Dr Wendy Thompson is a clinical academic whose research is about urgent dental care and tackling antimicrobial resistance by reducing antibiotic overprescribing. 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.

As chair of the FDI World Dental Federation working group on antibiotics, Dr Thompson is lead author of its white paper and accompanying free, online course. Under her leadership, FDI's Pledge for national dental associations to commit to tackling antimicrobial resistance has been signed by over 80 countries since its lauch in 2021. She is inaugural chair of the Global Antibiotic Resistance (Dental) early career researcher network. 

As a lecturer, 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 College of General Dentistry and British Dental Association) and government organisations (such as Health Education 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 Antibiotics Research UK (public engagement and patient support committeemember). 

You can find Wendy on Twitter @wendythedentist