Dr Wendy Thompson is a clinical academic whose research is about urgent dental care and tackling antimicrobial resistance by reducing antibiotic overprescribing, raising awareness about AMR and optimising the prevention and control of infections. Funded by the Medical Research Council, her dental antimicrobial stewardship in Sub-Saharan Africa project is focused in Ghana and Uganda. Through collaboration with International Association of Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research partners, she is working to tackle noma, which WHO recently added to its list of neglected tropical diseases. Working in partnership with the public and patients as well as members of the dental team, a co-development approach sits at the heart of her research. Her clinical practice is as a general dentist in rural South Cumbria and as liaision for the Working Well project at University Dental Hospital of Manchetser.

As chair of the FDI World Dental Federation task team on preventing AMR and infections, Dr Thompson is lead of its award winning antimicrobial stewardship programme. In 2023, the Antibiotic Guardian Awards recognised the reach of FDI's white paper and accompanying free, online course together with FDI's Pledge for national dental associations to commit to tackling antimicrobial resistance, which has been signed by over 80 countries. She is an elected member of FDI Science Committee and was inaugural chair of its Global Antibiotics Research in Dentistry early career researcher network. 

As an educator, Dr Thompson regularly provides continuing professional development courses about urgent dental care and antibiotic resistance to members of the dental team around the world, including for professional bodies (such as the International College of Dentists, College of General Dentistry and British Dental Association) and government organisations (such as NHS England). In addition, she takes on additional leadership roles with these organisations and is an active supporter of charities relating to antimicrobial resistance: British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (Council member) and trustee of The AMR Narrative patient advocacy organisation. 

You can find Wendy on X @wendythedentist