The Telegraph and The Sunday Times have reported that Europe's biggest dental chain, Integrated Dental Holdings (IDH), has revived plans for a £1bn London stock market float. IDH is currently majority owned by Carlyle, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. A listing of IDH, which has over 600 practices across England, Scotland and Wales, will mean ‘a £150m pay-day for the company’s senior managers’, who own a 15.5pc stake in the company.
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The Sunday Mirror has reported that some beauty salons are ‘using toxic chemicals with 200 times legal level of bleach’ to whiten teeth. These levels of hydrogen peroxide were discovered after trading standards officers ‘swooped on salons promising punters a perfect Hollywood smile’. The revelation comes after the paper told how unqualified practitioners were cashing in on the £1billion industry, ‘putting customers’ health at risk.’
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The Queens Speech at the State Opening of Parliament contained no specific mention of dentistry and, to quote the BDA, ‘was devoid of references to reform of healthcare regulation’. There will be legislation to restrict the right to strike for workers in services, such as healthcare. For the NHS the Government’s aim is a ‘shift to seven day a week opening with improved access and better links between services’.
Change is on the way. Dental Protection’s 2015 Annual Review, titled ‘Change’, will soon be sent to its 66,000 members. Kevin Lewis Dental Director said: “This year’s Annual Review encourages the reader to pause in the face of so much change, and to consider what it all means and how it is affecting our professional lives.”
Read more: Pause and consider is message from Dental Protection
The Dental Complaints Service (DCS) 2014 Annual Review gives an overview of the caseload handled by the DCS in the past year, as well as some interesting case studies where the early dispute resolution service has helped resolve a complaint. Head of Service at the DCS, Hazel Adams, said: “We’re now in our ninth year and we’re continuing to adapt and improve the service that we deliver.”
Read more: Dental Complaints Service received 8,000 calls in 2014
The British Dental Association (BDA) and the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA) announced at the BDA Conference that they have agreed a new ‘Strategic Partnership’ allowing both organisations to work more closely over the coming months and years. The Partnership aims to deliver a comprehensive business solution for the profession and the industry through activities such as both the BDA’s Conference in the spring and BDIA Showcase in the autumn of each year.
Read more: BDA and BDIA announce new ‘Strategic Partnership’