Leading paediatric dentist appointed as Chair of exams board
Appointment follows agreement between the four Royal Colleges in the UK and Ireland to develop a new approach to assessment of 10 dental specialties.
Professor Sondos Albadri, an honorary consultant in Paediatric Dentistry and Vice Dean at Liverpool University, has been appointed as the first Chair of the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations Board.
The appointment follows an agreement between four Royal Colleges in the UK and Ireland to work together on a new, joined-up approach to assessment covering 10 dental specialties. The new examinations, which will be introduced in Autumn 2026, will support trainees in demonstrating the specialist knowledge, skills and capabilities required for progression.
Professor Albadri will support the continued development of the new exams in the UK and internationally, ensuring they meet General Dental Council (GDC) principles and standards, and evolve to meet the changing needs of dental training and assessment.
She said: “The next few years present an exciting opportunity to modernise dental specialty training. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to support the development of an assessment strategy that is fair, inclusive, robust and agile.
“There is a lot of change on the horizon, however I am excited to harness the opportunities that come with change and will be working with the specialties and the trainees ensuring their voice is heard, and that their interest is at the heart of this change.”
Professor Albadri is Vice Dean for Research and Postgraduate Studies at Liverpool University’s School of Dentistry. Her research focuses on improving the quality of clinical outcomes, care pathways, and improving patients’ outcomes and experience. She has a special interest in dental trauma and patients with complex health conditions.
Clinically, she works at Liverpool University Dental Hospital within Liverpool and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where she is Interim Co-Chair of the specialist managed clinical network of paediatric dentistry in the region.
At the University, she is also the lead for integrated clinical academic training which includes recruitment and career development. This role involves continuous collaborative work with a wide range of organisations including NIHR and Health Education England.
She is a Past President of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry, and serves as the UK Councillor on the European Academy in Paediatric Dentistry and a member of their Educational Committee.
Christine Goodall, Dean and Vice President Dental Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow said: “On behalf of the four Colleges, I’m delighted to welcome Professor Albadri as Chair of the Dental Specialty Examinations Board.
“Professor Albadri has a wealth of experience – both clinically and in the research environment, as well as in training and education. We look forward to working with her to develop a clearer training pathway for dentists in the year ahead.”
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland announced they are working together to introduce an Intercollegiate approach to assessment in May last year.
Currently, most dental specialties have multiple versions of the specialty exam, administered by individual royal colleges, or a combination of colleges. Having a single exam for each specialty will enable consistency for trainees across the UK and will provide a clearer training pathway for all specialties.
Among Professor Albadri’s first engagements will be to help appoint the specialty exam board chairs in March, with one Chair being recruited for each of 10 specialties.
More information about the exams, including answers to frequently asked questions, can be found on the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations website.