The 2026 Foundation Nakao – CGDent Coaching and Mentoring Award for Dental Care Professionals is now open.
Establishing a mentor 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.
Thanks to sponsorship by Foundation Nakao, generously donated through Prof Avijit Banerjee FCGDent, and following the success of the 2025 award, we are able once again to a number of places on a three day training course in mentoring and coaching in 2026.
The award is open to College members who are registered as a dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental nurse, orthodontic therapist, dental technician or clinical dental technician. Our aspiration is to cultivate a community of College members amongst Dental Care Professionals who are equipped and confident to nurture their peers, and dentist members are therefore asked to support this aim by highlighting the opportunity to dental team colleagues.
The short course will be delivered synchronously online, using the Zoom platform, by UMD Professional, an organisation with more than thirty years of experience with dentistry, medicine, healthcare and law, to establishing coaching and mentoring practices within organisations*.
Course dates
Day 1. Friday 9 October 2026
Day 2. Saturday 10 October 2026
Day 3 Friday 27 November 2026
Applicants must:
Hold a current membership of the College at the time of application, in one of the registered Dental Care Professional roles. Join today.
Have at least two years of post-qualification experience in the role.
Be available to participate in all three days of the training.
Be prepared to:
apply mentoring or coaching skills between Day 2 and Day 3.
apply the learning to support less experienced colleagues through the College
contribute to the promotion of the experience in mentorship through an article or at a College event.
To apply
Download and complete the application form, which should be submitted by email to [email protected] using the subject line “Application for Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award 2026”.
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Friday 31 July 2026.
Places will be awarded based on candidates’ motivations, commitment to professional development and potential for impact in their practice and more widely, as evidenced through their application form. Successful applicants will be informed by email in August.
Foundation Nakao – also known as The Nakao Foundation for Worldwide Oral Health – was founded in Luzern in 2018 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 and The Tom Bereznicki Award for Tooth Wear Cases.
The College has launched fellowships for each role in the wider dental team.
Recognising professional accomplishment in clinical and other areas of practice, the new fellowships are:
Fellowship in Dental Nursing – FDN (CGDent)
Fellowship in Orthodontic Therapy – FOT (CGDent)
Fellowship in Dental Hygiene – FDH (CGDent)
Fellowship in Dental Therapy – FDTher (CGDent)
Fellowship in Dental Technology – FDTech (CGDent)
Fellowship in Clinical Dental Technology – FCDT (CGDent)
The launch of the new fellowships represents a significant advance in the professional recognition available to members of the wider dental team.
It is also the latest stage in the fulfilment of the College’s founding ambition to promote and develop the whole team, and follows the recent inauguration of Deans to lead its Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy, Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy and Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology & Dental Technology.
Every registered Dental Care Professional is eligible to join the College as an Associate Member. Those holding a recognised and relevant Postgraduate Certificate may join as (or upgrade to become) a Full Member (MCGDent), and those satisfying any one of the College’s five fellowship domains (see below) can qualify as an Associate Fellow (AssocFCGDent).
The six new fellowships are open to dental professionals with at least ten years’ experience in practice who fulfil the requirements of any two of the College’s fellowship domains. Each domain has a range of possible routes to eligibility. Example routes are in the following table:
Fellowship domain
Summary / example routes
Clinical & Technical
Recognised and relevant PgDip or Master’s degree
Teaching & Assessment
FHEA or FAcadMEd or
PgCert in Dental, Medical or Clinical Education plus 3 years’ service in a recognised role or
8 years’ service in a recognised role plus either 27 hours’ relevant and recent CPD or FDTFEd
Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance
Diploma-level leadership qualification or
Certificate-level leadership qualification plus 3 years’ leadership experience or
3 years’ senior leadership experience plus 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD
Research & Publications
PhD or
Master’s degree including a research dissertation worth 30+ credits or
5+ peer-reviewed articles published in MEDLINE-indexed publications or Dental Update
Law & Ethics
PgCert or PgDip in a legally-related subject relevant to dentistry plus 1 year’s experience in a relevant role or
5 years’ experience in a relevant role plus 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD
A Fellow in Dental Nursing, Orthodontic Therapy, Dental Hygiene, Dental Therapy, Dental Technology or Clinical Dental Technology may also become a College Fellow (FCGDent) should they meet the requirements of a third fellowship domain. Fellowship for dentists is only available in the form of College Fellowship, requiring satisfaction of three domains.
