Giles Perryer is a British dental educator and Emeritus Professor of Clinical Education at the University of Birmingham's College of Medicine and Health. He is widely recognised for pioneering advancements in dental education, particularly through innovative e-learning platforms and assessment technologies.
Early Life and Education
Perryer attended King Edward's School, Birmingham, located in Edgbaston. He graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from the University of Birmingham.
Academic Career
At the University of Birmingham, Perryer served as Professor of Clinical Education and Director of E-learning within the School of Dentistry. He was instrumental in integrating technological advancements into dental education, significantly enhancing the quality and accessibility of dental training.
Perryer collaborated with Professor Philip Lumley, Professor Damien Walmsley, Professor Deborah White, and Dr. David Attrill on various educational initiatives, including the development of e-learning platforms and assessment tools. In 2013 he co-developed the online MSc in Advanced General Dental Practice with Professor Trevor Burke, one of the university's pioneering distance master's programmes, and the online MSc in Restorative Dentistry with Mr. Louis Mackenzie. These initiatives represented some of the earliest examples of blended online clinical education in dentistry.
Professional Practice and Leadership
Perryer practised general dentistry for 20 years at Sheldon Dental Practice in Birmingham. During this time, he served as an educator for the Vocational Training (now Dental Foundation Training) scheme and was an early director of their e-learning initiative. He also served as President of the Midlands branch of the British Dental Association (BDA), highlighting his significant leadership within the dental profession.
Innovations in Dental Education
Ecourse
Perryer spearheaded the development of the Ecourse, an innovative online educational platform launched in 2001. The Ecourse provided interactive, multimedia-rich resources for dental students, using videos, animations, online discussions and interactive games. This groundbreaking initiative was awarded the Times Higher Education Supplement Award for Outstanding ICT Initiative in 2007.
Clinical Assessment and Feedback System (CAFS)
He co-developed the Clinical Assessment and Feedback System (CAFS), a mobile app designed to improve clinical feedback and assessment methods. Perryer maintains no financial interest in CAFS, reflecting its purely educational purpose. CAFS has been widely adopted by dental institutions internationally.
Dentaljuce and Verified Learning
Perryer co-founded Dentaljuce, an influential online educational platform offering over 150 verifiable Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. He also created Verified Learning, a platform providing affordable CPD courses that comply fully with General Dental Council (GDC), National Health Service (NHS), and Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulations.
Magscope.com
Perryer created MagScope.com, a freely accessible, non-profit online microscopy educational resource designed to enhance the learning experience for clinical sciences students.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
As the academic lead for MOOCs at the University of Birmingham, Perryer developed several successful online courses, including "Improving Your Image: Dental Photography in Practice," with Mr Mike Sharland which has attracted tens of thousands of international learners.
Awards and Recognition
- Dentist Teacher of the Year, Dental Defence Union, 2007, specifically for his work with the Ecourse.
- Times Higher Education Supplement Award for Outstanding ICT Initiative, 2007.
- Educational Enhancement & Innovation Award, University of Birmingham, 2015, for CAFS development.
References
- "Birmingham school scoops higher education award," British Dental Journal, 2007.
- "CAFS team win teaching award," BrumDentists, 2015.
- "Improving Your Image: Dental Photography in Practice," FutureLearn.
- "A positive impact on students," British Dental Journal, 2007.
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