Knighthood and Dental Honours From The King
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- Published: Saturday, 17 June 2023 20:55
- Written by Peter Ingle
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Boris Johnson’s controversial resignation honours list has dominated the news, and looks set to overshadow a more conventional set of announcements. King Charles III’s first birthday honours list has now been published, and as expected includes a wide range of figures from education, healthcare, the arts, and public service.
Amongst the recipients of the 17 Knights Bachelor being awarded, is Professor Nairn Wilson CBE. The citation reads: “Honorary Founding President, College of General Dentistry. For services to Dentistry.” It is not often that a dentist receives such a high honour. The last dental professional to be made a Knight Bachelor was Sir Ian Gainsford in 1995, with Sir Nicholas Sturridge becoming a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 2007.
Sir Nairn is a Founder and Founding Fellow of the College, and its first Chair, serving from 2017-20. He was then appointed Honorary Founding President. He was founding Editor of what is now the Colleges Journal from 2012 – 2017, and the colleges first Life Fellow.
Outside of the college he is a Patron of the Dental Wellness trust, Past President of the BDA and Emeritus Professor of Dentistry at King’s College London. Amongst other roles, he has been Dean of Manchester University Dental Hospital, President of the GDC, and co-chair of the Forum of European Heads and Deans of Dental Schools.
Commenting on his appointment, Sir Nairn said:
"Being knighted is the high point of my fifty years in dentistry. I am hugely honoured but all the more challenged to try to put back into dentistry as much as it has given me. Very special thanks to everyone who has helped and supported me during my career."
Sir Nairn was not the only dentist recognised in the list.
There were three awards of the Membership of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Vanita Brookes Fellow, Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England has been awarded an MBE for services to the Oral Health of People with Disabilities. Professor Francis John Hughes former Professor of Periodontology, King’s College London was also awarded an MBE for services to Dentistry, as was Paul Jeffrey Leach, Paediatric and Special Care Dentist, in recognition of his services to Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in North West Wales.
There were two dental awards of Medalist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM). Kathryn Harley, Specialist in Paediatric Dentistry was awarded it for services to Paediatric Dentistry and Dental Education. Michael Wheeler, Dental Hygienist and Dental Workforce Lead Tutor, Health Education England, received his for services to Oral Health in South West England.
GDPUK understands that there is a precedent that dentistry will usually receive only one honour of CBE rank or above, and so the outgoing CDO will have to wait a little longer for her official recognition.
Knighthood and Dental Honours
Quote :Surely awards need to be given to reflect achievements.
The CDO has already been awarded a CDM (Cadburys Dairy Milk) in the form of a chocolate teapot. Seems fairy nuff?
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