The British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN) is delighted to be part of the Oral Health Foundation's Safe Smiles campaign, launched in September at the British Orthodontic Conference in Manchester. The campaign will give advice and support on how to get a great smile in a safe way, and will stress the importance of having dental treatment in dental practices, carried out by registered professionals.

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The Safe Smiles campaign is in response to the growth of direct-to-consumer alternatives and will also address dental tourism, inappropriately fitting mouthguards, harmful aesthetics such as lip tattoos, oral piercings and tooth jewellery, and the dangers these present; and will urge the public to only have treatment carried out by General Dental Council (GDC) registered dental professionals in dental practices in the UK.

The Safe Smiles campaign has been endorsed by the leading dental professional associations - the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA), the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD), the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) and the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT), as well as by BADN.

BADN President Jacqui Elsden said 'We shall be working closely with the Oral Health Foundation to encourage dental nurses to become involved with the campaign - information on how to do this will be on our website www.badn.org.uk'.