Professor William McLean
- Professor of Endodontology (Dental School)
telephone:
0141 211 9626
email:
William.McLean@glasgow.ac.uk
School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing, 378 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow Dental Hospital & School, Glasgow, G2 3JZ
Biography
William McLean graduated from the University of Wales College of Medicine Dental School in 1997. During his undergraduate years, he intercalated and was awarded a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Dental Science. Following graduation, he was awarded an Action Research Training Fellowship to pursue his PhD. The following four years were spent at Harvard Medical School Department of Cell Biology investigating craniofacial and skeletal development. In 2002, he took up a position as a lecturer at Manchester University in the School of Biological Sciences. In 2004, he returned to clinical practice and subsequently undertook postgraduate training in Endodontology.
As Professor of Endodontology and Honorary Consultant in Endodontics, he is the academic lead for Undergraduate Endodontics at the University of Glasgow Dental School, programme co-ordinator for the MSc Endodontics and lead for the Glasgow Endodontology Group. He is also Section Head for Biological and Medical Sciences.
He is President Elect of the British Endodontic Society, European Regent for the International Federation of Endodontic Associations and Dental School Tutor for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
He is Conference Chair of the World Endodontic Congress 2024 to be held at the SEC in Glasgow.
Research interests
Glasgow Endodontology Group
The Glasgow Endodontology Group (GEG) is a multidisciplinary group working on the immunopathobiology and microbiology of endodontic disease towards the development of novel strategies in its clinical management. The group consists of bioengineers, microbiologists, biologists and clinicians.
Overarching Theme
Race for the Space - interaction between cells, surfaces and therapeutics in endodontic repair and regeneration
Endodontic disease, an infection of the root canal space is a significant cause of dental morbidity worldwide. Endodontic infections can result from dental trauma, carious lesions, non-carious tooth surface loss or on rare occasions from periodontal infection progressing to the root apex. This condition, in which complex biofilms form within the intricate anatomy of the root canal system is treated by mechanical debridement, chemical disinfection and subsequently obturation of the space in a process termed root canal treatment. One million root canal treatments are performed under the National Health Service each year, costing £50.5 million. Outcomes vary considerably for the established treatments. It is clear that although allowing patients to retain teeth, it is far from ideal, and despite many “advances” in clinical endodontics we have seen little improvement in outcomes. It has been proposed that the ideal outcome for endodontic therapy would be to establish, through regenerative endodontics, a healthy pulp within the cleansed and disinfected root canal system.
Research Streams
- Understanding endodontic biofilms, inter-kingdom relationships within them, and managing them to prepare for regeneration
- Orchestrating stem cell behaviour and organisation in reapir and regeneration
Group Members/Collaborators
- Professor Will McLean – Professor of Endodontology and Honorary Consultant in Endodontics (Dental School)
- Professor Gordon Ramage – Professor of Microbiology (Dental School)
- Dr Alun Scott - Senior Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry
- Dr Chris Nile - Senior Lecturer in Oral Biology (School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University)
- Professor Matthew Dalby - Professor of Cell Engineering (Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology)
- Dr Andrew Hamilton - Senior Lecturer (Medical School)
Students
- Hafsa Abduljalil - PhD Student
- Saeed Alqahtani - PhD Student
- Suror Shaban - PhD Student
- Othman Baradwan - PhD Student
- Fahad Molla - MSc Student
- Samrin Munaf - MSc Student
- Weeam Rashed - MSc Student
Past Students
- Om-Alkhir Shanta – PhD 2022
- Khawlah Albashaireh – PhD 2022
- Sumaya Abusrewil - PhD 2023
Glasgow Endodontology Group: @GlasgowEndo
Will McLean: @McLeanDr
Grants
Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.
- Do interkingdom polymicrobial biofilms impede the treatment of apical periodontitis?
2018 - 2020
Professional activities & recognition
Research fellowships
- 1998 - 2001: Action Research - Research Training Fellowship
Grant committees & research advisory boards
- 2016 - 2021: British Endodontic Society, Research Panel
Editorial boards
- 2021 - Current: Critical Reviews in Microbiology
Professional & learned societies
- 2022 - Current: Vice-President Elect, British Endodontic Society
- 2015 - 2021: Treasurer, British Endodontic Society
- 2014 - 2015: Council Member, British Endodontic Society
- 2022 - Current: European Regent, International Federation of Endodontic Associations
- 2019 - 2021: President, Glasgow Odontological Society
- 2018 - 2019: President Elect, Glasgow Odontological Society
- 2020 - 2022: Education Committe Member, International Federation of Endodontic Associations