A holistic approach to dental practice, page 30.

Welcome to an all new and improved issue of Vital! On the eve of one of the most important dates in DCP history we've decided to have our own little scale and polish. Check out our new look!

In this issue we are also proud to be able to unveil our very own verifiable CPD scheme, as promised in the run up to the registration deadline. The CPD year for registered DCPs begins on 1 August 2008, so make sure you find out all about our CPD scheme by reading the article on page 53.

Our very first CPD articles are on conscious sedation and medical emergencies training. In future issues we plan to use a range of articles for CPD, including those covering core CPD topics such as infection control.

Join Vital's brand new CPD scheme! See page 53 and our website.

As our regular readers will know, Vital aims to blend the educational with a range of news, reviews and advice articles, as well as putting the spotlight on inspiring dental practices. Jivadental, the UK's first carbon neutral dental practice (page 30), seemed the ideal choice of practice to complement this special issue.

Losing your marbles? De-stress and strengthen your team, page 56.
Dive in to Bath - page 16.

If you're not off to sample a team-building activity (page 56) or take a proactive approach to stress (page 38), make sure you enter our competition to win spa passes! Every busy DCP deserves a break at the end of the day. For a start, how about putting your feet up and browsing through this issue of Vital? Enjoy!

Kate Maynard, Editor k.maynard@nature.com