Bedfordshire dental nurse Jane Dalgarno became the 55th President of the British Association of Dental Nurses at a Presidential Inauguration ceremony held at the NEC, Birmingham.

Jane, who works as Clinical Workforce Development Manager for the Community Dental Services (CIC) in Bedford, holds a BSc (Hons) in Primary Dental Care and is currently working towards an MSc in Applied Dental Professional Practice.

Jane started her career in Dental Nursing in 1986 on a youth training programme in general dental practice in Luton, passing the National Certificate in November 1993. Since qualifying, she has completed qualifications in Oral Health Education, Sedation and Dental Radiography, gained her Certificate in Post Compulsory Education and also holds the City & Guilds A1/A2 assessors award. She currently teaches on the Oral Health Education Certificate and Certificate in Dental Sedation Nursing courses, is an examiner for the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses for the National Diploma and for the Certificates in Oral Health Education and Dental Sedation Nursing Awards. Jane is also Programme Director for the Foundation Degree in Advanced Dental Nursing for Health Education Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

Jane joined the Bedfordshire Community Dental Services in 1995. The service subsequently became the Personal Dental Services in 2001 and Community Dental Services, a social enterprise, in 2011.

In her inaugural speech, Jane said: I am a practising dental nurse committed to raising the professional voice of the dental nurse in the national arena and seeking appropriate support for dental nurses in the workplace.'

Jane is also a member of the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) and of the Society for Education and Training, and sits on the Local Dental Education Committee in Bedfordshire, as well as the NEBDN Sedation Committee. She was previously the Seconded Member for Education to BADN Council, and BADN Regional Coordinator for London and the South East.