Meet the Council

BDentSc(Hons), MFD(RCSI), DChDent, MOrth(RCSEd), FDSOrth(RCSEd).
Angus Burns graduated with an honours degree from the School of Dental Science, Trinity College in 2004. He then completed his Vocational Dental Training in Cavan, gaining experience in Paediatric Dentistry, before returning to Dublin to work in both the HSE Primary Care service and private dental practice. He completed his Membership examinations with the RCSI in 2006 and went on to work as a Senior House Officer in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the UK before returning to the Dublin Dental Hospital to complete his 3-year Specialist Orthodontic training programme. He was awarded his Doctorial Degree in Orthodontics along with his Membership in Orthodontics from the RCS Edinburgh in 2013. He subsequently worked as a Specialist in the HSE before completing advanced training to hospital consultant level in the Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford and Eastman Dental Hospital, London. His areas of interest include dental education and complex treatments requiring multidisciplinary care. He is a Senior Lecturer and Consultant in the Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College and works in private practice in Carlow.
Angus lives in Dublin with his wife and two children. In his spare time he is a keen cyclist, DIY enthusiast and is actively involved with youth rugby in his local club.

BDS (Hons), MFD, DClinDent, MOrth
Paul Murphy completed his dental degree in Cork and graduated with honours in 2005. He received first place in his class for clinical orthodontics in his final BDS exam. Following graduation, Paul worked in general practice in the UK followed by an SHO surgical post in Cork. He completed his MFD exam in the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. He then embarked on his postgraduate orthodontic training in Cork. He completed his doctorate with honours, and attained the M.Orth from Edinburgh.
Paul works in private practice in Dublin and Greystones, Co. Wicklow. He lives in Greystones with his wife and three young children.

BDS, MFDS RCS(Ed), MClin Dent (Lond), MOrth  RCS (Eng), FDS Orth RCS (Eng)
Mary Kate completed her dental studies at University College Cork and graduated with honours in 2009. Whilst working in general practice in Edinburgh, Mary Kate was awarded a Membership in Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. She then undertook Senior House Officer posts in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Cambridge and in Kent before commencing her orthodontic training in The Royal London Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital. Mary Kate was awarded a distinction in her MClin Dent studies in 2015 and achieved her MOrth with the Royal College of Surgeons, England in 2016. Having completed her consultancy training in The Royal London Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital in 2018, Mary Kate worked as a Consultant Orthodontist in various hospitals across London, Kent and Essex before returning to Ireland at the end of 2021. She is now the Consultant Orthodontist at St.Columcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin.
In her spare time, Mary Kate enjoys hiking, running and travelling around Ireland.

After graduating from Dentistry in Trinity College Dublin, Ciarán gained broad clinical experience across several Dental Hospitals in Ireland and the U.K., during which he completed a Diploma in Primary Care Dentistry and was awarded Membership of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.Ciarán then commenced his specialist orthodontic training at the Royal London Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital. He was awarded his Doctorate in Clinical Dentistry (Orthodontics) and subsequently achieved his Membership in Orthodontics with the Royal College of Surgeons, England. Alongside his clinical training, Ciarán completed a postgraduate certificate in clinical education at UCL London.Following specialist qualification, Ciarán contributed extensively to orthodontic research, presenting at both national and international meetings. He continues to support orthodontic education as a part-time lecturer and examiner at the Dublin Dental University Hospital.Ciarán runs a specialist private orthodontic practice in Maynooth where he also lives with his wife and their children. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening and spending time outdoors, particularly on his family farm in Longford.

BDentSc(Hons), MFDS (RCPSGlasg), MOrth (RCPSEng), DChDent                                                    Emily Higgins completed her dental studies in University College Cork where she graduated with honours in 2013. She completed her vocational training in London with the Eastman Dental Institute and worked as a general dentist in London until 2016. During this time she was awarded Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery with the RCS Glasgow. After taking a break to travel South-East Asia, she undertook a post as a Senior House Officer in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in the Manchester Royal Infirmary before moving back to Ireland to take up the same position in the University Hospital Galway.  She started her orthodontic training in Dublin Dental Hospital in was awarded her Doctoral degree in orthodontics in 2021. The same year she was awarded her Membership in Orthodontics in the RCS England and she now works in private practice in Limerick City. In her spare time Emily enjoys singing, walking and reading.

