Figures releases by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (www.hscic.gov.uk) for NHS complaints in 2014-15 show that fewer than 4% of the total were dental. Within primary care only 9% of the 84,500 written complaints received were about dentists. Only 37.5% of complaints in primary care were upheld.
No commentsRead more: NHS dentistry receives lowest number of complaints
Ancient Egyptians were likely to lose some of their front teeth before they could become mummies, says a new research debated at the International Congress of Egyptologists in Florence. Taking place after excerebration (brain removal) and evisceration (body organ removal) and before final wrapping, the procedure would force open the mouths of the deceased with a knife and iron chisel, breaking and dislocating teeth in the process.
Read more: Ancient Egyptians forced open mouths during mummification
The new Chief Dental Officer (CDO) for England, Sara Hurley, is to join her predecessor, Barry Cockcroft, in a ‘past, present and future’ look at NHS dentistry. The pair will be discussing ‘What now?’ when they address delegates at the annual conference of the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT) in Birmingham on Friday 25 September, the first day of the two-day event.
A new study carried out by by researchers from Public Health England (PHE) has concluded that water fluoridation is a ‘safe and effective’ way of preventing tooth decay in children. Although the beneficial effects of the measure are well established, the study showed no adverse effects such as various cancers, kidney stones, hip fractures of Down’s syndrome births.
Read more: Water fluoridation: ‘a safe way of stopping tooth decay’
A Scottish Dental Practice Committee (SDPC) survey has revealed a crisis of confidence amongst Scottish GDPs in the General Dental Council (GDC) and has called for a Scottish based regulatory body. SDPC Chair Robert Donald said : “Scottish GDP's have given an emphatic vote of no confidence in the GDC. They know that they are being regulated by the worst health regulator in the UK.”
Read more: SDPC to investigate establishing a Scottish based regulator
After challenging NHS Area Teams’ refusal to reimburse business (non-domestic) rates to practices who paid in instalments, the BDA has now received confirmation from NHS England that it agrees with the Association’s interpretation of the legislation and many of these practices are, in fact, entitled to reimbursement.