This tag contain 1 blog entry contributed to a teamblog which isn't listed here.
MAR
15
0

The Spring Budget: What has changed for dentists?

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt’s 2024 Spring Budget, was accompanied by a full fiscal statement from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). In any election year, the Chancellor comes under pressure to make announcements that will boost their party in the opinion polls.

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62 Hits
MAR
01
0

The importance of practice value towards a dentist’s retirement

Specialist Financial Planner, Graham Hutton, from Wesleyan Financial Services highlights how a practices value plays an important role in retirement planning.

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  433 Hits
433 Hits
MAR
01
0

A Smart Financial Move for Dental Practices

If you offer private dental plans in your practice, are you getting value for money from your existing plan provider? At Patient Plan Direct, we're coming across more practices than ever before that feel they're not getting the attention and service they once received and are left questioning why they are paying what can equate to a considerable practice overhead.

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  602 Hits
602 Hits
FEB
22
2

To ORE or not to ORE, is that even the question?

This is one of those flashback/PTSD moments. It takes me back to a very stressful period in my life when I came close to ending it at various moments. The process of registering as a dentist in the UK for someone who was from outside the EU/EEA was onerous.

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  2082 Hits
Recent Comments
Stephen Henderson

Very encouraging!

Thanks for writing this Pramod, sharing the immense challenges that you have overcome with grit determination and no doubt humour.... Read More
Friday, 23 February 2024 12:25
Pramod Subbaraman

??

Thank you Stephen
Friday, 23 February 2024 13:07
2082 Hits
FEB
01
0

The Practice Sales Market – shifting demands

    

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  507 Hits
507 Hits
JAN
21
0

Estate Planning – How to make a start

Specialist Dental Financial Adviser, for Wesleyan Financial Services, Stephen Barry, shares his insights on estate planning and how planning sooner rather than later can be beneficial.

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  789 Hits
789 Hits
JAN
20
0

Do you want to leave the NHS?

Not a week goes by when we meet another dentist who feels trapped in the current NHS system. The continuous issue of clawback, a backlog of patients, recruitment struggles, and more are bringing stress and pressure to many, and it is not what a profession in dentistry is ever supposed to be.

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577 Hits
JAN
07
1

Mr Dentist vs. The GDC (Not Yet Aired on ITVX)



The aim of this blog is to compare the scandalous, criminal, modus operandii of the PO and the methods of the UK regulator of dentistry, the General Dental Council [GDC]. There are many, many similarities in the way they persecute their "underlings" by abusing their power, and their institutionally ingrained, total lack of corporate insight.


Following the TV programme and the national outcry; politicians have now got involved in the idea of stopping the involvement of the PO in appeals by postmasters. This interference in justice, and in the fight to maintain power, the PO continues to delay the outcome of clearing the names of every single sub postmaster who has been convicted, injured, or lost money. This behaviour is the same as GDC being involved in appeals against its' own decisions. This has created a duplicate, in the denial of the basic human right to unfettered justice.

 

What has gone wrong in our UK QUANGO based governance system? The Government seems unwilling or unable to control the excesses of the QUANGO. The QUANGO gets involved too far into the quasi-judicial process. The QUANGO wishes to be judge, jury, appeal court, and the executioner. The balance of power has gone way too far towards these seemingly unaccountable bodies.

 

This must change urgently as this power has been used malevolently, yet their actions are still being justified by the GDC, and the Post Office.

Governance malfunctioning continues, and GDPUK has a further news story [due to be published in early January] on the same topic whereby an appeal in the High Court strongly supported by an eminent Judge against the GDC, is now to be appealed against by GDC, at further excessive legal cost to registrants.

There are so many examples of the GDC's egregious institutional behaviour, too many to list here.

During the last decade, GDC were pursuing so many dentists for alleged offences, they almost ran out of money, and this funding was and is raised entirely from its' registrants.  To repair their finances, GDC decided unilaterally to increase its' financial reserves to remain at around £30 million, this was done by taking about £750 from each of 40,000 registrants over a few years, and placing those monies in its reserve fund which must earn a good sum annually.

During this time the GDC Fitness to Practise [FTP] operation was faced with long delays in justice, and this delay remains today. The Professional Standards Authority report condemns this aspect of the GDC operations year after year, yet nothing changes. 

In this period the GDC advertised, [only the once, we believe] in a national newspaper, for more complaints against dentists. This was not repeated due to the enormous exclamation it produced. Was this part of a plan to investigate more dentists and build a larger quasi-non-governmental empire?

The tragic topic of suicides: Sadly, the ITV drama did refer to suicide and depressive illness caused by the PO treatment of sub-Postmasters. Unfortunately dental colleagues are only too aware of this issue in dentistry too. The GDC have been questioned for many years on this matter. They have not had to grace to answer this question properly despite multiple FoI requests.

GDC and their output of information: GDPUK does have an axe to grind; the GDC press and media office continues to refuse to engage with GDPUK, and it’s team of writers. That is, unless one of their junior managers emails us by accident.

Others have also found GDC far from co-operative, and this management style reflects the PO methods. Freedom of Information requests have become possibly the only way to seek answers, and there are multiple [dental] authors who specialise in carefully crafting artful requests to get some information released. It is apparent GDC devote significant resources dedicated to the dark arts of not responding at all, delaying responses, not answering the question, and then of course, redacting answers before sending out.

A simple solution to this would be insight by the GDC as a whole. The Council members and the executive officers. Make the press office transparent, give answers to questions in an honest way, do not act as if there is something to hide in every single enquiry. The present behaviour tells all colleagues across the nation – GDC is guilty of bad behaviour, it is doing everything to obfuscate. And this behaviour in hiding the facts further increases the profession’s suspicion of corporate malpractice.

The Care Quality Commission [CQC], another regulator of dental practice, cannot be spared from criticism here, either. They announced their arrival on the scene about 15 years ago, by publicly threatening dental practices with closure if they did not comply with their petty impositions of tasks and non existent regulations. The CQC has in itself spawned an industry of compliance experts to ensure a dental practice is not closed down. They have ruled by fear for many years, with threats to close the livelihood of dental practices. One example of their stupid over-reach, for more than a decade, every dental practice had to have a nutrition policy for their patients - even though patients do not eat or need to be fed for their dental practice visits. It is confirmed "meeting nutritional needs" remains one of the eleven core standards demanded by CQC. 



The ITV programme, a sensitive and sympathetic tale, has exposed some of the systemic issues within our nation. Individuals in influential roles in the Post Office, indifferent to the concerns of the sub-postmasters, they ignored outside investigations, and prolonged the ongoing problems for the victims.

This unfortunate reality is evident daily to our self-serving politicians, and this TV drama has brought it to the top of the national agenda. It's essential for politicians to reflect deeply, a truly long hard look at the harm being caused in the name of running our country.

Whether this is about the GDC or the Post Office, this is really about the abuses of power by people who hold those reins. The power of unaccountable civil servants or Quangos [from traffic wardens, housing officers to name but two groups) have over the general public. How they systematically exert that power over us daily, it certainly seems unjustified, and more than unreasonable.

Our politicians must establish a stronger framework of accountability to elevate standards comprehensively. After they make a transparent solution in the management and style of the PO, their next target for total reform must be the GDC.

 

1. The ITV page for the programme

2. CQC Regulation 14 

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Jim Page

Thank you for all you do for t...

Dear Tony I have now been retired for over 10 years but can I thank you for all you do for the profession that my grandfather, my ... Read More
Monday, 08 January 2024 17:34
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DEC
14
0

NHS to Private – Is it time to give your practice a facelift?

Magdelena Harding, Specialist Financial Adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services discusses what practice owners need to think about when refurbishing their practice.

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  807 Hits
807 Hits
DEC
14
0

The Practice Sales Market – shifting demands

With all the turmoil caused by the pandemic, the Truss government, rising energy prices and the war in Ukraine, the economic landscape has seen some change over the last few years. So how has all this affected the practice sales market? Practice Plan Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Jones, spoke to MD of Frank Taylor and Associates, Lis Hughes, to find out more about how things are faring for dentists wanting to buy or sell a practice.

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  665 Hits
665 Hits
NOV
27
0

The Crossing of Greenland Pt. II



For the past couple of days, we’d been skiing in that ping pong ball again, the continuous white-out making us long for the day when we would see a horizon. On day 19, we were unsurprised to wake up to zero visibility and the morning satellite phone call to Norway failed to fill us with optimism for the day ahead. A storm was due to hit that evening, the high wind speeds making it too dangerous to continue. 

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  1588 Hits
1588 Hits
OCT
25
0

The 5 Key Types of Cover for Your Practice

Specialist Financial Adviser Magdelena Harding shares her insights into the key types of cover for business protection for dental practices.

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  901 Hits
901 Hits
OCT
25
0

The rise of the squat practice

With the issues of patient access to dentistry showing no signs of resolving themselves, could now be the time to consider opening a squat practice? Is it a realistic option for dentists to own their own practice? Mike Blenkharn of UNW, and dental business coach, Chris Barrow, discussed this topic during a session recently at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show, hosted by Practice Plan Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Jones.

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  917 Hits
917 Hits
OCT
17
0

The Polar Adventure continues to Greenland

Greenland – a country we could all locate on a map with relative ease, but a place that is otherwise a mystery to many. For those that choose to venture there, it is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the ultimate goal being to cross the Greenland ice sheet, the second largest body of ice on the planet.

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  1921 Hits
1921 Hits
OCT
13
0

Navigating Financial Planning for Young Dentists

Dental Regional Manager, Neil Richardson from Wesleyan Financial Services shares his thoughts on what all young dentists should be aware of with regard to financial planning.

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  901 Hits
901 Hits
OCT
01
0

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – Dentistry

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, at least in so far as dentistry is concerned, leaves me pondering. Is it a credible attempt at identifying issues and proposing solutions? Or a thinly veiled attempt to win the approval of a public largely unaware of the detailed reality?

