What is the TGG?
The Training Grades Group (TGG) is an organisation open to all UK and international trainees on recognised training programmes in the UK leading to the award of the MOrth and ISFE qualifications. We are open to all postgraduates, registrars and those on Fixed Term Training Appointments.
What is the benefit to you?
We are essentially your organisation. We represent your interests within the structure of the BOS and more specifically on exam boards for the MOrth and ISFE exams. In addition we organise three meetings a year.
TGG membership also ensures discounted rates at the BOS Spring meeting and annual conference as well as at numerous courses organised by orthodontic companies.
We regularly update our membership with various job opportunities both in specialist practice and in the hospital service. So if you want to be kept informed of opportunities for after you finish your training or courses during your training please make sure we have your up to date email address.
How do I get involved?
We are always keen to have our membership involved in helping us serve the needs of the over 230 trainees we represent. At a local level you can volunteer to be a TGG representative for your training programme. This would involve essentially disseminating information about courses, conferences and job opportunities to your fellow trainees as well bringing training issues to the attention of the committee.
If you wish to be more involved we would love to have you on board as a committee member. In this role you will represent the TGG on a BOS committee and champion the concerns of the trainees at a national level. In addition you will be involved with organising the 3 meetings in the year.
COMMITTEE FOR 2012
Thushala Ubaya-
Chairperson 
My role as the TGG Chairperson is to represent the views of all orthodontic trainees. I also ensure our members are kept up to date on the significant issues affecting Orthodontic Specialty Training in the UK. I am honoured to represent the TGG on key issues affecting our specialty and I intend to organise excellent educational national meetings specifically aimed at addressing the training needs of our group. The TGG Chairperson is a BOS Trustee, sits on the BOS Board of Trustees as well as the BOS Representative Body, and is the TGG representative on the Consultant Orthodontic Group. As such my role also includes dissemination of information from the Board of Trustees, BOS Representative Body and Consultant Orthodontic Group meetings to the TGG committee. I hope to continue the outstanding work carried out by previous TGG committees. If there are any issues that you wish to raise please do not hesitate to contact me at the email address below.
FTTA at King's College Dental Institute & St George's Hospital, London
thushala1210@yahoo.co.uk
Leila Khamashta - Secretary 
My role as TGG Secretary involves ensuring Orthodontic trainees are well informed of developments in our specialty and providing a link to the TGG Committee to voice their concerns and feedback. I also provide support to the Chairperson, Treasurer and all the Committee members and together we organise meetings such as the TGG Spring Meeting. I aim to ensure an excellent flow of communication between Committee members and Orthodontic trainees.
3rd year Orthodontic Specialist Registrar, King's College Dental Institute and St George's Hospital, London
tggsec@hotmail.com Chris Barker - Treasurer
As treasurer of the training grades group, I am responsible for maintaining the budget and obtaining sponsorship for TGG events and meetings. I am responsible for preparing financial reports for the BOS. I also provide support for the Chairperson, Secretary and the Committee members to ensure we are representing the views of our members.
FTTA Leeds Dental Institute and York District Hospital
csbarker79@hotmail.com
Jadbinder Seehra - Immediate Past Chairman & ISFE Board Representative
My role is to represent the Training Grades Group on the exam board for the Intercollegiate Specialty Fellowship Examination (ISFE). This is the exit fellowship for Specialist Orthodontists who have completed their MOrth/ IMOrth examinations and have chosen to undertake a further two years of hospital training as an FTTA (Fixed Term Training Appointment) to train to become a NHS Consultant. If there are any issues that you wish to discuss or raise please do not hesitate to contact me at the email address below. FTTA at Guys Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead.
jad_seehra@hotmail.com
JOANNE BIRDSALL - Representative on the MOrth and IMOrth Board of Examiners
My position on the TGG Committee is as representative on the board of examiners for the Membership In Orthodontics Examination for both the Intercollegiate examination held jointly by the Royal College Surgeons of England and Glasgow and also for the examination held by the
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
FTTA at Sheffield Dental Hospital and Chesterfield Hospital
joanne.birdsall@gmail.com
ROZ WALKER - Clinical Standards Committee Representative
My role in the TGG involves reporting the views and issues surrounding clinical standards from the TGG members to the BOS Clinical Standards committee.
