Dr Adyl Asani, principal dentist at TwentyOne Dental Clinic in Hove, has been using Impregum Impression Materials from 3M ESPE for over 15 years. “As far as I am concerned, it is the most superior impression material on the market,” he says. “I use it for all my indirect restorations and implant work.

“Currently, I am using Impregum Penta because I feel it reproduces the detail I need in my indirect preparations most accurately. Of course, I have used a variety of other impression materials over the course of my career, though none have provided me with the stability, accuracy and level of detail that Impregum has.

“It has ideal flow properties which means I can ensure the first impression I take is the only one I need. The flowability reproduces even the most minor details and the hydrophilic properties exhibited by Impregum guarantee excellent accuracy every time. In addition, I don’t experience drags or airblows in my impressions.”

Dr Asani uses the Pentamix Automatic Mixing Unit from 3M ESPE to ensure an efficient process. “It allows ease of mixing and handling,” he says. “Messy hand-mixing is now something from a bygone age.

“While the setting time of the Impregum is slightly longer than others, my patients readily accept that if I am to give them extremely accurate and stable restorations, a couple of extra minutes in their mouth is insignificant.

“I would have no hesitation in recommending Impregum to other practitioners if they are looking to provide their patients with the best possible accuracy and marginal fit of their indirect restorations.”

Discover the qualities of Impregum Penta Impression Material and the Pentamix Automatic Mixing Unit from 3M ESPE for yourself today.

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

With over 8,000* dental professionals in attendance, The Dentistry Show 2015 proved an even bigger success than previous years. First-class education was provided by some of the most renowned speakers in the industry, including John Kanca, Walter Devoto, Sanjay Sethi, Martin trope, Sheila Scott, Christina Chatfield, Morag Powell, Julian Webber, Ian Dunn and Sanjeev Bhanderi, to name but a few. With two-day lecture programmes dedicated to each area of dentistry, as well as more than 400 leading exhibitors, there was definitely something for everyone.

A Year of Firsts

Brand new features introduced to the 2015 event all proved hugely popular:

• The EndoLounge, provided in conjunction with the British Endodontic Society, allowed those delegates who wanted more in-depth knowledge on the subject, the time and space for exploration.
• The Facial Aesthetics Theatre was another greatly received new feature, designed in association with CCR. Topics covered everything from maximising indemnity insurance to skin rejuvenation and the world-class presenters had their audience engrossed.
• The Compliance Clinic, hosted by Apolline, offered a popular two-day programme dedicated to helping professionals face the challenges of regulatory compliance head-on.
• Launchpad UK was one of the top highlights for owners and managers of both dental practices and laboratories, with more than 100 innovations unveiled by globally leading manufacturers and suppliers.
• The National Dental Nursing Conference, designed by the British Association of Dental Nursing (BADN), was held at the show for the first time, ensuring a relevant and inspirational educational programme for all nurses in attendance.
• The Dental Update Study Day was held at The Dentistry Show for the first time this year, providing an inspirational day of lectures led by Professor Trevor Burke, Professor Avjitit Banerjee, Professor Crispian Scully and Professor Jonathan Sandler. Thought-provoking topics were discussed including minimal intervention dentistry, the impact of emerging oral diseases and the future of amalgam replacements.

Further Highlights

The Association of Dental Administrators and Managers (ADAM) attended The Dentistry Show for the first time in history, leading a popular discussion session in the Dental Business Theatre on Practice Management Today. Chaired by Sheila Scott and led by a panel of leading lawyers and business experts, the session highlighted the importance of effective patient communication, as well as exploring delegates’ concerning regarding employment law and contractual issues.

As well as many ‘firsts’ that set it apart from other annual meetings, The Dentistry Show 2015 also presented key features enjoyed by delegates in previous years. These included the BSP PerioLounge, Short-Term-Ortho Lounge, ADI Implant Theatre and Core CPD Theatre, each bringing something different to the table and ensuring all delegates’ needs were met.

Of her overall experience, Darshna Haria, Associate Dentist at Clocktower Dental Practice commented:

“I have really enjoyed the speaker sessions, from oral cancer and compliance to the hands-on meetings. I will definitely be attending next year; it’s great to be able to hear all the educational elements and be encouraged to learn and develop.”

Matthew Brooks, Dentist, added:

“The Dentistry Show is a regular event for me. I like to see the latest clinically and combine that with some CPD. It’s a great show for researching new products – I’d recommend it to any dentist.”

Aside from the abundant free learning and networking opportunities, the prestigious Dental Awards were also presented at The Dentistry Show 2015. Held by Purple Media Solutions, a fantastic night was had by all in celebration of individuals’ and teams’ achievement across the country. Congratulations to all the winners!

For those who missed out this year, make sure you put the dates in the diary for 2016 and we look forward to seeing you at The Dentistry Show next year!

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2016 will be held on Friday 22^nd and Saturday 23^rd April, NEC in Birmingham. For further details visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*Pending BPA audit

Kerr is excited to announce that Arshad Ali and Gill Callaghan will be offering a SonicFill™ lecture, demonstration and participation opportunity at this year’s Scottish Dental Show on Friday 29 May.

SonicFill enables clinicians to perform posterior restorations with an easy-to-use, single-step technology that combines the advantages of a flowable composite with a universal composite. SonicFill reduces the time needed for placing, packing and sculpting restorations by an incredible 30%. 

Also on show will be the Elements™ Free obturation system, which has all the great benefits of the original Elements system, plus it’s cordless! Designed for accuracy, it also offers a 360° activation ring to improve your experience and clinical outcome, and digital temperature control for procedural accuracy.

For further details on these products and so much more, please visit Kerr’s team at stand F09, where you can be sure of a warm welcome and expert advice.

Come and meet the Dental Elite team at the BDA Conference and Exhibition 2015 on stand B36 or join us after the show at our Exit Seminar. We will hold five short presentations exploring retirement, selling a dental practice and exit planning on Thursday 7^th May.

The event will carry 2 hours of verifiable CPD and will be held at the Midland Hotel directly opposite the GMEX. The speakers will include:

• Sim Goldblum – The Dentistry Business www.thedentistrybusiness.com
• Rizwan Akhtar – RA Accountants www.raaccountants.com/ra-dentists
• Luke Moore – Dental Elite, ‘Dental Practice Sales Agents & Valuations’ dentalelite.co.uk//selling-your-practice
• Alex Hall – Partner – Meade King Solicitors, Specialist Dental Solicitor ww.meadeking.co.uk/alexanderhallcv.html
• Ray Prince – Rutherford Wilkinson, Financial Planner www.rwpfg.co.uk/who-we-are/staff/ray-prince

The drinks reception with canapés will begin at 6pm, followed by the seminar, so come and meet us there.

For more information and to find out how working with Dental Elite can you plan your exit visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01788 545 900

Delegates at The Dentistry Show enjoyed the opportunity to meet specialist property experts Christie + Co and shared in the wealth of experience and expertise on offer.

Utilising years of experience across many business sectors, the friendly team at Christie + Co deliver an unrivalled service that puts commitment to its clients first. Visitors to the stand were able to benefit from their specialist knowledge of business property transactions and heard all about Christie + Co’s passion towards accuracy, confidentiality and clarity of communication.

Simon Hughes, Director and Head of Medical at Christie + Co said, “We were delighted to welcome so many interested visitors to our stand. Christie + Co launched its dental brokerage service in 2013 and has since seen significant momentum as awareness of its expertise in this market has increased.” He added, “The dental sales market has recently been buoyed by the recovering UK economy and this positivity looks set to continue in the year ahead.”

If you missed them at The Dentistry Show, contact the team friendly today to see how Christie + Co can help you achieve your goals.

To discuss how Christie + Co might help you achieve your future plans please contact Simon Hughes on 020 7227 0749

Nobel Biocare impresses at The Dentistry Show 2015

Demonstrating how it remains at the forefront of innovation in implant dentistry, Nobel Biocare unveiled exciting new solutions at this year’s Dentistry Show.

Leading the way for successful implant placement and restoration in the posterior zone, Nobel Biocare launched the impressive Complete Posterior Solution to the UK.

Designed specifically to deliver the increased stability required for implants in the posterior region, the solution consists of:

• NobelActiveÒ Wide Platform (WP) implant
• NobelParallelÒ Conical Connection implant system
• Angulated Screw Channel (ASC) abutment and Omnigrip tooling
• PEEK healing and temporary abutment
• NobelProceraÒ Full Contour Zirconia (FCZ) Implant Crown.

Effective as stand alone products, these solutions integrate seamlessly for even better results when used together.

Another highlight for visitors to Nobel Biocare’s stand was the creos^TM xenoprotect collagen membrane, which offers exceptional handling properties and high mechanical strength[1] for successful soft tissue and bone regeneration procedures.

With such innovative products at your disposal, you and your patients can have confidence in the procedures you perform. Find out more about the solutions from Nobel Biocare and contact the team today.

For more information, contact Nobel Biocare on 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

This Spring look out for never seen before savings on an array of top quality UnoDent products when sourced from The Dental Directory.

Save up to 45% on UnoDent Gloves – Excellent quality with improved grip in Nitrile and Latex Powder Free, available in different sizes.

Save up to half price on Masks – High filtration efficiency and low breathing resistance, available in tie on or elasticated ear loops.

Save over 30% on UnoDent Latit Flow – A superb light-curing glass filled resin material, with excellent flow characteristics and adaption to cavity walls and preparation margins.

Save up to 33% on the Classic Impression range – From Classic Impression Putty to Classic Impression Wash, the new range of high quality vinyl polysiloxane materials feature all the qualities you would expect from a modern impression material.

The Dental Directory is the place to source all of your UnoDent products and so much more. Pick up a copy of the UnoDent flyer today to explore the full range of offers and promotions available.

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on

0800 585 585, or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk.

At The Dentistry Show this year, Clark Dental celebrated 40 years’ providing the very best surgery design and equipment solutions for the UK and Irish Dental markets, with a drinks reception for its partners and clients. Renowned facial aesthetics expert, Dr Bob Khanna marked the auspicious occasion with a fine endorsement of Clark Dental as he introduced the Managing Director, Stuart Clark, who noted the history of the company that his father John had started 40 years ago in Hullbridge Essex. 

Stuart also took the opportunity to thank the partners on the exhibition stand; Medifinance, Taylor Roberts Accountants and the Dr BK Training Institute, along with the dental press and over 150 customers for joining in on the celebration. Attendees and exhibitors alike congratulated Stuart and the team at Clark Dental for this outstanding achievement, offering their best wishes for continued success in the future.

With a commitment and passion for high quality, efficiency, style and reliability, the whole team at Clark Dental genuinely care about their clients’ success, putting a strong focus on delivering exceptional personal service. This truly came across as they welcomed delegates to the stand and shared their experience and expertise.

Clark Dental provides the finest equipment from leading manufactures across dentistry; including A-dec dental units, radiography and digital imaging solutions from Nomad, Schick and Sirona, and unique innovative products such as the Florida Probe periodontal and probing system and T-scan Digital Occlusal Analysis Device. Visitors to the stand were able to see first hand how these ground-breaking solutions can help their practice to stand out from the competition.

Over the course of the two-day exhibition, delegates were also treated to innovative and exciting lectures at the stand, delivered by renowned speakers from across the associated companies. These included, Advances in Periodontal Dentistry; Patient Finance – Benefits to You and Your Patients; Facial Aesthetics – Why and How this should be part of Your Clinical Practice; and In Partnership with the Dental Profession – an introduction. Well–received by all who attended, these lectures gave delegates useful insights into all aspects of dental practice and exemplified the knowledge and commitment on offer.

Clark Dental would like to thank everyone who was able to attend the reception at The Dentistry Show, as well as its partner companies at the event, and looks forward to another 40 years of success in dentistry.

For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk  

The NHS contract reform is a hot topic in dentistry today, with many professionals differing in opinion as to the success of the pilot process so far. While progress has been made and the prototypes are of course set to be rolled out in the next few months, it remains clear that several areas still need to be addressed in order to encourage success of the reformed contract in the future.

Affecting all members of the dental team, profession and industry, the contract reform was a key topic explored in the GDP Theatre at The Dentistry Show 2015. An open debate session was held by the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF), led by a panel of professionals who represented various different areas of dentistry. The panel consisted of Ben Atkins, BDHF Trustee and Principal of a pilot practice; Rebecca Harris, Professor / Honorary Consultant, Oral Health Services Research, University of Liverpool; Steve Williams, Clinical Services Director of the IDH Group; Dr Tony Kilcoyne, Dentist and Principal of a private practice in Yorkshire; and John Milne, National Dental Advisor for CQC.

Once Ben had welcomed delegates in attendance and noted the absence of representation from the Department of Health (in light of the forth-coming General Election), each of the panel members took to the podium to share their views of the contract reform. Rebecca offered the perspective of a public oral health dentist, raising concerns over whether patient access to NHS dentistry can be increased while meeting the financial restrictions imposed on Government spending.

Steve then spoke on behalf of a dental corporate, commenting that it was the responsibility of the profession to continue driving the pilots, and that they should share their experiences throughout the process so as to help create the best possible system.

Next, Tony very passionately shared his views, making the point that dentists providing NHS dentistry lacked sufficient time to deliver quality services to the quantity of patients they were expected to see. He emphasised the need for clarity both amongst the profession and public regarding which services are available on the NHS, and highlighted the importance of increased communications between the two.

Finally, John questioned the Government’s ambition to change the system, suggesting that those patients with the greatest needs are the least welcome in a practice under the current contract.

Following all this, delegates then had the opportunity to raise their own worries and ask the panel for their thoughts. Key areas brought to the floor included the dangers of reduced teamwork and the need to utilise the skill mix within a practice efficiently. Delegates also voiced concerns about whether expected standards would continue to rise in the future, how to protect patients from neglect under the proposed reformed contract and how Government cuts would affect NHS Dentistry.

All in all, the very interactive session highlighted two main points – there are still a lot of questions and uncertainties that need to be addressed before the NHS dental contract is perfected, and perhaps we as a profession should making more noise about it.

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2016 – Friday 22^nd and Saturday 23^rd April – NEC in Birmingham. For more information please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Attention all DBG members!

- Look out for exclusive promotions with The Dental Directory

As a valued DBG member, if you open an account with The Dental Directory before the 31^st May you could receive up to £100 in UnoDent vouchers!

If you haven’t ordered from The Dental Directory in the last 6 months, reactivate your account and you will qualify too!

All you have to do is quote your DBG membership number when you call The Dental Directory and you will receive a £50 UnoDent voucher with your first order of £500 or more (excluding VAT), OR a £100 voucher on any order of £1000 or more!*

Additionally, as a DBG member, The Dental Directory offers discounts of up to 15% off catalogue prices, an extra 1.5% for all electronic orders, plus a wide range of promotional prices across the vast range of products.

Call The Dental Directory today and see how you can benefit from all these fantastic offers!

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on

0800 585 586, or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk

*Offer ends 31^st May 2015, order total value excludes VAT 

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has awarded PFM Dental (Financial Advice) Chartered Financial Planner status, the financial planning industry’s gold standard of excellence and integrity. PFM Dental, which offers independent financial advice, a professional dental sales agency, practice valuations, and chartered accountancy services, is the first organisation dedicated to advising dentists to be awarded Chartered Financial Planner status.

To be awarded Chartered Financial Planner status, an organisation has to have CII approved financial qualifications well beyond the minimum requirements, be able to demonstrate relevant experience, adherence to the CII's Code of Ethics and Conduct and a commitment to continuing professional development.

PFM Dental director, Jon Drysdale, commented: "Because such high standards of professionalism, capability and ethics are required, Chartered Financial Planner status is conferred on fewer than 10 per cent of UK financial advisory firms. We are delighted to be the only financial advisers dedicated to the dentistry profession to meet the criteria."

PFM Dental offers independent financial advice exclusively to dentists. For more information visit www.pfmdental.co.uk

You may well have seen the adverts for a new medical drama on Sky 1 HD called Critical. This is a 13-part series set in a major trauma centre and each show covers one story, in one place, in one hour. It's a gripping medical and emotional rollercoaster but it's also incredibly realistic – if you've seen it, you're probably already hooked.

You might be wondering why this is news on a dental website. If you look a little closer, you'll notice that during all surgical procedures the characters are wearing face visors. Of course, this is essential costume attire for an authentic medical programme that portrays life or death medical treatment. What you may not know is that these are Pegasus Face Visors, created by the UK dental manufacturer, Astek Innovations.

Critical's producer, Christopher Hall explained why these face visors were chosen for the characters to wear: 'The design concept of Critical was driven by two factors, we wanted at all times to depict a real medical environment but also one at the very cutting edge of medical practice. Pegasus Face Visors achieved just that; they protected both patient and doctor while looking very sexy and ultra modern. For film-making purposes there was the added bonus that the whole face of the actor was revealed to the camera rather than hidden behind an opaque mask. This meant that the audience had no visual barriers between them and the character, useful also in the real world of medicine and dentistry where a sympathetic and open relationship between practitioner and patient is so important.'

The cast of Critical would also have benefited from the anti-glare properties of the visors as the camera lighting would not have caused any reflective dazzle on the material. Not only that, the material also resists fog, keeping them perfectly clear throughout filming. Astek Innovations designed Pegasus Face Visors using high quality materials to avoid glare and fogging in order that vision is always clear for the wearer and to help maintain a trusting relationship with the patient. They are suitable for all dental staff including dentists, dental hygienists and therapists, and dental nurses.