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  1087 Hits
1087 Hits
SEP
11
0

Is it time to switch your pension?

Simon Cosgrove, Specialist Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, highlights the importance of checking where your pension is and how it’s performing…

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  738 Hits
738 Hits
AUG
09
0

Cyber security – what dental practices need to know

 

Kab Ahmed

Kabir Ahmed, commercial insurance manager at Wesleyan Financial Services, discusses the cyber security concerns every practice should plan for.

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  1386 Hits
1386 Hits
AUG
07
0

How a membership plan can be more than just money in the bank

Whether you’re a mixed practice or fully private, Practice Plan Regional Support Manager Tracy Webb, explains how having a membership plan can pay dividends.

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  783 Hits
783 Hits
JUL
20
0

How to buy a dental practice in six key steps — advice from specialist dental lawyers

 

Buying dental practice edited

Looking to buy a dental practice? Here, corporate law and dental specialists Eugene Pena and Kirsty McKenzie-Hopkins explore the six key steps in the purchase process, answering the most common questions from budding buyers.

 

1. Find the right legal team

In our experience, no transaction is ever the same. Once you have found the right practice and are in a position to start the buying process, your first step should be to find the right lawyers to represent you and guide you through the process. You can instruct lawyers even before you’ve made an offer.

You should consider working with lawyers that specialise in the dental sector — in particular, those with significant experience in buying and selling dental practices.

Most sellers are keen on a speedy transaction, so having the right team in place will put you in the best possible position.

 

2. Consider funding

Next, you’ll need to know how the purchase is going to be funded. Most lenders will require you to have a deposit, so having this ready and being able to show how this amount has accumulated will save you time further down the line.

The more information you have available at the outset, the better. Knowing what type of security the bank will take will also help your lawyers to determine what additional work (if any) will be required.

 

3. Terminate your contract

Buying a practice can be a lengthy process. Most first-time buyers are also associates working elsewhere and are required to give notice to terminate their contract.

Timing when to hand your notice in is key. While this decision is ultimately yours, having expert lawyers who are aware of the process and the intricacies involved in dental transactions, as well as the potential issues that may arise, can help to ensure that you aren’t left without work. They can provide guidance and help to reduce the risk of you being left without a source of income.

 

4. Recruit your team

You may be eager to make your mark as soon as you get the keys to the practice, but recruitment is a big issue in most sectors and dentistry is no exception.

You may be acquiring a well-established practice with members of staff that have worked there for many years. While there are regulations that protect employees’ rights, it’s possible to implement certain changes (known as measures) — but you’ll need to consider how any changes (whether big or small) would affect the workforce.

It’s usually a good idea to maintain the status quo (provided that it’s working) until you’ve embedded yourself with the team.

 

5. Register with the CQC

Be prepared to go through a CQC (Care Quality Commission) registration process. This may differ depending on the type of practice you’re looking to acquire.

First time buyers may be asked to attend a fit person interview with a CQC assessor, so preparation is key. Again, having lawyers who are familiar with the CQC process is crucial to enable a smooth purchase. Your solicitor may even be able to make the application for you.

 

6. Manage time effectively

Finally, a simple but critical piece of advice — don’t leave things until the last minute. Set time aside to deal with matters related to your purchase — sometimes, the last thing you want is to read an email from your lawyer or action any documents, but always try to keep your end goal in mind. Make sure that you know what you’re signing up to and allow time to negotiate any points that you’re not fully comfortable with.

If, for example, you have agreed that the seller will be remaining as an associate, try to finalise the agreement in advance of the exchange of contracts. Even if you have agreed headline terms with the seller, circumstances may have since changed — so you don’t want to be renegotiating terms late in the transaction.

 

How we can help

Buying a dental practice may well be one of the biggest decisions you ever make. Avoiding common pitfalls by having an expert legal team with specialist dental experience makes a huge difference. You need a team that can calmly guide you through each step of the process.

We are proud to provide market-leading legal solutions to dental practices across the UK. Our dental team contains true specialists who understand the unique pressures you face.

We play an active role in the market for dental practice sales and purchases, working alongside third-party brokers to ensure smooth transactions. Advice is provided across multiple specialist practice areas, including practice sales and acquisitions, property acquisition or leasing, property disputes, regulatory (including a CQC application service), fitness to practise, litigation, international recruitment, employment and litigation.

Talk to us by calling 0151 600 3000 or complete our contact form and have a member of our team get in touch.

  2550 Hits
2550 Hits
JUL
06
0

Do I need a specialist dental lawyer when buying or selling a practice?

Specialist-lawyers_edited

We’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and dentists are not exempt. When buying or selling a dental practice — likely one of the most important decisions in your life — cashflow is key. So should you spend money instructing a specialist dental lawyer or go with a generalist ‘high street’ option?

In our latest Q&A with leading law firm Brabners, corporate law and dental specialists Eugene Pena and Kirsty McKenzie-Hopkins weigh up the pros and cons.

Niche area of law

On average, dental sales and purchases take around six months to complete. However, this can be extended by a range of external factors, so a deep level of understanding and forward planning is key.

Law, like dentistry, has its specialist areas. The rules and regulations affecting the dental industry can be subject to change at both national and local levels. Instructing a specialist dental lawyer ensures that the advice you’re receiving is in-line with the most up to date law.

Dealing with complexities

There are also many dental-specific complexities during the buying or selling process that only those with years of sector expertise will know how to navigate. These include the transfer of NHS contracts from sellers to buyers, ensuring that the correct CQC (Care Quality Commission) applications are carried out, the transfer of capitation schemes and conducting due diligence.

For buyers, entering into an agreement without asking the right questions could be a costly mistake. It’s critical to take due care in reviewing all documents thoroughly. Any terms that are out of the ordinary in a standard general dental services (GDS) contract will be picked up by specialist dental lawyers, who review these regularly.

For sellers, the need to respond to specific questions about the NHS, CQC and capitation schemes is very common.

Providing tailored advice

A specialist dental lawyer will ask the right questions — tailored to your specific circumstances — and will ensure effective collaborative between you and your legal team. This is essential for smooth transactions. If issues arise, you need a legal team that can draw on its experience to get all parties back on track.

High street lawyers with little or no experience in dental practice sales and purchases may take longer to understand the process and suggest an appropriate strategy. This could cause huge delays, spiralling costs and ultimately jeopardise transactions.

Before you instruct a lawyer, think carefully about the level of support and experience you need.

How we can help

We are proud to provide market-leading legal solutions to dental practices across the UK. Our dental team contains true specialists who understand the unique pressures you face.

We play an active role in the market for dental practice sales and purchases, working alongside third-party brokers to ensure smooth transactions. Advice is provided across multiple specialist practice areas, including practice sales and acquisitions, property acquisition or leasing, property disputes, regulatory (including a CQC application service), fitness to practise, litigation, international recruitment, employment and litigation.

Talk to us by calling 0151 600 3000 or complete our contact form and have a member of our team get in touch.

  1902 Hits
1902 Hits
JUL
05
0

The Abolished Lifetime Allowance – a time-limited pension opportunity?

The abolished Lifetime Allowance – a time-limited pension opportunity?

Neil Richardson, Dental Regional Manager at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares how the Spring Budget’s biggest announcement can be addressed from a financial planning perspective…

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  922 Hits
922 Hits
JUL
03
0

Chamonix: Exploring Glacier Travel, Crevasse Recognition, Rescue and Polar Classroom Preparations

Chamonix: Exploring Glacier Travel, Crevasse Recognition, Rescue and Polar Classroom Preparations

My time in Chamonix could have got off to a better start. I was unaware of my dependence on my phone until the moment I left it on the plane seat, my reliance soon becoming painfully clear. Hotel details, navigation, pin numbers, email passwords, AirBnB address, camera-my entire life was on that device.

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  2948 Hits
2948 Hits
JUN
27
0

Avoiding the dreaded ‘no’

Lesley Turner

Are you finding more patients than you’d like are declining treatment plans? There can be a number of reasons why this happens. Medenta Business Development Manager, Lesley Turner, looks at why you may be getting the brush off and how you can turn things around.

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  764 Hits
764 Hits
JUN
17
0

Emergency Oxygen and that supplier - Q&A blog by Brabners

Emergency Oxygen and that supplier - Q&A blog by Brabners

Following the news of an urgent recall of emergency oxygen cylinders from one supplier, Hewi Ma of Brabners LLP writes a Q&A blog on the topic, especially aimed at a buyer or seller, in the present timeframe.

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  1706 Hits
1706 Hits
JUN
07
0

Risky business: what’s impacting your practice’s financial security?

Graham Hutton

Graham Hutton, Specialist Financial Planner at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares a key business management area that poses a significant financial risk to your practice…

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  1235 Hits
1235 Hits
MAY
23
0

How much does it cost to retire?

How much does it cost to retire?

Stephen Barry, Specialist Financial Adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares the latest retirement research from the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA)…

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  1847 Hits
1847 Hits
MAY
15
0

Overseas Recruitment in Dentistry - Legal Q & A's In the Dental Business - Part Three

Legal Q & A's In the Dental Business - Part Three

 

In the third of her series of articles for GDPUK, Hewi Ma of Brabners Solicitors discusses employing overseas workers.

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  2215 Hits
2215 Hits
MAY
11
0

Guy Tuggle listens in to recent Practice Plan Webinar

Guy Tuggle listens in to last week’s Practice Plan Webinar

Parliament may finally be debating what to do about NHS contract reform, but for many dentists and practice owners it’s all too late.  

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  645 Hits
645 Hits
MAY
05
0

Is there a future for NHS dentistry if ‘they just don’t get it?’