DDS, MFDRCSI, MFDSRCPSG, PG.Cert(Orth), DClinDent(Orth), MOrthRCSEd, FFDRCSI(Orth), IMOrthRCSEng, provisional member EBO
Erfan Salloum graduated from dental school in 2008 and obtained a membership in the faculty of dental surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He went on to work and train in the UK and obtained a post-graduate certificate in orthodontics from Warwick University. He moved to Cork in 2012 and completed a doctorate degree in clinical orthodontics from University College Cork. Erfan holds membership diplomas in orthodontics from the Royal College of Surgeons in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow and a fellowship diploma in orthodontics from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. In 2021 Erfan completed the 1^st stage assessment of the European Board of Orthodontics and became a provisional member.
Erfan is based in Dublin since 2017, and he is in full-time private practice.

BDS(NUI), MOrth(HK), Morth(RCSEdin),PhD(ULon)
Following his graduation from Cork Dental School in 2002, Finn Geoghegan held a range of private practice positions and teaching hospitals in the United Kingdom and Australia. He undertook specialist orthodontic residency training in Hong Kong from 2006-2009 and received his membership diploma in orthodontics from the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, in 2011. Finn then returned to the UK, where he completed a PhD in orthodontics and developmental biology in the Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology in King's College, London, in 2017. Finn has lectured in both Europe and Asia. His research interests focus on the basic science and clinical components involved in craniofacial development as well as orthodontic materials. He is the recipient of the Cosgrave medal, Irish Dental Association (IDA), the Charley Schultz resident travel award, American Association of Orthodontists and the W J B Houston memorial research scholarship, European Orthodontic Society (EOS).
Finn is the principal orthodontist of a specialist orthodontic practice in Dublin and maintains active links with Kings College, London and The University of Hong Kong (HKU). In 2019, Finn was announced President-Elect of the European Orthodontic Society (EOS) 101st Congress in Dublin in 2026.

BA, BDentSc(Hons), MFDS(RCPSG), DChDent (Orthodontics), MOrth(RCSEng)                            Sinead graduated with an honours degree from Dentistry in Trinity College Dublin in 2011. She worked in general practice in Australia for a number of years and maintained a part time teaching position as a clinical supervisor in James Cook University. She moved back to Ireland to take up a registrar post in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery in Galway University Hospital and completed her membership examinations with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow. She then returned to the Dublin Dental University Hospital and worked as a Senior House Officer in Paediatric Dentistry before commencing her three year Specialist Orthodontic training programme. She was awarded her Clinical Doctoral Degree in Orthodontics from Trinity College Dublin and her Membership in Orthodontics from the Royal College of Surgeons in England. She now works in Merlin Park Hospital in Galway as a specialist Orthodontist and maintains a teaching position in the Dublin Dental University Hospital as a clinical supervisor on the undergraduate orthodontic clinic.  Sinead lives in Galway with her husband, baby boy and their beagle, Buddy!

David Hegarty qualified as a Consultant Orthodontist in Manchester Dental School in 1999.      He worked as a consultant orthodontist there until starting in the HSE since 2001. His work in the health service predominantly consists of 3D jaw surgery cases, impacted teeth, and hypodontia. He is a member of the cleft lip and palate service at Cork University Hospital. He is a strong proponent for the development of quality public orthodontic service. He also works part time in private practice to be able to use 3D scanning, Dental Monitoring, 3D printed orthodontic appliances, and customised lingual orthodontic appliances. He also does occasional roles for Cork Dental School and the Dental Council of Ireland. As his family have now flown the nest he has a lot of spare time to enjoy playing piano/church organ, socialising, and keeping fit