David Alexander McGowan was Professor of Oral Surgery and Honorary Consultant in Oral Surgery to the Greater Glasgow Health Board, 1977 to 1999.   McGowan graduated from Queen's University, Belfast, in 1961. He became a lecturer in Oral Surgery at the London Hospital Medical College's Dental School in 1968, and was appointed Senior Lecturer the following year. He was Dean of the Dental Faculty of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1989 to 1992, and Chairman of the National Dental Advisory Committee for Scotland from 1995 to 1999.   He was Chairman of the Dental Committee of the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical Education 1979-90, Dean of the Glasgow Dental School from 1989-94, first Dean of the Dental Faculty of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1989-92, Vice President of the General Dental Council 1994-99, Chairman of the National Dental Advisory Committee for Scotland 1995-99, Senate Assessor on the University Court 1994-99, and served on the EU Advisory Committee on Dental Education 1989-2002. Professor McGowan was awarded University medals from the Universities of Helsinki and Malta and the Bulgarian Medical Academy, and was founder Editor of Dental History Magazine 2007-11.