Press release 1 July 2008
David. J. Hoban of the Dundee Dental Hospital has won the prestigious Distinguished Technician’s award; which will be conferred on him at the British Orthodontic Society’s annual conference in September 2008.
David embarked on a career in Dental Technology after injury killed off a promising professional footballing career. He began his training in 1982 at Carlisle City General Hospital after being selected from seventy candidates and attended Newcastle College of Arts and Technology on a day release basis. The laboratory where David trained was a multi-disciplinary centre with prosthetic and maxillofacial/oral surgery work, but predominantly Orthodontics.
In 1986 David passed his finals and was subsequently employed as an Orthodontic Technician in the hospital where he had trained. In 1987 he enrolled on the City & Guilds advanced course for Orthodontics in Newcastle, which he attained in 1989, after which he immediately embarked on the Maxillofacial City & Guild advanced, which he attained in 1991.
David moved to East Glamorgan General Hospital in 1992, where he was employed as the Chief Orthodontic Technician, managing the Orthodontic section of the Laboratory. This position was highly demanding as work was supplied to a large number of community clinics in addition to supplying work for three different hospital in the area. The role also required participation in the on-call rota system for the Maxillofacial department. However David’s stay in Wales was short lived and in the same year he became the Senior Chief/Manager of the Orthodontic laboratory at Dundee Dental Hospital, managing four members of staff as well as supplying for the Orthodontic clinic, Paediatric clinic and the Oral Surgery department.
In August 2004 David was appointed the role of Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Laboratory service manager for NHS Tayside which involves him in the management of twenty seven Technicians employed in varying disciplines at multiple sites throughout the region. David has always been very proactive at promoting and supporting the training of Orthodontic Dental Technicians
David joined the Orthodontic Technicians Association in 1992 whilst based in Wales and has been an avid supporter of the organisation ever since, actively encouraging Technicians to join and get involved with the Association. He was asked to chair the Dental Care Professionals committee for Amicus – an organisation which has been heavily involved with NHS Agenda for change - and he has been at the forefront of Technician assimilation.
This distinguished Technician has spent several years writing and devising the profiles for Dental Technicians which are commonly used today for Agenda for Change. He has spent a remarkable amount of his own personnel time, dedicated to the promotion of Dental Technology within the NHS and has successfully raised the profile of Technicians throughout the United Kingdom overcoming a huge amount of obstacles and barriers to obtain the best possible result for Technicians (many of whom are indebted to him for the work he has achieved).
David is also an active member of the education committee for Dental Technician training in Scotland, promoting and supporting training not only to undergraduate Technicians, but also to post graduate and mature Technicians who are seeking to improve there skills and knowledge. He has recently completed the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) for Dental Technology, the national KSF committee has appraised these outlines and they are to be used as a guide for other professions within the NHS (soon to appear on the KSF library of national outlines).
Most recently David has been asked for his involvement in developing national guidelines for infection control in the Dental Laboratory. This aspect of their work is rapidly becoming more important as cross infection issues and decontamination are being highlighted throughout the dental field.
In nominating Dave for the award Neil Nairn, Orthodontic Dental Instructor at the University of Glasgow Dental Hospital, said “No other Technician has done more to raise and promote the profile of Dental Technicians throughout the United Kingdom, I strongly believe that David is the ideal candidate for the Distinguished Technicians award and that this would demonstrate that the OTA would like to acknowledge and commend the remarkable work that this individual has achieved.”
Professor David Bearn, Chairman of the British Orthodontic Society’s Scholarship & Grants Committee commented "I am delighted that Dave Hoban has been awarded the Distinguished Technicians Award for 2008. It is a fitting recognition for all the work he has done that has already benefited, and undoubtedly will continue to benefit, all dental technicians in the NHS. His 'will do' approach and clear leadership makes him a valued member of the team in Tayside, and also of the Council of the Orthodontic Technicians Association."
For more information about the British Orthodontic Society and the awards it confers visit www.bos.org.uk.