Fellows are senior members of the College, with their Fellowship marking them out as ‘Accomplished Practitioners’ on the College’s Career Pathway. Providing leadership and support to the development of dentistry, they can attend the College’s biannual Fellows’ Receptions, and have the opportunity for ceremonial admission by the President.
In addition to enhanced professional standing, Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College receive a reduction in their dental indemnity fees with Dental Protection. They can also enrol on a one year, part-time, distance learning MSc in General Dental Practice (which in itself satisfies the Research & Publications domain of fellowship).
All College members receive quarterly print issues of the Primary Dental Journal, the only peer-reviewed professional development journal dedicated to general dental practice, as well as free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and networking opportunities.
Dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental technicians, clinical dental technicians and orthodontic therapists all receive a one-third discount on the College’s standard membership fees. Dental nurses receive a two-thirds discount, as do retired members and overseas practitioners.
There is no fee for applying to become a Fellow, and existing members who successfully upgrade will only start paying the applicable higher membership fee from their next annual renewal.
Full details of the College’s fellowship domains, and a link to apply for the relevant Fellowship, are available via the button below:
The College has opened four new routes to Associate Fellowship, expanding eligibility to those with suitable knowledge and experience in teaching, leadership, research or dento-legal matters.
A stepping stone to Fellowship, Associate Fellowship was introduced by the College at its inception to increase the standing of those dental professionals who have significantly developed their knowledge and skills. Open to those in all dental team roles, it bridges the large gap between Membership and Fellowship which previously offered no further recognition of these individuals’ achievements.
To date, Associate Fellowship has only been open to those holding particular qualifications, broadly aligning it to the requirements of the old Clinical domain of College Fellowship.
However, to widen relevance across different aspects of professional achievement, and to further recognise the diversity of contributions made to the profession in the service of patients, Associate Fellowship is now open to any dental professional with at least five years’ experience in practice who meets the requirements of any one of the College’s five Fellowship domains.
The recently revised domain requirements are openly published so that prospective Associate Fellows can easily check their eligibility and be confident in their application.
A summary of the domain requirements is below:
Clinical & Technical
This domain requires the applicant either to hold an eligible award or to submit a clinical portfolio demonstrating equivalent training and capability.
Qualifying awards include a relevant Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s degree or PhD from a recognised UK or EHEA higher education institution or an accredited UK provider; the CGDent Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics or Certified Practitioner status; specialty membership of a UK Royal College or Royal College faculty; a diploma in a specific dental discipline from RCS England, RCS Edinburgh or the former FGDP; the MGDS, MAGDS, MDS or MRACDS; and Accredited Full Membership of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
Alternatively, applications by clinical portfolio are currently open in Restorative Dentistry, with specifications for Implant Dentistry and Orthodontics due to be published soon.
Teaching & Assessment
This 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.
For example, applicants can qualify if they have eight years’ service as an NHS Educational Supervisor (for at least 200 hours per year), together with either 27 hours’ relevant and recent CPD or Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance
Applicants under this domain should either hold an eligible diploma-level leadership qualification, or a certificate-level leadership qualification together with three years’ service in a relevant leadership role, or have three years’ experience in a defined senior leadership role together with 10 hours’ relevant and recent CPD.
For example, applicants qualify if they have three years’ experience of leadership, oversight and accountability as principal or partner of a multi-chair practice with a minimum of six registrants, together with a relevant Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate or ILM Level 5 diploma.
Research & Publications
Applicants should either have completed a relevant Doctorate or Master’s degree including a research dissertation, or have had at least five peer-reviewed articles published in MEDLINE-indexed publications (such as the Primary Dental Journal) or Dental Update.
Law & Ethics
This 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.
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 out by the use of the postnominal AssocFCGDent.
As members of the Fellowship Community, Associate Fellows reflect the College’s values and focus on professionalism, and help provide leadership and support to the development of dentistry. They can attend the prestigious biannual Fellows’ Receptions, and have the opportunity for ceremonial admission by the President.
Associate Fellows receive a 5% reduction in their dental indemnity fees with Dental Protection. They are also eligible to enrol on a ‘top-up’ MSc in General Dental Practice, completion of which can be achieved in a single year of part-time distance learning and would take them a further step towards Fellowship by satisfying the Research & Publications domain.
Like all College members, Associate Fellows receive quarterly print issues of the Primary Dental Journal, the only peer-reviewed professional development journal dedicated to general dental practice, as well as free or heavily discounted access to live CPD events, study days and networking opportunities.
