Looking ahead to the future

Hello from your Honorary Editor, and I hope you are all having a positive start to the New Year, despite the Baltic weather!

I have had a reflective month, having become a father shortly before Christmas. The birth of our little boy initially put our first-born dog daughter’s nose a little out of joint, but I am pleased to say that we’re all getting along brilliantly now.

The process started me thinking about the future that we are creating for the next generation. Will my son have access to the NHS when he’s older? This is something that I have taken for granted in my lifetime. In fact, I have had an extremely rewarding career within NHS dentistry so far, but the profession appears to be in somewhat of a crisis at present. Despite this, there has been a much greater recognition at a national level regarding the important role that periodontal health plays in systemic wellbeing. This gives me hope that there may be light at the end of the tunnel, and I am certain that the field of Periodontology has an exciting future.

I have also inevitably reflected on the work that the Society has been doing around sustainability. Sustainability is complex, but we continue to take steps within the BSP to improve in this area and do our bit. At home, we have been using re-usable nappies, which has been an interesting learning experience. If you are interested in what the Society have been doing, then you can read our sustainability statement on the new dedicated page of the website: https://www.bsperio.org.uk/about-us/sustainability

Finally, a call for help with the next issue of the Periodical. Dental healthcare is a stressful profession at the best of times, and the seemingly never-ending Pandemic has certainly not helped with that. I am all too aware of friends and colleagues having struggles with their mental health. Maybe you have been directly affected, or you have supported a colleague having problems. Well, if you’d be willing to share your experiences, then I would be grateful if you would consider getting in touch with us to contribute an article to the next issue of the Periodical, which will be themed around mental health within our profession. The more we increase awareness of these issues and normalise the discussion of mental health, the greater chance we have of supporting our colleagues. We’d like to hear from all members of the team. If you’re interested, please get in touch: admin@bsperio.org.uk