The newly-appointed exam board chairs for the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations and revised MFDS are calling for experienced clinicians to join them to support the next generation of assessment.
Ten leading dentists were appointed as exam board chairs in March. They are now inviting other experienced clinicians to become members of the examiner team for specialty exams, and board members for MFDS.
The news follows an agreement between four Royal Colleges in the UK and Ireland to work together on a new, joined-up approach to assessment covering 10 dental specialties. The new examinations, which will be introduced in Autumn 2026, will support trainees in demonstrating the specialist knowledge, skills and capabilities required for progression.
Professor Sondos Albadri, the first Chair of the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations Board and an honorary consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, said:
“It’s a great pleasure to welcome our new exam board chairs, each of whom excels in their field.
“Together, we are calling on other clinicians to join us as members of the examiner team. This is an incredibly exciting time for dentistry and a real chance to support the next generation of dentists undertaking the MFDS and specialty exams.”
The new specialty exam board chairs are:
An appointment is expected to be made for the Chair of Periodontics shortly.
In addition, Patricia Marsden, an associate specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Bart’s NHS Trust in London , has been appointed to chair the new tri-collegiate MFDS exam, which will replace the previous MFDS exams run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and separately, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
How to get involved
Opportunities to join the examining teams for the specialty exams, and the board of the MFDS exam, are now open.
To find out more and to apply to become a specialty dental examiner, or about applying to become a board member of the MFDS visit https://dsfe.org.uk/vacancies/.
Applications close at 9am on Monday 12 May 2025.