Professor Kirsty Hill, in a dark blue dress, holding a box containing her award.

Kirsty Hill, Head of the University of Birmingham’s School of Dentistry, has received significant recognition for her outstanding contributions in Oral Health. She was nominated for two prestigious CURA-H awards, designed to honour the exceptional achievements of women in healthcare.

Kirsty was nominated in two distinguished categories: ‘Outstanding Contribution to Oral Health’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership in Healthcare’. At the awards ceremony in London on 2nd March, she won the "Outstanding Contribution to Oral Health" award and was also recognised as a finalist for the other nomination. These nominations were put forward by one of Kirsty’s former students, in recognition of her achievements.

What's truly touching is that I was nominated by one of my past students, who sees me as an inspirational female role model. She expressed how my dedication has encouraged her to become more actively involved in striving for equality.

Professor Kirsty Hill, Head of the School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham

Professor Kirsty Hill says, “What's truly touching is that I was nominated by one of my past students, who sees me as an inspirational female role model. She expressed how my dedication has encouraged her to become more actively involved in striving for equality. As the first female Head of School for Dentistry in Birmingham, it can be seen that gradual progress is being made in the journey towards gender equality, however, the undeniable reality is that we still have a considerable distance to travel. Hearing the stories of other winners who continue to confront racism, sexism, and various forms of discrimination within healthcare and academia was both eye-opening and humbling. It served as a poignant reminder that our work towards equality must persist.”

Kirsty has served as the Head of the School of Dentistry since 2020, demonstrating leadership in guiding the school through all facets of university life. In her role, she diligently implements university policies and practices, ensuring academic quality and standards are upheld to the highest degree. Kirsty's academic area is in Dental Public Health and Behavioural Science, contributing to research in periodontal therapy in rheumatoid arthritis, national surveys on adult and child dental health, and addressing barriers to dental care.