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Welsh General Dental Practice Committee

​This is a Standing Committee of the Principle Executive Committee (PEC). Subject to the authority of the PEC, it aims to represent the interests and act on behalf of dentists working in general dental practice in Wales.

 

WGDPC members

Voting Members - The Chairs of the:

  • General Dental Practice Committee
  • Welsh Council

  • Wales Committee for Community Dentistry

provided that they are not already appointed or elected or ex officio members of the Committee.


Six members elected by general dental practitioners in Wales in accordance with a procedure prescribed by the PEC​.


Member practising in Wales who is a member of the Agenda Committee of the Annual Conference of Local Dental Committees.


One general dental practitioner in Wales who has been dentally qualified for less than twelve years to be nominated by the Young Dentists Committee

 

provided that no such dentist has otherwise been elected or nominated to the Committee.

 

Chair

Russell Gidney, Chair of WGDPC
David Johnson, Chair of Welsh Council
Manolis Roditakis, Chair of Welsh Committee for Community Dentists


Constituency Representatives

Dan Cook, Aneurin Bevan HB 
Jeremy Williams, Betsi Cadwaladr HB

Paul Jones, Bro Taf LDC/Cardiff & Vale HB
Gayathri Kini, Swansea Bay HB

Holly Foley, Hywel Dda and Powys LDC/Hywel Dda HB 

Katie Davies, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Hywel Da, Powys HBs
Lauren Harrhy, Aneurin Bevan, Cardiff and Vale HBs
Ravdeep Johal, Betsi Cadwaladr HB


Young Dentists Committee Representative

Lauren Harrhy


Non-voting Members

  • The Chair and Deputy Chair of the PEC

  • Any member practising in Wales who is a member of the General Dental Practice Committee appointed by the PEC

  • One representative appointed by the Wales General Practice Committee of the British Medical Association

  • A consultant member of Public Health Wales may be invited to attend meetings in an advisory and non-voting capacity.

Principle Executive Committee (PEC) members

Eddie Crouch,​ Chair of the PEC

Peter Crooks, Vice Chair of PEC 

Tim Harker, PEC Member

 

Consultant Member of Public Health Wales

Anup Karki
 

Quorum

6 voting members​

 

WGDPC member profiles

Russell Gidney

Chair of WGDPC and Representative for Agenda Committee​

Russell Gidney has been chair of WGDPC since 2021. Russell enjoys the challenges that the committee presents, representing the views of practices and practitioners to Government and organisations in Wales, representing Wales through the home nations and meeting dentist's across Wales. 


Russell qualified from Cardiff in 2002 and has worked in general practice in South Wales since that time. Vocational training and his first 5 years in Caldicot before moving to Chepstow in 2007 to manage a start-up practice. Russell has owned the practice since 2009 which he manages with his wife. The practice is now 6 surgeries and approximately equally split NHS and Private. Russell is a Educational Supervisor for Foundation Dentistry and works one day a week back in Cardiff University supervising on the undergraduate clinics.


Russell has been active on the Gwent Local Dental Committee since 2015 and served as treasurer until 2021. He sits on the Agenda committed for the national conference and has been a member of WGDPC since 2018. 

Dan Cook

Vice Chair of WGDPC  Representative for Aneurin Bevan Health Board 

Dan was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and spent his childhood on Tyneside, Teesside and in Cardiff before returning to Newcastle where he qualified as a dentist in 2003. After completing Vocational Training in the Yorkshire Dales, he worked as an associate GDP on Tyneside whilst completing his MJDF. He returned to Wales for a second time in 2009 after his takeover of a practice in Newport alongside his wife, Hannah, with the pair tasking themselves with improving its reputation and expanding services to more patients.


He became an Educational Supervisor in Dental Foundation Training in 2011 and has since completed a postgraduate diploma in medical education. His interest in dental politics evolved with his involvement with Gwent LDC, of which he is vice-chairman, and later the BDA. Dan is a proud father of two who enjoys real ale, playing the guitar and caravanning. He has also completed his advanced driving test and is a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. 



Jeremy Williams

Representative for Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board

​Jeremy graduated from Liverpool Dental School with a BDS (Hons) in 1995. After several positions in the Dental Hospital and the regional Aintree Maxillo‐Facial Unit travel beckoned, and Jeremy started in a practice in Auckland, New Zealand. The lure of a return to home in North Wales was too strong and so began life in General practice in North Wales where Jeremy continues to work as a practice principal, with two partners across the three practices they own. 


