An Introduction to Facial Aesthetics for the Dental Hygienist and Therapist & Assessment and Management of Gingival Recession | Dr Joel Thomas Dr Timothy Eldridge | Friday 09 October 2026

For: Hygienists,

An Introduction to Facial Aesthetics for the Dental Hygienist and Therapist & Assessment and Management of Gingival Recession

Description

An Introduction to Facial Aesthetics for the Dental Hygienist and Therapist

The session will provide an overview of key considerations relating to facial aesthetic practice, including:

• Facial aesthetic procedures and their application within clinical practice

• Legal, ethical and regulatory requirements

• Requirements and considerations for clinical premises

• Marketing and advertising of facial aesthetic services

Assessment and Management of Gingival Recession

The session will provide an overview of key considerations relating to the assessment and management of gingival recession, including:

• Aetiology, risk factors and classification of gingival recession

• Clinical assessment, diagnosis and documentation

• Prevention and non-surgical management strategies

• Principles of surgical management and appropriate specialist referral

• Patient education, behaviour modification and individualised preventive care

Aims

• AM Aims:
• To provide the DHT with an introduction to facial aesthetic treatments, which may be incorporated within their current role, or as an additional role.
• PM Aims - To enhance dental hygienists’ understanding of the aetiology, assessment, diagnosis and evidence-based management of gingival recession, enabling them to contribute effectively to prevention, patient education, and interdisciplinary care.

Objectives

• AM Objectives:
• Outline facial aesthetic treatments commonly offered by medical and dental professionals
• Define the legal and regulatory requirements for facial aesthetics (or not!)
• Explore clinical environments for providing facial aesthetics including marketing
• Identify the insurance requirements for the DHT to practice facial aesthetics safely
• PM Objectives
• Define gingival recession and describe its epidemiology and clinical significance.
• Identify aetiological and risk factors
• Classify gingival recession defects using recognised classification systems (e.g.,
• Miller and Cairo classifications).
• Carry out a systematic clinical assessment, including measurement, documentation,
• and risk evaluation.
• Recognise indications for intervention versus monitoring.
• Describe non-surgical management strategies, including plaque control and
• behaviour modification.
• Explain the principles of surgical management, including when referral to a
• specialist is appropriate.
• Deliver effective patient education and preventive advice tailored to individual risk
• factors.

Speakers

Dr Joel Thomas

Joel graduated his undergraduate degree from Bristol University and after a few years of hospital based Oral and Maxillofacial surgery experience did is specialist training through Kings College London. He lives locally in Cheltenham and practices 4 days per week at Cheltenham and Cotswold Dental (Hales Rd, Cheltenham) and 1 day per week at The Bristol Dental Practice (1 Queen Square, Bristol).

Dr Timothy Eldridge

Since qualifying in Dentistry from Birmingham University, UK, Tim has gained a wealth of experience in multidisciplinary practices. Early in his career Tim learned from leading clinicians how to integrate and implement non-surgical cosmetic treatments into the dental practice.

Tim is a skilled and experienced aesthetic practitioner who has expertise in non-surgical treatments such as Wrinkle Reduction, HA dermal fillers, collagen stimulating fillers (Radiesse), thread vein removal and fat dissolving, with over 12 years experience in aesthetics.  Tim is a global aesthetics industry trainer for FILLMED’s range of dermal fillers, lectures on a range of independent dental and facial courses and has written articles for the dental press.

Sessions

09:30 - 11:00, An introduction to Facial Aesthetics

11:30 - 13:00, An introduction to Facial Aesthetics

14:00 - 15:15, Assessment and Management of Gingival Recession

15:45 - 17:00, Assessment and Management of Gingival Recession

GDC outcomes

A, B, C, D,