Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery

Miss Kathryn Harley, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, has taken up her post as Dean of Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS). Miss Harley was elected in October and assumes the role from Professor Derrick Willmot.

Major orthodontic research prize

Dr Padhraig Fleming, Locum Consultant Orthodontist based at the Royal London Dental Institute and East Kent Hospitals, has been awarded the prestigious 2011 B. F. and Helen E. Dewel Award by the American Association of Orthodontists in recognition of the best clinical paper published in the American Journal of Orthodontists and Dentofacial Orthopedics (AJO-DO) in 2010. The article, Randomized clinical trial of orthodontic treatment efficiency with self-ligating and conventional fixed orthodontic appliances, was co-authored by Professor Robert Lee and Andrew DiBiase and was unanimously selected for the award by the AJO-DO's Editorial Board.

Bright Smiles – Bright Futures Award

A poster featuring NHS Lanarkshire's oral health resource for secondary schools was shortlisted for the Bright Smiles – Bright Futures Award at the 23rd International Congress of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry held from 15-18 June 2011 in Athens. The competition aimed to showcase individual organisations' creativity in implementing a preventive oral health community programme serving children. A video clip from one of the DVDs produced for NHS Lanarkshire's resource can be viewed at http://fpsmedia.org.uk/video-solutions/case-studies/case-study-smile. The resource was launched to all schools in Lanarkshire in October 2009.

Thirty graduate from UCLan

The first 30 dental students have completed their studies at the University of Central Lancashire's (UCLan's) £5.25 million School of Dentistry. The School opened its doors in September 2007, hot on the heels of the Peninsula Dental School in the South West.

Twenty-one of the 30 graduates hope to remain in Lancashire to enhance local NHS dental services.

Ruby Austin Prize 2011

This year's Ruby Austin Prize winners were Raheel Malik with first prize, Neil Mason with second prize and Sunil Kaura with third prize. The Ruby Austin Prize is a prestigious award given to a graduate dentist completing their vocational training year within the London Deanery. Nine finalists presented a case they had undertaken during the VT year.

University of London Gold Medal

Reena Wadia has received the 2011 University of London Gold Medal, given to the candidate who most distinguishes him or herself in the final Bachelor of Dental Surgery examinations. Both London dental schools are invited to nominate the top 4% of candidates for a 30 minute viva examination. It is the second year in a row that a student from Barts and the London has won the award.