On Saturday 25 November 2023, the College of General Dentistry held its first ‘NextGen’ event, part of a new initiative to raise awareness of its mission among dental students and early career professionals.

The CGDent NextGen Leadership Workshop, which took place in Manchester, was open to students on the Bachelor of Dental Surgery, BSc or DipHE Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy, BSc Clinical Dental Technology and BSc Dental Studies courses at the University of Manchester, the University of Liverpool, the University of Birmingham and the University of Central Lancashire, as well as Foundation Dentists and Foundation Dental Therapists in the North West region.

Successful applicants were awarded a fully funded place at the one-day workshop, which explored the skills required for effective leadership in dentistry, through a series of talks, workshops and discussion. The day focused on the five competencies in the Agency Domain of the College’s Professional Framework for Career Pathways in Dentistry: autonomy, decision-making, influence, leadership and management.

Supported by five College facilitators, the delegates were encouraged to examine the key leadership skills and consider how they could develop them through short-term, medium-term and long-term goals.

Christy, a BDS student at the University of Birmingham who took part in the day, said: 

“It was great to meet the facilitators and other students there. Everyone was so welcoming, and the talks and activities were easily accessible – no matter what stage or area of dentistry we were in. I’ve learnt multiple ways to develop my skill set, information about the College of General Dentistry and thoroughly look forward to future events.”

Many of those who attended the workshop have become NextGen Ambassadors for the College, with the aim of raising awareness within their communities of CGDent’s mission and of the career support it offers to dental professionals.

The College wishes to thank the students and Foundation Trainees who enthusiastically took part in the day; the workshop facilitators who generously gave their time and expertise (Phillip Brown, Poppy Dunton, Roshni Karia, Abhi Pal and Sir Nairn Wilson); and the University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, University of Birmingham, University of Central Lancashire and Health Education North West for their support.

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) has published Sustainability in dentistry: Leading for change, a scoping review to inform and engage the dental profession, industry, and wider oral health and dental care infrastructure on the environmental sustainability of practicing dentistry.

With the sub-title Environmentally sustainable dentistry to address the climate crisis, the review is organised thematically to provide an in-depth exploration of a wide range of factors such as legislation, health service emissions targets, prescribing, procurement, education and regulation, and makes recommendations for change that can be undertaken by each part of the system. It also presents case studies of exemplar efforts made to address the environmental impact of dental care and oral health services, and includes suggestions for further reading.

The review was written by a team of eight Clinical Fellows working at national dental organisations as part of the Chief Dental Officer for England’s Clinical Leadership Scheme, with input from expert contributors from academia, dental practice and government organisations.

Produced with the support of the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for England and the College of General Dentistry, it aims to inspire positive change by all those involved in the provision of oral healthcare related products, services and policy.

On behalf of the authors, Amarantha Fennell-Wells, Senior Clinical Policy Manager at the Office of the Chief Dental Officer England, said:

“Dental care creates a significant carbon footprint, and we owe it to current and future generations to contribute to emissions reduction by making our dental practice as environmentally sustainable as possible. Each practice and all staff can play their part in delivering sustainability in dentistry, and our review synthesises information which we hope will be educational and inspiring of collaboration to achieve a more sustainable future for the profession and dental patients.”

The document is freely available to download via a new College webpage which signposts a selection of free e-learning resources, guidelines and other tools which dental practitioners and practices can use to understand and reduce their environmental impact.

The new page can be found at https://cgdent.uk/sustainable-dentistry/

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) will be the headline education partner for the Enhanced CPD Theatre at Dentistry Show London 2023.

