Statements: diagnostics and therapy in dental medicine today and in the future

  • J-F. Roulet &
  • H. Kappert
UK: Quintessence price £116.00; pp 272 ISBN 9783938947296 | ISBN: 978-3-9389-4729-6

Published by Quintessence, this is the first edition of this title, the principal aim of which is to present an overview of current 'state of the art' dentistry. As stated in the preface, the volume is essentially a summary of the content of the Ivoclar Vivadent Scientific Congress of 2008; thus, it draws from a broad range of experts in the field and provides an up-to-date account of the topics covered.

The book is divided into three main sections, laid out over 17 chapters and 245 pages. The first section, which comprises the main bulk of the text, is concerned with the diagnostics and therapeutics in dentistry, covering a wide array of topics from preventive and simple aesthetic dentistry to implant dentistry and orthodontics. The second section provides an account of current technologies, whilst the third and final section aims to give an insight into the future of dentistry.

One of the useful features of the book is that each chapter addresses a particular clinical situation in the form of a question or, as the title suggests, a 'statement' which is then addressed by giving a summary of contemporary dental literature; with a welcome emphasis on evidence-based dentistry. Furthermore, clinical cases are also incorporated, with a multitude of high-quality photographs and radiographs, in addition to reader-friendly figures and tables.

Whilst the roster of contributors is impressive and serves to expand the premise of the book, it occasionally hinders the flow of the text, which may have benefited from further editorial input. Additionally, only one of the contributors to the text is from a British dental school; thus the reader is advised that the terms and clinical guidelines outlined may not necessarily be those adopted in the UK.

It would be difficult to pigeonhole this book in terms of its target audience, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. It is, of course, of direct relevance to established practitioners in general dental practice. However, it can also be useful for more senior dental students and young practitioners preparing for MJDF or those involved in dental research by virtue of its incorporation of the fundamentals of dental science, in addition to the clinical cases and the strong emphasis on current research.

In summary, this is a well-presented book that brings together a range of pertinent topics for the dental practitioner with the aim of presenting an up-to-date overview of the current state of clinical dentistry and the exciting challenges that lay ahead in the future. I would recommend it as an addition to the general practitioner's library; but it can also be of use for those in specialist clinical or research training.