Interview Continued »
Institute and after they have left. He said: “To see people gain knowledge and abilities in a specialist arena is very satisfying. There are no two ways about it, it is something that I get a tremendous buzz from. “Many of these postgraduates have
remained friends for life: I’ve been doing this for nearly 30 years, and one knows people around the world who have gone on to do very significant things in dentistry and dental educa- tion, so that is very satisfying indeed.” As for his new role, Prof Ibbetson
said that, rather than being a specific aim of his, becoming dean of the Dental Faculty was more of a natural process: “It was an evolution I think. The role of the dean is essentially to continue to develop the faculty, and being a three-year term, it is a relatively short time. “You have a little bit of time to
find your feet, probably a year to do anything that you believe is particu- larly important, and then you are handing over to the next person. Usually what happens is the dean subsequent to you is the one that ends up completing the work that you started. That, traditionally, is the way it has worked.” But he explained that the evolu-
tionary process that led him to the position isn’t going to turn into a revolution once he takes up post in September. He said: “I follow a long line of excellent deans so if you asked if I am going to cut a swathe through what has been done before, the answer would have to be no, because what has been done before has been very good.” Prof Ibbetson revealed that his
predecessor, the current dean David Felix, has been working hard with the other faculties in setting up tri-colle- giate speciality membership exams between Edinburgh, Glasgow and England in an effort to standardise the qualifications across the UK. It will probably be left to him to carry that forward and see them come to fruition. “I think David Felix has done a great
job in steering a progressive course with those while also still making sure that Edinburgh is very significantly an equal partner. I think that is very important,” he said. However, he highlights one area
he thinks the Edinburgh Dental Faculty and the dental faculties of the other colleges, could play a more
32 Scottish Dental magazine
“I think the dental faculties of the colleges must play an important political role”
Professor Ibbetson
significant role. He said: “I think the dental faculties of the colleges must play an important political role in UK dentistry. I think it’s important that they do so, because in that arena they do speak very much on behalf of the specialists and of standards in dentistry. “I would like to see the faculty here
also play a slightly stronger role in the politics of UK dentistry. Scotland is clearly a separate country so it is slightly different, but I do think that
we have something to contribute to debate and to policy formation.” Fast-forwarding to the end of his
tenure, how would Prof Ibbetson like to be remembered as dean of the Dental Faculty? He said: “I would like to be remembered as somebody who listened, as somebody who gave people the opportunity to develop ideas properly – supporting people in what they do. And as somebody who further developed the role of the dental faculty within Scottish and UK dentistry going forward. “Edinburgh has a very strong
reputation overseas and worldwide, and that is a very precious thing. That requires it not only to be sustained, but also developed. Fortunately, I will have a group of people around me with a lot of expertise, so that should make life a little bit easier.”
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