Record BAOS attendance

A record number of surgeons and practitioners came together this year for the British Association of Oral Surgeons (BAOS) Annual Scientific Conference. Edinburgh's Royal College of Surgeons was filled to capacity as 300 delegates travelled from as far afield as Australia to attend the event in September. Launched in 2001, the BAOS exists as an association for clinicians with a special interest in oral surgery, from dental trainees and high street practitioners to those working in hospital and academic posts. This year saw an outstanding number of high quality entries in the poster, open paper and audit competitions. The 2015 event will be held in Manchester in September.

NFORC launch

The National Facial Oral and Oculoplastic Research Centre (NFORC) was officially launched on 25 November 2014. The Centre, dedicated to researching how best to prevent and treat facial and mouth diseases, injuries and disfiguring conditions, is a collaboration between Saving Faces (The Facial Surgery Research Foundation), the British Orthodontic Society (BOS), the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society (BOPSS) and the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS). It has been designated by the Royal College of Surgeons of England as its Head and Neck Clinical Trials Unit. The Centre was launched with a special event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank, featuring a series of dramatic and inspiring talks by patients and internationally renowned surgeons.

Blanket immunisation

The BDA, as a member of the HPV Alliance, is urging the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to consider blanket immunisation against human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is emerging as the leading cause of oropharyngeal cancer, especially among young people, and rates are rising steeply overall. It is linked to 5% of all cancers worldwide, including some that affect only men, yet at the moment only girls aged 12 and 13 are currently offered a vaccine, to reduce their risk of cervical cancer.

Antibiotic guardians

The BDA has called on its members to become Antibiotic Guardians by taking the pledge to cut the use of antibiotics in the battle to combat antimicrobial resistance. Dentists are responsible for about 10% of all antibiotic prescriptions in the UK. http://antibioticguardian.com/

World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day 2015 will be celebrated on 20 March 2015 with a wide range of awareness-raising activities. Download materials and find further information at www.worldoralhealthday.org.