Employment issues are covered in depth in the October issue. It’s interesting to note that the law protects part-time workers from sex discrimination which affects many readers.

One of our key features in this edition is a digest of the latest recommendations on infant feeding taken from the Specialist Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). Thank you to hygienist Juliette Reeves for this in depth item which attracts one hour of CPD. Head over to the CPD hub after reading the infant feeding article to answer the questionnaire and get your verifiable CPD.

This issue covers everything from xerostomia to the 70th anniversary of the NHS. There is also an article about Great Ormond Street Hospital, which has recently introduced a Mini Mouthcare Matters programme, and a story about a practice manager, Ingrid Perry, who went from dental phobic to receiving an MBE for services to dentistry!  

Our article on xerostomia - Do you have a drinking problem? -  attracts one hour of CPD. Don't forget to visit the CPD hub after reading it. 

This issue looks at one of the most vexed issues for the dental profession - namely oral piercings and how we communicate to patients the risk of complications. Not surprisingly, the findings highlight a lack of confidence in addressing the issue. A feature article on Scope of Practice in this issue reveals that 99% of dental nurses are women. Meanwhile, a separate piece explores dual training for dental nurses in primary and secondary care settings. This interesting experiment worked well and could predict how dental nurse training may progress in the future.

A Guide to Oral Piercings attracts one hour of CPD. Don't forget to visit the CPD hub after reading it.

If a patient’s blood splashes into your eye when you are assisting in their dental treatment, what are the risks and what steps should you take? In what circumstances can a dental professional with HIV status continue practising? Does your practice have a written policy for managing sharps? Extend and refresh your knowledge on blood borne viruses with this issue’s exclusive article presenting the key facts for primary care dental teams, with one hour of CPD.

Based on 39 years of clinical experience in administering infiltrations and interpapilliaries, 15 years of administering IDBs as well as 16 years supervising students and delivering refresher courses, Christine Macleavy has come up with her top tips for giving a painless, successful injection in this issue of BDJ Team, whether an infiltration or an IDB.

We also share the BSPD's advice for parents of child patients on infant feeding and weaning for optimal oral health; and look at job satisfaction among orthodontic therapists. 

This March we turn our attention to managing dental patients experiencing a fit or seizure in the dental practice. This article attracts one hour of verifiable CPD, so don’t forget to visit the CPD Hub after reading it. 

In an original piece of research conducted by authors at King’s College, Dr Oluwatunmise Awojobi and colleagues investigate stakeholder views on an innovative pilot: training dental nurses in primary and secondary care concurrently. What can future training schemes learn from this pilot?

What role do dental care professionals (DCPs) play in delivering conscious sedation to patients? How can Sjögren’s syndrome be identified in a patient and managed in the dental setting? Would you sign up for a new degree course in your 40s? This issue of BDJ Team looks at all of these topics and more.

This month we interview two inspiring dental professionals about their career journeys; look at what training your dental team needs in safeguarding children and adults; focus on dealing with patients who suffer from asthma (with one free hour of verifiable CPD); find out how dental practices can facilitate access for the gypsy traveller community; and look at oral manifestations of systemic disease. Happy New Year!