The Dental Defence Union (DDU) has expanded its advisory team of qualified dental professionals who provide expert guidance, support and advice to members involved in dento-legal incidents.
As part of the DDU team, these dental professionals will work to deliver key DDU services that members depend on, including the 24-hour advice line, education, guidance and support with complaints and clinical negligence claims. The dento-legal advisory team is also responsible for defending members in regulatory proceedings.
The new members of the DDU team are Fay Hope, Una Man and Malveen Mann all of whom join the DDU as dento-legal advisers. The DDU has also recruited Rachael Simpson and Miranda Steeples as dental care professional (DCP) advisers to help support our growing number of DCP members.
Fay Hope has worked mainly in general dental practice and prison dentistry, but has also worked in hospital in maxillo-facial surgery. An interest in law and ethics led to her completing an MA in dental law and ethics at the University of Bedfordshire in 2024 and she recently attained the diploma in legal medicine (Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians).
Fay said: “The DDU is well known for having an excellent dental team and I am delighted to join it. I am looking forward to learning from all the other team members who have a wealth of experience between them.”
Una Man has an interest in dental education and spent 11 years as a clinical teaching fellow at the University of Portsmouth. She has also developed a broad spectrum of clinical experience gained from working in general dental practice, oral and maxillofacial surgery, community dental services, and in private referral practice.
Una said: “Curiosity has driven many of the decisions that have shaped my portfolio career. When the opportunity arose to join the stellar team of dento-legal advisers at the DDU, it was too good to miss. Every member contact is unique, each working day is different and being in the position to provide advice and assistance to members is immensely rewarding.”
Malveen Mann has worked as a general dental practitioner for 16 years and has attained a postgraduate diploma in dental law and ethics. Alongside working for the DDU and in private practice, she is also a clinical dental tutor at the University of Birmingham.
Malveen said: “My interest in joining the DDU is both professional and personal. As a longstanding DDU member, I experienced first-hand the support the organisation provides when I faced a particularly challenging period in my career.
“The DDU helped me navigate the matter with confidence and had a significant impact on my well-being at a difficult time. That experience inspired me to pursue a role where I could provide the same support to my fellow clinicians.
“I am passionate about helping colleagues manage risk, make sound decisions and maintain confidence throughout their careers.”
Rachael Simpson has extensive clinical experience of working in hospital and community dental services, as well as in the NHS and private practice. She currently divides her time between her dental care professional adviser role at the DDU and as a clinical tutor for undergraduate students in Liverpool.
Rachael commented: “I enjoy helping and supporting others and wanted a new challenge away from clinical dentistry, but something which could utilise all my prior training and experience. I have been a member of the DDU and have always been impressed with the service they provide so wanted to be part of the team and support the new generation of dental care professionals in their journey.”
Miranda Steeples has worked in general practice for many years, both as a dental nurse, and now as a dental hygienist and dental therapist and divides her working life between working in general practice, and being a DCP adviser for the DDU.
Miranda commented: “As a dental hygienist and therapist, I am clearly interested on focusing on the unique needs of DCPs and helping them feel seen within and by the DDU, and as part of the wider oral healthcare team. I have always wanted to play my part in helping support the profession, to make things better, to bring cohesion, to collaborate, and bring people together who I think can work together and benefit each other.
“Working in this role specifically, means I can now offer that support on an individual basis, to members one at a time. Whether that’s in reviewing a contract for a new job before they sign it or offering advice or assistance. I was impressed that the DDU had the vision and foresight to bring dental therapists into their advisory team.”
Commenting on the new appointments, Leo Briggs, deputy head of the DDU said: “I’m delighted to welcome Fay, Una, Malveen, Rachael and Miranda to the DDU. Between them, they bring a wealth of clinical as well as dento-legal knowledge and experience to the organisation.
“Our members are working under incredible pressure, and the DDU is proud to champion their dento-legal interests so they can focus on safely caring for patients. I am proud to be a part of such an outstanding dento-legal advisory team.”
The DDU is led and staffed by dental professionals with almost 650 years’ dento-legal and clinical experience and in 2025, the MDU and DDU received over 21,000 calls to our medical and dental advice lines.
