This is the third edition of a pocket book first published in 1998. In the preface of the first edition, the editors stated that the aims of the book were ‘to provide a readily accessible source of information when it is most needed, as a an aide memoire prior to carrying out clinical tasks or to enable students (at undergraduate and postgraduate level) to apprise themselves of important details prior to tutorials and seminars’. The third edition should continue to meet these aims and to maintain the ongoing success of the first two editions.

The book has 17 chapters written by 12 experts in their fields. As well as chapters on the recognised dental specialties, there are others covering: psychological aspects of care; history and examination; law ethics and quality dental care; drug prescribing and therapeutics; analgesia, sedation and dental anaesthesia; dental materials; general medicine of relevance to dentistry; and emergencies in dentistry. All are written in a concise, punchy style and provide the essentials of each topic area. Each chapter is clearly formatted, with logical use of subtitles and clear, simple diagrams. Clinical procedures, definitions and other key messages are identified in boxes separated from the main text. I found these particularly useful. For example, one box contained the toxic dose of various local anaesthetic preparations and the maximum volumes that can be used safely.

For those interested, suggestions for additional reading comprise one of the six useful appendices. Some readers might prefer to have the reading lists at the end of the relevant chapter to prevent the need for page flipping. Another of the appendices covers infection control which is covered more superficially than other important topics, although the author does refer the reader to BDA Advice Sheet A12 for more detail.

Overall, I can recommend this excellent book. The authors are to be congratulated for producing a concise text that dental and dental care professional students will find extremely useful, especially as revision notes. It will also be useful as a quick reference book for postgraduates, particularly those who have had some time away from clinical dentistry. My copy sits in my surgery and is already well-thumbed!

• • Places emphasis on information of practical clinical significance to maximise usefulness by the chairside!
  • Authored by a team of experienced clinicians and teachers to ensure the most accurate and current information is provided for a given topic
  • Quick reference format makes revision and learning easy
  • Exclamation mark icon draws attention to important points and likely pitfalls for the inexperienced practitioner
  • Improved page design and reorganised content make the book easy to use and navigate
  • Tailored to meet current examination requirements
  • Ideal for use as an aide-memoire prior to carrying out clinical tasks or to enable readers to apprise themselves of important details prior to tutorials and seminars
  • Perfect for dental students at both the undergraduate and post-graduate level

• Updated page design and reordered content to make navigation easier
• In full colour throughout
• Updated chapter on law, ethics and quality dental care
• Includes advances in restorative, implant and aesthetic dentistry
• Additional chapters on the dental team and on practice management
• New chapters on public health in dentistry and on special care dentistry
• Updated guidance on emergencies