Professor Mark McGurk

Professor McGurk, Consultant Oral, Maxillofacial, Head and Neck Surgeon, Works within NHS as part of the North London Head and Neck Cancer Group. He is highly specialised in the treatment of oral and head and neck cancer, and salivary gland disease. He is also highly competent in reconstructive surgery.

Prof McGurk qualified in Medicine from Sheffield University and then proceeded to undertake specialist training in oral and maxillofacial surgery, during which he did a 6 month training period in the US. He later returned to Sheffield to complete his medical training.

Prof McGurk is a very active member of the research community, with previous research focusing on the early diagnosis of head and neck cancer, complications of surgery, and the use of minimally invasive surgery for head and neck cancer. He has also led a high-profile international trial on sentinel node biopsy which led to a 75% reduction in neck dissection for early mouth cancers. He has written several books on salivary disease and influenced the practice of salivary gland surgery to move from excision to gland preservation. Additionally, he has pioneered novel techniques in the treatment of odontogenic tumours (ameloblastoma) which preserves the mandible and normal facial appearance.

Previously, He has been the President of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and was the editor of the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Currently, Prof McGurk lectures around the world at conferences and has developed and run courses on salivary gland surgery around the world for his colleagues.