Professor Mark McGurk is a distinguished Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial and Head and Neck Surgeon, affiliated with the North London Head and Neck Cancer Group. He provides specialised services in oral and head and neck cancer, reconstruction, and salivary gland disease. He has held prestigious roles such as past president of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and past editor of the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Professor McGurk completed his medical degree at Sheffield University and furthered his expertise with junior posts in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He also spent six months visiting maxillofacial units in the United States. His research has significantly impacted the early diagnosis of head and neck cancer, surgical complications, and minimally invasive surgery techniques.

He has authored two books on salivary disease and has been instrumental in shifting salivary gland surgery practices from excision to gland preservation. His leadership in a European trial on sentinel node biopsy resulted in a 75% reduction in neck dissection for early mouth cancers. Additionally, he developed a novel treatment for odontogenic tumours (ameloblastoma) that preserves the mandible and normal facial appearance.

Professor McGurk is a sought-after speaker at national and international conferences and conducts specialised classes on salivary gland surgery in London, Paris, and Erlangen for Maxillofacial and ENT Consultants. His clinical interests include sentinel node biopsy, sialendoscopy, fluorescence-guided surgery, and the use of Carnoy’s solution for tumours. He treats a wide range of conditions, including head, neck, mouth, and tongue cancers, salivary gland diseases, jaw tumours, and facial trauma.