Is there a future for NHS dentistry if ‘they just don’t get it?’

The most recent oral evidence sessions of the Health and Social Care Select Committee into dentistry left those watching with little doubt that any hoped-for improvements in the state of NHS dentistry were a long way off.

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  1098 Hits
1098 Hits
MAY
03
0

Training for my Antarctic Expedition

Training for my Antarctic Expedition

I was under no illusion that preparing for an expedition to the South Pole was going to be easy. It requires physical and mental preparation, developing skills and experience in navigation, glacier travel and being able to recognise and avoid crevassed terrain. The necessary tick-list I received when I started this journey, rom Steve Jones, was a definite reality check. I knew that there was a big challenge ahead of me and that I would need to push far beyond my comfort zone to achieve it. The key to my success was going to be my training.

My initial preparation began with reaching out to two polar veterans, Wendy Searle, the 7th woman to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported, and Louis Rudd MBE, the first Briton and second person to ski solo across Antarctica. As mentors, their insight, expertise and connections have been invaluable, and they have helped me to gain the skills and confidence I need to face what lies ahead.

An important aspect of my training was finding the right coach. Jon Fearne of E3 coaching has a proven track record of training female polar explorers. Every week I am sent tailored training plans, focussed on building my endurance, strength and cardiovascular fitness that are monitored through an app. I train within certain heart rate zones, the aim being, to achieve maximum performance in Antarctica without sweating, which increases the risk of hypothermia. I carry out repeated drills, such as setting up and dismantling camp in the thick gloves which I will wear on expedition. All of this is to form muscle memory and to increase speed and efficiency when out on the ice.

Training for my Antarctic Expedition

To mimic the experience of pulling of a pulk, I spend many hours hauling a tyre along the Cornish coastline. As you can imagine, this does not go unnoticed, and 18 months in, I still manage to raise a smile as someone inevitably remarks, “ooh, that looks tyring”, the sarcastic sound of the snare drum and cymbal repeating “ba-dum-tss” in my head every time!

Behind the beauty of Antarctica is isolation and danger. Its landscape is a testament to the forces of nature and it’s a full body workout to navigate the large areas of sastrugi (wind-formed ridges of snow and ice that can reach several metres in height). The upper body and core requires just as much fine tuning as my legs.

Managing my mental state during the isolation is somewhat uncertain and difficult to prepare for. I’m reassured by my positive attitude to adverse conditions during training expeditions, but I am also not naive to the fact that this might be one of the most challenging aspects. The monotony of the landscape and the lack of interaction has led to some solo expeditioners to experience hallucinations……from chats to long lost grandparents on the bus, to small bald-headed men hiding behind sastrugi, I can’t deny that I am somewhat curious as to what my hallucinations might be!

Mental training will include visualisation exercises and mindfulness practices, but in reality, I have got to hope that my mental toughness has developed throughout my life experiences.

I still have some big training milestones to achieve over the next few months, but as with everything, I am concentrating on what is next on the list to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the larger picture. May will see me back on Dartmoor for further navigation and GPS training, then toward the end of June, I’m off to Chamonix to gain experience in glacier travel and to look at my route options in detail with an ALE guide. By the time August comes, I should be fit and prepared enough to take on the most difficult test to date, a 3 and a half week crossing of the Greenland ice cap, where I will try my best to disguise my fear of polar bears, or at the very least, ensure I don’t look like their easiest meal!

I hope that this overview has given you just a taste of the training required. I was never in the scouts (more an air-cadet kind of girl), but their motto ‘Be Prepared’ seems a sensible one to follow and I know that I can never be too prepared for the challenge that awaits.

Perhaps spare a thought for me on a Sunday morning, knowing that whatever the weather, I’ll be out there, dragging a tyre or two, imagining myself to be on the breath-taking and unforgiving terrain of Antarctica. I definitely find myself having to dig deep, but the motivation comes from imagining the reward that awaits if I have the right mindset and put the training in.

Training for my Antarctic Expedition

  3193 Hits
3193 Hits
MAY
02
0

Dentistry’s biggest questions answered

Dentistry’s biggest questions answered

Are you struggling to recruit and retain good staff? Are you thinking about leaving the NHS and moving into private practice? Is your practice being affected by the cost-of-living crisis?

Questions! Questions! Questions!

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  673 Hits
673 Hits
APR
28
0

Sell the ‘why’, not just the ‘how’

Chris Nicholson, Practice Plan Regional Support Manager.

Practice Plan Regional Support Manager, Chris Nicholson, talks about the importance of increasing understanding in helping patients to maintain their own oral health to prevent future dental problems.

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  897 Hits
897 Hits
APR
06
0

Five reasons why now is a good time to go private.

Suki Singh

Practice Plan Area Sales Manager, Suki Singh, gives five reasons why now is a great time to make the move to private dentistry.

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  563 Hits
563 Hits
MAR
30
1

My Solo Unsupported Expedition to the South Pole

Cat Burford - Dentist & Explorer

I find myself writing this, surrounded by expedition gear, a day before leaving on a Polar training expedition in Finse, Norway. It’s fair to say that my life has never felt so busy and varied as the past 12 months since admitting to myself and the world that I would be embarking on a solo, unsupported expedition to the South Pole.

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  2264 Hits
Recent comment in this post
Tony Jacobs

Good luck!

Hope it all goes well - stay safe
Tuesday, 04 April 2023 20:58
2264 Hits
MAR
24
0

Legal Q & A's In the Dental Business - Part Two

Hewi Ma of Brabner Solicitors

In the second of her series of articles for GDPUK, Hewi Ma of Brabners Solicitors discusses common legal pitfalls in the business of Dentistry.

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  6132 Hits
6132 Hits
MAR
22
0

How does the 2023 Budget affect my pension?

Pension 2023

Jeremy Hunt revealed the contents of his 2023 Budget in the House of Commons last week. Amongst announcements on household energy bills, free childcare and corporation tax, the Chancellor unveiled surprise changes to the pension tax regime that could benefit anyone who is a higher earner.

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  1138 Hits
1138 Hits
MAR
18
0

We need to be talking about finance in the same breath as patient care

Image Alt here

While the landscape for dentistry has changed considerably since I started in the industry some 25 years ago, one thing has remained the same - our patients need to know we will look after them.

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  1079 Hits
1079 Hits
FEB
27
0

Legal Q & A's In the Dental Business

Hewi Ma of Brabner Solicitors

In the first of her new series of articles for GDPUK, Hewi Ma of Brabners Solicitors discusses common legal pitfalls in the business of Dentistry.

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  1971 Hits
1971 Hits
FEB
23
0

Four signs it may be time to switch plan provider

>Jayne Gibsone

Jayne Gibson shares four key questions to ask yourself whether your plan provider is right for you or if it’s time to move on...

When you’ve been working with your plan provider for a while, it can be easy not to notice that you may not be getting the best service.

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  466 Hits
466 Hits
FEB
17
0

Dentists Provident report paying over 99% of claims in 2022

Dentist's Provident

The long established income protection provider Dentists Provident, has released its claims statistics for 2022.

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  501 Hits
501 Hits
FEB
03
0

More pairs of hands to help enhance our customer service

Zoe Close

Following a record year in 2022 for patients on plan, and as more practices decide to introduce membership plans and join the Practice Plan family, we’re adding some extra pairs of hands to the team to ensure we maintain a great level of customer service.

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  495 Hits
495 Hits
FEB
03
0

Financial goals to stick to in 2023

Image Alt here

Iain Stevenson, Head of Dental at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares key financial planning areas for dentists to address for the year ahead…

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  764 Hits
764 Hits
JAN
23
0

CSR as an aid to recruitment and retention

Zoe Close

Practice Plan Head of Sales, Zoe Close, talks to CSR expert and coach, Mark Topley, about the part CSR can play in helping practices beat the recruitment and retention crisis.

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  632 Hits
632 Hits
DEC
27
1

30 minutes to change the world – or not

30 minutes to change the world – or not

General dental practitioners are largely paid to fix things. To examine, to diagnose, to treat and to review at whatever recall period is appropriate.

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  2203 Hits
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Mark A Speight

Spot on.

.
Monday, 10 April 2023 23:01
2203 Hits
DEC
07
0

Choose the right plan provider by scrutinising the right things

Donna Hall of Practice Plan

Donna Hall examines what practice teams need to look at when choosing the right plan provider to work with.

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  815 Hits
815 Hits
DEC
01
0

Dental Volunteers Work Magic In Malawi

Eleanor Ridge

In this GDPUK exclusive interview, Guy Tuggle talks to Dental Therapist Eleanor Ridge about her recent trip to Malawi with Dentaid.

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  2536 Hits
2536 Hits
DEC
01
0

Retirement planning: five key financial questions, answered

Michael Copeland

Michael Copeland, Dental Regional Manager for Wesleyan Financial Services, reveals sought-after financial nuggets when it comes to life after work for dentists…

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  849 Hits
849 Hits
NOV
23
0

What’s in store for dental practices, through the eyes of the selling agent.

What’s in store for dental practices, through the eyes of the selling agent.

As Managing director of Christie & Co’s medical division and a dental specialist, Simon Hughes has been working the UK dental market for nearly a decade. In an exclusive interview with GDPUK he gave his insights into the current state of the ‘business of dentistry’ in what is an increasingly complex market for practice sales.

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  773 Hits
773 Hits
NOV
23
0

Contract Reform – with a dash of history and art

Dental Contract Reform

Contract reform is on the agenda again – or maybe it never left. A recent paper in the BDJ from Rebecca Harris and Rachel Foskett-Tharby of NHS England describes the problem of the current dental contract as ‘wicked’ or ‘stubborn.’

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  2526 Hits
2526 Hits
OCT
26
0

Dentistry – are there more opportunities in dentistry than ever before?

