Conference Agenda Committee (CAC) 2024-25
Chair: Christina Ferry
Christina Ferry qualified from Glasgow Dental Hospital in 2008 and is the owner of a busy mixed NHS/Private practice in Lanarkshire. She is currently Chair of the Conference Agenda Committee having taken over from Lindsay Milton at the 2023 conference. She is Chair of Lanarkshire Local Dental Committee & GP Subcommittee having joined in 2014. She also stands on Lanarkshire Area Dental Advisory Committee; Lanarkshire Quality Improvement Committee and has been involved in setting up the Lanarkshire Oral Surgery Study group.
Chair Elect: Hazel Hannigan
Hazel Hannigan graduated from Glasgow Dental School in 2010 and has run a mixed NHS/private practice in Muirhead with her husband since 2016. She is currently Chair Elect of the Conference Agenda Committee, having been elected at the 2023 conference. She is also Vice Chair of the Lanarkshire LDC, additionally sitting on the GP Sub Committee and Area Dental Advisory Committee for Lanarkshire.
Immediate Past Chair: Lindsay Milton
Lindsay Milton is a practice owner and principal of a predominantly NHS practice in the south side of Glasgow. He has been a VT Trainer for many years and is a Practice Inspector for Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board. He also works for NHS 24 and undertakes a variety of roles for the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses. He has been a member of Greater Glasgow and Clyde Local Dental Committee since 2014 and was Chair of the Conference Agenda Committee and Conference of Scottish LDCs from 2021-2023.
Treasurer: Liz Glass
Elizabeth Glass, known as Liz, qualified from the University of Glasgow in 1986. She has been a committee member of Greater Glasgow and Clyde Local Dental Committee since the late 1980s and has attended all Scottish LDC Conferences since their inception in 1999 following Devolution. Liz chaired Scottish LDC conference in 2008 and 2009 and has served as Treasurer since 2011, taking over from Frank Angell on his retirement from dental politics. In 2020 she modernised the operation of the Conference bank account, moving to online banking, with the facility for all payments to be counter-authorised by Chair or Chair-Elected, as laid down in standing orders.
SDPC Chair: David McColl
David McColl is the Chair of the Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC) and Vice Chair of the GP Sub-committee of Greater Glasgow and Clyde Local Dental Committee. He also sits on the Area Dental Committee of Greater Glasgow and Clyde LDC and is on the Board of the Scottish Public Pensions Authority (SPPA). He is an associate in a busy NHS practice in Govanhill in Glasgow.
CAC Member: Helen Dennison
Helen qualified from Glasgow Dental School in 2014 and has since held associate positions in Lanarkshire, Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Forth Valley, serving on Greater Glasgow and Clyde LDC from 2020-2022. She currently works as an associate in a busy, predominantly NHS practice in Lanarkshire.
CAC Member: Anita Belbin
Anita Belbin graduated from Glasgow Dental School in 1987, having completed an intercalated BSc in Genetics in 1984. She has worked in NHS General Practice since graduation, and was a practice owner for 23 years. Anita has an interest in Clinical Research and Domiciliary care.
A member of Greater Glasgow & Clyde LDC for 4 years, Anita is also Chair of the Area Dental Committee.
BDA Policy Adviser and Conference Secretary: Kirsten Phillips
Kirsten Phillips is a qualified Dental Therapist, graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 2013 with a BSc in Oral Health Sciences. She is a Policy Adviser for BDA Scotland and Conference Secretary, responsible for the overall planning, co-ordination and management of the annual Conference of Scottish LDCs.
CAC role descriptions:
Chair of Conference – Voting member of CAC. Holds office for two years, chairing two annual Conferences and installing the successor at the end of the second Conference. Has a seat on the Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC).
Immediate Past Chair of Conference – Voting member of CAC. Once their two years has been served as Chair, this member remains on the committee for a further two years to offer guidance and support to the new Chair. Has a seat on the Scottish Dental Fund (SDF).
Chair Elect of Conference – Voting member of CAC. Supports and shadows the current Chair for two years until they are inducted as Chair. Has a seat on SDPC.
Treasurer – Voting member of CAC. Has responsibility for the Conference funds and accounts. Provides an update on the accounts at the Conference each year.
LDC representatives – Voting members of CAC. Up to three representatives from LDCs nominated and voted onto the committee at the Conference each year.
The Chair of the BDA Scottish Dental Practice Committee – Non-voting member of CAC. Provides updates on policy issues and work of SDPC.
External:
BDA Policy Adviser/Conference Secretary – External/non-voting member of the committee. Provides administrative support and facilitates the overall organisation of the Conference.
What do CAC members do?
Members of CAC organise the Conference as well as run the event on the day. Each member has a different role and is allocated specific responsibilities.
Members of CAC give up their free time, usually in the evenings, to attend approximately four meetings per year to organise the Conference (frequency of meetings increases in the period running up to the Conference).
How do I become part of CAC?
- Each year nomination forms are submitted to each LDC requesting CAC member nominations.
- Any nominations are then submitted to the Conference Secretary and voted on at Conference.