We are delighted to announce that Steve Taylor DipPS (Implantology) will be Chairman of the educational programme at the Dental Technology Showcase (DTS) 2015.

Owner of Taylor Dental Technology Centre in Leyland, Steve has more than 25 year’s experience in implantology and understands the many demands placed on the modern dental technician. He will be helping to create the two-day lecture programme for the greatly anticipated 2015 event, bringing together a selection of leading professionals to share their own experiences, ideas and skills.

DTS will provide the perfect platform for all dental technicians, clinical technicians and laboratory owners to discover the latest in dentistry – and it’s completely free!

The brand new ‘Launchpad UK’ initiative in particular will introduce the very latest products, materials and equipment to reach the UK industry, ensuring your lab is at the cutting-edge of innovation.

Make sure your team doesn’t miss out!

DTS and The Dentistry Show 2015 will be held on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham. For further details please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk/Content/Dental-Technician-Show,

call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

An estimated 30,000* individuals, including many NHS dentists with pension benefits valued at more than £1.25m, are likely to benefit from HMRC’s Individual Protection from today (18 August). Dentists with NHS pension ‘added years’, personal pensions and those with deferred benefits can also take advantage of the newly available protection.

By having Individual Protection you are able to set your Lifetime Pension Allowance (LTA) up to a maximum of £1.5m, potentially saving a tax charge of £137,500. HMRC is offering the protection as a lifeline for those affected by the £250,000 reduction to the LTA in April 2014. The application 'window' stretches to April 2017, although those looking to retire before then are advised to take action now.

Jon Drysdale, an independent financial adviser at PFM Dental says: "Dentists retiring within the next 12 months need to deal with this issue immediately or face potentially large penalties. Getting the necessary figures at short notice from NHS Pensions will be a challenge, so seeking specialist advice early on is paramount."

Unlike Fixed Protection 2014, the new Individual Protection allows the continuation of active pension contributions.

To complete your Individual Protection application you will need to apply to NHS Pensions for a valuation of benefits.

For more information contact pfmdental on 0845 241 4480 or visit www.pfmdental.co.uk

*Source: HMRC Tax Information and Impact Notes 'Reducing the pensions tax annual and lifetime allowances'.

Implement practice procedures that make the best possible use of their time. Similarly, safeguarding patient satisfaction and confidence is paramount to the management of a successful team. Advanced dental procedures such as digital impression systems are popular with dental practitioners, as not only do they increase clinical accuracy they decrease overall procedure time.

Creating conventional impressions can be messy, prone to problems with drag and setting and often make patients feel vulnerable. The taste of impression fluid is unpleasant and many patients find it difficult to control the gag reflex. Often dentists must take time away from the procedure to relax patients and address unexpected side effects. The importance of careful technique to create a dental impression first time round is paramount as any errors can have a detrimental effect on the patient’s experience and confidence in their dentist.

The use of digital impression scanners means that patients receive a more comfortable, non-evasive procedure with the advantage of radically improved accuracy. Although the actual scanning procedure can take approximately five minutes longer to complete than conventional impressions, the digital alternative reduces the risk of errors and the potential need for remakes. The treatment instills increased confidence in the patient and the practitioner is able to produce a precise digital impression of a patient’s mouth within minutes.

Impressions can be cleanly made using digital images. Data can be easily integrated and sent wirelessly to CAD/CAM systems, milling units and laboratories. This saves precious time communicating patient’s details and requirements and reduces the potential for human error. As digital intraoral scanning has the potential to produce high quality, anatomically accurate images, the precision of the scans facilitates natural, functional restorations requiring fewer alterations and adjustments.

Due to the accuracy of the scanning techniques, a considerable amount of time can be saved at the fitting stage reducing the overall treatment time.

The CS 3500 intraoral scanner from Carestream Dental provides practitioners with the ability to obtain 2D and 3D detailed images and precise colour matching. The handpiece can be angled up to 45 degrees and is able to scan to a depth range from -2mm to +13mm. It also incorporates an innovative light guidance system designed to optimise image and data capture while enabling the dental professional to concentrate on the patient rather than watching a monitor. The CS 3500 is fully portable; it does not require an external heater, powder, liquids or trolley system and can be plugged into any workstation using a USB cable. These features streamline the scanning process, saving time and providing an improved treatment experience to patients.

The potential for a reduction in treatment time is an extremely valuable asset. When patients receive fast results without errors they cannot help being impressed and confident with the care they receive. Confidence in their dentist grows, and satisfied patients means that dentists can enjoy the benefits of return visits, recommendations and increased referrals. Furthermore when procedures are time effective and accurate, a growth in business strength follows naturally.

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

This October will see Bridge2Aid’s Dental Training Programme celebrate its 10th anniversary at the magnificent Wembley Stadium.

Since the charity’s very first training programme back in 2004, with the support of many, Bridge2Aid has accomplished some incredible achievements changing the lives of thousands in East Africa. 10 years of Dental Training Programmes have seen:

-          315 rural-based Health Workers trained in emergency dental care

-          26,000 people directly treated during the training programmes

-          Over 3.1 million people provided with long-term access to emergency dentistry

The 10 year Birthday BASH! will take place on Saturday, October 4th2014, and will consist of fantastic food, great company and live entertainment throughout the night, as well as a tour of the stadium itself for each guest.

Volunteers, Fundraisers, Supporters, family and friends (old and new!) are most welcome to attend the event, which promises to be one of the dental calendar’s biggest of 2014.

More details and tickets available at: www.bridge2aid.or/birthdaybash

With the months flying by, the next The Dentistry Show and Dental Technology Showcase (DTS) will be here before you know it. Preparations are in full swing to make sure that everyone attending gets the very most from the events, and here’s a preview of what you can expect…

More delegates and new dates

Despite having more than trebled the number of delegates at The Dentistry Show since 2010, attendance figures are once again set to increase.

From 2015 the dates have been changed – The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 will now be held in April, with the next event held on the 17^th and 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham.

Why the move to April?

Without the added pressure of UDA cycle end, (in March), even more dentists will now have the time to join in and discover the array of innovations the trade have to offer. This is supported by a survey of 765 dentists; none of whom visited The Dentistry Show 2013 or 2014, and 69% said that they were likely or very likely to visit with the Show now its running in April.

This uplift in attendance from dentists, to a total of over 7,500 dental professionals across just two days, will ensure that The Dentistry Show remains the must attend event for UK dentistry.

A new platform to launch

With these new dates, The Dentistry Show is now perfectly timed after IDS in Cologne every other year, making the 2015 event the ideal platform for launching new products and services in the UK. To facilitate this and provide as much exposure as possible for exhibiting companies, the Show will be running the ‘Launchpad UK’ marketing campaign for the very first time.

Key buyers, dealers and wholesalers will be sent a ‘Launchpad UK’ catalogue and all pre-registered delegates will receive regular updates in the weeks before the next Show, ensuring maximum coverage for all your new innovations, all completely free of charge.

Additional promotion

With over 7500 delegates expected to attend in 2015, The Dentistry Show and DTS will offer a vast range of further benefits for companies exhibiting on the extensive trade floor; product profiles in the pre-Show  newspapers, coverage in the 2015 Products & Services Guide and online branding.

We look forward to seeing you there

For those of you who haven’t yet booked your stand for 2015, what are you waiting for? As an event that offers something for everyone, it will provide a great platform to meet new clients, strengthen relationships with existing ones and build your business. With messages being sent to the profession from July 2015, don’t miss out and get the most out of taking part this time around!

The Dentistry Show 2015 will once again be held in conjunction with the next DTS on 17^th and 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham.

For further details, 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.

If we fail to offer our patients the very latest technological innovations in diagnosis and care are we doing them a dis-service and providing second-tier dentistry?

The best imaging equipment, such as CBCT scanners, give a specialist enormous amounts of information. If a patient visited a dentist with access to a scanner, wouldn’t it be better if they were able to take a scan and say, for example, “The reason this restoration is failing is because you have a missed canal. Therefore the treatment I propose is X”?

That would be the gold standard of service, and in an ideal world offered to every patient. Unfortunately that level of diagnosis requires exposure to high degrees of radiation, prompting the argument of how a dentist could ethically irradiate each patient to such a level in order to achieve some diagnostic information? But if they didn’t, are they then failing to provide the greatest possible diagnoses?

Risks and Benefits

As with everything there are risks and benefits to be considered. The European Society of Endodontology recently released a statement of its position on the matter. It said, “A CBCT scan should have a net bene?t to the management of a patient’s (suspected) endodontic problem”.[1]

If it was up to a specialist and radiation wasn’t an issue, every patient would be scanned. Indeed in times to come this may be the case, but for now there must be this ‘net benefit’ that outweighs the radiation risks. Therefore the decision not to undertake a CBCT scan could be equally as ethically significant as the decision to do so.

Cost

So what about when the cost of the latest technology is only financial rather than physical?

25 years ago endodontists didn’t all use microscopes, and the old boys would say to us, “You don’t need microscopes; our fingers are our eyes”. Of course this wasn’t good enough, and therefore the specialism became two-tiered: those with microscopes and those without. This didn’t mean that the practitioners working without microscopes shouldn’t have been offering treatments - rather that for particularly complicated cases, they couldn’t hope to match the successes of those who did.

These are of course still early days for the technology, but there may come a time when if you don’t have access advanced imaging technology, yours will be a second-tier diagnostic service.

Naturally this is all a part of the process of progress; a reciprocating cycle that will continue and continue. New innovation will lead to better quality treatments, leaving those who don’t prescribe to the latest technological advances playing in the lower leagues. Thus there will always be those ethical questions around the level of service we can provide, and the truth of the matter is that it’s all in the balance of risks, benefits and cost.

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.

So, the GDC has responded to the BDA’s challenge at the 12^th hour with the response we probably all expected. Basically it’s a legalese version of a ‘la la la we’re not listening, and my dad’s bigger than your dad ‘cos he’s going to take all your money when you lose’.

The problem we have with that is that the BDA needs funds to take the GDC to Judicial review which comes from its members, us,  which the GDC will fight using the money it gets from its registrants, also us.

Great. We get to pay for both sides slugging it out in court. That’s like getting the kids to pay for both sides in a divorce out of their own pocket money.

One could argue there will be no winners in this case other than the legal bigwigs who, should the BDA carry out its threat to start the Judicial Review process, will start to cost considerable amounts of our money on both sides. If the BDA wins, then this will only be one of the issues with the GDC dealt with, as the JR will only deal with the Consultation process, and not the greater failings of the GDC we are pointing out left right and centre. Given that the arrogance of the GDC throughout the whole process so far has been astounding, it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility for the GDC to lose the JR, and STILL continue in the same manner as before, asking for even more money to replace that spent on the legal profession, and leave us with merely a pyrrhic victory, and an even bigger ARF increase. They even comment today that they are pleased to have received 4000 responses to the consultation. It shows they probably haven’t read them as I’m sure the vast majority of them wont be supportive ones.

If the BDA lose, and then have to pay the costs and losses of the GDC then this could spell the end of our professional association financially, and with it probably the last real chance of taking on a bullying and out of touch regulator. That’s why it needs as many members to support it financially by joining up in a show of solidarity.

We have this chance to take a stand as a profession, and I’m sure the legal team at the BDA have considered the implications of not winning the Judicial Review. But if the BDA backs down now, what message does that send to the GDC? I’d wager things would then get even worse from a whole load of other angles, not least from the DoH regarding the new contract. The BDA press release this evening in response to the GDC is possibly quite telling in that Mick Armstrong promises to put the interests of dentists first, and not just those of its members and the association.

So are the BDA going to play Chicken with the GDC?

I think they should.

Tooth wear is a common condition among patients in the UK. According to figures in the Adult Dental Health Survey, over three quarters of the population suffers from tooth wear of some kind.[1] The treatment of wear poses a dilemma for many dentists. On the one hand there do exist some strict established protocols for the treatment of this condition, but these protocols can be impractical, invasive and expensive to perform.

However, there are other treatment options out there. On Saturday 8^th November, Tif Qureshi will speak at the BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference sharing a minimally invasive interceptive approach to the treatment of tooth wear. As a past-President of the Academy, Tif is a familiar face to regular conference goers, and will present on a topic that he believes is one of the most important treatments that he provides.

‘The idea behind my lecture is to present an “alternative approach” to treating tooth wear,’ says Tif. ‘It’s about using composites to try and restore patients’ teeth rather than having to go down more traditional invasive routes such as using preparing teeth for ceramics.

‘Often it is the case that treating occlusal problems requires certain protocol to be followed. In my lecture however we will be looking at the problem in a slightly different way using composite and the Dahl technique. Of course I understand that for some people the Dahl technique remains a slightly controversial treatment option, as some people think it doesn’t work, however I aim to prove them wrong.’

In a comprehensive and wide-ranging lecture, Tif will set out everything you need to know about the Dahl technique to use it safely, and predictably in practice. This includes when to use it, when not to use it, as well as a range of hints and tips to help you produce consistently excellent results.

‘I’ve been using this approach for more than 15 years and have carried out the technique on literally hundreds of patients,’ continues Tif. ‘Never once have I had to “take it off” or reverse treatment, nor have I ever had any serious problems with it. Of course case selection very important, as it’s not something that every patient can have.

‘As dentists I believe we have an ethical responsibility to be as minimally invasive and conservative in our treatments as possible. By intercepting wear cases sooner, rather than later we preserve more of the patient’s natural tooth structure for longer, and save them time, money and stress of leaving it and then treating them with more invasive methods further down the line.

‘It’s not that there’s a “right way” and a “wrong way” to treat tooth wear. All of the various forms of treatment out there work, however some are simpler, cheaper and more practical than others. To me, the idea of using composite before things get a lot worse makes a lot of sense as it makes it a lot cheaper and easier to maintain.’

As Tif is keen to point out, dentistry has come on a long way in the last few years. Materials technology in particular has progressed immensely, and presents new and exciting opportunities for dentists to provide effective treatments that are both conservative, and highly aesthetic. One particular area that Tif will focus on his in lecture is the use of the Dahl technique in conjunction with other minimally-invasive treatments such as short term orthodontics (STO) in order to enhance the final aesthetic result.

‘With short term orthodontics we have a powerful tool to help us enhance not only the appearance of patients’ teeth, but their overall facial profile as well,’ says Tif. ‘As we know the facial arch naturally narrows over time, which makes people appear more aged than they perhaps are. However with a combination of STO and the Dahl technique we are able to control and intercept this change.

‘This isn’t something that’s commonly dealt with in dentistry, and it’s something I aim to take up in my lecture. As such I aim to draw attention to the many different factors that as dentists, we are able to control. We will talk for example about canine width protection and canine width expansion and how we can use this to control anterior occlusion and maintain facial width. I will also demonstrate how using the techniques I have described we are able to dramatically affect a patient’s appearance and make them stay younger for longer.

‘In my opinion this is an exciting new avenue for dentists to explore, and is an excellent addition to what we can “offer” as cosmetic dentists.’

To find out more about this topic, Tif will present his lecture ‘Preventing wear to despair…’ on Saturday 8^th November at the BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference in Liverpool.

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacdconference.co.uk

“Invention isn’t innovation until you’ve delivered something to the marketplace. The engine that drives innovation is technology, but understanding what people need and delivering the right product at the right price is equally important.”

– Joe Bailey, Previous 3M Vice President for Research and Development, 1999

3M – Innovating since the 1920s

The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, or 3M as it’s called today, was founded by five businessmen, who in 1902, set out to mine mineral deposits. By the 1920s, the company was flourishing, having created many world-first innovations such as waterproof sandpaper and masking tape.

From the start, its original owners realised the importance of supporting their workers in the development of new products; a principle that became the core belief of their business. The 15 per cent rule, which is unique to 3M, was first practiced in the 1920s and still applies as company policy today.

3M encourages its technical people to devote 15 per cent of their working time to a project of interest outside their normal duties. This philosophy is what makes 3M a world leader in invention and innovation, and has brought about products including: Scotchlite reflective sheeting; the Thermo-Fax copying process; Scotchgard fabric protector; Thinsulate insulation and the ubiquitous Post-It note.

3M’s many firsts in dentistry

In dentistry, 3M has also brought about many innovations that have helped revolutionise the work of dental professionals worldwide.

Since the foundation of 3M Dental in 1964, the company has continuously pioneered many innovative dental restorative products, starting with Addent composite, the world’s first tooth-coloured commercial resin composite.

Many other products followed, such as Impregum, the first polyether impressioning material, and Vitrebond light-cure glass ionomer liner, the first light-curable product of its class,[1] offering extra assurance that restorations will be long-lasting and sensitivity free.[2]

3M ESPE innovation

3M Dental acquired the German dental company ESPE AG in 2001, which led to the foundation of 3M ESPE. A year after the merger, 3M ESPE introduced Filtek Supreme universal restorative, a nanotechnology product that has played a substantial role in improving composites.[3]

In order to call a restorative a nano composite, every single filler particle in the material must measure less than 100 nanometres [nm] (a single hair strand is about 100,000 nm in width). The minute filler particles in Filtek restorative offer excellent polish retention, smoothness and aesthetic quality.[4]

As former 3M engineer Joe Bailey once said, delivering the right product at the right price is equally important, which is why 3M ESPE recently launched Filtek Z500 restorative, the truly affordable universal restorative that carries the same 3M nanotechnology and quality guarantee. Filtek Supreme and Z500 restoratives are the only two true nanocomposites in the marketplace to date.

The same year that Filtek restorative was launched also saw the introduction of RelyX™ Unicem cement, the world’s first self-adhesive resin cement. This product was a big world first for 3M ESPE because for five years following its launch, no other competitor in the market was able to challenge RelyX Unicem cement and introduce a similar product.

