Periodontal awareness project in the United Kingdom: CPITN and self-assessment.

The outcome of a practitioner-orientated joint project between Unilever's Elida Gibbs and FDI, together with Elida Gibbs patient-orientated programme is described. The practitioner-orientated project concentrated on activities associated with the use of the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN) in general dental practice. These activities, involving sponsored research at a dental school and a study with UK dentists, have shown the potential of CPITN as a screening method for patients in general practice for periodontal diseases. There is evidence to show that patient-orientated programmes have increased periodontal awareness in the UK.