Chief Dental Officer

Barry Cockcroft, Chief Dental Officer

Barry Cockcroft CBE is Chief Dental Officer (CDO), the Government’s principal dental adviser and the professional head of dental staff in England.The Chief Dental Officer helps ensure that ministers, the Department of Health and wider government receives appropriate, timely, high quality and professional advice in respect of the practice of dentistry and the promotion of good oral health.

About Barry Cockcroft: Qualified from Birmingham Dental School in 1973. Worked for 27 years in NHS general practice. Was clinical lead in developing and running a first wave personal dental service in Rugby based on capitation as a method of remuneration in NHS general practice.

Served on the Warwickshire Local Dental Committee as Chairman and Secretary. Was Chairman of West Midlands Association of Local Dental Committees, and elected to the General Dental Services Committee of the British Dental Association in 1990. Served on many subcommittees and working groups of the General Dental Services Committee before being elected Vice-Chairman in 2000. Served as a magistrate on the Warwickshire bench between 1992 and 2000.

Read the latest news from the Chief Dental Officer below or view all content related to dentistry

Dental contracts uplift outlined

The Department of Health has made a determination for a 0.5% increase in expenses incurred under dental contracts for 2012/13. This is largely to fund pay increases for practice staff … Read more → – Dental contracts uplift outlined

Published: 3 April, 2012

Chief Dental Officer spring newsletter

The CDO Update spring edition has been published. It covers topics such as consultation on relaxing restrictions new dental contract re­form events held in Leeds and London dentist develops patient … Read more → – Chief Dental Officer spring newsletter

Published: 9 March, 2012

Chief Dental Officer autumn newsletter

The CDO Update autumn edition has been published. It covers topics such as NHS reform, a new dental contract pilot, the initial proposals on how the NHS Commissioning Board will … Read more → – Chief Dental Officer autumn newsletter

Published: 10 November, 2011

Chief Dental Officer update

The May 2011 edition of the CDO update includes a foreword from Chief Dental Officer Barry Cockcroft that includes details of practices taking part in piloting elements of a new … Read more → – Chief Dental Officer update

Published: 25 July, 2011