Biography

Aileen Bell graduated from the University of Stirling with a BSc with Honours First Class in Biology in July 1990. She worked at the Hannah Research Institute in Ayrshire as a Research Assistant on a Mammalian Biochemistry project in the interim period before taking up a PhD position at the University of Glasgow in October 1990. This was an MRC funded post to look at the Effects of Alcohol on Rat Lingual Epithelium and was carried out as a joint project between The Department of Cell Biology and The Department of Oral Pathology, Glasgow Dental School. She obtained her PhD in July 1993.

During her time in Glasgow Dental School she developed an interest in clinical research and patient contact and began studying Dentistry as a second first degree in October 1993. She graduated from Glasgow University as the Most Distinguished Graduate for 1998 with a BDS with Honours and was awarded the Dean Webster Prize and the Lord Provost's Prize for the most marks obtained in Dental School Examinations.

In August 1998 she embarked on a two year General Professional Training Programme, with one year in General Dental Practice as a Vocational Dental Practitioner and one year as a GPT House Officer in Glasgow Dental Hospital and School. By the end of this period she had obtained an MFDS from The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and was awarded the T.C. White Medal for outstanding performance in part C of the exam.

From 2000-2002 she worked as a Senior House Officer in Glasgow Dental Hospital and School after which she took up the post of Specialist Registrar in Surgical Dentistry in Glasgow (2002-2004). In June 2004 she was appointed as a Clinical Lecturer in Oral Surgery/ Honorary Specialist Registrar in Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Glasgow. During this period she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice which was awarded by the University of Glasgow in June 2007 and she is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She gained an FDS(OS) RCPS (Glas) and obtained a United Kingdom Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training  in 2008. She took up her current post as Clinical Senior Lecturer/ Honorary Consultant in Oral Surgery at Glasgow University Dental School in May 2009. She is currently the Deputy Director of Dental Education, the Education Lead for the Clinical Dentistry Section and also co-ordinates the teaching within Oral Surgery.

Research interests

Dr Bell's main research interests lie within the field of Three Dimensional Imaging. She is a member of the Education Research Group and also works within the Craniofacial and Biotechnology Research Group. She has a particular interest in 3D Imaging Technology as an Educational tool and is currently working as part of a team on 2D and 3D Visualisation Supporting Interactive Dental Education. This is a NHS Education for Scotland Funded project in collaboration with The Digital Design Studio (Glasgow School of Art), The Department of Anatomy (University of Glasgow), The University of Dundee and Glasgow Dental School. It is a three year project which started in August 2009 and has funding of £1.5million for the entire project.

Three Dimensional Imaging is one of the key research themes in the Craniofacial and Biotechnology Research Group and within this group she works as part of a multidisciplinary team with links to Computing Science, Clinical Psychology, Statistics and Plastic Surgery. Her interests include the clinical application of 3D imaging in facial trauma and the use of this imaging tool to assess surgical outcome in patients with cleft lip and palate. A large CSO funded project with 100 ten year old children with cleft lip and palate has recently been concluded and work from the results of the project is currently under way.