A successful dental practice needs good dentists, but more importantly, a good dental team. Happy, motivated employees are the foundations of the perfect practice. Recruit well in the first place; keep your contracts updated regularly to reflect the needs of the practice and use disciplinary procedures when necessary. Too many businesses issue standard contracts and never update them. Contracts should be reviewed regularly to reflect the changing needs of the practice, through added incentives, adjustment of working hours or changes to job descriptions.

Dental W1 Practice Management Consultants based in Marylebone provide expert legal advice to assist with all your employment needs, from help with staff recruitment to drafting tailor-made contracts to conducting disciplinary interviews. We also provide training to your practice managers on a host of relevant topics. Practices made perfect.

Dental W1 Practice Management Consultants can be found on stand R12G at the Dental Showcase.

Dental W1 Practice Management Consultants

3 Marylebone Street, London W1

www.dentalw1.com

07770 435375

W&H look forward to welcoming you on Stand J03 at BDIA Dental Showcase for the latest news and special offers on handpieces, surgical and decontamination products.   W&H are launching a number of new and innovative products, including new models within the Synea Vision range of top quality  handpieces:  Penta LED turbines  which offer unique daylight quality 100% shadow-free illumination of the treatment site and the Short edition contra-angle handpieces which are lighter and shorter for perfect balance especially for those with smaller hands.  Also on display will be the new Alegra handpiece range offering vibration free, quiet operation and improved spray function and the new improved range of air motors which do not require a coupling for 360^o flexibility.  W&H will also be introducing a new prophy handpiece with press-button chucking system for swift replacement of prophy cups and brushes.

Come and view the latest decontamination equipment range, with options available to suit individual budgets and requirements.  Decontamination equipment including the ThermoKlenz washer disinfector dryer and Lisa sterilizer are available for an affordable monthly fee under the W&H Rental Scheme.  The Implantmed surgical system is unbeatable for precision, ease of use and reliability, and the whole surgical range will be on offer at amazingly low prices. Also on display will be the full range of oral hygiene products and the award winning Facelight caries detection unit.

Visit W&H on Stand J03 for unbeatable show promotions and to meet the Specialist Team.  For more information call 01727 874990.  We look forward to seeing you at the Show you can now follow us on Twitter at ‘@WH_UKLtd’.

W&H.  People Have Priority. 

www.wh.com

The season has started ...

Autumn has arrived, as has the rain.  Time to close those curtains a while, light the fire and catch up with reading maybe?  The fall is with us and that refer’s to Man U’s fortunes …. 

Recently publicity should not have escaped your notice. Barely a week has passed since Public Health England, under the leadership of Dr Sue Gregory & Dr Sandra White went public on what many of us have known for a while.

12% of 3 year olds have tooth decay

Now … is that a scandal? You bet it is.  But it is also an inconvenient truth that has been long ignored by Dr Gregory’s superior, the erstwhile Chief Dental Officer at the DH, Dr Barry Cockcroft. His new role has moved him downwards and outwards to NHS England of course. But it was on his watch that this problem both developed and was ignored. But it was on his watch that this problem both developed and was ignored. Was it not our illustrious CDO who hawked the Adult Dental Health Survey around as a triumphant scalp over the ne’er-do-wells, in full knowledge that he was ignoring the cries of ‘Fire’ from the coal face of children’s dentistry? 

Just consider this secondary fact:

This is the first national survey of the oral health of 3 year old children in England.

Well that’s two scandals in consecutive soundbites– firstly the ignorance of the problem and secondly the lack of enquiring minds in the first place. What exactly have the DH been doing with taxpayers money might one ask?

The state of children’s teeth is now officially and very publicly worrying [1]. It was headline news on the BBC and even took lead coverage in the "Today" priogramme.  The Public Health England report is found via the at the PHE website [2]

Now call me irritating, call me inquisitive. My wife uses other words. OK dear, just coming ...

Do I not recall that much of all that we GDPs feel is wrong with the 2006 Contract is the  UDA system of perverse incentives?  The result of 10 years of perverse incentive is borne out by this report.

The Guardian highlighted the GA Admissions scandal in the early summer. [3]. This is quoted fromn The Guardian:

The number one reason for primary-school-aged children being admitted to hospital is to have multiple teeth taken out, newly released figures show….Provisional figures for the period 2013-14 show that 25,812 children from that age group have been admitted to hospital to have multiple tooth extractions, up from 22,574 three years previously.

RESULT ...   DH & NHS England 0  -v- Public Health England  3  [Att. 100 000, dentists and teams]

Now it seems to me that Dr Cockcroft has wilfully presided over a collapse in children’s dental care with the 2006 contract and simply failed to undertake any attempt to resolve the matter.  And believe me, he has been told many times.

We are to be thankful to Dr Gregory for her persistence in examining the problem. One wonders if there is a fundamental difference of professional approach to the job. On the one hand, Dr Cockcroft, riding the Dept of Health Fiscal Horse called Austerity, and on the other Dr Gregory’s role demonstrating true caring about the problem?

To any outsider there is a self-evident split, nay a cavernous gulf, between the opinions of the CDO England and the Head of Public Health England.

The rumours of efficiency drives allied to prototypes of Contract Reform abound. The GDPC is playing its cards close to its chest, whether rightly or wrongly. I for one think that they need to empower the whole profession with openness and transparency to call their MPs to account. Closed doors are a defunct way of acting as the profession's negotiators

What Sue Gregory has done, whether by intent or not, is give the GDPC an Open Goal to aim for!

If ever there is a problem that requires proper funding for dentists and their teams to work effectively, this is it.

The DH are now out on a limb, Dr Cockcroft has proved himself an anachronism, and Public Health England under Dr Sue Gregory has given reason and energy to the GDPCs position.

The GDPC must make their case without fail, and without shrinking from what can now be described openly as a 21^st Century scandal of gargantuan proportions. 

Like all football matches, the GDPC need us cheering them on - please open your doors, GDPC, and tell us your strategy. Let us know who is playing where, keep your fans on side.

Children’s dentistry in General Dental Practice is in a mess, and it is Dr Cockcroft and his political masters who shoulder the responsibility.

But it is dentists who can deliver the solution.

The GDPC know what they have to do now for negotiating a rejuvenated Contract Package and with it money to solve the scandalous problem of children’s teeth.

