The General Dental Council (GDC), has helped to bring the first successful case in Scotland for practising while unregistered. The dentist, from Greece, said he had made a ‘stupid mistake’. Ronnie Barogiannis from Aberdeen appeared at the Sheriff Court on 28th August 2013 and pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 38 (1) of the Dentists Act 1984. He was fined £500.
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The General Dental Council (GDC) has updated its ‘Scope of Practice’ guidance. This was first published in 2009 and sets out the skills and abilities which each registrant group should have on qualification; and further skills which registrants in each group may go on to develop during the course of their careers. Registrants must only undertake a task or type of treatment or make decisions about a patient’s care if they are sure they have the necessary skills and are appropriately trained and indemnified. The updated version is available on the GDC website.
A nursery toothbrushing programme has produced a saving to the cost of children’s dental treatment of just over £6million, according to a study carried out by the University of Glasgow. This found that in 2009/10, the toothbrushing initiative had seen the cost of treating dental disease reduce by over 50 per cent since 2001/02. The programme, which began in 2001 and costs around £1.8 million each year, sees every nursery in Scotland offering free, daily, supervised toothbrushing for their children by nursery staff. It is part of the Childsmile programme, which emphasises the importance of toothbrushing and helps parents establish a healthy diet from the earliest stage. A number of nurseries and schools in targeted areas also provide fluoride varnish and toothbrushing in primary one and two.
Denplan’s annual Dental Benefit Survey has shown a rise in employees asking for dental plans, with 63 per cent of employees without a dental plan saying they would consider one if their employer offered it. The survey also highlights that 78 per cent of employees attend the dentist at least once every two years.
Almost half the residents of Durness, Scotland have signed a petition urging NHS Highland to provide a dentist locally. A survey carried out by the village’s community council has exposed the problems of travelling to the nearest dental surgery at Lairg, some 56 miles away. But many patients travel to Inverness to see their dentist.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is advising dentists across the UK to check their dental curing lights are genuine following the discovery that 261 counterfeit devices have been sold on the internet auction website eBay. The counterfeit devices have not been tested for safety nor efficacy. The MHRA investigation has identified the origin of the units as a company in China that specialises in tattoo equipment.
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