Te Letters to the editor Sey beat io re na Coronavirus Students’ return to clinic Sit the return to clinical dental eduestion that posed many challenges to dental schools and ther associated NHS partners as most clinical teaching facies are open plan with varying degres of separation between individual dental chats. The poses obvi challenges due to the risks of aerosol tenerating procedures (AGP#) in large open plan environments where students staff and patients share space. Useful guidance nae been produced by the Dental Schools Council and the Association of Dental Hospitals in order to manage risks and provide guidance for restoration of clinieal dental education, “We are wilting to share our experiences a Peninsula Dental Socal Enterprise CIC, the NHS cinieal partner to the University of Plymouth, Peninsula Dental Schoo, All of our students returned ss normal at the star of term, We developed a phased return to dinics working toa defined standard operating procedute tating with comprcheasive clinic induction, progressing to clinical simslation and the face to face patient treatment fom 18 September. AGPs ate provided in dedicated ‘ods with minimum ten ar exchanges per hhour and independent climate contol Alongeide this we have optimised auction for igh speed aspiration, introduced the use of speed increasing handpieces for recommended procedures, increased student supervision ratios and provided student-led remote triage for extremely clinically walnerable patients “To endure cateful monitoring of clinical city and to ensure students are supported appropriately we produce a weekly situation report (Step), Between 18 September and 20 November there have been 3.214 student appointments with a gradual rte in activity Set Lordy WG ral 123 cach week. Reasuringly, the numberof failed appointments elighty lee than ‘our normal rate a 7% withthe number of pllents cancelled following COVID-19 ‘riage a 108. Very few students have been sbeent due to COVID-19 or for a COVID- 19-related reason (1.7% of absences). Thee are considerable operational challenges aden to clinical dental ‘education that are shared acrose dental {schools and pariner Trusts, Our response hha been positive in part due toa flexible and relationship between the School and NHS partner which responsive w ‘opetates independently aa social enterprise R.Wlton, €.MeCollC. Tred, Piymouth, UK Reference Dota enon aot Dea 120, le 3 etachodoicl “inerusoninepesoemtgaters ears pa don! N0a03b/t475.02025554 Paediatric dentistry ‘Water bells for hydration Siar belli a concept of making ‘school children drink water at specie Intervals by ringing the school bell thrice ally In India children above three yeare spend moat of thelt day at childcare oat ‘school and the initiative i based on the [UN guidelines that every child should have acces to safe drinking walt, ‘Studies show that children sur from vatious disease and conditions due to low water intake! Waters considered a 3 essential nutien that hasan important role {in overall functioning of the human body, tr intake in children i usualy less than the recommendations Various studies show that drinking adequate amounts of ‘water can improve students level of cognitive UPFRONT = |—— functioning limit excess weight gin and prevent dchyration, urinary tract infection ste Consuming water instead of beverages the cates in children eth added sugars can alto prev occurrence of dent The concept started in government schools in Kerala sate, with belle 371 am, 2pm and 3.30 pm and is now embraced by other ates including Karnataka, Teegana and Orissa, Ara dental surgeon I el the concept has tobe inated in ll schools scrots India so that the oral cavity is cleared of food items and adequately hydrated and ental diseases are prevented, F.. Peedi Kannur Kerala India References 1 Pee noun twats nh ce sting ae ‘alenges andsatepestor meena Pb 2, Foran tenes hag ink bel hk enol endow movers rte pelloraeomasselre ees ae igi antpette 2003 33 842 lato meno a ie 4 being, feb Suan «ante etogen aig es Seen ‘alee ra s/c! N0a038i1 675.070.2556 Not the full story Si in response to J. Stuart Robson te, Duty to exact? wholly agre that clinicians have a duty of are to extent a child tooth when appropriate. Many of us would do However he ha seme ta have missed ‘he complete picture, Creating a positive dental experience for a young child is just as important as dealing with the undesying «ced for extraction, The le thing we want to do ie ereate more dental phobic, particularly ‘when managing the co-operation of young child. Hence, local anaesthesia alone may