The Enhanced CPD Theatre will feature 14 lectures over the two-day conference, with experts in their fields sharing their extensive knowledge, and offering practical advice, on an array of important CPD areas. All lectures will be free of charge for both members and non-members of the College. College-hosted lectures include:

Sustainability in dentistry and healthcare

Friday 6 October, 9.15am – 10.00am

Professor Paul Batchelor BDS, DDPH, Dip. FFGDP(UK), MCDH, PhD, FCGDent, FDS (RCS Eng.), FFPH; Honorary Clinical Professor, University of Central Lancashire; Honorary Lecturer, University College London; Associate and Dental Group Chair, Centre for Sustainable Healthcare

Record-keeping in the real world of general dental practice

Friday 6 October, 1.15pm – 2.00pm

Dr Abhi Pal BDS, MGDS RCSI, Dip. FFGDP(UK), FDS (RCPS Glasg.), FCGDent; President of the College of General Dentistry; General Dental Practitioner; independent dental expert witness

The mental health and well-being of dental staff

Saturday 7 October, 9.15am – 10.00am

Professor Tim Newton CPsychol, AFBPS; Professor of Psychology as Applied to Dentistry, King’s College London; Honorary Consultant Health Psychologist, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Medical emergencies

Saturday 7 October, 2.00pm – 2.45pm

Dr Sukhvinder Singh Atthi BDS, Dip. MFDS (RCS Ed.), PgCert/s , Dip. FFGDP(UK), MSc Oral Surgery, MSc Orthodontics, FCGDent, FHEA, ILM; Lecturer in oral surgery, University of Birmingham; Tier II-accredited oral surgeon 

Complaints handling: a step-by-step approach

Saturday 7 October, 4.30pm – 5.15pm

Dr George Wright BDS, Dip. MJDF, PgDip (DLE), ACIArb, Cert CII (Claims), FFFLM, MCGDent, MDTFEd; Deputy Dental Director, Dental Protection; Chief Examiner, Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians

College representatives will also be available throughout the conference at Stand G52 to talk to attendees about all aspects of membership, fellowship and the College’s vision for the profession.

Full details of all the lectures are available at https://cgdent.uk/events

It is not possible to register for any specific lecture in advance, however those wishing to attend will need to register for Dentistry Show London 2023, which is free for all dental professionals.

Conference attendees will have access to over 100 CPD lectures in all, as well as 180 exhibiting suppliers, and the opportunity to network with over 3,000 dentists, practice managers, hygienists and therapists, dental nurses, technicians and laboratory owners.

To register, visit https://rfg.circdata.com/publish/DSL23/

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) has announced changes to the membership of its Council, with four members newly appointed and two re-elected.

Photo (left-right, top row first) Debbie Reed, Dalip Kumar, Susan Nelson, Victor Gehani, Frances Robinson and Roshni Karia

Roshni Karia MCGDent, an associate dentist in general dental practice in London, has been re-elected to represent South East and South West Thames. After developing a special interest in periodontics, she completed an enhanced two-year postgraduate study programme and is now also a clinical tutor in periodontology at King’s College London. She qualified from King’s College London in 2010, and joined the former Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP), the forerunner of the College, in 2012. She was appointed to the FGDP national board as an early careers observer in 2015, was elected to represent her region in 2017, and after re-election in 2020 transferred to the College Council in 2021. She chaired the Faculty’s Education & Qualifications and Membership Affairs committees, was elected its youngest ever Vice Dean in 2019 and in 2020 was a contributor to the joint FGDP-CGDent guidance Implications of COVID-19 for the safe management of general dental practice. She has been the College’s representative in national policy fora on children’s oral health improvement and on periodontics, has served on its Careers and Training Committee and Career Pathways Programme Board, is involved in the rollout of the Certified Membership scheme and served as Vice-President from 2021-22. 

Debbie Reed FCGDent, a Reader and Director of Advanced and Specialist Healthcare in Global and Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent, has been appointed to represent the dental nursing and orthodontic therapy professions. A dental nurse for almost forty years, she is a past Executive Chair of the British Association of Dental Nurses. She was Head of the University of Kent’s Centre for Professional Practice for eight years, Head of Digital and Lifelong Learning for nine, developed and runs its MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare, and previously had a 23-year career in the Royal Navy. An Affiliate Member of the FGDP from 2008 until its transfer into the College, she was Chair of the Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy Working Group for the Career Pathways Programme which developed the College’s Professional Framework for Career Pathways in Dentistry, and was Vice Chair, now Chair, of the inaugural board of the College’s Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy. 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. Her qualifications include a Doctorate in Education, an MSc in Human Resources Management, the FGDP(UK) Certificate in Dental Practice Appraisal, and a BA in Post Compulsory Education, and she is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and 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.

