Tributes have been paid to Emeritus Professor Jimmy Steele CBE, the former Head of Newcastle Dental School who died peacefully at the age of 55. In 2009, he chaired the Steele Review of NHS Dentistry, on which the piloting of a new GDS contract is based. He was appointed CBE in the 2012 New Year Honours and was awarded the BDA Tomes Medal last year.
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The Sunday Telegraph has reported that grpwing numbers of young people are putting their health at risk by turning to teeth whitening products to achieve the perfect “celebrity” smile. However the BDA has warned them that buying these products online or from unlicensed operators can lead to the use of illegally strong whitening agents.
Read more: Home tooth whitening could damage your oral health says BDA
To coincide with European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 November 2017, UK-wide dental and public health organisations have joined forces to urge oral health professionals to pledge their support for more responsible prescribing. They are urging their members to join a social media ‘Thunderclap’ on that day and sign a pledge on the Antibiotic Prescribing Pledge webpage.
Read more: Dentists urged to support responsible prescribing
Surgical masks and robotic operations are a needless waste of NHS money, researchers from the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College have said, after identifying changes the health service can make to save more than £150 million each year. They found 71 commonly performed procedures or practices that are of high-cost but low-value to patients, which could be stopped.
The Telegraph reports that dentists are twice as likely to be sued than a decade ago as “no win, no fee” lawyers use “aggressive tactics” to target the profession. The profession is also seeing a stark rise in the number of claims being made in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease, as these cases tend to lead to substantially higher payouts - particularly in cases dating back decades.
The Times reports that GPs are to vote on quitting the NHS and going private, calling for the BMA to help them to develop plans for charging patients. Doctors will also vent their frustration during the LMC conference next week at having to see more patients, insisting they should be able “to say ‘no’ without feeling guilt”.