Another world-first that 3M ESPE has brought into the market is Protemp crown, the first single-unit, self-supporting, malleable, light-curable composite crown, which was launched in 2007. Protemp crown also allows dentists to create a temporary single-unit restoration in under four minutes, is twice as fast,[5] and is stronger than other temporisation materials.[6]

This innovative product offers high-quality aesthetic properties as well, with its pre-formed anatomical shape and tooth-coloured shade, which can be polished to a shiny, tooth-like appearance.

The same year Protemp crown was launched also saw the introduction of the world’s first non-methacrylate based composite.

Continued advancement for the future

All these leading restorative products join many other dental innovations from 3M ESPE, such as the first automatic mixing unit.

The beauty of 3M technology, seen since the 1920s, is that it never stops evolving. 3M ESPE continues to bring astounding innovations to dentistry that move with the industry’s changing demands, with products that always have the wants and needs of both dentists and patients in mind.

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

On the 21^st June in Birmingham the European Society of Aesthetic Orthodontics (ESAO) hosted a full-capacity orthodontic skills course. With parallel sessions running for dentists and DCPs; the sold-out course was a huge success.

With a range of highly qualified and experienced speakers including Dr Andy Wallace, Dr Daz Singh, Dr Pav Khaira, Dr Ian Hutchinson, and Steve Blackhall, delegates were treated to lectures and hands-on courses that covered the entire spectrum of aesthetically focused orthodontics.

Topics ranged from the importance of retention after orthodontic treatment, to techniques for impression taking and interproximal reduction (IPR), as well as TMJ assessment and composite edge bonding. The one-day course was aimed at ensuring practices and practitioners were able to deliver medico-legally protected, high quality aesthetic dentistry with confidence and support.  

Dentist Course

Dr Pav Khaira is the Ethics Director for the ESAO, he provided the first session for dentists that focused on enhancing their diagnostic skills. He says, “One of the main concerns that I have is the lack of diagnostic skills that are taught at undergraduate level when it comes to jaw joint and chronic pain issues. I see a lot of dentists start to undertake brace work without fully understanding the red-flags areas and what could potentially go wrong mid-treatment or even once treatment has been completed.

“What I hope delegates were able to take away from the course is a better understanding of the types of screening questions that they should be asking so that they have a clearer indication of which patients are more likely to be fine and which are more likely to develop problems.”

The second lecture for dentists was presented by Dr Ian Hutchinson. His session was concerned with retention and exploring how to ensure teeth remain straight once they have been corrected. He discussed removable retainers as well as variants in fixed retainers and reviewed some specific situations where special attention may be required.

He said of the ESAO, “The reason I support the ESAO is that there is an alarming growth in manufacturers selling orthodontic 'systems' with no regard to correct training of the clinician or suitability of their appliance to correct the problem. The marketing of such appliances is often 'direct to public' and therefore stimulates demand from potentially misinformed patients. The ESAO represents an organisation that clinicians are able to go to for important, independent and impartial advice.”

Dr Andy Wallace then presented a session on IPR and its importance in aesthetically focused orthodontic procedures. He provided ways to calculate the necessary amounts of IPR along with techniques for effective and safe execution. He then gave a second session that covered aesthetic edge bonding, in which he shared techniques and tips to simplify procedures, which will allow delegates and attendees to complete their aesthetically focused orthodontic cases to a very high quality.

Course for DCPs

Alongside the lectures and hands-on sessions for dentist there ran a parallel course for DCPs.

Dr Wallace presented a talk that focused on the essentials of dental photography. He explained how it allows for clearer communication with patient, dentist, laboratory and support systems, as well as being an important record of each case both before and after treatment. His seminar focused on teaching delegates how to achieve consistent photography and included a hands-on session where attendees could try out their new techniques.

ESAO Secretary Dr Daz Singh also presented a talk that focused on impression taking and shared some techniques with delegates for the consistent delivering of high quality impressions. He says, “Taking an accurate impression is vital, as it helps to ensure that planning for any treatment is carried out correctly. With a vast number of different materials available to us, it is essential to choose the appropriate material for your treatment." 

Steve Blackhall, co-owner and co-founder of Prestige Dental, gave the final practical session for DCPs that covered model making and the production of vacuum formed retainers and whitening trays. Delegates on the course were shown some essential tips for best practice and enjoyed the interactive nature of the seminar, making their own trays and models.

Great Success

The event was organised by Dr Raha Sepehrara, the scientific director of the ESAO, and was a great success. She says, “I hope that the delegates found the day useful and that they are able to apply what they have learnt in their everyday practice. It was an exciting opportunity for me to put this course together, as I had the chance to meet many excellent speakers and clinicians and also learn a lot from their presentations.”

The ESAO is dedicated to helping ethical practitioners provide the finest quality aesthetically focused orthodontics. For details of any upcoming courses or how to join the fast-growing organisation visit the website today.  

For more information visit esao.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What’s the first thing you think of when someone says ‘marketing’?

Perhaps something like ‘advertising’ or ‘attracting new patients’, or maybe even ‘expensive’.

But that doesn’t need to be the case.

Internal marketing is an area often forgotten or not given enough attention, despite its many benefits. Promoting your range of services effectively to patients already visiting the practice can have a huge impact not only on the treatments your patients request, but it can also be a powerful tool to help increase referrals. When your patients are satisfied with the service they receive, they are more than happy to share this with family and friends and you should be making the most of this.

Here’s a few things to note when it comes to organising your internal marketing strategies:

Get the whole team involved

All members of your clinical and front-of-house team need to communicate that the practice is actively accepting more patients. They are interacting with patients throughout the day, and by training staff to ask patients to tell a friend about the service they have received, there is potential to dramatically increase referrals. As billionaire Milton Petrie famously said, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get”.

Display patient testimonials

This is a great way to create a positive atmosphere within your practice, boosting staff morale as well as giving patients more confidence to recommend you elsewhere. You may even wish to show appreciation for your patients’ comments with gifts such as free oral health products or gift certificates for a meal to encourage continued referrals.

Be visual

While some patients like to read when waiting for their appointment, most are likely to notice to your wall displays if they incorporate images and colour. Use photos of the treatments or services you provide to attract attention and help your patients understand the procedures, encouraging them to ask their practitioner for more information.

Get personal

Make the most of opportunities to get involved in the local community by highlighting any relevant events or anniversaries. Showcase your practice and your staff where you can, encouraging a professional yet more personal experience for visiting patients.

Be consistent

Rather than taking a random, scattershot approach to internal marketing, your key messages should remain the same and your activities should be regular.

The MagicBox from 7connections is a great aid to help you achieve the above – and all of the hard work is done for you. A box of digital and hard copy material is delivered to your practice every month, focusing on different treatment areas and services each time, ready for you to implement all the internal and external marketing you need to encourage patient recommendations and increased business. Everything from patient referral cards to waiting room TV loops, posters and banners is included, ensuring you have all you need without having to spend the associated time and money to get it.

If you are not leveraging on the fact that your patients are satisfied with the service they receive, you need to look at your internal marketing strategies. Make sure you don’t miss such an effective opportunity to promote and grow your practice!

For more information about 7connections and the MagicBox™,

please call 01647 478145, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit the new website www.7connections.com

We are told that the economic recovery is now in full-swing, and according to key business lobby groups, the UK economy is prospering. Growth is reaching record highs and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has upgraded its growth forecast for 2014 from 2.8% to 3.1%, which, if achieved, would be the highest rate since pre-crisis 2007.

Recently, however, most of the headlines have been focused on the apparent boom in residential property prices. With concern mounting that, in the housing sector at least, property values are raising so high and so quickly that the bubble will soon burst.

The business property sector has also started to see the beginnings of an increase in values, although nothing quite like the dramatic surges that we’ve seen in certain areas of the residential market, such as in London and the South-East. However, the fluctuations in business and business property values is nothing new to an experienced commercial property agent, nor are the highs and lows of lender activity (or lack thereof) between recessions and recoveries.

Nonetheless, the dental sector remains unique in its reduced response to external economic influences. It is one area where values, and banks’ approaches to lending, are less affected by changes in the general fiscal situation. But that’s not to say that values are not on the increase. Of course the economy retains some influence, but the biggest driver to increasing or declining values in the dental marketplace is derived from one main source – the consumer.

There are arguably very few markets that are more affected by the rise and fall of discretionary spending behaviours. Prior to the recession and during it, the biggest determining factor affecting the performance of the dental market, and in private practice in particular, was patients’ attitudes to spending. As we now emerge from the fog of the financial crisis we all wait with baited breath to see whether patients view investment in oral health as a key priority.

As LaingBuisson, provider of information and market intelligence on the independent health care sectors recently reported in its 2014 UK Dentistry Market Review, there has been a significant decline in NHS primary care dentistry of around eight-and-a-half per cent.

And in private dentistry, the ‘golden’ period of growth in the 1990s (as LaingBuisson describes it) has been replaced by a deceleration as the market matured and patient demand suffered through the recent subdued economy. Patient demand for wholly private dentistry fell by four per cent in the years 2009-13, a decline largely fuelled by a drop of roughly similar percentage in the self-pay (non-insured) population.

However, none of this has served to undermine the appetite in the dental market from operators undertaking expansion plans and investors who view the sector as a ‘gift that keeps on giving’. Indeed, LaingBuisson confirms that ‘there is significant scope for growth in dentistry demand in the UK’, even if Government and dentistry providers need to address the financial and non-financial barriers that patients have preventing attendance at the dental surgery. The dental market does, to a degree, remain in a state of change and uncertainty until the new commissioning structure is announced and Government spending on NHS dentistry under austerity is revealed.

However, the private dental sector, particularly, is set to ‘bounce back’, emerging from its period of contraction during the recent economic depression. What is more the activity in the transactional and investment environments in recent times certainly reflects a re-maturing marketplace, and ultra-competitive corporate activity continues to maintain its rapid pace.

In the meantime, the shape of the sector remains fascinating, with fewer than ten per cent of practices in corporate ownership, which is considerably less than in other healthcare sectors – although multiple ownership is growing amongst ‘mysterious’ owners whose diverse branding makes it difficult to keep track on their movements.

It is highly likely that the next few years will see a growing number of independent practices acquired by these small group operators, and smaller groups swallowed up by larger owner-operators. This is typical behaviour from a consolidating market and will increasingly become attractive to institutional investors.

Presently, values of dental practices are on the up – further confirmation of which is seen in the way that more banks are more forthcoming in offering finance for acquisition – on those, still relatively rare, occasions that dental practices do come to the market.

But as much as transactional activity and consolidation is driven by the mechanics of the market and the general economic condition – as well as the dynamics of supply and demand – it will always be patient power, and the prospect of increasing patient spend on oral health, that truly shapes the market. As with any property sector there are countless external factors and economic influences that will affect values and sales, but ultimately dentistry is one market where the consumer is king.

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

BIO:

Simon Hughes joined Christie + Co in 1987 and has responsibility for the further expansion of its brokerage services into the primary care sectors of dentistry and GP surgeries. Over the past three years, Christie + Co has advised, valued or sold almost £1 billion worth of businesses. Simon heads up a dedicated team of specialist advisers and agents based in regional locations throughout the UK.

Christie + Co was proud to sponsor the LaingBuisson UK Dentistry Market Review.

Writing a blog is not only enjoyable but it can be productive too, helping to attract more interest to your website. If you have little or no writing experience, however, the idea of making your words public can be daunting.

Start with something you are passionate about. This could be a new piece of research or a more general topic, such as the fluoridation debate. Be yourself, while keeping the tone professional. Look out for dental news in the press and blog your thoughts to give your posts a current twist.

So blogging doesn’t become a chore, your posts need not be too long. A couple of short paragraphs that get to the point will be better received than sticking to a strict word count. It’s also a good idea to create a schedule, so your readers know when to come back and you to get into the blogging habit.

Get other willing members of the team involved. They will offer new perspectives and help to keep content varied and interesting. Try to switch up the format now and again. With the relevant permissions, you could look at blogging about a patient’s journey through their treatment, for example, including before and after photographs.

Once you have got into a blogging schedule, promote your blog with other social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook. Get involved in the blogging community and look for bloggers writing about similar topics, so you can link them in your posts. Comment on other blogs to get a dialogue going and hopefully they will return the favour; you may even want to invite a ‘guest blogger’ to your site. By networking in this way you will see your blog grow. Similarly, respond to readers’ comments. Even if they have left ‘negative’ feedback, a constructive reply will hopefully lead to a positive conclusion.

One of the main reasons for putting effort into a well-run blog is for what it can do for your practice. Search engines such as Google love new content, so a regularly updated blog can help to boost your practice’s ranking, also known as it Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

With so much to think about, enlist the services of a company that understands how blogging and online dental marketing works. It will help you get started, find the right content management system and refine your first posts. Dental Focus ^® ‘Websites for your profit’ has years of experience in guiding practices in all aspects of successful blogging, from setting up, to content ideas.

Writing a blog can help you to grow your practice and enhance its reputation. With practice, blogging can help you to build contacts and also find out what your patients think. Not only is it enjoyable, but it should also form a key component of your forward-thinking marketing strategy. Taking expert advice will help to get your started and steer you in the right direction.

For more information call 020 7183 8388, or visit www.dentalfocus.com

Martin Hellawell is in charge of customer and information technology services at Nuview. The expert on integrating cameras and digital microscope photography into dentistry, he advises customers on the best systems and settings to use and the optimum ways of incorporating this into their daily practice. Here he describes some current trends in dental microscopes and looks back over the last ten years of Nuview.

One of the biggest changes in modern dentistry that has affected us at Nuview is the demand from dentists for the enhanced integration with digital technology and the specific changes in that technology that have occurred over the last few years. If we consider the advances in digital SLR cameras for instance; 10 years ago they were still relatively clumsy, oversized and only capable of low resolution imaging but thankfully the technology has moved on in some amazing ways.

Dentists are now able to hold multiple high definition (HD) pictures in their patient notes, and can record images of procedures to go back to for reference and for achieving future patient consent. More and more dentists, especially those who teach, also want to record videos, and the latest technology not only allows the recording of stills but also video images in HD.

Of course what sets Nuview apart is that we exclusively offer the Carl Zeiss range of dental microscopes with their integral HD visualisation systems, industry leading quality optics and an exceptional human interface experience (ergonomics) which makes them second to none. However, what has kept Carl Zeiss microscopes such as the OPMI Pico as being the best in the market, is the continual development, which incorporates and embraces the on-going changes in technology.

One thing that over the last 10 years has remained consistent is our passion for and commitment to the highest quality and finest levels of service. Through continuous feedback and communication with dentists we are able to maintain and perfect the individualised service we can offer. For us feedback has always been really important and we are very proud of the service we provide, for myself, particularly around the Carl Zeiss visualisation systems and helping dentists to exploit camera technology. As a small company we try very hard to build positive and on-going relationships with our dentists.

Looking ahead to the future, the biggest challenges are going to be around incorporating further innovations in visualisation technology. A lot of people have now seen ultra high definition televisions (UHD) and the whole arena of UHD (or 4K as its currently known) will radically change the ways in which even digital SLR cameras work. Right now there is a differentiation and separation between video cameras and SLR cameras, which I think may well entirely vanish in the near future.

Today people are used to, and even expect HD quality images, so what will be interesting over the coming years is to see how UHD fits into and becomes the industry norm, and then how the camera technology adapts to incorporate this emerging technology. Although UHD technology, particularly now that it is being incorporated into televisions, is becoming more readily available in the marketplace, it will take potentially two years before technology standards are properly set out and agreed and we will begin to see cameras and microscopes becoming generally available that fully incorporate UHD technology.

One final change that we’ve seen over the last few years is that whereas dentists were primarily using microscopes for more specialist work, we now see dentists exploiting the power of the high quality magnification in their more general daily practise.

As part of out on-going commitment to exposing and training dentists to the performance and usability of a dental microscope, we at Nuview actively support various organisations and individuals in terms of providing microscopes and expertise for professional courses. We are proud to participate in enhancing the level of skill that both specialist and general dentists have, and for me, helping them to embrace the latest technology in visualisation systems is particularly rewarding.

For more information please call Nuview on 01453 872266,

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

The majority of the world’s population has no access to oral pain relief. This means people can suffer agonising pain for years, from dental problems that can be quickly and easily treated in the western world.

Since 2002, Bridge2Aid has been working hard to remedy this, increasing sustainable access to emergency dental care throughout East Africa. Through its carefully designed volunteer programmes, it provides the opportunity for UK professionals to visit some of the poorest areas of the developing world. There they can not only deliver the safe and effective treatment needed by thousands of people, but they also help to train local health care workers so that they can sustain the provision of dental care in the long-term.

In order to continue its inspirational work however, the charity relies on the generous donations of time, money and resources from the UK dental profession.

Shaenna Loughnane, Operations Manager at Bridge2Aid, says:

“The start of the year was tough for us and we were so grateful to the profession for showing their support. We are through the worst of it now and we would like to thank everyone who came to our aid!  

“Our main aim for the next year is to help more people understand what we do and to show the impact our training programmes have on communities in rural areas of East Africa. We offer a sustainable, ethical and appropriate response to the fact that 70% of the world has NO access to oral pain relief – and the 30% with access are only in the cities, whereas the huge majority of people live in rural areas. The charity has big plans for this year and next, we just need to raise the funds to be able to achieve them!

“On 4th October 2014 we are celebrating 10 years of our dental volunteer programme. We are running a ‘Birthday Bash’ at Wembley Stadium to celebrate, and all our friends, family, volunteers, donors and fundraisers are invited. More details are available on our website: www.bridge2aid.org/birthdaybash.”

The dedicated Bridge2Aid team will be attending The Dentistry Show 2015 to raise awareness of the situation in East Africa to show more industry professionals what they do.

“The Dentistry Show has given us free space for the last few years,” continues Shaenna. “We have always found it to be a fantastic Show and it certainly seems to be getting busier each year. It seems to have got the mix of exhibition time and CPD just right, and we welcomed a good number of dental professionals to our unique volunteer programme during the 2014 event. The Sea of pink was also a fantastic success for us – in the end, 30 exhibitors took part and it was amazing to see the support in the room.

