Edwina Kidd and Ole Fejerskov. 2016, Oxford University Press price $45 pp 21 ISBN

97801987382686

This small yet fundamental text, now in its fourth edition, is an excellent and concise resource which should be a compulsory read for all dental students, hygienists and therapists in the latter stages of their training. It would also be a welcome addition to any newly qualified dentist's library. I remember reading the third edition of this text during my own undergraduate training and I don't recall it being as organised, interesting to read and simplified as it is now.

The text layout is clear, concise and up-to-date. The highlighted key points, colour photos, simple illustrations and diagrams provide excellent visual aids, especially so in chapters two, three and four. The early chapters simplify the basic principles of microbiology and histology with the use of diagrams. At the end of each chapter there are plenty of references to allow for further reading and some useful links to videos.

This book will answer almost any question a student may have on caries during their undergraduate journey. Chapters four and five are the most useful and would be particularly helpful in students' final year when they begin to assess radiographs and treat patients almost autonomously. These chapters nicely break down the development and progression of dental caries and provide simplified, easy-to-follow, and modern approaches to their practical management. These approaches include stepwise excavation, selective caries removal and indirect pulp capping, and non-restorative cavity treatment. They also touch on the management of caries in deciduous teeth. Further reading is, however, recommended as these chapters only provide short overviews. The final chapters focus on the control of caries for patients/populations and the epidemiology of caries. The role of fluoride, diet analysis and oral hygiene in solving and managing caries problems are discussed, along with a brief description of the Scottish initiative, Childsmile.

This book will continue to educate students and provide new graduates with the answers they need in the early stages of their careers. Its main appeal is that it simplifies the essentials and, on this basis, I would highly recommend it. Having returned to general practice recently, this book was a useful refresher for me. In summary, it is an excellent resource for those needing to update and refresh their knowledge quickly.