As clinicians know to their cost, the threat of a clinical negligence accusation is an ‘occupational hazard‘ across all medical sectors and dentistry is no exception.
No commentsRead more: Clinical Negligence Legal Costs Must Be Contained Warns DDU
The General Dental Council [GDC] has a history of using covert surveillance including under-guise investigators, when building Fitness to Practise (FTP) cases. In 2021 it admitted ‘unlawfully undertaking an under-guise operation without reasonable justification‘, and paid an undisclosed sum of damages to a clinical dental technician supported by Dental Protection. The GDC had instructed an under-guise operation creating a fictitious scenario with two private investigators posing as relatives of “Evelyn”, an elderly relative who needed dentures but was too ill to attend in person.
Read more: GDC To Continue Surveillance and Under Guise Investigations
Leading dental implant manufacturer Straumann has sold DrSmile, its direct-to-consumer clear-aligner business to Barcelona based Impress Group.
Tony Hamilton-Smith, better known as The Lord Colwyn CBE, has died at the age of 82. Parallel careers as a dentist and jazz musician were later joined by an increasingly active role in the House of Lords. In his later years as one of the remaining hereditary peers, he was a spokesman and supporter for his two passions.
Read more: Dentist, Jazzman, Peer and Campaigner, the Life of Lord Colwyn
A practice on the South coast that was suddenly closed down when its corporate owner failed, is to reopen. In July 2024 the Astradent group suddenly closed its portfolio of 8 practices including Brunswick Place Dental in Southampton.
Read more: Closed Corporate Group Revived - NHS Services on Hold
As the government begins to grapple with the complex issue of NHS contract reform, one of the leading dental indemnity providers, Dental Protection, has issued a ‘shopping list‘ of improvements which it maintains need to be addressed if dentistry is to emerge into the kind of service the dental workforce and patients seek.
Read more: Dental Protection Publishes 'Shopping List' For The Government