ABCD Webinar: Periodontal disease and diabetes - what do diabetologists need to know?

Man wearing headphones, watching webinar on laptop

In our first webinar of 2026, we are joined by Dr Zainab Malaki and Professor Francesco D’Aiuto to introduce you to periodontal disease and its link to diabetes.

Following presentations from both Dr Malaki and Professor D'Aiuto, our webinar chair, Dr David Gable, will facilitate a Q&A session where you will get the chance to ask any questions you may have.

This webinar will help you:

  • To understand the nature and presentation of periodontal diseases
  • To understand the bidirectional link between Diabetes and periodontal diseases
  • To be able to signpost and support patients in seeking help for periodontal diseases

Please note: Certificates of attendance will be issued to those who attend the live webinar.

This webinar has been instigated and organised by ABCD. The support from our corporate sponsors has allowed us to provide this valuable educational meeting free of charge to all delegates. Sponsors have had no input into the agenda or the selection of speakers.

Speakers

  • Professor Francesco D'Aiuto

    Francesco D’Aiuto is Professor of Periodontology and a clinician-scientist whose research focuses on the links between periodontal disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. His work spans clinical trials, population studies, and translational research investigating how oral inflammation contributes to metabolic and vascular risk, and how periodontal treatment may improve systemic health. He has received several international research awards, including Diabetes UK’s Innovators in Diabetes Award, for his contributions to oral–systemic health research.

  • David Raymond Gable

    image of David Raymond Gable

    Dr David Gable is a clinical consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Dr Gable provides care in both community and secondary care settings. His main interests are in foot disease and type 2 diabetes in younger persons, and he has previously been the clinical lead for diabetes.

    Dr Gable qualified from St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London, completing postgraduate training and postgraduate research in type 2 diabetes genetics at University College London. He has led projects delivering diabetes services for the homeless and those with severe mental illness. More recently he has been working to improve integration across primary and community services and is part of the National Diabetes Audit younger adults with type 2 diabetes Quality Improvement project team. He has also worked in clinical trials of interventions for periodontal disease in those with diabetes at St Mary’s Hospital Paddington.

  • Dr. Zainab Malaki

    image of Dr. Zainab Malaki

    BDS MFDS MClinDent (Perio) MRD RCS PGCert Med ED FHEA

    Consultant Specialist Periodontist

    Guys and St Thomas Specialty Clinical Periodontology

    Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer Kings College London

    Zainab qualified from University of Sheffield in 2002 with BDS degree. After several years of gaining experience in the maxillofacial field, as well as general dentistry, she embarked on specialty in periodontology. She completed her training from Kings College London in 2010. For the past 15 years, Zainab has limited her practice to periodontics.

    In 2014 she was one of the first specialists in the UK to be appointed as a consultant in this field and in 2018, Zainab was chosen as the youngest female clinical lead of the Periodontology Department at Guy’s and St Thomas Foundation Trust (GSFT), which she led till 2021.

    In 2025, Zainab was the winner of the Postgraduate Consultant of the year and the Postgraduate Doctor Teacher of the year, awarded by GSFT, demonstrated by her strong support of the trainees and empowering them.

    Previously, Zainab was on the Board of Examiners for the MFDS examination at the Royal College of Surgeons, in Edinburgh. Currently, she is on the Board of Examiners for the MRD examination at the Royal College of Surgeons, London.

    As a consultant periodontist, Zainab dedicates part of her time working at GSFT, where she assesses and treats patients with complex periodontal diseases and conditions. She is heavily involved in teaching and supervising the postgraduate trainee specialists in managing patients with periodontal diseases, including complex surgical procedures as well as being involved in multidisciplinary care for patients.

    Zainab is the co-founder of PerioAcademy, one of the first Diploma accredited periodontology courses to run in the UK. The course is aimed at general dentists as well as specialists, aimed at increasing their periodontal knowledge and as well as their surgical techniques.

    Zainab also works as a private specialist periodontist in UK. The continuity of the patients journey with her is a testament to her excellent work ethics.

    Despite her main role as a clinical professional, Zainab has also been involved in research. She has been involved in multiple studies which were published in high impact journals, as well as supervising research projects in her field. She is also a reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

    One of Zainab’s main interests lies in the relationship between the oral and systemic health/diseases, including collaborating with patient’s general practitioners and medical specialists to provide a patient centred approach. She is one of the first periodontists in UK to implement blood test as part of her screening for any links between systemic conditions/deficiencies and periodontitis.

    Zainab is committed in providing excellent care for her patients, including treatment tailored to each individual needs and her approach is very patient centred. She has been invited to give lectures nationally and internationally regarding the relationship between periodontal diseases and systemic conditions/diseases.

    With the increase in the studies linking periodontitis to other systemic conditions, Zainab is attempting at raising the awareness both among the public and health professionals.