Helen Phillips has been announced as the new chair of the General Dental Council (GDC) from October 2025.
This follows the completion of Lord Toby Harris’s four-year term in September this year.
Dr Philips will bring experience from a 30-year career across sectors including insurance, legal, social care and further education.
‘My ambition is that dental care professionals feel a sense of pride – never fear – in being regulated by a trusted, effective, proportionate regulator that embodies our values of being respectful, transparent, inclusive and purposeful,’ she said.
‘I look forward to working with my fellow council members, the chief executive and the whole GDC team as we gear up to deliver the Corporate Strategy, ensuring we remain an effective regulator that puts public protection at its heart while empowering dental professionals to flourish.’
‘Exceptional experience’
Dr Phillips has also chaired the Legal Services Board and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where she served during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is an independent commissioner at the Gambling Commission.
Lord Toby Harris welcomed the appointment: ‘I am delighted that the GDC has secured the services of such an outstanding leader as Dr Helen Phillips. She has exceptional experience in regulation across multiple sectors, combined with her deep understanding of healthcare challenges. I know her knowledge and expertise will ensure we continue building trust with the professions.’
Dr Phillips has a BSc in zoology and a PhD in environmental science from University College Dublin. She has previously served as a board director of Yorkshire Water and chair of Loop Customer Management Ltd.
Prior to her non-executive career, Dr Phillips served as founding chief executive of Natural England and director for Wales of the Environment Agency.
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