To discover more about the fully autoclavable Pegasus Face Visors, that are available in a wide range of colours to complement your dental practice scheme, contact Astek Innovations today on 0161 942 3900 or their website - www.astekinnovations.co.uk or email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

John Rogers was the photographer and the picture is copyright of Sky and Hat Trick Productions

On Monday 30^th March the Church Street Dental Practice in Caernarfon re-opened  under the expert guidance and leadership of Simon Gallier, a dentist with 32 years of experience.

Two recognisable members of staff are working alongside Simon; Sian Roberts and Jenny Ellis. The team worked  hard to get the practice back up to speed to welcome as many patients as possible.

Speaking about the reopening, Simon said, ‘We are excited to welcome our patients – new and old – to the practice. We’ve been busy behind the scenes getting the practice up and running again, and we look forward to delivering exceptional dental care to the local community.

‘Why not visit the practice to see some new and some familiar faces for yourself, working in a newly super-efficient and, as always, caring environment. We’d be delighted to see you.’

Church Street Dental Practice offers a unique model for running a dental practice. Maintained by Future Health Partnership as a community interest company, Simon, Sian, Jenny and their colleagues each own a share of the business, much like John Lewis partners do.

If you would like to book an appointment for a visit or to talk to someone about your dental care, please call (01286) 672601 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Leanne Ridley, Dental Nurse at Ghyllmount Dental in Penrith says:

“With The Dental Directory, online ordering makes it really easy and we are moving over to a big, monthly order schedule very soon. We use The Dental Directory for all our consumables.

“We have done price comparisons recently and The Dental Directory was shown to be very competitive. Our rep, Rebecca keeps in touch, which is great and will go through new deals with us, although we obviously get the flyers through the post and can see offers online. Rebecca is very efficient at dealing with our practice needs.

Our experience with The Dental Directory is that they are easy and positive to work with and I would recommend them.”

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586 or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk

Practice Plan presents an overview of the current situation with NHS dentistry, to help dentists make an informed decision as to what may be best for their patients in the future.         

Dental contract reform – prototypes

On 15 January, the Department of Health announced that a new stage of reform will start in 2015/2016. In this new prototype stage dental practices will test whole versions of a possible new system, rather than, as in the pilots, key elements needed to design a new system.

The prototypes will consist of:

• A clinical pathway

• A set of clinical measures (DQOF – Dental Quality and Outcomes Framework)

• Remuneration better aligned with access and clinical outcomes (a blend of quality, capitation and activity).

The prototype stage is intended to be a forerunner of a reformed system, but is not the final version. Wider adoption of the approach depends first on the prototypes demonstrating this is a viable approach.

Prototype practices have not yet been selected, with the process potentially continuing until 2019, the earliest date at which a reformed contract could become the prevalent approach.

In 2014, John Milne, Chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee (GDPC), spoke at a series of Local Dental Committees-organised roadshows offering valuable insight into the NHS contract, both now and in terms of what the future might hold.

A significant issue for the dental professional as a whole, is that the potential reform of the dental contract has been the subject of considerable discussion for many months now, with pilots continuing in 2015.

As Dr Milne noted at the 2014 Local Dental Committees (LDC) Conference and was subsequently reported to say on the LDC website: ‘…on-going pilots were not the finished article but were intended to contribute to a workable reform. He [Dr Milne] reminded delegates of his demands of the minister at the BDA Conference: some clear commitment from Government to make progress; expansion of the pilots and modifying them to make them into a real test to be some sort of prototype and a clear timetable and a roadmap to implementation. He had also said that practitioners would need preparation as part of training time for practices, and maybe a release from the UDA targets during the transitional phase. The Minister wasn’t able to confirm this last demand, but was able to confirm the first three.’

Dr Milne ‘…also reflected on some of the big questions GDPC had discussed around capitation contracts at their recent meeting and urged delegates to consider these and discuss them with speakers; e.g., what are the risks and benefits of arguing for the highest possible percentage of capitation? How do we avoid neglect? How do we monitor the capitation contract? Should there be a limit on who gets care? How should activity measures be paid for? How do we avoid the disadvantages of the UDA with its perverse incentives? Should payment for activity be limited to just advanced or complex care? And can we actually define what those things are?’

Practical application

So, what does this mean in reality for NHS dentists? For most of those working at grass roots level, thus far nothing has changed, but for the piloting practices, it has been an interesting journey. 

For example, in July 2014 at the Westminster Health Forum seminar on oral health inequalities, dentistry commissioning, regulation, and the dental contract reform, dentist Sabrena Kara shared with the audience that the new system had led her to overcome a backlog in care by improving time management and using dental therapists to provide treatment, allowing her time to deal with more complex dentistry.

Other comments from pilot providers, published in last year’s report from the dental contract pilots evidence and learning reference group, include:

• ‘I think I could make it work better if I had a hygienist or therapist, that would make a massive difference because I could then you know, offload…I’m a very expensive hygienist at times really’

• ‘The patients are very positive… actually love it because they get such a lot of personal attention and they think it’s great, marvellous’

• ‘…to do the pilot properly takes longer… you’re talking to the patient more… I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but I just think it should be taken on board if we’re spending less time treating people… there’s either going to be a shortfall somewhere, there’s going to be complaints or there’s an element of people who might consider going somewhere else’

• ‘The throughput of patients has reduced and so there’s a pleasanter atmosphere. They’re [the dental team] not rushed off their feet like they were and it’s a more steady pace…they’ve had a little bit more work to do explaining to the patients about ICs and charges...I think they’re happier’.

These comments suggest that there may be a need to balance the time required to deliver the preventive aspect of the clinical pathway with treatment, but actually that isn’t anything new for NHS dentists. There is always a learning curve with anything new, and one hopes that results gathered from the ongoing pilots will help to make any transitions as easy as possible for the dental team.

Looking to the future

There is a general sense among the dental profession that we are most likely looking at the introduction of a reformed contract that will not drastically change, let alone improve NHS dentistry. 

With patient care the focus of the current contract, and, presumably any reforms, for dentists happy with the NHS status quo of restoring the function of dental health in the most cost-effective way possible, the big question is whether the remuneration will be sufficient to run a viable business. Sadly, as has been the case for many years, the NHS is squeezed for funds and, much as we would all like to consider only the level of clinical care, no-one can hope to continue to run a non-viable business.

Nonetheless, NHS dentists have worked hard to ensure patients get the best possible care under the existing contract and, no doubt, will strive to do the same under a reformed model, if the parameters of what is on offer allows them to meets their clinical goals and the needs of their patients, while maintaining a viable business.

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions for more than 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice. So, if you’re thinking about your future and would like some expert advice you can trust, then call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

Dentist David Griffiths shares his experience of those first few, all-important years in practice with Young Dentist readers.

I knew from the start that I would begin working primarily under an NHS contract. Upon completing my training, it felt a ‘safer’ environment in which to initially advance the techniques, skills and practical abilities I’d learnt during my undergraduate studies.

I believe it would be almost impossible to be employed by a private dental practice as a new graduate (in the UK) without any prior experience, as usually employers would request a minimum of two years’ clinical experience post-graduation. Also, new graduates usually have zero business experience and are in no financial position to set up their own practice. Therefore, initially working under an NHS contract is the natural progression after graduation.

The ups and downs of the NHS

The benefit of working under an NHS contract is that it provides professional stability. I did soon realise, however, that there were some less favourable aspects. Despite the current NHS contract being able to benefit patients in the majority of clinical scenarios, there are some circumstances in which private options become more feasible. When treatment does not fall within NHS’ criteria, it can lead to patient dissatisfaction with the dentist, rather than the system.

Also, if a dental practice is to survive within any community, it must engage with it in a positive way, and so dentists must be able to spend time providing treatments that patients are happy with. The NHS contract may be seen as only allowing the time fundamental to completing treatment. Additional time would be appreciated to enable, for example, building rapport with patients so that they are more likely to return for follow-up care, or to expand on long-term treatment options.

Sharing knowledge

There is limited impartial guidance regarding the benefits and downfalls of a career either under an NHS contract or providing only private treatments within the undergraduate curriculum. This division is rarely discussed, as it is not a simple case of NHS versus private.

For those a few years behind me I would recommend they gain experience in both these areas either before or in the years following graduation, to experience the diversity of the spectrum of treatment for themselves.

Training should focus on the ability to carry out good quality treatment and be expanded upon during a dentist’s career within their level of competency. It is up to the individual to decide what form this should take

 Biog

After graduating from Liverpool University in 2011, David Griffiths moved to Newcastle to complete a two-year General Professional Training programme (VT1 and 2), which included working within a large NHS practice in the centre of Sunderland and within several specialist departments in Newcastle Dental Hospital. Following this, he worked as an Oral and Maxillofacial SHO in the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle. Currently, David is working back in Merseyside, beginning his first year within a General Dental Practice as a full-time associate dentist; he focusses primarily on NHS treatments and the practice offers private care through a patient membership plan administered by Practice Plan.

If you’re thinking about your future and would like some obligation-free expert advice you can trust, please call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

GDPUK are proud to be sponsoring the GDP Theatre alongside Colgate at next weeks Dentistry Show. 

This theatre will provide further insight into both new and everyday clinical techniques and procedures. Experts in their respective fields will run sessions covering a variety of subjects from endodontics to pain management to a new approach to electric toothbrushing!

Another focus of the theatre will also be the recent changes to the rule and regulations governing the profession, how they affect you and what you have to do to demonstrate your compliance to them.

Below you will find the latest timetable for the Theatre. (subject to change)

Please come and visit GDPUK at the Dentistry Show - Stand E01

The GDPUK stand will be situated next to the GDP Theatre.

Look forward to seeing you all at the Show.

Isn’t it funny, as a child you can’t wait to leave school and get away from all that ‘edumacation’ and then something weird happens.  

It probably starts to emerge in your late 20’s and really kicks in through the next couple of decades. We morph into stay at home information junkies and search the internet for books, DVD’s and training modules to expand our minds!  All done from the comfort of your home.  

Devoting other precious minutes of your time to ‘staying in-touch’ via Social Media which in many ways could be better named Social Pariah as the last thing it is ….. is particular social as you hammer out your latest Post from the bathtub!

So our internet based information driven society means we are becoming increasingly neglectful about personal contact and building those all-important relationships with colleagues as we would have done in the past.  

Dentistry IS all about people – from the Team in your Practice to your clients coming through the door.  So our ability to communicate the right way is fast becoming challenged.  Leaving many a Team’ lost for words’ which won’t build a motivated Team or a loyal client base.  

So for me the Dentistry Show is all about making new connections and reconnecting with others.  Putting the face of NBS Training at the forefront of everything I do and stand for.  But above all it’s about sharing valuable information with people.  People who truly want to build an inspirational Team who excel in the eyes of every client for their award winning Patient Care.

Tracy Stuart will be speaking at the Dentistry Show

Further information about her business and ideas can be found here - www.nbstraining.co.uk

Chris Barrow will be among leading business experts from across the dental profession speaking at Practice Plan’s Practice Management Conferences in June.

Delivering an unmissable session on how to develop and grow your practice, Chris will introduce delegates to the latest innovations and thought in practice marketing in his session ‘Boosting your profits and how to do it”.

In Reading on 5th June and Manchester on 19th June, Chris will take attendees on a guided tour on how to market and manage your practice and provide a clear understanding of ‘what you should do next’ and how to avoid missing the boat.

If you’re looking for solutions to your practice marketing and want to learn from the experts, make sure you attend the Practice Plan Management Conferences in June.

For more details please contact Sarah Whittall, Practice Plan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For more information about the business services available from 7connections please call 01647 478145,

email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

visit www.7connections.com.

Spinalis UK is launching the unique concept of dental stools and lab chairs designed to allow free movements in all directions. Spinalis stools and chairs are designed to counter the ill-effects of sitting. The seat is mounted on a spiral providing flexibility without bouncing allowing your spine to stay in the correct position without 'breaking' in the lower back and relieving disc pressure. 

Spinalis stools and chairs are the perfect health solution wherever it is necessary to lean over a patient or a work surface while maintaining maximum mobility. The seat and the backrest rotate and move independently, allowing for comfort in unusual positions.

Spinalis flexible seat mimics sitting on a gym ball, improves core stability and postural mechanisms.

We supply three models of Spinalis dental and lab stools and seven models of Spinalis chairs in a wide range of colours and materials.

Spinalis chairs and stools are high quality EU products a recognized medical device across the EU. All backed up with our three year warranty.

http://spinalischairs.co.uk/

Visit us at this year's Dentistry Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham at D91 stand.

As the Chairman of the Lawyers section of the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers (NASDAL), Andrew Lockhart-Mirams, Senior Partner from Lockharts Solicitors, will be in attendance and exhibiting as a member of NASDAL at this year’s The Dentistry Show. The Show is held at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 April, 2015.

Lockharts will be supporting NASDAL in attracting various Dental professionals, practice managers and owners at the event, to share their knowledge and skills about a range of issues relating to the accounts, legal, and tax and business affairs for dentists.

Formed in April 1988, NASDAL’s objective is to ensure that it provides a means of establishing a high quality of service to members of the dental profession at all times. The Chairman of NASDAL, Nick Ledingham, along with various other respected members of NASDAL will also be attending.

Andrew Lockhart-Mirams, Lockharts Senior Partner, said “Lockharts Solicitors are delighted to be part of such a fantastic event for Dentists, and to also be supporting NASDAL as a member and exhibiting at this year’s event. It is a great opportunity to for each NASDAL member to bring their specialist knowledge and business to the table and showcase how their individual business are able to support Dentists and more importantly, also collectively under the NASDAL umbrella, to further benefit Dentists and to improve further in all areas of the overall business. NASDAL is the one-stop shop for Dentists for everything legal and accounting.”

Visit Stand G32 at The Dentistry Show to find out more, or visit www.nasdal.org.uk.

We hope to see you there!

Disclaimer: The content of this article is only intended as information and should not be considered to be legal advice. Lockharts cannot be held liable for any loss caused by any act or omission as a result of the information in this article.

Get more from GDPUK. Save money and improve your services with our exclusive partner offers.

GDPUK is partnering with carefully chosen providers to offer you services and products that will be of value to you and your practice.

We’ve chosen trusted providers whose products or services have already achieved positive feedback from members, and who have promised to provide a high level of service and support, along with competitive pricing.

Commissions or referral fees earned by GDPUK as a result of introducing members to service partners will be ring-fenced by us for future use in advancing appropriate causes relevant to the profession.

Further information on what we are offering can be found here - www.gdpuk.com/services

Insurance is one of the services we are pleased to be offering to our members.

Save money and receive better service with our bespoke, brokered insurance for dentists. We have reached an advantageous arrangement with reputable insurance brokers who have extensive experience in arranging both professional and personal cover for dentists.

Through our partner brokers, you will receive all the claims handling and underwriting flexibility available from a good broker, along with highly competitive quotes.

What cover can you arrange?

Our brokers will be pleased to discuss your precise requirements with you, and then to prepare personal quotes providing you with the most suitable cover at the best available prices. Should you need to extend or adjust your cover, or need to claim against your insurance at any time, you’ll be assured of their attentive and knowledgeable assistance.

Insurance can be arranged in the following principal areas:

• Practice and Surgery Insurance
• Overheads and Locum Cover
• Household Insurance
• Pressure Vessel Inspection
• Buy-to-Let Property Insurance

Click on the link below for further information and fill out the form at the bottom of the page. We will then forward your details automatically to our broking partner who will contact you to discuss your requirements.

They will then prepare some quotes for you and progress your application directly and in a timely manner.

www.gdpuk.com/insurance

Visit GDPUK.com on stand E01 to find out how you can join the largest community of dental professionals in the UK for free! Established since 1997 the site has over 8000 members, who enjoy using the forum to discuss all things dental on a daily basis. The forum has recently passed the milestone of 18,000 topics created and 200,000 posts.

GDPUK frequently publishes exclusive dental news and additionally we have a number of paid writers who regularly blog for the site. The news and blogs attract thousands of readers.

The site is free to join and revenue is generated by dental businesses advertising on the site, if you are interested in reaching thousands of dentists on a daily basis please get in This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or have a look at our media pack which can be found here.

Additionally we have recently launched some extra services for our members, called GDPUK Services! The site includes the opportunity to make savings on practice energy usage and practice insurance. We also offer the option for you to create your own custom app for your dental practice, which is a unique marketing tool for your practice. Further information can be found on gdpuk.com/services.

Please visit stand E01 for further details about GDPUK.com and GDPUK.com/services. 

If you would like to register for the site, please click here.

We look forward to meeting you at the Dentistry Show on April 17th at the NEC, Birmingham.

GDPUK are proud to be a media partner of the Dentistry Show 2015, please have a look at our free guide to the show.

This year DPAS Dental Plans wants to learn more about the challenges faced by practice teams visiting The Dentistry Show, so are asking delegates to name the ‘3 key cogs’ that keep their practice machine running.

Visitors who share their ‘3 key cogs’ with the DPAS team on Stand B32 will be invited to play our new ‘Find the missing piece’ game, with the chance to win prizes ranging from high street vouchers to an iPad mini.

DPAS provides a flexible, comprehensive dental plan administration service tailored to meet the specific needs of your practice and patients. Our understanding of the challenges faced by practices has enabled us to develop bespoke practice support that includes a range of tools, from marketing and patient recruitment consultancy right through to team training and annual fee reviews.