“As we are always looking to raise our profile and promote the ever-growing need for dental equipment, products and training in East Africa and other developing regions of the world, we are looking forward to The Dentistry Show 2015. It will present the perfect opportunity for people to visit our stand and develop their understanding of what we do – we hope to see you there!”

For more information about Bridge2Aid and its volunteer programmes, visit www.bridge2aid.org. Or you can visit the team at The Dentistry Show 2015 on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April 2015, at the NEC in Birmingham. For further details 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.

The Dental Advisor has identified five 3M ESPE products as excellent solutions to particular clinical challenges in the 2014 Clinical Problem Solvers Awards[1].

• The Intra-oral Syringe was praised for its lightweight and ergonomic design, which was found to enable precise application of impressioning material in hard to reach areas.
• Imprint 4 impression material was established as a solution to patient discomfort and long setting times when taking impressions.
• RelyX Ultimate adhesive resin cement was awarded the best alternative to the multiple products needed to prime a tooth and restoration for silica- and zirconia-based crowns.
• RelyX Unicem 2 automix cement was recognised for its dual-cure, self-adhesive properties, which prevents problems with improper setting of fiber posts.
• Impregum Penta impression material was praised as rigid and accurate enough for reseating a closed tray impression.

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

3M, ESPE, Imprint, RelyX, Impregum and Penta are trademarks of the 3M Company.

Start Using Facebook For Research

Neil Sanderson

It wasn’t so long ago whenever you took to the high street or went to the supermarket that there was a nice lady or gentleman with a clip board who would ask you if you had a few minutes spare to answer a few questions was it?

It seemed that they were everywhere asking you questions on every subject from which biscuits you prefer to where you go on holiday or what car you drive etc. etc.

But now you barely ever see one of these people, because the smart corporations have started to use Social Media or more particularly Facebook for Research.

Using Facebook for research is not only a lot cheaper but it is much more accurate too. So what do you need to do to use Facebook for research in your dental practice?

Once you have a couple of hundred fans of your page you can start to see patterns. The best tool for this is the insight tool under people, which gives you just about every bit of information you can think of about the people who “like” your page.

You can see the split between gender, how many people fit into particular age groups, when people are online and looking at what you do, the information is invaluable to build your audience and communicate with them, Facebook for research purposes really has no rivals at all.

If you are thinking of launching some sort of promotion or launch a new product or service, you can test this out on Facebook before you invest your time and effort into it.

There are several aps you can run on Facebook that will let you run surveys. So for instance one of my clients was thinking of changing his opening hours and offering late opening or weekends. We ran a survey for him on Facebook and it turned out that most people didn’t actually want late evenings they wanted to come to the dentist before work e.g. early mornings.

A section of Facebook insights

You might think of going on a course for straightening or offer a new type of whitening, so run a survey with your likes and find out if there is a ready market waiting to take your new products or services.

But you don’t really have to go to the time and effort of running a survey if you don’t want to, simply ask your fans what they would like to have on your page.

Facebook is a very interactive medium and is ideal for simply asking your audience questions. So once you have decided that you are going to launch a particular service or you are going to make a special offer Facebook is also great for telling you how large your market is too.

First you create an advert for something like teeth whitening, you can then target it at exactly the audience you want and Facebook will tell you how many people fit that profile. Let’s say you are going to launch straightening and your Facebook research told you that the best age group for this would be 30-40 year olds.

You can specify that you want to just target this age group in your area and Facebook will tell you exactly how many people your advert will reach. As far as I know there is nothing that comes close to this type of market information and how this can give you laser focus with your advertising.

If you would like more information on Facebook for research or any other type of Dental marketing information, call me on 01767626398 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

That is indeed a question!!

Phew, what a scorcher. 

If you think the meteorological heat is oppressive, you want to try working in Wimpole Street. AirCon does nothing to relieve the heat of the pressure the GDC should be feeling.

What interesting, perhaps desperate times we live in.

The world is awash with wildfire wars with all the suffering that ensues.  The state of children’s teeth of those who do not ‘get’ the dental health message in this country remains an unresolved scandal.  Contract Reform of NHS Dentistry in England has become a fictional event of the future. The CDO England must be playing a lot of golf these days because there is naff all else going on. Dento-legal indemnity has started to rise in cost alarmingly as  the GDC and it’s woeful Fitness to Practise regime comes off the wheels.

But it takes a proposed rise in ARF to really galvanise the profession in a unanimous outpouring of anger.

Well directed anger?

This is being expressed in many ways – letters to MP’s, the professional Standards Authority, letters to the GDC allied to Freedom of Information requests to name but a few.  At meetings, the conversation is grim and consistent – it’s the GDC innit?

Even our old muckers the BDA have bared some teeth which, to judge by their public statements, are finally sharp enough to threaten injury.

What is happening so far can be summarised as a collective professional rant.  There is nothing wrong with that.  This process of ‘ranting’ is a precursor to something much more effective

It is well know that RANT is actually an acronym

The RANT acronym

• Review your position

• Analyse your options for Action

• Notify interested parties of impending Action

• Take action

Where are we?

I think we are heading out toward the last element, if only driven by the timescale.

A request for legal review, a BDA driven legal challenge, and protesting by payment in cash at the front desk of the GDC are just some of the actions being proposed.  What about resignation of a significant cadre of the dentists they need to make the processes and systems function?

What about calling for the resignation of the Dental Professional GDC members en masse?  It certainly seems to have merit.

Will the ARF be less than proposed? My money says “yes”

Will we see heads roll at the GDC?  The CEO, Ms Gilvarry for example? Its hard to see how her position can possibly remain tenable.  She certainly has lost our confidence, but I would imagine the GDC staff are pretty low as well.

What about our new appointed Chairman, Mr William Moyes?  His condescending e-mail to registrants allied to his Pendlebury Lecture suggest a level of isolation and ignorance that make you wonder how he ever got the job.  Based on his utterances so far, he simply does not get it.  Based on the lack of communication by the GDC’s Dental Professional members, I thinks its safe to assume the GDC has battened down the hatches and GDC Council Members are prevented from public comment. So much for transparency.  The ARF was not even an agenda item at the GDC Council meeting of 24 July.

Problem?  What problem?

The GDC have absolutely lost the confidence of the profession.  The have proved themselves to be the most incompetent of Regulatory bodies, and they are asking us to pay for their ineptitude.

The short answer Madam Chief Executive and Mr Chairman is “NO – NOT ON OUR WATCH”

You fix your problems first and we might talk then .

Until then, we will continue with the biggest professional RANT seen for many years.

Once again I profess my grateful thanks for the GDC’s role in uniting the profession, finally.

Enjoy your break people. Be assured, the heat will still be turned up when you return.

Yours, rantingly :)

Rodericks Limited is delighted to welcome Sue Gregory OBE into its highly experienced and talented team.

Sue Gregory has extensive experience within the dental industry, having worked as the Deputy Chief Dental Officer with the Department of Health between 2009 and 2013. She was also a Consultant in Dental Public Health for several years, developing outreach services in the primary dental care setting for minor oral surgery, restorative dentistry, periodontics, and endodontics. Sue is currently the Director of Dental Public Health for Public Health England, as well as a visiting lecturer at King’s College Dental Institute and a widely respected speaker and author.

Sue has recently joined the professional team at Rodericks Limited as a Non-Executive Director.

“I have known Shalin Mehra and Steve Brookes for many years, and I have always been impressed by their capacity for innovation in delivering effective, quality dental care in a cost effective way,” she says. “It will be exciting and challenging for me to work in the corporate business environment. I hope to bring added value to the company with my skills and experience in strategy, policy and oral health improvement. I would like to see the company further enhance its focus on quality and outcomes, building and improving on what is already a solid base. I also hope to increase the skills and capacity of the whole dental team to contribute to that agenda.”

Managing Director of Rodericks Limited, Shalin Mehra adds:

“We are delighted to welcome someone with such knowledge and skills as Sue, into our team at Rodericks. We look forward to learning from her extensive experience and expertise, and we hope that together, we can continue developing both our group as a business and the services we provide patients.” 

Having begun life as a partnership back in 1991, dedication to excellent dentistry and a close working relationship with a local medical centre saw the business triple in size within four years. They then incorporated in 2005 by acquiring the name Rodericks Limited, one of the original Dental Body Corporates. Over the next decade, new practices were opened and others joined the group, advancing the services provided and significantly increasing access to thousands of patients across the UK.

When the new NHS contract was introduced in 2006, Rodericks Limited made a strategic decision to further expand by tendering predominately for new practices that PCTs were commissioning. Over time, with the development of the business plan and the extremely high goodwill valuations of practices, this turned out to be a successful approach.

Following steady and continued growth, Rodericks Limited now consists of 52 dental practices across England. Committed to providing the best possible clinical treatment and excellent patient care, practices within the group offer a wide range of first-class dentistry from routine check-ups to facial aesthetics, specialist and referral services. Renowned for their cutting-edge facilities and the provision of outstanding NHS and private dentistry, every team shares a passion for continuous training and skill development, to ensure they are at the very forefront of the profession.

To find out more about Rodericks Limited please visit www.rodericksdental.co.uk or call 01604 602491.

Having just read the response from the GDC to the BDA’s questions about the Telegraph advert, it would appear that there is a distinct tone of avoiding answering the legitimate questions posed.

Coming from the Chair of the GDC, with his background at the Office of FAIR Trading, this again seems to be at odds with a desire to be open and transparent, and indeed with his recent comments about ‘doing the right thing’.

The admission that the cost of the advertising campaign cost over £27000 should now start a new round of questions to the GDC, since we as registrants are funding this exercise in awareness (the adverts were in Saga Magazine and The Guardian) to a demographic who are largely likely to already know of the mechanisms available to them to complain. In addition, in order to justify any money spent on advertising, this requires some form of review as to its success, so there will be yet more expense following this, otherwise it will have been a total waste of our money. Even if it is reviewed by salaried members of the DCS, whilst doing this pointless analysis, the time spent on this would be better utilised elsewhere.

But more importantly, how would we be treated by the GDC if we avoided answering their questions?  We have a regulator who now seems to run itself by a different set of values to those it expects its registrants to adopt.

Far from allaying any of the concerns of the profession, I feel the response from the chair has once again shown the contempt dentists are held in by the GDC. 

_{Many of the 970 dentists who undertook Dental Foundation training in 2014 will move to a self-employed associate job shortly, if not already. Chartered accountant Adam Hemingway at specialist dental accountants PFM Townends and independent financial adviser Jon Drysdale share their top 10 financial tips for dentists embarking on self-employment.}

1. Don’t forget to register with HMRC

It's important to let HMRC know that you're self-employed as soon as possible. If you don't tell them, you may have to pay a penalty. Your accountant will be able to register on your behalf and receive copy correspondence from HMRC. This means you won’t miss important deadlines.

2. Save for tax National Insurance and Student Loan repayments 

It is important to know how much tax to pay and when you need to pay it. Your accountant should calculate this for you. Don’t rely on anecdotal evidence of how much you will need to save. For associates with largely NHS income it should be possible to accurately predict the amount of tax you will need to pay. You should save for this from the start of your new job, even though you may not have to pay any tax or student loan repayments for some time. Remember that you’ll need to set up a direct debit to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions straight away.

3. Record keeping is important

Being a self-employed associate means you are now running your own business. Keeping accurate records of income and business related expenditure will ensure your accountant advises you on the correct amount of tax to pay and claims the appropriate tax relief where possible. Make sure you retain practice payslips as these contain important information such NHS Pension deductions.

4. Set up a bank account for your new business

You don’t need a ‘business’ bank account but it is advisable to set up a new current account which into which your practice income is paid. Business related expenditure should be taken from this account. This ensures business income and expenditure is separated from the multitude of personal credits and debits.

5. Claim back business expenses against tax

Associates can claim for the cost of some courses and study materials incurred before they started their first job and ongoing training. It is important to provide your accountant with records of any expenditure related to work. A dental accountant will know what claims are acceptable.

6. Check the NHS Pension portal

The annual reconciliation report (ARR) is completed online and this is your opportunity to make sure your pensionable pay is recorded correctly. This will affect your pension at retirement so it is important to get it right. A dental accountant will be able to confirm you have made the correct NHS Pension contributions and deal with any queries relating to the online portal.

7. Use your ISA allowance

A total of £15,000 can be deposited in a cash ISA account in any one tax year. This is a bank account where interest is not subject to income tax. It is a good place to hold the savings you make for your tax liabilities. A cash ISA can be linked online to your current account for easy access. Rates tend to be low.

8. Get your income protection in order

Most associates will expect a stepped increase in their income and subsequently personal expenditure is likely to rise. It is important to protect this income as employer sick pay is no longer available or will be limited. Existing income protection polices may not provide sufficient cover especially if you signed up to a plan in your final year at University. The sooner you do this the less expensive it will be.

9. Save for a house deposit

Most lenders will require a deposit of 10%, although some lenders will allow 5%. Many high-street mortgage lenders won’t lend unless you have at least 2 years self-employed accounts so finding a lender sympathetic to dentists is important. Use a specialist dental financial adviser to source the best mortgage for your requirements.

10. Use specialist advisers

We have witnessed some serious problems for clients who have been ill-informed by an accountant who isn’t dentally aware. Many times this involves NHS Pension rules for associates, failure to claim business expenses correctly, or a general misunderstanding of the NHS Pension portal. We therefore strongly recommend that you engage a dental accountant who has chartered status and is regulated by the ICAEW. (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales).

Visit: http://pfmdental.co.uk/sections/view/26/associate | Call  01904 656 083

iPad Mini offer for all new associate dental clients PFM-ipad-advert-August-2013.pdf 

This July, The Dental Survey has consolidated a range of questions surrounding implant dentistry to find out more about what dentists really think about all aspects of this subject. The purpose of this survey is to gain valuable feedback that will help the dental industry to improve the future of implant dentistry.

The Dental Survey appreciates you taking the time to fill out the survey, and as an added thank you, you’ll be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a 64GB iPad mini with Retina display worth £479.00*.

To take the online survey and to be entered into the prize draw visit www.dentalsurvey.co.uk

*Closing date will be Friday 25th July 2014, winner will be drawn on Monday 28th July and winner notified via email on same day.

* Please note the Dental Survey is a subsidiary of Manan Ltd

The BDIA is delighted to announce the launch of its Counterfeit and substandard Instruments and Devices Initiative (CsIDI), an industry wide activity to:

-  Promote awareness of the dangers of poor quality, counterfeit and illegal dental instruments and devices,

-  Provide a quick and simple method of reporting these to the relevant bodies,

-  Promote purchasing only from reputable manufacturers and suppliers such as BDIA member companies.

The growth of internet sales channels and globalisation of dental manufacturing has provided an opportunity for unscrupulous operators to sell poor quality, substandard or even counterfeit or illegal products. Therefore, it is vitally important that dental professionals make the decision to purchase from sources that ensure quality and efficacy.

Tony Reed, BDIA Executive Director, comments, “By purchasing only from reputable suppliers the end user can be assured of a high quality product that meets all the necessary requirements and that will not endanger the user or the patient, nor risk punitive actions from the courts or regulatory bodies”.

By working closely with the British Dental Association (BDA), the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF), the Tooth Whitening Information Group (TWIG), and across the dental profession, the BDIA aims to facilitate the reporting of those selling unacceptable and illegal products and promote responsible purchasing throughout the dental supply chain.

Mick Armstrong, Chair of the BDA Principal Executive Committee, fully supports the initiative, commenting, “The BDA encourages all dentists to source equipment from legitimate, reputable manufacturers and suppliers who can demonstrate that the necessary legal requirements are being met. That will ensure both the quality of equipment purchased, and that dentists, their colleagues and patients are protected”.

The BDIA is launching CsIDI with full the backing of the MHRA and Tracy Murray, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Compliance & Enforcement at MHRA, comments, “Working closely with the BDIA to raise awareness of counterfeit and substandard devices and to report incidents is a major step in addressing this growing problem across the dental sector.”

The overall message of the initiative is very simple; substandard and counterfeit instruments and devices are potentially dangerous to patients and users and the BDIA recommends that all purchases, however small, are made from a reputable supplier and that all suspect instruments, devices and whitening products are reported to the appropriate authorities at the earliest opportunity. All reporting can be done via a simple, dedicated web page on the BDIA website – www.bdia.org.uk

The Government’s Trailblazer initiative is set to improve and develop apprenticeships in 29 different industry sectors across Britain. Owner of Sparkle Dental Labs, Mustafa Mohammed, is leading the way to create a programme designed specifically for dental technicians.

Apprenticeships can give young people the opportunity to learn on the job, building essential experience and practical skills to enable them to become experts in their chosen field. Through high quality training and mentoring, businesses can create a motivated, skilled and highly qualified workforce.

Committed to spreading the word and raising awareness for dental technician apprenticeships, Sparkle Dental Labs recently welcomed a selection of esteemed professionals to its remarkable premises in Leeds. The event, held in celebration of the company’s first year of business, also presented a fantastic opportunity to increase support for the apprenticeships.

MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, was in attendance and commented: “Apprenticeships are one of the most important parts of education in Britain…I believe few sectors will however create as much excitement and as much drive as the dental laboratory industry has, and for that I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”

Delroy Beverley, Chairman of The National Apprenticeship Ambassadors Task Force for Yorkshire and Humberside, further highlighted the importance of the apprenticeship scheme and offered high praise for Mustafa Mohammed and the team at Sparkle Dental Labs: “Crucially, Mustafa has recognised the need to do something… Asking for no personal accolade, he has nurtured this idea and is dedicated to providing a blueprint that shows the Government and other businesses alike, that you really can ‘practice what you preach’. Sparkle Dental Labs is a great example of just this”.