The result should be an assured 3 points.

Shouldn't it ? ... 

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29413906

[2]  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-phe-survey-finds-12-of-3-year-olds-have-tooth-decay

[3] http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/13/teeth-problems-children-hospital-decay-extractions

Dentaid is a charity dedicated to eradicating dental pain around the world. We can only do this with the support of UK dental professionals who want to share their passion for dentistry with those in most need.

Are you a passionate dental team? Dentaid can help your dental practice truly express its passion for dentistry and make a positive impact on oral health around the world.

Through Dentaid’s sponsorship scheme your practice can provide vital dental equipment to projects serving the world’s poorest communities.

Just £1500 will provide a fully stocked DentaidBox; a complete portable dental surgery.

£500 will sponsor the portable dental chair in a rucksack.

£400 will deliver a full set of hand instruments, steriliser and consumables.

Partner with Dentaid to improve the world’s oral health.

For more information visit Dentaid on stand M02 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This tooth coloured, fluorescent and radiopaque bulk composite provides a perfect amalgam replacement and alternative to glassionomer cements, compomers as well as conventional filling therapy. Fill-Up!  combines the advantages of resin-based composites with simplified and efficient handling. Owing to its dual curing properties, fillings with Fill-Up! can be administered in arbitrary filling depth without the need of an additional covering layer.

Welcome to the safe side!

Conventional light curing bulk filling materials are limited in their curing depth, questioning whether the restoration fully cures. But with the dual curing properties of Fill-Up! There is a guarantee of thorough curing down to the bottom of any cavity.

Also, chemical curing minimises shrinkage stress dramatically, preventing micro fractures and postoperative sensitivities. As supported by studies, the bonding partner ParaBond caters for a perfect marginal seal comparable to the one of conventional composite - before and after thermo cycling and chewing abrasion – ensuring a secure long-term restorative solution.

Convenient and fast

Fill-Up! is applied in a single layer and finished with rotary instruments after 5 sec of light polymerisation. The material is easy and quickly polishable to high gloss and therefore is the perfect choice for all Class I and II fillings, cavity lining and core build-ups – for perfect and fast results!

Fill-Up! Deep. Fast. Perfect. 

Follow Coltene on Twitter - @COLTENEUKLTD

If you want an opportunity to win £25,000 visit Frank Taylor & Associates on Stand G06 where you can have a go at cracking the safe and one lucky person can win £25,000.

Emmanuel  the security guard will escort you down the red carpet where you simply have to enter a six digit code of your choice – if it is the correct code the £25,000 will be yours!

The team at Frank Taylor & Associates are able to advise both sellers and buyers on dental practices as well as all of the associated services you need to run a successful and profitable dental practice.

As part of DPAS’ flexible, comprehensive and effective support for dental practices, the dental plan provider will be launching an entirely revamped Web Portal at this year’s Dental Showcase, along with an online patient registration facility.

Featuring a whole host of new functionality, the Web Portal allows DPAS clients to access and amend all relevant details relating to their plan and plan patients, with real-time reporting and intuitive software making plan performance tracking simple and efficient.

Because one size doesn’t fit all, patients will now have the option to sign up to dental plans online. Whether they’re in the practice or from the comfort of their own homes, DPAS’ Web Portal will continuously be helping DPAS clients to attract more patients in this increasingly competitive environment.

As part of DPAS’ continuing commitment to reducing its impact on the environment and in keeping with its ISO14001 accreditation, this online solution reduces paperwork for everyone, while also helping practices to promote their own green credentials.

To find out how the DPAS Web Portal can benefit your practice, visit Stand F11 at Dental Showcase.

With more and more patients having access to smart phones and emails, iSmile can cater for a completely paper free solution using our newly released product.  Patient Links gives your practice it's very own patient portal, so that you can give your patients the ability to fill in medical history forms on their desktops, tablets and mobile devices prior to their appointment.  iSmile can automatically email medical history forms to your patients, which are filled out securely online and then transmitted back to iSmile and stored within the patient's file, significantly reducing workload at reception.  You can also give your patients the facility to fill out medical history forms at your practice, on your choice of tablet or mobile device as Patient Links is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

Online Patient Questionnaires with Patient Links - Part of any growing practice is getting feedback from patients and disseminating the data into easy-to-understand reports.  Patient Links allows you to create a patient questionnaire in iSmile which is automatically emailed to patients after their appointment.  Data collected back by iSmile can be displayed in a range of reports to allow you to analyse trends over a series of time periods and easily see how your business is changing, and identify where improvements can be made.

Visit us on Stand K05a at BDIA Dental Showcase for a no-obligation demonstration of iSmile and Patient Links.

Telephone: 0845 468 1287
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Medisafe and Euronda give you the New E9 Med Steam Generator Edition.

The new autoclave offers you the possibility of choosing between 5 types of cycles, all of class B and between 3 types of sterilization tests. The Rapid Cycle selection allows you to obtain sterilized wrapped hollow and porous loads in only 25 minutes. The new integrated steam generator also allows a higher and pure quality of the steam and conforms to the EN13060.

Visit stand R18 to also receive Medisafe’s new decontamination brochure with exciting products in accordance with HTM 01-05.

Medisafe is one of the world’s leading providers of equipment that reprocesses complex and critical surgical instruments. Medisafe have been operating on a global scale since 1985. Medisafe now install over 1000 machines every year worldwide.

http://www.medisafeinternational.com/

http://www.euronda.com/

By the use of modern polymer plastics OPTICLAR loupes combine durability with lightweight comfort. Our VISIONMAG Pro-Line I.O loupes have a twin lens system providing excellent edge to edge clarity with no aberration. The wide fields of view and deep working distances enable intricate work to be carried out with ease. The individually adjustable optics ensures accurate interpupiliary settings. The coated optics minimise reflections and maximise light transmission to provide crisp bright images. The unique height adjuster provides perfect pupiliary alignment. The extreme angles of declination ensure that these loupes are ideal for dentistry. The sealed optics are water resistant minimising the risk of moisture and condensation related damage. A supplementary frame is also available to enable the use of individual prescription lenses.

