Janet Clarke qualified in the 1980s from Birmingham University and went on to work in general practice, but primarily the community dental service in and around Birmingham. She has significant involvement with the British Dental Association, firstly as Chair of the Central Committee for Community and Public Health Dentistry and then as BDA President in 2011. She was a member of the Steele Review team in 2008 and led the production of the Commissioning Guide for Special Care Dentistry that was published in 2015. She is currently Deputy Chief Dental Officer for England, chairs the Local Professional Network for dentistry in the West Midlands and was awarded an MBE for services to dentistry in 2010.