Anthony Knowles, Head of Employer and Delivery Services with the National Apprenticeship Service, added: “The facilities at Sparkle Dental Labs are fantastic – something for Yorkshire to be proud of. I think this is matched by Mustafa’s approach to offer more chances of employment for young people… I would encourage as many business owners as possible to get involved with the scheme”.

The pioneering dental technician apprenticeship will offer an array of advantages for the British public with hugely increased employment opportunities and the chance to ‘earn while you learn’. Boosting the national economy and the UK dental lab industry in particular, participating employers will also benefit from enhanced productivity, lower staff turnover and an increased skill set among the company1^,2.

Sparkle Dental Labs continues to lead the way in training and education. With established orthodontic and implant teams, all work is produced to the highest standard and tuition of the next generation of employees is second to none. To find out more about the laboratory, or about how you can get involved with the apprenticeship scheme, contact the dedicated team today.

For any additional information from the National Apprenticeship Service, please visit www.apprenticeship.org.uk.

For more details about Sparkle dental Labs, please call 0800 138 6255, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit:

www.sparkledentallabs.com

On the 21^st June in Birmingham the European Society of Aesthetic Orthodontics (ESAO) hosted a full-capacity orthodontic skills course. With parallel sessions running for dentists and DCPs; the sold-out course was a huge success.

With a range of highly qualified and experienced speakers including Dr Andy Wallace, Dr Daz Singh, Dr Pav Khaira, Dr Ian Hutchinson, and Steve Blackhall, delegates were treated to lectures and hands-on courses that covered the entire spectrum of aesthetically focused orthodontics.

Topics ranged from the importance of retention after orthodontic treatment, to techniques for impression taking and interproximal reduction (IPR), as well as TMJ assessment and composite edge bonding. The one-day course was aimed at ensuring practices and practitioners were able to deliver medico-legally protected, high quality aesthetic dentistry with confidence and support.  

Dentist Course

Dr Pav Khaira is the Ethics Director for the ESAO, he provided the first session for dentists that focused on enhancing their diagnostic skills. He says, “One of the main concerns that I have is the lack of diagnostic skills that are taught at undergraduate level when it comes to jaw joint and chronic pain issues. I see a lot of dentists start to undertake brace work without fully understanding the red-flags areas and what could potentially go wrong mid-treatment or even once treatment has been completed.

“What I hope delegates were able to take away from the course is a better understanding of the types of screening questions that they should be asking so that they have a clearer indication of which patients are more likely to be fine and which are more likely to develop problems.”

The second lecture for dentists was presented by Dr Ian Hutchinson. His session was concerned with retention and exploring how to ensure teeth remain straight once they have been corrected. He discussed removable retainers as well as variants in fixed retainers and reviewed some specific situations where special attention may be required.

He said of the ESAO, “The reason I support the ESAO is that there is an alarming growth in manufacturers selling orthodontic 'systems' with no regard to correct training of the clinician or suitability of their appliance to correct the problem. The marketing of such appliances is often 'direct to public' and therefore stimulates demand from potentially misinformed patients. The ESAO represents an organisation that clinicians are able to go to for important, independent and impartial advice.”

Dr Andy Wallace then presented a session on IPR and its importance in aesthetically focused orthodontic procedures. He provided ways to calculate the necessary amounts of IPR along with techniques for effective and safe execution. He then gave a second session that covered aesthetic edge bonding, in which he shared techniques and tips to simplify procedures, which will allow delegates and attendees to complete their aesthetically focused orthodontic cases to a very high quality.

Course for DCPs

Alongside the lectures and hands-on sessions for dentist there ran a parallel course for DCPs.

Dr Wallace presented a talk that focused on the essentials of dental photography. He explained how it allows for clearer communication with patient, dentist, laboratory and support systems, as well as being an important record of each case both before and after treatment. His seminar focused on teaching delegates how to achieve consistent photography and included a hands-on session where attendees could try out their new techniques.

ESAO Secretary Dr Daz Singh also presented a talk that focused on impression taking and shared some techniques with delegates for the consistent delivering of high quality impressions. He says, “Taking an accurate impression is vital, as it helps to ensure that planning for any treatment is carried out correctly. With a vast number of different materials available to us, it is essential to choose the appropriate material for your treatment." 

Steve Blackhall, co-owner and co-founder of Prestige Dental, gave the final practical session for DCPs that covered model making and the production of vacuum formed retainers and whitening trays. Delegates on the course were shown some essential tips for best practice and enjoyed the interactive nature of the seminar, making their own trays and models.

Great Success

The event was organised by Dr Raha Sepehrara, the scientific director of the ESAO, and was a great success. She says, “I hope that the delegates found the day useful and that they are able to apply what they have learnt in their everyday practice. It was an exciting opportunity for me to put this course together, as I had the chance to meet many excellent speakers and clinicians and also learn a lot from their presentations.”

The ESAO is dedicated to helping ethical practitioners provide the finest quality aesthetically focused orthodontics. For details of any upcoming courses or how to join the fast-growing organisation visit the website today.  

For more information visit esao.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Gordon Matthew from Neilston Road Dental Group recently attended the Inman Aligner advanced training course.

‘I have been providing the Inman Aligner for six years and attended one of the original courses run by Dr. Tif Qureshi. Although I’ve treated a reasonable number of people with the Inman Aligner, I thought it was time to learn a bit more and was intrigued about what advanced training might teach me.

‘I actually found there to be a quantum leap from what we were talking about six years ago and things have really moved on from what I was taught before. The course was fantastic. The material, the information, the technology used – everything was easy to follow and well thought out. I would give it 10 out of 10.

‘On the day, there were many practitioners with different levels of experience in the room and so a discussion about how we would go about different cases was very informative. The value of having people of considerable knowledge about the Inman Aligner on hand was certainly noticeable and hugely beneficial.

‘I think the Inman Aligner is a wonderful tool that has really minimised the amount of invasive dentistry that I do, like placing veneers and preparing teeth. It’s a very good option for the patient.

‘I would have no hesitation in recommending the Inman Aligner advanced training course. Even practitioners who have been using it for a few years are bound to pick up something new. Tif and the other trainers are learning all the time too, because they are doing so many of these courses now, and are able to impart all their extra knowledge to practitioners.

‘I achieved everything I’d hoped for and more from this training course. I learned an amazing amount and it has transformed how I do things in my practice.’

To develop your knowledge and refine skills even further, discover the Inman Aligner advanced training course today.

To find out more and to see upcoming course dates, please visit www.inmanalignertraining.com, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

call 0845 366 5477

To Promote Private Dental Treatment You Have To Tell People What You Do!

Neil Sanderson

Just how do you promote private dental treatment? Your private dental treatment may just be one of the best kept secrets in your practice! I don’t think I have been to a dental practice yet where the private treatments offered are being promoted.

If you don’t believe me just have a look around your practice! What information are you currently offering your patients on the services you offer, I suspect if you are like just about every dental practice you aren’t.

Let’s face it dental implants, veneers, bridges, invisible braces are not cheap are they? A couple of implants may well set your patient back many thousands of pounds, a course of Invisalign runs into thousands, these aren’t easy decisions for your patients to make.

When you are thinking of buying a car, holiday, TV etc. you don’t normally make a snap decision, you gather as much information as you can get and hopefully make an informed decision.

This normally means visiting websites, getting brochures, going into a showroom and gathering as much material as possible, which means that you have to do the same to promote private dental treatment in your practice.

Car manufacturers, holiday providers know that they have to promote their products both online and in the showrooms or travel agents, they provide brochures, sales people, downloads etc. and you are no different, people have to have information to make a decision.

So just how do you promote your private dental treatment? Incidentally you have an even more difficult task than a car manufacturer or a holiday company because a large number of your patients and prospective patients don’t even know that your private dental treatment exists.

Many don’t know what an implant is or that they can straighten their teeth without metal braces and if they do they don’t know that it may apply to them. If you take nothing else from this article remember this statement.

It’s not your patients job to find out what you do, it’s your job to tell them!

So just how do your promote private dental treatment in your practice?

Well if you want to do it really well you buy my Practice Information System, but you can do this yourself too if you have the time and can find a good graphic designer, printer, video production company etc., here’s what we provide you and what you need.

1. Get rid of Sky or BBC news on your reception TV and start to show patients what you do. We provide you with a bespoke video which is branded to you. It has testimonials from your patients, it has you explaining what you can do and it has incredible animations which really grab your patients attention.
2. You need a brochure and I don’t mean a little tri-fold thing which one of your suppliers has provided I mean a high quality A4 brochure that is produced by you and promotes your treatment, explaining what you can offer and how it can benefit your patients.
3. We provide you with banners which draw your patients attention to your video and your brochures, but at its simplest just highlights what you can do for them.

We call this our Practice Information System and is designed specifically to promote private dental treatment in your practice.

But it gets better, standing out from your competition is crucial and not only will the video run on the TV in your reception from a standard DVD player, it will run on your website, you can email it (or parts of it) to your patients, it will run on an iPad in your surgery, in fact just about anywhere.

Dental Marketing Expert’s Practice Information System is your one stop shop to promote private dental treatment in your practice.

If you would like more information on Practice Information System, call us now on 01767 626 398 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Promtemp Crown from 3M ESPE – “It just makes perfect sense”

Dr Anoup Nandra from Edgbaston Dental Care in Birmingham has been impressed with Protemp Crown temporary material from 3M ESPE for many years.

“I first came across the material seven or eight years ago – few seemed to know about it at that time but it certainly had a ‘wow’ factor and I thought it was a great product.

“I have been using Protemp Crown routinely for the last two years now and I like everything about it – it just makes perfect sense. I am able to choose a pre-made crown that not only looks good but that also fits well. It is easy to use, easy to manipulate, the occlusion is always good because the patient’s mouth is used to help achieve good positioning: it just works exactly as it is designed to do so.

“Other temporary restoration techniques can be fiddly, messy and much more time-consuming. Protemp Crown material requires little time to place, offers really good aesthetics and it is long lasting– it is like a permanent crown. If circumstances require a patient to keep a temporary crown in place for some time, this is the perfect indication for this material – I am very confident leaving this in place, a lot more so than I would be with a normal chairside created temporary restoration.

“As a result, I already routinely recommend Protemp Crown to other practitioners.”

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

The BACD will hold its 11^th Annual Conference ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ on 6^th – 8^th November 2014 at the ACC Liverpool. As one of the highlights of the dental calendar, delegates can look forward to an exciting three days of high quality education and networking opportunities.

Thursday 6^th November will include exclusive hands-on sessions, with delegates able to join one of three separate courses running across the day. These will be run by renowned clinicians Dr Didier Dietschi, Dr Lee Ann Brady and Dr Rahul Doshi, and present a fantastic opportunity to learn from established experts in their field.

On Friday 7^th November there’s even more to look forward to as the main conference kicks off in style. After the opening ceremony two main lecture streams will run in parallel with Dr Didier Dietschi presenting on no-prep comprehensive smile rehabilitations, while Dr Christian Coachman will lecture on ‘The smile designer: a new speciality beyond conventional dentistry’. Both of these extended sessions will run over the entire course of the day, while delegates will also have a chance to attend sessions on clinical photography, BACD members’ pearls, and an ‘Introduction to cosmetic dentistry’.

After a busy day’s lectures, Friday night is gala night, with the return of the BACD’s famous gala dinner and dance. With an exciting evening of fun and entertainment in store, the gala dinner is the must-attend social event of the year, and is a great place to meet new people and make new friends.

If that wasn’t enough, on Saturday 8^th November, the BACD Annual Conference reaches its climax with an incredible packed day of lectures spread over five separate conference streams. In the main hall, Dr Lee Ann Brady will share her top aesthetic tips and techniques, while in the next hall Dr Tif Qureshi will speak on the subject of tooth wear. If business management and marketing are more your thing, Hall 4A is the place to be as a succession of well-known speakers will take to the stage including Mark Oborn, Tracy Stuart, Kevin Rose and Steve Cartin. There will also be a return of the BACD Accreditation workshop other lectures on digital solutions and vacuum forming among others.

The BACD Annual Conference really does represent one of the best educational conferences of the year. As well as great education from renowned mentors the BACD conference is excellent for sharing hints and tips with fellow members and for gaining valuable new knowledge that you can take away and apply in your practice the very next day. Delegates to last year’s event have commented on, ‘Learning you can take straight back to the practice’, as well as, ‘Great networking with colleagues,’ and, ‘If I could only attend one meeting in a year it would be this one!’

As with all BACD conferences, ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ is an event not to be missed, so check out the BACD website for early bird discount offers. To find out more, contact the BACD today!

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacdconference.co.uk

An international trainer, Dr Raj Ahlowalia is bringing his high level of expertise in functional and aesthetic dentistry to the UK. 

A highly regarded teacher in the US with the Pankey Institute, and following his invaluable educational work in Romania, Dr Ahlowalia now wants to bring his approach to functional-based aesthetic dentistry back home. 

Dr Ahlowalia's modular Comprehensive Care Courses focus on complete dentistry, encompassing both occlusion and aesthetic dentistry to achieve long-lasting results. 

A very practical course combining presentations with hands-on elements, dentists will be provided with a thorough understanding of the mechanics and appliances involved in achieving dental longevity, techniques which can be used in practice straight away.

Consider the benefit of applying such techniques, for example, to short-term orthodontic treatment, maintaining or building stability into the dentition for long-term success. 

For further information, please go to www.comprehensivecarecourses.com or to book email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pregnant patients are extremely vulnerable, and practitioners must support them in maintaining a good oral care regime. Huge physical changes, irregular eating habits and fluctuating hormones all make pregnant women susceptible to a host of things, which are detrimental to their dental health, and can have a significant impact on the health of their unborn baby too.

But many expectant mothers worry that dental treatment during pregnancy isn’t safe. As long as dentists are told that their patient is pregnant, however, they can consider all the options available to safely provide an appropriate dental care plan for the entire pregnancy and beyond.

Some procedures are indeed best deferred. The Department of Health still advises pregnant women do not get amalgam fillings replaced until after they have given birth – while (according to a large body of research) foetal risk from amalgam is largely theoretical, most dentists and patients will usually decide together to delay placement and removal of these types of fillings. Similarly, dental X-rays are generally delayed unless there is an overriding clinical need. It is good advice, then, for woman to be advised to visit the dentist before they start trying for a baby, in order that any invasive treatment they need can be completed before they fall pregnant.

So what are the increased risks to oral health that pregnant women may experience? Morning sickness, for example, can be damaging to the surface of the teeth, due to the presence of stomach acid. Any woman suffering from morning sickness should therefore be advised to rinse with water or a non-alcohol based mouthwash.

Inflammation of the gingiva during pregnancy can lead to bleeding gums. Recent pioneering research suggests that gingivitis during pregnancy may be due to high levels of the hormone oestrogen.[1] A study found that the oestrogen found in pregnant women strongly determined their risk of developing gum disease, and in all three trimesters women with higher levels of oestrogen or plaque had more pregnancy-related gingivitis than those with lower levels. Because high oestrogen is found in healthy pregnancies, these results underline the importance of good dental health starting from the prenatal period. 

If gingivitis leads to periodontitis, this can set off a chain of reactions capable of damaging the body’s workings. It may result in a preterm or low birth weight baby and research has shown that women who are successfully treated for their peridontal disease have significantly lower incidence of these outcomes.[2] Aside from being predisposed to a myriad of post-natal complications, pre-term and low birth weight babies are also more likely to encounter heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes later in life^.[3]

Numerous studies have shown that pregnant women with peridontal disease are more likely to develop gestational diabetes mellitus than those with healthy gingiva. Gestational diabetes can also lead to pre-term delivery, and although the condition usually disappears after the pregnancy has ended, women who develop it have a greater risk of developing type-2 diabetes in later life. Research has also found a link between periodontitis and pre-eclampsia.[4]  This is a rapidly progressing condition that can lead to fatal consequences for both the mother and the unborn child.

Interestingly, at the other end of the scale, peridontal disease has also been linked with poor fertility and it could even delay conception by up to two months.[5] This really does underline the common sense advice for women to add a trip to a dentist to their pre-conception checklist.

Once pregnant, women need to visit their dentist regularly and get advice about how to properly care for their teeth. Gingivitis can be reversed so that it does not proceed to periodontitis if practitioners can encourage their patients to follow good dental care routine, twice daily. If access is a problem, dentists should be making sure their patient knows to take full advantage of free NHS dental care from the start of their pregnancy.

As well as daily brushing, pregnant women should invest in a good toothbrush. For example, the Curaprox Hydrosonic is suitable for people with sensitive gums. With gentle CUREN^® filaments, it offers effective cleaning of the gum line and periodontal pockets. The Hydrosonic is part of a range of complementary products for sensitive patients, including the CS5460 manual brush and the alcohol-free CURASEPT ADS^® mouthwash – all suitable adjuncts to a pregnant patient’s oral care routine.

In conclusion, the huge changes that a woman’s physiology goes through during pregnancy means that dental health may need closer attention at this time. Simple advice to establish a good oral care routine will help to decrease plaque and periodontal pockets, and your pregnant patient will have a lower risk of developing more serious problems that that will affect them and their unborn child.

For more information please call 01480 862084, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.curaprox.co.uk

Kerr is delighted, alongside Sybron Endo, Henry Schein Dental and KaVo, to report that the Innovations in Dentistry Symposium – ‘For the Art of the Smile’ – was a huge success.

The two-day symposium, held on 3^rd and 4^th July in London, provided dental team members with the opportunity to hear leading speakers discuss restorative dentistry, endodontics and new equipment that have transformed the way modern dentistry is practised, as well as attend restorative and/or endodontic hands-on sessions worth 3 hours of verifiable CPD.

In addition, there were live demonstrations throughout the two days and plenty of opportunities to get hands-on with the equipment.

