Prevention and Treatment of Periodontal Diseases in Primary Care
Background
The second edition of the Prevention and Treatment of Periodontal Diseases in Primary Care guidance was published in February 2024, following a full review of the 2014 first edition. The recommendations in the first edition of the guidance have been updated in line with current evidence and several new recommendations have been included. Information on classification and treatment has been brought together in one resource, with further advice on practical implementation of the recommendations in primary care dental practice. The updated guidance aims to assist and support the dental team to:
- identify and manage patients at risk of and with periodontal diseases in primary care;
- improve the understanding of periodontal diagnoses based on the 2018 Classification of Periodontal Diseases;
- improve the quality of decision making in treatment planning;
- improve the overall oral health of the population.
To support the development and implementation of the updated guidance, studies focused on stakeholder engagement were conducted.
Diagnostic Analysis
Consultation
During the consultation phase of the guidance development process, a draft of the guidance was shared with practitioners. To support the development and future implementation of the guidance, interviews were conducted with a small group of dental practitioners to gather feedback on the draft, and to explore their perspectives on oral hygiene instruction and risk assessment for periodontal diseases.
A paper presenting the results of these interviews is currently being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A summary report will be made available here in due course.
Post-publication questionnaire
A post-publication questionnaire will be sent to dental practitioners approximately six months following publication of the guidance to support its implementation and to identify any areas where interventions may be required.
Public and Patient Involvement
To accompany the updated guidance, patient information leaflets about gum disease were produced. To inform the development of the leaflets and get feedback on their content and layout, a focus group was conducted with members of the Dundee Dental Hospital & Research School’s Dental Public and Patient Involvement group. A summary report of this work is available here. The leaflets are available on the SDCEP website.