A Facebook group called 'Deciduous' has been set up by young dentists during the COVID-19 lockdown as a means to establish a community amongst dental students and young dentists.

The group allows members to confide in each other and their experiences and mentor each other through the later stages of dental school and early career stages such as foundation or core training. The group's ethos is to create a welcoming, safe environment to express areas that they require more advice in - or indeed difficulties that they may face in the present or future.

Members range from undergraduate dental students, hygiene/therapy trainees to graduated clinicians and specialists, all engaging in a closely monitored support network designed to give the answers to the questions dentistry might pose. In an unprecedented initiative during the lockdown the administrators organised and delivered mock VIVAs through teleconferencing. This was carried out through their own efforts and time during a period where the majority of people in the world were apprehensive about the effect of COVID-19 on everyday life. The mock VIVAs were delivered to final year dental students across the country and were a resounding success, resulting in over 150 dental students engaging in the process.

The group's goal is to become a hub for dental professionals to seek advice, promote learning and network collectively, making the transition between dental school and the real world simpler. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1432306490280617.