GLASGOW — The Glasgow Dental Education Centre is celebrating 40 years of providing postgraduate education for dental teams across Scotland. The centre, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, officially opened on 3 November 1985.
Its origins trace back to 1979, when the Glasgow Dental Educational Trust was established using funds raised during the centenary of Glasgow Dental Hospital and School.
Additional support came from local health boards, alumni such as Margaret Lane, and donations from dentists and community groups. The Trust’s goal was to create a dedicated postgraduate dental facility in Scotland.
Following a ￡0.5 million renovation, the ground floor of Glasgow Dental Hospital and School was transformed to house the West of Scotland Postgraduate Centre for Dental Education.
The centre initially served general dental practitioners and hospital postgraduate staff under the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.
Over the years, the centre has hosted educational events and meetings for groups including the Odontological Society, the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (West of Scotland Branch), the History of Dentistry Group, senior practitioners, and the BDA Ladies. In 1994, a clinical skills area was added, repurposing the hospital’s former emergency treatment space.
The centre has consistently offered Dental Vocational Training for new graduates, Continuing Professional Development for general practitioners, and specialty training for hospital staff.
In April 2002, it joined NHS Education for Scotland, expanding its programs to dental care professionals at both pre- and post-registration levels.
To mark the 40th anniversary, the Glasgow Dental Education Centre will host an afternoon of reflections and memories on Friday, 7 November 2025, from 1.30 to 4.00 pm at NHS Education for Scotland, Ground Floor, 378 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JZ. Alumni and past participants are invited to attend.