Every year, Dentistry.co.uk asks readers to vote for the most influential person in UK dentistry. The way the world is being influenced is changing rapidly, with social media and popular culture now vying with traditional academic and political leadership for impact on peers.
The influence of the names on this list could be clinical, academic, political, or more community-driven thanks to social media. Remember, it’s completely down to what the individual feels is most significant to them. The results make for interesting reading – but who will be voted number one? Read on to find out our readers’ choice!
Top 41-50
50. Fiona Ellwood BEM – chair of the National Oral Health Promotional Group
49. Sarah MacDonald – orthodontic therapist and business development expert
48. Louis Mackenzie – head dental officer of Denplan
47. Ansar Mahmood – cosmetic dentist and international dental charity outreach worker
46. Linda Greenwall BEM – bleaching trailblazer and charity campaigner
45. Neel Jaiswal – director of Professional Dental Indemnity and private dentist
44. Andrew Dawood – pioneer of technologically assisted facial reconstruction
43. Amit Patel – specialist periodontist and honorary clinical lecturer at Birmingham Dental School
42. Elaine Halley – past BACD president and Digital Smile Design trainer
41. Andrea Ubhi – award-winning practice owner and campaigner for women in dentistry
Top 31-40
40. Dev Patel – founder of Brushlink and joint founder of Dental Circle
39. Paul Tipton – prosthodontist, founder of Tipton Training and British Academy of Restorative Dentistry president
38. Seb Evans – head of digital at FMC
37. Harry Singh – dentist-turned aesthetician and facial aesthetics trainer
36. Raj Rattan MBE – dental director of Dental Protection
35. Jin Vaghela – business-savvy dentist running a chain of practices
34. Barry Oulton – clinician-turned coach, better known as The Confident Dentist
33. Edward Lynch – perennially influential academic and dental educator
32. Vinnie Thandi – dentist, lecturer and face of Sensodyne
31. Debbie McGovern – president of the British Association of Dental Therapists
Top 21-30
30. Affan Saghir – Instagram sensation offering modern smile makeovers
29. Monik Vasant – influential trainer and advocate of minimally invasive dentistry
28. Abid Faqir – past president of the Association of Dental Implantology
27. Rhona Eskander – Instagram trailblazer and media go-to for dental comment
26. Rahul Doshi – clinical director of Dentex and past BACD president
25. Jason Smithson – authority on restorative dentistry and acclaimed lecturer
24. Kevin Lewis – former dental director of Dental Protection and consultant editor of Dentistry magazine
23. Zaki Kanaan – past president of the BACD and respected dentist
22. Adam Nulty – founder of the International Digital Dentistry Academy
21. Manrina Rhode – former chair of charity at the BACD and high-profile cosmetic dentist
Top 11-20
20. Kishan Patel – Kishan’s Dentistry Award win in late 2019, where he picked up Best Young Dentist South East, simply confirmed what his followers already knew – that this passionate and talented individual is one to watch
19. Tif Qureshi – the first name on anyone’s lips when talking about the align, bleach and bond technique in the UK, Tif pioneered the Inman Aligner system in the UK and has a reputation as a clinician, not to mention educator, that few can match
18. Chris Orr – chairman of the Aesthetic Dentistry Awards with a reputation for insight and honesty that has seen his training company, Advanced Dental Seminars, stand out as one of the most sought-after providers of postgraduate education in the country for many years
17. George Cheetham – multi-award-winning George is no stranger to the limelight, having accrued an avid legion of fans on social media, thanks to his unashamedly dental Instagram account where he shares his stunning results and tips on aesthetic dentistry – a blend that has proved a hit with thousands of people
16. Nilesh Parmar – dentistry’s very own renaissance man, Nilesh is an accomplished clinician, practice owner and mentor who still finds time to pair his high-profile love of racing cars and the finer things in life with a keen sense of giving back, as his Ice White charity parties demonstrate
15. Shaz Memon – as the founder of Digimax, charity-conscious Shaz has helped thousands of practices build their online profile – and as the author of Instagram for Dentists, helped many more connect directly with their peers and patients to great effect
14. James Goolnik – a mainstay in the Top 50 thanks to a career defined by a combination of clinical skill, humour and business acumen, James is a private dentist with a keen social conscience and the published books to prove it. His Bow Lane Dental Clinic has been one of London’s leading practices for almost 20 years
13. Reena Wadia – a specialist periodontist who runs a successful referral practice in London, Reena works hard to represent the wider profession, sitting on boards and committees for the FGDP, BDA, and European Federation of Periodontology
12. Eddie Crouch – Eddie leapt into the profession’s consciousness with his legal challenge of the 2006 NHS orthodontic contract – he has remained at its forefront ever since, fighting for dentists’ rights through his close involvement with the BDA, for which he is currently vice chair
11. Robbie Hughes – Robbie’s enormously successful Liverpool practice has made a name for itself by giving some of the UK’s biggest celebrities the treatments they want – and with his Instagram account showing off a lifestyle to match, it’s little wonder that his profile has risen so spectacularly among the profession too
