title: Should dentists be concerned about the weight of their patients?
abstract: This opinion paper considers obesity and its relationship to dental practice. Twenty-three per cent of people in England are estimated to be obese, a figure that is predicted to continue rising. It follows that obese patients are frequently encountered in general dental practice. The  authors review the links between obesity and dental health, the possible barriers and challenges to providing dental care for obese people, and how these may be overcome. They also report the findings of a London survey investigating the current provision of specialist dental services for  obese patients who cannot be treated in a standard dental chair. Services across London were highly variable and in some areas no provision was identified. The implications of the rising prevalence of obesity for service planners and practitioners are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: NHS East London and the City, London, UK.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Comyn
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.forename: Desmond
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000458:organization & administration; D003748:Dental Equipment / Q000191:economics; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D004739:England; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006285:Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000209:etiology