BDJ Team is sad to report the death of Dame Margaret Seward on 22 July 2021. Dame Margaret was the first female resident dental house surgeon at the London Hospital, Editor of the BDJ from 1979-1992 and the second female President of the British Dental Association (BDA) in 1993. She was the first female President of the General Dental Council (GDC) (1994-1999). An obituary has been published in the BDJ: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-021-3327-y.

Dame Margaret was very supportive of BDJ Team's predecessor, Vital (for the whole dental team), which was published from 2003-2013 by the BDJ Portfolio. In 2008, upon a re-launch, she wrote to the letters page: 'I just saw the latest issue of Vital and the impressive new website and wanted to say "congratulations!" What a lot of work has gone into the new look - all worth the effort and such interesting articles as well'.

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The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN) was also saddened to hear of Dame Margaret's death; she was a great supporter of the dental team, and of dental nurses. As President of the GDC she supported the campaign for registration of the whole dental team.

The BADN said: 'Dame Margaret was an inspiration to those of us who struggled to be heard in a predominantly male environment; a great supporter of dental nurses and a formidable ally to BADN ... always dignified, gracious ... and with a wicked sense of humour! She will be greatly missed'.

Dame Margaret also set up the Dental Technicians Education and Training Advisory Board (DTETAB), in support of under recognised UK dental technicians. Her foresight was instrumental in developing the organisation that represents dental technicians today as the Dental Technologists Association.

Tony Griffin, former President and Chair of DTA said: 'Dame Margaret continually strove to improve UK dentistry and in that to support the dental technician's role within the oral health care team. She inspired and encouraged all those in dental technology and clinical dental technology to develop their profession to meet the future needs of our communities'.