Brian Ernest Dudley Cooke (1920-2007) and the evolution of the first dental school for Wales.

Cardiff was the only newly funded British dental school established in a purpose-built building in the 20th century, and the only one ever in Wales. The man driving the initial establishment of the school and its early successful years was Brian Cooke. He joined Cardiff from Guy's Hospital, not sure at first if he really wanted to leave behind a successful teaching and research career. He appointed a team around him to originate ideas on equipment and curriculum, allowing them to develop their ideas as a group without imposing his will.Although having an enormous administrative workload at the school, Cooke served as Vice-Dean of the English Faculty of Dental Surgery, President of the Odontological Section of the Royal Society of Medicine and as a member of the General Dental Council. He received the Cartwright Prize and Medal from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Chesterfield Prize and Medal from the Postgraduate Institute of St John's Hospital.