Sir, the recent guidance from government in all administrations, to suspend routine dental care until the emergency measures can be lifted, has the potential to have a seriously detrimental effect on many dentists just starting out in their careers. I have no doubt that this emergency will be overcome, but we should start thinking now about how we may need to support all those junior members of the profession who could end up being permanently disadvantaged by the short-term need to suspend all clinical work, professional meetings and conferences.

We must consider how we can help dentists in all training grades, to ensure that they can gain all the necessary clinical and other experience, that they will lose because of the emergency, where they are in fixed term posts. This will include foundation dentists and those in core training posts. I know this has already started for dentists in specialist training, where consideration of additional time for training is being considered.

For those of our young colleagues who aspire to specialist training and have now lost the opportunity to present at regional, national, international meetings and at conferences, how can they be helped to build their portfolios so they can compete effectively for specialist training posts in the future? Should conference organisers who have had to cancel events, formally acknowledge all submissions they receive, have them as citations in a virtual programme and be willing to run virtual poster competitions?

I am writing as a consultant rapidly approaching the twilight of my career and feel that my generation need to make sure that we work to support, help and are understanding of the concerns, distress and unfairness of the current emergency on this COVID-19 generation. The profession will need them to be the leaders in the 2060s.