British Society of Periodontology celebrates 60 years

This year marks 60 years of the British Society of Periodontology, founded in 1949 to promote the art and science of periodontology.

The Society is marking the occasion with events throughout the UK alongside its regular autumn and spring scientific meetings, but the jewel in the crown of the programme is the upcoming spring meeting of the Society to be held on 26-27 April 2010 in Brighton.

The topic the meeting will consider is 20 years of periodontal regeneration, where are we now?

It is just over 20 years since periodontal regeneration techniques became a reality for patients and, over this time, there have been a number of techniques and products for this therapy yet at times results of these procedures can be disappointing.

Recent scientific advances have also identified the possibility of new generations of regenerative therapies with wider application and more predictable outcomes, including the possible use of growth factors, tissue engineering scaffolds, and further down the line of stem cell and even gene therapies.

Renowned experts will gather to discuss the science and practice of this ever relevant and evolving topic, including Pierpaolo Cortellini, Leonardo Trombelli, Chris McCulloch, William Giannobile, Richard Palmer and Dieter Bosshardt.

An innovation for BSP will be a parallel session for the whole dental team, and in particular hygienists, focusing on Practical Periodontal Maintenance delivered by Phil Ower, Jean Suvan and Peter Heasman.

The meeting will be held in the Brighton Dome, a venue very suitable for the Society's diamond jubilee celebrations sponsored by Colgate and P&G.

The iubilee year kicked off when Professor Francis Hughes was inaugurated at the Society's recent Autumn Scientific Meeting held at the prestigious surroundings of the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

He delivered his presidential address entitled Wow. More than 200 delegates took part in the meeting and had a stimulating day on the topic, Plaque on Trial – Does Plaque Really Cause Periodontal Disease?

                         
The BSP is delighted that demand continues for our Roadshows (Southampton, Dundee, Norwich in 2009) aiming to give dentists confidence in periodontal issues relating to Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment.

These meetings are intended to appeal to a wide range of clinicians and CPD is awarded for the scientific sessions.

Full information and booking details can be found on the Society's website www.bsperio.org.uk.