Claudio Massoli, Country Manager Kerr UK commented: ‘We couldn’t be happier with how the symposium was received by delegates. We achieved everything we hoped to, including helping dental professionals to improve their understanding of materials and equipment available in the 21^st century, allowing for superior results to be achieved.’

Robbie McConnell speaking at the Symposium. 

Doing things together can be fun, whether it’s meeting up with friends, working on a project together or taking part in a group activity. If that fun also helps to raise funds for organisations which in turn help others, even more people benefit. This is why raising funds for charity can be such a rewarding thing to do. 

Many of us get involved in fundraising, directly or indirectly, ranging from helping out at the school fete to shaking a charity collection box. While these may just take a few hours out of our daily lives, causes and charities that funds are being raised for go on working everyday to help others.

Raising awareness is important too. Recently, inspirational teenager Stephen Sutton, who is sadly no longer with us, raised over four million pounds for his chosen charity as he battled with cancer, his extraordinary achievement also helping to raise awareness for the thousands of people with the disease around the world. It is a sobering fact that every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer.[1]

This was the case for dentist, Dr T, who needed time off work to undergo and recover from cancer surgery. Separated and with two young children to support, Dr T turned to the BDA Benevolent Fund, which helped to pay for childcare costs while she was in hospital, also providing a monthly grant to help during her recovery.

Fortunately, there are many ways to raise funds, ranging from organising a coffee morning to doing a bungee jump. The list is endless, but the funds that charities need are not, which is why your help is so essential.

During 2013, the BDA Benevolent Fund ‘Be Active’ campaign raised £17,000, with a further £125,000 raised by LDCs, BDA Branches and Sections. An auction, photographic competition, climbing Kilimanjaro and a golf tournament were just some of the great fundraising events. These monies meant that over £172,000 of grants and £36,000 of new loans could be provided to those who truly needed the support in 2013.

So please help to raise funds for the BDA Benevolent Fund this year, because with your help, the Fund can continue to help those in need.

The BDA Benevolent Fund relies on your help to continue this work,
so please contact us on 020 7486 4994 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

or to give a donation today, visit www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk
 

And if you are in need of help yourself, please contact us now.

All enquiries are considered in confidence.

Registered cha

With the months flying by, the next The Dentistry Show and Dental Technology Showcase (DTS) will be here before you know it. Preparations are in full swing to make sure that everyone attending gets the very most from the events, and here’s a preview of what you can expect…

More delegates and new dates

Despite having more than trebled the number of delegates at The Dentistry Show since 2010, attendance figures are once again set to increase.

From 2015 the dates have been changed – The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 will now be held on the 17^th and 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham.

Why the move to April?

Without the added pressure of UDA cycle end, (in March), even more dentists will now have the time to join in and discover the array of innovations the trade have to offer. This is supported by a survey of 765 dentists; none of whom visited The Dentistry Show 2013 or 2014, and 69% said that they were likely or very likely to visit with the Show now its running in April.

This uplift in attendance from dentists, to a total of over 7,500 dental professionals across just two days, will ensure that The Dentistry Show remains the must attend event for UK dentistry.

A new platform to launch

With these new dates, The Dentistry Show is now perfectly timed after IDS in Cologne every other year, making the 2015 event the ideal platform for launching new products and services in the UK. To facilitate this and provide as much exposure as possible for exhibiting companies, the Show will be running the ‘Launchpad UK’ marketing campaign for the very first time.

Key buyers, dealers and wholesalers will be sent a ‘Launchpad UK’ catalogue and all pre-registered delegates will receive regular updates in the weeks before the next Show, ensuring maximum coverage for all your new innovations, all completely free of charge.

Additional promotion

With over 7500 delegates expected to attend in 2015, The Dentistry Show and DTS will offer a vast range of further benefits for companies exhibiting on the extensive trade floor; product profiles in the pre-Show newspapers, coverage in the 2015 Products & Services Guide and online branding.

We look forward to seeing you there

For those of you who haven’t yet booked your stand for 2015, what are you waiting for? As an event that offers something for everyone, it will provide a great platform to meet new clients, strengthen relationships with existing ones and build your business. With messages being sent to the profession from July 2014, don’t miss out and get the most out of taking part this time around!

The Dentistry Show 2015 will once again be held in conjunction with the next DTS on 17^th and 18^th April at the NEC in Birmingham.

For further details, 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.

Prior to 2006, life was simple – dentists were unable to incorporate and therefore neither accountants nor dentists nor associates gave even a second thought as to how much their lives might be improved if only they could trade is limited companies.

Then in 2006 came changes to the Dentists Act!

Since then, provided you have a majority of GDC registered directors, you are able to form and trade as a limited company and enjoy the tax benefits which may ensue as a result.

So far so good!

If you have a private practice, life has continued to be good and you can incorporate to your heart's content!

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Principals of NHS practices.

The reason for this is simply that in order for the incorporation to be effective a new NHS contract has to be issued in the name of the limited company, and that can only be achieved with the consent of your friendly local NHS contract manager.

Initially PCT's were generally happy to agree to issue new contracts in the name of the limited companies. They then started to realise that people were disposing of their practices by selling the shares in their limited companies, and thus the PCT's had lost control over the identity of the dentists that they were contracting with.

At that point, an NHS principal’s ability to incorporate depended entirely on the attitude of their local PCT. Every PCT in the country seemed to have a different attitude to incorporation, and even the same PCT appeared to change their mind from time to time, depending primarily, it appeared, on what side of the bed the contract manager got out of that morning.

There were those PCTs who continued to be happy to agree – although it would be fair to say that these were very much in the minority.

Most would agree, but only on the basis that what is known as a "change of control" clause was inserted into the new contract. So that if there was a change in shareholder, then the PCT would have the right to terminate the contract (thus a principle could save some tax, but in the course of doing so could lose the entire goodwill value of their practice!).

Matters were further complicated by virtue of the fact that each PCT seemed to have different wording for their change of control clause – some were reasonable and others entirely not so.

And then there were some PCT's who simply said, "no!".

This was obviously a wholly unsatisfactory state of affairs.

In April 2013, NHS England issued guidance to the LATs stating in terms that, provided there had been no issues with the performance of the contract, they should allow incorporation.

"Hallelujah!" We thought in our innocence.

Despite the guidance issued by NHS England, different LATs have chosen to implement and interpret the guidance in different manners.

Some are insisting that the principal guarantees the performance of the contract by the limited company – which would not be unreasonable, except for the fact that the guarantee is generally worded in such a manner that it will continue even after the sale of the practice.

Others are still insisting that the change of control clauses are inserted – and the wording of these is still wholly inconsistent.

Worst of all, there is one PCT that I have spoken to recently who advised that they, ‘did not like the guidance issued by NHS England’, (apparently and conveniently forgetting that they are part of this organisation) and that they were, therefore, refusing to process any incorporation applications until revised guidance was issued which was more to their liking.

In other words we are back in a situation with an LAT saying "no".

Therefore, despite changes in governance and the guidance issued by NHS England, the LATs still appear very much to be acting as if they are a law unto themselves.

We are therefore back in the position where, at least so far as incorporation is concerned, NHS practitioners are very much the poor cousins compared to their professional colleagues in private practice.

John Grant of Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists - a NASDAL member

For more information call John Grant on 0113 834 3705 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

A NASDAL and ASPD MEMBER

By 2018 all employers must by law offer a workplace pension scheme for employees aged between 22 and the pension age and who earn £10,000 or over.

All businesses will have been allocated ‘staging dates’ that the Auto-Enrolment must have been accomplished by, and for dental practices this is likely to be between January 2015 and April 2017. This may seem like a long time away but in order to be properly set up and ready for the transition it is worth preparing for Auto-Enrolment as soon as possible.

According to The Pensions Regulator website, businesses should begin to plan for Auto-Enrolment at least 12 months before their staging date and by six months before should have the chosen pension scheme in place and their staff clearly informed[1].

Any employers who do not enrol their staff into a pension scheme by their staging date will face a fixed penalty fine of £400. If they continue to ignore their responsibilities they will begin to receive daily fines ranging from £50 to £10,000 a day.

It should be noted that workplace pensions schemes are not compulsory for employees; although everyone will eventually be enrolled, employees can opt out if they choose to. Despite the Government’s best efforts to convince the public to save for their futures, it is still estimated that millions will decide to opt out of saving.

For practices, choosing the best pension scheme to enrol your employees into can be particularly complicated, as it’s important that you choose the right one that is appropriate both to you and your employees’ needs. The most common schemes used will be Defined Contribution schemes; where both the employee and the employer make contributions to the fund, which is then invested.

Your practice may already have a pension scheme set up for your staff; this might be a stakeholder scheme or a group personal pension scheme and in some cases you will be able to continue to use this, depending on its suitability and whether or not the provider states that it can be used for Auto-Enrolment.

The best course of action at this stage will be to consult an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), ideally one with specialist knowledge of the dental sector such as those at money4dentists. They will be able to help you decide which option is most suited to your needs and situation, ensure that all timelines are met. If you’re looking for straightforward guidance and advice around starting the journey into Auto-Enrolment then contact the experienced and reliable IFAs at money4dentists today.

For more information please call 0845 345 5060, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.money4dentists.com

When your practice is up and running, it is very easy to lose sight of your goals or to stop setting them on a regular basis. Enlisting the support and guidance of a non-executive director can help get your business back on track. They can help you assess your practice performance, set high but realistic targets and then implement the changes necessary to achieve them.

Geraint Buse, Principal Dentist of Marquess Dental in Wales, decided to do just this:

As a sole-trader of a busy dental practice, set up as a squat 3 years ago, it recently became obvious to me that it was necessary to revisit the business structure and ensure that it was set up correctly. This included looking over the financial reports, ensuring HR and contractual aspects were all in place, and basically setting the business on a sound footing for the next 10 years. I wanted to get this right early on, so that as the practice grew, it would be possible to measure and steer it accordingly.

As such, I decided to enlist the support of a non-executive director to help set the right course. He took the time to get a real grasp of where we were as a business and suggested ways of improvement, both immediate and long-term. He was always positive, helpful, reliable and a pleasure to speak to, which is important when looking for someone to work with. He also provided accountability to make sure I made the changes suggested, although these changes were always mutually agreed upon and all decisions were still mine.

Only five months down the road, the changes are already visible. We now have a clear accountancy structure with monthly, up-to-date KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). We have enhanced the structure in our staffing, with all existing employees now working with better defined roles and management protocols. We also have refined plans for future marketing and business development, which will ensure that our practice continues to grow.

I would advise practice owners who feel that they need a more definitive business structure, who want to assess how the business is progressing on a monthly basis, and who not only want a plan for future business development but also to put that plan into action, to definitely get a non-executive on board to help. There is a lot of work involved in running a practice, and it is essential that you invest your time wisely, ensuring you are steering in the correct direction.

Over the past year I have really got to know the whole team at 7connections. With the strengths of the whole team and all of the different aspects in which they can help with in the running of the practice, to work with them is a pleasure. They are inventive and constantly developing new products that help you to keep evolving as a practice. I would highly recommend Tim Caudrelier and the 7 connections team to all who would benefit from their help.

For more information about 7connections,

please call 01647 478145 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the brand new website www.7connections.com

It is without doubt that people now use the internet most often when searching for goods and services. In 2013 the total number of Google searches was 2.0287 trillion[1]. When we are interested in a product or service we will use a search engine, browse a number of sites and read reviews before making choices and spending our money. 

Websites are undeniably the most cost effective way of marketing within dentistry and practices need to find a way of attracting and converting patients online. When this is successful these patients then become the greatest promotional asset of all, by recommending the practice by word of mouth.

An informative website provides the initial attraction and interest and its success depends on its ability to engage the right people in the right place. A dental practice website should be designed to deliver high quality content in an eye-catching manner and employ techniques to transform a website visitor into a potential patient.

In order to capture leads and to increase the potential of converting, a patient may be asked to complete an online survey, questionnaire or receive a newsletter. This enables contact details to be collected and identify specific areas of interest, which can be gathered and transformed using a lead management system. Lifestyle Marketing[2] state that using automation to deliver content and nurture leads can deliver a 45% increase in qualified leads.

Introducing an online giveaway or a special offer is an effective way of attracting patients and building a relationship. The offer of a free product sample is a simple but effective method of gaining interest. Testimonials, reviews and referrals can be encouraged online, by offering incentives that also increase business growth as well as the reputation of the practice.

Contextual advertising can also be employed to present patients with advertisements based on their recent browsing behaviour. For example, if an individual reads an article about teeth whitening they are presented with a dental practice advertisement on the same page.

Whichever method is chosen it is vital that practices ensure that their website engages with patients productively. To ensure success, the website must be well managed and maintained meticulously. More importantly, it is essential to employ a reliable lead management system to take advantage of the data and information collected online.

Practices should turn to the experience of experts, such as Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’, to fully enhance their website. They can support and advise on all aspects of online marketing, and are able to create a bespoke website that complies with GDC standards which is fully compatible with mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones.

As each year passes technology moves on and people find more advanced ways to make their lives easier. Dental practices need to become web wise to take full advantage of the power of the internet and reap the most cost effective rewards from their marketing budget.

For more information call 020 7183 8388 or visit www.dentalfocus.com

About the author:

Alfie Jones is the resident Mobile Web expert and Sales Manager at Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’. Alfie has worked as a web designer, copywriter, college tutor and charity fundraiser before finding his niche with the team at Dental Focus. As an expert in social media and website technology, Alfie is the first port of call for any dentist who is serious about their online marketing.

Dr. James Shorrock BDS runs a successful, 4-surgery private practice in Spalding, Lincolnshire. After working with loupes for years and finding them indispensable he invested in a Carl Zeiss OPMI Pico Dental Microscope.  (The following is an extract from the unsolicited testimonial he provided to Nuview, the full version is published on their website)

Whilst attending an endodontic course a fellow delegate enthusing about microscopes inspired me to investigate the use of a dental microscope myself. After much research I concluded that the Carl Zeiss OPMI Pico Dental offered the optimum ergonomics, durability and performance for my busy practice. This system features a MORAswing mechanism to allow effortless scanning across the mouth at the touch of a finger, and a ‘varioscope’ focusing system that hugely facilitates patient positioning and considerably improves depth of field.

I met Steve Clapman of Nuview, the exclusive UK distributor of Carl Zeiss visualisation systems, at a professional event and he agreed to visit my practice and discuss my requirements. His knowledge and professionalism led me through the options, and I was impressed by his honesty, guiding me away from certain expensive features as they would be unlikely to deliver value for money in my specific circumstances. 

All Carl Zeiss Dental Microscopes are custom built, and pending delivery Nuview invited me to attend the annual 2-day symposium, held in London. As well as international speakers, there were hands-on sessions involving demonstrations of microsurgical techniques and many experts in the field to answer questions.

Steve eventually delivered the microscope and spent several hours instructing me on setup, correct posture and showing me the controls. These were very intuitive, and I was excited to get going. I was determined to fully exploit my investment and not just use it for the occasional tricky endo or crown preparation. I started with checkups the following morning.

Looking ‘forward’ and working ‘down’ was a little alien at first, but the advantages were immediately obvious. Even with only a 4-6x magnification the excellent axial illumination and perfect optics showed the slightest differences in enamel translucency, early subsurface demineralisation and even interproximal caries, while filling defects, failing crown margins and fine cracks literally jump out at you.

The perio probe graduations are easily readable, soft tissue variations are instantly evident and anything of interest can be quickly snapped with the attached SLR, to be shown to the patient, filed for later reference, or printed to accompany a referral.   

The improvement in my posture and comfort was immediate and noticeable, although I would personally recommend the addition of a Support Stool with separate articulated armrests from BQE; 9-10 hour days now cease to be a problem!

After 2-3 days we began simple treatments, descaling and fissure sealing etc, using the microscope at around 4x so generally the whole mouth is visible as with medium powered loupes. Instrument location can initially be difficult, but I found that a sweep in of the hands close under the scope before dropping down into the mouth works well.  It took a week to develop the confidence to use a handpiece under scoped vision, but the advantages were instantly evident. You can see exactly what you are doing.

Using 6-10x magnification, the mind quickly focuses on the task in hand, you soon forget about the decreased field size. Every procedure is enhanced; for example, the very apparent fine differences in shade & translucency reduce the need to double check with a probe whether dentine is sound or carious. Damage to adjacent teeth is easily avoided as the marginal ridge appears like a cliff face next to your class 2 preparation, and a further advantage is the easy visualisation of any incipient defects in the adjacent teeth. Regularly using the scope for full crown preparations took around 2-3 months, but after completing half a dozen you soon miss10-16x magnification!   As a simple reference, at 4x you can see the whole mouth, 6x a quadrant, 10x 2-3teeth, 16x a single tooth, 20x a single canal orifice. 

Dental microscopes have traditionally been associated with endodontic procedures, and I now understand why. Pursuing my own interest in endodontics, I always strived to find the MB2 in upper molars and was probably successful using loupes about 20-30% of the time, but with the microscope this leapt immediately to more often than not.  It’s hard to overstate the difference good lighting and higher magnification make to both pre-treatment diagnosis and the potential quality of the actual outcome. Since acquiring the microscope I revisited several previous problem cases, using 16x magnification, it’s been possible to identify and remedy causes that had remained hidden even after apparently flawless x-rays and repeated attempts at correction. I have heard said on several courses – if you can see it you can do it, with a scope you can see and do a whole lot more.

After 4 months I use my microscope 75% of the time, although obviously there are occasions when the ‘macro’ picture is more relevant.  Although initially learning to work with the scope somewhat slowed me down, I am now back up to 95% of my original throughput and am confident that the overall quality of my work is considerably higher. It has been possible to undertake more complex procedures with confidence without the need to invest in additional instruments or attend lots of additional specialist courses.

