2016 • July 1ssue From the Dean 2 A message from the Dean It is often said that success breeds This provides further evidence that success. In my last newsletter I the Faculty is considered by the mentioned several developments media as a key commentator for and initiatives that the Faculty were dentistry. embarking upon with respect to our campaign to improve the oral We also joined the chorus of calls health of children, linking oral health for a tax on sugary drinks, which to general health, an expanding was answered when the Chancellor research grant portfolio and novel announced the soft drinks levy in the educational initiatives. It is pleasing March budget. Nevertheless we are to report that major advances have continuing to urge the government been made on all these fronts. to take the opportunity to address children’s oral health as part of its Our national strategy for improving long awaited childhood obesity children’s oral health has been at the strategy given high sugar intake is forefront of developments and our associated with both obesity and reports, comments and views have dental decay. secured widespread media coverage. Both I and board member Stephen Another major success was the Fayle have been asked to give several joint organisation of an All Party TV and radio interviews, and the Parliamentary Health Group meeting Professor Nigel Hunt Faculty has secured over 160 print on dentistry chaired by Lord Hunt media quotes on issues ranging from at the House of Commons in April. Public Health England’s 5-year-old It provided a perfect stage for us to child dental health survey, to the once again convey our key messages Local Government Association’s on prevention to parliamentarians report on the soaring cost of and stakeholders, including the hospital-based dental extractions. benefits of fluoride, improving 3 access to dental care, and education decay with enamel loss through Sara Hurley, Chief Dental Officer, of parents, dental professionals erosion. We are therefore working England who I am sure will deliver and allied health workers. My with colleagues across the profession poignant messages and comment presentation was supported by those to produce a simple document on tinged with humour. of Mick Horton, Dean of FGDP (UK), ‘kicking out confusion in oral health’ and Eric Rooney, Deputy Chief which we hope to have completed Finally, 2017 will be the 70th Dental Officer for England. Our by the time of the next newsletter. anniversary of the Faculty. concerns on children’s oral health Preparations are well in hand for also continue to be raised in the Turning to other spheres of success, a major celebration on Thursday House of Commons and House we have now completed this year’s 22 June 2017 which will include an of Lords through parliamentary round of research grant awards. As educational day with speakers of questions and debates. promised, the number of research exceptional quality culminating in an fellowships and grants has increased anniversary banquet in the evening. More recently, we have turned to include several joint funding Further details will be released in our attention to campaigning for initiatives with the specialist societies. the next newsletter but you can get sugar-free schools and supporting The list of successful awardees is a flavour of the preparation being midwives, health visitors, school and included in this newsletter. The range undertaken as reported by David community nurses and pharmacists of educational courses has increased Barnard, former Dean, in the pages to provide oral health advice. once again and forthcoming courses that follow. Please put this date in the Following initial discussions we are are also listed at the end of this diary as it will certainly be a date not in the process of developing an publication. to be missed! e-Den module specifically aimed at providing basic information for May I take this opportunity to Best wishes to all, these groups. Finally, it has become draw your attention to this year’s clear that amidst all the debate on Anniversary Dinner which will be children’s oral health, a recurring held on Friday 24 June. For those point is that parents and, dare I who have never attended before, this say it, some practitioners are left is the Faculty’s showcase evening and Nigel Hunt confused as to what is a good diet a perfect opportunity to meet with FDS Dean for optimal oral and general health. old friends as well as a time to make We would fail in our objectives if we new ones. This year, the after dinner simply replace enamel loss through speech will be given by Professor 4 Celebrating the past Boxes and boxes and boxes of produce a timeline of our history. Messrs John Williams, Peter Leopard, photographs; eleven past Board However, the preliminary challenge Richard Juniper and David Barnard, members, including four past Deans, was to identify and label archival a predominance of surgeons which with knowledge of the Faculty material. reflected earlier days of the Faculty. extending to almost half a century; a The change in composition of the past Assistant Secretary who started It was suggested that a useful starting Board in more recent years came working for the Faculty in 1947 and point might be to invite a group of about as a result of the acceptance continued for 41 years; an invitation senior past Board members to the of oral and maxillofacial surgery as a to remember past times and events; College for a day to look through surgical specialty and the evolution some recording equipment; the College hundreds of largely unidentified and formal recognition of specialist photographer; a free lunch and an photographs and artefacts in an lists in dentistry. Or maybe on this invitation to dine. All had the makings attempt to put names to faces and occasion it only goes to show that of a memorable day and perhaps it was events. With the expectation that surgeons will do anything for a free just as well that those attending were this would stimulate memories lunch! The remaining three board shepherded like Herdwicks returning and the swapping of stories, members represented orthodontics home by Jane Donald and Ann Khattab arrangements were made to capture and restorative dentistry from the Dean’s Office. the conversations. Anyway it would (prosthodontics and periodontics) be a lot of fun in the process! Thus it – Professors Chris Stephens and Ian Part of the celebrations to mark was that twelve came to Lincoln’s Inn Benington and Mr Dermot Strahan. the 70th Anniversary of the Faculty Fields on 17 March 2016. of Dental Surgery on 22 June 2017 All those attending recognised should help us reflect upon the past The group photograph suggests faces and remembered events from and record key moments in our a marked gender imbalance as their own time together with the history. It is planned to assemble a unfortunately invited female past distinguished early Deans who were display of historical material for the board members were unable to well known to everybody including day with a summary published in a attend. Eight of the eleven past Professor Sir Robert Bradlaw, Sir commemorative booklet. Professor Board members were oral and William Kelsey Fry, Sir Wilfred Fish Chris Stephens has kindly agreed maxillofacial surgeons - Professor Sir and Sir Terence Ward, These men to coordinate this with the College Paul Bramley; Professors John Frame, were giants of the British professional archivists and Faculty staff and Brian Avery and Jonathan Shepherd; establishment in their day to whom 5 Above Back row, left to right: Peter Leopard, Brian Avery, Chris Left to right: Paul Bramley, Nigel Stephens, John Frame Hunt, Sandra White, John Ll Middle row, left to right: Jonathan Shepherd, Richard Williams, Ian Benington, and Juniper, John Ll Williams, David Barnard, Ian Benington David Barnard Seated: left to right: Dermot Strahan, Pamela Clarke, Nigel Hunt, Paul Bramley 6 7 we all owe so much. The earliest, service she was admitted as an Shiona. Sir Paul had been elected as a rather battered, photograph showed Honorary Fellow in 1988 and member of the Board in 1968 and to Captain Kelsey Fry in a group awarded the MBE the following the College Council in 1975. To the with Major Gillies at the Queen’s year. Pamela’s recall of people and delight of all those attending, Sir Paul Hospital, Sidcup in 1917. There were events was crystal clear and was of delivered a spontaneous address. records of such diverse events of the enormous assistance to the purpose He thanked the Dean, members of endowment of the Nuffield Research of the day. the Board and Faculty staff for their Professor in Dental Science, the warm hospitality throughout the day admission of HRH Diana Princess The group were pleased to have and spoke of his pride in the growth of Wales as an Honorary Fellow the opportunity to meet members and evolution of the Faculty over in Dental Surgery and colourful of the current Board over lunch and nearly fifty years. He related how he gatherings of Board members at invited as guests to the Fellows’ and had come to appreciate the heritage themed parties in the basement of Members’ Dinner in the Council and formality of the College and the the College. Room in the evening. This turned importance of the Faculty as a family out to be a splendid occasion and my in this modern world of commercial Fortunately when past board welcome to individual guests became and political pressure. members struggled with names and a trip through the history of the events, help was at hand.