Part-time Year 1 Dental Technology students from London South Bank Technical College were given a rare learning opportunity on Friday 23 January 2026, during an educational visit to the Gordon Museum of Pathology at Guy’s Hospital.

The Gordon Museum is one of the largest pathology museums in the UK and is not open to the general public. Access is restricted to medical and dental professionals and students, making visits such as this an invaluable extension of classroom learning. Thanks to an established relationship with the museum’s curator, Bill Edwards, the college was able to secure advance access for the group.

The visit was carefully timed to coincide with the students’ anatomy studies. Inside the museum, students were able to deepen their understanding of skeletal structures, disease processes, and tissue pathology through direct exposure to preserved specimens. These included rare and highly specialised examples used in medical research and professional training. Due to the nature of the collection and strict regulations around human tissue, photography is prohibited within the museum.

The Gordon Museum’s primary role is to support the education of medical, dental, and biomedical students, with resources that have helped train generations of healthcare professionals. Its collections include historic and contemporary specimens, alongside specialist teaching facilities such as lecture theatres, tutorial rooms, and digital learning resources. The museum operates in full accordance with the Human Tissue Act of 2004, ensuring ethical standards and donor consent are rigorously upheld.

Following the museum visit, the group travelled to the Dental Technology department at Guy’s Hospital. There, students were welcomed by department manager Simon Coid, who led a tour of the busy clinical facilities. Students were shown complex, real-world cases currently being worked on by the hospital’s dental technology team, giving them a clear picture of how the skills they are developing at college translate into professional practice.

Visits such as this play a key role in helping students connect theory with application, while also broadening their awareness of future career pathways within healthcare. By engaging directly with specialist environments and industry professionals, students gain confidence, context, and motivation as they progress through their studies.

The college would like to thank the Gordon Museum of Pathology and the Dental Technology team at Guy’s Hospital for their time, expertise, and continued support in helping to enrich the learning experience for students.