These loupes can be supplied with an optional, fully integrated light system that guarantees brilliant homogenous illumination free from chromatic aberration. The lithium Ion battery pack can deliver up to 12 hours continuous use and can be fully recharged in less than 2 hours. The pack can sit unobtrusively in the pocket or clipped to a waist band or belt. The connection cable has a coiled section that provides an early warning if the cable becomes snagged on furniture or other objects. A separate on/ off switch prevents premature wear on the rotary rheostat and enables the unit to be turned on/ off at the previously selected setting.

These fantastically priced loupes provide unbeatable value for money by delivering clarity without compromise.   

You can find the Loupes at the Albert Waeschle Stand - B06

Albert Waeschle has been supplying the Surgical and Medical profession for over fifty years. Our first class technical knowledge has enabled us to develop products in conjunction with leading specialists to ensure superb product performance. We have a dedicated field sales team focusing on our customers’ needs and requirements with the ultimate aim of proposing the best solution. Our end to end service includes fast, reliable supply of product, local technical support, training and full on-site equipment servicing and repair. We also provide flexible payment options to ease the burden of the initial cost. Our objective is to build a lasting relationship through demonstrating our market leading knowledge and advice.

http://www.aw-online.com/

Get Dental Plans are independent dental insurance advisers offering your patients a wide range of insurance policies from leading UK insurers. 

Being part of the well-established, Get Private group of companies, Get Dental Plans is a trusted name, offering independent, impartial advice from a range of individual and company plans designed to suit dental needs.

Individual polices are available to individuals and families offering comprehensive cover for everyday maintenance costs such as check-ups and hygienist fees. Cover is also available for treatment such as fillings, dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays as well as periodontal treatment.  Additional cover such as accident cover, emergency visit cover, dental hospital cover and mouth cancer cover is also available.

Company policies are available for two employees upwards, once again offering comprehensive cover for maintenance costs such as check-ups and hygienist fees. Additional treatment cover such as children's orthodontic cover and implant cover is also available. Plans in the main offer immediate cover and do not take into account pre-existing conditions.

By recommending your patients to Get Dental Plans, you will be safe in the knowledge that they will receive impartial advice on a range of dental insurance plans on a non-commital basis.  There is no administration for you, simply recommend your patients to speak to us and let your practice grow!

The plans are very comprehensive and competitive with no pre-joining checks.  People are claiming straight away, they are writing to tell us they can’t believe how easy it is and the dentists are saying the same:

I am writing to express my satisfaction with Get Dental Plans . My dental insurance policy was easy to understand and my first claim was paid without any problem or delay. My policy compliments my health insurance policy that I have currently, as the health policy does not cover me for dental cover. Stephen Slade

Get Dental is an extremely useful scheme for affording private dental care.  It involves only an introduction from my practice and then no administration at all.  It gives patients immediate access to dental cover so they don't delay treatment.   It serves us well by removing a major barrier to accepting care and by improving our cash flow and case acceptance. It really is a win win opportunity. Maish Weinstein – Dentist

At the BDIA Showcase we will be launching our ‘One Year’s Free Dental Insurance’ voucher.  Please come over to stand R12M for more information on how we can help your business grow.

Paul Lewis

Get Dental Plans

Tel: 07770551712

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook  or Twitter https://twitter.com/GetDentalUK or Pinterest http://uk.pinterest.com/GetDental/

Renishaw is a British based, global company operating in market sectors as contrasting as medical sciences, industrial and electronic manufacturing, consumer electronics and academic research. We develop innovative products that significantly advance our customers’ operational performance - from improving manufacturing efficiencies and raising product quality, to maximising research capabilities and improving the efficacy of medical procedures.

Our products are used for applications as diverse as CAD/CAM dentistry, stereotactic neurosurgery, medical diagnostics, additive manufacturing (3D printing), Raman spectroscopy, machine tool automation, co-ordinate measurement and a vast range of other measurement activities. In all of these areas we aim to be a long-term partner, offering superior products that meet our customer needs both today and into the future, backed up by responsive, expert technical and commercial support.

Renishaw is one of the world’s leading providers of in-lab dental CAD/CAM systems. We offer a comprehensive CAD/CAM suite direct to dental laboratories. This includes the DS10(contact) and DS30 (optical) dental scanners which enable labs to access a range of centrally manufactured crown and bridge restorations and abutments in materials such as zirconia, 3D printed cobalt chrome, PMMA and wax.

As well as industry-established zirconia milling, Renishaw uses 3D printing (additive manufacturing) machines to ‘print' cobalt chrome frameworks. Our 3D printing system is a sophisticated, computer controlled process digitally driven direct from 3D CAD data. We create tooth-supported and implant-supported frameworks through this process. Each 3D printed framework is manufactured in the UK.

To make these products easily available, we offer our software package Renishaw Dental Studio, powered by ExoCAD, with intuitive and extensive modules for your design needs.LaserAbutments™ - One-piece implant supported restorations. These single piece items can be used to create either screw-retained crowns orstacked abutment/crown restorations. Supplied with a pre-polished emergence profile and available for a range of implant systems.

LaserAbutments™ - One-piece implant supported restorations. These single piece items can be used to create either screw-retained crowns orstacked abutment/crown restorations. Supplied with a pre-polished emergence profile and available for a range of implant systems.

LinkAbutments™ - Two-piece link abutments are another way to create implant-supported restorations. Using a titanium base, the profile is scanned and a custom abutment design is bonded on top. In the case of screw-retained crowns, porcelain can be applied directly to the supragingival surface.

LaserPFM™ - These crown and bridge frameworks are an ideal alternative to cast, non-precious or semi-precious units. They give labs a cost effective framework at a fixed price and consistent quality.

Zr100 and Realistic™ Zirconia – Strong, biocompatible and aesthetically pleasing full contour crown and bridge frameworks.

PM100 temporary PMMA and WX100 castable wax – Designed to reduce the lab’s workload and improve the efficiency of the more menial of lab tasks.

DS10 – Our contact scanner – when accuracy is crucial.

DS30 – Our efficient optical scanner – for use where speed is paramount to give higher throughput whilst maintaining accurate results. Flexible and easy to use when teamed with Dental Studio™.

Dental Studio™ - Advanced CAD software that is easy to use and includes the unique combination of contact scanning for accuracy (DS10) and optical scanning for speed (DS30). It includes a variety of modules developed by technicians. Designed to ensure labs have the best possible tools to create their designs and with photorealistic images of the designs with

Trusmile™ image rendering software.