Dalip Kumar Assoc.FCGDent, Principal of a mixed NHS-and-private general dental practice in Swansea, has been appointed to represent Wales. After graduating in India in 1994, he practised in Delhi for seven years before spending eight years in Riyadh as a general dentist and dental surgeon in both private and public hospitals. In 2008 he was awarded the Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and from 2009-12 he worked on dental implant research and assisted in dental implant placement for Saudi Arabia’s government-funded health system. After completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Dentistry at Cardiff University, he undertook a clinical attachment in oral and maxillofacial surgery at East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, and after passing the Overseas Registration Exam in 2017 became a dental core trainee at Mid Essex Hospital. He then spent eighteen months practising in Stornoway, a year working for Bupa in Cardiff and two years for Roderick’s Dental in Aberdare and Neath before buying his current practice in 2021. He completed an MSc in Dental Implantology at the University of Salford in 2022 and has also undertaken training on Invisalign Go and in the administration of Botox and dermal fillers. He is a Facilitator for the College’s Certified Membership scheme.

Susan Nelson MCGDent, a lead dentist and implant dentist in private practice in Holywood, County Down, and the Regional Clinical Lead for Portman Healthcare, has been re-elected to represent Northern Ireland. Graduating with Honours in 1993 from the University of Edinburgh, where she won the McGregor Gold Medal for the most distinguished dental graduate, she completed Vocational Training in Fife before joining the practice as an associate in 1994. She joined the FGDP in 1998, examined and sat on the core group for the MFGDP(UK) and MJDF qualifications for 16 years, served as Director of the Faculty’s Northern Ireland division, sat on the College’s Advisory Strategy Group and was instrumental in the recent establishment of CGDent Northern Ireland. She was first elected to represent the region on the national FGDP board in 2017, was re-elected in 2020 and transferred to the College Council in 2021. She chaired the FGDP Education and Qualifications Committee, served as Vice Dean of the Faculty from 2020-21 and Vice-Chair of the College’s Careers and Training Committee from 2021-22, and is a member of the College’s Regional Funding Panel. She was a member of the working group which developed the College’s Mentoring in Implant Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines publication, and a contributor to the joint FGDP-CGDent guidance Implications of COVID-19 for the safe management of general dental practice. She is a member and former Deputy Chair of the Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee, and former Northern Ireland Representative of the Association of Dental Implantology.

Victor Gehani FCGDent, a general dental practitioner and implant dentist in Hertfordshire, Associate Professor in Advanced General Dental Practice at the College of Medicine and Dentistry and Ulster University, and Associate Dental Dean for London Dental Education and Training, has been appointed to represent North East and North West Thames. After graduating BDS in 2000, he spent a year at the Eastman Dental Institute, and successfully completed the MFDS in 2003 and the MFGDP(UK) in 2004. He was awarded the Diploma in Postgraduate Dental Studies from the University of Bristol in 2007, and also holds a PgCert in Medical and Dental Education, a PgCert in Restorative Dental Practice from University College London and an MSc in Implant Dentistry from the University of Warwick. He is a past MJDF Examiner and MFDS tutor, has 14 years’ experience as an Educational Supervisor, has mentored numerous dentists to complete restorative and implant cases, and has been awarded Fellowship of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the Higher Education Academy, the International Congress in Oral Implantology and the International Academy of Dento-Facial Esthetics.

