Barry Cockcroft qualified from Birmingham Dental School in 1973.He worked for 27 years in NHS general dental practice before joining the Department of Health as Deputy Chief Dental Officer (England) in November 2002. He was appointed Chief Dental Officer (England) in July 2006.
Prior to his appointment as CDO he had served on the Warwickshire Local Dental Committee, including terms as chairman and secretary, been chairman of the West Midlands Association of LDCs and was elected to the General Dental Services Committee of the BDA in 1990.
He served on many sub-committees and working groups of the GDSC before being elected vice-chairman in 2000.
Away from dental politics he was the clinical lead in developing and running a first wave Personal Dental Services pilot in Rugby which was based on capitation as a method of remuneration in NHS general practice.
Away from dentistry, he served as a magistrate on the Warwickshire bench between 1992 and 2000 and is married with three children.
Declaration of interests