FGDP(UK)

The Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP[UK]) has made its guidance on the practice of dentistry for patients with dementia available free of charge online. It can be accessed at: https://www.fgdp.org.uk/publication/dementia-friendly-dentistry.

BSP

The British Society of Periodontology (BSP) has placed on their website a range of educational material to help patients understand the symptoms and risks associated with periodontal disease during pregnancy. The Society says that too few women are aware of the relationship between their oral health and pregnancy.

Three guidelines have been produced: one for patients, one for oral health professionals and one for non-dental health professionals. The patient document explains how pregnancy can negatively impact on periodontal health and, in turn, how poor periodontal health could affect both the general health and safety of mother and baby. It also explains how to prevent and treat periodontal disease. The other two guidelines draw on the latest research, on which preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations are given.

The oral health and pregnancy toolkit is available at: http://www.bsperio.org.uk/professional/oralhealthandpregnancy/index.html.

BSPD

The 'Commissioning Guide for Dental Specialties – Paediatric Dentistry' was published on 26 March and represents a key milestone in improving the oral health of children and young people in England. Members of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) were involved in developing the guide.

The guide outlines how paediatric dental services will be commissioned at local level and outlines the need to develop Managed Clinical Networks as part of this process. The paediatric dentistry guide is designed to ensure that every child who needs specialist input can access it wherever they are in England and experience consistently good care.

A key recommendation welcomed by BSPD is the need for an increase in the number of paediatric specialists to meet the needs of England's children. In January 2016 there were only 171 specialists in paediatric dentistry on the GDC register in England and some regions had no paediatric dentists at all.

BOS

The British Orthodontic Society's (BOS') Against The Odds award in 2018 is now open for entries. The award was set up to find and celebrate the best stories of orthodontic treatment and showcases the transformative power of braces.

The award, which is open to children and adults, asks entrants to describe their experience of orthodontic treatment in 500 words, including the role of the orthodontist. The first prize is £750 of travel vouchers for the patient and a trophy for the orthodontist. The deadline for entries is 31 August 2018.

The entry form is available at: https://www.bos.org.uk/Public-Patients/Against-the-Odds.