Dentistry on a Precipice

About this episode

The episode discusses the future of dentistry and its role in public health versus cosmetic practices.

In the final episode of Series 2 of Oral Health Matters, host Richard Watt, Professor of Dental Public Health at University College London, explores whether the dental profession is currently standing on a precipice. He asks a fundamental question regarding the future of oral health care: is the profession destined to remain an integral part of the social contract and general health, or has it already tipped into being a primarily cosmetic endeavour left to the whims of the private sector? This conversation investigates the shifting landscape of global dentistry, analysing the move away from traditional primary health care models towards high-tech, commercially driven environments. As "dental spas" and social media influencers promote unrealistic aesthetic standards, our guests discuss the risks of iatrogenesis (harm caused by treatment) and the increasing marginalisation of vulnerable populations who lack access to affordable dental care. The episode concludes by examining how professional ethics, public health policy, and civil society can work together to pull the profession back from the edge and reclaim oral health as a basic human right. Our Guests: Denise Faulks…

People in this episode

Host: Richard Watt

Guests: Denise Faulks, Rob Whitten

Topics covered

• future of oral health care
• cosmetic dentistry
• public health policy
• access to dental care
• iatrogenesis
• professional ethics
• social contract

Keywords

• oral health
• dentistry
• public health
• cosmetic dentistry
• iatrogenesis
• access to care
• dental ethics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University College London, Centre for Clinical Dental Research, University of Clermont Auvergne, Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise, Peninsula Dental School