Dr Caroline Pankhurst (Specialist in Oral Microbiology) was Clinical Senior Lecturer, Oral Microbiology, King’s College London Dental Institute, and now has joined the distance learning MClin Dent in Prosthodontics and continues to work in Oral Medicine.  She is a freelance infection control consultant to Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham PCTs and Southern Health Board, Northern Ireland and is the author of “ Control of Infection Guidelines for general dental practice”, the second edition was published in 2006*. She is a member of Decontamination in Primary Care committee at the Department of Health.

Her research interests span the following fields: microbial and occupational risks from contaminated dental unit waterlines, dental cross-infection control, management of burning mouth syndrome and xerostomia and musculo-skeletal & occupational health risks to dentists. She contributes the chapter “Treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis” to BMJ Clinical Evidence.

She was Secretary, UK Forum for Oral and Dental Research and Council Member, Management Committee, BSDR and President of the Metropolitan Branch of the BDA in 2005-2006.  Currently she is appointed to Editorial Boards of “Primary Dental Care” and BMC Oral Health.

* Control of infection Guidelines for general dental practice. Caroline L. Pankhurst. Second Edition, 2006.  ISBN: 0-9552234-0-7. Paperback, 95 pages, 16 full colour illustrations.

Guidelines available from Southwark PCT: 020 7525 0335 (direct line)

Dental Department, Southwark Primary Care Trust

1^st Floor Woodmill Building, Neckinger

London SE16 3QN

E-mail address for orders: Mariusz.Pawlowski@southwarkpct.nhs.uk