In spite of the capital cost, I can heartily recommend the investment as a sound career move to any dentist who takes pride in their work, likes to be comfortable during their working day and puts quality patient care first.

I would be happy to discuss how to integrate a microscope into your daily practice and am easily contactable at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 

For more information please call Nuview on 01453 872266,

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

Time is a valuable and precious commodity, which should be managed wisely in order to generate the best and most cost effective practices. As well as treating their patients with knowledge and skill, dental professionals have to manage their time and resources to work effectively within the team. Practitioners must be constantly mindful to set up and implement the most proficient practice procedures to ensure a successful, time efficient and stress free working day.

Digital impression systems are now popular with practitioners, as not only do they increase clinical accuracy, but they also reduce overall procedure time. The conventional impression procedure is often associated with imperfections and inaccuracies and is generally uncomfortable for patients. Furthermore traditional methods have the potential to lead to lengthy corrections, remakes, faulty restorations and ineffective use of professional time.

Creating conventional impressions can be messy, prone to problems with drag and setting and often make patients feel vulnerable. The taste of impression fluid is unpleasant and many patients find it difficult to control the gag reflex. Often dentists must take time away from the procedure to relax patients and address unexpected side effects. The importance of careful technique to create a dental impression first time round is paramount as any errors can have a detrimental effect on the patient’s experience and confidence in their dentist.

Some Some dentists have noted that in many dental procedures, a minor mistake can be corrected or adjusted quickly, without the patient knowing that anything has gone amiss. However, this is not the case with impression taking. Retakes make it obvious to patients that something has gone wrong, and typically patients are not very pleased about having to undergo the procedure again. This makes the impression-taking process a very important step, with the potential to have a big impact on the patient’s confidence in the dentist’s skills.

The use of digital impression scanners means that patients receive a more comfortable, non-evasive procedure with the advantage of radically improved accuracy. Although the actual scanning procedure can take approximately five minutes longer to complete than conventional impressions, the digital alternative reduces the risk of errors and the potential need for remakes. The treatment instills increased confidence in the patient and the practitioner is able to produce a precise digital impression of a patient’s mouth within minutes.

Impressions can be cleanly made using digital images. The images and data can be easily integrated and sent wirelessly to CAD/CAM systems, milling units and laboratories. The advanced intraoral scanning technique saves precious time communicating patient’s details and requirements to technicians and reduces the potential for human error.

As digital intraoral scanning has the potential to produce high quality, anatomically accurate images, the precision of the scans facilitates natural, functional restorations requiring fewer alterations and adjustments. Practitioners are even able to expand their digital technology with additional equipment and software to enable them to scan, design, model and mill restorations and crowns chair-side, if they wish. This choice provides maximum flexibility to the practitioner. Due to the accuracy of the scanning techniques, a considerable amount of time can be saved at the fitting stage reducing the overall treatment time.

The CS 3500 intraoral scanner from Carestream Dental provides practitioners with the ability to obtain 2D and 3D detailed images and precise colour matching. The handpiece can be angled up to 45 degrees and is able to scan to a depth range from -2mm to +13mm. It also incorporates an innovative light guidance system designed to optimise image and data capture while enabling the dental professional to concentrate on the patient rather than watching a monitor. The CS 3500 is fully portable; it does not require an external heater, powder, liquids or trolley system and can be plugged into any workstation using a USB cable. These features streamline the scanning process, saving time and providing an improved treatment experience to patients.

Fast results without errors keep patients happy and confident in their dental service. Many individuals are nervous or simply find it difficult to allow the time to attend multiple appointments. The potential for a reduction in treatment time is an extremely valuable asset, and patients cannot help being impressed and pleased with the care they receive. Confidence in their dentist grows, and satisfied patients means that dentists can enjoy the benefits of return visits, recommendations and increased referrals. Furthermore when procedures are time effective and accurate, a growth in business strength follows naturally.

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

The success of your practice can be measured in many different ways – by your patients’ satisfaction, the number of new patients you acquire each month, your annual turnover or the happiness of your staff. In most cases it is likely to be combination of these aspects and more, together demonstrating the overall growth of your business.

Developing relationships

As important as it is to remain abreast with the latest developments in the industry, source the most effective equipment and ensure staff training is up-to-date, it is also crucial to build and maintain effective relationships with your patients.

From the moment someone first shows interest in your practice or a service you provide, right up until they have been with you for 30, 40 years and beyond, the relationship you share with them is integral to your business’ success. After all, it is not simply about getting new patients through the door (which is of course essential), it’s about giving them a reason to keep coming back.

This is demonstrated perfectly by the concept of lifecycle marketing. Tried and tested for small businesses in several different industries, this concept establishes seven steps for effective marketing:

1. Attract strangers,
2. Capture leads,
3. Nurture prospects,
4. Convert sales,
5. Deliver and satisfy,
6. Up-sell and
7. Generate referrals.

As mentioned, step 1 is important to drive new people into the practice, and these leads then need to be captured by encouraging them to visit the website or even the practice.

The area most often neglected by practices when it comes to their marketing strategies, is step 3 – nurturing prospects.

In order for patients to accept treatment, they need to have trust and confidence in your practice and the skills of your staff. This is relevant both with new patients and existing, and on-going communication is important to help build that rapport.

For example, some people may not require dental treatment for another couple of years, but by keeping them informed of the services you offer and the benefits available to them, they are more likely to visit you when that time comes. Similarly, patients who have been visiting your practice for years, experiencing a divorce, a birthday or the end of a child’s education fees, they may reach a position where they can enhance their appearance or undergo the dental treatment they have wanted for a while.

Once these relationships have been established and nurtured, the following few steps of the lifecycle fall into place much easier. Assuming that the patient is satisfied with the outcome of their treatment, they are likely to consider further procedures and recommend you to family and friends.

The cost of effective marketing

It is widely accepted that around 5% of your gross revenue should be spent on step 1 of lifecycle marketing. Whether you use newspaper adverts, A-boards or post leaflets through doors, it is important to raise awareness of your business in the local and wider area.

Once you have built up a database of potential patients (this can include existing patients who visit regularly for routine dentistry), money then needs to be spent on maintaining those relationships. Keeping these people informed of new treatments, services and special offers through direct mail or newsletters can however require a lot of time, money and effort.

Making life easier

Instead of compromising on the quality or regularity of marketing material sent out, there are ways you can make the process a whole lot more efficient and cost-effective. Companies such as Infusionsoft provide the perfect opportunity for you to prepare and initiate a long-term effective marketing strategy, without the associated costs and time. Through effective planning, proper structure and a tracking system to measure return on investment, it offers all the tools small businesses need to attract new patients, automate marketing and grow sales.

In view of the recent partnership between Infusionsoft and 7connections, together they can help you organise, implement and analyse your marketing strategy for maximum success in the dental industry.  They can help you sustain and develop patient relationships that maximise on your marketing, by utilising the power of a specialist service that saves you precious time and money.

Looking to the future

By truly nurturing your patient relationships, you can help build a sound foundation for the future of your business. A proven and cost-effective lifecycle marketing strategy will ensure you make the very most of your investment and encourage the long-term success you seek. What are you waiting for?

For more information about 7connections or the new partnership with Infusionsoft, call 01647 478145 or email pThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Alternatively, please visit the brand new website www.7connections.com.

A dazzling smile does not merely indicate healthy teeth and gums; your dental health also plays a significant role in how confident you feel. If you are self-conscious about your smile, you will not feel good about interacting with other people. When your teeth look white and healthy, you can relax, be in the moment and laugh. It is widely acknowledged that changing your expression to a smile or mimicking another’s smile can cause involuntary biological changes[1]; a smile can lower blood pressure, release endorphins, increase serotonin and reduce stress¹. Smiling boosts your mood and has a contagious effect; others are likely to smile back and become more drawn to you, thereby increasing your confidence and happiness even more.

Various research projects have shown that people who smile more often have a far more positive effect on their environment, and are much better received by others[2]. A radiant smile tells people that you are happy to be in their presence, indicating that you are sociable, trustworthy and intelligent.

People who avoid smiling usually do so because they are unhappy with the appearance of their teeth. They invariably stop smiling or assume a closed-lip grin, which at best is perceived as awkward, or at worst as not genuine.

Teeth can become discoloured by stains on the surface or by changes in the tooth material. Of course, extrinsic discolouration occurs when the enamel is stained, often caused by drinks such as tea, coffee and red wine, foods that contain strong colours and smoking. Intrinsic discolouration arises when the dentin darkens or adopts a yellow tint. Contributory factors include too much exposure to fluoride during early childhood or experiencing a trauma in a permanent tooth whereby internal bleeding resulted in tooth discolouration. Age-related discolouration is a combination of both extrinsic and intrinsic factors, as dentin naturally yellows over time.

Many extrinsic stains caused by food and drink can be removed by regular professional cleanings and good home care, which includes brushing, flossing and rinsing after meals.

Tooth whitening can be a very effective way of lightening the natural colour of the teeth without removing the enamel or damaging it.

In Europe, only a qualified dental practitioner can legally carry out tooth whitening.  New EU guidelines introduced in October 2012 state that only qualified dental practitioners can buy whitening products containing or releasing up to 6% hydrogen peroxide. These regulations are in place to protect the patient. They ensure that anyone carrying out whitening has the correct skill and knowledge to execute the procedure without risking permanent damage to the teeth and gums.

It is the dentist’s responsibility to first assess whether tooth whitening is suitable for the patient and then to outlay the suitable options. Not to be recommended are the often cheaper, over-the-counter home kits, which are not always tested for safety and can potentially damage patients’ teeth and gums. Regulations differ between countries; while kits sold in Europe cannot legally contain more than 0.1% peroxide, which is too little to be effective, in other countries, stronger peroxide is allowed. Products sold over the internet may contain damaging acids and abrasives, which can attack tooth enamel.[3]

Many people turn to unregulated methods as they regard dental costs as prohibitive. In the past, it was possible to choose from only a limited selection of products. However, there are now many different options available, making teeth whitening more accessible and affordable than ever.

Professional teeth whitening options available include teeth whitening trays, gels and strips. Common in most dental practices, tray whitening offers patients a brighter, whiter smile and improved appearance with no side effects. Initially a customised whitening tray, similar to a gum shield is made. This is then taken home and used in conjunction with a bleaching gel. The gel is regularly applied over two to four weeks and worn for between 30 minutes to an hour.

Likewise, teeth whitening strips are a great choice to offer patients. Representing the latest innovation in whitening technology, Professional Whitening Strips from WhiteWash Laboratories contain the optimum amount of whitening gel to simply, safely and effectively whiten patients’ teeth. With a unique and gentle mint-flavoured whitening formula and slow release ingredients, the cost-effective and comfortable strips provide reason enough for a more radiant and whiter smile within only 14 days!

In addition, products that can maintain healthy teeth and enhance their appearance are of paramount importance when encouraging patients to sustain an effective oral hygiene routine. The WhiteWash Laboratories range of oral care products includes brushes with ergonomically contoured handles to fit the shape of the hand and fluoride toothpaste that can help to remove surface stains and restore teeth back to their natural whiteness.

Advocating a good oral hygiene regime will reap long-lasting benefits for your patients, promoting strong teeth and gums and keeping teeth whiter for longer. With newfound confidence on board, a sense of ease will prevail, mental well-being will improve and relationships will flourish. And that is definitely something to smile about!

For more information call 0844 68 69 150, email

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.whitewashlaboratories.com

How To Grow Your NHS Dental Practice

I wrote part one of How To Grow Your NHS Dental Practice a few weeks ago, the reason that there has been a little delay is that I have been putting into place a new product to help solve this problem.

So let's have a look at the issues for most NHS dental practices. Unless you can get the local PCT to give you some more UDA's you simply can't grow your NHS dental practice revenues and because staff costs, and inflation continue to grow this in effect means your revenues fall every year.

Add to that the growing uncertainty about the new contract, it puts practices that are wholly or mainly dependent on an NHS contract in a difficult position.

So what is the solution? Well of course there really only is one solution to grow your NHS dental practice and that is to sell private treatment, which I assume doesn't come as any surprise whatsoever, in fact it is blindingly obvious.

But here's the catch, just how do you grow your NHS dental practice with private work, because there are some very difficult obstacles to overcome when trying to sell private treatment when you depend on your NHS patients and that contract.

Let me put one myth to bed straight away, it doesn't matter where your practice is or what the demographics are, there are people out there who will find the money for private treatment, however deprived your area is, please believe me on this one. despite what your associates may tell you.

However there is one practical problem to growing your NHS dental practice you will have to overcome and that is this. Can you actually deliver the private treatment e.g. straightening, whitening, implants, smile makeovers. If you can't deliver then you need to find a way to do this. But I am going to assume that you can deliver private treatment in some form or other.

So we know what the problems of how to grow your NHS dental practice are, how are you going to overcome them. The biggest problem you have to solve is letting your patients know what you can offer them.

If you take nothing else from this article remember this statement... It is not your patients job to find out what you can do for them. It is your job to tell them what you can do for them!!!

So how are you going to sell private treatment, let's just remind ourselves of the issues again:

1. You don't have time to discuss with your patients the various private options you offer.
2. Your patients subsequently don't know what you do.
3. There is now an information block, your patients don't know what you can do for them and you don't have time to tell them.

It's not often I plug my products or services in these blogs but I now have the perfect solution, it is our  "Reception Information Centre", this comprises of three elements.

1. The first is a bespoke video which will run on your TV from a DVD, computer, iPad, YouTube etc. etc. It tells your patients exactly what you can offer them in a 5-10 minute video. This video can either be an animated type of video or a professionally shot video where we bring in a film crew, not only can it run in reception but also on your website, via email or on a tablet.
2. The second element is a practice brochure which matches the video EXACTLY it is designed specifically for your patients to take away and remind them exactly what they saw when they were waiting to see you.
3. The third element are pull up exhibition stands which will have the bullet points of what you can offer and again matches exactly the style of the video and the brochure. It will guide them to watch the TV and pick up a brochure.

In order to grow your NHS Dental Practice you need time to tell your story and you simply don't have it in an NHS practice so this system does exactly that for you, it will encourage your patients to ask what you can do because they are now informed, even asking for a white filling rather than a standard one. All the above is bespoke to you with your logo, colours and even YOU in it. It is the perfect solution to the age long problem of how do you sell private treatment to NHS patients.

I will have examples of the above in a couple of weeks with pricing to match.

There are other options for informing your patients what you can do and I'll cover these in a couple of weeks, but they all involve much more expense and time and effort on your part.

So if you would like more information on the "Reception Information Centre" or how to grow your NHS dental practice or any other dental marketing issues, call me on 01767626398 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

Whether it is an idea or a plant, when something takes root, it hopefully grows and develops. If all goes well, a healthy future can lie ahead, but if damage occurs, the outcome may be disappointing or worse. Because roots are often invisible, problems can lie hidden and cause difficulties.

When it comes to teeth, endodontics involves the treatment of root canal problems, while periodontics deals with the “prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of teeth”.[i]

Although periodontal disease attacks the gingiva, it has additional, sinister potential. The relationship between periodontitis and endodontitis has been described as a continuum i.e. “a continuous sequence in which adjacent elements are not perceptibly different from each other, but the extremes are quite distinct”[ii] and this aspect was considered in a review of 2008.[iii] This inter-relationship has “aroused much speculation, confusion and controversy” and the review looked at various aspects, including the cause and development of perio-endo lesions. In respect of periodontal lesions on pulp, the review notes that while factors relating to the evolution of these lesions can vary “it is widely accepted that microbial agents are the main cause”.  In relation to the transmission of disease between pulpal and periodontal tissue, it also observes that there are studies that showed “microbiological similarities between infected root canals and advanced periodontitis”.

Where there has been root canal surgery, periodontal disease may go ‘underground’ in the form of apical periodontitis. In a French study of 1035 root-canal treated teeth, apical periodontitis was found in 33% of the treated teeth, with only 19% of the teeth found as receiving ‘adequate endodontic treatment’.[iv] The relationship between the quality of root canal treatment and the prevalence of apical periodontitis was also considered in a Palestinian study where 15.1% of teeth examined “had radiographic signs of apical periodontitis”.[v]

With regard to treatment when apical periodontitis has occurred, the Quality Guidelines of the European Society of Endodontology[vi] note that “treatment is aimed at restoring the periradicular tissues to health: this is usually carried out by root canal treatment”.

The treatment of periodontal disease is very important, particularly bearing in mind the observations of the 2008 review.[vii] Treatment depends upon the disease type and “no single treatment approach can provide the only means of any one or all periodontal diseases”,[viii] with different treatments being appropriate for different sites including good oral hygiene, antibiotics, and/or root planing and scaling. However, given that microbial agents can play a part in the evolution of perio-endodontic lesions, combating these agents is important, and scaling and planing may not necessarily be adequate.

An adjunctive treatment may also be needed, with the use of antibiotics as one possibility. However, given the clear links found between widespread use of antibiotics and the selection of resistant organisms, a better adjunctive treatment for periodontal pockets of 5mm or more may be a PerioChip®. Once inserted into the pocket, the wafer thin gelatin chip immediately releases a high local concentration of chlorhexidine diglucontate, continuing as it biodegrades over approximately a seven-day period and suppressing bacterial flora for up to 11 weeks.[ix] The process should be repeated at three monthly intervals if the pocket remains larger than 5mm as part of an ongoing periodontal treatment programme.

As the British Endodontic Society observe, “Endodontic treatment saves teeth that would otherwise need to be extracted”.[x] Ensuring good periodontal health can help to play a part in this and other treatments.

For more information or to contact the team behind PerioChip®, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0800 013 2333

DPD/14/0021

Location, location, location?

Martyn Bradshaw explains why location is important but not everything when it comes to practice values

Our national press love a headline quoting a statistic on the average house price or the average wage. Statistics containing an ‘average’ often make a good story because they divide opinion. However, some should be treated with caution.

