The annual BDA/BDJ Winter Lecture took place on 10 December 2014 – the third such event to date. Introduced by BDJ Editor-in-Chief Stephen Hancocks OBE, this year Dr Michele Barbour (pictured) presented a lecture on 'Dental materials today and tomorrow'.

Dr Barbour is Senior Lecturer in Dental Biomaterials and the University of Bristol and head of the Oral Nanoscience research group and Deputy Head of Bristol Dental School. She serves on the editorial board of Caries Research and Journal of Dentistry, has published over 40 papers and over 60 conference abstracts. Recently BDJ Managing Editor Dr Ruth Doherty interviewed Dr Barbour for the BDJ (2014; 217: 494-495).

In the lecture Dr Barbour discussed some new, and not-so-new, technologies available to today's dentists, and considered what really matters when it comes to dental restoratives. She then discussed what she considers to be the exciting directions that dental materials will take in the future.

The lecture was followed by a lively question and answer session and a festive reception. For those BDA members unable to attend, the lecture will be available to view via the BDA website and will attract one hour of CPD.