Dental Educationalist & Clinical Researcher
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Teaching, Curriculum Development & Assessment of dental & dental hygiene programmes. Researcher & Principal Investigator, Research Project Management, Student Supervision, Product Innovation.
Dr.
McCarthy PhD (KCL) MA Ed. (UCL), RDH (TCD), RDN, FAETC, CERT Ed., PGCE, FHEA,
FCGDent.
Affiliations -King’s College London – Clinical Research Fellow, Principal Investigator & Clinical Teacher
Periodontology.
University, College of Dentistry – Visiting Faculty/Professor
Claire McCarthy graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2000 and joined King’s College London (KCL)
in 2004. She earned a master’s degree in Higher and Professional Education from UCL in 2007 and was awarded Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. In 2024, she became the first UKregistered dental hygienist to earn a PhD in Clinical Dentistry from KCL, focusing on aerosol prevention in ultrasonic devices. Claire is currently a clinical research fellow and co-Principal
Investigator on several research projects investigation aerosols in dentistry and ultrasonic device performance.
As a Clinical Teacher in Periodontology, Claire educates undergraduate and postgraduate students at
KCL, delivering lectures, supervising clinical sessions, and mentoring tutees. She also supports
Student Selected Component (SSC) research projects and provides training to Dental Core Trainees.
During her eight years as programme lead for BDS1 and BDS2 Periodontology, Claire designed and delivered pre-clinical and clinical curricula, implemented clinical teacher calibration, and developed innovative teaching resources that reflect KCL’s high standards. Internationally, she serves as a
Visiting Scholar at NYU College of Dentistry, where she delivers postgraduate calibration programs,
fostering academic collaboration and enhancing KCL’s global reputation. Her contributions have also inspired many dental undergraduate students to select NYU as their destination for elective placements.
Claire also contributes to the profession through her leadership roles. She has served on the Council and Executive Council of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) and was elected
Dental Care Professional Representative for the British Society of Periodontology (BSP) Early Career
Group in 2018. She is driving the development of the new Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)
project for the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT), an initiative she conceptualised and is preparing to implement as part of a broader strategy to promote oral health at both patient and population levels. She is also the chair of the Accreditation Committee for the Irish
Dental Council, overseeing dental hygiene and nursing programs, and is an external assessor for
Malta’s Allied Healthcare Accreditation body (MFHEA), ensuring quality standards in dental hygiene education.
Her contributions to dentistry have been recognised with prestigious awards, including the Robin
Davies Colgate Research Award (2020), a Fellowship of the College of General Dentistry (2023), and
Faculty status from the British Society of Periodontology (2024)—the first dental hygienist to achieve this distinction. She is an invited speaker nationally and internationally, presenting on non-surgical periodontal therapy, ultrasonic instrumentation, and patient engagement. She has represented
King’s College London at conferences such as the International Association for Dental Research
(IADR), EuroPerio, the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), the International Symposium of
Dental Hygiene (ISDH) and dental hygiene organisations across Europe bringing the institution’s research and educational innovations to a global audience
PhD in Dental Aerosols & Ultrasonic Technology & Performance. Masters Degree in Higher & Professional Education. Trained in Behaviour change techniques, advanced periodontal instrumentation, research methods, good clinical practice, perioscopy, extended duties.
