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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Oral lichen planus and diabetes: are they associated?

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This review of the relationship between oral lichen planus and diabetes included 22 studies. While both meta-analysis suggest a relationship the confidence intervals cross the line of no effect so are not statistically significant.

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Diabetic patients: does periodontal treatment improve glycaemic control?

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91 diabetic patients were randomised to non-surgical scaling and root planing and amoxicillin or control. While periodontal status significantly improved at 3 months there was no no significant effects on
glycaemic control.

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Oral health status: Does it have an impact of school attendance and performance?

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This review of the influence of oral health on school performance and school attendance included 18 observational studies and suggests a significant relationship between poor dental health and scchool attendance and performance.

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Oral hygiene advice: insufficient evidence for best way of providing one to one advice

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This Cochrane review of the effects of one-to-one oral hygiene advice, provided by a member of the dental team in a dental setting included 19 RCTs providing insufficient evidence to recommend any specific 1:1 method.

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Toothpaste: Does it inhibit plaque regrowth?

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This review of the effect of a regular fluoride dentifrice compared to water or saline on dental plaque inhibition using the 4-day non-brushing model included 9 studies and demonstrated a weak weak inhibitory effect on plaque regrowth with toothpaste use.

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Resin infiltration of proximal caries lesions

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9 RCTs were included in this review of resin infiltration for the clinical management of early non-cavitated proximal caries lesions. The findings indicate that resin infiltration when combined with oral hygiene measures was promising and more effective than oral hygiene measures alone.

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