Lockdown restrictions are finally easing and many dental practices have reopened their doors. Did you, like dental therapist Laura Marshall who writes about her experience in this issue, have a sleepless night and do laps of the living room wondering how this could possibly work in light of a pandemic that continues to rage around the world? Laura writes that one of the practices she works at has struggled to gain the necessary PPE for AGPs, so she has temporarily resorted to working as a dental nurse and on reception - while she is glad to reconnect with patients, she looks forward to the COVID-19 risk level falling and being able to return to routine care and her full scope of practice.

Two articles this month consider the psychological effects of the last four months on dental professionals and the need for support and advice. The DDU recently surveyed 224 of its dental members and found that 68% believed that their stress and anxiety levels have increased since the beginning of the pandemic. Dr Farah Elnaqa, a newly qualified dentist and first time contributor to BDJ Team, provides a helpful list of suggestions on how dental professionals can look after themselves and each other.

The recent period of lockdown led another foundation dentist, Dr Iqra Rashid Chawdhary, to provide a refresher guide on the very important topic of clinical governance for dental teams. Iqra writes that using these 'seven pillars' of clinical governance will help the dental team ensure patient and staff safety in order to effectively resume dental services as time goes on. Test your knowledge with a visit to our CPD Hub after reading.

Also this month, we share pertinent content from sister publications BDJ In Practice and Evidence-Based Dentistry; find out about reader panel member Victoria Wilson's Smile Revolution; look at why dental professionals need to be LGBT aware, and how; get back to basics on child protection after lockdown; and Pam Swain tells us how we can change our lives with the Silva Method.

There is no issue of BDJ Team in August but we will be back with a bang in September with a special infection control themed issue. If you would like to contribute to upcoming issues, drop me a line.

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Kate Quinlan

Editor

k.quinlan@nature.com