News

A very Happy New Year to everyone! 2020 is going to be Amazing!

Re: Oral health care provision in residential special educational settings – launch of dental project The NHS Long Term Plan commits to improving the health care of children, young people and adults with a learning disability, autism or both. The Office of Chief Dental Officer, England, in collaboration with the NHS England and NHS Improvement Learning Disability & Autism programme, has embarked upon a 5-year project (2019-2024) with the intention of delivering upon this commitment. This oral health project forms part of a wider initiative, which includes audiology and optometry, aiming to improve provision of and access to health care for children and young people in residential special schools and colleges.

BSP President, Professor Nikos Donos, wishes everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year and is looking forward to the exciting year ahead.

The BSP office will close for the Christmas holiday on Friday 20th December and will re-open on Monday 6th January 2020. May we take this opportunity to wish all our members a happy holiday and best wishes for 2020!

Dear Members We are approaching the end of another year and I am about to formally hand over BSP Presidency to Nikos Donos. However, before any Seasonal Greetings, I need to express my deep sadness related to recent events.

Christmas is a time for reflection and relaxation, taking stock and planning positively for the future. It is also about loving and caring for others, and reflects our professionalism, as clinicians, to do our best for our patients and each other (even if it is at a cost to ourselves). Please think of this when you plan your professional and personal lives for 2020, and consider the best ways that you can help others, as ultimately this rewards everyone.

As a charity, we rely on funding from organisations to enable us to succeed in our aim to advance all aspects of periodontology and dental implantology and promote the importance of gum health to dental and medical professionals, undergraduate students, patients and the public.

A top-level scientific meeting, organised by the European Federation of Periodontology, was attended by more than 90 leading periodontal scientists, dental experts, and guideline-development specialists from around the world. Held in Brussels, on the 26 November 2019, the meeting is being hailed as a major step forward towards an evidence-based, more effective approach to the treatment of periodontitis stages I, II and III.

As you know, NHS General Dental Practitioners are expected where appropriate to offer patients periodontal treatment through the NHS. Facilities for this can vary by location and over time and, given current flexibility of funding and commissioning, we would advise that you may wish to ensure that you are fully informed on arrangements in your area.