A new model for dental education

Vermilion’s biennial symposium will explore groundbreaking possibilities

31 July, 2025 / infocus
 Will Peakin  

In the middle of the 19th century, the practice of dentistry in Scotland was completely unregulated. As A Short History of Dentistry in Edinburgh notes: “For the man in the street it was difficult to know who was a skilled operator and who was not.

“There were several grades of practitioners; surgeons who practised dentistry as a speciality, rightly named surgeon-dentists, and others who greatly outnumbered them, including chemists and druggists, the mechanically trained and a high percentage of blatant charlatans.”

In 1856 Dr John Smith, a surgeon-dentist and later President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, was the first person in Scotland to conduct a course on dentistry with clinical instruction for medical students at the Royal College.

Concerned about the poor dental health of Edinburgh’s population, Dr Smith, with his friends Francis B. Imlach, Peter Orphoot and Robert Nasmyth, founded the Edinburgh Dental Dispensary in 1860, at 1 Drummond Street, to provide for those in need of dental care and to give clinical instruction in dentistry.

The name was changed in 1880 to the Edinburgh Dental Hospital and School and, after occupying various premises, in 1894 it moved to 31 Chambers Street. One hundred years later, the last undergraduate students qualified from the school and in 1997 the Edinburgh Dental Institute (EDI) for postgraduate education was opened in Lauriston Place.

“This,” said the Short History, “symbolises the commitment of the profession to furthering dental education and to the provision of dental care for the people of Edinburgh.”

There is no doubt that commitment within the profession remains, but today a question mark hangs over the EDI. The University of Edinburgh is facing a £140m black hole that demands “radical action”, according to Professor Peter Mathieson, its Vice-Chancellor. The university’s funding of places at the EDI has been halted, though it is understood the NHS is, at this time, continuing its funding.

Among those last students to graduate from the school in 1994 was Dr David Offord, Practice Principal of referral clinic Vermilion – The Smile Experts in Edinburgh and Kelso. Dr Offord is now calling for the reestablishment of an Edinburgh Dental Hospital and School.

Vermilion has hosted an autumn symposium alternate years since 2015. This year’s guest speaker will be Anas Sarwar MSP, leader of Scottish Labour and a former dentist.

The event will specifically call for:

  • A new, fully-funded NHS contract making primary care dentistry an attractive career option, thus improving patient care.
  • A comprehensive national dental workforce plan with long term funding commitments.
  • The establishment of a new Edinburgh Dental Hospital and School to provide integrated training of dentists, specialists and dental care professionals.

The symposium will also hear from, among others, Professor Ewen McColl, Director of the University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Dental School, former head of the EDI Professor Richard Ibbetson, speakers from general practice and from the College of General Dentistry. There will also be eight mini TED-style talks by Vermilion clinicians.

“Scotland needs a comprehensive, fully-funded dental workforce plan that addresses recruitment, retention and training across all levels of care,” said Dr Offord.

“This symposium provides a neutral forum where innovative ideas for primary and secondary NHS dentistry can be discussed.  It is a unique opportunity to lobby senior politicians, who may have the levers of power come May 2026, with positive solutions to the crisis in Scottish dentistry.”

The symposium takes place on Friday 3 October at the Royal College of Physicians  of Edinburgh. Registration is £50 and is open to all dentists from across Scotland. Register here.

Tags: 2025 / symposium / Vermilion

Categories: News

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