Zoe Close

Practice Plan Sales Manager, Zoe Close suggests that, contrary to popular opinion, we may be entering a time of great opportunity for dentistry.

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  1276 Hits
1276 Hits
OCT
23
0

Racism

Racism

In a football season where a statue has been raised in Plymouth of Jack Leslie, a black footballer, racism is in the news. Leslie played 400 times for Plymouth Argyle in the 1920’s and 30’s, scoring 137 times in the football league. Selected for the England squad in 1925, in the form of his life, he was inexplicably then dropped.

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  1777 Hits
1777 Hits
OCT
01
0

Patient complaints - inevitable but not irrevocable

 

Len D'Cruz

Suki Singh talks to dentist and Head of Indemnity at the BDA, Len D’Cruz, about the inevitability of complaints and how to prevent them from escalating.

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  1342 Hits
1342 Hits
SEP
23
0

Why now is the best time to begin your retirement planning

Paul Barnfather, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, shares how there is a cost when delaying financial planning for retirement.

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  1727 Hits
1727 Hits
SEP
21
1

Update on antibiotic prophylaxis and infective endocarditis

Much separates the UK for the USA.

An ocean, obviously.

And language - ‘Two nations divided by a common language’- a comment variously attributed to George Bernard Shaw or possibly Oscar Wilde or even Winston Churchill. 

I mean, who knew that the exhaust pipe on your car is a muffler and the bonnet is a hood? Chips/crisps, fries/chips, pants/trousers, jelly/jam – the opportunities for misunderstanding are endless.

When it comes to the differences in advice with regard to management of patients at risk of infective endocarditis (IE), the chasm between the UK and the USA is very wide indeed.

The American Heart Association (AHA) continues to recommend that antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) is given to those undergoing invasive dental procedures (IDP) and at risk of IE.

Those at increased risk of developing IE include people with

  • acquired valvular heart disease with stenosis or regurgitation
  • hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • previous infective endocarditis
  • structural congenital heart disease, including surgically corrected or palliated structural conditions, but excluding isolated atrial septal defect, fully repaired ventricular septal defect or fully repaired patent ductus arteriosus, and closure devices that are judged to be endothelialised
  • valve replacement

IDPs which should be covered by AP are defined as

  • extractions and other surgical interventions such as biopsies, implant placement and periodontal surgery
  • scaling and root planning
  • endodontic treatment

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommends that AP is restricted to those at highest risk of IE.

However, in the UK, since 2008, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance has stated that “antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis is not recommended routinely for people undergoing dental procedures.”

The evidence for the use of AP before IDP’s appears to be lacking and causal links with bacteraemia’s from tooth brushing have been suggested. Despite research published in 2013 which found an increase in IE in the UK followed a decrease in AP prescriptions subsequent to the issue of the 2008 guidelines, the NICE recommendations have largely remained unchanged since then.

However, a recent paper in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, by Martin Thornhill of Sheffield University and colleagues, provides evidence that an association between IDP’s and the development of IE in at risk individuals. Using diagnostic, treatment and hospital admission coding from almost 8 million case records, it was found that the chances of acquiring IE following extractions or other oral surgical procedures were significantly increased for those at high risk. Where AP was provided (in 32% of cases) there was a significantly reduced risk of acquiring IE. The low rate of compliance with the AHA advice about AP is possibly explained by a lack of understanding of the guidance or a belief that AP is the responsibility of the cardiologist, not the dentist.

The authors suggest that their findings “provide evidence to support the current AHA and ESC recommendations that those at highest risk of IE should receive AP before IDPs”, implying that the current NICE guidance is out of date.

NICE guidance to UK dentists continues to be that AP is not routinely recommended and that

“Healthcare professionals should offer people at increased risk of infective endocarditis clear and consistent information about prevention, including:

  • the benefits and risks of antibiotic prophylaxis, and an explanation of why antibiotic prophylaxis is no longer routinely recommended
  • the importance of maintaining good oral health
  • symptoms that may indicate infective endocarditis and when to seek expert advice
  • the risks of undergoing invasive procedures, including non‑medical procedures such as body piercing or tattooing.”

So - watch out for new guidance soon!

But for TMD, there’s a bridge over the pond!

The regular reader of this blog (there’s probably only one, I’m a born pessimist) may recall that the first in the series, back in January, discussed the management of tempero-mandibular disorders (TMD) and asked to whom patients should be referred. Given its links to other chronic pain conditions, a multi-disciplinary approach to care and management seemed appropriate.

And here’s a move towards that. A recent paper in the British Dental Journal – A commentary on Tempero-mandibular disorders: priorities for research and care – bridging from the US to the UK (Durham,J, Greene,C and Ohrbach,R) reviews work from the US indicating that ‘the current dental-focussed treatments for TMD must be re-conceptualised toward a multi-disciplinary, inter-professional team approach, involving specialists within the broader healthcare community.’ International co-operation to create registers to gather data on patients’ health and treatments should provide sufficiently large datasets to allow the development of clinical guidelines for patient care. Centres of excellence for treatment are proposed for treatment of TMD s and management of oro-facial pain. Already in the UK, a National Orofacial Pain Alliance has been set up, drawing together the expertise of oral surgeons and clinical psychologists.

So, as we move into fall, perhaps we can take a rain check on our dental differences with the USA, and wait to see how NICE has gotten on with some new guidance.

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Tony Smith

Rheumatic fever

Around 1980 my Dad needed an extraction, I told my Dad to tell his dentist about his history of rheumatic fever, which he did, aft... Read More
Sunday, 02 October 2022 18:33
2106 Hits
AUG
22
0

Why Digital Dentistry Is A Purple Cow

Purple cow

Regional Support Manager, Emma Flunt, reflects on some of the points raised in a recent Practice Plan workshop by Marcos White on adapting the patient journey to the digital age.

From listening to Marcos, I realised that’s it’s possible to use digital tools of some sort for the whole of the patient journey. In his practice he uses a 3D printer, digital design, milling, guided dentistry, a scanner, iPhones so images can be sent by WhatsApp to patients, AI (artificial intelligence) apps to show how good people’s teeth could look and a CBCT scanner which is a scan that can show both bones and soft tissues. Every part of the process has a digital element. He even uses digital language as he describes treatment planning and delivery as a ‘workflow’ which involves a combination of digital tools.

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  1338 Hits
1338 Hits
AUG
17
2

Dental recalls – a prickly subject

Porcupine

Porcupines – literally ‘spiny pigs’ - have a gestation period of about six months, which is completely irrelevant to dentistry but a useful introduction to the subject of recall intervals for dental patients.

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  3407 Hits
Recent Comments
Tony Smith

Dental, Health examination

In the 80's on the NHS, "recalls" were 5-minute affairs, when I finished 20 minutes. As the public sees and trusts us regularly, w... Read More
Tuesday, 30 August 2022 12:26
David Rundle

6 monthlies

I have often wondered about the logic of 6 month recalls, but the experience of delaying Recalls to 9/12 months, as a result of th... Read More
Friday, 02 September 2022 14:36
3407 Hits
JUL
29
0

Are you getting the most from your plan provider?

With most of Europe in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis, now is a good time to make sure you’re getting the best value from the money you’re spending. 

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  704 Hits
704 Hits
JUL
22
0

Fast-Tracking Your Retirement

Many people, even if they really love their job, understandably look forward to a life of leisure after retiring – and the sooner they can get there, the better.

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  1051 Hits
1051 Hits
JUL
21
0

NHS Contract changes. What they said and what they meant*

NHS Contract changes. What they said and what they meant*

Your NHS dentistry and oral health update

19 July 2022 (Issue 50)

An update from Sara Hurley and Ali Sparke

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  2806 Hits
2806 Hits
JUL
20
1

Sex, Gender and Orthodontics

You don’t have to hang around on Twitter for very long these days to discover that there are some subjects you cannot raise without receiving a barrage of opinion and sometimes abuse from both sides of the argument. Accusations of being a (insert subject here)phobe are rife.

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  3893 Hits
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Peter Martin

simple answer

Child orthodontic provision has been rationed much more severely in England and Wales than general dentistry since the 2006 contra... Read More
Thursday, 04 August 2022 15:08
3893 Hits
JUL
13
0

Dentist Self-Employed Status; To Be or Not To Be?

Worker or Self-Employed?

 

On 16th June 2022 the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) handed down its decision in a case concerning a dentist claiming worker status. This is another in a long line of cases where dental associates have claimed that they are not ‘self-employed’, but instead have worker status.

There has understandably been concern amongst the dental profession that this decision will significantly impact the future of NHS dentistry. However, it is important to bear in mind that the EAT did not determine that the associate was a worker, only that the original employment tribunal’s determination that she was not had been incorrectly reasoned. The case will now return to the employment tribunal for rehearing.

Crucially, this is not a current case, in that the associate in question was working under a 2010 version of the BDA contract; a contract that since has been updated on at least two occasions.

Whilst some important points have been raised by the EAT, which may require dental practices to consider their current business model, it is important to bear in mind that the EAT has not been asked to consider the current BDA contract, which no doubt was updated as a result of the spate of cases on worker status in recent years.

In this article we set out the facts of the case and comment on the EAT’s decision; as we represented the dental practice in this matter, we have an insight into the facts and findings.

The Law

Before we review the case, it is helpful to remind ourselves of the test for worker status. A person is a worker if they work under;

  1. a contract of employment, or
  2. any other contract, whether express or implied and (if it is express) whether oral or in writing, whereby the individual undertakes to do or perform personally any work or services for another party to the contract whose status is not by virtue of the contract that of a client or customer of any profession or business undertaking carried on by the individual;

The latter is often referred to as a ‘limb B’ worker. You also have to bear in mind that a person can be self-employed for tax purposes,  but a limb B worker for employment purposes.  

