Professionals

Quality Improvement and Research

BSPD is committed to improving the oral health of children through supporting research and quality improvement projects. These activities are overseen by the Quality Improvement and Research Committee (QIRC)

What is QIRC?
QIRC was set-up in 2019 to replace the Paediatric Dentistry Policy and Clinical Effectiveness Committee (formed in 2003 by the amalgamation of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) Policy Committee and the Clinical Effectiveness Committee of the Consultants in Paediatric Dentistry Group). It is associated with the Faculty of Dental Surgery Clinical Effectiveness Committee (CEC) and reports to BSPD and the Consultants group.

The aims of QIRC are:
•    Lead and oversee all national quality improvement activities for clinical standards in relation to Paediatric Dentistry
•    Act as a source of advice to the BSPD Executive and Consultants group in relation to clinical standards, evidence-based practice, quality improvement and research
•    Ensure that any BSPD guidance addressing the oral health of children and young people is developed according to rigorous standards
•    Ensure that evidence-based clinical standards underpin all BSPD activities, and where appropriate, to engage with other groups on clinical standards issues relating to the oral health of children and young people
•    Advocate for research in Paediatric Dentistry, including providing advice to funding bodies on research priorities related to the oral health of children Advocate for the development of all areas of academia within Paediatric Dentistry including the clinical academic workforce
•    Promoting the involvement of children and young people in research and signposting to appropriate existing guidance and resources

Membership of the committee  is as follows
•    BSPD Editor
•    Consultant group representative
•    Specialists branch representative
•    Trainees group representative
•    Academic with experience in guideline development/evidence-based dentistry
•    Clinical effectiveness bulletin editor
•    Clinical effectiveness bulletin assistant editor
•    CONNECT Trainees representative
•    Teachers Branch representative

You can find our terms of reference here.

Resources

To support evidence-based care in Paediatric Dentistry we have curated a list of relevant guidelines and evidence reviews. This will be updated yearly..

As part of our work we oversee development of the Quality Improvement Briefing. More information on what and how to submit can be found here.  Please click here to read the most recent report.

An academic career in Paediatric Dentistry can seem daunting. We have together some resources and interviews with academics at different stages of their careers which are available here.