Whether you’re considering your options ahead of NHS contract changes or want to attract more patients by re-launching your dental plans, the DPAS team will be on hand to offer advice and support throughout the show, so you can find the plan that fits.

Visit Stand B32 at The Dentistry Show to find out more, or visit www.dpas.co.uk

A-dec are delighted to announce the appointment of Dean Hallows as General Manager of A-dec UK

Dean (pictured above) has more than 28 years of dental industry experience, both in the UK and internationally. Most recently as A-dec’s International Regional Manager for CIS, MEA and Eastern Europe.

He began his career as an Incorporated Engineer, focused on developing dental products for clinicians and improving business effectiveness for design, manufacture and commercialisation. This stimulated his interest in managing business improvement strategies relative to sales, marketing and customer service, which he took to the next level when he attained an Enterprising MBA.

Dean has held numerous director level positions, mostly within DENTSPLY International Inc. and his past UK responsibilities for customer service, equipment maintenance, sales and marketing will serve him well in his new role as General Manager for A-dec UK. He has been a member of several leading industry committees, assisting with the development of British, EU and International Standards related to Dentistry and is currently a member of the Institute of Directors and Institution of Engineering & Technology. 

A-dec UK
0800 233 285
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.a-dec.co.uk

Kick-starting year-long celebrations of the innovations that have led Nobel Biocare to be “First for 50 Years”, a new complete, cement-free treatment concept was unveiled at IDS Cologne, promising exciting new possibilities for implant treatment.

Developed specifically to address common challenges faced when restoring molar teeth, the complete posterior solution consists of the new 5.5mm NobelActive^® WP implant and NobelParallel^® Conical Connection (CC) system.

Designed for optimised emergence profiles, both implant systems are intended for immediate function and ensure improved stability and longevity of implant treatment.

The new NobelProcera^® Full-Contour Zirconia (FCZ) Implant Crown is the key restorative component of the complete posterior solution. Screw-retained and available with an Angulated Screw-Channel (ASC) abutment, the FCZ avoids the risks associated with cement excess while offering remarkable strength and flexible access.

Richard Laube, Nobel Biocare CEO, commented:

“This year we are marking fifty years since the late Per-Ingvar Brånemark placed the very first titanium dental implants. Nobel Biocare is proud to continue playing an important role in developing original treatment concepts to help restore quality of life for millions of patients. The innovations featured in our new complete posterior solution build on our heritage by further helping dental professionals to treat more patients better.”

For more information, contact Nobel Biocare on 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

Whether you are looking to expand or replace a member in your dental team, is essential to make sure you hire the ideal person. Here are some tips to consider along the recruitment process.

Interviewing applicants

Firstly, check that the candidate has all the necessary technical or clinical qualifications and skills required to carry out the job, such as licences, professional certificates and training. First impressions are of course important as well as the applicant’s interpersonal skills and devotion to the profession. Furthermore, dentistry requires everyone to work in very close proximity and so it is vital to ensure that candidates have right attributes to work as part of a team and to make patients feel comfortable.

Checking references

It may be obvious for some but it is important to follow up on all references. Some references provide an excellent insight but others may be guarded and simply confirm dates of employment and ending salary. In this case, a good strategy is to follow up the reference with a telephone call after interviewing a candidate.

Making a start

When you have made your decision and offer an individual a position in writing, you should implement a probationary period. During this time, the new employee’s progress should be regularly reviewed at weekly or monthly one-to-one sessions.

A written appraisal system that is adhered to throughout employment, gives team members a sense of value as well as direction. It can be also be a great way to learn from team members, listen to their ideas and maybe bring to action any strategies that could improve or streamline the workflow of the practice.

Contracts

When you provide a new employee a permanent contract of employment, it is absolutely imperative that it is concisely worded to include detailed information on every aspect of the job and the practice. For example it should state the hours of work, annual leave entitlement, duties: including written protocols for HTM-01-05 and CQC compliance, protocols for sickness or long-term illness, disciplinary procedure, rules of confidentiality, details covering policies such as adverse weather conditions and the provision of uniform.

Special attention to detail

When employing practice managers or associates it is important to consider the inclusion of restrictive covenants to protect the business. These are typically clauses in a contract that prohibit an individual from poaching other members of staff, contacting patients or competing with an ex-employer for a certain period after they have left the practice.

Help is at hand

If you need help recruiting staff or advice on contracts of employment or contracts for services (for self employed staff) it is prudent to seek expert advice. The team at Dental Elite are experienced dental recruiters who work solely with the dental profession to help practices find suitable individuals to engage in locum or permanent positions. With the aim to provide all clients with such an efficient and effective service Dental Elite hopes to become the natural ‘first port of call’ for any recruitment needs. 

For more information and to find out how Dental Elite can help to recruit the most suitable members of your dental team visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or call 01788 545 900

The key to success for any business is providing the service and products required by its customers. Finding out what people want from the business is essential in order to tailor the service delivered and meet their expectations – and this should not be different in dentistry. As a trained professional, you will of course be best placed to understand the clinical treatments patients need, but it’s still important to find out what outcomes the patient desires.

Sheila Scott, renowned dental business consultant, believes practices need to take this into consideration, changing their approach to improve the patient experience and enable the business to survive and prosper in the dental industry:

“I have often come across situations where dental nurses and dentists in the same practice have contradictory ideas about what their patients want,” Sheila says. “Similarly, many receptionists, who are the first people to greet visiting patients and provide information, may have different ideas again, and additionally do not know what the practice has to offer or what goes on behind the treatment room doors.

“Practice teams need to understand patient needs accurately, and have protocols in place to deliver an excellent service that meets their patients’ expectations. Communication is key here – patients need to understand how the practice looks after them, and how it meets their perceived needs.

“Many patients still think that when they visit a practice, the dentist simply looks in their mouth to check for ‘holes’ and treatment needs. But we all know there are many more aspects to the examination than that, and we now know that what patients really want from a practice is ‘a clean bill of health’.  Patients need to be led gently through the full examination so they can fully appreciate that this is the purpose of the practice too – and so they can appreciate the full value of their visit. This will increase patient satisfaction and engagement due to enhanced understanding, and better engagement with dental health usually means that patients understand the value of any procedures needed for improvements.”

As Sheila goes on to discuss, effective communication requires teamwork.

“It is important for the whole team to work together so that consistent messages are conveyed to every patient. Showing patients how much the practice cares about their needs will further enhance their experience, ultimately boasting the practice’s reputation and increasing referrals.

“Additional benefits of close collaboration and effective communication mean that facilities and skills within the practice can be fully utilised. The hygiene department is the perfect example of this – I think they are the most under-used, under-rated profit centres of practices throughout the UK. We could double, triple or even quadruple the amount of hygiene services offered and it would go a long way to capturing the hearts and minds of patients, improving their experience and encouraging them to return time and time again.”

Sheila is taking on the role as Chair of the Dental Business Theatre at The Dentistry Show 2015 and will be giving a lecture entitled ‘The Healthy Practice’ as part of the two-day conference programme.

“The Dentistry Show is one of the key meetings of the year for everyone working in the dental industry. It is busier and busier every time - the formula just works. As the Chair of the Dental Business Conference I am looking forward to welcoming a variety of industry-leading speakers, who will discuss an extensive range of topics to enlighten professionals and encourage the long-term success of their businesses.

“I will consider the approach practices need to take to be able to establish what their patients need, and how to meet those needs. I’ll also look further into the importance of teamwork and a unified approach from the entire team, helping dental practices to add value to their services.”

Sheila will be speaking alongside Tracy Stuart, Nigel Reece, Sarah Buxton and Krishan Joshi within the Dental Business Theatre, with topics covered including employment and HR law, marketing and finances. An array of additional learning opportunities will be on offer for principal dentists and their teams throughout the event, with lecture programmes dedicated to different dental disciplines and designed to enhance both clinical and business skills.

Hours of verifiable CPD, hands-on workshops and live surgery demonstrations will also be available, as well as an extensive trade exhibition hosting all the leading dental manufacturers and suppliers. The exciting new Launchpad UK initiative will provide you access to the very latest products, materials and technologies to reach the UK industry, ensuring your practice stays ahead of the game.

To discover how much more The Dentistry Show 2015 has to offer you and your team, and to book your free passes, go online today.

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 will be held on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham. For further details or to book your free pass please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Offering your patients finance at low and zero rates of interest is a proven way to increase treatment plan take-up – as if by magic.

To prove the point, Dental Finance is employing the talents of professional expo magician and member of the Magic Circle, Sebastian Hunt, on its stand F30 at the Dentistry Show on 17 and 18 April at the NEC.

By performing a series of magic tricks under the scrutiny of visitors to the Dental Finance stand, Sebastian will demonstrate how offering patient finance is a case of playing your cards right and always producing aces.

Brian Carter, Dental Finance director, says: "Some dentists believe the new process for setting up finance is a trick they'll never learn. With our free assistance we can help them pull that rabbit out of the hat!"

Magician, Sebastian Hunt (pictured above), will be appearing and disappearing from the Dental Finance stand throughout the two days of the show. For further information about the magic of patient finance, go to: www.dentalfinance.co.uk

Simon Reynolds of Patient Plan Direct, explains why when it comes to dental plans, simplicity is the winning formula

In helping practices day to day develop successful dental plans that prove profitable to the practice and attractive and beneficial to patients, my colleagues and I get a good feel for what works best when it comes to dental plans.

We work with a wide range of practices across the UK, all of which have different patient demographics, a different split of private and NHS care, and their own unique objectives. However, there is one common factor across all the practices that run the most successful dental plans: Simplicity!

Defining success

I define a successful dental plan as one that is an integral part of the practices patient journey. It is mentioned on a regular basis to patients (new and existing) and the message about the plan is rehearsed and consistent. The whole team believe in the plan and recognise that it is of genuine benefit to the patient’s pocket and long term oral health.

As such, a steady and regular number of patients join the plan week on week and loyalty once a patient joins a plan is excellent and long term. The plan generates a healthy regular income that proves profitable, aids cash flow and commits patients to regular visits, providing the opportunity to promote other treatments and services (clearly in an ethical fashion), generating further revenue streams and profits.

Defining simplicity

The simple and successful dental plans can be summarised as having three common factors:

1.      Limited choice – There may be a couple of different plan options available to patients to suit different requirements and budgets. But there should never be a overload of different plan options for patients to choose from. I have come across practices that have 10+ different types of plans. This serves only to confuse patients and your team, likely resulting in them not being comfortable or motivated to mention the plan to patients and thus hindering uptake.

2.      Simple marketing – Any marketing literature promoting the plan is concise, to the point, transparent and highlights the key messages in language the patient can understand. A brochure with paragraphs of text is not the answer.

3.      Quick and simple – The sign up process when a patient commits to the plan is rehearsed, quick and simple. Whoever is responsible for the final stage of sign up should be crystal clear in undertaking this process and explaining the detail of the plan to patients.

Stick to the above and you won’t go far wrong with making your dental plan a success.

Back in the fifteenth century Leonardo da Vinci explained; "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". As such, it’s no new modern day phenomenon that simplicity is a solid strategic approach. It shouldn’t be an approach that is limited to developing a successful dental plan. It is likely to prove beneficial when determining many other practice processes.

Patient Plan Direct is the UK’s most cost effective plan provider: Experts in dental plan launches, plan provider transfers and introducing private dental plans to create less dependence on NHS income. 

Tel: 08448486888 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Visit: www.patientplandirect.co.uk

For practice managers, those aspiring to take on the role, or anyone just wanting to increase their understanding of how the practice operates, the Practice Management Today session at The Dentistry Show 2015 is the place for you.

Niki Boersma is the President of the Association of Dental Administrators and Managers (ADAM) and practice manager at The Smile Rooms in Malton. She will be running the session within the Dental Business Theatre with Sarah Buxton of LCF Law and Tracy Stuart of NBS Training. Niki commented:

“The team at ADAM is very much looking forward to The Dentistry Show 2015. It is a great opportunity to catch up with friends and colleagues in the profession, to update your knowledge and gain valuable CPD, and hopefully return to the day job refreshed and re-energised for the challenges ahead.”

Commenting on the Practice Management Today panel session, Niki gives a taster of what delegates can expect:

“We will be discussing the role of the modern practice manager and the many challenges they face, including the ever-rising volume of regulation and CQC inspections, as well as the increasingly litigious society in which we live. The presentation will also cover the need to effectively market your practice in order to increase patient numbers.

“Understanding all of these issues is essential for practice managers today, so that strategies can be put into place ensuring the practice succeeds in the competitive dental sector.

“Hopefully those who attend will leave better informed and better prepared to face these many challenges - and with a realisation that they are not alone. There are many other practice managers facing the same challenges and, through ADAM, they can share their views and occasional frustrations, while also seeking guidance and direction from their peers.”

Alongside this informative lecture, The Dentistry Show will offer a range of other exciting learning opportunities available throughout additional theatres, including the new Endolounge, presented in association with the British Endodontic Society, the BSP PerioLounge, Facial Aesthetics Theatre and CORE CPD Conference, ensuring something for every member of the dental team.

Book your free delegate pass online today and benefit from world-class speakers, copious networking opportunities and much more at The Dentistry Show 2015.

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 will be held on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham. For further details or to book your free pass please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Niki is Practice Manager at The Smile Rooms in Malton, North Yorkshire and President of The Association of Dental Administrators and Managers (ADAM) which was established in 1993 as a not for profit organisation and aims to represent all members of the dental administration team, including the Practice Manager and those who aspire to be Practice Managers. Niki also runs a Guest House in Thirsk, North Yorkshire with her husband.

It is a requirement of the GDC for all dental professionals in the UK to have adequate indemnity provision in place, or they may face removal from the register.

In order to comply, there are currently three types of cover that are recognised by the GDC, and it is crucial that each dentist makes the appropriate choice. The options are:

 - Dental Defence Organisation membership – held individually or as membership provided by the employer

 - NHS / Crown indemnity – most doctors employed by the NHS are covered for the duties described in their contract

 - Professional indemnity insurance held individually or by the employer.

At first glance, the concept of indemnity cover seems fairly straightforward: you are either covered or you are not. However, for a practice principal working with an associate the issue of indemnity, and more crucially the party responsible for it, can cause some confusion due to the nature of their professional relationship. For instance, a question that regularly arises is: Does an associate dentist count as an employee?

This is relevant because according to employment law, an employer is vicariously responsible for the actions and his or her employee and could be held accountable should any claims be brought against them. However, it is widely understood that this is not the case for dental associates who are often thought of as self-employed. Indeed, it is not uncommon for practice owners to operate under the assumption that they will not be held liable, or responsible, for the actions of an associate dentist working in their practice due to their self-employed status. Nonetheless, there have recently been more than a couple of incidents that show that this is not always the case. As such these situations have highlighted the necessity of ensuring any associates working at your practice are sufficiently covered.

The recent Whetstone case is often used by some legal firms to demonstrate how practice owners are vicariously liable for the actions of their self-employed associates. A somewhat unique situation, this case involved an associate who did not have indemnity and the practice owner has held liable for their actions. As the owner had not checked whether the associate had sufficient cover, he was held responsible, despite the self-employed status of the associate. Despite deliberate trying to demonstrate vicarious liability on his part so as to receive compensation from his insurance, he not only lost the case, but was also awarded all the costs.

This case and many others exemplify the position that many principals find themselves in, whereby if their associate was found to have insufficient cover they would face increased scrutiny around the relationship between the two parties, and potentially could be held liable for any claims against the associate. Following the correct procedures and taking reasonable steps to ensure sufficient cover is in place, will help practice owners avoid situations like the case above.

For more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk.

Author: Ian Gordon BDS MFGDP

Senior Partner Alpha Dental Group 

Dental implants have revolutionised the dental industry and they are fast becoming an essential aspect of the modern dentist’s range of skills. Providing a significant improvement in function and aesthetics for partially or completely edentulous patients, implants restore the ability to eat and speak and can dramatically boost self-confidence.

As such, a real difference can be made to patients’ quality of life, enhancing both social and professional areas of their lives. It is unsurprising therefore that patient satisfaction is generally very high with implant procedures, bringing further benefits to the practice in the form of glowing reviews and increased referrals. In addition, clinical studies suggest that although most people would prefer to save their natural dentition (as would most professionals), implant therapy patients become more aware of their oral health following treatment, and ensure regular visits to the dentist for cleanings and check ups thereafter.[1]

The placement and restoration of implants does however require a specialist set of skills and clinical experience, and quality training is necessy in order to ensure the longevity and success of treatment. The clinician’s goal is to serve the patient by providing first-class procedures and care, and alongside sufficient training, this is further facilitated with use of carefully designed, cutting-edge technologies. Digital CAD/CAM systems have been developed to enable high-precision treatment planning and design of restorations, which are now well received throughout the industry. Such technologies also reduce laboratory time and improve the quality and precision of fit of restorations produced first time. This technological accuracy along with streamlined treatment capabilities enables clinicians to take their dentistry to the next level and consistently achieve optimum treatment outcomes.

Careful diagnosis and treatment planning is key to this success. Throughout the planning stages, every detail needs consideration from the design of the implant and restoration to the gingival surface characteristics. Effective planning can shorten surgery time significantly, as not only is the dentist prepared and the patient properly informed, but a satisfactory brief can also be delivered to the team and adequate information can be relayed to technicians during the restoration process. Established implant protocols require meticulous execution by the whole team for the best possible results, so collaboration between all professionals involved needs to be effective.