There is no fee for applying to become an Associate Fellow, and existing members who successfully upgrade will only start paying the applicable higher membership fee from their next annual renewal.
Full details of the domains, and a link to apply for Associate Fellowship of the College, are available by clicking the button below:
The College is seeking the next Dean of its Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, and all dental nurses and orthodontic therapists are invited to consider applying.
The Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy is a constituency of the College automatically comprising all members who are dental nurses or orthodontic therapists. The interests of these members as a discrete professional group are advanced within the College by both a Faculty Board, which advises and reports to the elected College Council, and by an elected Faculty representative on the Council.
The four faculties of the College have to date been led by the Chairs of the Faculty Boards, but to reflect their increasing responsibilities as CGDent continues its journey toward Royal Charter, the incumbent Chairs have recently been inaugurated as Deans.
The Deanships each have a three-year term of office, however the inaugural Deans are serving shorter terms as a sequential process of re-appointment is implemented, with the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy the first to be re-appointed.
The new Dean will be appointed for a non-renewable term from June 2026 – June 2029, during which they will be expected to attend the three formal meetings of the Council each year, and to coordinate at least three meetings of the Faculty Board annually with these dates. (Council holds full-day hybrid meetings, with attendance in person preferred.)
The Dean, who will work closely with the President and the other Deans in developing career and membership pathways, standard-setting, development of effective teams and other College priorities, will support and be appointed by the Council and also advises Council on the wider membership of the Faculty Board.
Candidates will need to be an Associate Member, Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College at the time of application, and anyone interested in applying who is not yet a member of the College is advised to allow at least two weeks for their membership application to be fully processed prior to applying for this role.
The role attracts a small honorarium, with essential expenses covered. A role profile is available below.
Applications should be made by email, headed “Dean FDNOT”, to [email protected], attaching a CV and covering letter addressing the role profile.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 17 May 2026.
Interviews will be held online from the week beginning Monday 25 May 2026 with a selection panel convened by Council, and the appointee should be available to attend the College Council meeting on Friday 12 June 2026.
If you have questions or would like a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Simon Thornton-Wood PhD, Chief Executive of the College, at [email protected]
The College has inaugurated the first Deans of its four faculties, which develop its work in support of each dental team role.
Bill Sharpling FCGDent (left), Poppy Dunton (second from left), Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent (second from right) and Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent (right) were inaugurated by College President Roshni Karia MCGDent (centre). The new Deans’ gowns and President’s gown were donated by Rahul Arora FCGDent and Nandini Arora through the College’s Coat of Arms Appeal Fund.
Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent was inaugurated as the first Dean of the Faculty of Dentists, Poppy Dunton has become the first Dean of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent is the inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, and Bill Sharpling FCGDent has been appointed the first Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology.
One of the founding ambitions of the College was to convene distinct faculties for the professions within the dental team, and it is the only college of its kind in the world to have done so. The Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy and Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology were all formed in 2022, and the Faculty of Dentists created in 2024.
All members of the College are automatically assigned to the relevant faculty for their registrant group, and appointed faculty boards advise the elected College Council on the interests of their specific constituencies, and support the work of Council in developing career and membership pathways, standard-setting, development of effective teams and other areas.
Each board has to date been led by a Chair, and to reflect their increasing responsibilities as CGDent continues its journey toward Royal Charter, the role of Chair has now been replaced by the Dean, with the incumbent Chairs becoming the inaugural Deans. The new Deans were inaugurated by College President Roshni Karia MCGDent at a meeting of the College Council in London on 6 March 2026.
Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent holds a Chair in Cariology and Operative Dentistry, and is a clinical Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals Foundation Trust. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and raised in Bolton, UK, after graduating in 1993 from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals (UMDS, now part of KCL), he became a clinical House Officer in oral surgery and orthodontics at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, and then subsequently a Senior House Officer in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Mount Vernon, Hillingdon and Watford General Hospitals.
With over thirty years’ experience as a clinician, researcher, teacher and examiner, he holds an MSc in Mineralised Tissue Biology and a PhD in Cariology from University College London. In 2022 he received the International Association of Dental Research’s William H Bowen Distinguished Scientist Award for Research in Dental Caries, and in 2024, he was awarded the British Dental Association’s esteemed John Tomes Medal in recognition of his scientific and clinical academic eminence and outstanding service to the dental profession. He currently holds three international honorary chairs, is a Trustee of both the Oral & Dental Research Trust and the Oral Health Foundation, and is Editor-in-Chief of the BDJ Portfolio. He is author of over 200 published peer-reviewed papers and author or editor of seven books, most recently A Clinical Guide to Advanced Minimum Intervention Restorative Dentistry (Elsevier).
