The Faculty of Dental Surgery is seeking nominations for two vacancies arising on Dental Council from September 2022. Consultant in Restorative Dentistry and RCSEd Honorary Secretary of the Faculty of Dental Surgery Dr Stewart Barclay provides an insight into Dental Council, and shares some words of advice to those thinking of getting involved.
As I came towards the end of a sometimes challenging but overall satisfying career as a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, the opportunity arose to apply for the role of Honorary Secretary to the Dental Faculty of RCSEd.
Having wished to remain involved in professional matters beyond the end of my clinical activity, this seemed an excellent opportunity to be further involved with the College for which I had been an examiner for MFDS for a number of years. I had always found College activity rewarding, and the colleagues with whom I examined to be welcoming and friendly.
Having been successful in my application, this has proven to be the case, and the role is wide and varied. In addition to contributing to Dental Council and Executive, I have been also involved in wider College working groups, and surgical colleagues have also made me very welcome as I have worked with them.
Dental Council is comprised of an excellent cross section of colleagues from across the dental specialties. Working with them and our range of Specialty Advisory Boards to help develop our portfolio of examinations and assessments, as well as responding to a range of national consultations and bodies, has definitely kept me active and interested in the profession and its future direction.
The Council is supported by an excellent team of College administrative staff, and working with them to revise a range of policies and procedures has been fruitful and has helped modernise various aspects of College activity.
I am now approximately halfway through my term of office in my role, and the first half has sped past remarkably quickly. I look forward to the further challenges and opportunities the remainder of my time as Hon Sec will provide.
Accordingly, I would encourage those of you who, up until now, may perhaps have had limited contact with the College to which you are affiliated, to consider the opportunities that contributing further to College life can bring. You do not need to be like me and become involved towards the end of a career, in fact it is preferable that we have young energetic colleagues contributing to and influencing the future of the Dental Faculty and wider College. You should not feel that you may not have enough to contribute – all can contribute in a variety of ways, and the skills you already have and which you may enhance by working alongside us will be to the benefit of yourself and the Royal College of Surgeons. I look forward to welcoming our new Council members in the near future.
The deadline for Dental Council nominations is 09:00 on Wednesday 11 May 2022. Find out more.