Book review

  • A. Moosajee
price £14.99; pp 112 ISBN 9781928155300 | ISBN: 978-1-9281-5530-0

The smiling dentist is a well written self-help book for patients. It is aimed at bridging the gap in patient knowledge and demystifying the intricacies surrounding common dental ailments, and their management.

Written over 12 chapters, it is informative yet engaging and easy to read. The chapters are typically around five to ten pages long and follow a natural progression. The book eases the reader off initially with an explanation of common issues such as bleeding gums and toothache. It then progresses to explain more complex problems such as bad breath, managing pain and dental anxiety, and even gives an apt discussion of what is possible with cosmetic dentistry and smile design. It is needless to say that the topics are all thoroughly relevant, covering issues affecting most patients at one point or another in their lives.

The book also supplies an online link to the author's website (www.smilingdentist.co.uk) giving the reader access to further resources and bonus material. The tooth rescue poster is a notable example, which provides a straightforward explanation of what to do when a tooth gets knocked out, and is available for patients to print off.

Finally I would like to mention that all profits from the book are being donated to the dental charity, Bridge2Aid. This is a very worthy cause helping to fund a legacy of sustainable dental care in rural Africa, notably by training local clinical officers in basic dentistry and exodontia.