We like to champion DCP research in BDJ Team and this month has a hat-trick of articles, all from third year Oral Health Science students at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland. As they prepare to be launched into the workforce as dental therapists, the third years have each chosen very different topics for their dissertations.

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Amelia Davidge investigates a correlation between poor oral health in the hospitalised geriatric population and an increased risk of mortality.

Collette McCann looks at the impact of a vegetarian diet on oral health.

Robyn Davies assesses the barriers transgender patients experience in accessing oral healthcare leading to poorer oral health and resulting in an overall reduction in oral health-related quality of life.

Thank you to the students' tutor Guy Jackson for facilitating these submissions to BDJ Team. If you are a DCP student in higher education we would be delighted to consider summaries of your work too.

Our cover model this month has a dazzling array of strings to her bow. Annette Matthews started out as a dental nurse, became a dental hygienist and therapist and is now an aesthetic practitioner and consultant, runs her own skin clinic, sells 'clobber' for dogs and skincare for the dogs' owners, has a busy family life and runs a motorbiking group in Derbyshire! Annette is brimming with enthusiasm for dentistry and caring for your skin. Make sure you read her interview, complete with stunning photos.

Our BDJ CPD article this month looks at the language used in online information for patients on periodontitis. We also meet Sheffield-based dental hygienist Samantha Statham who has over 30 years' experience in the profession and can't imagine doing anything else.

Tune in next month for part 2 in our neurodiversity and dentistry series and we have lots of other new topics in the pipeline as well.

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Kate Quinlan

Editor

k.quinlan@nature.com