Gillian Leslie has been appointed the new chief dental officer (CDO) for Scotland, it has been announced.
Dr Leslie will take up the post on 1 January 2026 following the retirement of the current CDO for Scotland, Tom Ferris, according to the British Dental Association (BDA).
She is already well known by many of the dental profession in Scotland. She was heavily involved in the delivery of NHS payment reform, in her current role as deputy CDO, which she has held since 2021, says the BDA.
NHS dental access
This comes as new research shows that rates of tooth decay among UK children remains very poor – but experts suggest ‘cautious optimism’ surrounding government interventions.
A new report by the University of Leeds commends government action taken in the past year to improve children’s oral health. This includes the introduction of a national supervised toothbrushing programme and plans for the expansion of water fluoridation in the north east of England.
Analysing the latest government data by the Child of the North initiative, the team said it gives cause for ‘cautious optimism’, but the schemes need to be scaled up and strengthened to meet needs.
However, they also found that despite these improvements, children living in England’s most deprived communities are still over three times as likely to be admitted to hospital for tooth extractions than those living in more affluent areas.
Peter Day is a professor of children’s oral health in the University of Leeds’ School of Dentistry and consultant in paediatric dentistry at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. He co-led the report with Zoe Marshman, professor in dental public health at the University of Sheffield.
‘These are exciting times. While disease levels remain stubbornly high – impacting our most vulnerable children and families – the government has taken important steps to implement the policy recommendations outlined in our original report,’ Professor Day said.
‘As we transition into delivery mode, evaluating the impact of these policies is essential. Engagement from schools and nurseries will be critical. We must capture the broader benefits, particularly those affecting education, such as attendance, school readiness, and attainment.’
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