Members of our team
Paul Gray, Head of Dental Services and Clinical Policy
Paul comes from a primary care dental background, having worked for 13 years in the NHS as a General Dental Practitioner. He has worked for our organisation since 1999.
His current role involves managing the Dental Services operations team and overseeing Clinical Services work.
He monitors NHS primary dental care across England and Wales. He also works with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and the Welsh Government regarding strategic planning, supporting various dental initiatives and ongoing monitoring processes.
Since 1999, he has held a part time honorary clinical teacher post in general dentistry at the Bristol Dental School / University. He also works on the Bristol area Out Of Hours emergency rota.
Julia van Loon, Senior Clinical Adviser
Julia qualified as a dentist in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1993 and following completion of her foundation dentist training worked as a house officer and senior house officer in oral surgery. She then worked at Birmingham Dental Hospital alongside a role in the community dental services for 6 years before becoming an associate in general dental practice in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Having developed an interest in managing patients with dental anxiety, she completed an MSc at Manchester University in 2010 in conscious sedation. Positions as a senior dental officer followed including as lead of an anxious adults’ service, where a range of treatment modalities were offered including cognitive behavioural therapy, inhalation sedation, intravenous sedation and general anaesthesia.
Julia joined our organisation as a Clinical Adviser in 2018, becoming a clinical team leader in 2020 and senior clinical adviser in 2023.
Clinical services teams
We have set teams as a first point of contact for primary care organisations requiring information about clinical issues. These teams are:
- North team
- South team
- Wales team
Our advisers are the hub for the co-ordination of risk-based information generated by NHS Dental Services activities, and can assist health bodies with specific issues of concern.
This may include targeted record card checks, patient examinations and practice inspections, to investigate contractual and legal compliance with regulations.
Contact your local clinical adviser by email: nhsbsa.dentalservices@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.