I would like to help promote good clinical practice amongst the TGG members, including supporting local and national audit projects and other aspects of clinical governance.
FTTA at Kings College Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup.
roz_walker@hotmail.com
Nicky Stanford - Representative on the Central Committee for Hospital Services
The central committee for hospital dental services is an autonomous committee of the BDA. It is concerned with all matters that affect hospital dental staff, including wider issues that affect all NHS clinical staff.
The committee has 2 main objectives:
1) To advise the BDA and its other autonomous committees on all matters relating to the provision, maintenance and enhancement of an efficient, effective and economical hospital dental service.
2) To act as a conduit between hospital dental staff and those who negotiate their terms and conditions of service.
StR - Newcastle Dental Hospital
n.stanford@newcastle.ac.uk NATASHA WRIGHT
- Representative on the Orthodontic Practice Committee & Orthodontic Specialist Practitioner Group 
Since the election of the Coalition Government, the proposed re-structuring of the NHS has brought a feeling of uncertainty to the future of Orthodontics.
This committee is in continuous liaison with the Department of Health, the CDO and PCTs concerning PDS and future contracting of orthodontic services.
It provides regular updates regarding PDS and offers advice to BOS members on issues relevant to future commissioning of orthodontic services.
My role is to represent the TGG’s opinions and to keep TGG members up to date of the changes that are happening in orthodontics at a local and national level.
FTTA at Guy’s & St.Thomas’s Hospital & Sidcup Hospital
tashswright@hotmail.com
GOLDIE SONGRA
- Representative on the Scholarships and Grants Committee
This committee supervises and administers all the scholarships, prizes, academic awards and research grants offered by the society. It is also responsible for raising funds to support the grants and awards. My role is to represent the views and ideas of the TGG to the S&G committee. I am also involved in helping to make any changes needed to the rules and regulations of existing prizes.
SpR – Bristol Dental Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
Goldie.Songra@bristol.ac.uk
NOOR AL-MANSOURI - International Trainees’ Representative 
The international trainees’ representative is a new position on the TGG committee that started in September 2009.
The role of this person will be to highlight issues and concerns affecting international trainees from outside the UK whether working in a hospital, specialist practice or in the academic field.
Locum FTTA at Ashford General Hospital & The Eastman Dental Institute
noormansoori1978@yahoo.com
LORNA DOBBYN - SAC REPRESENTATIVE
As the TGG representative on the SAC, it is my job to voice any concerns of TGG members with regards to their orthodontic training and education. The Specialist Advisory Committee (SAC) ensures that a training post’s educational facilities and training environment are of a sufficiently high standard to allow trainees to achieve their educational goals and successfully complete a period of higher specialist training. The SAC also monitors the training and education of every trainee in the speciality. Only when it is felt that an individual has achieved sufficient training can the SAC recommend that he or she be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST). Currently there is much debate about the 3 and 5 year curriculums in Orthodontics.
FTTA at Glasgow Dental Hospital & School, and Crosshouse Hospital, Ayrshire & Arran
lornadobbyn@nhs.net
Sona Pabari - Ethics Committee Representative
My position on the TGG Committee is the ethics committee representative. The ethics committee deals with all issues relating to ethics and ethical conduct in the practice of orthodontics. These wide ranging areas include professional misconduct, clinical ethical issues, professional and patient complaints, dissemination of information and advertising standards. My role is to keep the TGG informed with current ethical issues of concern and also represent the views of the TGG in these matters.
FTTA AT EASTMAN DENTAL HOSPITAL AND KINGSTON HOSPITAL
spabari@aol.com 