Aim: The 1st European Workshop on Periodontal Education in 2009 made recommendations regarding the scope of periodontal education at undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG) and continuing professional development (CPD) levels, defining competencies and learning outcomes that were instrumental at the time in helping to define periodontal teaching curricula. The 19th European Workshop on Periodontology and 2nd European Consensus Workshop on Education in Periodontology (Education in Periodontology in Europe) was held in 2023 to identify changes and future developments in periodontal education (including those informed by the COVID‐19 pandemic) and embracing methods and formats of periodontal teaching and training. The aim of this review was to assess current knowledge regarding education methods in periodontology, including traditional face‐to‐face (F2F) teaching and the move to student‐centred methods, virtual learning methods and use of digital technology, as well as blended teaching and learning (including teaching delivery and assessment) at UG, PG and CPD levels.Materials and Methods: Systematic searches were conducted to identify relevant studies from the literature. Data were extracted and descriptive summaries collated.Results: The pandemic was a major disruptor of traditional F2F teaching but provided opportunities for rapid implementation of alternative and supplementary teaching methods. Although online learning has become an integral part of periodontal education, teachers and learners alike favour some form of F2F teaching. Blended teaching and learning are feasible in many areas of periodontal education, both for knowledge and skills acquisition as well as in assessment. Student‐centred methods and blended approaches such as the flipped classroom seem highly effective, and online/virtual classrooms with both synchronous and asynchronous lectures are highly valued. Learning with haptic methods and virtual reality (VR) enhances the educational experience, especially when VR is integrated with traditional methods. The quality of the teacher continues to be decisive for the best knowledge transfer in all its forms.Conclusions: Live F2F teaching continues to be highly trusted; however, all types of student‐centred and interactive forms of knowledge transfer are embraced as enhancements. While digital methods offer innovation in education, blended approaches integrating both virtual and traditional methods appear optimal to maximize the achievement of learning outcomes. All areas of periodontal education (UG, PG and CPD) can benefit from such approaches; however, more research is needed to evaluate their benefits, both for knowledge transfer and skills development, as well as in assessment.

Patients still refuse or discontinue orthodontic treatment due to related pain and discomfort. In this study, we investigate if low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can reduce pain caused by orthodontic bands. Sixty subjects who needed bands placed on the upper permanent first molars were assigned randomly to the LLLT group, placebo, and control groups. Inclusion criteria were: age range 10–14 years, fully erupted upper first molars in healthy condition, presence of tight mesial proximal contact. Exclusion criteria were: systemic or metabolic diseases, chronic pain or neurological or psychiatric disorders, use of pharmacological agents interfering with pain perception, previous orthodontic treatment or the simultaneous presence of other devices in the patient’s mouth. The assessment of pain was performed by using a numeric rating scale (NRS) considering different time intervals, i.e., immediately after bands placement, 6 h, 24 h, and from day 2 to day 5. Differences in the maximum pain and in pain experienced at each time-point, among the three groups, was assessed by using the Kruskal–Wallis H. The final sample included 56 patients, 29 males, and 27 females, with a mean age of 12.03 ± 1.3 years. Patients were randomly allocated into three groups (tested, control, and placebo group) with each group consisting respectively of 19, 20, and 17 individuals. Subjects in the LLLT experienced less pain at each time interval as well as the maximum pain score being lower in the LLLT compared to control and placebo groups. These findings were all statistically significant (p < 0.05). LLLT can alleviate the intensity of pain after the placement of orthodontic bands.

Background: Periodontitis is a disease characterized by the destruction of periodontal tissue and tooth loss. The molecular mechanisms behind this disease, however, are not clearly understood. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, lipid peroxidation-driven form of regulated cell death that seems to play a role in periodontal pathogenesis by increasing oxidative stress and reducing tissue regeneration. Objective: The current narrative review aims to summarize current knowledge of the involvement of ferroptosis in periodontal tissue destruction and potentially to identify new targets of therapy. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases was conducted. Original human, animal, and in vitro studies published in English were selected. Data on experimental models, molecular markers, and key outcomes were extracted and synthesized in the review. Results: After screening, four studies were identified and selected. Ferroptosis activation in periodontal ligament fibroblasts, stem cells, and gingival tissues was associated with increased ACSL4 and decreased GPX4 expression, iron accumulation, and oxidative stress. The administration of Ferrostatin-1 or antioxidants like curcumin seemed to reduce inflammation and alveolar bone loss in vivo. Transcriptomic analyses further revealed immune-related ferroptosis gene signatures in human periodontitis tissues. Conclusions: Ferroptosis represents a crucial mechanism in periodontal tissue destruction through not yet completely understood. Understanding these molecular pathways could be the key to developing new therapeutic strategies for periodontal treatment.