Assessing periodontal health and the British Society of periodontology implementation of the new classification of periodontal diseases 2017

Periodontal disease is a highly prevalent, chronic, inflammatory condition which is a major contributor to tooth loss and poor oral health-related quality of life. For the vast majority of patients, the disease is entirely preventable/manageable often aided by input from dental health professionals. As dental health professionals, understanding the periodontal disease process, the risk factors associated with it, standardized ways of detecting, diagnosing and monitoring the disease, along with the special tests needed to aid this process are essential skills for successful disease management. This article summarizes the need for assessing periodontal disease including key aspects of detection, a brief history of periodontal disease classification and the new classification. The paper goes on to discuss the British Society of Periodontology implementation plan of new classification and how this can be utilized for use in general dental practice.