Sara Hurley

Non- Executive Director

Sara Hurley commenced her clinical career as a General Dental Practitioner serving with the British Army providing dental care to service personnel and their families. With opportunities to manage and lead dental practice teams giving way to broader medical services management she complemented her clinical portfolio with an MSc in Dental Public Health
(UCL) and an MA in Defence Studies (KCL). Appointed as the principal advisor on oral health matters with Director General of the Army Medical Services she re-designed and delivered an improved dental care pathway for the military which has endured for 15 years since its inception. Alongside her clinical commitments Sara gained valuable healthcare planning and logistics experience as the Senior Operational Manager in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. She completed her military service at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Birmingham as Commanding Officer of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, with the concurrent role of Chief Dental Officer for the Army. This was accompanied by her appointment as Queen’s Honorary Dental Surgeon, an honour she relinquished on her transition to Chief Dental Officer England in 2015.

In her role as Chief Dental Officer England, Sara leads a multidisciplinary team providing clinical advice into the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Health Education England; supporting each organisation to fulfil its strategic planning and policy responsibilities and delivering on national oral health/dental care priorities. During her tenure as CDO Sara has focussed on dental workforce education and career development as an integral element of the national initiatives to improve oral health, increase access and reduce health inequalities.