Leadership in healthcare is no longer optional—it is essential. Yet, dentistry is often absent from leadership conversations despite its critical role in patient care, workforce development, and healthcare policy. The Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) is at the forefront of addressing this gap, equipping clinicians worldwide with the skills to drive innovation, influence policy, and lead with authenticity.

For over 8 years, HLA has been delivering healthcare leadership training to UK and international clinicians and as an internationally recognised organisation, HLA has delivered over 100,000 hours of leadership training with a faculty pool of over 150 experts.

As a profession at the crossroads of medicine, public health, and business, dentistry requires strong leadership to tackle oral health inequalities, navigate reforms, and ensure workforce sustainability. Recognising this, the importance of championing leadership development in dentistry is crucial to support global oral health development. The HLA offers structured programmes that cultivate strategic thinking, advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

With an international presence, the HLA has trained healthcare professionals across the UK, Europe, and beyond, fostering a global network of change-makers committed to reshaping healthcare. Investing in leadership development for dentists is more than professional growth—it is about creating a resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking healthcare workforce capable of addressing the challenges of tomorrow. By embedding leadership in the world of dentistry, we ensure that dentistry is not just a clinical profession but a driving force in the future of healthcare.

The Integrated Care Dental Programme (ICDP) in the East of England is a unique early careers development post. The pilot programme is aimed at supporting NHS dental recruitment and retention and delivering NHS dental care in areas of unmet need. Now in its fifth cohort, this innovative initiative has already provided care to over 21,000 NHS patients, supporting access to NHS dentistry in areas of unmet need.

Designed for early-career dentists, the programme blends hands-on clinical experience with structured career development. Participants work three days per week in NHS dental practices, delivering essential general dental care, and dedicate two days to professional growth, including leadership, education, and specialist exposure. This unique model bridges the gap between foundation training and career progression, empowering dentists with the skill development and confidence to navigate diverse pathways in healthcare and dentistry.

With exceptional feedback from both host organisations and participants, the ICDP pilot stands as a trailblazing initiative, proving that investment in early-career development not only strengthens workforce retention but also enhances patient care. By cultivating a new generation of well-rounded, future-ready clinicians, the programme—featured in the British Dental Journal and showcased at national conferences across the UK—stands as a potential model for career development. With a strong focus on authentic career development and recruitment and retention in areas of unmet need, this pilot can model programmes internationally, which can create a sustainable, skilled, and inspired dental workforce for the future.