Sir, we recently watched the newly released documentary Root Cause on Netflix and thought it necessary to make the profession aware of the important message it delivers.

The description clearly states that it will 'set ripples through the dental profession' and 'expose perhaps one of the world's greatest medical industry cover-ups'; and should not be ignored.

As if dentists are not aware of the vast amount of research demonstrating the links between oral and systemic health, this documentary exposes the truth that five years of training is merely a sham, depriving us of vital knowledge that could save lives.

The story follows a patient who received root canal treatment (RCT) only later to develop chronic fatigue syndrome and a host of barriers to him living life to the fullest. Whilst many may label the protagonist as a chronic hypochondriac, his mandate is to abolish RCT and the weight of evidence provided by the documentary's numerous experts should leave little doubt that RCT does 'nothing positive for the general health of the body at all'.

Critics will point out that these experts of 'holistic dentistry' also described as unconventional dentistry are the subject of revoked licenses, litigation and generalised scrutiny when searched online, but as a profession that has long suffered in the glare of public perception, we should not let smear campaigns cloud our judgement.

Indeed, if peppering their argument with the phrase 'science shows' alongside visual animations was not enough, then the volume of anecdotal evidence provided should sway even the harshest sceptic.

Examples of this include a kidney infection cured by the extraction of a completely healthy upper central incisor - a treatment option that consultants at dental school failed to make us aware of, and one that we will be offering to all our patients who attend our surgery who note a kidney complaint in their medical history.

We hate to be the bearers of bad news but it transpires that it is not only root canal treatment that is attacked by 'Root Cause'. The use of titanium implants is described as similarly hazardous, with one expert comparing the logic to putting a spoon in an electrical socket. Furthermore, the documentary left us wondering why the NHS cannot find the funds for ozone gas to be used after every extraction.

We are yet to hear a response to this cutting-edge documentary from any endodontic societies but it would appear that the science supporting RCT is now redundant, with us as the victims of fake news perpetuated by endodontists in order to sustain their livelihood. We implore our fellow professionals to watch 'Root Cause' and re-evaluate how we currently practise.