What the tribunal will ask itself:

  1. Was the dentist required to perform any work personally? If the answer to this questions is no then the dentist is not a worker. If the answer to this question is yes then the tribunal will ask;
  2. Was the practice a client of the dentist and was the dentist in business in their own right? If the answer is yes then the dentist is not a worker. If the answer is no then the dentist is a worker.

When looking at the first point, the courts will look at the substitution/locum clause and whether there is any ‘fettering’, or limitation, on that clause. The more fettering there is, the more likely the dentist is required to perform the work personally.

For the second point the tribunal will consider how much control the practice has over the associate; how much the associate is integrated into the practice.

The Facts

The dental practice is a corporate with locations across the country. The dentist had originally worked in Oxford, before moving to their Kensington practice 2021. The dentist was working under a contract that said:  

In the event of the Associate’s failure (through ill health maternity paternity or other cause) to utilise the facilities for a continuous period of more than 14 days the Associate shall use his best endeavours to make arrangements for the use of the facilities by a locum tenens, such locum tenens being acceptable to the Primary Care Trust and the Company….

The dental practice argued that this locum clause meant the dentist was not required to provide the services personally. Whilst the dentist had never sent a locum herself, evidence was provide to the tribunal of other dentists within the business utilising the locum clause, for example for sickness and maternity leave.

However, the contractual term only imposed an obligation to send a locum after 14 days of not utilising the facilities. The practice in response gave witness evidence that dentists within the business, as across the profession, were entitled to send a locum at any time.

The tribunal accepted that the locum clause meant the dentist was not required to perform the services personally and her claim was rejected.

Decision

By the time the case came before the EAT, the Supreme Court had handed down its decision in Uber. Whilst the Court of Appeal overall decision was the same. The Supreme Court made it clear the test is a statutory test not a contractual test. The focus should be on the reality of the of the working relationship, not the contractual one. Whilst the contract can be helpful, the courts must look at what happens day to day.

The EAT relied on this case when determining this appeal and found that the tribunal judge had relied on contractual interpretations over statutory provisions.

The EAT went on to find that the tribunal judge was wrong to find there was no fettering on the right of substitution in this case. They considered the following were such fetters:

  • the contract only allowed the dentist to send a locum after 14 days;
  • the locum must be acceptable to the practice;
  • the fact that elements of the agreement were due to regulatory requirements (registration with the GDC, being on the performers list) this did not prevent them from being taken into account when considering the fetters on the right to send a substitute;
  • the dentist had never sent a locum, which was relevant to the issue of what the true agreement was between the parties.

In the opinion of the EAT, the above all amounted to fetters on the right to send a substitute, meaning the dentist was required to perform the services personally.

The EAT did not consider the second part of the test, which has been remitted to the tribunal to consider the point by a fresh panel. This means the dentist has not yet been found to be a worker; only that she was required to perform the services personally.

Conclusion

The BDA has since updated its template to state:

The Associate

  1. may at any time; and
  2. shall, if they are unable to utilise the facilities for a continuous period of more than 14 days, use their best endeavours to make arrangements for the use of the facilities by a locum tenens.

The question now is whether the above amendment is sufficient to avoid worker status.

If you are interested in further analysis of the case, including our tips on how practices and dental associates can work together moving forward, join our webinar on 27th July 2022 at 7pm. To sign up for this webinar please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Julia Furley, Barrister and Laura Pearce, Senior Solicitor

  1982 Hits
1982 Hits
JUN
15
2

Vaping – No Smoke Without Fire

Vaping

No doubt we have all followed a car down a road, with billows of smoke emitting from an open window, and wondering whether said vehicle was on fire. Similarly, who hasn’t been walking down a pavement and been nasally insulted by puffs of bubblegum or apple pie and custard from an enthusiastic vaper?  

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  4415 Hits
Recent Comments
Paul Hellyer

See also this link for vaping ...

https://www.georgeinstitute.org.au/media-releases/teachers-sound-the-alarm-on-school-vaping... Read More
Friday, 22 July 2022 10:48
Paul Hellyer

Further link here re vaping, f...

https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/how-many-people-vape-uk... Read More
Friday, 05 August 2022 09:06
4415 Hits
MAY
25
0

Cost of living crisis: when lack of action guarantees reduced purchasing power of savings

Stephen Barry of Wesleyan

Stephen Barry, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, shares the lesser-known risks when it comes to the cost of living crisis, where you may see a reduction in the purchasing power of your money…

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  1027 Hits
1027 Hits
MAY
24
0

How I Left The NHS, For The Second Time

Simon Gallier

Emma Flunt talks to Simon Gallier about why he decided to leave the NHS, for the second time, and turn his 95% NHS practice to private and how he’s now feeling about the future…

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  1393 Hits
1393 Hits
MAY
17
0

Material facts

Composite material

Back in the past, I used to hate dental materials lectures. It all seemed so irrelevant. I just wanted to know the material worked. I couldn’t get excited about the chemistry. Oh, I remember the important stuff. 

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  2119 Hits
2119 Hits
APR
25
0

Dental indemnity – your burning questions answered

Kevin Culliney
Kevin Culliney

Wesleyan Financial Services’ Kabir Ahmed interviews Kevin Culliney, Partner at Densura, to discuss the key occurrences that are changing the face of dental indemnity…

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  1212 Hits
1212 Hits
APR
14
0

Just Drifting

Walking to dental school one day, I met one of our professors, carrying a cage.

A conversation ensued.

‘May I ask what is in the cage, Professor?’

‘You may, Mr. Hellyer – it’s a monkey of the species Macaca Irus.’

‘Really?’.

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  3319 Hits
3319 Hits
MAR
28
0

Thinking of selling your dental practice? How the market looks in 2022

Practice keys changing hands

Two years on from the start of the pandemic, Phil Barlow, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, looks at how COVID-19 has impacted the dental property market and what that means for those looking to sell their practice in 2022…

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  1604 Hits
1604 Hits
MAR
21
0

Eyes Wide Shut

Eyes Wide Shut

There can be very few dentists who turn patients away because the challenge is too big. Even if they can’t complete treatment themselves, they’ll at least point the patient in the right direction.

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  3426 Hits
3426 Hits
MAR
14
0

The GDC, winning hearts and minds their own way.

The GDC, winning hearts and minds their own way.

Amongst the many salaries that your GDC registration fee helps to fund is that of Daniel Knight. He has the title of Stakeholder Engagement Manager, where he leads on student and new registrant engagement.

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  3193 Hits
3193 Hits
MAR
09
0

Wesleyan supports 15 dentistry students with £65,000 Scholarship funding

Birmingham-based specialist financial services mutual, Wesleyan has announced it will be supporting 15 dental students from disadvantaged communities with scholarship funding worth over £65,000. Each student will receive scholarship fees of £1,500 per year for the first three years, as well as regular mentoring and practical support both before and at the University of Birmingham.

The need for skilled dentists is more urgent than ever due to the pandemic. Dental surgeries were closed for months in lockdowns and many people are still avoiding routine check-ups for fear of COVID-19. This means people often need more complex treatments for advanced tooth decay and gum disease when they do see a dentist.

Nathan Wallis, Chief of Staff at Wesleyan said: “We’ve always been committed to supporting dentists through every step of their careers, from their first appointment right through to retirement, and we are proud to support 15 students, at the start of their professions. Not only do we care about our communities and the challenges of social mobility, but we also understand that access to funding is critical to getting started at university.”

Professor David Adams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of College of Medical and Dental Sciences, from University of Birmingham said: “Undergraduate dentistry students study for five years, instead of the usual three for many other subjects; by choosing to go into a field where they can help others, they are making a huge financial commitment. The scholarships from the Wesleyan Foundation will help to ease the pressure on students who would have otherwise struggled to get started at university.”

The scholarships form part of the University of Birmingham’s Pathways to Birmingham (P2B) programme, which has helped over 5,500 young people from underrepresented backgrounds study at the University over the last 20 years. The P2B programmes are targeted at young people who are the first in their family to go to university, are from low-income households, live in a postcode where few people go to university, have a disability, have been in care and/or are estranged from both parents or guardians.

Wesleyan, the specialist financial services mutual, launched the Wesleyan Foundation in 2017 as part of their commitment to supporting great causes that are important to their customer base of doctors, teachers and dentists, and the communities in which they live and work.

  1936 Hits
1936 Hits
MAR
05
0

How to attract talent to your practice

Emma Anastasi - Diamond Dental Staff Founder

Zoe Close speaks to dental recruitment specialist, Emma Anastasi, about ways to recruit top team members in your practice… One of the many ways in which COVID-19 has changed our world has been the impact it’s had on workforces worldwide.

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  840 Hits
840 Hits
FEB
25
0

COVID-19 – when the rubber hits the tooth

Positive tests

I have a friend who is a proper scientist. You know the type, PhD after their name, and understands all the stats stuff like Cronbach’s alpha, Spearman’s r and the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. Their area of research was water quality and they spent 3 years gathering data from the outfall from sewage works. Three years collecting dirty water samples and theirs is the prefix of doctor and the suffix PhD.

Collecting waste water has become a bit of a trend during the Covid pandemic. The BBC reported that fragments of the virus’ genetic material can be identified from sewage, even when there are only asymptomatic cases in the area. Identification is not easy because of other contaminants but clusters of infection may then be identified before symptomatic cases appear and preventive strategies targeted earlier than would otherwise be possible.

And if the virus is shed from one end of the gastro-intestinal tract, then it’s almost certainly at the other end too. We know that the virus gets up your nose and gathers round your tonsils. Never in the field of public health, has so much sneezing and gagging gone on in the bathrooms of this country as we test, test, test, desperately hoping for that single pink line to appear on the test kit. But what about that fluid that dentists spend their time fighting against? What about saliva?

