U.K. National Clinical Guidelines in Paediatric Dentistry

In 1994 the Department of Health requested the Royal College of Surgeons to produce National Clinical Guidelines. This task was delegated to the Paediatric Dentistry Clinical Audit Committee which is a subcommittee of the Consultants in Paediatric Dentistry Group of United Kingdom and Ireland.The purpose of Clinical Guidelines is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of clinical care through the identification of good clinical practice and desired clinical outcomes. Each Guideline is intended to assist clinicians in making decisions about appropriate management of specific conditions. The aim has been to choose commonly encountered clinical situations and make recommendations on their management. In many areas of practice there is a shortage of reliable research data, so that although some recommendations are supported by robust data, others are made with a lesser degree of confidence, and may represent only ‘best current practice’. An anticipated benefit is that shortage of data will be highlighted, so stimulating research aimed at improving the scientific foundation of our clinical activity. It will be important to refine the existing Guidelines as further information becom