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The Dahl Concept describes the re-establishment of occlusal contacts after the provision of a planned localised appliance or restoration in supraocclusion. Initially developed to create space for prosthetic rehabilitation of anterior teeth suffering from localised wear, the principle has later been successfully applied to a variety of situations, including the Hall technique and resin-bonded bridges cemented in supraocclusion. Despite high levels of success seen in the relevant literature and widespread adoption in specialist care, the wider profession appears to be far more cautious in its use. This article aims to provide a brief summary of the Dahl Concept and discuss the local and general factors that influence its successful implementation in the hope of promoting its increased adoption by the broader dental profession., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the British Dental Association.)

This is the second part of this two-part series. The first paper discussed key aspects of case selection, planning and design of resin-bonded bridges (RBBs). This paper outlines the important clinical stages involved in the successful provision of RBBs, including communication with the dental laboratory, clinical protocols and management of the de-bonded RBB. Clinical relevance: This paper aims to provide the general dental practitioner with a practical guide to the successful provision of RBBs, highlighting common barriers to successful treatment and how these may be overcome.

Resin-bonded bridges (RBBs) have an important role to play in the minimally invasive prosthodontic replacement of missing teeth. This treatment modality is perceived to have a high clinical failure rate by some practitioners, which may be associated with poorly planned and executed designs and adhesive techniques. This paper, the first part of a two-part series, discusses the important planning stages in the successful provision of RBBs, including assessment, appropriate abutment selection and design considerations. The second part of this series will focus on the clinical stages of RBB provision. Clinical relevance: This paper aims to provide the general dental practitioner with a guide to appropriate case selection and an overview of the planning stages involved for the provision of RBBs.

Patients with physical disabilities precluding functional use of their limbs can benefit enormously from the expertise of the dental profession. The dental clinician is able to not only meet the routine oral health needs of these patients, but possesses the unique skills and knowledge to provide specialised oral prosthetic appliances which can facilitate a range of independent activities. Mouth sticks, as they are commonly known, are dental prostheses that are held intra-orally by the patient and manipulated to perform numerous actions such as drawing, writing and painting. They have been well documented within dental and occupational therapy literature and reports of their fabrication date back over 150 years, albeit in a very rudimentary form. The enduring value of mouth sticks to the physically disabled population is that they can provide a degree of self-reliance which would otherwise not be afforded to them. This article discusses the evolution of mouth sticks, principles of mouth stick design, patient selection criteria and treatment planning considerations. We present two recent clinical cases where mouth sticks have been indicated and have been indispensable to the user, detailing the clinical and laboratory stages involved.

Dentistry in the United Kingdom demands a wide range of supportive and regulative bodies, the roles of which are intertwined, overlapping and changeable. The interaction between these bodies is not always clear, and often the present-day role of the body is far removed from its original purpose. Consequently, the system can appear daunting and opaque. Even so, a thorough understanding of this topic is requisite for those considering applying for higher specialist training, and pertinent for practitioners with an interest in the dental political arena. We hope this paper goes some way towards unravelling the tangle of boards, committees, associations, societies and councils that commonly influence dentistry, and provides a starting point for those interested in increasing their knowledge of the profession at the strategic level.

Unlabelled: Crown-lengthening surgery (CLS) consists of recontouring and repositioning the gingival margin as well as the alveolar crest. This technique results in the increase of the clinical crown height of teeth, which can consequently be advantageous in terms of improving retention and resistance, as well as aesthetics.The aim of this article is to demonstrate the uses of the diagnostic wax set-up and the subsequent production of surgical stents and templates to provide the patient with an initial intra-oral diagnostic mock-up for the process of obtaining consent, as well as acting as a useful guide for gingival and osseous recontouring in order to achieve a predictable, healthy and stable dento-gingival complex with pleasing aesthetics., Clinical Relevance: The use of a well made diagnostic wax-up can provide valuable information to the dentist, laboratory, and patient which can be otherwise difficult to communicate.

Dentists may apply to medical school with a view to ultimately specialising in oral and maxillofacial surgery or oral medicine. While there is much information on applying to medical school, very little is specific to the dental graduate. This paper discusses the contemporary admissions process including the application form, admissions tests, and interview.

Unlabelled: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) of the National Health Service (NHS) produces guidance for the health sector on a range of issues. Specific guidance on dental subjects has been issued in relation to third molar removal, dental recall interval and HealOzone therapy. In addition, there are examples of more generic guidance which may also be relevant to dental practice. This paper discusses the background and functions of NICE and summarizes the guidance of relevance to the dental team., Clinical Relevance: NICE guidance provides an authoritative summary of the current state of knowledge on certain clinical issues and gives guidance for healthcare workers. The authors discuss how this guidance should impact upon clinical practice.

This case report highlights the importance of careful clinical and radiographic examination to identify developmental abnormalities before commencing orthodontic treatment.