Welcome from new Faculty of Dental Trainers (FDT) Chair Professor James Field
Time really does fly! I can’t quite believe that I am already now six months into my role as Chair of the Faculty of Dental Trainers (FDT). It is a very exciting time for our Faculty; as we reflect on the past nine years, we are making strategic plans for our future.
My own professional journey has involved working across a variety of environments, systems, and institutions – public and private – and yet throughout that whole time, the College has been a constant; a professional home. My main aspiration for the Faculty, is for it to serve that purpose for all of its members – and exist as a thriving community of support, advice, training and innovation.
That is a longer game – but during my tenure, my aim is to strengthen the Faculty by establishing and developing positive partnerships with relevant organisations. I also plan to revisit and revitalise our excellent professional Standards, so that they can sit at the heart of everything that we do. As we grow our CPD offering, we will refresh the dental non-technical and human factors offerings of our faculty, so valued by its members across the world. I believe that by working collaboratively with colleagues in the UK and beyond, we can emphasise the crucial role of the dental educator and trainer which is key to our sector.
I am passionate about developing an educational offer to support the whole dental team. Whilst that may take a little time, I am keen to ensure that you are aware right now of the existing variety of memberships and CPD you can access (see below), as well as the exciting roles opening up on our Faculty Executive Committee. I am always open to contact from Fellows, Members and Associates, so if you have thoughts and ideas for the Faculty, please do email me at fdt@rcsed.ac.uk.
Engage with the Educational and Training Community
Free ADEE Membership – FDT Member Benefit
As part of our ongoing partnership with the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE), FDT members are able to register and gain access to a range of benefits. These include access to all areas of the ADEE website and resources, a reduced registration fee for attendance at their annual conference, calls for abstracts, and invitations to apply for various educator awards at the ADEE annual conference.
FDT members can also actively engage with special interest groups and communities of practice across Europe.
In addition, they get access to educational resources in the form of The European Journal of Dental Education and the Digital Education for Dentistry resource that has been created to better support educators in the digital delivery and assessment of dental and oral health programmes.
For access, FDT members should navigate to the ADEE website and register, selecting ‘The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh’ as their affiliation – and we hope to see you at the annual conference in Budapest, in August.
Join Us and Get Active
FDT Executive Committee Applications are Open
FDT is seeking enthusiastic and committed volunteers for our Executive Committee. Opportunities have arisen for us to take on new members of the Committee, to help ensure that the Faculty is future-facing.
We are inviting applications from Fellows, Members and Associates for these positions and we are particularly keen to engage with individuals who are enthusiastic, innovative and resourceful.
We are also keen to encourage applications from early to mid-grade career professionals, those working in primary care, and from all members of the dental/oral health professional team.
The closing date for applications is on Monday 5 January 2026.
For more information and to apply click here.
FDT Executive Committee Member 2026
Deadline: 5 January 2026
Click the button below to find out more and to apply.
Learn moreEnhance Your Learning and CPD with FDT
Full Text Access to the Journal Of Dental Education
The Journal of Dental Education is a peer-reviewed monthly journal that publishes a wide range of educational and scientific research in dental education, making it a premier resource for academic dentistry.
FDT offers full text access to The Journal of Dental Education as a member benefit.
To gain access, FDT member should email library@rcsed.ac.uk.
ProDental CPD
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) recently announced the launch of ProDental CPD, a new benefit for its Dental Fellows and Members, including FDT. This dynamic, industry-leading platform offers unlimited access to accredited, high-quality CPD resources, supporting the ongoing professional development of the whole dental team.
With an emphasis on flexibility and accessibility, ProDental CPD allows members to engage in learning at their own pace, offering access to a wide-ranging library of expert-led videos, comprehensive e-Learning modules, and interactive assessments - all developed by leading professionals in modern dental practice.
N.B. This benefit is only available to Member and Fellow level.
To register click here.
The Journal of Dental Education
FDT Member Benefit
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Get accessProDental CPD Registration
Dental Fellows and Members
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Register hereThe Faculty of Dental Trainers
The purpose of The Faculty of Dental Trainers (FDT) is to enhance patient care and safety by promoting the highest standards of training in dentistry and to support trainers in developing their roles.
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