The local Consultant in Dental Public Health is central to this first step of mobilising and coordinating the local dental community and then making a cogent case for support to the PCTs. Redirection of existing resources, rather than asking for new money is a sensible way to pitch the proposal. A supportive academic partner and a lead GDP are also crucial.

Agreeing to deliver a modest project is an essential step to starting the process. This acts as a focus for partnership, builds infrastructure, skills, relationships and professional trust and most importantly, produces a tangible outcome, so that the PCTs can see a return on their investment.

Supportive GDPs - this is vital if research skills are to develop in primary dental care, to provide access to practices and to implement the findings of research.

Operational capability - project management and support is required. Salaried dental services have a key role to play as they have a long history of managing large surveys and screening programmes.

Academic input - is needed, not necessarily from dental academics, to support study design, analysis and interpretation.

Educational support - a parallel stream of educational activity, both didactic and experiential, is required to provide dentists with a basic introduction to research. The post-graduate deaneries and the regional research support units have a major role to play.