Jeremy is currently Chair of North Wales LDC, having been a member since he started practising in North Wales, and this is his second term with WGDPC. Outside of work Jeremy enjoys family life in the Vale of Clwyd. He still plays football (badly) and more recently has started cycling, in an effort to keep fit. 


Paul Jones

Representative for Cardiff and Vale Health Board


I am a long time BDA member and believer in the profession being stronger when we are all united by one organisation such as the BDA. I have served on the BDA WGDPC committee, initially for Gwent LDC in 2011-2013 and then for the Bro Taf LDC since 2014. I am the owner of a small group of NHS and private practices and work across Cwm Taf, Morgannwg and Powys. 


I joined the committee as I wanted to do more to help the profession. On a daily basis I help my patients. I feel that by being involved with both the WGDP and LDC I am able to help influence positive changes for the profession and the patients we look after. 

Gayathri Kini

Representative for Swansea Bay Health Board


Gayathri has been practising NHS dentistry for about 14 years. There has been a huge number of changes that she can see from when she started. Gayathri would like to represent her LDC and work together to voice the opinion of her fellow colleagues. Joining the WGDPC is getting on a platform to keep abreast with the changes and work alongside our representative union the BDA.

Holly Foley

Representative for Hywel Dda Health Board 

Holly has been fortunate to have fantastic opportunities within dentistry, undertaking a variety of roles, including dental nursing, dental therapy, and a dental graduate from Leeds University. These experiences have given Holly key insight into utilising the full scope of practice of the dental team and a continued passion for a shared team approach to patient care.


Throughout her career she has championed the DCP role by writing articles for FMC and was herself a finalist for NHS shine award.


Now a GDP in Pembrokeshire she joined the Hywel Dda and Powys LDC in 2017 and is now Chair. She became a practice owner in 2012 and expanded her business model into multiple practices.


She is the Dental team ambassador for Wales for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.  A valued role inspiring and supporting other dental professionals to reach their potential by developing their own career paths and opportunities from the College. 


Outside of Dentistry Holly has two young daughters and sits as a trustee on a children's charity, she is part of her local ladies' cricket team and a keen sea swimmer living on the lovely coast in Pembrokeshire.


Katie Davies

Representative for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, Hywel Da, Powys Health Boards


​Katie graduated from Cardiff Dental School in 2020 and has been working in general practice in Swansea for 2 years. She is new to her role within the WGDPC but looks forward to working with colleagues to achieve real change on the ground. 


As a young dentist she is focused on representing the views and challenges of new dentists within the ever-changing NHS Dental Service in Wales. 


In her spare time she likes to support Swansea City FC and has a tortoise called Albert who she loves to spoil."

Lauren Harrhy

Representative for Aneurin Bevan, Cardiff and Vale Health Boards


Lauren qualified from Cardiff in 2009 and has worked full time as a GDP in Wales ever since. She bought her practice, Sparkle Dental Centre, in 2017 and became a Foundation Trainer in 2020. She is currently nearing completion of a PGDIP in Aesthetic Medicine. 


Lauren’s main focus for the past few years has been on helping to maintain the mental health of dental professionals. She set up a closed Facebook forum where dentists are able to discuss all aspects of mental health, stress and crisis. 


Lauren is a founding member and current trustee of Confidential, a helpline providing emotional first aid and signposting to dentists in crisis. In addition to her role on the PEC she is also on various other BDA committees as a representative. Outside of dentistry, Lauren is married with three young children and quite a lot of pets!


​​Ravdeep Johal
Representative for Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board


Shawn Charlwood
Chair of GDPC 
​Shawn Charlwood graduated from Birmingham Dental School in 1986 and has postgraduate dental qualifications from the University of Bristol and the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners.

 

He has over thirty years experience as a GDP and owned a large mixed practice for twenty-five years as well as being a foundation trainer for over twenty years.


He had previously held postgraduate positions at Manchester Dental School and Manchester Royal Infirmary Maxillo-Facial Dept, as well as being an officer in the Royal Army Dental Corps TA for five years.

 

He has been on the GDPC for 12 years and is Chair, having previously served as Vice Chair, Chair of the GDPC Remuneration Sub-Committee and Chair of the GDPC Private Practice Committee. He was previously the Chair of Lincolnshire LDC, which he has been a member of for over 25 years.


