On 2 September 2011 the Challacombe Scale was launched: an easy-to-use tool for identifying and quantifying the severity of dry mouth. The scale was developed by Professor Stephen Challacombe at King's College London and is suitable for use by general dental practitioners, dental hygienists and dental therapists.

The Challacombe Scale is based on a Clinical Oral Dryness Score (CODS) and lists ten key features of dry mouth, accompanied by example images, and allocates one point for each feature. The patient's additive score indicates whether the dry mouth is mild (a score of 1-3), moderate (4-6) or severe (7-10) and suggests what action to take next.

Free posters of the scale are available from CCMed, who hosted the launch at Tylney Hall, Hampshire, and practices are encouraged to position them prominently in the waiting room and include patients' scores in their clinical notes.

For further information and to receive a free Challacombe Scale poster for your practice you can visit www.challacombescale.co.uk.