The patient also has a role to play in the maintenance and continued care of the implants for long-lasing success, which they must be made aware of before procedures have even begun.

Nobel Biocare, a pioneering company in the field of implant-based dental restorations, is dedicated to empowering dentists with the best solutions possible. Through fully integrated technologies that enable seamless workflows, Nobel Biocare helps clinicians not only enhance their clinical practices, but also grow their business.

The globally renowned dental product supplier will provide a morning’s programme at the ADI Team Congress in May 2015, designed to educate and provide a platform for discussion regarding restorative protocols, technological innovations and the latest trends in implant dentistry.

The subject of the interactive sessions will be “Preferred Treatment Concepts for Today’s Patient Needs”, and a range of topics will be covered to help delegates refine and broaden their skills for better treatment provision. Nobel Biocare will present some of the most experienced clinicians and researchers in the field throughout the corporate forum, including:

• Stefan Holst DMD PhD will ask: ‘What impact does implant designs, surface characteristics, surgical and restorative protocols have on the end result?’
   
• Alessandro Pozzi DDS PhD will explore ‘Maximising treatment outcomes in the aesthetic zone with efficient treatment workflow’.
• 
  Jose M Navarro DDS MS will discuss ‘The biology and protocols of immediate implant placement and tooth replacement’.
   
• Edmond Bedrossian DDS FACD FACOMS FAO will speak about ‘Managing failing dentitions and their transitions to edentulism’.
   

Nobel Biocare is at the forefront of implant and restorative dentistry and is dedicated to keeping practitioners abreast of developments as they occur in this constantly advancing market. First-class education is offered as well as products, materials and state of the art technology to enable practitioners to achieve high quality restorations and furthermore, outstanding patient satisfaction.

The ADI Team Congress Corporate Forums will take place on Thursday 14 May 2015 offering professionals a chance to discover the latest research and developments in the dental implant arena, while also gaining new ideas to ensure the highest standards in patient care.

To book a free place for the Corporate Forum, please indicate attendance on the registration form or online registration at http://www.adi.org.uk/profession/index.htm

For more information on the cutting-edge solutions available from Nobel Biocare, please call 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

What if your child had toothache and no hope of help?   

With this message, dental charity Bridge2Aid hopes to increase vital support this year, making it possible to provide access to safe emergency dental treatment for millions more people in need in East Africa.

Chief Executive Mark Topley commented: ‘With not even the most basic dental service available for the majority of people living in the rural areas of places like Tanzania, there are countless untreated dental problems. And more than half of people with toothache and no access to basic treatment will develop complications; sometimes, very sadly and shockingly, the complications lead to death.’

However, Bridge2Aid is making a big impact – by training local health professionals already based in villages to extract teeth and relieve pain. And it works – over the past 10 years Bridg2Aid has demonstrated success in both Tanzania and Rwanda, making access to treatment available to over 3 million people. Health professionals trained by Bridge2Aid have shown they can immediately address 98% of dental problems.

To find out how you can help people in pain today, please visit the team at stand D20, where you can be sure of a warm welcome.

Alternatively, Please visit www.bridge2aid.org/whatif to join with Bridge2Aid in its mission to make access to simple, safe, emergency dental treatment available to all.

With the dental profession coming under increasing pressure in terms of regulation and compliance, it can be difficult to ensure that you are always up to date. There are constant regulatory updates to contend with, all alongside catering for your patients, running a busy business and undertaking high quality clinical work, so it's little wonder many feel snowed under with their responsibilities and, in particular, with regulatory requirements.

Especially with the changing CQC inspection procedures set to come into play from 1 April 2015, it’s important to know the facts in order to make sure you and your team are focusing on the important thing. This will help you to avoid confusion and potential problems in the future.

That's why The Dentistry Show 2015 is proud to bring you the Compliance Clinics in association with Apolline, leaders in bespoke, hands-on services and solutions supporting dentists and their practice teams. The sessions are designed to help you better understand the rapidly changing regulatory environment and work out solutions to current challenges. The Compliance Clinics will examine some of the obstacles the dental profession must navigate around in 2015 and beyond, while helping you to discover ways to survive and prosper in what can feel like an increasingly stormy future.

Topics covered will include: 

• Current professional environment – the challenges
• An update on the proposed changes to CQC
• Hints and tips on complying with the CQC’s new fundamental standards regulation
• What it means to be a professional person in 2015
• Challenges posed by the GDC’s ‘Standards for Dental Professionals’ and a risk-based approach to keeping medico-legally ‘safe’ patient records
• The importance of feedback in running a profitable, patient-centred practice and in demonstrating compliance to the CQC.

If that wasn't enough to keep you up-to-date, there are even more sessions to be announced in the run up to the Show.

Providing this practical advice on surviving and prospering in an increasingly challenging professional and regulatory environment will be Pat Langley, Chief Executive of Apolline; Jerry Watson, Director at Apolline and private practitioner; and Dr Philip Newsome.

Philip is an Honorary Associate Professor within Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong, and in 2013 received an Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) for his contribution to the profession. Currently splitting his time between the UK and Hong Kong, where he maintains a thriving practice, he is a highly experienced and respected global lecturer. Within the Compliance Clinics, Philip will present a session entitled “What it means to be a Professional Person in 2015”, looking at what it means to be a professional, how our views of it have changed over the years and what is expected of us as professional people in 2015. Philip adds:

“I will be discussing what practitioners and their staff can do to maintain high professional standards. I will also show how such high levels of professionalism and ethical behaviour translate into a wide variety of benefits such as personal well-being and sustained business success.”

With more speakers to be confirmed nearer the date, make sure you don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to advance your knowledge at the Compliance Clinics.

Keep it fresh

Not only will this year's Dentistry Show provide you with vital updates on changes to the CQC and what practices need to do to get through their next CQC inspection, there's plenty more on offer for the whole dental team. The two-day event will be packed full of lectures dedicated to each area of the profession, offering verifiable CPD, inspiration and fresh ideas to help you enhance every aspect of your practice. You’ll also be able to speak to leading names in dentistry about the latest technologies and ideas, while networking with professionals in all corners of the industry.

New features such as the exciting Launchpad UK will also enable you to discover the latest products to reach the UK, materials and innovations in UK dentistry, with top international suppliers showcasing everything they have to offer.

The Dentistry Show provides a great day out for the whole practice offering a cutting-edge education programme brought to you by industry-leading speakers, a packed exhibition hall and plenty of chances to meet up with like-minded colleagues. If you only attend one event in 2015, make sure it’s The Dentistry Show 2015.

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 will be held on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham. For further details or to book your free pass please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Your Landing Page

Neil Sanderson

Most people think of a website as an entity in its self, this is not the case. A website is a series of pages of which you need to think about landing pages.

What is a landing page? Well the description is in the name really, it’s where people land when they first come to your website.

Most people think that the place people should first see when they arrive at your site is the home page, this again is not the case, ideally you need people to land on the correct landing page, let me explain.

I’m sure that all of you have at one time or another gone to Amazon. Can you ever think of a time when you arrived on a home page which had menu options across the top for you to find what you are looking for?

No of course you haven’t. You always land on the page that you wanted. For instance if you are looking for a camera. I typed in the search “Canon EOS 70D” and below is the search I got.

Camer search screen

All the search items are about the EOS 70D which is what you would expect, some are reviews and technical pages others are sales pages, but effectively all of them are about this particular camera.

So whenI click on the search item which takes me to the “landing page”. It comes as no surprise that the page I land on is about the Canon EOS 70D.

Because Amazon is so good at this you are presented with everything you need to purchase this camera, there are reviews, things that people also bought when they buy this camera etc. In fact just about everything you need to make a purchase, this is a typical Amazon landing page and they are very good at it.

Amazon Canon landing page

So what has this got to do with your website and the landing page that your prospective patients land on?

Well it’s about this, we have all been tought by the likes of Amazon that we want to land on exactly the page we are interested in. We don’t want to land on the “home” landing page, we know what we want and we want it right now.

People are not prepared to come to a “home” landing page and navigate around the website until they find the item they are looking for, this is why you have to promote your landing pages all the time, so that your visitors get exactly what they are looking for immediately.

If someone is looking for teeth whitening, most dental websites are set up so they will come to the “Home” landing page, they will then click on the treatment tab, then they will find the whiting link and click on that, do you see the issue?

If you want people to visit your teeth whitening page you need to start optimising this page so that Google can pick it up and display it, this needs to become your whitening landing page.

The same goes for all your other treatment, such as facial aesthetics, implants, straightening etc. etc.

Writing a blog is a great help but having the right key words on the page is also crucial, along with the correct meta description. Get ahead of your competition and ensure that your treatment pages are optimised to be your landing pages.

However you can bypass all this an just use Google Adwords, which will always send people to exactly the page you require, this is one of the huge benefits of Adwords.

If you would like more information on your website, call me on 01767 626  398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our Facebook page.

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Now that 2015 is well under way, New Year celebrations seem like a distant memory and everyone is looking to their next holiday, I thought I’d take a minute to look ahead.

I’m going to suggest three main predictions for the coming years, which I think will affect dental practices the most. These changes will not only shape the profession as a whole but also will affect the way practices are operated and how their services are marketed to patients.

Firstly, we will see a significant increase in the number of individual practices sold to corporates and groups. Many practice owners are worn out from the economic struggle of the past few years, from growing competition and the ever-more time-consuming regulations. They have had to work 10 times harder than they would have done 20 years ago, and as a result, I have seen a huge increase in the number of practitioners over the age of 50 considering selling their practice to alleviate the responsibility and stress.

Secondly, I predict further downward pressure on remuneration in dentistry. Salaries will, at best, freeze, as will remuneration packages for dental associates, hygienists and therapists; although it is more likely that they will decrease. This goes hand-in-hand with a continuing transfer of responsibility to dental care professionals – I think associates will become more limited regarding what they can do, as more work is allocated to other members of the dental team.

This is obviously not good news, but you need to be realistic in order to prepare and protect your future career. As a dental associate, I believe your value will depend on the degree of specialisation you develop. The skills you offer in disciplines such as implantology, endodontics or high-end cosmetic dentistry, which cannot be emulated by other team members, will become fundamental for success in the dental profession. The key, therefore, is to be at the top of your game in whichever niche you chose, and it is important to recognise this in order to protect your future.

This could lead to a decrease in the number of general dental associates working in dentistry, and may even call into question whether the role of the dental associate has a future in the modern profession.

Finally, I predict a continued increase in the level of enquiries made to the regulators as a result of patient complaints. With the existing Fitness to Practise system within the GDC widely discredited, steps are already being taken to try to modernise the process for greater effectiveness and efficiency. I think the extent to which the governing bodies regulate the profession will inexorably continue to increase. That will necessitate greater diligence with regards to record keeping and marketing language and increase the importance of providing appropriate and affordable dentistry, as there will be a higher chance of legal problems should any issues arise.

Depending on your perspective, these predictions may not seem particularly positive. You can look at them in one of two ways – one, the profession is doomed; or two, we will create a better, leaner profession which will provide more ethical dental treatment and care to patients.

In an interesting paradox, I am one of many crusaders who support the concept of emotional marketing. It can be a very effective way of attracting new patients and encouraging people to enquire about and go ahead with treatment. With the above points in mind, however, the importance of managing patient expectations and not promising anything you can’t deliver, is very evident. As a healthcare professional, you are often presented with opportunities to improve people’s quality of life, but you also have a responsibility to protect their health and safety and to make sure they understand all the risks and possible outcomes involved.

Consequently, your marketing strategy needs to strike a careful balance between evoking the emotions that will lead people to act and undergo treatments, and giving them realistic expectations of what you can achieve.

Whether you are looking to boost patient numbers so as to improve profits or create a position where you are able to offer staff pay-rises, you need to attract business effectively, and in a way that doesn’t leave you vulnerable.

This is where support such as that offered through the Ultimate Marketing Academy with 7connections can help – we will not only demonstrate how to properly utilise emotional marketing, but also help you to ensure an ethical approach that protects both your business and your patients.

Whatever the next 12-24 months hold for the dental profession, we would expect to see several changes and new trends emerging. It is important that all dental professionals prepare for such changes, so as to protect their careers and secure a successful future in dentistry.

For more information about 7connections and the Ultimate Marketing Academy, please call 01647 478145, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit www.7connections.com

Enacting an exit strategy can be one of the most complicated tasks you will face as a practice principal. However, with efficient planning and time management, you can eliminate a lot of the hassle and stress and ensure both you and your team benefit.

In an ideal world, you should start thinking about your exit strategy at least five years before you intend to leave. This will ensure you have sufficient time to get all your accounts in order and to showcase the best possible profits for your practice. You should also look at staffing situations, income levels and the ways in which your associates are remunerated in order to produce the most accurate and useful overview of your practice’s performance and potential.

One of the most common pitfalls principals fall into during this process, is that they start to slow down by taking on fewer patients and working fewer hours. While this is completely understandable, it can actually have a detrimental impact on the sale of the business – income will reduce but costs will remain the same, therefore profits decrease rapidly. From the bank’s perspective, a business with falling profits is a business in decline, despite the reasons for this being easily reversible. It is therefore essential to not only maintain income of the practice, but to grow it as much as possible in order to create the most appealing deal for a buyer. Reassigning work to associates and building a strong practice management team will go a long way to helping you do this without putting all the hours in yourself. Ensuring an efficient team is in place will also make the practice less contingent on you as you prepare to leave, strengthening the business as a whole.

With regards to non-financial factors, it is vital to ensure that associate dentists have entered into an official associate agreement so as to protect the goodwill of the practice. This demonstrates that your clinical team plan to remain with the business for the foreseeable future, ensuring the stability and long-term success of your practice. Protecting the goodwill in this way not only puts you in a stronger position to sell with the practice seeming more attractive to potential buyers, but it further encourages a smoother sale procedure.

The team at Dental Elite, with over a century of combined experience in the sector, have made a reputation for themselves for giving pragmatic and practical advice to dental professionals. They are in the perfect position to help ensure that planning your exit strategy will not be the complicated and stressful process it has the potential to be.

For more information and to find out how Dental Elite can value
and assist your practice sale visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01788 545 900

• This year sees more innovative events than ever before. They range from screenings of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘The Dentist’ to a marathon to raise awareness of oral health.

• The new World Oral Health Day 2015 poster customisation app will help support participating organisations.

Geneva, 10 March 2015 - As World Oral Health Day 2015 approaches countries worldwide are preparing to celebrate in their own way. The theme is ‘Smile for life’.

Planned activities in 2015 include: a media campaign on local radio stations and free dental check-ups for over 500 children in Senegal; a selfie contest under the theme ‘Smile for life’ in Spain; free oral health assessments and fluoride treatments for all children attending a camp in Liberia; and an attempt to achieve a world record for the most amount of voluntary dentistry done in one day in Australia.

The challenge is for National Dental Associations, Student Dental Associations and World Oral Health Day Partners to match or outdo last year’s vast array of activities, which included an attempt on the World Record for the number of people brushing their teeth simultaneously.

Also this year, a new application provides participants with the means of customizing their World Oral Health Day campaign poster with pictures and other features adapted to their local, regional or national needs.

‘It’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm of so many different groups in the pursuit of raising oral health awareness within their communities,” said FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong. “World Oral Health Day 2015 is set to be bigger and better than ever before, helping to spread the message of a ‘Smile for life’ across the globe.”

To find out if there is an activity near you or to get involved yourself, visit the World Oral Health Day website, which offers the latest news and a range of downloadable material to help celebrate a ‘Smile for Life’ on 20 March 2015.

WOHD is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organised by dentists, dental students and National Dental Associations (NDAs). It offers the dental and oral health community a platform to take action and help reduce the global disease burden of oral disease.

Ninety per cent of the world’s population will suffer from oral diseases in their lifetime and many of them can be avoided with increased governmental, health association and society support and funding for prevention, detection and treatment programmes.

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. FDI is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organized under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

World Oral Health Day 2015 partners

LISTERINE® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

As the world’s number one daily mouth rinse, LISTERINE® Mouthwash has been used by more than one billion people in more than 85 countries. Professional dental organizations around the world have awarded LISTERINE® Mouthwash with their seals of acceptance.

LISTERINE® is distributed by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., a part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Unilever 

Unilever Oral Care is a leading global manufacturer of oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash, represented by brands including Signal, Pepsodent, Close Up, Mentadent, Aim, P/S and Zhong Hua. Unilever recognizes that good oral health and the sense of well-being and confidence it brings, is a vital element to making people look good, feel good and get more out of life and that small every day actions, such as twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, add up to make a big difference for the world. Through its science, products, partnerships and international network, Unilever Oral Care is privileged with the power to make a sustainable and measurable improvement to oral health around the world.

Henry Schein

Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.  A Fortune 500®{C}[1]{C} Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100®{C}[2]{C} Index (NASDAQ Ticker: HSIC), Henry Schein employs more than 17,500 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 customers. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries. Through Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program, Henry Schein helps expand access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP)

WOHP partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one extra simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugarfree gum after eating and drinking on-the-go. WOHP supports independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening. For more information, visit: www.wrigleyoralcare.com

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, delivered the last Budget of this parliament today. Jon Drysdale highlights items of interest to dentists.

