Colin is originally from a small town 25 miles west of Glasgow. He pursued his dental studies at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, graduating with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery with commendation in 1994. After graduation, he spent a year at the same institution as a house officer, gaining experience in oral medicine, periodontology (gum disease), and oral surgery.
During this time, Colin passed the first exams for his Fellowship of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons. He completed his fellowship exams in 1997, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. After his tenure at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, Colin moved to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, working in head and neck surgery, including cancer and trauma. He then took a similar position at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, completing these roles in 1997.
Following his qualifications, Colin continued at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, providing general anaesthetic oral surgery services. In 1997, he joined a practice in Ilkeston, where he worked with a husband-and-wife team for nearly 11 years, dividing his time between their two practices in Ilkeston and Nottingham. During this period, Colin secured the first minor oral surgery contract in the NHS in Britain. He established a successful oral surgery and dental implant service, marking the beginning of his teaching career.
Colin dedicated 21 years to the NHS, working in Ilkeston and Nottingham before opening his own practice in Alfreton, where he offered oral surgery, orthodontics, and dental implants under a minor oral surgery contract. In 2014, he founded The Campbell Clinic in Nottingham, a specialist dental practice known for its exceptional dentistry and educational services.
Over the years, Colin has placed over 6,000 dental implants, performed more than 10,000 surgical extractions, including 3,000 lower wisdom teeth procedures, and delivered over 2,000 lectures. In 2015, he formalised his educational offerings by establishing The Campbell Academy in Nottingham. The Academy gained national and international recognition for its online and face-to-face education, which led to the expansion of The Campbell Clinic and The Campbell Academy to new premises in Edwalton, designed in 2018, constructed in 2019, and opened in early 2020.
Colin and his team have published over 20 peer-reviewed articles related to their work in scientific journals. He has accepted invitations to speak in South Africa, China, Singapore, Switzerland, and France. For a decade, Colin has also been involved in medico-legal work, including regulatory cases, civil disputes, and criminal cases, even assisting in prosecuting fraudulent dentists. Recently, he took on an international education role as the Editor-in-Chief for the ITI Academy, which provides online dental implant education to dentists in over 100 countries.
In addition to his professional achievements, Colin has coached football for over a decade with the West Bridgford Colts, including his son's team. He has also served as a governor for CPA Riverside Alternative Provision School and as a member of the East Midlands Education Trust, contributing to the governance of a large educational trust.
Colin has been married to Alison for over 25 years, and together they have three children: Grace, Rosie, and Callum. A former triathlete and keen cyclist, Colin also enjoys going to the cinema, although his knee injury has reduced some of his athletic pursuits.