Lateral Flow tests

There have been multiple research papers published in the past months, about the link between saliva and Covid, many fast tracked for dissemination in the fight against the disease. A recent study from the US confirmed that the virus was present in the saliva of both asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic patients. A quite specific review suggests that as saliva is easy to collect and saves the need for swabs-on-sticks-up-the-nose, which are uncomfortable and pose a risk of bleeding in some cases, then saliva testing for evidence of the presence of COVID-19 might be a more acceptable test mechanism. The review found that passively collected saliva had a high sensitivity rate to detect Covid in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients when compared to naso-pharyngeal swabs. Passive collection – drooling, basically – means there is no contamination of the saliva from coughing or nasal discharge.

So there’s Covid in spit – who knew? All those prevention strategies for aerosol generating procedures must have been worth it.  But as the Government appears to remove all restrictions to normal life, how long before all those restrictions on dentistry are removed? Abandoned to the whims and fancies of the asymptomatic, untested – ‘it costs money, guv’ – maskless patient. Do we assume everyone is Covid positive, just as the basis of universal precautions is that everyone carries HIV or Hepatitis C? Back to normal then, with current screening depending largely on questions regarding symptoms and test results.

When carriers of Covid can be asymptomatic and there’s no longer testing freely available, questions about symptoms and test results appear to have limited use. There may be a future for a simple saliva test, to check what precautions are necessary before treating any patient. But I suspect that would be considered discriminatory and ethically unacceptable.

What then can be added to the standard procedures to help prevent spread of Covid? A pre-operative mouthrinse reduces the viral load in saliva for between 15 and 45 minutes. Maybe a 30 second swish of Chlorhexidene or hydrogen peroxide will become the norm for everyone.

Rubber dam is of course another weapon in the armoury of the dentist to reduce contaminated aerosols in the surgery Those of us of a certain age will recall the enthusiasm of Keith Marshall’s ‘Dam it, its easy’ courses. There’s surely an opportunity here for an entrepreneurial educator to set up some hands-on dam refresher courses.

And since condom sales fell by 40% during lockdown, there may be some good opportunities for sponsorship from manufacturers as they seek alternative outlets for their rubber. Presumably there will be fewer contaminants in the wastewater, too.

  3844 Hits
3844 Hits
FEB
24
0

How to maximise your tax-free allowances and contributions ahead of the new tax year

With the end of the tax year fast approaching, there’s no better time to start thinking about spring cleaning you finances.

Paying particular attention to your tax-free allowances and reliefs is always a good place to start. Aaron Prested, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, answers key questions around making the most of this tax year:

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  1337 Hits
1337 Hits
FEB
13
0

The Endgame

Throughout the 30 years of my career there have been peaks and troughs regarding the NHS dental system. Actually, the peaks (to me at least) have really only been less deep troughs, but I’m sure you will understand what I’m saying. Most of time the profession has seemed to just get on with it and accept what the various contracts have offered, and learnt to work within them (or around them in the case of a minority). What has always happened when we end up in one of the troughs though has been for dental practices to largely and stoically maintain their NHS commitment, despite the pips being squeezed that bit more firmly each time. There have always been a few practices who have moved out of the NHS to private, but the majority have stayed put.

I have my own reasons for considering why practitioners don’t opt out of the NHS and I think it boils down to the following (in no order of importance). There are likely to be other reasons that I haven’t considered so apologies If I have omitted any alternative reasons an individual may have who is reading this.

Fear of the Unknown

Fear of not having enough patients/work

Concern that there will be a proportion of the populous that cant afford private fees

An underlying need to satisfy their own socialist tendencies

Lack of confidence in their own abilities

Fear of loss of the NHS Pension

Too late in their career.

I can’t take each one of these points and discuss them as this would take too long and bore everyone senseless. However, these are the reasons I had for not taking the leap sooner in my career. Everything I felt would go wrong (for the dentists) with this contract has done, and pretty much in the way that many of us predicted right at the beginning.

It is also clear that there are those who have been able to make the NHS work very well for them (usually in a financial manner), but I am not going there in this blog.

It is very apparent though at the moment that there has never been such an uprising of dissent from the profession post Covid, and there is an increased sound of the rattling of a profession’s collective sabres toward the powers that be. I’m informed the private plan providers are gearing up to deal with an ever increasing number of practitioners who are nearer to making the jump to private dentistry than ever before. It seems that the support that was given to practitioners throughout Covid that was initially seen as generous, has now come with the sort of interest payments a government will always put on its help.

For those of us that made the jump a while ago, I can honestly say the grass is not only greener on this side, but the park-keeper isn’t some jobsworth who has no clue and enforces ever more draconian and financially difficult rules when you stray onto the grass. Actually its not really grass anymore, but a dustblown patch of earth, but it has deteriorated over so long those playing on it don’t actually notice anymore.

However, for the first time in long time, I think the profession is more united in its outlook than it has been. Whilst there is still the obvious fear of the unknown, more NHS practitioners are realising that they are unable to shore up a completely broken system and longer. They are hopefully also realising that it isn’t their fault that they haven’t got the resources (both financial and mental) to care for patients but the responsibility of the State to fund this, not them.

I’ve given up trying to count how many times a new contract has been proposed, piloted and then prototyped before being seen as unacceptable to the DHSC. More dentists must be realising that the only thing that will be acceptable to the powers in Whitehall will be the entire population being treated for less than the current NHS budget. The current crisis is showing that this is patently impossible despite the best efforts of the profession, and I suspect that FINALLY there will be a tipping point in the profession that will lead to a mass exodus of caring practitioners leaving the NHS.

At the moment, there seems to be a distinct lack of concrete offerings from DHSC as to what a new contract will contain, but only the most deluded of us would suggest it’ll be better funded for less onerous working conditions. Cynically, one would say (yet again) that this is exactly what the powers that be want, but they have to make the dentists go private of their own accord so as to avoid the government getting the bad press. I somewhat cynically think the DHSC are paying lip service to the profession by making a show of negotiating with the BDA, but in reality using successive low level civil servants on a fast track to somewhere much more important to their careers in order to practice their techniques and to see if they toe the line. I actually asked on one recent webinar with the DHSC negotiator what time his mum was going to call him in for tea…..

I think the profession has to now consider it is at the point where both sides are not really going to agree. The profession can no longer work under this pressure and provide what it is contractually obliged to do; and the government will not increase funding to the degree that is needed to improve the service and access. I think it will need such a complete rethink of how dentistry works in this country that I cant even begin to suggest an option other than a core service. However this course service would have to be funded at the current level, which we all know isn’t going to happen, as core service will be a further excuse to cut the budget rather than fund dentists appropriately for the business risks they take and the skills they have.

We should take heart that the profession now has the upper hand, but if only it chooses to realise. There are not enough of us and to increase the numbers would take years and years (and look how that has ended up with overseas dentists returning home and the GDC not able to sort out the ORE). We are still the only people who can provide the service we do, and its time for use to remember this and embrace it fully. We have to remember we are only human and cannot care for every single person at our own expense. We have to also look after our own mental health and well-being so that we can properly concentrate on delivering the high standard of care we were trained to do, and not what a system is forcing us into.

It’s time to play the endgame and win.

  4741 Hits
4741 Hits
FEB
10
2

No Time To Talk - The GDC and GDPs

Lord Toby Harris

For far too long, relations between dentists and their regulator have been fraught, to say the least.

This may be a situation that in practice suits the GDC very well, but appearances matter. In November last year, the General Dental Council [GDC] revealed the results of some research that it had commissioned. The aim was to ascertain dental professionals’ views on the GDC. It would be very reassuring for GDC leaders to be able to demonstrate that criticism of the regulator comes from a small and unrepresentative section of the profession. The results did not fit that narrative, indeed the GDC, experiencing a moment of insight, commented that the findings “don’t make comfortable reading.”

As reported on GDPUK at the time, negative perceptions of the GDC had actually risen from a bad 45% in 2018, to a worse 58% in 2020. To add to an already grim picture, responses also showed that over time, an increasing number of respondents felt that the GDC was actually getting worse. The finding that “students were more likely than dental professionals to associate positive words with the GDC”, could be said to offer evidence that the more dental teams came into contact with the GDC, the less they liked it.

By the GDC’s standards a veritable charm offensive followed, with Chief Executive Ian Brack and Executive Director Stefan Czerniawski explaining how they would be working to improve matters. It was announced that the recently installed Chair, Lord Harris, was starting his term by meeting key stakeholders. With the vast majority of UK dental care delivered in general practice by general practitioners and their teams, an outsider might expect that this would be reflected in some of this activity.

Since taking over from Bill Moyes, Lord Harris has written four blogs for the GDC which have been sent with its periodic emails and are also available on its website. In his first blog there was indeed reference to meeting some of those key stakeholders. He had met the English CDO, as well as the BDA, BADN and SBDN and been at the launch of the College of General Dentistry. He went on to express the view that “professional regulation is a privilege”.

By the time of his next blog Lord Harris had met the CQC and HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) and was looking forward to meeting COPDEND and the Dental Schools Council to discuss education. He added that his belief that we should see (presumably the GDC’s) regulation as a benefit, had been reinforced.

The third blog announced a programme between January and April of meeting students and trainees which would be an “opportunity to hear from students in the early stages of their dentistry careers.” There was also a section about the benefits of regulating the whole dental team. He added that he would “continue to meet representatives of the dental professions in the next few months”

The beginning of February saw publication of the fourth blog. Lord Harris had now met with Healthwatch, and rightly pointed out that “understanding the views of patients and the public is critically important”. “However” he added, “the GDC also wants to engage with people at the start of their career in dentistry”.  They had met nearly 400 students and trainees, representing dentists, hygienists, and therapists, and were “finding them helpful to build understanding of our role and hear from members of the future dental team”.

