Dental Excellence Harewood

Ian Cross is a specialist in endodontics and prosthodontics, with a keen interest in restoring missing teeth with crown and bridgework, as well as revising failed root canal work. He has over 30 years' experience working in dentistry.

Training and qualifications

Ian qualified from Newcastle University in 1987 and went into the Royal Navy as a dental surgeon, working mainly with the Royal Marines as a Commando Dental Officer with 40 Commando.

When he left the navy, he went into an NHS practice in Devon before deciding to complete a master’s degree in Restorative Dentistry at Leeds Dental Institute, with his area of research in dental implants.

Following a period working in the maxillofacial department at Leeds General Infirmary, Ian completed the membership in restorative dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons and was one of the first practitioners to be recognised as a specialist by the General Dental Council in prosthodontics (replacement of missing teeth) and endodontics (root canal work). Very few practitioners are on two specialist lists.

As an endodontist, Ian has international membership of the American Association of Endodontists and is currently one of very few endodontists in the country to have specialist membership of the European Society of Endodontology.

Ian was heavily involved in teaching endodontics, both practical elements and theory, to the postgraduate students on the master’s program at the Leeds Dental Institute, before concentrating on developing one of the first practices in Yorkshire to take referrals from other dental practitioners for complex dental problems. He ran the practice for almost 25 years before deciding to merge the practice with Dental Excellence Harewood.

He is still involved with teaching postgraduate courses in crown and bridgework and root canal work to qualified dentists throughout the country.

Treatments offered

Ian’s main clinical interests are the diagnosis of pain, revision of failed root canal work and replacement of failing crown and bridgework to give patients a fixed alternative to removable dentures.

Outside of the practice, Ian enjoys spending time outdoors, including extreme sports such as running in the mountains and scuba-diving.