Professor Leung is the Foundation Head of the School of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, University of Medicine and Health Sciences (RCSI). Sponsored by the Irish government, he is leading the 2025 launch of a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme, which will become the first community-based undergraduate dentistry degree in Ireland, and the first new undergraduate dentistry programme in over a century.
Professor Leung qualified as a dentist from Dundee University (BDS), received an LLM from Cardiff University, an MA from King’s College London and a PhD from Portsmouth University. He holds the Fellowship in General Dental Surgery from RCSI, Fellowship in Dental Surgery from RCS England, and Fellowship in Dental Surgery from RCPS Glasgow. He is a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, the Higher Education Academy, and the International College of Dentists.
His main pedagogic research is in novel teaching techniques and assessment methodologies. His expertise is in integrated restorative based total patient care, innovations in dental education and the development of effective feedback tools to facilitate high quality teaching and learning. He publishes widely in dental education and restorative dental practice.
Professor Leung is a successful international dental educator with notable and consistent cooperative teaching, assessment, curriculum development and capacity building successes in three continents. Has an extensive international academic leadership, strategic, innovation, change management and capacity building portfolio in Dentistry. He has a strong track record on successful developments of new dental programmes, liaising with statutory and funding authorities, fostering collaborations across different jurisdictions.
He was Professor of Dental Education, Head of Continuing Professional Development and Programme Director of the Restorative Dental Practice Masters at University College London (UCL) Eastman Dental Institute, having successfully supervised over 100 Masters' Dissertations. He has been the Academic Lead and Chief Examiner in clinical skills (dental manikin) for the UK General Dental Council's (GDC) Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) since 2016, having been an Examiner since 2004. He also Chairs the ORE2 Board for the Consortium which comprises the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, Queen Mary University of London, and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Professor Leung served as Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry RCSI between 2020-2023, and was RCSI Vice Chancellor's Strategic Advisor between 2023-2024. He has achieved international distinction including receipt of the Association for Dental Education (ADEE) Excellence in Dental Education Mature Career Award in 2017.
Professor Leung is an External Examiner for the Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth. He is on the Editorial Board for the Journal Of Dentistry, and the Jordan Journal of Dentistry. He is on the Dental Schools' Council of Great Britain and Ireland.
Professor Leung received the Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) Mature Career Dental Educator Award in 2017.
