Praveen Sharma introduces an important joint session at the Oral Health Summit 2025, designed to highlight how advances in periodontal research are informing and enhancing clinical practice.

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This November, the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry (BSP) and the Periodontal Research Group (PRG) of the British Society for Oral and Dental Research (BSODR) will come together to deliver a joint session at the Oral Health Summit 2025 in Edinburgh. This collaboration, taking place on Thursday 27 November at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, promises to be a highlight of the meeting, bringing research and practice into sharper focus for the wider dental community.

The theme of the session, ‘Bridging Research and Practice: Innovations in Periodontology', reflects a growing priority in our profession: ensuring that cutting-edge research not only advances scientific knowledge but also transforms patient care in meaningful, everyday ways. With a programme carefully curated for both clinicians and researchers, this session aims to inspire delegates with a vision of what periodontology looks like now, how far it has come and where it is heading.

The importance of research in periodontal practice

Periodontology is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. Advances in systemic understanding, diagnostics, and novel therapies are reshaping how we prevent, diagnose, and manage periodontal disease. Yet, a challenge persists: how do we ensure that the latest research makes its way from the laboratory and clinical trials into daily practice?

The joint BSP-PRG session is designed to answer precisely this question. By showcasing the work of world-leading researchers and clinicians, the programme will explore the continuum from research innovation to clinical implementation. The focus is not solely on science for its own sake, but on the ways in which it informs, underpins and improves the care provided by dentists, hygienists, therapists and specialists.

An outstanding line-up of speakers

We are delighted to feature four internationally respected experts, each addressing a unique aspect of periodontology that combines robust research with immediate clinical relevance:

  • Dr Jeanie Suvan (University of Glasgow) will explore ‘The Silent Engine of Progress: How Research Shapes Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy and Patient Care'. Dr Suvan has been at the forefront of periodontal research for many years and her talk will highlight how incremental advances in research have transformed nonsurgical therapy into the highly effective, evidence-based practice it is today

  • Professor Owen Addison (King's College London) will speak on ‘Can Material Choices Affect Implant Outcomes?' Drawing on his internationally recognised expertise in biomaterials and oral rehabilitation, Professor Addison will discuss how decisions about materials within implant workflows can influence long-term success and patient outcomes

  • Professor Nick Jakubovics (Newcastle University) will present ‘Breaking the Biofilm Matrix - A Novel Enzyme for Dental Plaque Control'. Biofilm management remains a cornerstone of periodontal care, and Professor Jakubovics' work at the intersection of microbiology and clinical practice offers exciting new avenues for tackling plaque in ways that support both clinicians and patients

  • Professor Robert Hill (Queen Mary University London) will close the programme with ‘The Journey Towards a New Bioactive Glass Toothpaste for Treating Dentine Hypersensitivity'. As co-founder of BioMin Technologies, Professor Hill will share the translational research journey that has brought bioactive glass technology from the laboratory to commercially available products, underlining the importance of innovation in improving patient care.

    For delegates, whether experienced clinicians, early-career researchers, or members of the wider oral healthcare team, this is an opportunity to see research as the engine of practical progress.

Why this session matters

The strength of this programme lies in its balance: each speaker brings scientific rigour and clinical application to the table. Collectively, the talks will:

  • Highlight how research drives improvements in established therapies

  • Illustrate the role of materials science and microbiology in shaping next-generation treatments

  • Provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at how research becomes routine practice.

For delegates, whether experienced clinicians, early-career researchers, or members of the wider oral healthcare team, this is an opportunity to see research not as an abstract concept, but as the engine of practical progress. Attendees will leave with new knowledge they can apply to their practice, as well as a richer understanding of the scientific processes that underpin clinical care.

Accessibility and value

Another important element of this joint session is accessibility. The ticket price of £49 has been set deliberately to ensure that as many members of the dental community as possible can attend. This represents a remarkable opportunity to hear from world-class experts at a major national conference, at a fraction of the cost often associated with similar events.

By keeping the session affordable and scheduling it within the broader Oral Health Summit, the BSP and PRG are making a clear statement: advancing periodontal research and practice is a collective endeavour, and it should be open to the whole profession.

Looking ahead: the Oral Health Summit

The Oral Health Summit 2025 itself represents a significant moment for UK dentistry. Under the leadership of BSP President Professor Nicola West and BSDHT President Rhiannon Jones, the Summit will bring together societies, clinicians, researchers, and educators in a way that reflects the true interdisciplinarity of modern dental care. The inclusion of a dedicated BSP-PRG session demonstrates the centrality of periodontal research to oral health, while also highlighting the value of collaboration between societies with overlapping but distinct missions.

For the PRG, this session is also a chance to reinforce its role within the BSP and BSODR as a hub for periodontal research in the UK. By working with the BSP to deliver content that resonates with clinicians as well as researchers, the PRG continues its mission to connect discovery with impact, and to ensure that research findings ultimately benefit patients.

Connecting research and real-world impact

The BSP-PRG joint session at the Oral Health Summit 2025 is more than just a set of lectures: it is a demonstration of how research and practice can, and do, inform each other.

As the strapline for the session suggests, this is truly ‘Everything you wanted to know about how we got to where we are and where we're going next - but didn't know who to ask'.

We look forward to welcoming you in Edinburgh this November.

Dr Praveen Sharma, Chair of the Periodontal Research Group of the British Society for Oral and Dental Research on behalf of the Management Committee below:

Dr Richard Holliday (Newcastle) - Secretary

Dr Jumoke Adeyemi (Liverpool) and Dr Josefine Hirschfeld (Birmingham) - Councillors

Dr Vanaja Naik (Leeds) - Early Career Researcher (ECR) Representative.