I was heartened and inspired by the empowering messages in support of women all over social media to mark International Women's Day last month. After last year's global #MeToo movement, it felt like there was greater conviction and unanimity underpinning the day.

Our April issue has several articles reflecting empowerment, both of individuals and groups and of men and women. We have a feature about the admirable CDS-CIC in the East and Central areas of England, a social enterprise directed at children, the marginalised and those with special needs. A community dental service which transitioned out of the NHS, it is effective on many levels and largely because it's employee led. Paula Dynes, a dental nurse who has been promoted to the role of operations manager and also sits on the board, tells her story.

On our news pages you can read about an initiative from Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW). Their Skills Optimiser Self-Evaluation Tool (SOSET), a matrix document to promote optimum use of dental care professionals reflects the innovative approach being taken in Wales. This is definitely designed to be empowering of DCPs at the same time as freeing dentists to undertake more challenging treatments.

And then we have dentistry's own #MeToo movement - the response to an article examining whether hygienists should work with a dental nurse. This is a hot issue in the dental profession, not least because the advice is so confusing. BDJ Team received two unsolicited articles from hygienists who felt very strongly that they should be assisted by a dental nurse. Catherine Edney, one of the two hygienist authors, has just been assigned a dental nurse, I am delighted to say.

This issue brings the last in a series of three articles on research in dentistry, this one by and about Katy d'Apice who is also on the front cover. She works in Sheffield which has led on the concept of child-centred research.

BSPD's Dental Check by One campaign is fundamental to bringing down the number of small children having general anaesthetics for the extraction of teeth. In this issue, we include an article by Claire Stevens which shows how to carry out an examination on a small child.

Once again, Emma Hammett of First Aid for Life has written an excellent article on opening airways in the event of an emergency in the dental practice. And Nicola Sherlock has provided a very insightful piece about patients who fail to attend their appointment - the 'DNAers'. I am delighted to feature an interview with the new CEO of the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses(NEBDN) and to include a feature about the inspirational Clare Wall.

Finally, if any readers are interested in carrying out research and getting it published, do please make contact. We would be delighted to advise on writing an article. From audit to randomised controlled trial, we may well want to share news of your work. Email me at: bdjteam@nature.com.

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Caroline Holland, Editor

caroline.holland@nature.com