Making prevention work in practice: A course review

Delivering Better Oral Health An evidence-based toolkit for prevention (Department of Health (DH), 2009) describes what many consider to be the benchmark in terms of preventative interventions for optimal oral care. It offers dental practices effective guidance on the techniques they should be adopting in order to improve not only the oral health of their patients, but also the quality of care those patients receive. The preventative techniques described cover a wide range of areas including tooth-brushing principles, diet advice and the prescription of various fluoride products. It also reinforces the importance of educating patients in the processes and causes of caries development and gingival disease, so as they may take a more informed role in their own oral care.