Northern Ireland Dental ​Practice Committee

​What does NIDPC do?

• Represents the interests, and acts on behalf of all general dental practitioners in Northern Ireland practising in the health service and/or privately
• Negotiates with government on terms and conditions and remuneration for GDPs
• Formulates policy positions on issues that impact on General Dental Practice
• Ensures that the views of GDPs are represented when it comes to health policy being developed by government and other key organisations
• Act as a channel of communication between the BDA and general dental practitioners.

What type of issues does NIDPC work on?

The NI DPC meets a minimum of three times a year to discuss the latest issues facing general dental practice, which includes:

• Lobby for support for all GDPs during the COVID-19 pandemic
  
• Regulation of dental practice
• Terms and conditions and remuneration for GDPs
• Increasing costs of running a dental practice
• Dental payments system, operational and service user issues
• Stress in the profession
• Negotiations towards a new contract for General Dental Services

Meet the NIDPC members

NIDPC has 23 members, 16 of whom are directly elected voting members. It also has non-voting members including PEC representatives, committee cross representatives and external representatives.

Members are elected on a constituency basis for a three-year period and the current triennium runs from 2018-2020 and 2021 as agreed by the BDA board.The current Chair of NIDPC is Richard Graham and the Vice Chairs are Derek Manson and Susan Nelson.

Northern Health and Social Care Trust area

Derek Manson (Vice Chair)	​Derek was re-elected as Vice Chair in January 2018. Derek has worked in general dental practice for over 27 years and is a practice owner in Ballymena. Derek is the NIDPC Levy fund treasurer, a position he has held for over 10 years. Derek represents NIDPC on Northern Ireland Council and on the external HSCB ICT Programme Board. He is the NIDPC cross rep for NICDC
Garvin Craig	Garvin is a single handed practitioner and has owned his own practice in Broughshane for over 17 years. Elected to NIDPC in March 2015, Garvin aims to represent smaller, rural practices and provide their perspective to NIDPC.
Robert McHenry	Robert McHenry has been a practice owner of a 4 surgery practice in Ballymoney since 2010 and has been working in general practice since 2002. Robert has extensive experience of both NHS and private practice. Robert sits on the RQIA sub group of NIDPC.

 

Belfast and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust areas

​Philip McLorinan	​A Practice owner since 2004, Philip is also a part time Special Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry at the School of Dentistry and an examiner for the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses. Philip is active within the NI Branch serving as Hon. Social Secretary.
​ Susan Nelson (Vice Chair)	​Susan was re-elected as Vice Chair of NIDPC in January 2018. A member of NIDPC since 2006, Susan is currently on the negotiations group, working with colleagues to try to secure a new contract for the NI dentists. Susan sits on the NIMDTA Dental Foundation Training committee. Susan is a Principal of a 4 surgery mixed practice in Holywood.
​ Andrew Nicholl	​Andrew owns a predominantly Health Service practice on the Shore road and is a single handed practitioner. Andrew sits on NIDPC sub group that meets with BSO on operational matters. Away from the surgery, Andrew serves as honorary secretary of the Eastern Area Local Dental Committee.
Ciara Gallagher	​Ciara was re-elected to NIDPC in October 2017. Ciara is the sole owner of a large dental practice in Downpatrick. Ciara has received a national award for her role as a VT trainer, is currently a student nurse mentor, and a board member of the FGDP NI.
Edel Hughes	Edel is an Associate dentist in Dunmurry and recently received Part II MJDF examination. Originally elected to NIDPC in September 2015 and re-elected in October 2017, Edel sits on The Dental Service User Payments Group and BDA Associates Group.

 

Southern Health and Social Care Trust Area

Richard Graham (Chair)	​Richard is the Chair of NIDPC and Vice Chair of NI Council. Richard has spent his career in general practice and is a previous practice owner in Clogher and Fivemiletown. Richard currently sits UK Council, on the contract negotiations group and the external amalgam regulations group.
​ James Kelly	​James has owned his dental practice in Coalisland since 2006. James is a member of Faculty of General Dental Practice, Faculty of General Dental Surgery and the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. James has been involved in local dental politics for many years serving as secretary for the Southern area LDC for almost 11 years.

Western Health and Social Care Trust Area

Rachele Crozier

​Rachele was re-elected to NIDPC in October 2017. After qualifying in 2004, Rachele spent her VT in Wales where she remained for 3 years. From 2008- 2014 Rachele worked as a clinical teaching assistant and in February 2014 opened her own practice in Fermanagh. Rachele is involved locally with the Western LDC.

Thomas McCaffrey

​Thomas graduated from the University of Liverpool in 1999. After completion of vocational training, he worked as an associate in both Southport and Liverpool. He returned to Northern Ireland to set up his own practice in 2007 and was a vocational trainer in the Northern Ireland scheme. He has a keen interest in Forensic Dentistry and has a Diploma in Forensic Human Identification and a Diploma in Legal Medicine awarded by the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. He currently works for Dental Protection as an Associate Dento-Legal Adviser. Thomas was first elected to NIDPC in October 2017. He is a member of the NIDPC Probity sub-group.

BDA General Dental Practice Committee

​ Seamus Hughes

​Seamus is a Practice Owner in County Down and was elected to GDPC in March 2015 and re-elected in October 2017 representing Western, Southern and Northern HSC Trust areas. Seamus currently sits on the BDA UK Remuneration and Legislation Committees and is a member of the negotiations group, working with colleagues to try to secure a new contract for NI GDPs.

Eamonn Toner

​Eamonn owns a predominantly health service practice and is a single handed practitioner. Eamon represents NI DPC on the Pilot Working Group and is a member of the contract negotiations group. Actively involved in dental politics, Eamonn was honorary secretary of the Eastern Area Local Dental Committee for six years before becoming Chair, a position he currently holds. Eamonn also sits on the NIMDTA Dental Foundation Training Committee.

BDA Northern Ireland Branch

Lisa Hall	​Lisa was first nominated to NIDPC in March 2018. Lisa is nominated by the BDA NI Branch Council and sits on behalf of all BDA NI Branch members. Lisa is currently BDA NI Branch treasurer. Lisa qualified in 2006 and is currently practicing in Lurgan.
Lisa Hanna	​Lisa Hanna was nominated at the BDA AGM in October 2018 and took up her place on NIDPC in February 2019. Lisa is a practice owner in the Northern Trust and is currently the Chair of the Northern Area LDC. Lisa also sits as a co-opted member on the BDA central Young Dentists Committee.

 

Make your views heard - share your thoughts on general practice

NI DPC is always keen to ensure that the views of GDPs are represented when it comes to health policy being developed by government. If you have any views or comments about the work of the committee and issues relating to general dental practice do let us know. Please email northernIrelandoffice@bda.org

General Dental Services Levy Fund

BDA members receive a subsistence allowance where appropriate and have their travel costs reimbursed. The Northern Ireland General Dental Services Levy Fund pays dentists sessional rates for time away on committee business. See British Dental Guild Rate for information.

Following consultation with GDPs the Levy Fund moved to an ‘opt-out’ model in early 2020. If you have a question or for more information please contact gds.correspondence@hscni.net.