He is Deputy Lead of the NIHR Clinical Research Delivery Network Oral & Dental Specialty, a Council Member of the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry, and a member of the BDA Health & Science Committee and BDA Indemnity Advisory Panel. He has previously served as a Council Member of the British Society of Restorative Dentistry and is currently serving as President of the British Society of Oral and Dental Research. He is an Honorary Consultant Advisor to the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for England, Visiting Professor at CEU Cardinal Herrera University in Valencia, and Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University in Bhubaneswar and at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals in Chennai. He was previously a Visiting Professor at Oman Dental College and an Honorary Professor at Hong Kong University.
A Fellow of CGDent, he has previously served on the editorial board of its Primary Dental Journal, as Chair of the its Career Pathways Programme Board and as a subject matter expert for the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP). He has also gained Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, of the Higher Education Academy, of the International College of Dentists and of the former FGDP. He was appointed Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Dentists in 2024.
Poppy Dunton is a dental therapist working in general dental practice and implant clinics in Harrogate and County Durham, a Clinical Lecturer in Dental Hygiene at Teesside University, and a dental business consultant who helps ailing squat practices to improve their periodontal care. She was previously Operations Manager, CQC Manager and Lead Dental Therapist at a private dental practice group in Northampton. Having first worked in dentistry on a work placement as a 15-year-old, she has also been a receptionist, compliance and treatment coordinator and dental nurse.
She completed the National Certificate in Dental Nursing in 2008 and graduated from Cardiff University with a Diploma of Higher Education in Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene, where she was awarded the Johnson and Johnson Clinical Excellence Prize, in 2011. She also holds a City & Guilds Diploma in Leadership and Management, a Level 6 qualification in employment law from the Institute of Paralegals, the Perio School Diploma in Periodontics for Hygienists and Therapists and the Smile Dental Academy Diploma in Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry for Dental Therapists, and has completed training as a Menopause Coach in order to help improve the care provided to her patients. In 2026 she launched the Diploma in Advanced Dental Health and Business Strategy, an EduQual-accredited Level 7 programme for dental hygienists and therapists which bridges clinical dentistry with leadership, reflective practice and business development.
She joined the College as an Associate Member in 2022, enrolled on the Certified Membership Scheme, was appointed to the Board of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy and was a facilitator at the College’s NextGen Leadership Workshop in 2023. She is also a member of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, the British Association of Dental Therapists, the Association of Dental Implantology and the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry. She was appointed Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy in 2025.
Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent is a Reader and Lead for Faculty Development in the Faculty of Life Science and Medicine at King’s College London. She was previously Head of the Centre for Professional Practice, then Head of Digital and Lifelong Learning and latterly Director of Advanced and Specialist Healthcare in Global and Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent, where she developed and ran its MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare. A dental nurse for almost forty years, she had a 23-year career in the Royal Navy and is a past Executive Chair of the British Association of Dental Nurses.
She became an Affiliate Member of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK in 2008 and was a Founding Contributor to the College, later serving as Chair of the Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy Working Group which contributed to its Professional Framework for Career Pathways in Dentistry. She is a peer reviewer for the British Dental Journal and the Annual Clinical Journal For Dental Health, is on the editorial board of the Advanced Journal of Professional Practice and was a contributor to An introduction to clinical research for health and social care professionals.
She is a Doctor of Education and also holds an MSc in Human Resources Development, a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, the FGDP(UK) Certificate in Dental Practice Appraisal and a BA in Post Compulsory Education. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a past Honorary Vice President of the British Society for Dental Hygiene and Therapy. In 2020 she received the BADN Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award, and in 2021 she received the inaugural FGDP(UK) Janet Goodwin Award. Vice Chair of the inaugural Board of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, in 2023 she became the College Council representative for dental nurses and orthodontic therapists and in 2024 was appointed Board Chair.
