About the speakers

Kathryn French

Consultant oral surgeon

Miss Kathryn French graduated from Peninsula Dental School, UK in 2012 and completed her specialty training in oral surgery eight years later. Miss French is a consultant oral surgeon and lead oral surgeon at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green and Practice Plus Group Surgical Centre, Devizes and an honorary lecturer at the University of Bristol (UoB). Miss French was awarded an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship in Oral Surgery to undertake research and teaching alongside her specialty training at Bristol Dental School. She has been the dental lead for the Healthcare Leadership Academy and also held the position of education lead for oral surgery specialty training for the South of England.

Umar Hamid

Associate oral surgeon

Dr Umar Hamid is an associate oral surgeon at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Emersons Green, Bupa Health and Dental Centres in Reading and London’s West End. With more than 20 years of experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery, he has trained and worked in several leading UK hospitals, including King’s College Hospital in London and Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
He holds fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons in Glasgow and Ireland, an MSc in Oral Implantology from the University of Bristol, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical and Dental Education from the University of Bedfordshire.
Dr Hamid provides a wide range of oral surgery treatments under local anaesthesia and conscious sedation, with a particular focus on patient comfort and care. He is also an STAC-recognised trainer for intravenous sedation with the University of Bristol Sedation Programme. His main clinical interests include medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw and dental oncology, alongside a passion for teaching and mentoring future dental professionals.