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The need for continuing education in orthodontics is recognised by many practitioners and the demand for post-graduate courses is high. The limitations of such courses, particularly the short technique type, are recognised and within the West Midlands the value of a longer term clinical attachment has been emphasised. The West Midlands has a well established orthodontic consultant service with fifteen NHS and one honorary consultant; the specialist practitioner service is small by national standards. All of the orthodontic consultants have long supported the clinical assistant post as a valuable vehicle for practitioners' continuing education. Building on the example given by the consultants in the four Thames Regions, a structured, centralised academic programme has been developed to enhance the clinical training given during these two year posts.

The attendance pattern of dental practitioners who resided in the West Midlands on postgraduate courses at Birmingham University Dental School was studied over a two-year period. This paper provides an insight into the trends occurring in postgraduate training in this area.

In response to interest from readers the authors provide an update of their 1986 papers on coping with medical emergencies in dental practice. In particular they review drug regimes and the technique of cricothyroidostomy.