A note from our President…

It has been a busy month at BSP. We held our first Council meeting of the year earlier this month. It was exciting to see projects nearing completion and listen to new initiatives being planned and discussed. We certainly had a very productive day and I must thank my fellow Council members for their continued hard work and dedication.

The Education & Events Team has been hard at work planning webinars and courses. There are a number of interesting webinars coming up in the next few months which I shall certainly be listening to and I’d encourage you all to join in. In addition, the ECG Masterclass: Peri-Implantitis - Diagnosis and Treatment Modalities, in June, promises to be a great opportunity to undertake a hands-on workshop with Professor Donos and improve your knowledge and understanding of Peri-Implant Diseases including epidemiological risk factors, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic management and long-term maintenance.  

I was delighted to be invited to attend the EFP General Assembly meeting in Vienna last week with our EFP Representative, Professor Francesco D’Aiuto. Professors Iain Chapple, Francis Hughes and Nicola West were also present, providing the invaluable service they have given, and continue to give to the Federation. The General Assembly provided a great insight into the work of the EFP and the contributions made by all of the National Societies. It was wonderful to review everything they have achieved over the last twelve months and learn about their strategic aims for the coming years.

The EFP also released information about this year’s Gum Health Day event on 12th May. The campaign will focus on interventions to prevent or treat gum diseases and the official slogan is "Treat Your Gums". The BSP Team will now be reviewing the resources and planning our activities to mark this important, international day. Full details will be shared very soon and we hope to get our members fully engaged.

If you have not already booked to attend EuroPerio10, I would strongly encourage you to do so. Please also note that there are great opportunities to take part in some of the competitions that the EFP are running, including the Undergraduate Essay Competition for dental students and dental hygiene/therapy students, and the Photo Contest. (Full details provided below)

Finally, I would encourage you to consider applying for a BSP Award. There are several ways to win a large cash prize for research into periodontology and implant dentistry both for undergraduates, postgraduate and qualified dentists, hygienists and therapists. In addition, members also have the chance to win £100 for submitting a clinical case study for publishing on the BSP website. As the saying goes, “You’ve got to be in it to win it!”

Have a great month everyone!