James qualified as a Dental Technician at Manchester Metropolitan University in 1999 and obtained an honours degree in 2000. He started his career as a Dental Technician at a multi-disciplinary laboratory in Dorset and during his time there held the role of Prosthetics Manager, later becoming a Company Director. In 2007 James graduated as a Denturist from George Brown College (Toronto) and in 2008 qualified as a Clinical Dental Technician through the Royal College of Surgeons (England). Since qualifying as a CDT, he has worked clinically in North Dorset and the Midlands as well as running his own Dental Laboratory. He has previously taught as a part-time lecturer at The Sheffield College and is now a full-time Senior Lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He also acts as an Expert Witness for the GDC.