New Chief Dental Officer for Scotland announced
Dr Gillian Leslie has been appointed Chief Dental Officer (CDO) for Scotland.
She will take up the post on 1 January 2026, following the retirement of the current CDO for Scotland Dr Tom Ferris.
Dr Leslie is the Principal Dentist and Practice Owner of Bridge Dental Care in Tranent. She graduated in 1998 from the University of Glasgow and joined the Commando Logistics Regiment of the Royal Marines, serving with them in Iraq during the second Gulf War.
Following this she was posted to the US Navy to complete a year’s training in exodontia and then Germany to treat military personnel and their families, before returning to the UK to work in the Maxillofacial Unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.
During this time Dr Leslie studied to gain her Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgeons of England. In 2021, she was appointed as one of three deputy CDOs for Scotland.
In a letter to NHS staff, Tim Mcdonnell, Director of Primary Care in Scotland, said that Dr Leslie had been “instrumental in our delivery of NHS dental reform from November 2023, bringing in her experience as a practising dentist and business owner to deliver sustainable change for the profession.”
He added: “I am delighted that Gillian will now have the opportunity to build on this successful programme to deliver further, meaningful action for oral health and dental care in Scotland, working in partnership with you and your teams.
“In her new role as CDO, Gillian will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of NHS dental policy and clinical leadership to ensure that we continue to deliver safe, effective and sustainable care to the communities that we serve.
“Please join me both in congratulating Gillian on her appointment, and in wishing Tom all the best for his well-deserved retirement.”
A spokesperson for the British Dental Association congratulated Dr Leslie on her appointment, adding: “Gillian is already well known by many of the dental profession in Scotland. She was heavily involved in the delivery of NHS payment reform, in her current role as Deputy CDO which she has held since 2021. BDA Scotland and its elected representatives look forward to continuing to work with Gillian in her new role as CDO.”
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