As described in the previous issue,1 the cover series for Volume 237 is comprised of a set of new illustrations based on a retrospective look at the past 20 years. For this issue, the cover used as its inspiration is that from Volume 202 Issue 10 which was published on 26 May 2007.

This was created by Joe Dixon as part of a series based on interpretations of microorganisms encountered in the dental world. It followed from the series commissioned to celebrate Volume 200 of the BDJ in 2006, for which we invited submissions from 12 young artists encompassing the themes of dentistry/oral health and 200. Subsequent to this, we sought readers' votes as to their favourite of the dozen pieces, with a view to commissioning a further whole series from the winning artist. Joe was that winner and the microorganism series was developed in collaboration with him. The originals were displayed, and were open for sale, at an event later in 2007 at the British Dental Association (BDA).

Our thinking at the time was to build on these early foundations of the coalescence of art and science in dentistry and in this new interpretation Tim has, as it were, zoomed out to illustrate the practical interaction of the microscope, the researcher and the clinical relevance.