Barry qualified as a dentist in 1973 and spent the first twenty five years
of his career working in mainly NHS general practice and becoming involved in dental politics at
professional representative level locally and nationally. He moved to the Department of Health in
2002 as Deputy Chief Dental Officer. He became Chief Dental Officer for England in 2006 and
oversaw many changes in the dental world including the opening of two new dental schools and a
school for dental therapists. He worked with both Labour and Conservative led administrations.
He was awarded a CBE in the new year’s honours list in 2010.
After his retirement in 2015 he joined the board of Integrated Dental Holdings, the largest provider
of dental services in the UK, as a Non-Executive Director, a position he held until 2021.
Barry joined the board of the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust in 2021 and became chair in
October 2023.
In his spare time he is chair of the British Fluoridation Society and a mentor on the University of
Birmingham Alumni Leadership Mentoring Programme.
