Consultant in Oral Medicine and Facial Pain
LMD (Hons), MFDS RCS Eng, MSc (OMed), PGCert (MedEd), FDS (OMed) RCPS Glasg
Specialist in Oral Medicine and Facial Pain
Senior Clinical Lecturer in Human Diseases
Training Programme Director Oral Medicine (HEIW)
GDC No 201947
Dr Sandra Gonçalves is a Specialist in Oral Medicine and Facial Pain (GDC No. 201947). She graduated in Dentistry /Medicine from the University of Porto, Portugal. After attaining her MFDS from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of England (RCPS (Eng)), went on to complete a Master’s degree in Oral Medicine at University College London, graduating with distinction in 2012.
Dr Sandra Gonçalves held posts as Specialty Doctor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Medicine, and Maxillofacial Pathology across several university hospitals in the United Kingdom including London, Newcastle, and Sheffield. She was awarded Fellowship in Oral Medicine by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 2022.
Sandra is currently a Consultant in Oral Medicine and Facial Pain at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Human Diseases and Oral Medicine at Cardiff University. Her clinical expertise includes the diagnosis and management of potentially malignant disorders, ulceration, oral lichen planus, pigmented lesions, dry mouth (including Sjogren’s Syndrome), and the orofacial manifestations of systemic and autoimmune blistering diseases. She also has extensive experience in managing facial pain conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia, burning mouth syndrome, and other neuropathic disorders. Her particular interests lie in oral cancer and the orofacial manifestations of systemic conditions. In managing complex cases, Sandra works closely with colleagues across a range of medical specialties to deliver coordinated, comprehensive, and patient-centred care. Dr Sandra Gonçalves has been actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education since 2010 and is strongly committed to teaching and training. She is the lead for Human Diseases within her Senior Lecturer role and serves as a clinical and educational supervisor for specialty registrars. In 2023, Dr Gonçalves was appointed Training Programme Director (TPD) for Oral Medicine in Wales, a role she continues to hold, and where she plays a key part in mentoring and developing the next generation of specialists.
Dr Sandra Goncalves is actively engaged in research, having authored an oral oncology textbook, contributed to several book chapters, and published widely in peer-reviewed journals. She has also contributed to the World Workshop in Oral Medicine, co-authoring two systematic reviews. She is engaged with the British and Irish Society for Oral Medicine and the European Association of Oral Medicine, and is known for her caring approach, professionalism, dedication, and strong commitment to both her patients and her work.
Outside of her professional commitments, Dr Sandra Gonçalves values her family life and time with her daughter.
EXPERTISE
Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis
Oral precancerous conditions
Oral dysplasia and oral cancer
Oral lichen planus (OLP)
Blistering disease (e.g. pemphigus/ pemphigoid)
Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG)
Dry mouth
Salivary gland disorders (non-surgical)
Sjogren’s syndrome
Oral candidosis and other fungal infections
Viral infections of the oral cavity
Pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa
Oral Ulceration
White and red patches
Chronic orofacial pain
Burning Mouth Syndrome
Temporo-mandibular disorders
Jaw bone disease (Non-surgical)
Jaw osteonecrosis associated with bisphosphonates and
other anti-resorptive agents
TREATMENTS
Topical corticosteroid therapy
Topical immunosuppressive therapy
Systemic corticosteroid therapy
Systemic immunosuppressive therapy
Management of dry mouth
Pilocarpine therapy
Intralesional corticosteroid injections
Incisional and excisional biopsy
Oral cancer and dysplasia surveillance
Management of oral precancerous conditions
Management of leukoplakia and erythroplakia
Management of orofacial pain
Management of oral GvHD
Management of jaw osteonecrosis
Management of oral lichen planus