Shawn Charlwood graduated from Birmingham Dental School in 1986 and has postgraduate dental qualifications form the University of Bristol and the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners UK. He owned a mixed practice for twenty-five years and was a Foundation trainer for over twenty years. He had previously held postgraduate positions at the Manchester Dental School and at the Manchester Royal Infirmary Maxillo-Facial Dept, as well as being an officer in the Royal Army Dental Corps TA for five years.

He has been on the GDPC for 15 years and is now Chair, having previously served as Vice Chair GDPC, Chair of the GDPC Remuneration Sub-Committee and Chair of the GDPC Private Practice Committee.  He was previously the Chair of Lincolnshire LDC and a member for over thirty years. He has contributed to many national and regional TV and Radio programmes discussing a range of current dental issues.

He has now given evidence to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee on two separate occasions; first giving evidence on Dental workforce in 2022 and on NHS Dentistry in 2023. He has been called to appear again later this month to give evidence and feedback on the Dental Recovery Plan.