Professor Jimmy Steele, the ‘architect of the future of NHS dentistry’ and the BDA’s Dr Susie Sanderson, have been awarded a CBE and OBE respectively in the new year’s honours list.
The duo have been instrumental in shaping NHS dentistry – Professor Steele led the independent review of NHS dentistry back in 2008 and Dr Sanderson is the chair of the BDA’s executive board.
As key players within the dental political arena, the duo have played a major part in the development of the new NHS dental contracts.
With a career spanning teaching, research and clinical practice Professor Jimmy Steele, head of the School of Dental Sciences at Newcastle University, has been awarded his CBE for services to dentistry and oral health.
Beginning his career as a lecturer at Newcastle in 1989, Professor Steele became involved in research in public dental health looking at how the health service operates.
Unusually while undertaking research in dental public health, he was also a practicing clinician as a consultant in the Newcastle Hospital Trust and was uniquely positioned to lead the 2008 Review of NHS Dental Services in England.
This paved the way for new pilot contracts aimed at resolving some of the longstanding problems in NHS dentistry.
Internationally recognised, having received the 2008 International Association of Dental Research Distinguished Scientist Award and providing leadership in clinical research in the UK as head of the Oral Dental Research Group for the National Institute for Health Research, Professor Steele continues his interest in reforming dental services.
He said: ‘I believe that NHS dentistry now has a sense of direction and that relevant parties continue to talk to improve the experience of patients while championing excellence in practising dentists.
be recognised in this way is a great honour, and is all the better for being something that is totally unexpected.
‘Dentistry is a team effort, whether it comes to the excellent teaching we provide at Newcastle or the commitment we have made to opening up dentistry to young people who may not otherwise consider it as a career and I feel that this CBE is partly in recognition of that team work.’
A GDP for most of her career, Dr Susie Sanderson has been involved in the BDA at local and national level for a number of years.
She has contributed in a wide variety of areas including education and standards, healthcare policy, GDPC, DCPs, events, students and young dentists, and was elected Chair of the Executive Board in February 2006.
Internationally, she is Honorary Treasurer and Board member of the Council of European Dentists and represents the UK at the FDI World Dental Federation and its European Regional Organisation.
Susie is a member of the Board of Medical Education England and its subsidiary Dental Programme Board. She was the elected Chair of the National Conference of Local Dental Committees in 2005.
Also rewarded in the new year’s honours was past BADN President Angie McBain who received an MBE for services to dental nursing.
Angie began work as a dental nurse in general practice in Scotland, but changed track to gain an HND in Fashion. She gained the NEBDN National Certificate in 1989 while working in general practice in London; then subsequently worked in the oral/maxillofacial/ortho department of Bedford Hospital, obtaining a Distinction and the Roche Award in the NEBDN Certificate in Dental Sedation Nursing.
After completing the Stage One FAETC, Angie began teaching at her local college, became an NVQ Assessor, obtained the D32/33, the Stage 2 FETC and the V1 internal verifier’s awards.
She is now lead dental nurse tutor for Barnfield College, Luton and wrote the first Foundation Degrees in both Dental Nursing and Dental Practice Management for the College/University of Bedfordshire. She holds the City & Guilds Licentiate in Dental Nursing and the Certificate in Education.
Angie is also the DCP Tutor for the East of England Deanery. She was the recipient of the 2010 BADN Outstanding Contribution to Dental Nursing Award and is a Fellow of BADN. She is currently studying for the Post Graduate Certificate in Dental Education.
Angie was a member of BADN Council for more than 10 years and represented the Association on several working groups and Committees, including SAAD, NEBDN, the BDA/BADN Consultative Committee, and the GDC Scope of Practice Working Group.
BADN president, Nicola Docherty, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted that Angie’s hard work on behalf of dental nurses throughout the UK and abroad has been recognised.’
Meanwhile, an MBE went to Professor Stephen Lambert-Humble, head of dentistry at the University of Kent, for services to dental care and education and an MBE went to David Collington a dentist from Glasgow.