Scanning service – Renishaw offers a scanning service for LaserAbutments. Details of implant types supported, Freepost™ labels and order forms can all be found at www.renishaw.com/dental.

Whether you are buying equipment or frameworks from us or making use of our scanning service, our support team is here to help you every step of the way.

• Face-to-face training (with CPD hours)

• Web based support

• Telephone support

To learn more about Renishaw or our dental products please call us: 01453 524528 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You can follow us on Twitter @RenishawDental

RENISHAW, the probe symbol used in the RENISHAW logo, are registered trademarks of Renishaw plc

OraCoat^® XyliMelts^® oral adhering discs; new dry mouth treatment advancement

XyliMelts oral adhering discs relieve dry mouth day and night

For patients who suffer from dry mouth, there is a new remedy. OraHealth, the world leader in the breakthrough technology of  OraCoat oral adhering discs to coat and soothe the mouth has introduced  OraCoat XyliMelts for Dry Mouth, all-natural, great tasting, oral adhering discs that slowly release an effective amount of xylitol (500mg) and oral lubricant to relieve dry mouth (xerostomia) day and night and reduce plaque and tooth decay.  XyliMelts discs can be safely used while sleeping when dry mouth is worst.

Xylitol, the key ingredient in XyliMelts, is a natural food substance that is comparable to sucrose in sweetness but contains fewer calories and fights cavities. XylMelts adhering discs also contain cellulose gum, a humectant, which coats the mouth to retain moisture. The xylitol and mild mint flavor help to stimulate saliva.

For dry mouth suffers, the feeling of serious dry mouth is bad enough, but there are two consequences that are even worse: disruption of sleep, reducing quality of life all day long, and rampant tooth decay.  XyliMelts is the only dry mouth remedy that effectively addresses either of these consequences.

The patented oral adhering disc technology allows XyliMelts to discretely stick to gums or teeth making them ideal for use while sleeping to avoid sleep disturbance.  A recent clinical study, published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene, demonstrated that use of XyliMelts time-release adhering discs while sleeping significantly improved perceived oral wetness upon awakening in the morning, and improved perceived discomfort for xerostomia.

A second consequence of dry mouth is rampant caries.  XyliMelts time-release an effective level of xylitol into saliva while sleeping, when saliva flow is lowest and the xylitol will stay in the mouth longest before being swallowed.  XyliMelts used while sleeping is the most effective delivery per gram of xylitol for caries control.

According to Kiet A. Ly, MD, MPH, University of Washington Department of Dental Public Health Sciences, "sufficient evidence exists to support the use of xylitol to reduce caries."

Many medications cause dry mouth, as does increasing age, mouth breathing while sleeping, use of CPAP machines for sleep apnea, certain autoimmune diseases like Sjogren's Syndrome, and radiation therapy.

Additional benefits of XyliMelts for dry mouth suffers include:

• Stimulates saliva

• Coats, moisturizes, and lubricates

• Provides lasting relief (all night when used while sleeping)

• Reduces plaque and tooth decay

• Freshens breath

• Discreet – no one can tell you have something your mouth

• Works for night-time dry mouth caused by breathing through the mouth

• Can be used with CPAP machines, oral appliance therapy, and dentures

To use XyliMelts for Dry Mouth, place the disc at the gum line on the outside of a molar, upper or lower, with the white side touching a cheek and the tan adhesive side against the gums and/or teeth.  Use the tongue to push the disc to a comfortable spot.  Once there, do not push the disc with fingers or touch it with the tongue for 10 seconds, as this will disrupt adhesion which grows stronger over time.

XyliMelts discs come in two flavors, regular (mild mint) and mint free, and are currently available online.  Patient samples and wholesale pricing are available for dental professionals at www.oracoat.eu. For more information call (London) +44 (0) 203 772 5432 or visit www.oracoat.eu.  At the Dental Showcase, visit stand S09 for a free sample.

Braemar Finance is holding a FREE PRIZE DRAW* at the BDIA Showcase.  To enter your details simply visit stand C12 and leave your contact details.

We provide finance solutions from our range of hire purchase, leasing and loan products, suitable for all your finance needs.

Equipment or IT solutions finance can be pre approved prior to Showcase, allowing you the flexibility to select your supplier(s) of choice. Once approved you simply place your order and indicate Braemar as your method of payment.

Our patient finance options provide your practice with an enhanced service, assisting your cash flow, as payment is made at the onset of the patients treatment.

For all your finance needs contact us on 0845 485 3890 or visit www.braemarfinance.co.uk

*Terms and conditions apply visit http://www.braemarfinance.co.uk/competition-terms-and-conditions

By Alex Hall, Meade King Solicitors

It has always been awkward for holders of PDS agreements to sell. Unlike GDS contracts which allow holders to enter partnership, have the contracts varied and for such partnerships then to be dissolved PDS agreements area meant to be ‘personal’, held by only one dentist or entity (e.g. an LLP or Limited Company) and so the right to take on and shed partners is absent.

PCT and now NHS England consent has therefore always been necessary for a transfer to a buyer. With the increased understanding (and enforcement) of European procurement rules, NHS England (as seen in its current policies) is unwilling to give such consent, for fear of legal challenges.

This is currently the situation no matter whether the PDS agreement is for orthodontic services, domiciliary services or sedation. It is of course the case that a PDS agreement for mandatory services can be converted to a GDS contract (on 3 months’ notice under Regulation 21 of the PDS Regulations), although there is a risk for high-UDA-rate contracts that the contract value may be challenged (the GDS Statement of Financial Entitlements maintains the right of NHS England to ‘agree’ the contract value of a new GDS Contract). Furthermore, due to the nature of a PDS Plus agreement (only a percentage of the contract value may be converted to GDS), such conversion is inappropriate making consent necessary for PDS Plus agreements too. 

Consequently, it is of great interest (especially to Orthodontics who wish to sell) that in recent months it has become clear that NHS England’s position towards incorporation may offer a solution.

It was always the case that many PCTs refused consent to incorporate, and the fear of breach of procurement rules often provided them with the excuse. However that slowly changed, especially with the growing knowledge of the 2009 European Court of Justice ‘Pressetext’ ruling, and in June 2013 NHS England released its first policy on incorporation.

