Vanita Brookes, Retired Consultant in Special Care Dentistry with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (LTH), was awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List for services to improving the oral health of patients with disabilities.
In 2008, LTH became the first Trust in the North of England to employ a consultant in Special Care Dentistry, in Vanita, who was a real pioneer of the specialty.
A fellow in dental surgery of both the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Edinburgh, she was also an elected board member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of England from 2015-2021.
Fifteen years ago, the General Dental Council ratified the decision to recognise Special Care Dentistry – which provides dental services for patients with a variety of disabilities and impairments, such as those with severe learning difficulties and complex medical problems – as a new dental specialty.
Vanita said at the time: “The decision by the General Dental Council is fantastic news. It’s been 12 years work to bring this to fruition.
“Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has been visionary in developing a service which is used as the blueprint by other hospitals.
“We have provided a gold standard service which others have modelled themselves on.”
Vanita was instrumental in advancing Special Care Dentistry nationally and was elected as the consultant representative on the Specialty Advisory Committee at the Royal College of Surgeons.
Funding from the Department of Health enabled her to lead work into commissioning and developing training pathways for those in the speciality.
On being awarded the MBE, she said: “I am truly humbled to receive this honour. It is, however, in recognition of all the patients and their families that I have had the privilege to provide care to over my career.
“I am truly grateful for their support and encouragement.
"The board of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England on which I was proud to serve, have also been strongly supportive especially in the establishment training pathways and assessment for the speciality of Special Care Dentistry which will underpin the oral care of those with disabilities in the years to come.
“Finally, my thanks to my family and all the colleagues who have enabled me, in a small way, to improve the lives of those we serve.”
