Professionalisation of Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists in Academia

Friday, 28th August 2026 - 09:00 to 10:30

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Timezone:

Budapest (UTC+1 winter / UTC+2 summer)

Duration:

90 Minute

Venue:

HALL B

Session type:

Type 2: Organised, planned and delivered by a subgroup, special interest group, community of practice of ADEE

COP

Session synopsis:

The aims of the COP group is to support the professional development of dental hygienists and dental therapists through the creation of a robust academic pathway, facilitating the progression of early-career academics into research and teaching roles, with the goal of nurturing future professors in these fields.

Reframing Research Education in Undergraduate Dental Hygiene and Therapy: A Pedagogical Perspective on Developing Academic Capacity

This presentation will explore the role of undergraduate education in shaping the future academic identity of dental hygiene and dental therapy (DHDT) professionals, reflecting on whether research is currently experienced as a meaningful part of professional development or primarily as a curriculum requirement. Drawing on personal experience and preliminary observations, it will consider whether there is a tendency within DHDT education to position graduates primarily as clinicians, with research engagement limited to understanding terminology, critical appraisal, and completion of a predominantly literature-based project. The session will invite shared reflection from colleagues who have navigated similar challenges in academia, acknowledging the realities of workload, limited capacity, and competing demands, while asking whether we are collectively doing enough to prepare and inspire the next generation to contribute to research, innovation, and academic leadership. It will also consider the barriers that may exist within current systems and explore whether there is an opportunity to rethink how research is introduced earlier, made more accessible and clinically relevant, and supported beyond assessment, in order to strengthen the profession’s long-term academic and research capacity, including consideration of how undergraduate education may contribute to building a sustainable pipeline of DHDT academics and researchers.

Chair:

Leon Bassi

Senion Clinical Lecturer in Restorative dentistry (Dental Therapy Practice)

University of Liverpool

Leon Bassi is a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Liverpool. His professional background encompasses substantial clinical experience within community, hospital, and specialised private practice environments. He possesses a Postgraduate Diploma in Paediatric Dentistry for Dental Therapists and a Master of Science in Advanced Specialist Healthcare. Leon is an active member of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT). Furthermore, he holds Fellowship of Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) and Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Trainers. He has a keen interest in the professionalisation of dental hygienists and dental therapists as dental occupations with a view to advocate for career literacy and structured career pathways.

Sarah Murray

Reader in Dental Therapy Education

Queen Mary University of London

Sarah Murray has worked in dental education for over 30 years, during which time she has demonstrated a commitment to advancing the clinical practice of dental hygienists and dental therapists. She has been a strong advocate for expanding the scope of practice, by playing a pivotal role in the introduction of direct access in 2013 and contributing significantly to the recent HEE dental exemptions training. In addition to her clinical and educational contributions, Sarah is keen to ensure that dental hygienists and dental therapist academics have a clear, structured pathway to achieve professor status, addressing a gap that remains unclear in the profession.

Barry A. Quinn

Vice Dean for Scholarship & Staff Development | Chair in Restorative Dentistry and Dental Education

University of Liverpool, School of Dentistry, UK

Professor Barry F.A. Quinn is the Vice Dean for Scholarship and Staff Development and Chair in Restorative Dentistry and Dental Education at the University of Liverpool. He is an internationally recognised leader in dental education and research, with an extensive portfolio of senior roles in national and international organisations.

Barry currently serves as Secretary General of the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE), President of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Odontology Section, and President of the IADR Prosthodontic Group. He has previously held presidencies of the British Alliance for Researchers in Dental Education and Scholarship (BARDES) and the Education Research Group of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).

He has also contributed to the work of UNESCO, IFIP, and the General Dental Council (GDC), particularly in areas of quality assurance and professional standards. Barry’s contributions to dental education have been widely recognised. In 2023, he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship—only the 12th UK dental professional to receive this honour in the award’s history. His research spans interprofessional education and haptic virtual reality surgical simulation training, and has earned accolades such as the Medical Futures Award and ADEE’s Mature and Interprofessional Educator Awards.

He is the author of over 200 abstracts and publications, and remains committed to advancing excellence, innovation, and collaboration in dental education and scholarship.

Speakers:

Claire C. McCarthy

Head of Dental

Canterbury Christ Church University

Dr Claire McCarthy qualified from Trinity College Dublin and has over 20 years’ experience in dental academia. She holds a PhD in Clinical Dentistry from King’s College London (KCL), focused on aerosol mitigation and ultrasonic device performance, for which she received the KCL Outstanding Thesis Award. She also holds a master’s degree in Higher and Professional Education and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Faculty of Dental Trainers. She is the newly appointed Head of Dental at Canterbury, responsible for the development and establishment of a new BSc programme in Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy and serves as Programme Director. She is also a long-standing member of faculty at King’s College London, where she has taught undergraduates and post-graduates for over two decades all aspects of non-surgical Periodontology. She previously led the BDS1 and BDS2 undergraduate Periodontology programme for eight years.

Claire has an established international academic profile as a Visiting Professor at NYU College of Dentistry since 2014, where she developed the postgraduate non-surgical periodontal programme. Her research focuses on ultrasonic instrumentation, aerosol reduction, and implant decontamination, with an emphasis on clinically translatable innovation. She was selected for the 2025 MedTech Accelerator Programme in collaboration with the London Institute of Healthcare Engineering and received the Best Pitch Award in 2026. Her work has been recognised through the Robin Davies Research Award (2020), Fellowship of the College of General Dentistry (2023), Faculty Membership of the British Society of Periodontology (2024), a KCL Teaching Award for Student Support (2025), and an award for curriculum innovation in behaviour change. She contributes to national policy and professional standards through involvement in guideline development, sits on the Council of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT), and serves as Chair of the Accreditation Committee for the Irish Dental Council, External Assessor for MFHEA, and is the current Staff President of the KCL Dental Society.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Reflect on how research is currently positioned and experienced within undergraduate dental hygiene and dental therapy (DHDT) education.

2. Consider factors that may influence student engagement with research, including curriculum design, delivery approaches, and wider academic context.

3. Explore potential approaches to introducing and embedding research in ways that are accessible, clinically relevant, and supportive of developing academic confidence and capacity.

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