Tax cuts

Big tax cuts for income tax payers and help for savers through greater flexibility on ISAs. With the majority of dentists being higher rate tax payers, this is positive news.

Simplification of the tax system was announced with the annual tax return removed - more details to follow. The fuel duty increase will be frozen again.

The personal tax-free allowance will be raised to £11,000 in 2017. The higher rate tax threshold, which affects most dentists, will rise to £43,300 in 2017/18.

Pensions hit

On a more negative front, the Lifetime Allowance on pensions is to be reduced to £1m from next year. This is likely to significantly impact dentists with NHS pensions. It remains to be seen what transitional protection will be offered to those breaching the new reduced allowance. The change is potentially going to encourage dentists to draw their NHS pension earlier than planned to avoid a Lifetime Allowance charge. 

Savings

Four major new steps on savings were announced:

1. Greater access to pension annuities. 

2. A more flexible ISA with annual savings limit increasing to £15,240 (2014/15) and allowing withdrawals and re-contributions in the same year without losing tax-free allowance.

3. 'Help to Buy' ISA for first time buyers with a 25% top-up – effectively tax relief on ISAs.

4. First £1,000 of interest on savings income to be tax-free.

Business

Corporation tax will be cut to 20% in two weeks time, with small business rates also to be cut. Class 2 National Insurance to be abolished.

Comment

Jon Drysdale, an independent financial adviser from PFM Dental, commented: “While there are positives in this budget for dentists the most worrying single announcement today is the further cut to the Lifetime Pension allowance to £1m. Many dentists are already subject to a charge as the allowance has fallen in recent years. Hopefully, some transitional protection will be available and we will be following developments on this closely. The need for specialist advice in this area has never been greater." 

PFM Dental offers independent financial advice exclusively to dentists. For more information visit www.pfmdental.co.uk

Bringing the curtain down on dentistry for 2014, Nigel Jones shares with readers some of the more noteworthy news from this year in relation to the New Contract and private dentistry.

Nigel Jones is part of the change support team for Practice Plan. With 24 years’ experience within the dental industry, he has guided many dentists through the 2006 NHS contract and continues to do so today; contact him for further advice and support on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

With the knowledge that the New Contract pilots were to continue into 2015, this year the dental profession were keeping a keen eye out to see how they would progress.  In addition, there was a renewed interest in whether private dentistry might, for some, be a viable way forwards.

It was in February at the Dentistry Show that the first significant discussion of the year took place on the issue of the New Contract. This dialogue clarified that Professor Steele was committed to taking all the time needed to review the data available to produce an effective system that would focus on prevention rather than cure.

Also speaking at the event was oral epidemiologist Liz Kay, who emphasised the need to take into consideration the full oral health picture in the UK, not just to create a contract based upon the needs that could be ascertained from average figures. She asked delegates to consider the realities of dental practice where, for example, the majority of Baby Boomers – who grew up without preventive advice – would need dental treatment in the coming years.

In March it was reported that, for the first time in eight years, the profit level of the average private dental practice was almost the same as the average NHS dental practice, based on the latest benchmarking statistics from the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers.

Figures showed that the average net profit in 2012/13 for a principal of a private practice was £124,086 compared to £125,958 for a principal of an NHS practice.

In April we also learned that after a difficult economic time, private dentistry is set to ‘bounce back’ and make the most of the opportunities offered by an industry currently valued to be worth £5.9bn every year, according to latest report into the UK dentistry market from LaingBuisson.

That same month, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking Healthcare Confidence Index suggested that uncertainty over NHS dentistry was affecting dentists’ choices. It reported that 80% of those questioned were apprehensive that the NHS would provide adequate financial support. In addition, it was revealed that 69% of dentists are planning to grow their business to help overcome any possible financial pressures brought on by the NHS contract.

Commenting on the results, Ian Crompton, Head of Healthcare Banking Services, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, stated: ‘The wider economic uplift has boosted dentistry morale, with dentists again the most confident profession in the short-term, and it is interesting that there has been a noticeable shift in the number of dentists expecting private practice to again become more profitable than NHS.’

The summer months

At the 2014 Conference of Local Dental Committees in Manchester in June, John Milne, chair of the BDA’s GDPC, expressed disappointment at the slow progress being made with designing the prototypes for the New Contract and suggested that the government needed to get a move on.

In July, at the Westminster Health Forum seminar on oral health inequalities, dentistry commissioning, regulation, and the dental contract reform dentist Sabrena Kara spoke about her practice’s experience of taking part in the pilots. She offered a positive view on time management, which then allowed her to focus on delivering more complex dentistry to patients.

August saw a story in The Telegraph reporting: ‘Patients are having to travel up to 40 miles to see a dentist or being forced into private care because they struggling to find treatment locally, a consumer watchdog has warned.

‘Healthwatch England said that patients are experiencing ''increasing frustration'' about NHS dentistry as patients struggle to know where to turn.

‘Some are travelling up to 40 miles to find somewhere that will provide free care while others are so discouraged by their attempts to find a health service dentist that they end up paying for private treatment, it said.’

Dr Cockcroft responded: ‘Our figures tell us that 93% of people who tried to get an NHS dental appointment in the past two years were successful. Of the 6.5% who tried to get an NHS dental appointment at a practice that they had never attended before, 76% were successful.’

Drawing to a close

In October, the BDA’s GDPC came together to discuss the New Contract, welcoming the fact that Alternative Contract Reform (ACR) input had become part of the debate on contractual change. The case for change was described as ‘irresistible’ by the chair, Dr Milne, who continued: ‘We have an historic opportunity here to turn the page on activity targets and put prevention at the heart of dentistry. And the GDPC is determined to get it right on behalf of the profession.’

 Looking to 2015

Despite some disappointment surrounding the slow implementation of the New Contract, 2014 still managed to deliver interesting signposts for dentists looking to the future. Given the well-publicised financial pressure on the NHS, the Government's imperative will be to find a form of contract that will extract the best value it can from NHS dentists.  Come May 2015 and the results of the general election, the dentistry ball may well be up in the air once again. Whatever the outcome, this will mark a new beginning for dentists choosing between NHS and private dentistry to fulfil their commitment to looking after their patients while running a sustainable business.

Practice Plan considers what the current dental contract has to offer and takes a look at what changes could be incorporated into NHS dentistry when the revised contract is fully rolled out.

In 2006 to much fanfare – on the Government’s side at least – a new NHS dental contract came into force. At the time some dentists chose to leave the NHS altogether preferring the private route, some created a mixed practice but the majority stayed put, believing in the provision of dentistry to those in need.

Over the following years, again, some have changed the way they practise; but still a large number have continued to operate within the parameters of the contract while others have joined the NHS. Statistics released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre tell us that 23,723 dentists performed NHS activity during 2013-14. This is an increase of 522 (2.2%) on 2012-13, and 3,563 (17.7%) more than 2006-07.

With a revised contract on the horizon, what does the 2006 contract offer and what might we reasonably expect the next one to deliver?

John Milne Chair of BDA GDPC once said: ‘How can a system improve oral health, deliver prevention, continuing care and advanced treatment, whilst paying dentists adequately, fairly, and provide an environment where all this can be achieved with minimal perverse incentives from any direction to enable the patient, the government and the profession to have confidence for the future?’

Remuneration

As we know all too well, the contract to which the majority of NHS dentists are working operates on annually targeted UDAs (the exception being those on the piloting scheme).  This has, of course, raised some financial issues; a popular view is that dentists have not been receiving fair remuneration for their work in more extensive cases. It should be noted, however, that, committed as they are to patient care, the vast majority of dentists who have stayed in the NHS have worked hard to provide a quality service.

The contract currently being piloted shuns UDAs and instead a capitation system is being tested. Essentially, capitation provides payment according to an agreed number of patients seen during a specified period of time. Three are being piloted:

• Type 1 – guaranteed remuneration for guaranteed NHS commitment

• Type 2 – weighted capitation payments applied within tolerance of contract value with capitation payment covering all care

• Type 3 – weighted capitation model applied within tolerance of contract value with capitation payment covering only routine care and remaining contract value attributed to complex care guaranteed.

Weightings are applied to the registered population, which aim to reflect the workload involved in meeting patient needs. In the report ‘Dental Contract Reform Programme. Early Findings: Opportunity to give feedback’, the following example for a hypothetical practice treating 100 patients was provided:

• Twenty high-need patients: £10 per patient = £200

• Fifty low-need patients: £5 per patient = £250

• Thirty medium-need patients: £7.50 per patient = £225.

This provides a weighted capitation of £675.

With these pilots ongoing, which of these three options are achieving success is unknown, but it seems fair to suggest capitation is likely to feature in some form. 

It would be remiss while on the subject of finances to move on without considering the forthcoming contract’s affordability for the government. Contact reform offers an interesting conundrum; you might achieve happy patients and dentists but realistically only at a cost that would be unacceptable in a wider roll-out. For example, the new approach involving a preventive pathway takes more time and means longer appointments than before, which is why patients tend to like it. Within the pilots, the dentists are happy as they have had their income ring-fenced so they can essentially take as long as they want without incurring any financial penalty. In addition, that all means that access has dropped and fewer patients are being seen which, given that has been a priority for successive governments, won’t be deemed acceptable. There seem to be three possible solutions to this – making more money available (which, let’s face it, is never going to happen in the current economic climate), finding a way that forces individual dentists to improve access for the same money or to accept lower access per dentist but pay individual dentists less.

Quality

There’s little to be written about the 2006 contract and quality treatment that you haven’t already heard or read many times over. Suffice to say, it constrains care to providing treatment to achieve oral fitness and little else; this is a system that does not easily lend itself offering a high level of care and NHS dentists remain the unsung heroes for achieving high quality results. Considered by many as an incentivising scheme gone horribly wrong, we all look to the future with great expectations.

The (hopefully) forthcoming contract aims to deliver high-quality, prevention-based care based upon three indicators:

1. Patient safety

2. Clinical effectiveness

3. Patient experience.

This is where the much talked about Primary Care Clinical pathway approach comes into play. The clinical pathway begins with a comprehensive oral health assessment, recording information on caries, periodontal disease, tooth wear and the soft tissues. Needs and risk are then assessed based upon both clinical information and that obtained from the patient. A preventive plan is then created and shared with the patient and dental team. Lastly, a review date is set according to risk and NICE guidelines.

Advanced care pathways are also being piloted in endodontics, periodontal care, indirect restorations and metal-based partial dentures.

All of this is being supported with the use of software provided by one of three software companies.

Thus far, overall the concept has been considered to have a sound basis but, again, things are still being ironed out so while the future looks to be preventive based there are no guarantees.

Registration

Under the 2006 contact, formal registration with a dental practice, which had been introduced in 1990, came to an end.  In essence, nowadays no-one in England and Wales is registered on the NHS with a particular practice although, in truth, this is not on many patients’ radar. However, access appears to have been a problem for some patients, with pre-pilot figures indicating that 24,292 patients received emergency dental treatment in hospital casualty departments in 2009/10, compared to approximately 17,400 in 2000/2001. These statistics certainly do suggest that fewer people were getting the dental treatment they needed between 2000 and 2010.  
 

The future contract, meanwhile, promises provide a formal system of patient registration, ensuring patients will receive ongoing care as and when clinically needed. We don’t know much more than that, but it sounds like a good plan to improve access and long-term oral health.

Tentative hopes…

So here we are; the majority of practices are still working within the confines of the 2006 contract and the minority piloting the next contract. The possibilities are tantalising but there is still so much that we don’t know.  When will the pilots end? How will the general election affect NHS dentistry?  And last, but by no means least, how will the government, whatever their affiliation, work within the confines of national finance to deliver what is being promised? We have hope that the resources available can be used to best effect.

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions since for over 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice. So, if you’re thinking about your future and would like some expert advice you can trust, then call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

Contributing to the excellent educational programme at this year’s Dentistry Show, Carestream Dental will be hosting two sessions.

Within the popular Dental Business Theatre Jane Guinn, Managing Director of Carestream Dental, will explore the vast benefits of effective data collection to help drive practice growth. Discussing how real-time data affects your patient communication and the efficacy of your recall systems, Jane will also show how crucial proper data management is and demonstrate how the innovative CS R4+ Springboard can help.

Dr Maria Harman, a highly experienced general dental practitioner and principal of Clinic 95 in Oxford, will also be delivering a session in the ADI Implant Theatre entitled ‘Improve your implantology with a digital workflow’. She’ll look at how high quality CBCT technology enables a more predictable, accurate and speedier diagnostic and treatment planning process, for an improved patient experience in a shorter treatment time.

To advance your practice management systems with real-time data, or to make the most of a digital workflow, make sure you don’t miss sessions hosted by Carestream Dental at The Dentistry Show 2015.

For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

The BDIA’s ‘Dental Industry Manifesto’ sets out five key priorities for action in the dental sector for the next Government. BDIA Executive Director, Tony Reed, explains, “The industry believes that positive and focussed investment and support from Government is vital to ensure the highest quality oral health outcomes for patients and an efficient and sustainable future for the provision of dentistry in the UK”.

The Manifesto urges the next Government to focus on five areas: ‘Investing in the nation’s oral health’, ‘Protecting patients’, ‘Building a better future’, ‘Championing innovation’ and creating ‘A favourable business environment’. By acting in these areas a future Government can significantly reduce the burden on the NHS by improving the nation’s oral health, protect patients, whilst supporting dental professionals and the industry, foster innovation, encourage investment, improve the business environment and develop exports.

The Manifesto also builds on the industry’s initiative against counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices and instruments seeking full Government funding for the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

It has been circulated to key opinion formers in the political parties and Government departments, as well as Ministers, MPs, senior civil servants and NHS England.

Established in 1923, the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA) represents and supports manufacturers and suppliers of dental products, services and technologies. BDIA members gain access to a range of services designed to benefit them and promote the well-being of the industry as a whole and the profession gains the reassurance of dealing with like-minded individuals who are committed to providing a high quality standard of service.

For more information please contact Edmund Proffitt on 01494 781183 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Lynn Leach presents 10 of the more common concerns dentists feel when considering whether their future lies within the NHS or private practice.

Lynn is part of the NHS Change Support Team for Practice Plan. As a Regional Support Manager with over 25 years’ experience, she has guided many dentists through the 2006 NHS contract reform and continues to help practices evaluate their options out of the NHS. Contact her for further advice and support on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

One of the greatest challenges facing many dentists in deciding whether to practise within the NHS, privately or a mix of the two is overcoming fear of the unknown. It is important to note that you are not alone in your concerns and, based upon everyday conversations with dentists from all backgrounds, I’ve outlined 10 of the most common worries here.

1. The future of NHS dentistry is uncertain

The forthcoming revised contract has been in the piloting phase for some time; this exploration of possibilities will continue in 2015 with the prototype contracts and there’s no deadline for a national roll-out. There is no doubt that this contributes to difficulties in making decisions about your professional future. However, if you look at it pragmatically, unless you are involved in the protoypes you’ll continue to work within the 2006 contract, so consider your plans for the next few months in light of that. There are no guarantees of what is coming next but you can consider all your options and tentatively put plans in place for further down the line, once you feel better placed to gauge what the NHS will offer dentists and their patients long-term.

Essentially, if you firmly believe that the NHS may have something better to offer you and your patients, it’s probably best to hold fast until the reformed contract is finalised  However, if you feel the new contract will be about different degrees of unpalatability, then it may be worth starting to take steps now to take control of the future of your practice.

2. Is it unethical to leave the NHS?

We acknowledge that for some dental professionals the NHS is the only place for them, feeling strongly as they do about offering those in greatest need a high level of dentistry within the constraints of the 2006 contract. That doesn’t mean, however, that looking to move away from the NHS is unethical. The GDC requires that dental professionals ‘Put patients’ interests first and ‘act to protect them’. This is absolutely a criterion that can be met in private practice; it is simply a different way of working. Many practitioners find there is a tension between their loyalty to the NHS and their commitment to providing the best care possible to their patients and only you can decide what’s right for you.

3. Will enough of my patients follow me into private practice?

There are two initial questions to ask:

1. How many patients is “enough” ?

2. Will my patients want to change?

The first requires some number crunching that considers your income streams and profitability expectations as well as the number of clinical hours you can make available.  This can be influenced by, for example, the availability of a hygienist and if you don’t have a hygienist but plan to introduce one, then those additional costs need to be factored in.  Other financial aspects include the impact on your pension arrangements and any investment in the practice you feel will be necessary.  Only  once all the relevant considerations have been factored in, can you gauge the proportion of patients, at a given hourly rate, that you need to retain to meet you financial requirements.  For a few, this will be too many and caution is the better part of valour.  Most though, will be pleasantly surprised at how realistic the target number of patients feels and in fact, in many cases, practitioners actually need more than half to leave in order to free up the time needed for the level of care the dentist  wants to provide !

As for the second, it depends on your patient list and your ability to communicate the benefits of remaining with you on a private basis. Clearly, if your practice is in a highly socially deprived locale and a high proportion of your patients are exempt from NHS charges then it is unlikely that patients will have money to spend on what they may perceive as ‘optional’ private dentistry.  However, many practices have been able to make a successful transition in all kinds of locations with a variety of patient demographics.

The most important factor influencing the loyalty of your patients is likely to be the length of time you have been seeing your current list and therefore, the number of interactions you have had with your patients.  It is also important to note that if a dentist has only been treating their patient list for a short period of time, that loyalty has probably not had chance to develop to the level that could be tested by a move away from the NHS; this is a significant issue to consider.   For many, however, the trust of patients in them has developed and grown over many years and more than enough will be very reluctant to give up the strong relationship that will have developed.