Frances Robinson Assoc.FCGDent, a dental hygienist working in private practice in London and oral health practitioner in NHS community outreach, has been appointed to represent the dental hygiene and dental therapy professions. She completed a Diploma of Higher Education in dental hygiene from Cardiff University in 2015, a Master’s degree in Dental Public Health from University College London in 2017, and is an Associate of the Faculty of Public Health. In 2022 she was a Health Education England Oral Health Clinical Transformation Fellow, the first dental hygienist or dental therapist to undertake an HEE fellowship. She was a member, later Chair, of the Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy Working Group for the Career Pathways Programme which developed the College’s Professional Framework for Career Pathways in Dentistry, and was Vice Chair, now Chair, of the inaugural board of the College’s Faculty of Dental Hygiene and Therapy. She is an active member of a dental hygienists’ study club in London, lectures for HEE and NHS England, and sits on the British Society of Dental Hygienists and Therapists’ Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Board. She has volunteered for a number of dental and medical charities in Nepal, India, Cambodia, Panama and Greece, and is a volunteer officer for Dental Mavericks, for whom she has written a field guide for oral care in humanitarian situations as well as helping them with grant writing and fundraising. Earlier this year she co-hosted a College webinar on how to get involved in dental volunteering.

The elections to the regional seats on the College Council are for three years until June 2026, the appointments to the regional seats are for one year until elections are held in 2024, and the appointments to the role representative seats are for renewable one-year terms.

Other members of the Council are Abhi Pal, Patricia Thomson, Matthew Collins, Subir Banerji, Prof Igor Blum, Maria Clark, Jonathan Farmer, Helen Kaney, Eldo Koshy, Yann Maidment, Ewen McColl, Andrew Parashchak, Kanwar Singh Ratra, Bill Sharpling, Sagi Shavit and Sami Stagnell.

Quentin Jones Assoc.FCGDent has demitted office after serving the permitted maximum of nine years on the College Council and the FGDP national board representing Wales.

Sarah Hill Assoc.FCGDent has demitted office after completing a three-year term representing the interests of the wider dental team. Initially Dental Care Professional Representative at FGDP, then an observer on the College Council from 2021-23, the role has now been discontinued following the appointment to the Council of voting representatives for dental nursing, dental hygiene and therapy, and dental and clinical dental technicians, and in anticipation of the faculties for these professional communities becoming fully operational soon.

Tashfeen Kholasi FCGDent, the previous representative for North East and North West Thames, has stepped down after completing two terms as Vice President.

Louise Belfield Assoc.FCGDent, the previous representative for dental nursing and orthodontic therapy, has stepped down from the Council to focus on her new post as Academic Head of Assessment at Brunel Medical School.

John Stanfield Assoc.FCGDent, the previous representative for dental hygiene and dental therapy, has stood down to focus on the completion of his PhD in on the use of hybrid social learning networks for dental CPD.

The College of General Dentistry is the UK’s only healthcare college run by and for oral health professionals, and is unique in welcoming all dental and oral health professionals with relevant postgraduate qualifications into full membership. The Council is the voice of its members, overseeing its role as a professional body and guiding its development to fulfil its mission.  Elections are held annually on a rotational basis, with elections for the seats representing South West England, Trent & East Anglia, Mersey & the North West and the West Midlands also due to take place in 2024.

Abhi Pal FCGDent, President of the College, said: “Many congratulations to Dalip, Debbie, Frances and Victor on their appointment to the Council, and to Roshni and Susan on their re-election. I look forward to drawing on their talents as the College continues to establish itself. I would also like to thank Quentin, Sarah, Tashfeen, Louise and John for their service to the College and former Faculty through the Council and board, in addition to their considerable commitment to our local activity and the establishment of the new faculties.”

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) has announced Professor Shamir Mehta FCGDent, Subir Banerji FCGDent and Professor Jason Leitch CBE FFGDP(UK)(Hon.) FCGDent as the speakers at its annual study day in Glasgow.

Professor Mehta and Dr Banerji will deliver a series of lectures entitled Wearabouts – the how, what, wear and why of managing tooth wear in general dental practice, which will present the current evidence on tooth wear, provide a guide to managing tooth wear in general dental practice, and illustrate the clinical techniques applied in the rehabilitation of the worn dentition.