That policy has meant that PDS agreement holders have been able to apply for consent to incorporate and obtain a new PDS agreement in the name of their company. Once that is arranged, the company can then be sold to a buyer. This therefore appears to be a solution to a sale proceeding.

However, there are some downsides and some issues to seriously consider:

• NHS England, applying the incorporation policy criteria, may still refuse consent in certain circumstances;
• Incorporation (even when followed by a sale) is a serious trading change and there are costs attached to it;
• Having only shares in a company to sell can limit the market of willing buyers (there are still some buyers who are nervous of buying shares rather than assets);
• NHS England insists, in its policy, on a ‘novation agreement’ signed by the contractor who must agree to guarantee the company’s performance of the new company PDS agreement. That obligation is open-ended, and would feasibly continue beyond the sale of the company unless NHS England consent to be released from the guarantee (or agree a replacement guarantor) is obtained.

Having said all of this, such issues and potential problems perhaps pale into insignificance (though they should be dealt with appropriately) if there is no alternative, leaving the contractor with the choice of selling on these terms or not selling at all.

However, a further issue on the Horizon looms. In June 2014 NHS England published a revised incorporation policy (‘revised April 2014’), which encourages Area Teams to consider including a change of control clause in the novation agreement as a condition of consent. Such clauses, necessitating NHS England consent to a sale of the company who in the future, are attractive for NHS England as they give Area Teams a degree of control over who the company is sold to.

Worst-case scenario, this could defeat the sale objective, as NHS England could refuse. However the chances of successfully arguing that NHS England should consent to a transfer of the shares to a buyer (or indeed that a refusal is unreasonably), should still be higher than the current prospect of convincing an Area Team to agree to a straight transfer in breach of procurement rules. Indeed, paragraph  35 of the revised policy helpfully states;

“consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned and shall not apply in relation to the departure by reason of death, retirement or ill-health of a director or shareholder”.

Those most at risk of refusal will be those:

·         Who are openly incorporation simply to sell shortly after, highlighting the importance of care and confidentiality throughout the process; and

·         those whose buyers are unpalatable to NHS England. Buyers in such circumstances should expect some difficult questions from vendors and their about their previous NHS performance, ongoing patient complaints and GDS and performances list proceedings.

It is interesting to note that NHS England appears to expect the opposition to its new policy in these respects as paragraph 39 of the revised policy states “Area Teams should be aware that they may face challenge on the inclusion of the change of control” and the policy includes several references to disputes being referred to the NHS Litigation Authority, first-tier tribunal or the civil courts.

Consequently, cumbersome though it is, and despite the fact that it is still fraught with risk and issues, incorporation appears to be an option that should be considered for sellers who hold a PDS Plus agreement or PDS agreement for advanced, further or additional (i.e. non-mandatory) services.

Alex Hall will be participating in the daily ‘Ask the Lawyers’ panel on the Dental Elite Stand (Stand No – E10) on Friday at the Dental Showcase 2014 from 2pm.

Dental Elite are offering all delegates free access to a Dental Lawyer to answer any questions any delegates have in respect of the Dentolegal World every day from 2pm at the Dental Showcase 2014.

A SPECIALIST team of dental lawyers from LCF Law will give visitors something to smile about at this year’s BDIA Dental Exhibition Showcase, when they unveil their brand new exhibition stand that incorporates a photo booth in a VW camper van.

The team is based at LCF Law’s Leeds office and offers a wide range of dental related legal services covering associate agreements, dental employment law, practice incorporations, compliance with the Care Quality Commission and the sale and acquisition of dental practices throughout the UK.

It will be the first time the company has attended the exhibition, which is one of the key events in the dental industry’s annual calendar and takes place at London’s ExCeL between 9^th and 11^th October.  The company’s exhibition stand is themed to resemble a beach scene complete with a VW camper van where visitors can pose for ‘selfies’.

Members of LCF Law’s team attending the exhibition will include Partner Tom Coates, Associate Sarah Buxton and Legal Assistant Matthew Jones.  Sarah will also be speaking at the event on Friday 10^th October on behalf of the Association of Dental Administrators and Managers (ADAM) about the legal challenges Practice Managers can face. 

Tom says: “The dental market is a fast growing industry that faces a continual sea of new legislation so it requires its own very unique and specialist advice.  We have a fantastic track-record working across all areas of the industry, on behalf of dental practices and businesses throughout the UK, and we’re delighted to be attending this exhibition for the first time.”

LCF Law will be on stand S13 and further information in the run-up to the event is available via Twitter at @LCFDentallawyers.  This year’s BDIA Dental Showcase will be attended by more than 350 exhibitors and will offer a wide range of networking events, seminars, mini-lectures and opportunities to trial new products and equipment. 

LCF Law is a leading commercial law firm that works with both businesses and private individuals.  The long-established firm employs an 85 strong team across offices in Leeds, Bradford and Ilkley.  For further information visit www.lcf.co.uk

“If we’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses”, Henry Ford is famously quoted as saying.

And this week we have news reports about the car insurance industry being subjected to further “market reforms” in order to deliver cheaper end-consumer prices.

But this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the markets.

If you look at the résumé of our first appointed chair of the General Dental Council [GDC], Bill Moyes, you will see that he has led several market-driven initiatives in various roles, and it wouldn’t be a leap of the imagination to consider that he has been appointed into the GDC to fulfil a “market-driven” reform. Dentistry has long suffered an image problem; consumers feel that prices (and pay) are too high, that dentistry delivers poor value to the consumer and that there is a conspiracy of the profession against the public – it is only necessary to have the briefest of reads through the comments section on any newspaper that publishes a dental article to see that the accusations of “rip-off” rear their head at a very early stage.

But this premise is entirely wrong. The problem with a free market is that the results are entirely unpredictable. Economic journals are full of perfectly logical explanations as to why markets behaved in a certain way – crucially, behaved and not behave. That is, the analysis of the markets and the rationality of them is done post hoc.

One of the most fundamental problems I can see with the approach of trying to manipulate markets in order to deliver a specific outcome is that it rarely works, or often, even where it does work, often this is not what the consumer demands or buys, although they may insist at the outset that that is what they want.

