DT News - UK - New Chair of the BDA General Dental Practice Committee elected

Dental Tribune UK

Wed. 26 June 2019

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LONDON, UK: Dr Dave Cottam has been elected Chair of the British Dental Association (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee (GDPC) in a special meeting held in Wimpole Street. Cottam’s election comes after Dr Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, the previous chair, stood down last month after his election to the European Parliament.

Cottam previously served as Vice Chair of the GDPC. He has also served as chair of the Birmingham Local Dental Committee and as Chair of the BDA Central Counties Branch. A specialist in oral surgery and currently an associate, Cottam has four decades of experience treating both NHS and private patients. As Chair of the GDPC, he will lead negotiations with government regarding the roll-out of a reformed general dental services contract.

“It is a privilege to serve as Chair of the GDPC, and to give a voice to over 30,000 colleagues in high-street practice,” Cottam said.

“We need a paradigm shift in the way NHS dentistry is delivered across the country. I have already stressed the urgency on contracts directly to the new team at the Department of Health and Social Care. We cannot allow the pedestrian pace of reform in both England and Wales to continuing failing our patients,” he continued.

“But colleagues across the UK—in NHS, mixed and private practice—are all under pressure. We cannot simply wait and react to the latest blow. Our duty is to make change happen for general dental practitioners,” Cottam concluded.

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