# Martin Craig Downer (1931-2017): Chief Dental Officer, dental public health professor, editor, musician and novelist

## TL;DR

This paper honors Martin Downer, a public health dentist, administrator, musician, and novelist who made significant contributions to oral health policy and cancer screening.

## Contribution

The paper highlights Downer's unique career and his notable work in oral cancer screening.

## Key findings

- Downer held key administrative roles in dental public health in the UK.
- He contributed to the development of oral health policy and cancer screening.
- He balanced his professional career with achievements in music and writing.

## Abstract

Professor Martin Downer was a leading public health dentist. He was an administrator, Chief Dental Officer of Kensington and Chelsea, and later to the Departments of Health in Scotland and England. Finally, he was Professor of Oral Health Policy at the Eastman Dental Institute. His research was wide-ranging, but he made a notable international mark with his work investigating oral cancer screening. Like many great men, there was another side to him; he was a musician and a saxophonist from his student days, which led to Top of the Pops and a recording studio. To top it all, he wrote novels.

It's a truism that public health dentistry in the United Kingdom grew from the school dental services, which provided experience in simple surveys, dental health education and so on.A basis of practice in the school and community services give administrative experience which is invaluable on the way to the top dental posts in the Scottish and English Departments of Health.In spite of undertaking top academic and administrative posts, it is possible for someone to attain and maintain other skills, for example, in music and writing.

It's a truism that public health dentistry in the United Kingdom grew from the school dental services, which provided experience in simple surveys, dental health education and so on.

A basis of practice in the school and community services give administrative experience which is invaluable on the way to the top dental posts in the Scottish and English Departments of Health.

In spite of undertaking top academic and administrative posts, it is possible for someone to attain and maintain other skills, for example, in music and writing.