The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its advice on dental amalgam outlining its benefits and potential risks. It concludes that dental amalgam fillings safe for adults and children ages 6 and above. It says: ‘The weight of credible scientific evidence reviewed by FDA does not establish an association between dental amalgam use and adverse health effects in the general population.’
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The Herald in Scotland reports that Scottish dentists ‘have pocketed nearly £17m in ‘reward’ bonuses from the public purse for carrying out work for the NHS’. It says: ‘Over the last two years dental surgeons have taken home golden hellos and extra ‘seniority’ and ‘commitment’ payments at a time of financial constraints in the public sector.’ BDA’s Graham McKirdy has responded vigourously on behalf of the profession.
Read more: Scottish newspaper runs article critical of dentists’ allowances
Two dentists from Powys Wales, Piotr Dusza and Hako Sobhani, have won their case in the Court of Appeal. They took their local Health Board to judicial review after the latter refused to pay for courses of treatment where no specific mention was made of a clinical examination having been carried out. The dentists won the case, but the Health Board had appealed.
GDPUK believes this case may help other dentists who have similar cases of clawback.
Dentists playing music in their practice must have relevant licences, or risk legal proceedings, despite the 2012 European Court ruling over a dentist in Italy. “Any business that plays recorded music in public is legally required to have relevant licences – and dental practices are no different,” says MDDUS Head of Dental Division Aubrey Craig.
Hull and the Riding of East Yorkshire Local Dental Committee (LDC) has issued a statement in support of water fluoridation. They will support Hull City Council in exploring whether or not it is technically feasible to introduce fluoridation there. The LDC says that fluoridation is a ‘safe and effective public health measure needed to tackle high rates of tooth decay’. It concludes: ‘Above all, our children’s needs must come first’.
Read more: Hull LDC issues statement in support of fluoridation
The Care Quality Commission has appointed John Milne, a practising dentist in West Yorkshire and the current Chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee, as Senior National Dental Adviser. John Milne said: “I’m extremely happy to take on this new role with the CQC. I think it’s an exciting time in the development of the regulation of dental services, and it’s vital we get it right.”