A final consideration is the way the change is communicated to patients as handled badly, this could have a detrimental effect on the number that decide to stay with you.   It is imperative that you and your whole team feel confident about communicating why you are making the change emphasising aspects such as offering an even better, customised patient experience or the desire to maintain an already high level of care. (see point 4 for more on this). 

There is no substitute for face to face communication with patients in respect of the changes.  However, many practices have found it helpful to signal the change as early as possible via a well crafted letter that might be supplemented by supportive messages through email, your website or social media. Circumstances vary so the content of the letter will vary but most practices that have gone down this route use it to outline the reasons why they are changing – emphasising, for example, how they feel they will have the ability to spend more time with patients understanding their needs, the benefits of a preventive approach, the extra services they will be able to offer and the advantages of having a greater variety of materials to choose from. Some have also felt it worth reminding patients that NHS dentistry is not ‘free’ and that while care was being delivered to the highest possible standards, they felt it was becoming harder and harder to do so.

 4. How will my NHS patients feel?

For many of your patients, the important thing is the ability to stay with the dentist in whim they have built up trust and the value they attach to that relationship will override the additional cost they will incur.  It is also fair to assume that a number of your NHS patients might initially express some concerns. However, it will be important to keep this in perspective and to remember that this is often a reaction that can be managed very effectively.  Providing the whole team are comfortable with the messages they should be putting gout and the way to handle questions from patients, careful and caring handling of the situation ought to mitigate the risk of them voicing a negative opinion about the practice if they chose not to stay.

5. What if my team wants to stay in the NHS and I don’t?

Ultimately, whether your practice works within the parameters of the NHS or private dentistry is your choice. But it’s absolutely true that you can’t do it without the support of your team. It’s important to clearly communicate your ideas about NHS versus private practice early on, so that they can understand the reasons and be involved in a consultation process. Every member of your staff has their own perspective and some are extremely likely to make some good points that haven’t yet occurred to you. This is a big step that has a matching learning curve, and everyone will discover something new if you discuss the options together. You may change your mind, as they might too. If, once you have made your decision, not everyone wants the same thing that is a challenge but it shouldn’t stop you making changes. If you keep the lines of communication open, ultimately everyone can find a situation that suits them best.

6. How do I choose between full or partial private practice?

If you feel that the time is right to seek independence from NHS dentistry, deciding whether to have a mixed or entirely private practice can be daunting. The trick is to ask yourself what you want to achieve and work backwards from there. If you want to continue offering your patients an NHS option then you might, for example, choose to have your associates fulfil that contract while you offer private dentistry. That way you maintain the financial stability offered by the state system while benefiting from the ability to spend more time with patients and provide additional services, which should translate into greater profit. If you feel you’re done with the NHS, then private is your way forwards.

7. Is moving to private dentistry expensive?

It doesn’t have to be. As an NHS dentist you will already have all the equipment you need to provide everyday treatment. This isn’t going to change. You might want to give the practice a coat of paint and that doesn’t need to cost very much. Where investment may be needed is in training for new services and, potentially, the equipment needed to deliver that treatment. But the key terms here are ‘investment’ rather than ‘cost’. Consider what treatments you may want to offer, gather information on the expenditure needed and then get some advice to help you to consider the options. If you can realistically expect to make the money back in a reasonable amount of time then it’s worth serious consideration. Of course, however, there are no guarantees so do be prudent. 

 8. How do I set fees?

There are no set limits on what a private dentist can charge but that doesn’t mean pushing the boat out is a good idea. A balance is needed between affordability for the patient and the dentist receiving fair remuneration for their expertise and time.

You may find it beneficial to get some advice to help you calculate your overheads (e.g. mortgage/rent, staff costs, utilities, lab fees, consumables bill, staff training, etc.). This is your starting point because this is the point at which you will break even. After that it is about valuing your time and skills without going off the deep end. Don’t undervalue yourself but at the same time don’t price your patients out. For a little guidance, it is interesting to see what other private practices in your area are charging but remember your practice and your relationships with your patients are unique.

9. How can I compete with the private practice down the road?

Truly, a little competition can be healthy for the practice but that isn’t to say you want to offer all the same services and undercut your local colleagues. Success in such a situation is about looking at your own practice is a positive manner and emphasising what is unique about your offering of which the most important is you! Ask yourself why a patient would choose you over another practice and focus on sharing that story.

10. Marketing adds to my workload

As briefly mentioned above, if you offer a private dental service marketing is important to let people know the treatments available. The good news is that marketing really doesn’t need to be time consuming or expensive.

The biggest misconception about marketing is thinking it is about ‘selling’ and akin to an advert. Categorically, it is not. The aim is to build trust and interest in your service, practice or new offering so that people want to talk to you to find out more. You are not going for a hard sell, so there’s no need to worry that marketing will make you feel awkward or alienate your patients. Rather, it will serve to show patients how you can help to meet their needs and wants.

Once you have identified what makes your practice and services unique, as well as your target audience, it really is simple to get your message out there. For information on how to get your marketing underway, a good place to start is at our resource library (https://www.practiceplan.co.uk/resource-library) and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/practiceplanuk), which offers useful tips.

Overcoming barriers

The question of deciding whether to offer NHS dentistry, mixed or private practice is something that worries a significant number of dentists. The challenge is determining the degree to which those worries are holding the practice back. Your top 10 worries are unlikely to be the same as those presented here, but they are indicative of a common sentiment throughout the profession.  Whether you decide NHS or private dentistry, you can overcome your worries and you need not do it alone.

www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs

Dentist Kris Leeson considers the problems with the 2006 contract and contemplates how a revised contract and/or private practice may improve the situation for dental healthcare professionals and patients alike.

Kris Leeson, BChD Leeds, MJDF RCS Eng, MSc (Implant dentistry), graduated in 2005 from the University of Leeds and is the principal dentist and owner of Thorpe Dental Group York, a mixed practice. Kris has a special interest in the treatment of anxious patients and has gained extensive experience in the use of intravenous sedation. He also has a special interest in dental implantology, and completed his Master’s degree in implant dentistry from the University of Warwick. In 2013 Kris achieved his Royal College of Surgeons qualification. In addition, in December 2012 Kris was crowned winner of The Dentistry Awards Best Young Dentist North East.

Why does the 2006 contract need to change?

It’s a good question with no easy answer but I, like many of my colleagues, have my own view of the situation.

Back in April 2006 when the contract came into being I was still in my VT year, finishing late that summer. It was quite scary for me because my career was starting by stepping into the unknown. In my VT year I was involved with a contract that was basically a piloted scheme. It was like the new contract but without UDAs; you could do whatever you wanted.

From the start I wasn’t happy with the contract and I was in the fortunate position to be able to buy a practice straight away and, in fact, bought the practice in which I had completed my VT. I personally moved away from NHS work, although the practice was, and remains, mixed. For me, the system was inequitable as PCTs varied in how much funding was available. Mine offered me a contract but the funding was unequal to the task. Financially it was impossible to achieve; however, I do recognise that I might have felt differently elsewhere, if a different PCT had been involved.

However, my biggest problem with the 2006 contract is the UDA system. First of all, for example, a band 2 course of treatment is worth 3 UDAs whether you perform a simple occlusal amalgam filling or molar endodontics, which just doesn’t make sense. In addition, from now until April, many NHS practices in this country will need to cram UDAs in to meet their targets. Is that good for the patients? If you do it the other way and see as many patients as possible at the beginning of the year, by the end of the year you can’t see patients because you won’t get paid for it. That side of the system is ridiculous; it’s an organisational nightmare. The NHS expects us to hit 96% of the target and it’s so difficult. You don’t know what’s going to come through the door every day and it’s impossible to get that balance right. We have a small contract and even that’s very difficult. 

What’s next?

Beyond the organisational aspect of UDAs, for me the biggest issue is that there is no payment for prevention or patient education. But it looks like the next contract might remedy that situation. In theory, we’ll have capitation, more time with patients and a simple traffic light system. We do need to work on prevention and spend time with our patients, which will reap rewards in the future.

If the proposed contract, as I understand it, works, it sounds like it could be fantastic. The issue is how it works. Take the computer system for example; it will be different, we’ll have to input a lot more information and first appointments will need to be longer. Where are all the patients going to go? Some of my NHS dentists are booked for the next three months, so imagine the waiting list if appointments need to be longer.  They’re going to be booked up for the next year just doing check-ups.

That leads me onto another of my concerns; that the revised contract, as a preventive scheme, does not financially lend itself to being associate-led.  As a practice owner, I don’t need to pay a dentist to educate patients on their oral health. I can employ a dental therapist who can do the job for less money. Where does the associate dentist fall in this scheme? I would prefer an associate in there, but am I going to be able to pay an associate to do that job if the focus is on oral health and prevention? As always, money is a big issue. How could it not be?

Making it work

Dentists are very good at getting used to a contract; we are adaptable because we have to run our own businesses in a very stressful situation. We get what we’re given and we try to work with it in the best interest of the patients and our livelihood.  The 2006 contract doesn’t balance those two elements and things get missed. What we want is something that will help with the prevention side of dentistry. Capitation with some sort of target and some monitoring is needed. Whatever we’re given we will work with it, as long as it doesn’t hit us financially.

It’s my livelihood, but the contract is changing to be better for patients; it’s not about making things better for dentists. If it isn’t affordable for me then I’ll have to convert to purely private dentistry straight away. I can’t do the same work – or more – for less money.

There is, however, definitely a place for mixed practice. I actually don’t think purely NHS practices exist. There are plenty of NHS dentists with NHS patients on their books, but they offer a private element if those patients want something beyond the contract.  For example, if a patient asks for cosmetic replacement of an amalgam filling you’re not going to do that on the NHS because it isn’t clinically indicated. A patient pays privately for that filling because they’ve requested it. So there you have a mixed course of treatment.

In summary, in my opinion the 2006 contract needs to change because the system is financially inequitable, there is no payment for prevention or education and UDAs are an organisational nightmare. Hopefully, the answer lies in the next NHS contract and if I get a fair deal then I’d be happy to carry on in mixed practice. But if the new contract does not address the fundamental issues, then I will have to seriously consider moving away from NHS dentistry.

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions for over 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice. So, if you’re thinking about your future and would like some expert advice you can trust, then call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs

As the Chairman of the Lawyers section of the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers (NASDAL), Andrew Lockhart-Mirams, Senior Partner from Lockharts Solicitors, will be in attendance and exhibiting as a member of NASDAL at this year’s The Dentistry Show. The Show is held at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 April, 2015.

Lockharts will be supporting NASDAL in attracting various Dental professionals, practice managers and owners at the event, to share their knowledge and skills about a range of issues relating to the accounts, legal, and tax and business affairs for dentists.

Formed in April 1988, NASDAL’s objective is to ensure that it provides a means of establishing a high quality of service to members of the dental profession at all times. The Chairman of NASDAL, Nick Ledingham, along with various other respected members of NASDAL will also be attending.

Andrew Lockhart-Mirams (pictured below), Lockharts Senior Partner, said “Lockharts Solicitors are delighted to be part of such a fantastic event for Dentists, and to also be supporting NASDAL as a member and exhibiting at this year’s event. It is a great opportunity to for each NASDAL member to bring their specialist knowledge and business to the table and showcase how their individual business are able to support Dentists and more importantly, also collectively under the NASDAL umbrella, to further benefit Dentists and to improve further in all areas of the overall business. NASDAL is the one-stop shop for Dentists for everything legal and accounting.”

So, come and visit us on stand G32 this April 2015.

For further information, check out our website: www.nasdal.org.uk.

We hope to see you there!

Disclaimer: The content of this article is only intended as information and should not be considered to be legal advice. Lockharts cannot be held liable for any loss caused by any act or omission as a result of the information in this article. 

As the focus in modern dentistry shifts further towards to prevention, effective teamwork is necessitated in order to deliver an excellent patient service. Collaboration between the team ensures that a coherent message is conveyed to patients no matter who they speak to, giving credibility to both the clinical advice given and the practice itself.

The same teamwork also enhances clinical outcomes, as practitioners are able to support one another to improve the results achieved.

Ian Dunn is a Specialist Periodontist with a wide variety of experience in practice as well as teaching. He is the Periodontal Teaching Lead at Liverpool Dental Hospital while also working in practice alongside a wide variety of other specialists in the fields of endodontics, orthodontics, prosthodontics and dental implants. Ian knows the importance of a full team approach in the management of periodontics and will be speaking at The Dentistry Show 2015.

"I have attended The Dentistry Show as both a delegate and speaker on four occasions and have had the pleasure of listening to some of the biggest names in dentistry speak on a wide range of topics. The different lecture programmes mean that there is something for the whole dental team. I have always found the Show to be very well organised and it has one of the best trade fairs I have been to. 

"In my lecture entitled 'I'm a periodontist, How can I help you?' I will be looking at some of the ways a periodontist can work with other members of the dental team for the benefit of the patient. I will spend a large section of the lecture looking at periodontal diagnosis and common misdiagnosis – something that should be of great interest to hygienist and therapists in light of the new rules around direct access and the need for other members of the dental team to be involved in the diagnostic process. I will finish the lecture looking at some of the advanced treatment options such as surgical management of periodontal disease. 

"I would hope that delegates attending the lecture will better understand the role of the periodontist and how we can help them stabilise their patients’ periodontal health. I would also hope that delegates will leave with improved diagnostic skills and be able to better avoid the common misdiagnoses that I see on a regular basis. Finally they should also be able to discuss the range of options available to patients once they are referred into specialist care."

The Dentistry Show 2015 is a two-day event tailored to the needs of the entire dental team offering a wide range of products, verifiable CPD lectures, hands-on workshops and opportunities for networking. Register for your free delegate pass today and make the most of everything available to you at The Dentistry Show 2015.

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015, Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April, NEC in Birmingham. To register for your free delegate pass please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A recent appointment with a particularly happy patient got me thinking about what is it that makes us, as dentists, happy? And when are we happiest?

Is it satisfied patients? Successful treatments? New technology and gadgets? Holidays? Certainly all of these elements contribute to a sense of momentary contentment and satisfaction, but what is it that creates a more long-term feeling of happiness? And what can we do to make our profession happier? 

There are many psychological studies that put choice, autonomy and control as major contributors to feelings of happiness. It would appear that we are happiest when we have control of our own destinies, when the decisions that affect us most are the ones that we have the power over. Thus, as dentists, we may be happy in our day-to-day practices and surgeries because this where we are in charge and make the decisions, but, as soon as this control is taken away we can feel uncomfortable, unsure and less content.

In a wider sense, this is something that many dentists are feeling at the moment and there is a growing sensation of unease and unhappiness across the industry. This can be attributed to an increasing sense of a loss of control over a profession that we are all care deeply for and are so passionate about.

The well-documented problems with the GDC certainly don't help the situation and for many the lack of perceived control in this area in particular is a source of anxiety and distress. Many felt that eventually something had to change and the GDC is now firmly in the dock, facing the wrath of a disgruntled profession as LDCs across the country have expressed their disdain and frustration. The latest wave of disapproval from professionals stems from the significant increase in retention fees for practitioners, but also has deeper roots in the way in which the GDC operates as a whole. But the question remains: how do we change all this and what would actually make us happier?

In its response to the LDCs, the GDC released a statement saying that it was anxious to ‘engage constructively with the dental profession’ and has planned discussions that it hopes professionals will participate in. Certainly entering into a two-way discourse is the first step to achieving some sort of mediated appeasement, but will this make us happier as a profession?

Ultimately, what dentists want is to feel like they have some degree of control over their industry and their future. It is therefore time to examine the roadblocks that are getting in the way and begin changing dentistry for the better. By wrestling back some control, perhaps we can all be a little bit happier?

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Dr Michael Sultan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a Specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Director of EndoCare. Michael qualified at Bristol University in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for 5 years before commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house Endodontist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist register in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. He has been involved with numerous dental groups and has been chairman of the Alpha Omega dental fraternity. In 2008 he became clinical director of EndoCare, a group of specialist practices.

‘Networking’ is not simply a personal sales pitch. It is based on trust, which means building on and maintaining relationships over a period of time. The benefits in having a broad and vibrant network are huge. Even if you are not a natural extrovert, it is relatively easy and enjoyable to network successfully and connect with people that will have a long-term, positive impact on your career.

Like any good relationship, networking should be mutually beneficial. See it as a tool to exchange information about best practice, new techniques and products as well as gaining introductions to practitioners with similar interests. When you meet regularly with your peers, you put yourself in a position to seek their advice about similar challenges they will have faced. Active networking can put you at the front of people’s minds when job opportunities arise. Sharing your own ideas will help you to build a reputation as an innovative thinker and being able to offer assistance or advice means people will hopefully reciprocate in the future.

Connecting with more experienced professionals will open the door to career guidance that money just cannot buy. You may even find a mentor or, at the other end of the scale, finding someone to mentor is a richly rewarding experience.

So, how does one begin? The simple answer is to get out there! Go to professional events, take courses and attend lectures - participate. Be a familiar face on the circuit and you will become known as someone who is enthusiastic and supportive of the industry.

