Abstract
In 2004, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) was asked to prepare guidance for the NHS in England and Wales on the clinical need and cost-effectiveness of a dental recall examination for all patients at an interval based upon their risk from oral disease. (Dental Recall: recall interval between routine dental examinations).1 Unlike other NICE guidelines, this potentially applies to the whole population. The Department of Health wishes to reduce the number of ‘routine’ six-monthly check-ups. Best practice now recommends that all patients undertake an oral health assessment prior to categorizing them into a recall programme. The article describes how an audit project was undertaken to establish compliance within General Dental Practice to the guidelines.