Bill Sharpling FCGDent is an Associate Dean and Director of the London Dental Education Centre at King’s College London, and is teacher and examiner for its MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry and MClinDent in Fixed & Removable Prosthodontics. He is also an Honorary Professor at RAK College of Dental Sciences in the UAE, a Visiting Professor at the British University in Egypt, Chair of the Dental AI Association’s Division of Removable Prosthodontics and Chair of the CPD work-stream for DentALLiance, a partnership between King’s College London, the University of North Carolina, the National University of Singapore and the University of Melbourne. Previously, he has been Head of Dental Technology at Guy’s, King’s College and St Thomas’ Hospitals, Chief Instructor in conservative dental technology at Guy’s Hospital Dental School and an external examiner for the BSc (Hons) in Clinical Dental Technology programme at the University of Central Lancashire.
After qualifying in 1986, he spent the next 10 years working as a Dental Technician, gaining advanced qualifications in fixed and removable prosthodontics. He served for 16 years in the Royal Army Dental Corps, has worked in commercial dental laboratories and continues in practice as a Clinical Dental Technician running his own dental laboratory in Surrey. He holds an HND(Sc) in Dental Technology from South London College, a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from the University of Portsmouth and an MBA with distinction from London South Bank University. In 2024, he also completed the MIT Sloan School of Management Executive Programme in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.
He is a Fellow of CGDent, the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the British Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the International Team for Implantology and the British Association of Clinical Dental Technology. He also serves on the International Federation of Denturists’ education committee, and previously served on the former FGDP’s Dental Care Professionals committee and on the editorial board of the Quintessence Journal of Dental Technology. He has authored chapters in the textbooks Essentials of Aesthetic Dentistry: Principles of Practice (Elsevier) and Practical Procedures in Aesthetic Dentistry (Wiley). In 2022 he was appointed the dental technicians’ and clinical dental technicians’ representative on the College Council, and in 2024 he was appointed Chair of the Board of the Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology & Dental Technology.
The Deanships will each have a three-year term of office, however the inaugural Deans will serve shorter terms as a sequential process of re-appointment is implemented. The first to be re-appointed will be the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, with recruitment to begin shortly. The second Deans of the Faculty of Dentists and the Faculty of Clinical Dental Technology and Dental Technology will be appointed next year, and the next Dean of the Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy will be appointed in 2028.
The College has announced the topic and speakers for its next annual study day in Glasgow.
2026 CGDent Scotland Study Day speakers (l-r): Dr Noland Naidoo, Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Professor Murali Srinivasan and Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent
Delivering lectures under the title “Digital dentistry for the dental team: you say you want a revolution” will be four speakers: Dr Noland Naidoo, Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent, Professor Murali Srinivasan and Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent.
The annual study day, organised by CGDent Scotland, takes place at Glasgow Science Centre on the first Friday in December – 4 December this year. With six hours of CPD, the day is attended by up to 400 dental professionals from across the UK, and finishes with a drinks reception which marks the start of the festive season for its many regular attendees.
Dr Noland Naidoo practises prosthodontics and endodontics in Edinburgh and Kelso, and previously co-led a private prosthodontic practice in Johannesburg. He qualified BChD from the University of the Western Cape in 2005 and was awarded a PDipDent in Implantology in 2007. He later completed an MDent in Prosthodontics, thereby qualifying as a specialist within South Africa, at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he later practised in the Department of Oral Rehabilitation. He relocated to the UK in 2022, joining University College London’s Eastman Dental Institute as a clinical lecturer on postgraduate prosthodontic programmes, and then to Edinburgh in 2024, where in addition to his practice he has taught on postgraduate prosthodontic and endodontic programmes at Edinburgh Dental Institute. He is a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology (ITI), an alumnus of Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) and serves on the board of the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership programme. He has contributed to international professional organisations, including the International College of Prosthodontists, and acts as a peer reviewer for leading journals.
Dr Helen Kaney FCGDent is Head of the Dental Division at the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS). She 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 before training and working as a solicitor for a number of years, acting for doctors and dentists in clinical negligence claims, regulatory matters and Fatal Accident Inquiries in Scotland on the instructions of UK indemnity providers. Her first dentolegal role started in 1999, working for a large insurer in Surrey, and she has since accrued significant experience in advising and assisting dentists in the UK and Ireland and in several other jurisdictions, including during 14 years working for Dental Protection, latterly as Head of Dental Services in Scotland. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Diploma in Legal Practice, and completed an MBA at Strathclyde Business School in 2013. A Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, she was an elected member of its Council from 2019-25.
