Spotlight on: Dental services - What does the future hold?

Cynthia Pine CBE, Emerita Professor of Dental Public Health at Barts & The London, Queen Mary University of London, is a pioneering figure in dental research and education. Focused on oral health promotion and prevention of childhood dental caries, she collaborates nationally and internationally to address health inequalities in disadvantaged communities.

She made history as the first woman to lead a UK dental school in 2003. Appointed CBE for Services to Dentistry, she holds various prestigious titles, including being the Founding President of the European Association of Dental Public Health. Recognised with awards such as the ORCA Prize for dental caries research and the IADR E.W. Borrow Memorial Award for contributions to oral health promotion, Cynthia has significantly impacted the field. Beyond academia, she was named Outstanding Guyanese of the Year by the Government of Guyana, her birthplace. With a wealth of accomplishments, her legacy extends from her role as the first Pro-Vice Chancellor International at the University of Salford to her current Emerita status, leaving an indelible mark on dental public health.

Professor Barker graduated from the Royal London Hospital in 1990 and earned an MSc in Restorative Dental Practice at University College London’s Eastman Institute in 2009. Holding distinctions in education, he is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Member of the Faculty of Dental Trainers at the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh, as well as the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners at the Royal College of Surgeons England.

Nick chairs the Essex Local Dental Network for NHS England, providing leadership mentorship for Health Education England and serving as an expert witness in regulatory and civil cases. Engaged in professional representation, he holds positions on councils for the British Dental Association and is a member of dental societies.

Diverse roles include Honorary Secretary of the Essex Branch of the British Dental Association, membership in the Essex Local Dental Committee, and accreditation as a national trainer for dental companies. Nick is also a member of the British Endodontic Society, British Society of Periodontology, and British Society of Restorative Dentistry.