The best way to use your networking time efficiently is to join an established group, such as a professional academy. Choose one with high-calibre members. For example, the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) boasts hugely some hugely influential and well-liked dentists, such as Julian Caplan, Tif Qureshi and Zaki Kanaan who are all regular attendees at the Academy’s events as well as frequent award-winners in their fields. The BACD attracts world-renowned speakers to its Annual Conference every year, giving dentists the opportunity to meet with them in a professional, yet relaxed setting. BACD dentists have also participated in high-profile media projects, and members are encouraged to diversify, for example by writing articles or presenting at its events.

Networking will not only keep you in touch with the industry, but will help you to focus your career path – the earlier you start, the better. Professional academies facilitate networking, but it does involve a degree of commitment too – the more frequently you get out there, the more your confidence will grow. You will not become the best you can be by going it alone.

The BACD’s 12^th Annual Conference runs from 12^th - 14^th November 2015 at The Hilton London Metropole Hotel. Go to www.bacd.com, email Suzy Rowlands at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0207 612 4166.

The very first evidence of dental impressions can be found as far back as the early 18^th century. Dentist Phillip Pfaff described a technique of taking impressions using sealing wax softened in hot water, before pouring plaster of Paris into the mould to form a rigid cast.[i]^,[ii] A letter by Isaac john Greenwood in 1861 also suggested that beeswax was used to create models for early dental prostheses.[iii]

While the general concept for taking impressions has remained the same, methods of acquiring data has of course changed. The first true precision impressions using hydrocolloids were taken in 1925, and the fundamental compounds have been used ever since. Various products have been brought to the global dental market over the years, each designed with the latest technologies of the time to improve the experience for both practitioner and patient, while enhancing the clinical result.

The test of time

In the last century alone, few products and technologies have stood the test of time. In fact, many of those that have been around even a decade after inception owe their survival to continual development and refinement in order to cater for the ever-evolving demands on dental professionals.

Modern suppliers and manufacturers have therefore invested much time, money and effort in the research and development stages of any and all products on offer. Clinical trials, studies and assessments are performed to test products before general release into the market, and user feedback is used to refine both existing and future solutions.

No company understands this better than 3M ESPE, who is delighted to be celebrating an impressive 50 years of the Impregum Polyether Impression Material family, from which several widely recognised and highly praised products have been borne. It was the first polyether impression material available.

Where it all began

Since its introduction in 1965, Impregum F was immediately popular with dentists around the world. Properties of the polyether material such as its incredible hydrophilicity, snap-set behaviour and monophase characteristics lent well to wet environments, and dentists were afforded good handling with the desired long working and setting times. Its rigidity when set allowed for superior accuracy and detail capture, as well as dimensional stability and outstanding reliability. Polyether products have since been the material of choice for most implant dentists, and even to this day, the Impregum Impression Materials remain the only true polyethers available on the market.

In the early 1990’s came the 3M ESPE Pentamix Automatic Mixing Unit – another first of its kind. The initial material to be made suitable for the Pentamix Mixing Unit was the high-selling Impregum F, which henceforth became known as Impregum Penta. Similarly, Permadyne Polyether Impression Material followed two years later, which was also suitable for automatic mixing. As many dentists preferred a heavier viscosity material in the impression tray and a lighter less viscous running material around preparations in the mouth, this is exactly what Permadyne provided.

Continual development

In order to improve the smell and taste of Impregum Impression Materials, while also offering a less rigid-set option, 3M ESPE developed Impregum Penta Soft in 2000. Combining all the characteristics of the highly popular polyether family, this product was designed to be easier to extract from the mouth while also being more forgiving with a softer set state. A year later the Impregum Penta DuoSoft was launched, meaning ‘two softs’, which provided a heavy viscosity yet softer material for the tray and a light viscosity material for the prep.

By this point, the clinical practise of dentistry had changed somewhat since Impregum was first developed. As such, a new demand for short working and setting times needed to be met. The entire 3M ESPE polyether family so far had an approximate overall working and setting time of 6 minutes. Customers had expressed a desire for faster setting times in order to enable smooth and streamlined workflows, and so came the Impregum Penta Soft Quick range in 2004, which dropped the working and setting time down to about 4 minutes. For the first time, dentists could employ fast setting modified polyethers for monophase and one-step / two-viscosity techniques based on the revolutionary ‘snap-set’ behaviour. Dental laboratories also reported a very high quality of casts with this material.[iv]

Industry recognition

Giving dentists even more confidence in their 3M ESPE products, Impregum Penta Impression Material and Pentamix Automatic Mixing Unit have gained several accolades over the years.

Impregum Awards:

• The Dental Advisor, Preferred Product winner, 2010 – highly rated and considered one of the best products in the market at that time.
• The Dental Advisor, 2013 Clinical Problem Solver – recognised for its ability to capture margin detail with subgingival preparation.
• The Dental Advisor, 2014 Clinical Problem Solver – praised for its rigid set state and ability to provide an accurate representation of an implant for more precise impressions first time, even when haemostasis is difficult to achieve.

Pentamix Awards:

• The Dental Advisor, Editors’ Choice.
• Reddot design award, 2009 – praised for its compact and versatile design and ease of use.
• The Dental Advisor, Assistant’s Choice, 2009 – awarded for its smaller size and easy use.

50 years later

Proving its worth half a century after its initial creation, Impregum Impression Material remains a highly suitable product for a wide range of indications including inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges and implants. Offering flexibility of working times and viscosities, Impregum enables you to work the way you want to and is often the preferred material for implantologists the world over.

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

It’s no secret that effective dental marketing is the key to business success. In the modern technological world, it is also easy to see how the internet provides an ideal platform from which to promote your services. But where is the best place to start? What exactly should you be doing in order to reach your target audience?

CEO of Dental Focus® Websites, Krishan Joshi, will attempt to answer such questions at The Dentistry Show 2015. He will be speaking from within the popular Dental Business Theatre to discuss the “Top 5 Critical Points to Improve Your Website and Attract Enquiries From Your Ideal Patient”.

“In marketing there seems to be a hundred and one things to do,” Krishan comments. “In any system, there is always a critical point where the least amount of effort actually provides the most significant result. So what are the ‘Top 5 Critical Points’ that the most successful practices know about and consistently apply to give themselves the best chance of success?

“The website is the center of any practice’s marketing strategy and it’s important to understand how to warm up the cold enquiries before they visit the website, and then how to get them to tipping point by moving visitors from research mode into action mode. An emotional website is a good one. It’s also crucial to remember that on a website, there is no competition. You own the entire retail space of the screen, so you literally have to give patients a reason not to choose you.

“This is what I will be talking about, which is truly exciting because it’s the start of 2015, and what better time of the year to take immediate action? I’ll also explore how Google can be used in a similar way to Trip Advisor for practices with five star ratings, and how you can encourage patients to link to your website and then attract five of their best friends to increase referrals and grow your business.”

Aside from the Dental Business Theatre, The Dentistry Show 2015 will offer an array of forward-thinking and truly inspirational lectures, hands-on workshops and live surgery demonstrations. Additional theatres will provide insight into the current ideas and techniques within each specialist discipline, and the innovative Launchpad UK will bring you the very latest products and materials in the UK industry, ensuring there is something for every member of the dental team.

As Krishan concludes, The Dentistry Show really is an event you don’t want to miss.

“The Dentistry Show is an anchored memory of consistent success for Dental Focus. I remember giving my very first lecture at the event about five years ago to an overflowing standing theatre of hundreds of delegates. I have always been a raving fan of The Dentistry Show and love its energy, quality speakers and the people. The value for delegates and the profession is off the charts.”

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015, Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April, NEC in Birmingham. To book your FREE pass please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or

email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Josie Hutchings reflects on how considering value rather than cost may help to guide dentists wondering whether they and their patients are best served by NHS dentistry, private practice or a combination of both.

Josie is part of Practice Plan’s NHS Change Support Team. As a Regional Support Manager with over 21 years’ experience, she has guided practices to successfully evaluate their options out of the NHS. Contact her for further advice and support on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

In everyday language cost and value are often interchangeable; however, when it comes to running a customer-oriented business, these two terms mean quite different things. Cost is simple: how much will a crown cost me? Value, on the other hand, is not a number, but rather is about the usefulness or desirability of a service (in this case dentistry). Think: what is a crown worth? Here, patients will be thinking subjectively about, for example, the value of saving a tooth, the levels of service, trust and expertise they have experienced and the confidence they have in the completed restoration.

With this in mind, let’s look at some of the more significant aspects of dental practice that can be considered in terms of value rather than cost, the former of which is more important to your future than you might imagine.

Service with a smile

What do you consider to be good level of service? You can’t put a figure on it, but there certainly is very good value in offering good customer care. We all want to be seen quickly, dealt with courteously, open the practice door into a clean, inviting and professional environment, and feel comfortable and confident that we are in safe hands.

Each of these, when performed or delivered well, is worth ‘its weight in gold’, to coin a phrase.

All of this takes place before patients have even stepped into the surgery, so just imagine the implications for the business, whether private or NHS, if service falls below par.       

Meeting expectations

Patients have expectations, as do dental professionals. Dentists and their teams want to provide the very best possible care. Within the NHS framework that is predominantly, but not exclusively, focused on delivering a high level of treatment as cost-effectively as possible and, for some patients, this makes them happy. Others, however, might be looking to expand their dental horizons, perhaps asking about treatments not necessarily available on the NHS, when it isn’t deemed clinically necessary. Take, for example, the request for a white filling where clinically an amalgam would suffice, or treatments entirely beyond the scope of government-funded dentistry such as cosmetically-focused orthodontics and implants. How, if at all, are you going to meet such expectations; will it be by offering added value?

Treatment choice

Most dentists offer some form of mixed practice. Few will turn away an NHS patient asking for a little extra that can only be addressed privately. Mixed treatment plans can be a blessing for both the dentist and patient, allowing the dentist to address essential clinical needs, at the same time as putting a smile on their patient’s face. 

Building on the level of trust achieved and service already delivered, offering treatment options is certainly added value. So it’s definitely worth considering expanding what you provide your patients with.

The question then becomes this: do you want to expand the private dentistry element in your practice, to be able to offer a wider range of treatment options, and better satisfy patient expectations?

A matter of time

Some dentists manage perfectly well to deliver what they want to within the time frame of their working day, while others struggle.

Take, for example, preventive dentistry. Educating patients about their role in oral healthcare is of great value all round, since a good home care regimen will go a long way to achieving and maintaining healthy mouths long-term.

However, being time-poor is common among dental professionals and effective preventive dentistry does tend to require longer appointments. If this is too great a task under NHS arrangements in your practice, then the private route offers a possible solution to this challenge.

Handle with care

Think about what you want for you and your patients. Is it shorter waiting lists? To spend more time on patient education? To offer a greater choice of treatments? To do the dentistry you were trained to do to a high standard? To have access to more high-tech equipment to help with diagnosis? Or perhaps you’re happy with the status quo.

In the right hands, NHS dentistry is certainly not inferior to private treatment, but the latter does offer greater possibilities in terms of, for example, treatment options and materials that can be used, with more opportunity to satisfy the expectations of patients. It also offers the chance to provide service value of the type patients receive and expect from other professionals such as lawyers, accountants, architects, vets, etc.

Considering the added-value you would like to offer your patients, alongside financial considerations, may well help you to gain considerable insight into whether NHS, private or mixed practice is the right route for you to achieve your professional goals, as well as personal fulfilment and satisfaction. 

About Practice Plan

Practice Plan is the UK's leading provider of custom-branded dental membership plans. Whether you're planning a conversion from the NHS, looking to introduce a plan into an established practice or considering changing from another plan provider, we can help you take your practice where you want it to go.

Visit them at the Dentistry Show 2015 Stand -G85 + J50 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk

Equipment leasing and finance specialists Snowbird Finance Ltd will be offering their £50 note incentive to new and existing customers at Dentistry show on 17^th & 18^th April 2015. Pick up a £50 note flyer and pocket a crisp, real £50 note when you redeem it on your next equipment finance agreement with Snowbird. You can also nominate your equipment supplier and have £50 sent to them too!

About Snowbird Finance

Snowbird Finance Ltd provide bespoke financial solutions to individuals and businesses in the Optical, Dental, Medical and Veterinary professions. We provide practice finance, equipment leasing, hire purchase agreements business and personal loans and vehicle finance for healthcare professionals to grow their practices or achieve personal goals. Whether you are upgrading practice equipment, refurbishing your premises, or simply need a loan for a holiday or tax bill, we find the best and most tax-efficient solution for your individual requirements.

Snowbird Finance Ltd was established in 2007 by Managing Director Simon Freeman, who has enjoyed a career spanning over 25 years in equipment leasing and finance relating to the healthcare professions. Simon’s fantastic knowledge and expertise has enabled him to grow the business rapidly, becoming a member of NACFB and positioning Snowbird as one of the key finance providers within the healthcare sector.

Snowbird recently announced that Bill Carr has joined the team to further develop our practice finance offering. Bill has over 24 years’ experience helping clients with financing for practice purchases and repurchasing agreements and is highly regarded in the dental sector.

Talk to Simon Freeman and the friendly team at Snowbird Finance at the Dentistry Show on stand C22.

Staying Ahead of the Game Success

Last month, dental professionals were invited to an evening seminar held at the impressive and prestigious Drummonds Bank in central London.

Attendees at the Natwest sponsored ‘Dentistry in 2015: Staying ahead of the game’ enjoyed insightful lectures by the likes of Bernard Danquah – Head Business Development Manager at Patient Plan Direct, highly regarded dental coach and trainer, Tracy Stuart, leading business advisers to dentists, Rob Walsh & Dee Gerrish as well as established legal expert John Grant of Goodman Grant Solicitors

The seminar provided dental professionals with the opportunity to absorb expert advice on some of 2015’s hottest topics in the world of dentistry, including reputation building and management, the positive impact of dental plans, the effective use of social media and email marketing, how your accountant can make a difference to your practice and the key issues on dental sales, purchases & incorporations in 2015.

The event proved to be a great success, with attendees relishing the opportunity to discuss the trending themes within the dental industry.  

Simon Reynolds, Commercial Director of Patient Plan Direct commented; “We have received exceptional feedback from delegates and we are pleased that so many dentists and other dental professionals were able to attend. The event provided the opportunity for us to portray our expertise and trend observations associated with the dental plan market, sharing valuable information and advice with the dental community. A big thank you goes to Natwest for kindly sponsoring and hosting the event.”  

Bernard Danquah, Head Business Development Manager at Patient Plan Direct, added; “These days there are so many areas a dental practice needs to consider and manage in order to maintain competitive edge and nurture sustainability and growth. Our ‘Staying ahead of the game’ seminar provided the opportunity for dental professionals to keep up to pace with some of the most important commercial aspects of running a successful dental practice. We look forward to arranging similar events in the future as we continue to help more and more practices get more from the dental plans they offer patients.”

About Patient Plan Direct

Patient Plan Direct provides an easy to use, highly efficient and very cost effective method of enabling practices to offer patients a dental plan. Patient Plan Direct’s unique approach embraces 21st century technology, gives a practice control and is proven to improve plan income and profitability. 

Geneva, 18 February 2015 - In the weeks leading up to World Oral Health Day on 20 March, the FDI is calling for a focus on prevention to help achieve a healthy ‘Smile for life’.

Governments, national dental associations, schools, communities, and families all have an important role to play in effective prevention strategies, in particular by raising awareness of good oral hygiene and habits contributing to good oral health.

Globally, oral disease affects most adults and as many as 90% of schoolchildren. Oral diseases are a significant burden on overall health, with the greatest burden falling on disadvantaged and poor populations. The principal problems are: dental caries, periodontal diseases and oral cancer.

Relatively simple, inexpensive measures can largely prevent these conditions and thus reduce the high burden of oral disease, including brushing with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day; however, research has revealed that the poorest populations of developing countries have the least access to affordable toothpaste.

Water fluoridation, therefore, may be particularly appropriate for such populations demonstrating moderate to high risk of dental decay. It confers positive health savings and contributes to reducing disparities in the rates of dental decay in communities.

Also of preventive value is reducing the intake of sugary foods and drinks, and limiting their consumption to meal times, as well as cutting tobacco use and reducing how much alcohol is drunk.

Oral health can also be improved by rinsing with a fluoride-based mouthwash and chewing sugar-free gum after meals when on-the-go.

FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong said: ‘The FDI recommends a comprehensive preventive approach as the most appropriate method of reducing the heavy burden of dental decay worldwide.

‘This is particularly important given the unequal access to care worldwide. For example, in Ethiopia the population per oral health professional is 1.3 million, while in Croatia this figure is just 560. These statistics show just how much work needs to be done to address this issue, which compromises quality of life, as quickly as we can.

‘Ideally, a good oral health regime includes regular check-ups with a dental practitioner so, where there is access, the FDI urges individuals to talk to their dentist about best means of prevention.’

WOHD is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organised by dentists, dental students and National Dental Associations (NDAs).

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. FDI is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organized under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

References

FDI Policy Statements

Need and Demand for Oral Health Care (2005).

Preventing Oral Diseases’ (2008).

Promoting Dental Health Through Water Fluoridation (2008).

Promoting Dental Health through Fluoride Toothpaste (2008).

Sugar Substitutes and their Role in Caries Prevention (2008).

Improving access to oral care (2009).

Oral Health and the Social Determinants of Health (2013).

