Derek Richards

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Derek Richards is a specialist in dental public health, Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Dentistry and Specialist Advisor to the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) Development Team. A former editor of the Evidence-Based Dentistry Journal and chief blogger for the Dental Elf website until December 2023. Derek has been involved with a wide range of evidence-based initiatives both nationally and internationally since 1994. Derek retired from the NHS in 2019 remaining as a part-time senior lecturer at Dundee Dental School until the end of 2023.

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Tooth loss predictors in periodontal patients

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This review of predictors of tooth loss in patients with periodontitis undergoing treatment and receiving supportive care included 20 studies. Findings suggest older, non‐compliant patients, smokers, diabetics, those with IL‐1‐polymorphism, and teeth with bone loss, high probing pocket depths, mobility, as well as molars, especially with furcation involvement, are at higher risk of tooth loss.

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Anti-plaque agents in toothpaste: Are they helpful in managing gingivitis?

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This review of the efficacy of different anti-plaque chemical agents in managing gingivitis included 32 RCTS of toothpastes and 19 of mouthrinses suggested greater benefits with some agents.

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Cleft lip and palate: Autologous or alloplastic secondary alveolar bone grafting?

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This review of the effectiveness of autologous versus alloplastic bone for secondary alveolar bone grafting in patients with cleft lip and palate included 4 small RCTs suggesting no difference between the approaches.

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Periodontal disease: Influence of influence family/parent characteristics

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This review of the influence family/parent characteristics on periodontal disease in children and adolescents included 32 onsevations studies suggesting that parental income, education and occupation are assocated with periodontal disease.

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Atraumatic restorative treatment or conventional treatment for root caries in older adults?

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This study is the first of its kind from an RCT perspective which clearly shows that treating major depression in older adults using interventions in primary care settings can extend life

This review of atraumatic restorative treatment or conventional treatment for restoration of root caries lesions in older adults included 3 RCTs providing is insufficient data to clearly rule out whether differences between ART and CT exist.

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Dental fear and anxiety: Is it related to negative oral health beliefs?

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Media coverage of the paper by Davies and Read was emotive and damning in terms of the dangers of antidepressant medication.

This review of the evidence on the relationship of oral health beliefs with dental fear and anxiety included 10 studies and suggests that patients with negative health beliefs are more likely to suffer with dental fear and anxiety.

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Distraction techniques for managing dental anxiety in children and adolescents

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This review assessing whether distraction techniques reduce children’s/adolescent’s anxiety and fear during dental treatment included 20 RCTs providing very low certainty evidence that these techniques have a positive effect.

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Bisphenol-A: Exposure from dental treatment

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This review on Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure from dental treatment included 7 studies and suggests an increase in urinary BPA after 24 hours returning to baseline by 14 days.

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Oral hygiene programmes for people with intellectual disabilities

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This Cochrane review of oral hygiene interventions for people with intellectual difficulties included 34 studies (19 RCTs, 15 non-randomised studies) find some interventions provided benefits but their clinical importance was unclear.

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