Supporting the dentists of tomorrow

Two gifts from Leeds alumni are nurturing the skills of students and early-career researchers in the School of Dentistry.

Getting hands-on training in the many different techniques they will one day use on patients is a critical feature of our courses in dental surgery, hygiene and therapy.

A gift of almost £230,000 from Dr Tat Nin (Alfred) Chan (Dentistry 1975) has enabled the total refurbishment of one of the clinical skills rooms where students build their confidence while developing decision-making and fine motor skills. Its state-of-the-art ‘phantom heads’ enable students to practice operations from fillings and extractions through to advanced techniques such as root canal treatments and crown preparations.

Developing these surgical skills is a critical step before students begin to give supervised clinical care to members of the public, using instruments such as dental drills, which, if used incorrectly, could cause significant harm.

Dr Chan has practiced as a dentist since graduation and, for almost 30 years has been the owner of the Dental World group of surgeries in Hong Kong. He is a long-time donor to the University, having previously funded scholarships and doctoral study. His gifts are made in memory of Professor Frederick Hopper, the Dean of the School of Dentistry during Dr Chan’s own time as a student.

A legeacy to Leeds

Dr Geoffrey Howden was a rare breed – the holder of three Leeds degrees and a former President of the University Union. “He was so proud to have studied at Leeds and be the first in his family to go to University,” says his daughter Alexandra. “We buried him in his Leeds University gown, tie and cufflinks.” Though he died in 2021, his legacy to the School of Dentistry has ensured that his connection to Leeds lives on.

Dr Geoffrey Howden during his time in Papua New Guinea

Dr Geoffrey Howden during his time in Papua New Guinea

Born in Horsforth in north Leeds in 1932, Geoffrey came to the University in 1950 graduating first with a degree in General Science, followed by a further degree in Zoology and a PhD in Biochemistry.

Having first worked in research and teaching, he then studied to become a dentist. This was a career move that would take him and wife Valerie to Papua New Guinea, where he helped set up a new dentistry school, and to Hong Kong where he worked at the dental hospital and travelled widely in Asia delivering lectures and training.

Having initially retired to Devon in 1992, Geoffrey soon returned to the profession, owning and running his own practice until 2005. But he never forgot the influence Leeds had on his early life, and a gift in his will is enabling early career researchers in dentistry to travel to attend conferences and present their work.

“My father really valued his time at Leeds and the opportunities it gave him,” says Alexandra. “He always loved communicating his work and inspiring and encouraging new generations of dental students. Travelling to conferences can be a costly but hugely important part of academic life and he would be thrilled to be enabling this.

“I am so delighted to be able to honour his wishes and be involved with seeing his legacy take shape. I am thrilled to be able to share his story and hopefully encourage other Leeds students to follow his example, continuing to shape the future.”

Find out more about how gifts in wills have supported the University since Victorian times - and how your legacy could make a difference.