Tributes have been paid to world-leading expert, Emeritus Professor Jimmy Steele CBE, who changed the way that dental services are provided in the UK and abroad.

The former Head of Newcastle University’s School of Dental Sciences passed away peacefully at the age of 55. He had been diagnosed with glioblastoma 22 months earlier.

Jimmy and his wife, Katie Bushby, Professor of Neuromuscular Genetics at the Institute of Genetic Medicine, began working at Newcastle University in 1989.

In 2009, Jimmy solidified his outstanding reputation when he spearheaded the Independent Review of NHS Dentistry – also known as the Steele Review – which aimed to ensure patients received the best and most effective care possible.

His health service research included work in primary care, clinical trials, health economics and quality of life measurement. He was the author and contributor to a number of books in areas such as restorative and preventative dentistry.

Jimmy was one of the leading experts who worked on the Children’s Dental Health Survey in 2003 and 2013, as well as the 1998 and 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey. These are carried out every 10 years and remain key to assessing the national picture of the country’s oral health.

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President of Newcastle University, knew Jimmy for more than 20 years.

He said: 'Jimmy was hugely respected around the world as a leader in his field and will be sadly missed by all of those who knew him both professionally and personally.

'His strong background in research and education led him to take on a number of national leadership roles which were pivotal in shaping dental services across the UK to enable the best care for patients.

'Jimmy was passionate about finding ways to improve the quality of care for patients and making a difference to people’s lives.

'He was also an outstanding teacher, I will always remember the warmth he showed when sharing his knowledge with the hundreds of students he has inspired over the years.'

Since 1999, Jimmy had been an honorary consultant at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the specialty of restorative dentistry.

Honours he received included the International Association of Dental Research Geriatric Oral Research Award and Fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and London. Just last year, he received a prestigious honour for his scientific work and lasting contribution to his profession when he was awarded the John Tomes Medal by the British Dental Association.

The John Tomes research prize is given as a medal for scientific eminence related to dentistry and dental surgery. It is a rare honour bestowed on distinguished members within the profession.

Jimmy was awarded a CBE by the Queen in 2012 for services to Dentistry and Oral Health. He was also oral and dental research lead for the UK Clinical Research Network (NIHR).

Professor Mark Thomason, Head of School of Dental Sciences, said: 'From the moment he arrived, Jimmy always had a special place in the life of the Dental School and had the ability to bring something unique to any area in which he applied his distinct talents.

'He was a world-leading researcher who was sought by collaborators from all over the world as a research partner, but Jimmy also prioritised his work with young and junior researchers, building for the next generation.

'Outspoken, decisive and clear thinking; Jimmy’s research credentials were unquestionable and yet he was just as at home as a teacher and educator, sharing his clinical expertise and insight with undergraduates and postgraduate students and trainees. As a teacher he was inventive, challenging, insightful and caring.

'Jimmy was outwardly extrovert and clearly comfortable striding a world stage but he was also a very private person. As Head of School he was an exceptional role model and delivered enormous success.

'He will be widely remembered for his work with government in the review of NHS Dentistry, simply referred to universally as “the Steele Report” . And yet, for me, it was his support for colleagues, be they senior members of the University or students within the School, that marked out the real Jimmy.

'Jimmy was a unique talent and enjoyed sharing his gifts with others. He was a skilful communicator that brought something special and ‘slightly off the wall’ to his interactions with those around him.

'More than anything else though, Jimmy cared and that’s what set him apart.'

BDA Chief Executive Peter Ward said: 'Jimmy was a man of enormous intellect and of great humanity. For a man of such insight and wisdom, it was remarkable that he never lost touch with the grass roots of his profession.

'A dentist's dentist, he was charged with reviewing the way NHS primary care dentistry is delivered in England, and diligently researched the matter and added his own insight to produce his eponymous report. That report was the foundation for contractual reform, and its content and approach was widely supported by the profession as representing the dentistry they wanted to do. It is yet to be seen whether his fundamental principles will be followed in future reforms.

'As an educator and academic the quality and quantity of Jimmy’s research and his passion for his students marked him out as exceptional. His joy of life and his wicked sense of humour made him great fun to be with, and his company was sought by students and colleagues alike. His passing will leave a void in the UK dental profession. It is no consolation, but slight solace, that the BDA was at least able to celebrate Jimmy’s contribution to his profession with the award of the John Tomes Medal at a special celebration in 2016.

'Our heartfelt thoughts are with Jimmy’s family at this tragic time.'

Jimmy loved spending time with his wife, Katie, and children, Tom and Jenny, and spent much of his free time indulging his passion in bird watching and the natural world in general.

A self-confessed 'foodie', he enjoyed nothing more than experiencing good restaurants and buying and preparing fish. At the annual Dental School charity auction he regularly offered a 'Fish Day' at which generations of students were trained in fish buying and fish preparation before serving a seafood meal for twelve at the end of the day. He was a kind and generous person, always keen to share his enthusiasms and passions.

Jimmy’s funeral will take place on Friday 24 November at 11.15am at the Crematorium on the West Road, followed by a light lunch at the Crowne Plaza.

His family request that people do not send flowers but rather support the Trussell Trust, a charity close to Jimmy’s heart.

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