For dental hygienists and therapists, remaining abreast of the latest research, constantly updating skills and finding new avenues for career progression are essential for optimal job satisfaction. They are also all important for ensuring the highest possible standard of patient care, with new therapies and technologies frequently reaching the market to support disease prevention and improved patient management in practice.

The British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show (BDCDS) 2023 offered various opportunities for all dental hygienists and therapists to learn and network under one roof. Despite rail strikes, the event still welcomed thousands of delegates through the doors, all eager to utilise the two-days of Enhanced CPD available and the extensive trade exhibition.

The Hygienist & Therapist Symposium was supported by the BSDHT and BADT, and sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, the makers of Listerine. It presented a diverse programme that covered a combination of clinical, business and career development topics to meet everyone’s needs.

Professor Moritz Kebschull explored treatment of patients with periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Reviewing the quality of different types of evidence available, Moritz discussed the new classification system for periodontal disease and considered some of the systemic risk factors involved. He provided a step-by-step guide to periodontal therapy, from examination and assessment of risk factors to control of local and systemic risk factors, subgingival instrumentation, periodontal surgery and supportive periodontal therapy.

Dental hygienist, Ela Sarwar, commented about the session:

“It was interactive and the speaker was very knowledgeable.”

Professor Iain Chapple’s session – “WTF? What is the future: A brave new world driving behaviour change in oral healthcare teams” – was well-received by delegates. This lecture explored the burden of periodontal diseases on the patient and wider society, highlighting lack of progress in prevention in recent times. Though patient education remains crucial, early diagnosis is one of the most important aspects for modern dental teams to get right. Iain considered just how effective each stage of periodontal therapy is, backed by the literature, and suggested there is still some way to go in optimising periodontal management techniques.

Rohinie Maharaj, dental hygienist in attendance, said:

“This was a really informative and relevant session. I liked that it focused on prevention rather than treatment of periodontal disease. The whole show has been really informative this year.”

Another stand out lecture from the Hygienist & Therapist Symposium was Fiona Sandom’s “Practical paeds update”. She pointed out the huge ramifications in later life from poor oral hygiene in childhood, imploring dental therapists to play their important role in supporting these patients. Regular attendance to the practice must be strongly encouraged, and the whole family should be educated. A multi-disciplinary approach may be helpful for those with problems already identified, using the ACORN classification to record an annual assessment. Fiona is passionate about empowering young patients to protect their oral health from an early age and urged delegates to do the same. She also discussed: sepsis and some of its various presentations; caries; assessment of plaque; and the benefits of developing personal care plans for young people.  

Dental therapist Syeda Hassan commented on this session and her experience of the show overall:

“Fiona was thorough and explained everything in much needed detail. The exhibition has been really good and I have done a lot of socialising, meeting different exhibitors to ask questions about things I have always wondered and discovered newer things in dentistry.”

Dental hygienists and therapists also had access to the entire trade exhibition where hundreds of dental manufacturers and suppliers were offering free samples, show-only offers and live demonstrations. From the latest oral hygiene solutions to digital technologies, innovative management programmes and training courses, there was plenty of information available on every aspect of dentistry.

Sarasvati Jarswal, dental therapist, said about the show:

“It has been really good and I’ve enjoyed the event. The CPD sessions are the main reason I attend, which have been amazing. I have also enjoyed seeing the latest tech and latest products. It’s easier to see new things all in one place.”

BDCDS will be back again next year with much of the same high-quality education and networking opportunities. To be sure you won’t miss out, register your interest online and get the dates in your diary for 2024!

The British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show (BDCDS) 2024 will be held on 17^th and 18^th May, at the NEC in Birmingham, co-located with DTS 2024.

To register your interest, please visit birmingham.dentistryshow.co.uk