Professor Murali Srinivasan is a specialist prosthodontist, Director of the Clinic of General, Special Care and Geriatric Dentistry at the University of Zurich and an honorary professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. He is a past President of the European College of Gerodontology, former Head of the University of Zurich’s Centre for Dental Medicine, and is currently President of both the International Association of Dental Research’s Geriatric Oral Research Group (IADR-GORG) and the Swiss Society of Gerodontology and Special Care Dentistry. He qualified BDS in India in 1996, completed his Master of Dental Surgery in prosthodontics in 2001 and also holds both a Master of Advanced Studies in reconstructive dentistry and a Doctorate in Dental Medicine from the University of Geneva. Formerly practising in Dubai, he moved to Switzerland in 2011 on an ITI scholarship, after which he became a Lecturer, later Senior Lecturer, at the University of Geneva. An active Fellow of the ITI, he has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals. His current research encompasses implant dentistry, geriatric dentistry, prevention and the clinical applications of CAD-CAM technology in removable prosthodontics.
Professor Gerry McKenna FCGDent is a Consultant in Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast, where his clinical work is focused on fixed and removable prosthodontics, including managing older adults in both hospital and private practice. He also leads oral health research within the university’s Centre for Public Health, focussing on optimising treatment options for older adults. After qualifying BDS from Newcastle University in 2004, he worked in a number of dental hospitals, spent time in dental practice, achieved a PhD on the impact of a tailored dietary intervention coupled with oral rehabilitation on the nutritional status of older adults, and completed specialist clinical training at University College Cork. A Vice President of IADR-GORG and past President of both the IADR’s Irish Division of and the European College of Gerodontology, he is an adjunct Professor at University College Cork, King James IV Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and a Fellow of both the College of General Dentistry and RCS Edinburgh. He has recently published the book Clinical Cases in Gerodontology.
The CGDent Scotland Study Day is open to all dental professionals, and can be attended in person or virtually. Fee discounts are available to College members in all team roles.
Breakfast rolls, a two-course lunch, refreshments throughout the day and evening drinks are all included in the attendance fee, and there will be an accompanying trade exhibition to visit.
Professor Jim McCaul, lead maxillofacial surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, delivering his lecture, ‘Oral Cancer, what you need to know and what you need to do’, to attendees at last year’s CGDent Scotland Study Day
Other discounts to the full rate are available to Foundation Dentists / Vocational Trainees and their trainers, recent graduates and members of the Glasgow Odontological Society and the Royal Odonto-Chirurgical Society of Scotland.
We will welcome members and non-members alike to our CPD lectures, with experts in their fields sharing their knowledge on a range of subjects and giving advice to support the professional development of the whole dental team.
Details of College lectures at BDCDS27 will be added here once confirmed.
College representatives will also be available throughout the show at the CGDent exhibition stand to talk to delegates about our vision for the profession, the benefits of membership and fellowship, and to answer your questions.
BDCDS is the UK’s largest dental event. Attendees will have access to over 200 CPD lectures in all across multiple lecture theatres, and the opportunity to network among 10,000 dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, dental nurses, practice managers, dental technicians and laboratory owners.
Co-located with Dental Technology Showcase, it is also a great opportunity to meet new and existing suppliers, with 400 exhibitors on site, including all the industry leaders.
Registration for BDCDS27 will be FREE for all dental professionals.
A registration link will be added here once available.
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.
For example, applicants holding a relevant Master’s degree or PhD; a recognised postgraduate diploma; a specialty membership of a UK Royal College; a diploma in a specific dental discipline from CGDent, FGDP or RCS England; a diploma or membership in a specific dental discipline from RCS Edinburgh; or the MGDS, MAGDS, MDS or MRACDS, all qualify in this domain, as do CGDent Certified Practitioners and Accredited Full Members of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.
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.
For example, applicants can now qualify in this domain if they have eight years’ service as an NHS Educational Supervisor (for at least 200 hours per year), together with either 27 hours’ relevant and recent CPD or Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
The Leadership and Management domain, now called Leadership, Management & Clinical Governance, is no longer satisfied through ten years’ experience as principal or partner in a practice of any size together with evidence of external validation such as a CQC inspection report. It now 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.
For example, applicants can now qualify in this domain if they have three years’ experience of leadership, oversight and accountability as principal or partner of a multi-chair practice with a minimum of six registrants, together with a relevant Level 7 postgraduate certificate or ILM Level 5 diploma.
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.
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