Professor Leitch will then deliver the annual Caldwell Memorial Lecture on Recovering from a Pandemic: NHS Scotland’s legacy post-COVID.

Shamir Mehta is a Professor and Course Lead for the MSc in Restorative Dentistry at the College of Medicine and Dentistry and Ulster University, Senior Clinical Teacher and Director of the MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry at King’s College London, and Visiting Professor and PhD supervisor at Radboud University, where he is part of the Radboud Tooth Wear Project. He has published papers, written book chapters and co-authored/co-edited textbooks on tooth wear and aesthetic dentistry, and is a member of the European Expert Consensus Panel on Severe Tooth Wear. In addition to his BDS, he holds a BSc, a Master’s in Clinical Dentistry in Prosthodontics and a PhD, as well as the Diploma of Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice and Fellowships of the International College of Dentists, College of General Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Faculty of Dental Trainers of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He is also a partner in two dental practices in Harrow, Senior Clinical Dental Advisor to the GDC on Fitness to Practise, and chaired the Careers Pathways Reference Group which guided the development of the College of General Dentistry’s Professional Framework for Career Pathways in Dentistry.

Subir Banerji is the Programme Director of the MSc in Aesthetic Dentistry and a PhD supervisor at King’s College London, co-author of books including Practical Procedures in the Management of Tooth Wear and Practical Procedures in Aesthetic Dentistry, and an Associate Professor in Prosthodontics at Melbourne Dental School. A general dental practitioner in the same private dental practice in Ealing which he joined after graduating from Newcastle Dental School in 1987, he is particularly interested in restorative, aesthetic, prosthodontic and implant dentistry, and has over 20 years’ experience of teaching undergraduate and postgraduate dentists both nationally and internationally. He has completed both a Master’s in Clinical Dentistry in Prosthodontics and a PhD from King’s College London, and is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, International Congress of Oral Implantologists, International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics, College of General Dentistry and the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He is an advisor to the General Dental Council, on the editorial board of the Academy of Dental Excellence, director of his own postgraduate educational academy, and Head of Continuing Medical Education at i2i Telesolutions Pvt Ltd. In 2022 he was elected to the CGDent Council to represent members in Central London.

Professor Mehta and Dr Banerji also guest-edited the most recent issue of the College’s Primary Dental Journal, Aesthetic Dentistry – Part One, with Part Two due to be distributed to College members at the end of September.

Jason Leitch is the National Clinical Director for Scotland, and became a popular and well-known figure to broadcast media audiences throughout the UK for the clarity of his communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. After graduating from Glasgow Dental School in 1991, he undertook training posts prior to becoming a clinical lecturer in oral surgery and sedation and honorary consultant in oral surgery. In 2005 he became the first dental professional to be awarded a Health Foundation Quality Improvement Fellowship to study at Harvard, where he later completed a Master’s in Public Health, and in 2004 he completed a PhD at the University of Glasgow. He has worked for the Scottish Government since 2007, with previous roles including National Clinical Lead for Safety and Improvement and National Clinical Lead for Quality. An Honorary Professor at both Dundee and Strathclyde universities, he is also a member of the US National Academy of Medicine, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston, and a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Higher Education Academy. He was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) in 2020, and is a CGDent Ambassador, a non-executive board member of the MDDUS and a past Chair of both the GDC Conduct Committee and GDC Health Committee. He was awarded a CBE in 2019.

The annual study day, organised by CGDent Scotland, takes place at Glasgow Science Centre on the first Friday in December – 1 December this year – and includes six hours of CPD. Finishing with a drinks reception, the day is attended by up to 400 dental professionals from across Scotland and the wider UK, and for its many regular attendees also marks the start of the festive social season.