In our particular dental industry, I would hazard a guess that many people (of a non-dental nature) believe that market reforms will deliver cheaper dentistry, through increasing the supply of the dental workforce. I would suggest that this is unlikely to work for a variety of reasons. Firstly, costs represent some 60-70% of the price that the patient pays. Given that the average pay for dentists has been declining in real terms for some time, if we were to cut pay for dentists by 10%, then this can translate into only a 3-4% price saving for patients. And I don’t believe that we can cut pay much further without running into another economic problem – that of a shortage. If you pay too little for something, you create a shortage. In this case, how many dentists do you think would leave the profession if average pay drops below a certain point? (I would suggest £50,000 for associates, on average, and £75,000 for principals)

So if cost savings are to be made for the end consumer prices, this will have to come from reduced costs. And here we already have an idea of what happens from another industry – the British car industry. Throughout the 60s and 70s, the British car industry suffered a slow and agonising death over many years, selling outdated cars, with poor workmanship and a reputation for declining quality, and in some cases, with cars selling at less than the cost of manufacture. Do these problems sound familiar?

Of course the British car industry eventually collapsed, superceded by German and Japanese competitors who were operating on free market conditions, and produced innovation and rapid improvements in delivering things people wanted rather than what they told government-led focus groups that they wanted. The eventual death of Rover marked a turning point and renaissance of the British car industry, and now we have world class manufacturing and design, but for this to happen we had to see the government leave the industry and several companies to go under.

I sincerely hope that dentistry has its “Rover moment” soon. I believe in the free markets, but a belief in the free markets also means accepting when they don’t deliver quite what you thought they would. And that doesn’t always mean that what will be delivered will be cheaper: sometimes, what is delivered is “better” rather than “cheaper”. I believe that health and dentistry falls into this camp.

After all, when was the last time you saw a car maker advertise how cheap they’d made the braking system?

Free markets tend to deliver better healthcare, by and large, which is often but not always cheaper. I would therefore issue a challenge – if this is truly the purpose of Mr Moyes’ appointment, I would suggest that he can best serve the public by completely withdrawing any government interference in the market, but only on the proviso that he and they MUST accept that prices will almost certainly rise, but also must accept that this may result in longer term reduction of cost. Otherwise we run the risk of delivering the cheapest horses in the world when the rest of the world has moved onto cars.  

Image credit - Coen Dijkman  under CC licence - not modified.

With PFM Dental's practice purchase seminar on Thursday 18 September in Warrington fully booked well in advance, it was obvious the associate dentist participants were very interested in owning their own practice.

Organised in association with RBS (healthcare banking), Goodman Grant (dental solicitors), PFM Townends (dental accountants) and plan providers, Patient Plan Direct, a wide range of topics were covered in presentations and Q&A sessions. These included the current market, applying for competitive finance, legal and accountancy considerations and the benefits of a capitation scheme.

Jon Drysdale, an independent financial adviser at PFM Dental says: "We have run this course for four years and the Warrington event saw the highest attendance yet, with nearly 40 associates. Concerns over pay and job security, combined with the desire to build a valuable business asset, means more associates would like to buy a practice.”

The next practice purchase seminar for associate dentists is on 20^th November in Watford (evening). Places can be booked by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling PFM Dental on 0845 241 4480.

For more information about purchasing a dental practice visit www.pfmdental.co.uk

A-dec looks forward to welcoming you to stand M03, where at this year’s BDIA Dental Showcase we will be bringing our showrooms to you.

This year we will be showcasing the full spectrum of fully integrated dental chairs with cabinetry solutions from the current range. Whatever your budget, there is an A-dec chair for you; from our newest entry level package, the Performer LR+ right up to our luxurious A-dec 500 chair. All of our dental chairs can be tailored to your specification to give you everything you need.

Also on stand M03 this year we will be presenting our A-dec difference display which shows a selection of the high quality A-dec parts that go into every chair. In addition we will be bringing back the popular consultation area, where we will be offering design and equipment advice and even drawing up your surgery plans live on the stand.

Our A-dec Territory Managers will be on stand for the duration of the show. Visit them on stand M03 or call 0800 233 285 for more information.

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

Do you want to extend the range of services you offer, attract new patients and generate additional income from your existing patients? If the answer is ‘yes’, we invite you to visit stand P10 at the BDIA Showcase to find out why Cfast is the solution!

Cfast is a fast, minimally-invasive and discreet orthodontics system that straightens the front six teeth in about six months.

With devices priced at only £199, Cfast makes a great smile affordable for more patients, as well as generating revenue for the practice.

Cfast is kinder to the occlusion than some other systems, and therefore more appropriate for general dental practice, while its unique retention protocol allows for predictable long-term results.

Cfast provides affordable courses, as well as UK specialist back-up and experienced one-to-one guidance and advice from experts in cosmetically-focused orthodontics.

For further details, please visit stand P10 @ the BDIA Showcase, call 0844 209 7035 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Meet the team from Dental Focus ® “Digital Marketing Specialists’ at the 2014 BDIA showcase at stand E01 and attend their fantastic mini lectures to see how you can expand your reach and maximise your online presence.

Members of the highly experienced and industry renowned team will be enlightening attendees with these lectures throughout the exhibition. The talks will cover all aspects of digital campaigns, from website creation and social media to staying abreast of the latest innovations, the sessions will contain all the information you need to embrace the world of internet marketing.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from the masters and boost your online knowledge and skills.

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

The BDIA Dental Showcase is only a few weeks away; so if you are thinking about purchasing new equipment, installing or upgrading IT systems, refitting your premises or need a loan for any reason, Snowbird can provide the flexible finance packages to suit your specific requirements.

We are offering a fixed rate of 3.85% per annum* on unsecured funding for new agreements at the exhibition, so make sure you visit us on Stand M01. We can also advise on how you can maximise your tax efficiency by taking advantage of the Annual Investment Allowance.

Snowbird are specialists in Dental Finance with over 25 years’ experience and we can use our unique access to the UK’s leading lenders to provide you with a bespoke funding solution, tailored to your specific needs. Our application process is quick and easy and funds can be transferred within 24 hours of approval.

Arrange your finance with us and we’ll give you £50. Also, we’ll donate £50 to Bridge2Aid, the BDA Benevolent Fund, Burmadent, or any charity of your choice.

