Sam’s research interests focus predominantly on children’s oral health and reducing oral health inequalities. She was recently awarded an NIHR Doctoral Fellowship looking at the role of oral health professionals in reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in children and young people.
She was one of the lead editors of the Atlas of Health Variation in Head and Neck Cancer, a national report published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). This work highlighted the stark inequalities in head and neck cancer nationally and has called for action locally, regionally and nationally to reduce inequalities. Sam was the Specialty Registrar trainee representative for BASCD in 2024 to 2025, she worked closely with Charlotte Jeavons to develop the BASCD workforce survey and accompanying qualitative study.
Charlotte has worked in a clinical environment as well as health improvement and NHS dental community service management. She is currently Professor of Dental Public Health Practice and Head of the School of Human Sciences at University of Greenwich. She has a PhD in (dental) public health ethics focusing on inequalities and their role in community programmes. She has previously been the Chair of the National Oral Health Promotion Group and a Trustee of the Institute for Health Education and Promotion. In 2023 she was awarded Honorary membership of the Faculty of Public Health in recognition of her work in the field of dental public health. Charlotte is also a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry and in 2025 was elected to a national seat on the Council for the College. She has been an assessor for the UK Public Health Register since 2012 and more recently has participated in the Royal College of Surgeons, Faculty of Public Health, curriculum and training review for public health Consultants and Specialists. Charlotte is also an international reviewer of public health curriculums with APHEA (Association for Public Health Education Accreditation). In 2024 Charlotte was the first Dental Nurse to be elected as President of BASCD (2024-25).
Paul Brocklehurst is a NHS Consultant with Public Health Wales and an Honorary Professor at University College London and Cardiff University. He leads on oral health intelligence in Wales, including the Dental Epidemiology Programme. Prior to his role in Public Health Wales, he was the Director of the Clinical Trials Unit in North Wales and the Deputy Chief Dental Officer for Wales. He remains an active academic and to date has published over 100 papers and attracted over £5M in grant income. His research interests include care for older people, participatory research, trials in complex settings and implementation research.
Emma O'Keefe is a NHS Consultant in Dental Public Health and works in the South East and Tayside Dental Network in Scotland. She is also Deputy Director of Public Health in NHS Fife and is Clinical Co-Lead for Realistic Medicine. Emma is the lead for the National Dental Inspection Programme for Scotland which has been fundamental in helping to monitor the effectiveness of Childsmile, Scotland's Oral Health Improvement Programme. Emma represents Scotland at the UK BASCD Epidemiology Group which is responsible for providing recommendations advice and resources to support consistent methodology for the national dental epidemiology/inspection programmes across the UK.
Prof Sam Shah is a clinician and lawyer with a career that spans digital health and regulatory law. He leads on digital health research with University College London Global Business School for Health. He has worked in primary care and was previously the Director of Digital Development for the NHS and Global Clinical & Digital Advisor for the Department for International Trade. He has worked with a number of healthcare organisations on technology, transformation and public health initiatives. He has a particular interest in healthtech regulation, public health and behaviour change. Sam has advised governments, healthcare regulators and public bodies on digital transformation strategies and innovation.
Simeon is the Professor of Digital Culture in the Department of Communications and Media at the University of Liverpool and Joint Director of the Digital Media and Society Research Institute. He has undertaken research on the social, political and cultural impacts of digital media for over three decades. He has a major focus on projects that address issues of digital inclusion and exclusion, working with both academic and government colleagues to develop policies and interventions to support digital inclusion. This includes working with the UK's Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the UK's media regulator Ofcom, and the Welsh Government as well as charity organisations such as the Good Things Foundation, Cwmpas in Wales and SCVO in Scotland. In 2017 he was seconded to DCMS to act as research lead for the Digital Culture team – helping to develop the first UK “Digital Culture” policy. He is a member of the Greater Manchester City Region Mayoral Digital Inclusion Action Network and is an appointed expert advisor to DCMS/DSIT and Ofcom.
He has recently completed a national project exploring citizens' data literacy, he is also involved in a project to explore a “Minimum Digital Living Standard” for UK households – both funded by the Nuffield Foundation. His research has been funded by the ESRC, the Nuffield Foundation, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), EU, and industry. His work has often been interdisciplinary and has predominantly involved creative and digital industry partners. He also led a major Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded interdisciplinary programme (Engineering for Life) while at Sheffield Hallam.
