Book Review

  • Barry Berkovitz,
  • G. Holland &
  • Bernard Moxham
Elsevier; 2017 price £64.99 pp. 472 ISBN 9780723438120 | ISBN: 978-0-7234-3812-0

The fifth edition of this classic textbook Oral anatomy, histology and embryology presents readers with an in-depth understanding of the essential subject matter relevant to dental practice. This latest edition equips both dental undergraduates and postgraduates with the most recent research, in a common atlas-style format. This book is especially useful for those preparing for MJDF, MFDS or ORE examinations.

Structural updates to the edition include 'Learning objectives' to help students focus in on critical areas, 'Overviews' at the start of chapters to help place content into broader context, updated artwork, enlargement and standardisation of tooth and pulp morphology photographs.

Chapters have also been reworked to cover functional and radiological anatomy, enamel, alveolar bone, the salivary glands, the temporomandibular joint, amelogenesis and dentinogenesis. The book is formatted like other Elsevier textbooks such as the renowned Scully's handbook of medical problems in dentistry. There are 27 logically sequenced chapters. It begins with the appearance of the oral cavity (chapter 1), then giving overviews of different area anatomy of the head and neck. Useful in these sections is the 'Clinical considerations' which bring to life the practical applications of the detailed anatomy that general practitioners will appreciate.

The middle part of the book sheds more light on structures of the oral cavity such as enamel, dental pulp and salivary glands. The final part of the book deals with developmental processes of the face, jaw, early tooth development and other areas of significance. The final chapter may act as a bonus for some readers, giving insights into the ageing of dental tissue, dental archaeology and anthropological applications of tooth structure.

The authors must be congratulated for making the difficult topic of head and neck embryology easier to understand for dental students using clear diagrams, photographs and explanations. The clarity of this book will attract students to become deep learners of the subject matter, able to take this knowledge beyond exams to improve their clinical practice and/or their academic rigour.

Overall, this excellent, yet hefty textbook, big enough to sit on some dental coffee tables, provides a wealth of information to curious students. In many respects, it offers critical 'core knowledge' every dental practitioner should be aware of. Although its size does not allow it to be carried at leisure, it comes with an online programme to help readers mobilise their learning. The updated version could add patient case studies relevant to the academic knowledge to the 'Clinical considerations' sections.