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All Wales Dental Team Conference: Highlighting the integral link between oral and overall health

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) hosted their annual All Wales Dental Team Conference, last month drawing attention to the vital relationship between oral health and general wellbeing.

The focus was on the importance of not only preventing disease but optimising oral health in general as part of a broader strategy to enhance patient outcomes and holistic care.

Lynne O’Sullivan, Dental Educator, workforce development in HEIW, event organiser commented:

“The conference focused on some of the most pressing issues impacting dental health and public wellbeing in Wales: obesity, sugar consumption, oral health, and the essential role of the dental team in addressing these challenges.

Exposure to the new ideas and success stories we heard in improving oral health, reignited passion and drive within our teams. Spending time with our peers who experience the same challenges will help us to continue to build collaborative solutions to maintain and improve the delivery of patient care.”

The conference convened 125 dental professionals, including dental nurses, hygienists, therapists, dentists, consultants, and representatives of professional bodies. It provided an invaluable platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and professional development, offering attendees the opportunity to step back from daily routines and engage with peers on shared challenges.

The speakers were from a range of healthcare professions which included valuable insights into patient care. This emphasises on the importance of oral health in parallel to overall health and that the mouth should not be treated in isolation to the rest of the body.

Speakers included:

  • Dr James Goolnik BDS MSc,
  • Dr Ruth Fairchild ,Oral and Public Health Nutrition
  • Laura Sherman Early Years Team Lead Dietitian, Cardiff Flying Start
  • Professor Ilona Johnson, Consultant Public Health
  • Tom Whiting, Chief Executive, General Dental Council
  • Kirstie Moons Dental Postgraduate Dean

The event highlighted innovative approaches to oral health, inspiring participants to adopt strategies that integrate dental care into a holistic view of patient health. Special thanks were extended to Jackie Glassar, Course Coordinator, and Kathryn Marshall, Head of Workforce Development at HEIW, for their contributions to the conference’s success.

This year’s conference served as a powerful reminder of the shared mission among dental professionals: to enhance public health by bridging the gap between oral health and overall wellbeing.