GDP’s are trained to be observant, so readers will have spotted by now that in relation to the amount of care delivered, they barely register on Lord Harris’s radar. There was also a focus on those younger team members who the GDC’s own survey had revealed, were the group with a less poor opinion of the GDC.

Following publication of Lord Harris’s fourth blog, GDPUK contacted the GDC’s communications team with an enquiry about the Chair's meetings with GDPs and related groups. To provide some context, emails to the Department of Health and NHS England on the day of the 50 million dental funding were all answered within a couple of hours. If a respondent was unable to help they suggested a suitable colleague. It did not take long to get an answer that specifically dealt with each section of our request. GDPUK also asked the BDA about meetings with Lord Harris. A comprehensive reply came within 90 minutes.

With absolutely no response from the GDC, a follow up email was sent the next day. With the same result. After 3 emails sent on separate working days, and not even an acknowledgement, a colleague who has had similar difficulties provided an alternative contact to the one on the GDC’s website. Finally, a response confirming that our emails had been received came within a couple of hours, and not long after this, another GDC official provided their response to our enquiry. The Chair would appear to have had a busy diary which will continue over the coming weeks with many meetings. The most GDP related one to add to those in his blogs would appear to be the Association of Dental Groups (ADG). Scheduled were meetings with professional bodies including hygienists, therapists, dental technicians and dentists as well as indemnifiers.

To be fair to the GDC, when a subsequent enquiry was sent, it was responded to the following day.

GDP’s may be left wondering whether following last years uncomfortable feedback, the GDC’s chosen approach to them is one of engagement, or quarantine.

  2860 Hits
Recent Comments
Keith Hayes

Experiencing a moment of insig...

The GDC don't like to be put under the spotlight, it is an uncomfortable place to be, especially when there could be quite a lot o... Read More
Saturday, 12 February 2022 09:46
Tony Jacobs

Posted on LinkedIn

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uhy78alb532sid1/Screen%20Shot%2002-13-22%20at%2003.06%20PM.PNG?dl=0 Please click on this link to see an... Read More
Sunday, 13 February 2022 15:09
2860 Hits
FEB
05
0

When a win isn’t actually a win

There have recently been many worried rumblings in the profession amongst principals about the issue of vicarious liability and non-delegable duties of care  concerning their associates after the case of Rattan (Rattan V Hughes [2021] EWHC 2032 QB). In this particular case it was found that a principal who hadn’t actually treated a patient was still liable for the negligent treatment by dental associates. 

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  4833 Hits
4833 Hits
FEB
04
0

It’s not all black and white

Black & White

 

Last night (03/02/2022) on Dragon’s Den (BBC1 8.00pm), an entrepreneur walked away with an investment of £50,000 in her company selling cosmetic dental products – charcoal toothpaste, bamboo handled toothbrushes and home whitening kits. The company, SmileTime, is generating over £1m in sales annually online, and probably more after last night’s TV exposure.

The evidence of the efficacy of charcoal based oral products appears to be lacking. A recent paper in the BDJ stated ‘Charcoal-based dentifrices, in the absence of supporting scientific evidence, may be considered to be a fashionable, marketing 'gimmick' based on folklore.’ SmileTime’s website, however, claims that their tooth whitening kit (using ‘advanced active whitening ingredient called PAP that whitens and brightens your teeth without any pain or sensitivity’) is ‘scientifically proven to whiten and brighten teeth after a few uses as shown in the clinical trial study by the Journal of Applied Oral Science.’

So let’s look at this evidence for their tooth whitening kits. The study was published in 2017 and carried out by a team at Witten/Herdecke University in Germany. The active materials under test were a non-hydrogen peroxide bleaching agent phthalimido peroxy caproic acid (PAP) and calcium lactate gluconate (a remineralisation agent), available as an over the counter (OTC) product called iWhite. iWhite is a brand sold by Sylphar, who supported the quoted research project with funding for the materials and compensation for the participants. A disclaimer states, however, that ‘the company was not involved in the study design, the data collection and analysis, the decision to publish or the preparation of the manuscript.’

iWhite is intended as a self applied bleaching gel, using trays provided in the kits. After some explanation of the legalities of the use of hydrogen peroxide as a dental bleaching agent, the authors introduce PAP and calcium lactate gluconate (as a remineralising agent) as a novel OTC bleaching agent. For the research, they recruited 40 participants (the paper doesn’t say how they were recruited) and randomly divided them into an active group and a placebo group. The active group received application of iWhite and the placebo group received iWhite but with the active ingredient removed.

All participants were examined, confirmed as disease free and had no teeth lighter than VITA Lumin shade A2. Using the shade guide (numbered 1-16), the blinded examiner recorded tooth colour at baseline, immediately after gel application and 24 hours later, under similar light conditions (not defined). The middle one third of each upper and lower anterior tooth was used to select the shade and an average score was produced for each participant. All participants were supervised during application of the gel by the researcher.

According to their results, the mean shade score fell significantly (i.e. whiter) by about 2 points for the active group immediately after application and after 24 hours. There was no significant change in the placebo group. That’s the scientific evidence.

But there’s a few anomalies. Forty one percent of individual teeth showed no shade change. This means the gel is not as effective as it might be or, even under supervision, was unequally distributed in the one-size fits-all trays. The product is sold to be used unsupervised at home. The discussion states that the examiner found no mucosal irritations immediately after application nor 24 hours later. However, the results section states that the examiner found 5 subjects with gingival irritation in the study group and 3 in the placebo group after application. At baseline, hypersensitivity was measured by blowing air on the teeth. After 24 hours, hypersensitivity was measured by asking the subject. Even with that ambiguous method, hypersensitivity was recorded in 4 subjects. There’s no description of how the ambient light was controlled, surely important in discussing anything to do with shade and colour. The authors state that ‘the colour stability after bleaching has been largely confined to weeks or months’ – but they didn’t measure that.

On the whole, it’s all a bit wishy washy. One examiner? Why not 2 for a much stronger conclusion? Only one application? That’s because ‘the products may cause irreversible damage if used on a long-term basis.’

And I’m not convinced by the stats. A shade guide is basically a stack porcelain or acrylic teeth, named subjectively for convenience A1 to D4. You could name them white, whitey, whiter, whitest, yellow, yellowy, yellower etc etc. By ascribing numbers 1-16 doesn’t make them numbers. They are still simply labels. And just as you can’t create an average of white, whitey, etc, you can’t create a mean or average of these number labels. The mean is therefore meaningless which undermines the validity of the whole paper. But I’m happy to see if greater statistical minds come along to correct me!

Even if I’m wrong on that, the study certainly doesn’t show that the product ‘whitens and brightens your teeth without any pain or sensitivity’ as claimed on the website. The study does not show that ‘PAP formulas have been scientifically proven to whiten and brighten teeth after a few uses as shown in the clinical trial’ as claimed on the website. The study does not show that ‘results will last anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months,’ as claimed on the website.

I can find no other in vivo research of the use of PAP as a bleaching agent, although a recent in vitro study found non-peroxide mouthwashes had minimal bleaching effect.

I guess the jury is still out.

But, as they say on Dragon’s Den, I’m afraid I’m definitely out.

  3829 Hits
3829 Hits
JAN
24
0

The puzzle of TMD

The puzzle of TMD

There have been a few common phrases around recently that would not have been heard some years ago.

‘You’re on mute!’ in the first year of lockdown and ‘Have you had your jab yet?’ in 2021.

This year it is ‘Have you heard about Wordle?’

Wordle for those who have yet to discover it, is a web-based word game, with a 5x6 grid of boxes. Participants enter a five-letter word into the top line and are then informed, by the highlighting the relevant letters, whether the choices are either in the correct place for the word to be guessed (green) or present in that word but in the wrong place (a shade of sickly khaki). Using that information, the process is repeated on the descending lines until either the correct word is found or the 6th guess is incorrect. A new game is set each day.

Diagnosing tempero-mandibular joint disorder (TMD) strikes me as similar to playing Wordle, but without ever getting to line 6 with the correct answer. All responses to questions are about as helpful as those squares of sickly khaki.

‘Does it hurt when you open your mouth?’

‘Sometimes’

‘Does it click when you open wide?’

‘Oh yes, listen …… and it drives my partner mad at meal times.’

‘Do you grind your teeth in your sleep?’

‘Oh yes, and it drives my partner mad to 2 in the morning.’

‘Do you clench your teeth at all?’

‘Occasionally, when my partner’s mad at me.’

‘Do you get headaches?’

‘Well, my partner and I aren’t getting on too well at the moment, so yeah, I guess I do.’

‘Have you had any knocks to the head recently?’

‘Look, I said we’re not getting on too well but its not as bad as all that!’

 

And so it goes on, checking for tenderness to palpation and whether the occlusion looks OK and writing ‘TMD?’ in the notes and offering generic advice about self-care, all of which is available on the NHS website, such as don’t chew pen tops, eat soft food, take some analgesics and if it doesn’t get better, see you GP, who might refer you to a dentist (who might make you a soft bite guard).

According to a recent paper in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA), dentists in the USA offer similar advice. One hundred and eighty five dentists were recruited to record details of a sequence of patients attending with TMD. They recruited 1,901 subjects who fulfilled their criteria for entry to the study. Almost half of these had had painful TMD for at least 3 years and diagnoses included combinations of myalgia, arthralgia and headache. A quarter had only muscle pain and 10% only joint pain.

Treatments offered were mostly non-invasive and reversible:

  • Avoid oral habits
  • Relax your jaw muscles
  • Apply heat or ice
  • Eat a soft diet
  • Avoid chewing gum
  • Keep your teeth apart
  • Chew food on both sides
  • Reduce caffeine intake

Three quarters of dentists in the study recommended an intra oral appliance of some sort and two thirds recommended referral to ‘allied care providers.’