The Caldwell Memorial Lecture, delivered annually at the end of the study day, is held in memory of Robert Craig Caldwell, who graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1950 and became a much-loved Dean of the School of Dentistry at the University of California, Los Angeles, before he died of leukaemia at the age of just 44.

The study day is open to all dental professionals, and can be attended in person or virtually. Discounted attendance rates are available to recent graduates, Foundation Dentists/Vocational Trainees, dental technicians, dental hygienists, dental therapists, dental nurses, retired practitioners, practice managers and members of the College of General Dentistry, CGDent Scotland study group and Glasgow Odontological Society, and ‘early bird’ discounts for some categories apply until 9pm on 31 August. Year 5 dental students at the University of Glasgow are also hosted. Breakfast, a three-course lunch, refreshments throughout the day and evening drinks are all included in the attendance fee, and there is an accompanying trade exhibition to visit.

The event is supported by Scottish Dental Care, Martin Aitken, Nexus Dental Laboratory, Real Good Dental, Strictly Confidental, Bryant Dental, Clyde Munro, Coltene, the DDU, GC UK, Haleon, IWT, Kerr, MDDUS, Orascoptic, NHS National Services Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Septodont, WEL Medical and Wright’s.

CGDent Scotland brings together dental professionals to share knowledge, learn new skills and improve their practice for the benefit of dental patients, in particular through its annual study day, regular study group meetings and support for dental students and Vocational Trainees. It is a Community Interest Company affiliated to CGDent, and is the successor to the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK’s West of Scotland Division.

For further information on the study day, and to register, visit https://cgdent.uk/events/

Patricia Thomson and Matthew Collins have been elected as Vice Presidents of the College of General Dentistry for 2023-24.

Matthew Collins FCGDent is a general dental practitioner in Batley with a particular clinical interest in dental rehabilitations for patients with worn and missing teeth. He graduated from Leeds University in 1998 and has undertaken extensive postgraduate training in composite techniques, aesthetic dentistry and dental implantology, holding both a Master’s degree in Clinical Dentistry from the University of London and the Diploma in Implant Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He joined the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP) in 2001, achieved Fellowship in 2010, and was later a Facilitator for the Faculty’s Preparing for Fellowship programme and a member of the Faculty Academy. He was elected to the FGDP Board as a National Representative in 2020, transferred to the College Council in 2021, and is a member of the College’s Membership Admissions Panel and Regional Funding Panel. He is also Chair of Calderdale and Kirklees Local Dental Committee and a member of the Association of Dental Implantology.

Patricia Thomson FCGDent has been re-elected after serving as Vice President in 2022-23. A general dental practitioner with an interest in orthodontics, she was Principal of a mixed NHS-and-private practice for over thirty years and is now a part-time associate dentist. She graduated from Glasgow Dental School in 1983, and is now also a part time Clinical Teaching Fellow there, teaching undergraduates in the restorative department. She was awarded an MSc in Primary Dental Care with distinction from the University of Glasgow in 2013, the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MJDF) in 2014, and the Diploma of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (MFDS) in 2015. Heavily involved in the highly active West of Scotland division of the FGDP for many years, she has tutored colleagues for entry exams for the Royal Colleges, presented teaching sessions on orthodontics to vocational trainees, and in 2021 she led the establishment of CGDent Scotland. Elected in 2016 to represent the West and North of Scotland on the national FGDP Board, she was re-elected in 2019, transferred to the College Council in 2021 and chairs the College’s Regional Funding Panel. She is also a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and a Past President of the West of Scotland branch of the British Dental Association.

The College of General Dentistry is the UK’s only medical college run by and for oral health professionals, and is unique in welcoming all dental and oral health professionals with relevant postgraduate qualifications into full membership. Its two Vice Presidents are elected annually by, and from within, the College Council, and support the President of the College in the delivery of the Council’s strategy and policy.

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent), which opened following the separation of the Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP) from the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) in 2021, has now admitted 400 dental professionals into Fellowship in recognition of their high-level and wide-ranging capabilities.

