Member of the Order of the British Empire for dental academic and clinician

Professor Kay led the development and implementation of the Peninsula Dental School (the first new dental school in the UK for 40 years) which currently ranks second out of the 15 dental schools in the country (Guardian league table 2017). 

Her focus on primary care within dental education is internationally renowned. Her advice on dental education is often sought and highly respected. She is an inspiring clinical teacher and highly evaluated by students.

As an academic she is highly productive (over 150 papers and six books, with £1.5m of research funding). Her research is of the highest standard and through this and also through her multiple external roles she influences policy in dental public health at regional and national level. 

After setting up Peninsula Dental School, Professor Kay devised and developed an MBA in healthcare in partnership with Plymouth University Business School. It is the first in UK to be taught via blended and distributed learning, and the dissertation projects are based on healthcare improvement in the student’s own healthcare organisation, thereby giving a practical benefit to the student’s sponsor.