The BHS and The Equine Dental Clinic launch Dental Awareness Week

As part of the ‘No Pain? Check Again!’ campaign, The British Horse Society (BHS) and The Equine Dental Clinic are pleased to announce the launch of their first ever Dental Awareness Week on Friday 10 November to Thursday 16 November 2023.

With studies revealing that up to 70% of horses have undiagnosed dental problems, which could unintentionally mean many are suffering in silence, the week aims to raise awareness of:

• The signs of dental problems – what could your horse be hiding?
• The importance of routine dental care every 6–12 months by a suitably qualified dental practitioner (vet or BAEDT / category 2 WWAED dental technician)
• What to expect from your horse’s dental check.

Understanding of equine dentistry problems has significantly improved over the last 20 years and best practices have developed for treatment. However, many modern dental treatments are only possible if problems are identified early enough – which may be before the horse shows any clinical signs.

Getting a horse’s teeth checked a minimum of once a year will help owners to detect a problem early, as well as help to eliminate any complicated issues in the future.

As part of the week, the BHS and The Equine Dental Clinic are providing a free, informative two hour-long webinar on the 15 November to raise awareness of equine dentistry. Presented by industry experts from The Equine Dental Clinic, including Dr Chris Pearce and Dr Nicole du Toit, the webinar will explore the signs of dental problems, outline what to expect from your horse’s dental check and offer insight into real life case studies. Sign up here. 

The equine charity and dental clinic will also be providing equestrians with a free digital pack, downloadable here. Horse owners will be able to receive a free routine dental planner and have access to exclusive dental healthcare content.

Gabrielle Madders, Horse Care & Welfare Campaigns Officer at The British Horse Society says: “We are really pleased to be working alongside The Equine Dental Clinic to launch our first ever Dental Awareness Week.

Horses are stoic animals, meaning that they can endure pain for long periods of time without showing signs, especially with pain related to teeth. That is why dedicating a whole week to the importance of regular dental examinations, a minimum of once a year, is so critical. We need to be able to identify dental problems early to help keep our horses pain-free and comfortable.”

Dr Chris Pearce and Dr Nicole du Toit, Directors of the Equine Dental Clinic say: “We are delighted to have teamed up with the BHS to highlight the importance of good regular dental care for horses. Spotting issues early on is the best way to prevent dental disorders that could seriously affect horse welfare, keep them working at their best and ensure prompt treatment for any problems. 

This campaign will give horse owners the knowledge and confidence they need to understand why good regular dental examinations are so important, to know what to expect when their horses are receiving routine dental care, and guidance on potential treatments available when things go wrong. The most important part is that horses often won’t tell you - so No pain? Check again!”

To commemorate the week, The British Horse Society will be hosting stand 44 at Your Horse Live from the 10 November to 12 November. The equine charity will be handing out free copies of their ‘No Pain? Check Again!’ dental guide and will be joined by The Equine Dental Clinic to present a selection of talks over the weekend.

Horse owners can access more information about equine dentistry and get involved with the awareness week by following the BHS’s website and social media channels.