Philip Lewis MBE: 1953-2024

Philip Lewis MBE: 1953-2024

Dr Philip Lewis MBE, the tireless campaigner who ‘changed the narrative’ around awareness of mouth cancer in the UK, has died.

An esteemed clinician and highly-regarded educator, he was the definition of a successful dentist – but it is his work around head and neck cancers for which he will perhaps be best remembered.

It was a mission born almost by chance. A lecture attended on oral medicine during the 1990s provided a ‘lightbulb moment’ about how dental teams could improve oral cancer outcomes. The lightbulb became a passion: the passion became a calling. He went on to spend almost 30 years writing and speaking on the importance of early diagnosis and detection of oral cancers. 

‘No activity more important’

This was work that saved lives. In educating general dental professionals on their responsibilities, Philip Lewis was part of a movement that transformed the dental profession’s attitude towards detecting oral cancers.

He was a critical part of the Mouth Cancer Foundation (MCF) practically from its inception, becoming an ambassador of the charity in 2013 after helping develop and launch the Mouth Cancer Screening Accreditation Scheme.

By 2020, he went one step further, taking on the role of president of the MCF. Philip – who once declared ‘I can think of no activity more important for dental professionals than the early detection of mouth cancer’ – continued playing an integral role in the organisation even after his term ended. He was actively lecturing until a few weeks before his passing.

When Philip Lewis was presented with an MBE in September 2024 for services to oral cancer and the Mouth Cancer Foundation, it was a fitting recognition for a life spent in service to a cause he saw as greater than himself.

Even when acknowledging how ‘delighted and humbled’ he was to accept the honour, he saw no time to rest on his laurels.

‘Onwards and upwards,’ he wrote. ‘There’s still a lot to do to increase awareness about mouth cancer and the steps people can take to avoid it or at least detect it quickly if it occurs.’

Unhurried prevention

For all his fierce dedication to fighting oral cancer, Philip had personality, drive and talent to spare for the wider world of dentistry, too.

From first qualification from King’s College London in 1977, he rarely stood still. He worked as a clinical assistant in the hospital service before stepping into general dentistry.

He opened a practice on the Isle of Wight in 2006 that would deliver, in his words, ‘unhurried’ dental care.

But in the wake of the then-new 2006 NHS contract, Avenue Road was no ordinary practice. Wholly private, focused on prevention, and with oral health at its heart, it was a reflection of its principal – and in its adoption of hygiene-led care, set out an approach that many practices struggle to follow nearly two decades on.

He became an expert on practice management as much as clinical excellence, with an easy grasp of both that saw him welcomed on to the editorial boards of the journals Private Dentistry and Aesthetic Dentistry Today. Serving as a director of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry for several years was followed by time as general secretary of the European Society of Cosmetic Dentistry, picking up numerous accolades for his commitment to postgraduate education.

Fittingly, he spent many years as a media spokesperson for the British Dental Association (BDA) – treating wider audiences on TV and radio to the same accessible, knowledgeable speaking style that graced his lectures.

Philip Lewis: excellence, integrity and dedication

Dr Philip Lewis’ passing has been met by an outpouring of respect from the profession. 

‘Philip was a terrific champion of highlighting the importance of checking for mouth cancer,’ said MCF founder Dr Vinod Joshi OBE. ‘He was also a Mouth Cancer Foundation stalwart being involved from very early on supporting our charity goals and dreams. This is such sad news.’

A statement from MCF read: ‘Philip leaves behind a legacy of excellence, integrity, and dedication. He will be remembered as an ambassador and past president of the Mouth Cancer Foundation, an excellent dentist, a visionary leader, and a cherished member of the dental and head and neck cancer community. His life was defined by his love for helping others and his relentless pursuit of educating everyone about mouth cancer.

‘Philip’s memory will forever inspire those who knew him and those who continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in raising awareness of mouth cancer.’

Krishan Joshi, founder of Dental Focus and a trustee of the MCF, said: ‘Philip’s personal mission was to change the narrative. His mission would lead to him being the most active clinical ambassador for the Foundation and leading many life-saving initiatives.

‘This remarkable man was the catalyst to the strong continuity of the Foundation and in making an enduring leading charity that means so much to so many. I am truly grateful and thankful for his essential contribution. The charity wouldn’t be what it is today without him.’

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