He recently appeared in front of the House of Commons Health Select Committee Chaired by Jeremy Hunt giving evidence on the dental workforce and the challenges faced by the NHS Dental service. In his role as Chair, he often appears on TV, radio and in print raising the issues within dentistry and representing the profession.


David Johnson
Chair of Welsh Council

​Dr David Johnson is a Wolfson Foundation Scholar graduating from Cardiff Dental School in 2001. David has worked for the past 18 years in the Community Dental Service, having previously worked in General Practice and Cardiff Dental School where he held the position of Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Oral Medicine. 


He is currently working as a Dental Officer in the Bridgend area treating special needs children and adults for Cwm Taf Morgannwg uHB. His week is split between treating patients under General Anaesthetic & Sedation and treating patients in a Medium Secure Forensic Mental Health clinic. 


Outside of work David lectures nationally on the use of Acupuncture within Dentistry as an adjunct to treatment and as a means of pain and anxiety control; with delegates travelling from overseas to attend the courses that he teaches for the British Dental Acupuncture Society. When not lecturing, he promotes and works with Bridge2Aid, a dental charity providing vital dental pain relief & training for healthcare workers to deliver sustainable dentistry in the developing world.


Manolis Roditakis

Chair of WCCD

​Manolis Roditakis graduated from Athens Dental School in 2002. In Greece, he gained experience in the Armed Forces, in Private Practice and as a volunteer dentist with a charity at his hometown in Chania, Crete. Since 2010 he lives in the UK


He has obtained clinical experience in NHS and Private practice in London. He completed a Certificate in Paediatric Dentistry at the Eastman Dental Institute, UCL and then joined the Public Dental Service in Shetland islands, Scotland. During his time in Scotland, he obtained the NHS Education for Scotland Remote & Rural Fellowship for further postgraduate studies in Paediatric dentistry at the University of Aberdeen. He also gained membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. 


Since 2015, Manolis works as a Senior Dental Officer for the Community Dental Service at Hywel Dda University Health Board in Wales. He treats patients with special needs and children referred from the GDS for sedation. 


Manolis is dedicated to supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds and this drove his involvement with the BDA and the WCCD. He believes in equitable and compassionate care for the most vulnerable members of society. 


Outside work, Manolis runs the Classic Athens Marathon every year since 2017 as an ambassador for ELEPAP, a Greek charity supporting children with disabilities. He is also the founder of Small Bricks Project, using donated Lego bricks to create toys for young patients in the Community Dental Service.


Tim Harker
Representative for PEC


​Born in Yorkshire, after qualifying from Guy's, Tim has spent his career in general practice in South Wales and has been a Vocational Trainer for 10 years. 

He is a former Chair of Gwent LDC and was Treasurer of the Annual Conference of LDCs for many years.

Eddie Crouch

Chair of PEC

​Eddie was elected as Chair of the board in September 2020. Before that, he served as Deputy Chair between 2014 and 2020. He was Secretary of the Birmingham Local Dental Committee for over ten years and was also Chair. He qualified in 1984 from Kings and now provides Orthodontic Care for patients in South Birmingham in two locations, having previously been a Clinical Assistant in Orthodontics.


He has previously Chaired the Annual Conference of LDCs and the West Midlands Association of LDCs, held the post of President of the Central Counties Branch and served on the GDPC Committee for over ten years. 


He has been married to Jane for over 30 years and has a daughter Laura and a grandson and granddaughter. In 2007 he successfully challenged a termination clause in PDS Agreements in the High Court.


Peter Crooks

Vice Chair of PEC 


​Peter is Deputy Chair of PEC. He worked entirely in general practice, first as an associate for four years and then as a practice owner in Ballymena for thirty years. The practice began life fully NHS but was a mixed practice when it was sold in 2017. Since then, Peter has worked as a dentist on three visits to West Africa with Mercy Ships. He was Chair of Northern LDC from 2009 to 2011 and Chair of Northern Ireland DPC from June 2010 until January 2018. 


He has been married for 37 years and has one daughter, two sons and three Scottish grandchildren. Peter is a BDA Trustee, Chairs the BDA Finance Committee and is the Board nominee on the Board of Trustees of the BDA Benevolent Fund.