Contact us now to discuss your borrowing requirements and for pre-approval.

t: 01932 874674

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

www.snowbirdfinance.co.uk

twitter: @snowbirdfinance

*Fixed rate over 5,6 and 7 year terms at 3.85% per annum. Business use only. Finance approval subject to status. Snowbird Finance Ltd (registered number 6346206) is authorised and regulated by The Financial Conduct Authority.

Within the dental implant sector Medentika serves customers with care, meeting clinical needs as well as offering great value.

Medentika supplies customised abutments fabricated from different materials, offering a wide range compatible with 16 separate premium implant systems. In addition, Medentika offers high-precision, custom-made bars and bridges.

Medentika also manufactures an implant system of its own, which provides an unusually comprehensive variety of prostheses.

Medentika’s scan and design service enables customers to design (either on the computer or manually wax-up) custom prostheses easily (abutments, bars and bridges) and receive high-precision components for 15 different implant systems. This helps the laboratory and the dentist to provide both aesthetic and functional solutions for patients.

Medentika’s milling system enables any laboratory that uses a mid-size milling machine to manufacture individual abutments in titanium and chromium cobalt using prefabricated, high-precision interfaces.

For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01274 721 567.

PROMO: Order a Performer LR+ Black Edition by 31 October and receive a free doctor's stool and Satalec Newtron scaler

For further information on this offer please get in touch with A-dec via phone, email or their website.

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

www.a-dec.co.uk

Appropriate Bedfellows?

It looks like the submissions by the BDA and Dental Protection have finally struck a chord with the GDC. Between them, these 2 organisations represent a huge majority of dentists in the UK, and DPL, by virtue of the therapists and hygienists memberships plus the associate indemnity of dental nurses, a fair chunk of the DCP’s as well. Given the scale of representation we see here, whilst  I don't think we’ll see a intimate liaison between these 2 organisations, it certainly appears they are appropriate bedfellows to take on the GDC.

The GDC response to the DPL reply has been to defend its position by coming up with a list of improvements it has already made; a list of blindingly obvious ‘improvements’ which should be the bare minimum it should have already been working to. Things like obtaining clinical advice at an early stage of the investigation it sees as an improvement in its process.

Excuse me, but aren’t you a regulator of Clinicians? You don't have to be a brain surgeon to work out a clinical complaint needs a clinical opinion immediately, so the fact it is seen as an improvement shows your system is unfit. You cant go blaming the lack of a section 60 amendment or order to get a CLINICAL regulator to take CLINICAL advice. There’s also been the introduction of a triage process. Which in itself is an admission that many of the cases going through the system haven't been triaged. So the GDC haven't a clue whether they are spending money appropriately or not in these cases, especially if they haven't got the clinical input.

The GDC also asks DPL and other organisations ‘to contribute to the development of more effective complaint resolution systems”. Perhaps the profession should now start to use the medium of interpretive dance in order to convey its message to them, since the GDC doesn't appear to be listening to any of the words said or written by any of the stakeholders in this affair. Anybody fancy a mass Haka outside the GDC at their next meeting on Thursday 18th September?

In addition to this press release, we learn that, now, instead of making a decision on the ARF this Thursday, the GDC has decided to have their figures looked at before any decision is made. We won’t know until October now what the results of this review are likely to be.

One would think they wouldn’t need to do this if they were confident in their calculations, so the very fact that KPMG have been engaged by the GDC for this assessment means they are now worried about the information presented by the BDA, which looks fairly damning. The firm instructed by the BDA would apparently ONLY take on the instruction if they were to remain utterly and completely independent, so any report commissioned by the GDC should surely spot the same things if they are engaged on the same basis.

I do believe that whilst there is a realisation from the GDC that this affair is now really serious, I do think they will try to defend their position by using KPMG to counter the arguments put by the BDA’s forensic accountants.

The choice of KPMG seems another appropriate bedfellow; this time for the GDC. KPMG do not exactly have a glowing reputation with regard to their auditing standards; indeed, they are currently under investigation over their part in the Co-Op banking problems, and prior to that the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in 2012 found a failure rate of 34% in KPMG’s audits ¹, up from 22.6%. That looks very familiar to the position the GDC find themselves with the PSA from where I'm sitting.  Admittedly, it will probably be a different department of theirs looking at the GDC figures, but if there is inherent inefficiency in one part of an organisation, it tars the rest with the same brush as it’s a symptom of breakdown in communication and leadership right from the top tier of the organisation.

In that respect then, having KPMG look at the GDC seems to be a bit like one failing student marking other failing students’ exam papers. In fact it has actually been said that using KPMG as an auditor is ‘like a chicken farmer asking a fox to count the chickens in the farmyard, find the holes in the fence, and then trusting the fox when he promises not to tell his mates outside ² . Will anyone be surprised therefore if this report shows the GDC figures are correct? On the other hand, would a GDC stuck in its current ‘not listening’ mode believe it if KPMG point out the same issues, or even discover something else more damning? Perhaps they would then commission more reports until they get the answer they want.

But this recent development now brings a different aspect of the situation at the GDC into focus. Do we actually know if the Council themselves approved this recent move? Or is this the Executive acting independently of the Council in making this decision before the meeting of the 18th? It seems to have been a knee jerk reaction judging by the speed with which it was announced, so has it been fully ratified by the council? One would hope so. But since the Council doesn’t meet until Thursday the 18th, unless there is in place a facility for remote decision making by the council (and if there is then why do they need to still meet in expensive London?) then is it possible this decision might have been taken by members of the executive? If so, surely when the Council meet this week, in their oversight role the council must look at this move, and question robustly the need to have to now instruct an expensive firm of accountants to look at the figures used for calculating the ARF. Yet again registrants will pay for this further move, thus draining the GDC of further resources which they’ll ask us to pay. I can see the FOI requests winging their way to Wimpole Street asking who actually made the decision to instruct KPMG.

If it is indeed the Executive that have acted to bring in KPMG, then if the Council do not consider whether this is appropriate use of funds, and bring the Executive to task over the situation, they further illustrate just how toothless and out of touch they are with that is going on at Wimpole Street. It must bring into question what the actual point of the Council is if it doesn't exercise, or indeed have, an oversight role. If the executive is making the decisions about the running of the GDC then surely this is not obeying the statutory role the GDC has. Its a General Dental Council we have in law, not a General Dental Executive Committee.