Practice values are often subject to similar treatment and while surveys might contain some useful guidelines on the general state of the market, they often fail to uncover the finer points of valuing the goodwill of your dental practice.

There is no doubt that there is a significant variance in the values of practices in the south east of England, the major English cities and more remote locations. The same can be said of Scotland, with practices commanding higher prices if they are in or close to Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen.

Price hotspots

Hotspots by location tend to be town centres/highly populated areas. This is simply because these areas enjoy a higher concentration of dentists seeking to buy a practice. In these locations the majority of sales are likely to be to dentists wanting to be ‘owner occupiers’ as they are the largest group of interested buyers. Typically these hotspots are (but not restricted to):

• Within the M25, Birmingham and other Midlands cities, Manchester and the north west cities, Bristol, Newcastle and cities in west and south Yorkshire.
• Likewise, the major Scottish cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen will command higher prices than the less populated areas of Scotland. Interestingly, Scottish practices often enjoy interest from buyers across the UK, largely due to the (non-contract based) nature of NHS income.

When hotspots are less important

Body corporates are as active as ever and are seeking to purchase across the country. Do they pay different values dependent on the areas? Not generally. Their assessment of goodwill value relies on the ‘super profit’ that the practice generates (a multiple of the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation – known as EBITDA). This calculates a value, regardless of where the practice is.

It would be wrong to say that location doesn’t influence the price a corporate will pay for your practice. Location becomes important if a corporate has a foothold in a particular area. Running a group of practices in proximity will bring economies of scale, which is a key mantra to the investors behind corporate dentistry. Therefore, the location factor on price in this case is more regional than national.

What impacts on price other than location?

Obviously, the location of a practice isn’t something practice owners can change so if yours is not in a price hotspot, what can you do to increase its value? Most patients will come from the locality – which can sometimes be quite a small area depending on the transport infrastructure and other factors. There are exceptions, but few general dentistry practices find it possible, despite good marketing campaigns, to broaden the area from which patients attend. Offering specialised services (cosmetic dentistry being an obvious one) can, however, be effective in drawing patients from further afield.

The biggest single factor affecting values is probably the basis of the treatment provided. Some practices sell for significantly over the asking price due to the high volume of offers at the closing date for sealed bids. These tend to be NHS practices. The banks see strength in an NHS income stream and will lend readily as such, hence the high number of finance-ready buyers available. An NHS practice in a northern city or even a more remote location is very likely to command a higher price than a private practice in the south east.

While private practice values may be enjoying a value resurgence due to the improving economy, buyers are more likely to pay 'top dollar' for those practices where capitation scheme income is greater than Fee Per Item income. Again, banks are more comfortable lending on this proposition as they perceive the income stream to be more secure.

Turnover is vanity, profit is what matters

To understand how we might break a value assessment down even further, let’s consider two similarly-equipped NHS practices with the same turnover, in the same city, in the same street. One has a consistently higher level of profit than the other due to lower staffing costs or better cost control. I know which would command the higher price.

Martyn Bradshaw is a practice valuer and sales agent with PFM Dental. For further information on PFM Dental visit pfmdental.co.uk

Cometh the hour, cometh the man?

That phrase may be a cliche but where does the profession go from here? We have seen careful reaction in the form of a press release from GDC defending themselves against criticism, showing they are not totally thick skinned.

There has been action on all the UK dental websites, GDPUK has been busier then ever, and response to GDPUK on Twitter has increased by 1061% within the last week.

Vereen Gupta's petition has over 11,500 signatures at the time of writing 

Prem Pal Sehmi's Facebook group has over 4000 likes, and many more are now "liking" the GDC's Facebook page. there must be several more strings of anger, please let me know and I'll add them to this blog.

GDPUK forum has several threads ongoing on this topic, with over thousands of readers and over 350 dentists posting.

But . . . . I think the binding together of all the strings of anger into a rope of action is where the profession is still lacking leadership. We need a person or a body to emerge which has great respect on all sides, and there needs to be practical leadership, not pie in the sky. This leadership has to take on the GDC, warn them or provide proof which makes the PSA or DH take serious action to regulate this out of control regulator.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man?

This June, A-dec launched their first Scottish showroom in Livingston, West Lothian. It was officially opened by A-dec Vice President of International Sales, Wayne Aho. This new venue, just off Junction 3 of M8 and 15 minutes drive from Edinburgh Airport gives dental professionals in and around Scotland the chance to experience the right equipment package for them, in a convenient location.

This new addition joins the three industry leading A-dec showrooms located across the UK in Surrey, Warwickshire and Manchester. Each of the experience centres contain a comprehensive range of chair packages enabling the dental team to find a solution that works for them. Appointments to view are entirely at their convenience and individual or team member visits can be offered in the private, modern and relaxing showroom environments.

Why choose A-dec?

The A-dec Livingston showroom also offers a unique training venue for those looking to host dental courses in a dental environment. Whether it’s a practical hands-on course or traditional lecture it is the perfect venue to host dental courses. It includes lecture style seating which comfortably seats 35 delegates, six fully loaded A-dec dental chairs for hands on practical sessions, free WiFi and AV facilities. There is even a fully functioning chair including air, water and vacuum where live dentistry can take place under the camera for the delegates to watch from their seats.

A-dec are thrilled to have opened a new showroom in Scotland. Wayne Aho, Vice President of International Sales at A-dec Inc officially opened the venue to A-dec authorised dealers, trade partners and the dental press telling the audience, “The UK & Ireland is an important market globally for A-dec and we are delighted to offer a showroom and education centre in Scotland. This is not just an A-dec showroom. It is a showroom for our authorised dealers, trade partners and customers to utilise.”

Contact us on 0800 233 285 for email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Simon Reynolds, Commercial Director of Patient Plan Direct, highlights recent activities and trends amongst dental plan providers, which provides some interesting food for thought.

The dental plan market has become more competitive in recent years as new plan providers have come to market (including Patient Plan Direct over five years ago now), and each provider looks to differentiate themselves, create a competitive edge, retain business and put their own slant on enabling practices to administer a dental plan for patients.

Furthermore, factors such as the imminent NHS changes, challenges associated with profitability, changes in practice purchase and sales, as well as the importance of cost analysis in the sector have all impacted on whether, and how, practices opt to administer a dental plan for patients.

All this activity has sparked certain changes and movements in the plan market, some of which Simon explores below.

Plan providers are reducing their fees to retain business

“It’s no secret that Patient Plan Direct is a price-led proposition. Our competitive fee structure is significantly less costly than other plan providers and practices look to transfer the administration of their dental plan to us from other providers to make significant cost savings, whilst still benefiting from a great service,” explains Simon.

“More and more often I come across scenarios where, after a practice informs their existing plan provider that they intend to transfer to Patient Plan Direct, a new “special deal” is quickly fabricated by the practice’s existing plan provider in a desperate attempt to retain the practice’s custom. These deals usually take the form of significant fee reductions representing huge cost savings.”

“This begs the question as to what value these plan providers place on their service and why the threat of transferring should be the catalyst that warrants sudden special attention or significant fee reductions? Why should only practices looking to move away benefit from a “special deal”, and why has the practice had to pay the higher fees until now?”

Simon goes on to explain: “These deals have been offered on numerous occasions from many of the major plan providers. I would encourage any practice that administers its dental plan through a plan provider to ask for a fee reduction or “special deal” that other practices have been receiving. Why should your practice pay more whilst it remains loyal? Alternatively, you could explore Patient Plan Direct’s transparent and honest approach to administering your practice’s dental plan.”

The Hoover versus the vacuum cleaner

“Some plan providers profess that patients ask specifically for their plan brand, but do they really, or do they simply ask for the brand that they associate with the service they require and the benefits of the service concept?” asks Simon.

Simon goes on to say, “This weekend you may decide to “Hoover” your living room and use a vacuum cleaner to get the job done. Whilst you may refer to vacuuming your living room as “Hoovering”, you are simply referring to the common brand associated with the functionality you require. It is, in fact, vacuum technology that you require. The particular brand, “Hoover” or the term “Hoovering”, has nothing to do with your core requirement. Moreover, the brand “Hoover” may not necessarily be the best brand to meet this requirement.

“Relating this to dental plans, if a patient asks for a specific plan brand, they are more than likely looking to take advantage of  the core principles and benefits of a dental plan rather than anything associated with a third party brand that has no impact on the actual dentistry delivered. Don’t assume you need to pay inflated fees to offer a particular plan brand and promote a third party brand. It is the core principles of a dental plan a patient desires, not a particular plan brand.”

Transferring provider to increase value

Finally, Simon explains why some practices opt to transfer plan provider in order to achieve a greater practice valuation. “It is common knowledge that a practice with a capitation or maintenance plan in place generally achieves a greater valuation than a fee-per-item private practice. Why? Because the reassurance of recurring income provides both lenders and potential buyers with greater confidence of the businesses’ long-term sustainability.”

“If there is a way of making the practice’s dental plan more profitable then this further increases the practice’s value. Take, for example, a practice with 600–1,000 patients on plan. By transferring the administration of its dental plan to Patient Plan Direct from one of the major plan providers, this practice would stand to save between £4,500 and £15,000 per annum which directly increases the bottom line.”

“Using the EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) valuation method, a practice’s profit is generally multiplied by four or five times. Therefore, a cost saving and representative increase in profitability of £4,500 to £15,000 can increase the value of a practice by £22,500 to £75,000. No wonder dentists are exploring plan provider transfers as part of their exit and retirement strategy.”

Simon Reynolds is the commercial director of Patient Plan Direct, the UK’s fastest growing dental plan provider. To discover an approach to dental plans that makes sense and cuts costs contact Patient Plan Direct.

Tel: 0844 848 6888

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

Mob: 0754 070 6323

Visit: www.patientplandirect.co.uk

Grateful thanks

Like many I am grateful for the services of the GDC. I pay the ARF secure in the knowledge that my patients are safe and the money well spent.

Presently though I feel I have more to thank them for than usual.  I hope my readers understand irony ...

Professional disunity?

Just when the state of the dental profession cannot look more perverse, the GDC have achieved something that the last 8 years of the DH and their man at the helm of the 2006 UDA disaster has failed to cause.

Numerous LDC Conferences calling for this and calling for that – the ever calm and serene profession of dentistry has just adapted and carried on.

Implosion at the BDA and barely an extra glass of claret was supped at the ripples on the water of our profession as calm discussion took place about politics.

A raft of daft changes came along such as the UDA system, the HTM document, the OFT report you all now the form – and we ranted for a few months but quietly took another blow to the body, absorbed the costs and “moved on”.

The public acknowledgement that the Contract Pilots have been a sham and that any changes to come will be merely prototype in nature and at least 2 years down the line.  Dentists have had a bit of a cough to their colleagues and carry on, “being busy”.

The dreadful farce of Foundation Dentists lacking places allied to their debt and many were heard to comment widely and indeed care deeply, but the rump of the profession have likely returned to their skate-like lying on the bottom.  “They’ll get by” we all thought. “Wouldn’t recommend it to my chidren” we muttered. Next please.

The CQC came over the horizon brandishing a large bill and a lot of empty folders and by and large we have paid the charge and filled the folders, only to carry as before doing what we do – meeting, greeting, interacting with & treating patients with their range of ailments and fears.

Incoming, incoming ...

But the GDC, in their proposed hike of the ARF to £945, allied to a comical  consultation so pre-determined as to be reminiscent of a past communist regime have caused the profession to both awaken and threaten to unite in a way never seen before.

Just when it was looking very interesting, the satellite of the GDC, the Dental Complaints Service fire their own salvo at the profession. The DCS may be “at arm’s length” and independent or so they claim – but they are wholly funded by the GDC, ergo our ARF’s – so how independent they are is, shall we say, somewhat debatable.

What effect was intended, I wonder when the DCS took a full page advert in the weekend colour magazine of the Daily Telegraph claiming to act on anything less than COMPLETE satisfaction for every patient.

I have a three letter acronym of my own - FFS!!

Professional unity?

Never in 35 years have I seen such united sentiment and anger, perhaps however more importantly associated with individual response and action. The electrons are red hot with e-mails, complaints and letters to MP’s and these bodies.  How ironic that when a patient complains about us, we are always assumed to be in the wrong. When we complain about these bodies, they are always correct and indeed learning. Is it just me? 

So, what now?

Well this is an unprecedented time, and it will call for unprecedented action.

Perhaps a mass sentiment requires a big organisation to coordinate a big response. There seems to be a widespread sentiment that the GDC has lost completely any confidence it may have had with the profession. Of course they will blandly point to some piece of biased research they did to show how well regarded they are. 

They may not realise but the rules have changed and the gloves are off. Big boys games demand big boys rules. And it is the GDC and the DCS who started this.

Who will rid us of this poison organisation, who will deal it a fatal blow, for it is a big monster and well protected by the armour of politics?

We must thank the GDC & DCS – the profession appears to have finally awoken, and if I am not mistaken, this time it is getting to its feet.

Interesting times with a little smoke of excitement.  Who will wager what we see next? I won’t!!

Have a good week, worker bees. Tootle pip.

 

Dr. James Shorrock BDS runs a successful, 4-surgery private practice in Spalding, Lincolnshire. After working with loupes for years and finding them indispensable he invested in a Carl Zeiss OPMI Pico Dental Microscope.  (The following is an extract from the unsolicited testimonial he provided to Nuview, the full version is published on their website)

Whilst attending an endodontic course a fellow delegate enthusing about microscopes inspired me to investigate the use of a dental microscope myself. After much research I concluded that the Carl Zeiss OPMI Pico Dental offered the optimum ergonomics, durability and performance for my busy practice. This system features a MORAswing mechanism to allow effortless scanning across the mouth at the touch of a finger, and a ‘varioscope’ focusing system that hugely facilitates patient positioning and considerably improves depth of field.

I met Steve Clapman of Nuview, the exclusive UK distributor of Carl Zeiss visualisation systems, at a professional event and he agreed to visit my practice and discuss my requirements. His knowledge and professionalism led me through the options, and I was impressed by his honesty, guiding me away from certain expensive features as they would be unlikely to deliver value for money in my specific circumstances. 

All Carl Zeiss Dental Microscopes are custom built, and pending delivery Nuview invited me to attend the annual 2-day symposium, held in London. As well as international speakers, there were hands-on sessions involving demonstrations of microsurgical techniques and many experts in the field to answer questions.

Steve eventually delivered the microscope and spent several hours instructing me on setup, correct posture and showing me the controls. These were very intuitive, and I was excited to get going. I was determined to fully exploit my investment and not just use it for the occasional tricky endo or crown preparation. I started with checkups the following morning.

Looking ‘forward’ and working ‘down’ was a little alien at first, but the advantages were immediately obvious. Even with only a 4-6x magnification the excellent axial illumination and perfect optics showed the slightest differences in enamel translucency, early subsurface demineralisation and even interproximal caries, while filling defects, failing crown margins and fine cracks literally jump out at you.

The perio probe graduations are easily readable, soft tissue variations are instantly evident and anything of interest can be quickly snapped with the attached SLR, to be shown to the patient, filed for later reference, or printed to accompany a referral.   

The improvement in my posture and comfort was immediate and noticeable, although I would personally recommend the addition of a Support Stool with separate articulated armrests from BQE; 9-10 hour days now cease to be a problem!

After 2-3 days we began simple treatments, descaling and fissure sealing etc, using the microscope at around 4x so generally the whole mouth is visible as with medium powered loupes. Instrument location can initially be difficult, but I found that a sweep in of the hands close under the scope before dropping down into the mouth works well.  It took a week to develop the confidence to use a handpiece under scoped vision, but the advantages were instantly evident. You can see exactly what you are doing.

Using 6-10x magnification, the mind quickly focuses on the task in hand, you soon forget about the decreased field size. Every procedure is enhanced; for example, the very apparent fine differences in shade & translucency reduce the need to double check with a probe whether dentine is sound or carious. Damage to adjacent teeth is easily avoided as the marginal ridge appears like a cliff face next to your class 2 preparation, and a further advantage is the easy visualisation of any incipient defects in the adjacent teeth. Regularly using the scope for full crown preparations took around 2-3 months, but after completing half a dozen you soon miss10-16x magnification!   As a simple reference, at 4x you can see the whole mouth, 6x a quadrant, 10x 2-3teeth, 16x a single tooth, 20x a single canal orifice. 

Dental microscopes have traditionally been associated with endodontic procedures, and I now understand why. Pursuing my own interest in endodontics, I always strived to find the MB2 in upper molars and was probably successful using loupes about 20-30% of the time, but with the microscope this leapt immediately to more often than not.  It’s hard to overstate the difference good lighting and higher magnification make to both pre-treatment diagnosis and the potential quality of the actual outcome. Since acquiring the microscope I revisited several previous problem cases, using 16x magnification, it’s been possible to identify and remedy causes that had remained hidden even after apparently flawless x-rays and repeated attempts at correction. I have heard said on several courses – if you can see it you can do it, with a scope you can see and do a whole lot more.

After 4 months I use my microscope 75% of the time, although obviously there are occasions when the ‘macro’ picture is more relevant.  Although initially learning to work with the scope somewhat slowed me down, I am now back up to 95% of my original throughput and am confident that the overall quality of my work is considerably higher. It has been possible to undertake more complex procedures with confidence without the need to invest in additional instruments or attend lots of additional specialist courses.

In spite of the capital cost, I can heartily recommend the investment as a sound career move to any dentist who takes pride in their work, likes to be comfortable during their working day and puts quality patient care first.

I would be happy to discuss how to integrate a microscope into your daily practice and am easily contactable at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 

For more information please call Nuview on 01453 872266,

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

Promtemp Crown from 3M ESPE – “It just makes perfect sense”

Dr Anoup Nandra from Edgbaston Dental Care in Birmingham has been impressed with Protemp Crown temporary material from 3M ESPE for many years.

