Nairn Wilson is President Emeritus of the College of General Dentistry and Emeritus Professor of Dentistry, King’s College London. At King’s, he was Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Dean and Head of the College’s internationally renowned Dental Institute between 2001 and 2012, and Deputy Vice-Principal (Health) between 2009 and 2012. He led the initiative (2016-2021) to form the College of General Dentistry. Nairn’s many other positions in dentistry have included Editor of the Journal of Dentistry (1986-2000), Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (1995-1998), President of the Academy of Operative Dentistry European Section (1998-2000), President of the General Dental Council (1999-2003), Co-chair of the Forum of European Heads and Deans of Dental Schools (2007- 2012), President of the British Dental Association (2015-2016) and Honorary Founding President of the College of General Dentistry (2020- 2021). 

His many different interests have included clinical dental biomaterials science, practice-based research, international trends in dental education, and the recent history and future developments in the clinical practice of dentistry. He continues to author and edit a diverse range of contributions to the dental literature, while serving in a variety of roles, including Patron or Trustee of various dental charities. His honours and awards, in addition to CBE, awarded in 2004, include the Bounocore Memorial Prize, a Dentistry Lifetime Contribution Award, the Award of Excellence of the Academy of Operative Dentistry European Section, the John Tomes Medal of the British Dental Association, two honorary doctoral degrees, and the International Association for Dental Research Ivar A Mjor Award for practice-based research.