In response to the challenging climate experienced by those in the dental industry, organisers of the British Dental Conference and Exhibition 2011 have brought together a programme of lectures and seminars designed to enable professionals at all stages of their careers to sharpen and refresh their clinical and business skills.

The impressive line-up of speakers scheduled to address the conference include several clinical experts known on both national and international stages.

The conference's clinical programme has been divided into three distinct categories to enable attendees to identify which sessions are suitable for them. 'Clinical refresher' sessions have been designed to refresh practitioners' knowledge of the main clinical disciplines in dentistry. Lectures in this category include Richard Simonsen's session on preventative dentistry with pit and fissure sealants, and Stephen Davies' lecture on occlusion.

Also in the clinical refresher programme, Ken Harris, UK Clinical Director at the California Centre for Advanced Dental Studies, will talk in detail about his systematic approach to minimal veneer preparation, and Sanjeev Bhanderi will discuss the essentials of endodontic diagnosis in his lecture 'Endodontics ... through the looking glass'. Clinicians looking to update their knowledge of restorative dentistry can attend a session on removable and fixed prosthodontics, led by Fraser McCord of the University of Glasgow.

For more advanced knowledge, 'clinical advanced' sessions can be attended on each day of the three-day event. Topics in this category include Raymond Bertolotti's lecture on bonding agents, Paul Lambrecht's session on the wear and durability of nanotechnology posterior composites, and a lecture by Angelo Putignano on direct aesthetic restorations. Finally, Bill Schaeffer will take to the stage to show GDPs how to start placing dental implants in their own surgeries.

'Clinical updates' are also dispersed throughout the programme, exploring matters relating to general practice but which may represent a smaller part of everyday practice for GDPs. These include sessions on the ethics of aesthetic and minimally invasive dentistry, managing erosive tooth wear, periodontal medicine, paediatric dentistry and the oral health management of older people. Clinicians will also be able to attend sessions on simple orthodontics, bite mark analysis and non-dental causes of facial pain.

Interactive masterclasses and workshops also feature as part of the programme. On the BDA exhibition stand there will be opportunities to meet with a number of speakers providing delegates with the chance to discuss the clinical matters they face in an open, relaxed environment. Credited with single-handedly changing the face of dentistry, Professor Raymond Bertolotti will also be hosting an exclusive lunch event on Friday 20 May during which dentists will have the opportunity to talk through their clinical challenges in person.

The British Dental Conference and Exhibition 2011 will be held from the 19-21 May 2011 at the Manchester Central Convention Complex. For more information about the event and to register online visit www.bda.org/conference or call 0870 166 6625.