The Birth of Modern British Plastic Surgery

NEWS

THE BIRTH OF MODERN BRITISH PLASTIC SURGERY HONOURS, The cover of this issue is based on a portrait taken of Charles Valadier (1873-1931) and New Zealand-born ENT surgeon Harold Gillies (1882- Martinique-born surgeon Hippolyte AWARDS, 1960) in about 1915 while he was working as a medi- Morestin (1869-1919). cal officer with the British Red Cross. Motivated by the reconstructive APPOINTMENTS After studying at the University of Cambridge, surgery he observed, Gillies lobbied Excellence in dental education Gillies moved to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in the British authorities for a special- At the recent Association for London to complete his clinical training, specialis- ist unit. In January 1916, Gillies Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) ing in otolaryngology. In 1915, Gillies left behind his was posted to the Cambridge Annual Conference in Riga, Latvia, hospital posts to work as a general surgeon with an Military Hospital at Aldershot ‘for three UK-based academics were ambulance unit on the Continent. While posted in special duty in connection to plas- recognised with ‘Excellence in Dental France, Gillies was inspired by a number of European tic surgery’. Education’ Awards. Two awards were practitioners, namely French-American dentist Gillies and his colleagues at made in the ‘Early Career’ category Aldershot were quickly overwhelmed (less than eight years’ experience with patients and by June 1917 in dental education), of which one plans were made for the unit to went to Mr Upen Patel (Birmingham). be relocated to larger premises at Three awards were made in the Frognal House in Sidcup. Formally ‘Mature (Senior)’ category, of which opened in August 1917, the new one each went to Dr Undrell Moore Queen’s Hospital was Britain’s first (Newcastle), and Dr Chris Lynch dedicated plastic and jaw institution. (Cardiff). The aim of these awards is It was arguably at this hospital that to provide international recognition modern British plastic surgery was of excellence in dental education born. Guided by the belief that facial to individuals who have not yet reconstructive surgery was an art, achieved the rank of ‘Professor’. Gillies combined aesthetics and func- Further information is available from tion when undertaking procedures. the ADEE website: www.adee.org While publications from European Award hat trick surgeons were influential, Gillies and British Dental Health Foundation the team at Sidcup relied on their President and Board Chair Dr own creativity to treat the variety Tony Newton received three of traumatic disfigurements they awards in August from Durham received. Gillies favoured an interdis- University: his Doctorate in ciplinary approach to facial injuries Business Administration (DBA), and worked closely with dental the Postgraduate Certificate in surgeons such as William Kelsey Fry, Academic Practice, and the prize Portrait of Harold Gillies (1882-1960) as a medical Leonard King and Alexander Fraser for Best Doctoral Thesis for the officer, c.1915. Unknown source. at Aldershot and Sidcup. Business School DBA Summer Congregation 2014. Dr Newton’s research centres on what makes NEW CHARITY WILL EDUCATE ON DENTAL TRAUMA some people much more effective A new charity is due to launch in better educate the public about what to do in the imme- at networking than others, and November to help educate the pub- diate aftermath of dental trauma injury. We are really whether training can have a lasting lic and dental professionals in the excited about getting started.’ effect on improving those skills. management of dental trauma. Dental Trauma UK will work to raise awareness Dental Trauma UK has been set among the general public, but also those who are often First academic core trainees up to help improve the care and ‘first on the scene’ when dental injury occurs – includ- Zehra Yonel and Jonathan Lewney treatment options for patients fol- ing teachers, youth workers, paramedics, police and have recently been appointed as the first Academic Dental lowing traumatic dental injuries. sports coaches. Core Trainees (DCTs) in the UK. According to the charity, too The charity will These innovative, two-year posts many people are losing teeth also collect research offer six month rotations in unnecessarily after dental trauma, information on restorative dentistry and paediatric mainly because they are unaware the number, causes dentistry at Birmingham Dental of basic preventive steps to under- and types of trau- Hospital, maxillofacial surgery at take in the aftermath of dental matic dental injuries University Hospital Birmingham, injury, such as re-implanting it, throughout the UK as and community dentistry or putting it in milk and seeing a well as provide special- within Birmingham Community dentist urgently. ist support and advice Healthcare Trust. Each post offers Miss Serpil Djemal, Consultant to dental professionals to up to 50% protected time for in Restorative Dentistry at King’s disseminate best practice academic and research pursuits College Hospital, London, and in this area. and aims to prepare DCTs for a founder of Dental Trauma UK, said: http://www.dental- clinical academic career.

BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL VOLUME 217 NO. 7 OCT 10 2014 331