COMMUNIQUE

Appointment of Managing Editor

Prof Neil H Wood takes office in January 2020

Prof Neil Wood qualified as a dentist from the University of Pretoria and later specialized in Oral Medicine and Periodontics at the University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus. He further developed his clinical and academic experience at the latter University before being appointed as Associate Professor and Head of Clinical Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

He has then served as consultant specialist in two specialist Oral Medicine and Periodontology departments and has supervised a number of post-graduate students to completion. Currently Neil holds the position of Full Professor and Head of Clinical Unit at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), where he is also the Acting Head of Department.

In addition to research activities, he is involved in undergraduate teaching and training, and in specialized service delivery in the fields of Oral Medicine and Periodontics. He also has extensive experience with Post-Graduate accreditation with the HPCSA.

Prof Wood has participated in the publishing of numerous national and international peer-reviewed papers as co-author and author, and has a special interest in Human papillomavirus, the topic of his PhD work.

He is a Past-President of the South African Society for Periodontology, Implantology and Oral Medicine (SASPIO), has served on a number of organizations such as the International Association for Dental Research, the Ethics Institute of South Africa, and the International Academy of Oral Oncology.

Additionally, Neil Wood has been on editorial boards of some peer-reviewed dental journals and has held office as a sub-editor of the South African Dental Journal.

Professor Wood has not taken his appointment as Managing Editor lightly, for he has carefully considered possible innovations and improvements and indeed has some exciting and far-reaching concepts for the Journal, starting with a workshop for new and current referees, and also introducing an electronic tracking system for papers. The Association is most happy to welcome Neil to the post and wishes him a highly successful tenure of office.