Since the last editorial I have had the great pleasure of attending the very successful 1st National Dental Nursing Conference in London. I enjoyed the day immensely and was bowled over by the enthusiasm and attentiveness of the large audience. The thought-provoking presentation by Carmen Sheridan stimulated the topic for this editorial and certainly started debate among the delegates. It is good to question your practice, especially when you feel very comfortable with current standards. Having procedures set firmly in the routine of the day does not mean that our practice is adequate or that improvements are irrelevant. Accepted practice is not necessarily best, or indeed good, practice. Something as fundamental as cross-infection control is pivotal to all clinical practice and any policy has to be signed up to by all members of the dental team. The dental nurses that I work with certainly play a major role in implementing and maintaining standards in this important area.