Dr Helen Phillips appointed as new Chair of the General Dental Council

The General Dental Council (GDC) has announced the appointment of Dr Helen Phillips as its new Chair from 1 October 2025, following the completion of Lord Toby Harris’s four-year term in September 2025.

Dr Phillips brings a wealth of senior experience across a 30-year career in sectors including insurance, legal, social care and further education.

A former senior environmental regulator, Dr Phillips has held numerous non-executive roles since 2015. With expertise in professional standards, she currently chairs the Chartered Insurance Institute and NHS Professionals, a workforce partner to the NHS, putting thousands of highly skilled healthcare professionals into NHS Trusts and other places to care.

Dr Phillips has also chaired the Legal Services Board and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, where she served during the pandemic, and is an independent Commissioner at the Gambling Commission. On her new role at the UK’s regulator of more than 125,000 dental professionals, she outlined her vision for upstream regulation and supporting the dental professions to remain competent and confident throughout their careers:

“My ambition is that dental care professionals feel a sense of pride – never fear – in being regulated by a trusted, effective, proportionate regulator that embodies our values of being respectful, transparent, inclusive and purposeful.”

Dr Phillips emphasised her commitment to working with the dental professions to address systemic challenges: “We must work collaboratively with the dental sector to make meaningful progress in addressing health inequalities and the growing problem of equitable access to dental services for all.”

Her appointment comes as the GDC consults on its new Corporate Strategy 2026-2028, which focuses on building trust with the profession, moving away from a climate of fear, and adopting more supportive approaches to regulation that prioritise learning and professional development over punitive measures.

Lord Toby Harris, the outgoing Chair, welcomed the appointment: “I am delighted that the GDC has secured the services of such an outstanding leader as Dr Helen Phillips. She has exceptional experience in regulation across multiple sectors, combined with her deep understanding of healthcare challenges. I know her knowledge and expertise will ensure we continue building trust with the professions.”

Dr Phillips has a BSc in Zoology and a PhD in Environmental Science from University College Dublin. She has previously served as a Board Director of Yorkshire Water and chair of Loop Customer Management Ltd, a Kelda Group subsidiary.

Prior to her non-executive career, she served as founding Chief Executive of Natural England and Director for Wales of the Environment Agency.

Dr Phillips added: “I look forward to working with my fellow Council Members, the Chief Executive and the whole GDC team as we gear up to deliver the Corporate Strategy, ensuring we remain an effective regulator that puts public protection at its heart while empowering dental professionals to flourish.”

The appointment follows the Privy Council’s approval, with Dr Phillips set to take up the role in October 2025.