Fellowship, which is denoted by the postnominal letters ‘FCGDent’, is the highest membership grade of the College. The mark of accomplishment in general dentistry, it indicates a dental professional’s commitment to professional development and reflective practice, diligence in upholding the highest standards of clinical care, and distinction across clinical and professional domains.

Fellows are listed in the College’s online Member Register, and are eligible to wear a special lapel pin and to attend biannual Fellows’ Receptions, at which new Fellows have their Fellowship formally presented. Most recently, the College presented 47 individuals with their Fellowships in front of 120 Fellows and Associate Fellows at their Summer Reception.

The primary means of establishing eligibility for Fellowship is by experience, a route launched last year to recognise a wide range of skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications relevant to dentistry and oral healthcare, with transparent criteria and a straightforward application process. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the requirements of at least three of five fellowship domains, for each of which detailed criteria have been published: Clinical; Teaching, Learning & Assessment; Leadership & Management; Publications & Research; and Law & Ethics.

Fellowship eligibility can also be established by equivalence for those already awarded Fellowship by the former FGDP(UK), by any of the UK and Ireland Royal Colleges or their Faculties of Dental Surgery (FDS) or Dentistry (FFD), by the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS), Royal College of Dentists of Canada (FRCDC) or College of Dentistry of South Africa (FCD[SA]), or to those who are Board Certified by the American Board of General Dentistry.

The College Council may also invite an individual into Fellowship when satisfied that their career and qualifications demonstrably meet the requirements for an application either by experience or by equivalence.

Additionally, former Fellows of the FGDP who elected to transfer directly to the College when the Faculty separated from the RCS were automatically admitted to Fellowship of the College without the need for application.

However, while there are different routes to College Fellowship, there are no different types of College Fellowship. Having demonstrated by whichever means that they meet the required standard, all College Fellows enjoy equal standing.

Addressing those gathered at the Summer Reception, College President Abhi Pal said:

“Fellowship of our College is a reflection of the years of sustained professional development you have undertaken throughout your career. No matter which path you have taken to Fellowship, it has required sacrifice and perseverance for the ultimate purpose of service to your patients and the profession. I not only commend you for that, but firmly believe the College of General Dentistry is the only body that will give recognition for these efforts. Admittance to Fellowship should however not be the end of a journey, but the start of another chapter.”

Fellowship is open to all members of the dental team should they meet the requirements, and suitably experienced and qualified dental professionals are encouraged to apply.

Prospective applicants may be interested to read about the career journeys of a selection of College Fellows here.

A list of College members admitted to Fellowship as at 30 June 2023 is available at https://cgdent.uk/2023/06/30/admissions-to-fellowship/

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) has announced the recipients of its second annual award of honorary fellowships and the President’s Commendation.

Three individuals have received Honorary Fellowship, recognising their significant and career-defining contributions to dentistry aligned with the College’s mission.

William Beare is one of the UK’s leading prosthodontists, and has contributed both regionally and nationally to patient care and to the education of all members of the dental team. He worked in general dental practice from 1975-86 before serving twenty-three years in the Royal Army Dental Corps, including as First Consultant in Restorative Dentistry to the Armed Forces, until 2009. He also worked part-time in private practice in Devon and Cornwall from 2000-2018, and since 2012 has been the Clinical Lead of Derriford Dental Education Facility at Peninsula Dental School, while remaining an Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry to the British Army. As well as inspiring students, he runs numerous courses for practitioners in the South West, and many in the military dental services have benefitted from his support and revision courses.

Two recipients of Honorary Fellowship have been awarded it posthumously. The College does not often make posthumous awards, however as a new organisation it has not previously had the opportunity to provide these individuals with the special recognition they deserve:

Larry Browne was a proud and dedicated dental technician with fifty years of experience, who was highly influential for many dentists and dental technicians. The long-time editor of Dental Technician, he was one of the original dental implant technicians in the UK and indeed one of the very earliest Fellows of the International Team in Implantology, also guiding many dentists toward Fellowship. A former Fellow also of both the British Institute of Dental and Surgical Technologists and the Dental Technologists Association, and a former Licentiate of the City and Guilds of London Institute, his legacy lives on through his great contribution to the progress of dental technology, and through the education and training centre in Enniskillen which bears his name.

