Sir, I would like to thank all my colleagues who have worked so diligently to up-skill and kindly help guide others through the current COVID-19 pandemic. Until six months ago, like many colleagues, I had little knowledge of this new respiratory virus and its impact on the dental profession.

Thanks to this new novel virus, we now have a growing number of colleagues within dentistry who understand much more about respiratory viruses than I ever seem to remember learning at dental school or during my postgraduate studies. If we add to this the long list of acronyms with SOPs, AGPs, Non-AGPs, FFPs, written and re-written SOPs, the latest technology to help us filter air - I would even go so far as saying we have created a new speciality within dentistry which I believe should be named as the 'Covidentologists.'

Of course there have been many examples of exemplary leadership within our profession, where clinicians have rolled up their sleeves and got on with delivering dentistry or redeployment duties during difficult circumstances for us all. Our country and profession will continue to face unprecedented challenges over the coming months.

With many predicting permanent changes for the future delivery of healthcare, one thing remains clear, the consequences of COVID-19 are far from over for dentistry. I'm sure many of the 'Covidentologists' will have a long career ahead of them guiding the many clinicians (such as myself) through the troubles and difficulties we face. I just wish I'd paid more attention during all those lectures on respiratory viruses.