Head of School contributes to landmark moment in the improvement of oral health

The International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) recently held a Global Summit in Italy, in collaboration with the Italian Society of Paediatric Dentistry (SIOI).

With the beautiful city of Rome as a backdrop, the summit brought together internationally renowned experts from across the world to discuss caries management in children.

Dental caries, also referred to as tooth decay or cavities, is one of the most common and widespread diseases in today’s society. 500 million children suffer with decay in their baby teeth.

Traditionally, treatment for dental caries has focused upon repairing the consequences of the disease by removing the decay using a ‘drill and fill’ approach, rather than addressing the disease itself.

Emerging research suggests that less invasive methods such as the Hall Technique - which involves placing a metal crown over the decayed tooth to cut off its supply to nutrients and prevent the decay getting worse - are more child friendly, better for the environment, and just as effective at removing the decay as the traditional ‘drill and fill’ approach.

Professor Nicola Innes, Head of the School of Dentistry at Cardiff University, has played a significant role in the development of this research, and was amongst those in attendance:

Professor Innes delivered an insightful talk around ‘Evidence and Effectiveness of Alternative Restorative Care’ during the summit, which was informed by her expertise around improving dental care, in particular minimal intervention dental care, amongst children in marginalised communities.

The event was hailed as a huge success, and a landmark moment in the improvement of oral health, and the future of caries management.