Reflections on the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) at 20 years

Abstract

This paper presents the reflections of four colleagues who were instrumental in the foundation of the then Faculty of General Dental Practitioners (UK) in 1992. All four subsequently became members of the first Board of Faculty, of whom one became the second Dean of the Faculty and one became the first editor of Primary Dental Care. Two are members of the current Board.

They were asked to reflect on six questions, which were:

1. What were the original hopes at the inception of the Faculty 20 years ago?

2. Have these hopes and expectations that you had 20 years ago been realised?

3. If the original aspirations have been met, what factors made this possible?

4. If some aspirations have not been realised, why?

5. What trends will shape dentistry in the next 20 years?

6. Where would you like to see the Faculty in 20 years’ time?