Professor James Newton has been appointed Head of the University of Aberdeen Dental School. He joins Aberdeen from the University of Dundee Dental Hospital and School where he was Sub-Dean for Teaching and Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry. He has previously been Acting Lead of the new dental school.

Professor Newton believes that with the demographic changes in the Scottish population, dental care will become more challenging and the investment in the University of Aberdeen Dental School will contribute significantly to meeting these challenges now and in the future.

His previous appointments include Senior Clinical Lecturer in Prosthetic Dentistry, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Integrated Restorative Care and Head of the Integrated Oral Care Clinic at the Dundee Dental School. He has been actively involved with the international journal Gerodontology since 1992, becoming Editor-in-Chief in 2003, and has published extensively in the areas of gerodontology, oral physiology and dental education.

The dental school's initial cohort of 15 students is half way through the first of their four years of study. Subsequent intakes will see 20 students each year join the graduate entry level course.