BSP implementation of the 2017 classification of periodontal diseases: a practice retrospective

Introduction The new world classification of periodontal diseases and conditions was developed in 2017. The British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry (BSP) implemented the classification in a series of papers published in the British Dental Journal in January 2019. Aims and objectives This study aimed to investigate if the BSP implementation was workable in general dental practice and to reveal if any lessons were learnt from its regular use two years following its release. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional, retrospective, non-intervention analysis of a patient population (n = 891) drawn from a complete list of a private dental surgeon. Diagnostic and demographic data were drawn from the patient records, collated and analysed using SPSS Statistics v26. Results Diagnoses derived from the new classification were identified for 92% of subjects, indicating a high level of implementation. In total, 20.9% of subjects were diagnosed with periodontitis, and of these, 57% were unstable, 39% stable and 4% in remission. The mean bleeding on probing score across the cohort was 7.7%. Moreover, 76% of the non-periodontitis patients were diagnosed with 'clinical gingival health', 23% with localised gingivitis and 1% with generalised gingivitis. Conclusion The new classification has been found to be readily implemented in a general practice setting. Use of the new classification allows for close monitoring of periodontal status, and as a result, close monitoring of the effectiveness of pathways of care