Six-month dental check-ups not necessary for healthy adults

A Dundee team, led by the School of Dentistry’s Patrick Fee, in collaboration with the University of Manchester and Cochrane Oral Health, have conducted a systematic review to identify the best time interval between dental check-ups for maintaining good oral health.

There is a long-standing international debate about the optimal frequency of dental check-ups. Traditionally, dentists recommend their patients visit for a check-up twice per year, even though the risk of developing dental disease is different for each individual.

A personalised risk-based recall interval between check-ups (where time between check-ups depends on an individual's risk of developing dental disease), varying between three and 24 months, has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence since 2004. Despite this, most practices continue to encourage adults to schedule appointments at regular intervals of six months.