Sue Gregory has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Dental Officer at the Department of Health.

Sue will replace current Deputy Chief Dental Officer, Tony Jenner, who is leaving the Department of Health after six years.

The appointment will take effect in January 2009.

Sue is currently the Consultant in Dental Public Health for Bedfordshire, Luton and Hertfordshire Primary Care Trusts.

She chairs the UK Consultants in Dental Public Health Group and was President of the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry in 2006-07.

Sue was also previously Honorary Secretary, and then President, of the British Society of Disability and Oral Health.

Tony Jenner announced he would be stepping down as Deputy Chief Dental Officer to work voluntarily as a consultant to the Global Child Dental Health Taskforce, that aims to significantly improve the dental health of children in the developing world.

Dr Jenner, who has worked at the Department for six years, said he would continue to provide support to the NHS from his retirement.

Sue Gregory said of her appointment: ‘I look forward to working in Barry Cockcroft’s team and to the challenges that this appointment will bring me. The excellent foundations that Tony Jenner has made towards further improving oral health in this country are a fantastic legacy on which to build.

‘There are tremendous opportunities to move forward with local commissioning, working with the NHS, PCTs and the dental profession, to secure the future for delivery of dental care and oral health.

Chief Dental Officer Barry Cockcroft, welcoming Dr Gregory’s appointment, said: ‘Her experience in active local commissioning will prove particularly invaluable in helping Primary Care Trusts to ensure that their resources reach the best and most appropriate local dental services.’

Paying tribute to Dr Jenner, Dr Cockcroft said: ‘It has been a real pleasure to work with Tony Jenner over the last six years. Tony has been closely involved with changes to legislation that have enabled consultation on water fluoridation, and has made a significant contribution to the development of Choosing Better Oral Health and publication of the prevention toolkit – achievements of which he should be truly proud.’