Dr Claudia Cunningham

As Head of Dentistry, Claudia is responsible for academic leadership and management of dentistry courses and research within the School. This involves responsibility for student experience, teaching excellence, curriculum design, student support and quality assurance of all activities within undergraduate and postgraduate dentistry. Claudia's research interests include selection to dental education and widening access to dentistry.

Graduating from Dundee Dental School in 2002, Claudia completed 2 years of training in general practice, paediatrics and community dentistry. She developed a skill for treating anxious patients with the use of relative analgesia. This led her to seek a role within the salaried services in Aberdeen in 2004. Claudia delivered general dentistry and led an anxiety referral clinic and in 2008 was appointed as a Senior Dental Officer.

In 2008, Claudia was also appointed as a part-time senior lecturer teaching communication skills at Aberdeen University. Here, her passion for dental education quickly grew. She completed an MSc in Dental Public Health (2012, Kings College London) and was appointed Theme Lead for Dental Public Health and Behavioural Sciences in 2011. In addition to this role, Claudia was appointed as Year 3 Lead, Year 5 mentor and Dental School Assessment Lead (2014-17). Claudia completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education (2015, Aberdeen University), which led her to pursue a PhD in Dental Education. She explored selection methods in undergraduate dental education. In 2021, Claudia was the first person to graduate with a PhD in Dental Education in Aberdeen University's 526-year history.

Claudia joined us in 2022 and has previously held the positions of Deputy Head of School and Associate Dean for Students and Teaching. She is a current director of our onsite Dental Clinic, which provides specialist care to patients in Preston.

External to the university, Claudia is a current board member of the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), a member of Dental Schools Council and is president elect of the British Association of Researchers in Dental Education (BARDES).