The British Dental Conference and Exhibition is over for another year, and after 140 seminars and lectures to choose from, here are a few that caught the eye.

Presidential inauguration

Newly-elected President Professor Nairn Wilson CBE opened the conference on Thursday morning and used his speech to highlight the need for co-ordinated healthcare with dentistry an integral part of whole-person care.

In his speech he called for a move away from episodic towards preventative, continuous patient care with dentists and their teams rewarded for saving rather repairing their patients' teeth.

He acknowledged the testing and uncertain times dentistry faced, in which the profession seeks to deliver the very best oral healthcare. The need for the profession to lead on prevention remains ever-important, and a fully integrated approach to healthcare would pay 'great dividends', he said.

From dentate to edentulous – how to overcome common issues when treating the older dentition

Delivered by Dr Tony Preston, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at the University of Liverpool, Dr Preston covered a number of the main problems faced when treating older patients in – and out – of clinic. He noted more than 410,000 people currently reside in nursing homes across the UK, and the 'multiple pathological conditions' that are associated with the elderly.

General management problems were also highlighted, including mobility, speech and hearing. The diet of the elderly plays a role in the development of caries, as fresh fruit and vegetables can be heavier than lighter, sugary foods. 'Polypharmacy' and the medication prescribed to the elderly is proven to impact their oral health, factors Dr Preston said which must be taken into account when assessing each patient.

Although people are living longer and keeping their natural teeth for longer, there will always be a need for clinicians to provide high-quality dentures. First impressions do matter, and that remains the case with dentures. Partial dentures, copy dentures and full dentures were assessed in detail, offering tips on how to get it right the first time. With an ageing population, the problems and complexities of treating patients will lie with the next generation of GDPs and DCPs.

The impact of oral health and adolescent snacking behaviours on oral health

Always a prominent topic of discussion, Professor David Bartlett from Kings College London told delegates present 'it's not what you eat. It's how.'

The session, which has received national media coverage, highlighted the growing problem caused by snacking, even on food the public considers healthy. Constant snacking on fruit between meals could be a reason behind high rates of caries, particularly in children. The problem affects wealthy men pursuing a healthy lifestyle, and it transpires Brits eat more fruit than Europeans.

Professor Bartlett pointed to the latest figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre that reveal children from low-income families are twice as likely to have tooth decay and the issues surrounding the provision of dentistry for this group. He urged fruit intake to be confined to mealtimes to protect enamel, reduce the risk of acid wear and give the mouth time to recover.

The journey from Independent Review of NHS Dental Services to Delivery of Better Oral Health

After a lively introduction post-election night, the trio of Janet Clarke MBE, Eric Rooney and Jimmy Steele CBE reviewed the journey from the commissioning of their review to where we stand today.

A packed session heard about the framework initially set out in the review, and what the review sought to identify. The session allowed three of the four members of the Independent Review team to discuss action taken since the review was published and reflect on its relevance now, and what further work remains to be done.

Perhaps the most interesting information to emerge from the session was the progression and stagnation brought about by the General Election in 2010 and what they expected post 2015. In 2010 the review's recommendations were put on hold almost 12 months after their findings were presented. With a level of continuity in Government after the latest election, the panel were cautiously optimistic of further progress towards implementing key recommendations made in the Steele Report.

Well, why worry? ...you don't get pregnant with oral sex!

It may sound frivolous to many, but oral sex is a very real problem. Val McMunn explained how current evidence shows adolescents view oral sex as less risky compared to genital sex, which has led to a sharp rise in the number of HPV-related oral cancer cases both in the UK and worldwide.

When Michael Douglas declared that his oral cancer was caused by HPV, it was only then people started to take the topic seriously. There are many strains of the HPV virus, and HPV-16 and -18 are the strains the profession should be most concerned about. With oral sex on the increase, no realistic preventive message and a stigma attached to sexually transmitted diseases – of which HPV is one – Val warned the profession will be challenged with detecting HPV cases as they increase.

The problem is further complicated by the late presentation of symptoms. Val explained how, if caught at stage one or two, survival rates can be as high as 90 percent. Without that, rates are much lower. Delays in diagnosis cost lives, and she urged people to get involved with campaigns such as Mouth Cancer Action Month. Educating and screening patients on the risk factors is a key job, with any potential signs and symptoms reported and acted upon immediately.