Philip Tucker began his career in the 1960s as an apprentice dental technician at a laboratory near his home in Potters Bar, and from the late 1970s he started campaigning for a new career pathway that would enable dental technicians to see the public in a direct capacity for denture provision. His tireless commitment to this cause was instrumental in the addition in 2007 of Clinical Dental Technician as a regulated title in the UK, and his contribution, alongside others, enabled later generations to pursue this career path. Throughout his career, he championed excellent patient care, education and the progression of dental technicians’ knowledge and understanding to become clinicians, and he influenced and mentored many dental technicians and clinical dental technicians in the UK and around the world.

One individual has received the President’s Commendation, which is conferred by the President on the recommendation of the elected College Council, and which recognises significant service to the dental profession by College members, at local or national level, including through the College or former Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP).

David Lynch MCGDent is the seventh winner of the award and has exemplified the College’s commitment to dental education throughout his career, both in his own training and in his support for students and peers. He has also been recognised for his dedication to NHS dental patients in a high needs area, and for his longstanding service to the College and former Faculty in the North East of England. A dentist at Frederick Street Family Dental Practice in Sunderland since qualifying from Newcastle Dental School in 2005, he holds the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties (Dip. MJDF) and the FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry, and enjoys teaching and mentoring as a Foundation Dentist Educational Supervisor. Now in his thirteenth year as a trainer, he is regarded as a natural teacher and is appreciated by mentees. He is known for his encyclopaedic knowledge, for being a willing guide with dental complexities, and for his respect for the evidence in all that he does.

All four awards were formally presented by College President Abhi Pal at the 2023 CGDent Fellows’ Summer Reception. Larry Browne’s posthumous Honorary Fellowship was accepted on his behalf by his widow, Sue, and Philip Tucker’s by his son, Jody.

The College of General Dentistry is seeking two Trustees – one dental and one independent – to help it in its historic mission to build a future Royal College for dentistry.

Its dental Trustees are registered dental professionals, and its independent Trustees come from outside of dentistry. Both are central to the effective delivery of the College’s mission, contributing to custodianship of the organisation, and require a thorough appreciation of the role of a Trustee in a modern charity and professional membership body.

The Trustee Board, chaired by Dr Mick Horton FCGDent, works alongside the elected Council of the College, which oversees the professional affairs of the organisation and is chaired by its President, Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent. College Trustees, who are appointed for a term of three years, must demonstrate high standards of behaviour and attitude, reflecting the inclusive professionalism that we seek to embody and contributing to the development of the organisation’s values. They will appreciate the business imperatives underpinning a growing organisation, reconciling financial viability with delivery of the College’s overall mission in the patient and public interest.

For the position of Dental Trustee, applicants must be a registered dental professional. The College is particularly interested in attracting people who can help it to engage widely across the dental team, as it seeks to reflect the profession’s wide range of backgrounds and aspirations. The proportion of women and dental professionals from different backgrounds is growing, and the College wants its Trustee Board to be truly inclusive and reflective of the dental professional community.

The College’s independent Trustees, who come from outside of dentistry, play a central role in the effective delivery of its mission, and its Board of Trustees has identified a particular need to supplement its skills regarding legal matters as they pertain to a charity as well as matters relating to the College’s objectives as a professional body and member organisation.

The role profile for both positions is available on the College website at: https://cgdent.uk/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2023/06/CGDent-Trustee-Role-profile-Jun-23.pdf

For both positions, applicants should email their CV and a covering letter, citing two referees, to contact@cgdent.uk by Sunday 16 July 2023. Prospective candidates are advised that interviews are planned to be held in London in August 2023, and it is intended that appointees will be in place by October 2023.