Professor Ian Needleman divides his week between specialist periodontal practice at PerioLondon and the Unit of Periodontology at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute where he is Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Evidence-Based Healthcare and Honorary Consultant in Periodontology with UCLH Trust. His research has been awarded prizes by the European Federation of Periodontology, Royal Society of Medicine, German Periodontal Society, German Cochrane Centre and International Association for Dental Research and he was nominated by graduate students as an inspiring teacher at UCL in 2007.

Ian's major research themes are on improving outcomes of periodontal therapy and the impact of oral health on elite sport performance. He led a team that conducted research at the London 2012 Olympic Games and is working with the International Olympic Committee on continuing research. He has provided training for a number of groups in industry and healthcare including the European Federation of Periodontology, American Academy of Periodontology, Swiss Dental Association, Spanish Society of Periodontology and the ITI Foundation.