SAAD has grown and developed consistently. A body of reach and influence, both in the UK and internationally, SAAD continues to pursue its original educational mission as well as seeking to positively influence the development of standards and guidelines. The training courses, SAAD Digest, the newsletter and the SAAD website are all cornerstones of the modern Society, and initiatives such as the Safe Sedation Practice Scheme and RA Machine Loan Scheme are indicative of its forward-looking ethos. Dr Francis Collier president in 2017 commented on SAAD’s 60th Anniversary; “The Society is grateful to those who originally had the foresight and energy to form such an organisation, and to all those who have continued to sustain its activities throughout the successive years since 1957.”
SAAD president in 2023 Dr Sadie Hughes says:
“Whilst working at Guy’s Hospital in the early 2000’s, I was approached to do some teaching as part of the SAAD faculty. It was an interesting experience as I meet a lot of experienced and well-respected sedation practitioners. Two individuals, Carole Boyle and Avril MacPherson, stood out not just because of their dental sedation and teaching abilities, but because they were female. As with many areas of medicine, the upper tiers of SAAD were dominated by men. Joining the SAAD board of Trustees in 2012, I found myself in a similar position being one of only two female trustees. At this time Nigel Robb was the president, who would be replaced by the then president elect, Carole Boyle. One of Carole’s aims was to address the gender balance of the board to reflect the shift in the dental workforce and place more women in decision making positions. The board, in 2023, totals 9 women and 6 men.”
Disruption between 2020 and 2022 did not dampen SAAD’s teaching. Course director Dr Carole Boyle adapted SAAD’s teaching to include webinars during the lockdown phase of COVID19. The National Course was adapted to include elements of remote didactic learning together with a foreshortened in person course with limited numbers to maintain social distancing. This was so successful that when full faculty taught in person courses resumed in 2021 the “COVID format” was retained for the summer of 2022.
SAAD continues to be faithful to its motto “Abolish Pain to Conquer Fear”. A forward-looking Board and faculty work hard to keep the society at the leading edge of conscious sedation teaching for dentistry. SAAD has always attracted strong characters, clinicians with vision, exemplary communicators, efficient administrators and those willing to put the society before the individual. The plural church of dedicated teachers from both academia and general dental practice cooperates with medical colleagues to provide members with simply the best training the UK can provide.