Ellie Heidari and Lauren Harrhy have been newly elected co-chairs of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC).

Lauren qualified from Cardiff in 2009 and has worked full time as a GDP in Wales ever since. She bought her practice, Sparkle Dental Centre, in 2017 and became a Foundation Trainer in 2020. Lauren's focus for the past few years has been on helping to maintain the mental health of dental professionals. In addition to co- chairing EDIC, she is also on various other BDA committees as a representative.

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Lauren Harrhy

Ellie is a specialist in special care dentistry and is currently working at King' College London, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences (FoDOCS) and the Department of Sedation and Special Care Dentistry at Guy's Hospital. Her research that advocates for vulnerable people has been widely published and has gained media attention. She has contributed and drawn from a variety of experiences as a champion of EDI in different organisations in primary and secondary care.

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Ellie Heidari

Speaking on her election, Ellie said: ‘It is an exciting time to be working and collaborating with colleagues to build on the existing valuable EDI work to create a future where colleagues are included and feel that they belong, irrespective of where they are working and contributing to improve the population's oral health.'

Lauren said: ‘I am incredibly happy to be able to share the Chairing duties of EDIC with Ellie, we share many of the same views, and are both looking forward to building on the work that the committee has already done.

‘I am determined that the work of EDIC will inform the advice and support that we can give throughout the organisation and membership, ensuring that those who are in most need of representation will have their issues heard and addressed.'