peculiar pigmentations of skin and mucous membrane). Nederl Maandschr v Geneesk. 1921;10:134-146. Dutch.
3Jeghers H, McKusick VA, Katz KH. Generalized Intestinal Polyposis and Melanin Spots of the Oral Mucosa, Lips and Digits — A Syndrome of Diagnostic Significance. N Engl J Med. 1949;241(26):1031-1036.
4Wilson E. On The Management of the Skin as a Means of Promoting and Preserving Health (3rd ed.). London: John Churchill; 1849. Retrieved 15 June 2025. Full text at Internet Archive (archive.org)
5Wilson E. On Diseases of the Skin (4th American, from the 4th & enlarged London ed.). Philadelphia: Blanchard & Lea; 1857. Retrieved 15 June 2025. Full text at Internet Archive (archive.org)
6Stone MJ. The wisdom of Sir William Osler. Am J Cardiol. 1995;75(4):269-276.
7Scully C. Oral medicine in academia. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2016;122(1):111.
8Passweg JR, Baldomero H, Chabannon C, et al. Hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy survey of the EBMT: monitoring of activities and trends over 30 years. 2021;56(7):1651-1664.
The latest issue of the Primary Dental Journal, ‘Oral medicine’, is now available to read online.
The papers in this issue of the PDJ have been brought together by Guest Editor Dr Emma Hayes, a Consultant and Clinical Lead in Oral Medicine at King’s College London Dental Institute.
A core theme in this collection of papers is to highlight the vital role that dental professionals contribute to the diagnosis and management of patients with oral medicine conditions. The issue covers the wide range of oral medicine conditions seen at various ages and stages of life, from an overview of conditions seen in the paediatric population, to salivary gland hypofunction, more often seen in an older population.
As well as common oral medicine conditions frequently encountered in dental practice, this issue of the PDJ also highlights some of the rarer conditions that may initially be presented to dentists (such as trigeminal neuralgia) and where early diagnosis is essential to improving patient outcomes. A full list of papers is below.
Dr Hayes describes the ambition for this Oral medicine issue of the journal:
“It is my hope that these papers will act as a useful reference for dental professionals into the future. I also hope that it will inspire primary dental care practitioners to continue to take an interest in oral medicine and feel empowered to participate in the early identification and management of these patients.”
This issue also marks the first where the College’s new Coat of Arms appears throughout, in light of its newly-acquired Grant of Arms received under Crown authority from the College of Arms. An image of the elaborate Grant of Arms can be seen on the inside front cover of the print edition. The News & Perspectives section of this issue examines the Grant of Arms, the symbolism behind the heraldic elements in the Coat of Arms, and how to donate to the College’s Coat of Arms fund for those wishing to secure a special place in the history of the development of the College.
Full online access to the majority of articles in this and previous issues is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can expect their printed copies to arrive by the end of September. New joiners wishing to receive a copy of this issue can let us know by emailing [email protected]
For non-members / non-subscribers, at least one paper in each issue is made available online free of charge, with all other articles available to purchase via the links below.
An annual print subscription to the PDJ is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to over 1,500 current and past articles in the PDJ Library and a range of other benefits.
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 this issue.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement
1 year
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
PHPSESSID
session
This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
wordpress_test_cookie
session
This cookie is used to check if the cookies are enabled on the users' browser.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
