After her election, Ann paid tribute to her predecessor saying: "I'm delighted to take the baton for community dentistry from Grainne Quinn. She has been a dedicated and committed chair to NI CDC – a real custodian for the profession. Grainne has represented us all diligently over the years, through difficult and challenging times".
Looking ahead, she said: "I will strive to continue Grainne's excellent work in the coming years, to make sure the interests of community dentists in Northern Ireland are heard. I look forward to working closely with the Committee and the BDA team. If anyone in community dentistry would like to raise any issues please do contact myself or via the BDA NI office."
Ann qualified as a Dentist from Dundee University in 1999. She worked in Carnoustie, before coming home to Northern Ireland, where she worked in General Practice in Co. Armagh for 10 years. She began working with in the SHSCT Community Dental Service in 2011 as a Dental Officer, before progressing to the post of Senior Dental Officer in 2021.
She has a particular interest in Special Care dentistry and through the NI CDC, hopes to be able to influence improvements in the provision of services across NI for some of our most vulnerable patients. Having worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Ann has a deep appreciation of the challenges experienced across all areas of dental care over the last two years and is a passionate advocate for learning lessons to ensure we build services back better. She is looking forward to engaging with staff employed in Community Dentistry to ensure their voice is heard as part of discussions on the future delivery of services.