The Times reports that exposure to air pollution has been linked to a raised risk of developing oral cancer in the first study of its kind. Higher levels of small particles in air pollution were linked to a 43% greater chance of having the disease diagnosed, it found. Campaigners said that the study, published online in the Journal of Investigative Medicine, underlined the urgent need to tackle air pollution.
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A Dental Protection survey of over 1,100 dentist members reveals that nine out of ten (89%) are increasingly fearful of being sued by patients. Of those, three quarters (74%) feel that the fear of being sued impacts on the way they practise. Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection said: “It is worrying that three out of four full time GDPs fear being sued by patients and understandably this will undoubtedly impact on the way they practise and add to already high stress levels”.
Nine in ten dental practices are offering safe, effective, caring and responsive care and treatment, the CQC says in its latest State of Care assessment. Inspections by them found practices were giving patients evidence-based advice on improving oral health and where practice teams have used innovative ways to target children and prevent dental disease.
Read more: CQC says dental practices are offering safe and effective treatment
In reply to a Parliamentary Question from Bernard Jenkin MP for Harwich and North Essex, health minister Stephen Barclay disclosed that, in the five calendar years 2013/17, a total of 19 suicide deaths of dentists in England and 3 in Wales were recorded. This compares with 83 doctors in England and 6 in Wales.
The CDO England has issued a reminder to dental health care professionals on the need to conserve supplies of EpiPen for ‘patients who truly need them’. In answer to a Parliamentary Question, junior minister Steve Brine MP admitted that Mylan, the supplier of Epipens, had experienced ‘ongoing supply issues’ for the product.
Read more: CDO England issues advice for EpiPens in dental practices
A quarter of a million NHS workers opted out of the pension scheme over the past three years, with experts blaming a “punitive” government tax regime and the current cost of living, the HSJ has revealed. Their investigation found 245,561 people opted out of the scheme between 2015 and 2017, with 102,755 opting out in 2016 alone, representing a 78% increase from the previous year.