Index of FDI Policy Statements at www.fdiwordental.org/policystatements

As well as

Global Affordability of Fluoride Toothpaste (2006). - www.fdiworldental.org/global-affordability-of-fluoride-toothpaste

World Oral Health Day 2015 partners

LISTERINE® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

As the world’s number one daily mouth rinse, LISTERINE® Mouthwash has been used by more than one billion people in more than 85 countries. Professional dental organizations around the world have awarded LISTERINE® Mouthwash with their seals of acceptance.

LISTERINE® is distributed by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., a part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Unilever 

Unilever Oral Care is a leading global manufacturer of oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash, represented by brands including Signal, Pepsodent, Close Up, Mentadent, Aim, P/S and Zhong Hua. Unilever recognizes that good oral health and the sense of well-being and confidence it brings, is a vital element to making people look good, feel good and get more out of life and that small every day actions, such as twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, add up to make a big difference for the world. Through its science, products, partnerships and international network, Unilever Oral Care is privileged with the power to make a sustainable and measurable improvement to oral health around the world.

Henry Schein

Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.  A Fortune 500®[1] Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100®[2] Index (NASDAQ Ticker: HSIC), Henry Schein employs more than 17,500 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 customers. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries. Through Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program, Henry Schein helps expand access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP)

WOHP partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one extra simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugarfree gum after eating and drinking on-the-go. WOHP supports independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening. For more information, visit: www.wrigleyoralcare.com

Website Traffic, How Facebook Can Increase Yours Completely Free Of Charge

Neil Sanderson

We all know that saying thank you is a great courtesy and makes the person who is receiving, feel much better don’t we. Well here’s a tip to make those two little words “Thank You” increase your website traffic too.

As I’ve said on many occasions before, there are two things you need to concentrate on with your website, (1) you need to maximise your website traffic. (2) you need to converts as much of that website traffic as possible into paying patients.

So here’s a little tip that will cost you absolutely nothing, it may endear you to your patients and you’ll get more traffic to your website and if your website has the right things on there when they land you’ll start to get more new patients too.

70% of the population now owns a smart phone, which is quite staggering, and just about every person who has a smart phone knows how to use an app. Additionally 50% of the population use Facebook for at least half hour per day every day.

So when you have done a great job for one of your patients and they say “thank you”, why don’t you ask them to put a link onto their Facebook page and just say thank you, it’s as simple as that.

They can even do this whilst you are with them on their Facebook app!

Let me elaborate on how powerful this little “thank you” can be to increase your website traffic. Let’s say you see fifty patients per day and one in five of them post this link to your website on their Facebook page.

The average person has 500 friends and likes on their Facebook account, this means that the link to your website could potentially be seen by 5,000 people every day.

Now I know that not everyone is going to do this for you, however much you try and persuade them. So we’ll scale this down (a lot). Let’s say that only 50 people per day get to see a link posted by one of your patients. This means that upwards of 1,000 people will see the link every month (12,000 per year).

Even if only 10% of them actually click through to your website, this means that 1,200 new patients will visit your site, simply because you asked your patients to say “thank you” on their Facebook page with a link to your site.

The best thing about this is that all this new website traffic is completely free, you’re not spending a penny on advertising anywhere.

But you also need to remember that you have the right wording, graphics, video etc. on your site to convert them from website traffic to paying patients and that is a whole different subject and incidentally even more important.

If you would like to know how I can help you grow your dental practice, call me on 01767 626 398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk, or you can visit our FACEBOOK page too.

American Express to host the show’s VIP Lounge

27^th February 2015 American Express today announced it will be partnering with The Dentistry Show, which will be held at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April, 2015.  With a dynamic educational programme as well as a first-chance look at the latest innovations in the UK industry, The Dentistry Show is the UK’s largest source of live Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and the fastest growing dental trade exhibition: an event not to be missed.

Under the new partnership, American Express will be supporting the VIP experience granted to attending owners, practice managers and dentists.  In addition to the American Express hosted VIP lounge, the VIP experience includes fast tracked entry, complimentary lunch and front row seats in the Aesthetic Dentist Theatre.  VIP status is granted automatically to attendees who have qualified in the past; new attendees should visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk/VIP to find out more.

Providing numerous learning and networking opportunities for all members of the dental team, The Dentistry Show 2015 will host a two-day programme packed with inspirational lectures, practical advice and hands-on experiences, as well as attendance from over 400 UK and international exhibitors. World-class speakers will present on a wide variety of clinical and business topics, with over 100 CPD sessions available and theatres dedicated to each area of the profession.

Stacey Sterbenz, Director, Small Business Services UK, said: “American Express is delighted to be a part of such a significant event in the dental calendar.  We have many established and long-standing relationships within the dental industry and with the small businesses in this sector.  We are very much looking forward to welcoming show attendees to the American Express VIP Lounge at The Dentistry Show.”

To find out more about the American Express Gold Business Card, visit americanexpress.co.uk/dental or speak to one of the American Express ambassadors in the VIP Lounge at the show.

The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 - Friday 17th and Saturday 18th April, NEC in Birmingham. For further details visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/companies/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards, business credit cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, business travel, and corporate card

Delegates at The Dentistry Show this year will have the opportunity to meet the team from Zesty, one of the leading online appointment booking sites in the UK.

With their innovative platform for patient bookings, the expert team will be on hand to help attendees explore the difference that working with Zesty can make to a practice.

Attracting new patients is a top priority for most dental practices but it can be a struggle to know where to begin. An online booking system that allows patients to schedule their appointments even out of hours can be really helpful. Zesty gives you the tools to be able to do this by enabling you to upload your available appointments and allow patients to book in their own time. Effectively, joining Zesty will mean you can be available to take bookings 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If your practice is need of new patients and you are looking for a way to attract more clients, make sure you visit the Zesty stand at The Dentistry Show.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.zesty.co.uk or call 0203 771 7799 for more information. 

The Dentistry Show will provide a perfect opportunity to update visitors on what’s new at Belmont. Chances are many practitioners haven’t purchased a new chair for a while and will be amazed at how technology has evolved. 

In the last decade much emphasis has been placed on designing equipment to meet stringent cross infection standards.  Belmont’s streamlined equipment, with easily cleanable upholstery that’s resistant to both bacteria and staining, will benefit both patient and practitioner.  The former will receive treatment in comfort, whilst the latter will benefit from improved ease of access as well as keeping the CQC inspectors happy!

For those who wish their surgery were a little bigger, why not take a look at the Cleo (below), which has a folding leg rest?  Not only does this have a much smaller footprint, making your surgery look bigger and easier to work in, it also has many benefits for the patient.  Access is easy; it’s just like getting into a ‘normal chair’, which will be a relief to all especially elderly, disabled or younger patients.  Once seated, the natural position they’re in makes dialogue much more relaxing too.

In today’s cost-conscious times dentists are understandable demanding value for money from their treatment centre.  Belmont’s representatives will take you through the various options available and find the right one for you.  If your practice is used by more than one associate, for example, then it might be prudent to consider an ambidextrous option such as the Voyager which can change from right to left handed use in a matter of minutes.

As is always the case, there will also be some tempting offers for those who like what they see and what to benefit from the cost savings available throughout the duration of the show.

If you aren’t able to get to Birmingham then you might like to take a look at Belmont’s new website which is a hive of information and includes a practice gallery, showing some recent case studies.  Seeing how others have used Belmont equipment to realize their dreams can often provide inspiration for your own plans.  

www.belmontdental.co.uk

@BelmontDentalUK

Johnson & Johnson, the makers of the LISTERINE® Advanced Defence range, are delighted to sponsor Professor Nicola West speaking at this year’s Dentistry Show.

LISTERINE® Advanced Defence Gum Treatment is a twice-daily mouthwash clinically proven to treat gum disease as an adjunct to mechanical cleaning and to offer an alternative to chlorhexidine based remedies.

It is formulated with unique LAE (Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate) technology that forms a physical coating on the pellicle to prevent bacteria attaching, and so interrupts biofilm formation. When used after brushing, it treats gum disease as shown by the reduction of bleeding by 50.9% (p<0.001) in only 4 weeks.¹

Designed to help you treat and/or prevent specific oral care conditions, this range also includes LISTERINE® Advanced Defence Sensitive and LISTERINE® Advanced Defence Cavity Guard.

With this range of expert daily mouthwashes, Johnson & Johnson is looking forward to working more closely with dental professionals to help deliver advanced treatment outcomes for patients, for expert care when you’re not there.

For information on the LISTERINE® Advanced Defence range, please visit stand D72 to speak to a member of the LISTERINE® Professional team.

References

1. Bleeding Index Reduction DOF 1 – 2013 (LAEBBA0001), 50.9% Reduction in whole-mouth mean Bleeding Index at 4 weeks

UK/LI/15-4207

The team at Prestige Dental is delighted to announce they will be exhibiting at both the Dentistry Show and the ADI Team Congress this year.

On 17 and 18 April, we will be at the NEC in Birmingham on stand 546.

Then, between 14 and 16 May we’ll be welcoming delegates to stand 45 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.

Among the products available will be ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE , the first dental resins with a bioactive ionic resin matrix, shock-absorbing rubberised resin component, and reactive ionomer glass fillers that mimic the physical and chemical properties of natural teeth.

Prestige Dental’s model making and bleaching tray system will be on view too, which enables the dental team to fabricate trays in the practice in just one hour, allowing for significant cost savings.

A range of Denar articulators will also be on the stand. Engineered for superior performance and tested thoroughly, they offer features to suit the needs of any practice or laboratory.

Also available is The Pointer, a breakthrough innovation offering a new way to detect the exact location of buried implants under soft tissue without the need for an invasive procedure.

Whatever you need, Prestige Dental has the solution, covering areas such as:

• Impression trays and materials

• Implantology

• Rotary and diamond instruments

• Restorative

• TMJ/occlusion

• Model-making and vacuum forming

• Small equipment.

Please visit the Prestige Dental team at either Birmingham or Glasgow – or both – where you can be sure of a friendly reception and expert advice.

www.prestigedental.co.uk

Almost half of dental professionals (NHS performers, Providers and Business Owners) working within the NHS (44%) are less confident that practising dentistry within the NHS will offer the right balance of treatment versus prevention over the next 12 months than they were a year ago, according to an independent study conducted on behalf of Practice Plan.

Despite this worrying statistic, 61% of respondents were as confident that patients will be happy with the outcome of attending an NHS dental practice over the next 12 months as they were in the previous 12 months.

Also worthy of note is that smaller practices appear to have concerns about their future financial success within NHS dentistry. The study reports that 65% of practices consisting of up to three dentists are losing confidence that practising dentistry within the NHS will offer an appropriate level of remuneration over the next 12 months - which is considerably higher than the percentage of respondents across all practice sizes (54%), who felt the same.

In addition, 39% of the respondents asked are less confident about their career prospects within NHS dentistry over the next 12 months than they were a year ago.

These figures are of particular interest in light of the potential for change within NHS dentistry over the next 12 months and beyond.  The Department of Health recently announced that prototypes of a reformed contract will start later this year, with practices testing a possible new system in its entirety. 

The aim of this NHS Confidence Survey, comprising 80 telephone interviews with a range of practices offering NHS treatments to adult patients, was to gain insight into the confidence levels in NHS dentistry over the coming 12 months.

This means that as time moves on and the selected prototype practices reveal their thoughts and findings on the system, the NHS Confidence Survey, which is scheduled to be carried out at regular intervals during this time of change, will help to provide a snapshot of the general consensus within the dental profession.

What’s more, each NHS Confidence Survey will be followed up with a gathering of key opinion leaders, to explore the results in greater depth and place them in context, and then share their views with dental professionals throughout the UK. 

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions for over 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice.

The first gathering of key opinion leaders will be held in February and includes Eddie Crouch, Michael Watson, David Houston, Tony Jacobs, Sarah Franks and Andrew Lockhart-Mirams. Information on their thoughts will be released soon.

 For those dentists thinking about their future within NHS dentistry and wondering about what a move to private dentistry might look like for them, then specialist and expert support and guidance is available from Practice Plan’s NHS Change Support Team without obligation.

The NHS Change Support Team provides advice in the key areas of strategic direction, financial planning, commercial finance, business support, team development, marketing and branding.

The NHS Change Support Team can be contacted at 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs for further information.

By Rebecca Allen of Initial Medical

As part of the dental team, needlestick safety is something you should be acutely aware of in your day-to-day role. A survey conducted in association with the British Association of Dental Nurses* in 2014, found that 51.2% of respondents had received a needlestick injury at some point throughout their career, with 60% of those saying they’d received more than one. When you then consider the risk of infection following a needlestick injury is estimated to be 1 in 3 for HBV, 1 in 30 for HCV and 1 in 300 for HIV**, it is vital that safety procedures are put in place in all dental surgeries.

Following the introduction of The Health & Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, all healthcare facilities must ensure that:

(a) The use of medical sharps at work is avoided so far as is reasonably practicable;

(b) When medical sharps are used at work, safer sharps are used so far as is reasonably practicable;

(c) Needles that are medical sharps are not capped after use at work unless— (i) that act is required to control a risk identified by an assessment undertaken pursuant to regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (a); and (ii) the risk of injury to employees is effectively controlled by the use of a suitable appliance, tool or other equipment;

(d) In relation to the safe disposal of medical sharps that are not designed for re-use— (i) written instructions for employees, and (ii) clearly marked and secure containers, are located close to areas where medical sharps are used at work.

Health and safety law has always placed general responsibilities on the employer to provide their staff with a healthy working environment. However, this legislation now puts further emphasis on prevention. In reality it would be difficult, if not impossible to remove all sharps from a dental practice, so the next best thing is to assess the risk correctly, use devices which limit the risk of injury and dispose of all sharps in a safe manner.

Key tips that all dental clinical staff should follow to help reduce needlestick injuries are:

·         Cease recapping of needles

·         Ensure the correct type and size of sharps disposal unit is in place

·         Make sure your sharps disposal units are assembled and closed correctly

·         Place all sharps disposal units in a safe, secure location

·         Dispose of your sharps at point of use

·         Report all sharps injuries immediately

·         In the case of a needlestick injury follow your health and safety protocol immediately

It’s important to remember that when it comes to hazardous and infectious waste, such as syringes and other sharps at a dental practice, the cradle-to-grave rule applies. The producer of waste will always be held responsible for the safe and legal disposal of it, even after it has been passed onto the waste carrier collecting it. This is why it’s important to work with comprehensively trained sharps waste disposal experts who will safely and securely dispose of it and advise on the correct products that comply with both the UK and EU legislation.  Health and safety law is criminal law and healthcare organisations can be subject to enforcement action if they fail to comply with the legal requirements. There is also always a threat of civil law action if an employee is injured due to insufficient practices and technologies being in place.  

Everyone has a role to play in the prevention of sharps injuries, from trainee staff who are learning the ropes, to practice owners who will hold legal overall responsibility for the wellbeing of their staff.

*For healthcare workers worldwide

**1216 British Association of Dental Nurses responded to the survey in August 2014, from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.  99% of respondents were from the UK and 1% from the Republic of Ireland.

About Initial Medical Waste Experts

Initial Medical is an expert in healthcare waste management, providing a complete collection, disposal and recycling service for hazardous and non-hazardous waste, such as offensive waste produced by businesses and organisations within the UK. The safe management of healthcare waste is vital to ensure your activities are not a risk to human health.  Initial Medical’s healthcare waste services ensure that all of your waste is stringently handled in compliance with legislation and in accordance with Safe Management of Healthcare Waste best practice guidelines, providing you with the peace of mind that you are adhering to current legislation.

For further information please visit www.initialmedical.co.uk or Tel 0800 731 0802.

Rebecca Allen, Category Manager, Initial Medical

Rebecca has worked in the Healthcare sector for the past 13 years and was a Research Chemist with Bayer Cropscience prior to joining Rentokil Initial in 2003.  She keeps up to date on all developments within the clinical waste management industry and is an active member of the CIWM, SMDSA and BDIA.  

PFM Dental's popular preparing retirement seminars will be held again this year, beginning in Rochdale on Friday 8 May – convenient for dentists in the Greater Manchester and Oldham areas and beyond.

The programme has been developed for 2015 to include, by popular request, a longer session on wealth management. With ongoing changes in pension and tax rules, taking the appropriate steps to maximise income on retirement has never been more critical.

Seminar coordinator, Jon Drysdale of PFM Dental, says: "This is our sixth year of running these seminars and feedback has always been overwhelmingly positive. Because we've had many enquiries about wealth management in recent months, we've developed this session to cover the topic in greater depth."

As in previous years, the seminar programme includes sessions by experts on selling a dental practice, including on the legal and accountancy issues.

Similar seminars will take place in York on Friday 15 May, Sheffield on Friday 18 September and Edinburgh on Friday 25 September. More events are planned – visit the PFM Dental website for the latest information.

Places are £50 and must be booked in advance – numbers are limited. Lunch is included and each seminar qualifies for five hours of verifiable CPD.

To book your place, call Samantha Hodgson on 0845 241 4480 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Visit www.pfmdental.co.uk for more information.

The Dentistry Show 2015

Not only a dental event that the whole team will enjoy but also the perfect opportunity to gain valuable education and experience, The Dentistry Show, taking place on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April, is the place for all dental professionals to be.

Having consistently grown since its inception in 2009,[1] The Dentistry Show expects a record high 7,500 delegates this year. Held alongside the Dental Technology Showcase (DTS), this will ensure hugely varied networking opportunities for all, enabling you to meet old friends and new from all corners of the profession. So don’t miss out!