In our second themed issue this year we focus on mental health and wellbeing for dental professionals, including how to use the Mental Health Wellness Framework; stress management; practical tips for wellbeing; developing a growth mindset for the dental team; and managing mental health crises in dental practice.

Welcome to our first themed issue of the year, focused on all things dental hygiene and therapy with a foreword from the President of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSHDT).

BDJ Team launches into autumn with an interview with a locum dental nurse, an article about dental nurses training doctors, mentoring, consent, water fluoridation and top tips for effective use of dental therapists.

We continue our focus on dental professionals with fascinating interests; look at domestic violence, imposter syndrome and infection control now we're 'living with COVID-19'.

Cover star Graeme Elliott combines dentistry with making beautiful things from wood. We explore dental therapists' role further and introduce a new spotlight on content from Evidence-Based Dentistry.

This month we focus on how workplaces can be menopause-friendly; meet a dental nurse who launched a successful training company; experience a day in the life of a lead dental nurse who is also a mother of four; and offer dental radiography CPD.

This month BDJ Team brings you a host of juicy people stories; new summaries of original DCP research; CPD on multiple sclerosis and its impact on dental care; and part 2 of Caroline Holland's exploration of oral care for older people.

We look at initiatives to provide oral care to hospital inpatients and care home residents; look at oral health and dementia; provide a knowledge update on dentures for dental therapists; and place a spotlight on hospital dental nursing.

This month we look at the implications of obesity for oral health and for the dental team; the effects of the end of the NHS contract prototypes; encouraging the use of dental therapists; an introduction to oral surgery; and how could AI be applied to dentistry?

We ponder whether robots could replace DCPs and open a new year of issues with articles on pandemic leadership; Medical Device Regulations; the Mental Capacity Act; and oral health and erectile dysfunction.