Oral health promotion: general dental practice

Recommendation ID: NG30/1
Question: Oral health promotion advice:- For groups at high risk of poor oral health, how effective and cost effective is it to extend an existing appointment by a few minutes, or to offer separate sessions on oral health advice?
Any explanatory notes (if applicable): Why this is important:- Many general dental practices already give some advice about self-care during a patient's dental check-up or treatment. The economic modelling suggested it might be cost effective to spend some additional time offering advice to children at high risk of poor oral health. However, there was insufficient evidence of effectiveness to reach a definitive conclusion.
Controlled studies measuring clinical outcomes are needed with children and adults at high risk of poor oral health. Studies should test out the effectiveness of separate sessions of varying length, intensity and duration and compare the results with the delivery of oral health advice during existing appointments.

Source guidance details

Is this a recommendation for the use of a technology only in the context of research?	No
Is it a recommendation that suggests collection of data or the establishment of a register?	No
Last Reviewed	31/12/2015