About the Course

As Generation Z embarks on their journey into adulthood, there’s one crucial aspect of their health that can sometimes be overlooked: their gums. With the rise of sugary diets, and increased stress and anxiety levels, teenagers and young adults are increasingly susceptible to gum disease and other oral problems. This is the topic of Gum Health Day 2024, an annual, global public health campaign led by the EFP (European Federation of Periodontology).

Launched 10 years ago, Gum Health Day aims to inform the general public about the detrimental effects of gum diseases (gingivitis, periodontitis, peri-implant mucositis, and peri-implantitis) on both oral and general health, and the advantages of keeping their gums healthy from a young age.

“We felt that we needed to target Gum Health Day 2024 at young people, as they are not necessarily aware of the role played by their gum health in their overall health, so they may feel less concerned about them,” explains Dr. Mia Rakic, Gum Health Day 2024 coordinator.

Gum diseases are associated with major systemic health issues including diabetes, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, erectile dysfunction, certain forms of cancer, and other systemic diseases. By taking care of our gums, we all can easily start preventing those problems right away – as a healthy smile can pave the way to a healthier lifestyle and save money in the future.

According to a recent white paper published by the Economist Impact called “Time to put your money where your mouth is: addressing inequalities in oral health”, oral diseases impact nearly half the world’s population, surpassing the burden of most common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as mental disorders, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases.

“This is how we can help Generation Z to recognise the pivotal role their gums play in self-esteem and overall wellbeing. Our campaign aims to inspire young people to lead a positive change in how society views gum health, emphasising its importance beyond oral hygiene, and shed light on the work of periodontists,” Dr. Rakic highlights.

Gum Health Day 2024

The Gum Health Day slogan this year, “Gums rock! Keep them safe!” is intended to have an educational approach, emphasising the crucial link between knowledge and prevention of periodontal diseases.

In the UK, the British Society of Periodontology & Implant Dentistry (BSP) will be working hard to raise awareness of Gum Health Day on the lead up to 12th May. BSP President, Professor Philip Preshaw explains, “As a Society, we strive to raise awareness of the importance of gum health to the public, patients, dental and medical professionals. Each year, we support Gum Health Day and we will be encouraging our members and dental practices to promote this important campaign in their waiting rooms to their patients.

In addition, BSP is working with undergraduate students in UK Dental and Hygiene Therapy Schools to promote the importance of good oral health by distributing patient information leaflets in busy public places. There are several public events planned to take place in May. We will be sharing images from Gum Health Day events on our social media pages.”

For more information about this campaign and to view our patient resources, please visit our website: https://www.bsperio.org.uk/patients/gum-health-day-2024

About the Course

When Sara Hurley vacated the role of Chief Dental Officer (CDO) for England in June last year, Jason Wong MBE – deputy CDO at the time – stepped up to fill the void at Interim CDO until a new permanent replacement was named by NHS England and the department of health and social care.

On Monday 22nd April, Jason Wong has been named as Sara Hurley’s permanent replacement, now officially listed as  is the Chief Dental Officer for England on the NHS England website.

Jason was awarded his MBE for services to dentistry and oral health in 2020, the same year he became Deputy CDO. He previously chaired local dental networks throughout the Midlands and the East of England, and had served as secretary of the Lincolnshire Local Dental committee for 16 years.

According to NHS England, Jason’s new role as Chief Dental Officer ‘sees him working in collaboration with local and regional teams to deliver improved outcomes for patients, while also championing the role of dentists and dentistry within the health system.

‘The Office of the Chief Dental Officer England represents the head of the dental profession in England, providing system wide professional and clinical leadership, by setting the strategic vision for England’s oral health.’

About the Course

The MPS Foundation has partnered with FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) on a project aimed to raise awareness of the importance of managing mental health and develop further resources for oral health professionals.

Dental Protection is a part of Medical Protection Society (MPS), which launched the MPS Foundation in 2022. It is a global not-for-profit research initiative that invests in research into patient safety and the wellbeing of healthcare professionals and teams. Now in its third year, it has already supported over 30 projects from across the world.

The FDI project – which is in its second phase – will run until December 2025. The project activities will revolve around the World Mental Health Day in October to raise awareness of and destigmatise mental health issues in dentistry. It will focus on dental professionals and students, promoting and extending the resources and tools created in the first phase of the project.

The successful first phase resulted in the production of an online mental health toolkit for dental professionals, dental practices and national dental associations, as well as resources like podcasts to address challenges faced by individuals and practices.

In the second phase, the project aims to:

• Raise awareness of the importance of addressing mental health issues and wellbeing for dental practitioners and dental students, including the impact of patient dental phobia on practitioner mental health.
• Challenge stigma by normalising the discussion of mental health issues around dentistry.
• Develop resources and training materials for dental team members and dental students to address specific challenges.
• Develop resources for patients, to prevent and manage dental anxiety and fear of visits to the dentist.

Dr Graham Stokes, dentist and MPS Foundation chair, said: “We are pleased to partner with FDI on this important project to support dental professionals with mental wellbeing. The project sits well with the Foundation’s and Dental Protection’s objectives, and we look forward to seeing the insights that will arise from it.

“Our research has shown that increasingly more dental professionals deal with stress, worry and anxiety, which can result in serious mental health issues. These situations can also affect the quality of care provided and negatively impact on patients’ wellbeing.

“All stakeholders in the dental profession have a responsibility to promote mental health and wellbeing for dental professionals and dental students who are exposed to high levels of stress and burnout.

“Dental Protection members facing mental wellbeing concerns can continue to make use of our 24/7 counselling service and other wellbeing support available as a benefit of membership. The service is provided through a third-party partner and is completely confidential.”

Dr Greg Chadwick, FDI President added: “The support from the MPS Foundation is critical to FDI advancing its vital work in preserving the mental health and wellbeing of our current and future dental professionals, to ensure the highest standard of self-care and patient care.”

The MPS Foundation is now inviting applications for its 2024 grant programme. Applicants can register their interest and apply by visiting www.thempsfoundation.org and entering their details via the online grant portal. Calls for expressions of interest close on 3 May 2024.