Fiona Watson qualified as a dentist from University of Dundee in 2003 and became a specialist in dental public health in 2015. She has had a varied career across general public and dental public health working for local, regional and national level organisations. Most recently she joined Halton Borough Council in 2023 as a Deputy Director in Public Health with responsibilities around healthcare public health, data and intelligence, working age adults and (of course) oral health improvement! Prior to this role she was part of the national dental public health team at the Department of Health and Social Care in England. She is the in-coming President of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD).
Mr Callum Cowan is a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at Liverpool University Dental Hospital, where he serves as Clinical Lead for the Production Laboratory and leads digital dentistry innovation and clinical transformation initiatives.
He is a recognised advocate for digital workflow integration in complex restorative care, with expertise spanning intra-oral scanning, CAD/CAM technologies, and AI-assisted diagnostics.
Following his graduation with commendation from Glasgow University in 2007, Callum served as a Dental Officer in the RAF Dental Branch (2007-2015), where he attained his Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties and completed his Diploma in Restorative Dentistry with the Royal College of Surgeons England. In 2015, Callum was selected for specialist training in Restorative Dentistry at Liverpool Dental Hospital. During this five-year programme, he undertook extensive advanced training in Periodontology, Endodontics, and Prosthodontics. He sat his Specialist Exam in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics in 2019, receiving the prestigious Tyson Medal, and passed his Exit Fellowship in Restorative Dentistry in 2021. Callum is registered on the GDC specialist lists for both Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics.
Following specialist training, Callum completed a one-year Fellowship in Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, working between Manchester and Liverpool to provide advanced rehabilitation for patients requiring complex care following cancer surgery, developmental defects, and trauma.
In his current consultant role, Callum has pioneered the implementation of comprehensive digital workflows at Liverpool Dental Hospital, including DS Core digital systems, intraoral scanning protocols, and CAD/CAM fabrication. He has developed evidence-based training programmes for clinical teams and created systematic approaches to digital dentistry integration that improve efficiency, quality, and patient communication.
His work focuses on leveraging digital technology to enhance outcomes in complex restorative cases while building infrastructure for sustainable digital transformation.
Callum leads the Cleft Lip and Palate Restorative Service and has developed a specialist clinical focus in the management of patients with developmental dental anomalies, including:
•Cleft lip and palate
•Hypodontia
•Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI)
•Dentinogenesis Imperfecta (DI)
•Craniofacial anomalies
•Complex developmental conditions requiring multidisciplinary care
Callum's clinical approach integrates cutting-edge digital technology with evidence-based restorative principles to deliver predictable, patient-centered outcomes. His expertise in both digital workflows and complex prosthodontic rehabilitation positions him at the forefront of contemporary restorative dentistry.
James is a Professor of Dental Education and Restorative Dentistry based in the University Dental Hospital and School, Cardiff. James is also the current chair of the Faculty of Dental Trainers, RCSEd. James has been actively involved in the delivery of education for over 20 years - and was involved in the reinvigoration of the Graduating European Dentist curriculum taskforce, and DigEdDent resources. His impact and innovation in teaching and training has been recognised with Principal Fellowship of Advance HE, the award of a National Teaching Fellowship, and Fellowship with the Academy of Medical Educators. His educational research interests include the use of simulation, reflective practice, resilience and coping, and curriculum reform.
In her current academic role, Heather’s primary responsibilities include undergraduate teaching in Dental Public Health, alongside supervision and curriculum development. Her combined academic and consultant roles enable her to bridge research, education, and health service delivery to support improvements in population oral health.
Heather is a Consultant in Dental Public Health within the NHS England (NHSE) Healthcare Public Health Team for the North West, where she leads the value-based healthcare portfolio. In parallel, she holds a Senior Lecturer post in Dental Public Health at the University of Liverpool, contributing to teaching and academic leadership within the discipline.
Heather graduated from the University of Manchester in 2011 and subsequently gained wide-ranging clinical experience across a variety of dental settings. In 2014, she joined the University of Liverpool to undertake postgraduate training, completing a Master of Public Health (MPH) followed by a PhD focused on the application of habit formation theory to oral health improvement.
In her current academic role, Heather’s primary responsibilities include undergraduate teaching in Dental Public Health, alongside supervision and curriculum development. Her combined academic and consultant roles enable her to bridge research, education, and health service delivery to support improvements in population oral health.
