Mr Sankar Ananth is a Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Sancta Maria Hospital, with an NHS practice at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr and Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, within Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. He is the Training Programme Director for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Wales, overseeing a training programme spanning 11 posts across five health boards throughout South and North Wales.

Specialist Interests

• Facial deformity and orthognathic surgery
• Craniofacial and maxillofacial trauma
• Skin cancer of the head and neck
• Salivary gland diseases and surgery
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
• Oral medicine
• Dentoalveolar surgery

Conditions Treated and Procedures Offered at Sancta Maria Hospital

• Facial deformity assessment and correction
• Maxillofacial trauma surgery
• Skin cancer of the head and neck (cutaneous malignancy)
• Salivary gland surgery
• Temporomandibular joint assessment and management
• Oral medicine
• Oral and dentoalveolar surgery
• Digital planning and 3D-guided orthognathic surgery

Training and Appointments

Mr Ananth studied Medicine at the University of Wales, Cardiff, and completed higher surgical training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery across London and South Wales, gaining his FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland in 2012. He subsequently undertook a fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery in Portland, Oregon, USA, before being appointed to a substantive consultant post in 2013. He previously served as Clinical Lead for the maxillofacial unit at Swansea Bay University Health Board from 2015 to 2019.

National Leadership and Training Roles

Mr Ananth holds several significant national roles in oral and maxillofacial surgery:

• Training Programme Director, OMFS in Wales (Health Education and Improvement Wales)
• National Recruitment Lead, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• National eLogbook Lead, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Liaison member, Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC) for OMFS (influencing UK-wide training standards)
• Representative, Welsh Consultants Committee

He is also the course convener of the South Wales OMFS Cadaveric Course for higher surgical trainees, a highly regarded practical training programme.

Research, Publications and Academic Roles

Mr Ananth is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (BJOMS) and reviews for several international journals including the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Surgery Journal, the Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons and the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He is an examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons for the Member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) examination.

His published research covers areas including digital planning and 3D-printed surgical wafers in orthognathic surgery, management of head and neck cutaneous lesions, SPECT scanning in condylar hyperplasia, and epithelial dysplasia at surgical margins in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Professional Memberships

• Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons FRCS (Intercollegiate Specialty Examination in OMFS, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, 2012)
• Member of the Editorial Advisory Board, British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Personal

Outside of his clinical and academic commitments, Mr Ananth enjoys travel, cricket and cycling.