And there’s the rub. To whom does one refer? Who are the allies in the management of TMD? Outside of a large conurbation with a dental hospital, I suspect most end up with the local maxillo-facial surgeon. But how often is surgery required? Orthopaedics, maybe – that speciality which diagnoses and treats ‘a wide range of conditions of the musculoskeletal system, (including) bones and joints and their associated structures that enable movement - ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves?’ I’m not sure their interest stretches superior the hyoid and anterior to the atlas and axis. Oral medicine? Physiotherapy? Osteopathy? Aromatherapy?

It is perhaps not surprising that a further paper in JADA found that TMD is linked with other chronic conditions such as chronic back pain, myofacial syndrome, chronic stomach pains, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and depression. They conclude that their review ‘supports the idea that clinicians, including dentists, treating patients who had received diagnoses of TMD should be attentive to the presence of signs and symptoms of other chronic pain conditions that could require collaborative care across medical specialities (for example, neurology, rheumatology and psychiatry.’

The temporomandibular joint is the Cinderella of all joints, falling between the specialities which may be able to help. Since 1892, it has clearly failed to be recognised as part of the ‘anatomical arrangements of the human body.’ Yet 80% of dentists report treating up 3 patients a month with TMD.

TMD therefore is not uncommon and these papers show that its diagnosis and treatment is a complex, multi-disciplinary exercise and not one to be passed down like the rows of a Wordle puzzle, eliciting sickly khaki responses in the hope of finding a successful result of 5 green squares.

Paul Hellyer BDS MSc

The puzzle of TMD

  2890 Hits
2890 Hits
DEC
27
0

NEARLY As Bad As 2020 – DentistGoneBadd's Review Of 2021

2021 Round-up

You thought 2020 was bad? Well, 2021 wasn’t THAT far behind.

 

 

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  5874 Hits
5874 Hits
DEC
20
0

Ditch The Spreadsheet: Your Modern Day Practice Acceleration Strategy For Tracking And Managing Prospective Patients.

 

We need to talk about how dental practices manage their enquiries. Unfortunately all too often they are not treated with the attention and nurturing they deserve. 

Let me explain what I mean by that in 4 simple steps…

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  1145 Hits
1145 Hits
DEC
20
0

The Impatient Patient: New Patient Generation In The Goldfish Attention Span Era.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve been working within the UK  and American Dental Industry to support dental practices growth through a number of different engagement and marketing strategies. However, over the last couple of years, I’ve noticed that something has drastically changed.  Suddenly getting new, high-value patients has become increasingly difficult, expensive and confusing. So what’s happened?

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  1607 Hits
1607 Hits
NOV
22
0

Where have all the associates gone?

abstract-landscape-by-kevin-dooley Some truths for NHS dental commissioners

A personal opinion, by Michael Watson.

Where I live, on the borders of Essex and Suffolk, has gone from a quiet rural community where dentists just got on with the job of treating their patients to the centre of a movement, Toothless in Suffolk, which aims to go nationwide as Toothless in England.

Two of their aims are to have an NHS dentist for everyone and reforms to the NHS dental contract that will encourage dentists to provide NHS treatments. Both of these will require more associates, who to put it simply are not there.

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  4060 Hits
4060 Hits
NOV
08
0

GDPUK asks, Should the BDA step back from Toothless Suffolk?

Throughout 2021, the British Dental Association [BDA] has been at the forefront of moves to tell politicians of the challenges facing dental services across the whole of the UK. It joined with Healthwatch England in calling on the Chancellor to provide vital funding for the recovery and rebuild of services, a move backed by 40 cross-party MPs.

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  2358 Hits
2358 Hits
OCT
29
1

Should dental practitioners brace for a surge in professional negligence claims?

Should dental practitioners brace for a surge in professional negligence claims?

David Hallsworth, a solicitor at BLM specialising in healthcare claims, discusses a potential surge in future dental claims as a result of thousands of children missing crucial check-ups during the pandemic.

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Recent comment in this post
Richard Bannister

Comment

Practitioners were limited by NHS orders.... therefore is it not the NHS that is 'negligent' for not providing some sort of cover?... Read More
Friday, 05 November 2021 08:48
2608 Hits
OCT
26
0

Corporate social responsibility and how dental practices are embracing it

Practice Plan & BDA Benevolent Fund

Practice Plan’s Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Jones, caught up with Mark Topley of Purpose Driven Business Ltd, to talk about corporate social responsibility, what it involves, and how dental practices are incorporating it into their businesses…

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  960 Hits
960 Hits
SEP
27
0

Practice Plan Regional Support Managers – over 250 years of experience

Practice Plan: The Business of Dentistry

Zoe Close, Practice Plan’s Head of Sales, talks about the years of experience her team has in converting practices from NHS to private dentistry– and how they can help you achieve your dreams…

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  963 Hits
963 Hits
AUG
27
0

What you need to consider when moving to private dentistry

PP2013-logo-Final-Wesleyan-600px-1
 

Practice Plan’s, Zoe Close, shares her thoughts on what dentists need to consider when making the move away from the NHS…

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  1072 Hits
1072 Hits
AUG
08
0

Public benefits from a GDC Lay Chairperson?

GDC-chair-clinical GDC Chair - Registrant or not?
 

I have seen the soft campaigning in the form of opinion pieces and social media posts by dentists active in various positions in the British Dental Association (BDA) in the weeks and months before the General Dental Council (GDC) announced their new Chair to replace Dr William Moyes who is due to step down soon. The question that forms the title of this piece was running in my mind.

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  4205 Hits
4205 Hits
JUN
23
2

Bring Back The RDO, Buzz Aldrin

Bring Back The RDO, Buzz Aldrin

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  6024 Hits
Recent Comments
David Chong Kwan

DROs

We still have RDO's in Scotland. Unfathomably now called DROs. I reckon them looking at big cases is not so fruitful. For my point... Read More
Saturday, 10 July 2021 08:29
Ivan Simmonds

DROs

I qualified in 1967. Back then we had DROs which origionally stood for Dental Reference Officers. Some "Items of Service" within t... Read More
Wednesday, 04 August 2021 22:42
6024 Hits
JUN
21
0

What Model Works?

nick-fewings-C2zhShTnl5I-unsplas_20210621-114222_1 Here, There, Everywhere
 

Once upon a time, as all the stories, good, and bad, start, a dental surgeon would have a chair of some sort in his (almost always his) south facing sitting room and ply his trade. George Bernard Shaw in the 1897 play “You never can tell” describes such a set up in the home of Dr Valentine, a “half crown” dentist. The half crown refers to the standard treatment fee, not his clinical technique.

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  3844 Hits
3844 Hits
JUN
07
0

Come On GDC - Be A Hero!

Come On GDC - Be A Hero!

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  4441 Hits
4441 Hits
MAY
24
0

How I Started To Learn To Love Humans Again

How I Started To Learn To Love Humans Again

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  3726 Hits
3726 Hits
MAY
20
0

Raisin Awareness on Social Media

Raisin Awareness on Social Media
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  3336 Hits
3336 Hits
MAY
10
0

Don’t Be A Rat – Have A Quiet Word

Don’t Be A Rat – Have A Quiet Word

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  4993 Hits
4993 Hits
APR
26
0

Backup - Protecting all of your data

Backup - Protecting all of your data

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  2319 Hits
2319 Hits
APR
26
0

Sorry Is The Hardest Word

Professionalism Means Never Having To Say You’re Sorry

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  3659 Hits
3659 Hits
APR
11
0

What is the GDC's Line of Duty?

What is the GDC's Line of Duty?

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  4608 Hits
4608 Hits
APR
05
0

Raisin Awareness

Raisin Awareness

For the last 18 months I have been campaigning to get the government to change the policy to stop giving out dried fruit as part of the School Fruit & Vegetable Scheme.

GDPUK news was one of the first places to publish details about Raisin Awareness.

Following on from Marcus Rashford's incredible #EndChildFoodPoverty campaign, Sustain are lobbying for the School Fruit and Vegetable Service to be extended to include Key Stage 2 pupils so that it will reach all primary school children.


Campaigners celebrate reinstatement of school fruit and veg - Sustain Web

School snacks

 

Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said to journalists that the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme will resume as normal in Autumn when all children return to school. While we wait for official confirmation, this is not the end of the campaign for more fruit and veg in schools. The scheme should be expanded to all children in primary school and improved to include higher standard British produce.

www.sustainweb.org


Now that Sustain are calling for the expansion, I am asking the dental bodies to add their voices, and suggest that together we can approach the called-for extension as an opportunity to raise dental concerns and make this positive change at the same time. I'm hoping that we can use this to eliminate the dried fruit, if and when the scheme expands.

Sustain are delighted to get dental bodies involved, and have agreed to rewrite the calls to action to include dropping dried fruit from the SFVS scheme, and I have drafted a new version with Nigel Carter. We will also be detailing this in a joint letter to DHSC & Department of Education.
Many dental organisations including BDA, BSPD, OHF, BADN, BSDHT & BADT have offered their support.

In my correspondence with Jo Churchill at DHSC I was informed that their stumbling block is delivery logistics (the reason they say that they cannot swap from dried fruit).

I am currently arranging local vegetable delivery to my village primary school (on those 6 raisin days a year) with the hope of reproducing nationally - to overcome this. I am planning to use the Sustain network of local vegetable growers and sellers to provide the national supply web needed, whilst getting dental practices to link up to primary schools to initially pay for this veg and also long-term to input Oral Health Education.

I know that this can be overcome if we are determined.

I wonder if you, the GDPUK community, would also consider supporting this as a collective and as individuals?

There will be a number of ways you can get involved - look out for specific details of what and how in a series of articles coming out in the dental press, and I will also keep you updated with this blog.

If we can’t change it from the top down, let’s do it from the ground up.

Jo Dawson

  2210 Hits
2210 Hits

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