The BDA Honours and Awards are designed to acknowledge and reward those who have upheld and improved the standards of dentistry by providing outstanding merit and service.
Recipients of this year’s Honours and Awards will be formally recognised and thanked for their contributions at a special dinner and ceremony at the British Dental Conference and Exhibition on May 28, 2016.
The recipients of the 2015 Honours and Awards are:
Fellowship of the Association
Graham McKirdy: Current chair of the BDA’s Scottish Council and member of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee and Scottish Dental Practice Committee, Graham is a former chair of the Association’s UK Council and has served on a variety of BDA Committees since 1991. He has worked as a general dental practitioner for over 30 years and is currently practice principal at a practice in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.
Distinguished membership
Richard Elvin: Richard has worked for over 25 years with the BDA’s Benevolent Fund including serving as Board of Trustees Member, Vice Chair, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Vice President; as well as working on a local and national basis for Local Dental Committees (LDCs). His LDC work included editing their newsletter, serving on their Conference Agenda Committee, and chairing the Annual Conference of LDCs.
BDA Life Membership
Stuart Geddes: former National Director for BDA Wales, Stuart was nominated for his 20 years’ service in the role, as well as acting as a local branch secretary. Stuart had previously worked as a general dental practitioner in Usk, Wales, and as a teacher and lecturer at Cardiff Dental School and in Scotland.
Robert Hamilton: Robert was a recent chair of the BDA’s Scottish Salaried Dentists Committee and was also the lead dentist in negotiating new terms and conditions which led to the new Public Dental Service in Scotland. For over 30 years he has worked in community dentistry in Scotland, shaping the service as an educator, contributor to national guidelines, serving on community/public dental service committees and providing essential dental care to the most vulnerable in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas.
BDA Roll of Distinction
Richard Thomas: As General Secretary of the Federation of London Local Dental Committees from 1998 to 2014, Richard developed the Federation into a powerful voice for dentists in London, providing representation, mediation and support to professionals across the capital. The Federation itself also grew from four to ten LDCs under his secretariat. In 2015 Richard sadly passed away due to a terminal illness. He received his scroll in early 2015. His medal was presented to his family at the British Dental Conference in May 2015.
Certificate of Merit for Services to the Profession
Mary Farnell: In addition to extensive experience in general dental practice and providing domiciliary dental care in homes and care settings, Mary is the clinical dental lead and trainer for the CRISIS homeless project, a position she has held since 2008. She works with a limited budget and helps to source equipment and supplies from donors and benefactors as well as managing compliance with all the necessary regulations. Under her leadership training is provided for volunteers and vulnerable people receive dental care in a spirit of warmth and compassion.
Certificate of Merit for Services to the Association
Nigel Fisher: Nigel has been a hospital dentist for nearly 40 years and is a former Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean for London. He also represented London dental hospitals on the BDA’s Central Committee for Hospital Dental Services and in 2010 was treasurer for the BDA’s Hospitals group.
Louise Foster: Louise is a clinical director for Gloucestershire Care Services dental service and is a former lecturer in restorative dentistry at the University of Bristol. She has held a variety of posts at BDA branch and section level including serving as chair of the BDA Bristol Section. She has also served as a member of the BDA’s Central Committee for Dental Academic Staff.
Barry Jonas: A dentist for over 55 years Barry Jonas still works part time in general dental practice. He has served his profession both through positions at BDA branch and section level, including being elected president of the Central Counties Branch as well as holding positions at the former Coventry Health authority and the Coventry Family Practitioner Committee.
Ros Keeton: Currently chief executive at Birmingham Women’s Hospital, Professor Keeton has held a number of senior management positions within the NHS over the past 25 years. She has a background in community dentistry and has held clinical and senior dental officer positions with a number of health authorities. She continues to remain active within dentistry and takes a lead governance role at Keetons Dental Practice. She has also held a number of positions within the BDA Central Counties Branch, including honorary secretary and president; and is also currently honorary treasurer for the BDA Benevolent fund.
John Mellor: John has 29 years’ experience in community and hospital services dentistry, including 17 years as a dental services manager and clinical director. He has worked as a vocational trainer, and is currently senior tutor and lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, where he helped set up a new dental course. He has conducted epidemiology surveys in Pakistan, and taught health workers in the country’s second biggest city, Lahore. He is currently president of the BDA North West Branch and has also held positions with his local BDA section, Lancaster and Morecambe.
Gala Dinner tickets and 2016 Honours and Awards nominations
The Honours and Awards Gala Dinner will take place on the evening of May 28, at the Midland Hotel. Tickets go fast, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
Nominations for the 2016 Honours and Awards are now open, and will close on March 31, 2016. If you know someone who has gone that extra mile in support of their profession and the Association, please put their name forward.
Save the date: The British Dental Conference and Exhibition 2016 will take place on May 26-28, 2016, in Manchester and early bird tickets are now on sale. #BDA2016