Top 10
10. Tony Kilcoyne – Tony’s professional career has many faces, from lecturing to VT and foundation training, but he is perhaps most well-known for his passionately-held views on NHS dentistry, where his letters to The Times decrying the state of the nation have become an annual call to arms for many in the dental profession
9. Anna Middleton – better known to many as the London Hygienist, Anna’s decision to talk directly to patients about their oral health has been the foundation for a wildly successful business and social media profile, making dental hygiene a topic worth not just discussing but championing – and Anna a regular contributor to places like Elle magazine and The Daily Mail
8. Shiraz Khan – arguably the best-dressed man in dentistry, Shiraz boasts a sense of style as sharp as his dancing – but it’s in the surgery that he truly stands out, where his stunningly photographed clinical work speaks for itself to earn him a reputation as a sought-after lecturer and key opinion leader
7. Trevor Burke – A new entry to the Top 50 this year, but as the editorial director of Dental Update, Trevor is far from a new name in dentistry. His legacy is difficult to overstate, with a passion for understanding and sharing materials science in dentistry that has shaped the lives – not to mention the restorations – of thousands of dentists
6. Ben Atkins – Ben was making a success of ethical dentistry before it was fashionable, somehow creating a stable and prosperous business out of treating society’s most disadvantaged people under the NHS contract. Since selling those practices his star has risen further, giving him space to spread his clear-sighted approach to patient care even more widely as president of the Oral Health Foundation
5. Chris Barrow – Chris has been telling practice owners how it is for over 20 years, and he must be doing something right, as he still commands an audience of thousands who hang on every word of his regular blog. Love him or hate him, his insight has predicted trends, shaped the thinking of major dental businesses and helped plenty of practice owners thrive through the years, while his straight-talking approach and keen insight even earned him wider fame as part of the cast of Channel 4’s The Island
4. Simon Chard – It’s hard to believe that someone with a CV as impressive as Simon’s could have qualified just eight years ago – but the proof is there for all to see. As scientific director of the BACD, he is helping others achieve the same stunning clinical results that he documents in his own beautifully-photographed cases. But the list doesn’t stop there: as an ambassador of the Slow Dentistry movement and one of the minds behind the environmentally-friendly Pärla toothpaste tabs, Simon is proof that the future leadership of the profession is in safe, and inspired, hands
3. Sara Hurley – the outspoken chief dental officer for England enjoys another year in the upper echelons of the Top 50, even as the difficulties of steering the profession through the coronavirus have thrown a spotlight on her work more closely than ever. Pandemic notwithstanding, Sara’s continuing message of integration with healthcare and championing skill mix within the profession have signalled a change within dentistry to a more progressive, forward-facing outlook
2. Mick Armstrong – cometh the hour, cometh the man – and Mick’s leadership of the BDA seems to have found its natural outlet amidst the chaos of the coronavirus. A staunch champion of dentists’ rights throughout his term in office, his work to clarify the financial situation for NHS dentists as the coronavirus pandemic exploded across the globe (and into dental practices) has arguably been the highpoint of his time as BDA chair. As lockdown tightened across the UK, his work secured peace of mind for many NHS practices, with votes mounting up in recognition
1. Milad Shadrooh – celebrating another year at the top of the charts is Milad Shadrooh – without doubt dentistry’s most successful crossover hit. Milad and his famous eyebrows have won the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people, and they continue to do the same for his peers within the profession, going to show that a great tune and a sense of humour can still go far in these difficult times. And why shouldn’t they? Milad brought his alter ego The Singing Dentist full circle in the last 12 months, taking a star turn as host of several major dental awards – including the Dentistry Awards – to rapturous applause from the audience. If there were any doubt left over how much the profession loves their homegrown star, let it be dispelled now. But his serious side still prevails – the oral health message baked into his string of successful pop parodies remains as strong as ever. He is still a dentist, after all – the clue is in the name!
Every year, Dentistry.co.uk asks readers to vote for the most influential person in UK dentistry. The way the world is being influenced is changing rapidly, with social media and popular culture now vying with traditional academic and political leadership for impact on peers.
50. Fiona Ellwood BEM – chair of the National Oral Health Promotional Group
40. Dev Patel – founder of Brushlink and joint founder of Dental Circle
30. Affan Saghir – Instagram sensation offering modern smile makeovers
20. Kishan Patel – Kishan’s Dentistry Award win in late 2019, where he picked up Best Young Dentist South East, simply confirmed what his followers already knew – that this passionate and talented individual is one to watch
