Usually, colorectal cancer presents with complaints in a late stage, but can be detected in an earlier stage, with better prognosis, by colonoscopy. Using colonoscopy, also precancerous tumours, adenomas, can be detected and excised, but only in a national screening programme. However primary screening with colonoscopy is too burdensome and expensive. Out of all the screening alternatives, only of the faecal occult blood tests (faeces tests) a decreased colorectal cancer mortality has been proven. It stands to reason that the new generation immunochemical faeces tests, can reduce colorectal cancer mortality more effectively, and these tests have, more than the alternatives, a good balance between efficiency, straightforwardness and costs. Recently, the Dutch National Health Council recommended to introduce nationwide colorectal cancer screening, using an immunochemical faecal occult blood test.

Treatment planning in facial asymmetry is complex and requires precise diagnosis and planning. In the case of a fourteen year old boy with Parry Romberg syndrome, cone beam computerized tomography scanning was used to analyse the asymmetry. Linear, angular and volumetric measurements helped to make clear the extent of the asymmetry, giving the orthodontist and surgeon as well as the patient insight into the possibilities and expectations of treatment. Also the mirror image of the unaffected side superimposed on the affected side was very helpful in this respect. The latter may offer new possibilities for fabrication of individualized alloplastic onlays to further correct asymmetry in the future.

A 6-month-old baby was referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon due to an ulcer that had not healed. The diagnosis was Riga-Fede. The disease is also known as traumatic oral granuloma and is characterized by traumatic ulcerations on the tongue or lower lip. The lesions are caused by repeated trauma of the mucous membrane by emerging teeth in infants, especially the lower incisors. Early recognition of the disease is important because it has been associated with neurological abnormalities. A delayed or incorrect diagnosis or inadequate therapy can result in permanent deformity of the tongue, the floor of the mouth and the lower lip, nutritional insufficiencies, and can, in the longer term, inhibit growth.

In 1984, the dissertation ‘The incredible keratocyst’ was published. A postscriptum of this dissertation introduced a new and simplified approach in the treatment of keratocysts. Keratocysts are disreputable for a high recurrence prevalence and the new method is minimizing the chance of recurrence. The essence of the method is fixation of the cystwall with a modified Carnoy’s solution before enucleation. During the past 25 years no new developments have been published concerning surgical treatment of keratocysts, which are essential divergent of this method. However, some authors have objections to the use of the modified Carnoy’s solution because of feasible pathologic side effects. Based on research data and experiences of the author, it can be concluded that the fixing agent may be used without any risk.

Orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances involves a significant risk of enamel demineralization. The aim of this study was three-fold: to gain insight into a) the preventive measures which are applied as standard practice in the Netherlands in orthodontics, b) when the use of fluoride rinses is initiated, and c) which concentrations and frequencies of use are recommended. A questionnaire was sent to all orthodontists in private practice in the Netherlands. Completed questionnaires were returned by 154 of the orthodontists (response rate 81%). A basic practice protocol for preventing demineralization was used at the start of treatment by 93%. The majority (90%) recommended to use fluoride rinse once daily. They generally (85%) recommended to do this in the evening immediately after toothbrushing. The authors recommend rinsing at another moment than after tooth brushing, in order to increase the number of fluoride moments during the day, which enhances the effectiveness of this measure in preventing caries.

In research into a professional cross-section of dental hygienists, we studied the extent to which task redistribution has an influence on job satisfaction. The research among randomly chosen dental hygienists consisted of questions about organizational and personal characteristics, the set of assigned tasks, task characteristics and job satisfaction. The respondents were divided into 3 clusters which differed in the breadth of their sets of tasks. Although prevention and periodontology services remain the core tasks in dental hygienists’ jobs, the degree of task redistribution differed strongly from cluster to cluster. Respondents with a considerable degree of task redistribution experienced the most task variation, but scored significantly lower on the task characteristics autonomy, feedback, task identity and task importance. This explains why redistribution does not directly correspond with a greater degree of job satisfaction. Moreover, it is precisely the dental hygienists with a broad set of tasks who are significantly less satisfied with their salary than those with a traditional set of tasks.