Conference of Scottish Local Dental Committees

Following two hugely successful years at the helm, Christina Ferry stepped down as Chair of Conference Agenda Committee at close of Conference on 25th April 2025, leaving me with the immense privilege of now serving as Chair for 2026-2027. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Christina for her dedication, hard work, and commitment throughout her tenure. I’m deeply grateful (and extremely relieved) the Committee will continue to benefit from her vast knowledge and wealth of experience as she continues to work alongside us as Past Chair.

It is no small task to follow Christina as Chair – the titan of dental politics that she is – so I’m very fortunate to also have support from Hari Lal, who now joins us as Chair Elect from Greater Glasgow & Clyde LDC.

I have been attending Conference as a delegate of Lanarkshire LDC since 2021, but for those of you that do not know me, my name is Hazel Hannigan, and I graduated from Glasgow Dental School in 2010. I worked as an associate in both GG&C and Lanarkshire, before buying a practice in Lanarkshire with my husband in 2016, where we both continue to practice.

Having joined in 2020, I am currently the Vice Chair of Lanarkshire LDC, also serving Lanarkshire’s GP Sub Committee and Area Dental Advisory Committee. Through my role in CAC, I am also fortunate to sit on the Scottish Dental Practice Committee. Outside my professional commitments, if I’m not practicing dentistry, or talking about dentistry, or campaigning for dentistry, I will likely be found chasing after my two young children, Ada and Daniel.

Reflecting on Conference 2025, one of the most exciting developments, in my opinion, was the increased presence of VDPs. I firmly believe educating newly graduated dentists on the existence of the LDCs and the work we do is essential to the long-term success and sustainability of Conference. Even if these VDPs have no intention of becoming politically active themselves, greater awareness of our work should foster future support and increase the likelihood of them becoming levy payers when they become associates. Looking to the future, I hope we can continue to grow this engagement and see even more VDPs join us in 2026.

My other focus as Chair will be to boost overall LDC engagement at Conference. In recent years, attendance has declined, with several LDCs unable to send delegates — so much so that in 2025, we narrowly avoided falling short of quorum. It’s vital that every LDC, large or small, has a platform. CAC is committed to supporting smaller LDCs, ensuring Conference is truly representative of the entire Scottish landscape, not just the Central Belt. I strongly encourage all LDCs to send their full quota of delegates to Conference wherever possible – each vacant seat represents years of lost experience, insight, and the potential for meaningful contribution. Conversation and debate are what fuel innovation and drive progress, so the more of us that can get involved, the more advantageous Conference becomes for all.

Finally, whilst the implementation of Determination 1 has been a positive and welcome change in our working lives, it is by no means our final destination. It is just one milestone in the ongoing journey toward meaningful dental reform. We still face significant challenges in making NHS dentistry sustainable, innovative, and desirable - but I’m optimistic about what lies ahead and look forward to working alongside you all as we continue to push for the change we need. Together, let’s keep up the momentum and continue the fight for the future of Scottish dentistry.