The Chief Dental Officers (or CDOs) in the United Kingdom are the most senior advisors for dentistry in each of the four UK governments, and are the heads of the dental profession. The CDO is one of the six chief professional officers, one for each of six professions, to give advice in their respective speciality. List of Chief Dental Officers for England Mr William G Senior, 1956–1961 Mr William Holgate, 1961–1971 Mr George D Gibb, 1972–1984 Professor Martin Downer, 1984–1990 Mr Brian Mouatt, 1990–1996 Mr Robin Wild, 1997–2000 Dame Margaret Seward DBE, 2000–2002 Professor Raman Bedi, 2002–2005 Mr Barry Cockcroft CBE, 2005–2015 (acting 2005 to 2006) Ms Sara Hurley, 2015– List of Chief Dental Officers for Scotland Mr Thomas HJ Douglas, 1956–1959 Mr James W Galloway, 1959–1971 Dr James L Trainer, 1971–1979 Dr Martin C Downer, 1979–1983 Mr Norman K Colquhoun, 1984–1993 Mr J Robin Wild, 1993–1997 Mr T Ray Watkins CBE, 1997–2007 Miss M Margie Taylor CBE, 2007–2018 Mr Tom Ferris, 2018– List of Chief Dental Officers for Wales Mr William G Senior, 1956–1961 Mr William Holgate, 1961–1971 Mr George D Gibb, 1972–1984 Mr Dighton R Edwards, 1984–1985 Mr David M Heap, 1986–1996 Dr Paul Langmaid CBE, 1996–2010 Dr David Thomas, 2010–2016 Dr Colette Bridgman MBE, 2016–2021 Mr Andrew Dickenson, 2022- List of Chief Dental Officers for Northern Ireland Mr William G Senior, 1956–1961 Mr William Holgate, 1961–1971 Mr George D Gibb, 1972–1984 Mr James F Mageean, 1984–1990 Mr William J N Collins, 1990–1998 Ms Doreen Wilson, 1998–2006 Mr Donncha O'Carolan, 2006–2013 Mr Simon C Reid, 2013–2020 Mr Michael Donaldson, 2020–2021 (acting) Ms Caroline Lappin, 2021– References Open Wide – Memoir of the Dental Dame, Dame Margaret Seward, published by The Memoir Club, Administrators in the National Health Service British dentists Civil servants in the Ministry of Health (United Kingdom)