Rupert Hoppenbrouwers is Head of the Dental Defence Union, the specialist dental division of The Medical Defence Union. He is a former general dental practitioner and was Director of the School of Dental Hygiene at University College Hospital, London from 1980 to 1986. He has lectured and written widely on risk management and dento-legal matters, and he has a particular interest in litigation. He is currently Chairman of the Dental Law and Ethics Forum.