Black to dental update and beyond!

Dental caries is one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally, and while entirely preventable, it still accounts for a huge economic burden in the form of operative management, which ranges from minimally invasive techniques to extensive direct and indirect restorations, root canal treatment and ultimately extraction. In this article, we look at the marked changes in caries epidemiology, detection, diagnosis, assessment and management that has taken place in the past five decades since Dental Update was first published, and reflect on how this has had an impact on the oral health of our patients today. CPD/Clinical Relevance: Awareness of changes in caries understanding over the last five decades is of value to clinicians.