Glasgow Dental Education Centre celebrates 40 years

Glasgow Dental Education Centre celebrates 40 years

On 3 November 2025, the Glasgow Dental Education Centre marks its 40th anniversary of providing postgraduate education for dental teams across Scotland. The centre was the first facility of its kind in the United Kingdom.

In 1979, the Glasgow Dental Educational Trust was established using funds raised during the centenary of Glasgow Dental Hospital and School. The Trust continued to gather support from local health boards in the West of Scotland, a legacy from Margaret Lane, a Dental School graduate, and donations from many dentists and local groups. Its aim was clear: to create a postgraduate dental facility, the first in the United Kingdom.

After a renovation costing around £0.5 million, the ground floor of Glasgow Dental Hospital School was transformed to house the new facility, originally named the West of Scotland Postgraduate Centre for Dental Education. The centre officially opened on 3 November 1985, offering education and training to general dental practitioners and hospital postgraduate staff. It initially operated independently under the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

Over the years, local dental groups and societies such as the Odontological Society, the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (West of Scotland Branch), the History of Dentistry Group, senior practitioners, and the BDA Ladies have used the centre for education, meetings, and social events. In 1994, the addition of a clinical skills area, previously the hospital’s emergency treatment space, further enhanced the centre’s training facilities.

Throughout its history, the centre has provided Dental Vocational Training for new graduates, Continuing Professional Development for general dental practitioners in the West of Scotland, and specialty training for hospital-based staff.

In April 2002, the centre joined NHS Education for Scotland and expanded its offerings to the wider dental team. Today, it provides education for dental care professionals at both pre- and post-registration levels within a suite of training and clinical skills rooms.

To celebrate this milestone, the Glasgow Dental Education Centre will host an afternoon of memories and reflections on Friday 7 November 2025. Alumni and past participants are invited to join between 1.30 and 4.00 pm at NHS Education for Scotland, Glasgow Dental Education Centre, Ground Floor, 378 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JZ.

Any questions or to find out more contact west.dental@nes.scot.nhs.uk

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