New BDA president

He will officially take up his position as the BDA’s 127^th President in a ceremony at the Association’s annual British Dental Conference and Exhibition on April 25, succeeding current President Frank Holloway.

Coming from a dental family, McGonigle was brought up in Omagh, Co Tyrone. He undertook his dental education at the University of Manchester and the Turner Dental Hospital and then worked as an assistant dental surgeon with a practice in the Republic of Ireland. He then did further training as an SHO in Manchester Royal Infirmary and held an associateship in general practice in York. He returned to the family practice in Omagh in 1982 and has worked there ever since. He is currently the practice owner.

A member of his professional association since 1983, Dr McGonigle’s past positions include Chair of the BDA Education Committee, Chair of the BDA International Affairs Committee and Chair of the BDA Northern Ireland policy group. He was also the first dentist from Northern Ireland to Chair the UK National LDC conference. Over the past twenty years he has served on many BDA Committees including the Executive Board, the General Dental Practice Committee, the Representative Body, the Pensions Committee, and Northern Ireland Branch Council. He has also represented the BDA through positions on outside bodies and in external negotiations.