“I first came across the material seven or eight years ago – few seemed to know about it at that time but it certainly had a ‘wow’ factor and I thought it was a great product.

“I have been using Protemp Crown routinely for the last two years now and I like everything about it – it just makes perfect sense. I am able to choose a pre-made crown that not only looks good but that also fits well. It is easy to use, easy to manipulate, the occlusion is always good because the patient’s mouth is used to help achieve good positioning: it just works exactly as it is designed to do so.

“Other temporary restoration techniques can be fiddly, messy and much more time-consuming. Protemp Crown material requires little time to place, offers really good aesthetics and it is long lasting– it is like a permanent crown. If circumstances require a patient to keep a temporary crown in place for some time, this is the perfect indication for this material – I am very confident leaving this in place, a lot more so than I would be with a normal chairside created temporary restoration.

“As a result, I already routinely recommend Protemp Crown to other practitioners.”

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

On Friday 20^th June, Sparkle Dental Labs welcomed a selection of esteemed professionals to its remarkable premises in Leeds. The event presented a fantastic opportunity to celebrate both the company’s first year of business as well as its successful drive for dental technician apprenticeships.

MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, was in attendance and commented:

“Apprenticeships are one of the most important parts of education in Britain…I believe few sectors will however create as much excitement and as much drive as the dental laboratory industry has, and for that I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”

Delroy Beverley, Chairman of The National Apprenticeship Ambassadors Task Force for Yorkshire and Humberside, offered high praise for Owner of Sparkle Dental Labs, Mustafa Mohammed:

“Crucially, Mustafa has recognised the need to do something… Asking for no personal accolade, he has nurtured this idea and is dedicated to providing a blueprint that shows the Government and other businesses alike, that you really can ‘practice what you preach’. Sparkle Dental Labs is a great example of just this.”

To find out more about the laboratory, or about how you can get involved with the apprenticeship scheme, contact the dedicated team today.

For any additional information from the National Apprenticeship Service, please visit www.apprenticeship.org.uk.

For more details about Sparkle dental Labs, please call 0800 138 6255, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit:

www.sparkledentallabs.com

Friday 13^th June saw the coming together of the great and the good in dentistry for the launch of Barker PR at the Cinnamon Club in Westminster.

Formerly known as GG Communications (GGC), Barker PR was launched last week to focus on its core business: PR and communications in the dental industry.

Gemma Barker, Managing Director, said: "This launch was to celebrate our last six years in dentistry and to mark the start of a new and exciting era as Barker PR.

“We feel passionately about our industry and work hard to create content for our clients’ brands that the dental profession is genuinely interested in and can connect with.”

The team at Barker PR shares a strong vision to impact the public perception of dentistry and is proud to make that difference through the many communications they write and distribute for their clients.

Barker PR’s perfectly formed team of passionate and experienced writers, marketers and dental journalists look forward to making an even greater impact in the dental industry in the years ahead.

For more information, please visit www.BarkerPR.com or email the team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PFM Dental and Patient Plan Direct, proud sponsors of GDPUK, have come together to create a new blog area on GDPUK: Professional Services for Dentists

The area will provide expert opinion and advice in key areas relating to professional services within dentistry including:  Practice valuations, Business management and operations, Financial, Accountancy and Legal. Guest bloggers are experts in their field with one thing in common – they all work exclusively with dentists. The blog represents an excellent all-you-need-to-know source to keep you ahead of the field in non-clinical matters.

PFM Dental are one of the leading specialists providers to dentists within the UK providing: a dental sales agency, practice valuations, independent financial advice and chartered accountancy services.

Patient Plan Direct is the fastest growing, most cost effective and flexible plan provider in the market - Experts in plan launches and plan transfers.

Social Media outpouring from UK dentists, against GDC ARF rise, July 2014.

Since news emerged at the very end of June that the General Dental Council [GDC]  was planning to raise its annual retention fee [ARF] from £576 to £945 per year for all dentists in the United Kingdom.  This coincided with an announcement of a consultation on the matter of this fee, yet the fait accompli of the rise proposed was publicised.

GDC maintains a register of all dentists working in the UK, and it remains illegal to practice any form of dentistry without this registration. This monopoly held by the dental profession is there to protect the public from imposters, and despite this serious registration process there are always queues of impending prosecutions of people who feel they can practice forms of dentistry without a degree, training, nor the proper registration and indemnity cover.

Dentists are livid and united about this unprecedented rise in costs by an increasingly out of touch, unjust body.

It appears the large rise has been caused by the exponential increase in complaints against dentists administered by the GDC, a very stressful process for dentists who remain innocent until findings are proven. GDC accepts cases, investigates, and will proceed with a risk to the professional future of a dentist even if there is a single incident of complaint. This wall of actions has led to delays and blockages in the GDC processes, something dentists are finding unacceptable, and this is one of the factors behind the social media congregations in the last 48 hours.

GDPUK has had a large rise in visitors, one thread on the topic has had over 90 replies from dentists within 36 hours of the first posting on the topic. Twitter has been ablaze, and on Facebook, one page, The Project, in which dentist Prem-Pal Sehmi has commenced a campaign for colleagues to pay £576 when the ARF becomes due next December has attracted more than 2400 colleagues on Facebook, also within a very short time frame. [At the time of writing]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE_Project/1378516855727456

On twitter this image shows the sort of exchange progressing. The profession is like a bear which has been poked in the eye too many times, says Eddie Crouch of the BDA PEC and Birmingham LDC.

On the Government’s e-petitions page, Dr Vereen Gupta commenced a petition on the matter, and within 24 hours, this has over 5,500 signatories.

https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/66982

Statistics emerging on GDPUK show that the anger is derived from this rise in Fitness to Practice [FtP] cases, which GDC figures state are stand at 3,700 presently. There are around 24,000 dentists in general practice now, so almost 15% have a case against them. Foir na serious and learned profession, this alone shows the system is very wrong.

The Professional Standards Authority, which oversees the GDC, has reported its grave concerns with the running and governance of GDC, which seems to roll along, unfettered.

All the groups must unite and harness the energy being generated on this matter, so it is up to BDA, Facebook groups, GDPUK, Twitter devotees to keep up the pressure, ensure this campaign goes to the heart of its target.

Patient Plan Direct has appointed Bernard Danquah, a long standing and successful Business Consultant previously at Denplan, as their new Head Business Development Manager South.

Bernard’s appointment signifies Patient Plan Directs’ objective to further establish itself in the mature dental payment plan market as many dentists question the value provided by other plan providers.

Bernard has recently completed a MBA at Warwick University, one of the leading business schools in the UK, specifically researching marketing within dentistry.

Simon Reynolds, Commercial Director of Patient Plan Direct, commented: “The commercial acumen Bernard encompasses, nurtured from his experience within the industry and his strong academic background, fits with our developing business strategy of offering first-class support to dental practices to improve their profitability whilst sustaining our position as the most cost effective and flexible plan provider in the market.

“Bernard will be a key influence in the strategic direction of Patient Plan Direct and will represent an excellent source of support and guidance for the practices that choose to work with us, whether launching a plan for the first time or transferring from another plan provider. I’m looking forward to working alongside Bernard and the rest of our expanding team.”

Bernard added: “Patient Plan Direct is a forward thinking and vibrant organisation that is truly flexible, growing rapidly and has all its operations and processes aligned to help dentists save money and improve their business.  In a mature market where other plan providers seemingly increase their fees year on year in administering a practice’s capitation or maintenance plan, Patient Plan Direct has been able to offer a low cost, flexible and proven approach to administering a dental plan to suit any practices requirements.

“I believe Patient Plan Direct’s approach is one that fits with the needs of a modern dental practice. As the UK economy picks up so will the costs in running a dental practice and one place dentists can look to reduce their costs whilst increasing their margins is the administration fees of their payment plans.”

Patient Plan Direct is the fastest growing, most flexible and cost effective payment plan provider in the dental market.

For more information:

Call: 08448486888

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

Visit: www.patientplandirect.co.uk

From 1st July the biggest ever change to Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) takes effect with the introduction of NISAs (New ISAs).

As announced by Chancellor George Osborne in his March budget, NISAs are a single, simpler tax-free savings vehicle with no  confusing rules relating to the separation of cash and investment elements. Here are the main features of the NISA:

• £15,000 annual limit
• No limit on use of cash or investment elements up to £15,000 maximum
• Back and forth transfers allowed between cash and investment elements

Jon Drysdale of PFM Dental says: "Net returns on most cash savings accounts remain below the rate of inflation (1.4% May 2014). Although most commentators believe interest rates will rise in late 2014, or early 2015 the pace and scale of the increase isn’t likely to be swift or significant. This will probably leave savers frustrated and borrowers relieved."

Jon Drysdale is an independent financial adviser with PFM Dental. Visit pfmdental.co.uk for further information on saving and investments.

The value of your investment can go down as well as up. You may get back less than your original investment.

For more information contact pfmdental on 0845 241 4480 or visit www.pfmdental.co.uk

Learn the secrets to aesthetically-driven treatment planning with Ken Harris at this year’s BACD Annual Conference.

On Thursday 6^th November, Ken will lead a hands-on session on the Kois Dento-Facial Analyser, and will demonstrate how it can be used to direct aesthetically-driven treatment plans in even the most complex of cases.

Ken says: “As a practising cosmetic dentist the use of the Kois Dento-Facial Analyser has made communication with my laboratory so much easier and quicker, so I can make smiles my patients really like.”

As it stands Ken Harris is one of only two people in the UK to have been awarded BACD Fellowship – the highest accolade the academy can bestow.

So, don’t miss out on your chance to learn from one of the UK’s top cosmetic dentists – book your place today!

The BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference will take place on 6^th – 8^th November 2014 at the ACC in Liverpool.

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacdconference.co.uk

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed UK house price annual inflation has reached 9.9 per cent. The latest figures, released on 17^th June, also reveal that the rate of the increase to UK house prices is escalating month on month.

These are worrying times for all first-time buyers but particularly for dentists who qualify this year. They now need to find on average £196,000 to buy their first home, have the probability of an interest rate rise soon, are subject to a recent tightening of mortgage lending criteria, will already be burdened with student debt and, what's more, are not looked upon favourably by most high street mortgage lenders.

Natalie Williams, a specialist mortgage adviser with PFM Dental says: “Many dentists are leaving university with significant levels of student debt and at the same time are facing an increasingly challenging housing and mortgage market. All the indicators point to securing a house purchase as soon as possible. Most high street mortgage lenders won’t lend to self-employed dentists within three years of their leaving university so it is essential they get specialist mortgage advice in order to secure the necessary loans.”

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up with payments on a loan secured against it.

For more information contact pfmdental on 0845 241 4480 or visit www.pfmdental.co.uk

Below is a review of the new Sheila Scott book "Putting Health at the Heart of your Practice". Review by Dr John Bates BDS

The original title was “it’s not about the dentistry” and I think this is just another way of describing an old saying “they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”

You need to be able to do the dentistry, but your patients will judge you on how that is delivered. This also, as Kevin Lewis writes in the foreword, will help you avoid the increasing perils of litigation and referral to the GDC, CQC etc.

In many ways I think this book demonstrates the similarity between what Sheila is helping your practice do, and what the health centred practice is doing for their patients. In both cases what appears to be a straight forward process is littered with difficulties and possible miss communications. What appears easily said, is not so easily put into practice, as years of habits and culture have to be altered, adjusted and improved.

What this small but dynamite book will do is help you put your practice on the correct path, if like mine; you want that path to lead to better health for your patients. It is a fantastic distillation of Sheila’s advice, and has helped me re learn and find new gems I had forgotten or missed over the years she has helped us (just don’t tell Sheila I’ve forgotten anything!)

Find out what your patients want (it may not be what you think), why it’s a Dental Health Check, what is important in how patients are referred to the hygienist,  what is the crucial role of the hygienist (not scaling or polishing), why a membership plan and what they all have to do with health.

I have no hesitation in recommending this is read by any member of the dental team, whatever point in their career they are at, because putting health at the heart of your practice is a team effort.

by John Bates BDS 

Book can be ordered from Sheila's website

Further information on the book can be found here

The countdown is on for Renamel® - The London Sessions, Enlighten Smiles’ extraordinary 2-day programme dedicated to Renamel microfill, the outstanding composite material used in over 70% of AACD Accreditation cases.

Taking place in Central London on 27^th & 28^th June, Renamel® - The London Sessions will be hosted by industry experts Jason Smithson and Corky Willhite, both internationally renowned for their courses in composite resin artistry.  

Comprising of engaging lectures and hands-on sessions, delegates will gain an enhanced understanding of Renamel’s® superb properties, including long-term wear resistance, natural translucency and outstanding colour stability - making  Renamel® - The London Sessions the perfect opportunity to build your skillset and start enjoying successful and profitable minimally invasive dentistry.

Grab the last few tickets today by visiting http://www.enlightensmiles.com/Buy-Ticket or call Enlighten on  020 7424 3270.

FEES

Friday 27^th June

Jason Smithson: Half day Lecture: £95.00 +VAT.

Jason Smithson: Lecture and hands-on session: £595.00 + VAT

Saturday 28^th June

Corky Willhite: Half day Lecture: £95.00 +VAT.

Lecture and hands-on session: £695.00 + VAT

Both days

Smithson and Willhite two full days: £995 + VAT

Facebook: Enlighten

Twitter: @EnlightenSmiles /@drpay

Pinterest: Enlighten

The dental sector offers a unique challenge for RICS Registered Valuers when undertaking the valuation of a practice. In a market experiencing constant and rapid change, many factors can affect valuation including ownership, income mix, contract type, UDA value and location.

In order to avoid confusion, it is important to have an understanding of the terminology used by agents and RICS accredited valuers when considering a Market Value. This can include distinguishing between valuations for marketing purposes and professionally qualified RICS Registered Valuations. It is also important to understand the fundamental differences between EBITDA valuations against turnover valuations. 

A valuation for marketing purposes as opposed to an RICS Registered Valuation is a market assessment that takes competitive bidding, desirability and special purchase value of a practice into account. The value is based on what an agent considers they could achieve rather than purely on market evidence from previous transactions. In contrast to this, an RICS Registered Valuation is “the estimated amount for which an asset or liability should exchange on the valuation date between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an arm’s length transaction after proper marketing and where the parties had each acted knowledgeably, prudently and without compulsion”. It is also the Market Value that a lending institution would be willing to lend, or securitize monies against and is considered an Open Market appraisal.

An EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) valuation is based on the loan serviceability of the asset. The EBITDA relates to the ability to repay the debt and costs incurred in operating the business, while a turnover valuation is based simply on a percentage of the turnover of a practice, and not its profitability.

When it comes to borrowing, although the dental industry is often referred to as a ‘green-light’ sector in terms of securing finance for practice purchases, this is founded on commercial valuations rather than proposed sale prices. It is useful to note that banks will only lend against the RICS value incorporating both EBITDA and turnover approaches and not just the predicted sales price.                                                                             

Serviceability of debt funding

When considering purchasing a practice, practitioners should be aware of the dangers in neglecting the serviceability of the debt incurred. This can result in there being insufficient monies to pay the debt down and meet practice bills, once a personal salary has been deducted. In a situation where an owner-operated practice has a profit of say £100,000 per annum, the practitioner may desire a salary of £80,000, leaving £20,000 to meet any finance charges. However, as a practice that makes £100,000 profit is likely to be worth £400,000, if the practitioner has borrowed the full value i.e. £400,000, the serviceability of such a debt on this business is going to be approximately£45,000 to £50,000 per year over ten years, resulting in the practitioner earning a figure closer to £30,000 a year. The situation is therefore not financially viable, the practitioner’s judgement clouded by the turnover value of a practice and the desire to operate their own practice. Ignoring the serviceability of debt funding can sadly result in being unable to afford the practice.

Competitive bidding

There is a significant gulf between market value – what a bank-backed valuation would amount to – and special purchase value – what an individual would be willing to pay. Indeed, due to the high desirability of owning a dental practice compared to the relatively low supply available, private individuals are often prepared to pay more than corporate bidders who are interested in the profitability and performance of a practice. This creates an environment of competitive bidding, which tends to inflate values and prices significantly.

This unique situation in the dental market causes difficulties for RICS Registered Valuers seeking to draw on previous ‘deals’ as precedents, posing further complications in the valuation process. The dental sector also demonstrates a reluctance to reveal details behind previous transactions, due to the highly competitive arena. This is in contrast to other areas, such as the residential market, where valuers might share information, providing a clear picture of the market landscape.

Freehold

Finally, freehold properties can present some of the biggest points of contention within the sector. For instance, a practitioner may purchase a residential building for a certain amount and then decide to spend a further £100,000 converting it into a dental practice. In their opinion the practice should then be worth the original value of the house plus the money spent on converting it. However, when a rent investment calculator is applied to it, it may actually only be worth a figure much closer to the initial cost of the residential building. Furthermore, because of its residential setting it could then be difficult to re-market or sell for D1 planning purposes. 

More complications will occur if looking to sell on as a residential building, as it may be worth the initial price as set by a local estate agent, but only once converted back into a residential building. This would then make the building worth less than the initial price paid for it. As this example demonstrates, the importance of understanding freehold property valuations cannot be underestimated. 

When trying to understand what a practice is actually worth, achieving a true market value assessment from an RICS Registered Valuer will always be extremely beneficial.

Christie+Co has a thorough understanding of the dental market and 15 regional offices providing a consistent approach across the country. This also allows local valuers who understand regional variances to assess the value of the asset. When looking for a practice valuation that is appropriate to your situation and that will achieve the best price, contact the experienced brokers at Christie+Co.  

To discuss how Christie+Co might help you achieve your future plans please contact Chris Vowles on 0121 456 1222

Christopher Vowles MRICS is an RICS Registered Valuer specialising in dental valuations and a Director at Christie+Co.