Gunjit is a Senior Public health leader who has worked in the Public Health for over 25 years, having started her medical career as a GP over 30 years ago. Gunjit’s core values on social justice and equity, formed through her personal experience of being an immigrant to the UK are pivotal in her drive to improve population health and health inequalities. She has worked in numerous specialities in hospitals in West Yorkshire and as a GP in Leeds and Manchester. Her Public health career has spanned working for NGOs, academic institutions, DHSC, local government, Public Health England and most recently in NHS England NW region where she is the Director of the Healthcare public health team.
In the regional NHSE team- Gunjit oversees the work of the Public Health Directorate which provides leadership, advice on prevention and inequalities in all pathways, as well as specialist advice on dental public health, Greener NHS and public health intelligence.
Gunjit is strategic and collaborative leader who is committed to the core values of the NHS in delivering high quality care for all. Her current priority areas include driving the anti-racism agenda in the NHS, value- based healthcare and increasing the focus on prevention in the NHS.
She is married with three children and lives in Manchester.
Zahra is a second-year Specialty Trainee in Dental Public Health in North West England. She completed a Master of Public Health during her first year of training, with a dissertation 'Exploring General Dental Practitioners’ experiences and practices of lesion photography within the oral surgery electronic referral pathway for suspected oral cancer cases in Greater Manchester'. Her career spans both clinical and leadership roles, providing her with a unique perspective on oral health systems. Prior to specialty training, Zahra worked as a General Dental Practitioner in NHS practice and as a Specialty Doctor in Oral Surgery, gaining first-hand experience of the challenges faced across primary and secondary care.
Zahra also served as a Chief Dental Officer’s Clinical Fellow at the Care Quality Commission, where she spent a year in Regulatory Leadership. This role gave her national-level exposure to quality improvement, system oversight, and the complexities of healthcare regulation. Zahra’s diverse background underpins her commitment to improving population oral health and addressing inequalities through evidence-based policy and practice.
Professor Zafar Iqbal is the Vice President of the UK Faculty Of Public Health and Associate Medical Director Public Health at an NHS Trust. With a career spanning clinical, leadership, and policy roles, he brings a wealth of experience to the intersection of healthcare delivery and population health.
Nationally, he has contributed to shaping public health policy through roles such as Chair of the NHS Provider Public Health Network. This is a growing body of around 150 consultants and trainees dedicated to strengthening public health practice within the NHS. He was a member of the NHS England Health Checks Clinical Expert Committee. He is an Advisory Board Member of the Royal College Psychiatrists Public Mental Health Implementation Centre. He served a term as the Registrar for the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR), where he oversaw the development and quality assurance of the new Portfolio route to registration.
He has previously held two Director of Public Health posts, including in one of the most deprived local authorities in England, where he led pioneering work to tackle health inequalities. Originally trained as a GP, he has also served as a Medical Director within an NHS Trust, bridging clinical expertise with strategic leadership.
With a strong global perspective, he has served on the Global Health Committee for over a decade through Chair of the Pakistan SIG.
He is also a Visiting Professor at four academic institutions, reflecting his passion for education and mentorship. In addition, he holds an ILM Level 7 Executive Coaching and Mentoring qualification, which he finds invaluable in his work with trainees and emerging leaders.
Jason Wong MBE is the Chief Dental Officer for England. Awarded an MBE for services to dentistry and oral health, Jason has previously chaired local dental networks across parts of the Midlands and the East of England and was also secretary of Lincolnshire Local Dental committee for 16 years. His role as Chief Dental Officer now sees him working in collaboration with local and regional teams to deliver improved outcomes for patients, while also championing the role of dentists and dentistry within the health system.
Ivor Chestnutt is Professor in Dental Public Health at Cardiff University, Honorary Consultant to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and is a Specialist in Dental Public Health. He is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and received both his MPH and PhD degrees from the University of Glasgow. He holds Fellowships in Dental Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the Royal College of Surgeons, England. Ivor is also a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and of the Higher Education Academy.
He was Clinical Director of the University Dental Hospital for six years and led the Dental Hospital and School through the COVID 19 pandemic. Ivor was Director of Postgraduate Dental Education in the School of Dentistry for eleven years. He has generated over £6 million in grant income (£1.5M as principal investigator, the remainder as co-applicant). He has published widely in the field of dental public health.
He is President of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) and currently acts as Hon Secretary at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