On the other hand, if the Council have been involved in the decision to get KPMG in, does that mean the Council didn't question the ARF figures robustly enough before they were released as part of the consultation? In which case it brings into question the suitability of the Council itself to oversee anything.

Which ever of these two scenarios is the right one, the GDC still aren’t covering themselves in glory, and their actions raise further, and more searching, questions every time there is a new development as to the suitability of the organisation to properly regulate the profession.

1.    http://www.complianceweek.com/blogs/accounting-auditing-update/kpmg-pwc-2012-inspection-reports-list-more-failures#.VBbfzkue_aQ

2.   http://www.thenews.coop/83091/news/general/kpmg-faces-embarrassing-questions-role-co-operative-bank/                        

The DH & GDPC – Bedfellows Or Bedfoes?

Take the Dept for Health [DH].
Add in an ineffective General Dental Practice Committee [GDPC] at the BDA
Keep the vociferous Local Dental Committees [LDCs] at arm’s length…
What do you have?

General Dental Chaos?

The other GDC and “The Referendum” are not the only kids on the dental block. The chaos of Contract Reform is still lurking in the periphery of our vision, and really ought to be a full on crisis for shouting about.

To those of you of a Gaelic disposition North of the border, good luck for the forthcoming shenanigans. By the time you read this Scotland might be heading toward independence if YES prevails – or toward much reduced dependence if the NOES have it. In some respects, our Scots colleagues have the best of all worlds – they have retained Fee For Service, and have a relatively user friendly Government. Any changes frankly are less than likely to cause great change or disadvantage in the short to medium term.

English [and Welsh] dentists on the other hand … From where I sit, the DH heads are still in the sand as we head out to a 9 year old discredited Contract with so many problems, it is laughable.

What with the GDC imploding and Scotland commanding our attention [the irony of a UK wide GDC trying to set an ARF on the day that Scotland may break away is not lost] it is easy to forget that in the background NHS England and the DH are trying to blag the next Contract Reform package
Increasingly, if you keep your ear to the ground, it appears that a Train Crash in slow motion is a suitable mind-set.

2015 not long now …

2015, people …. it is only next year – and what have we to show? Discredited pilots, great suspicion that the Corporates are trying to wedge the DH door open for personal gain, and a weak GDPC who continue to fail to nail down the critical issues.

The LDCs it has to be said are populated by wet fingered dentists who understand the issues. It is the LDCs who supposedly guide opinion at the BDA’s GDPC. Is that not what the LDC Conference is all about? Trickle-up democracy and all that?

And yet after all these years there is a feeling that the BDA’s GDPC is simply not taking the DH to task.
While opinion varies, there is a mood that the LDCs are passing water into wind when trying to influence the GDPC. If you would care to get that special ‘under the counter’ view of those in the know, you will find that there is a feeling that the GDPC are so desperate to see the present contract replaced that have forgotten all the headline issues that plague the current fiasco, overseen by the late PCTs and now NHS England’s LAT gate guardians.

Ask anyone, you all know it. The current problems abound. Whether it be the massive and unfair discrepancy in UDA values. or fairness in dealing with high needs patients – there are serious issues of finance. The clinical disaster of Endodontics is mirrored in the back office with HTM 01-05 and its fictional evidence base. What about Nurses and their enhanced professional status – no funding and no pensions! Status, indeed!!

Never mind the matter of practice sales or incorporation difficulties and how the CQC cope with it all.

Wake the GDPC up … NOW!

Now that the ARF is a matter closed in all but the detail, [OK so the GDC have gone running to KPMG in a panic and put the decision back 6 weeks – but are we fooled?] and while your antennae are still vibrating, why not turn some of your energy to the GDPC and their effectiveness in making sure YOUR contract is beneficial to you in 2015.

After all, if you want to pay your ARF and not simply take a pay cut to do it, you need Dr Milne and his GDPC colleagues to pull their collective bloody fingers out and to do so a bit quick. This next month or two is the last chance saloon before the Civil Service wrap it up for the election.

Time for the swarm of dentists to move along Wimpole Street. Even if you are NOT a BDA member – it is the GDPC who are gambling away your heard earned fees with their laziness and ineffectiveness at dealing with the DH.

You called the GDC to account.

May I suggest you ALL now call the GDPC to account. It’s your wallet that will pay for their failure.

Everyone's favourite W&H Assistina monsters, the Bugdrilla family, have decided to see the world. And you can win an iPad Air by helping them to visit exciting places and have new experiences!

To take part in the #BugdrillaOnTour adventure, register your contact details on www.wh.com or by writing to Marketing Department, W&H (UK) Ltd, 6 Stroud Wood Business Centre, Park Street, St Albans, AL2 2NJ, and we will forward a Bugdrilla monster to you when s/he returns from their latest trip. Then just take one or more photos of a Bugdrilla in interesting situations, and upload them to Twitter or to www.wh.com with a caption. If you are entering via Twitter, please use the tag #BugdrillaOnTour, and ensure that you are following @WH_UKLtd so we can contact you if you are the winner. Once a Bugdrilla has had a few days with you, please return him/her to us, so they can continue with the next phase of their journey.

A few W&H team members have started off a Bugdrilla's journey, so do check out #BugdrillaOnTour on Twitter to see some of the fun things they have already done!

All registered participants will receive a Bugdrilla keyring to keep, and one lucky winner will receive an iPad Air 32GB WiFi model worth £479. The winner will be the registered participant who submits the most original, interesting, funny, artistic or appropriate photo, as agreed by the W&H panel of judges. All entries must be received by 11am on Monday 1st December 2014.

So register today, and an Assistina Monster will shortly be joining you for #BugdrillaOnTour...!

Follow this link to register http://www.wh.com/en_uk/dental-newsroom/promotions/raffle/

Participants must be dental professionals or affiliated with the dental industry, residing in the United Kingdom or Ireland.  By participating in the competition you are agreeing to the competition terms and conditions as published on www.wh.com.

W&H.  People Have Priority.

Building on its success of recent years, The Dentistry Show 2015 promises to be another unmissable event for UK dentists. With exciting changes and an array of fantastic new features and social events, there will be even more learning and networking opportunities for everyone connected to the profession.

So What’s New?

Dedicated to continuing the growth and success of previous years, and to ensure as many professionals as possible are able to attend, The Dentistry Show and DTS have changed their dates from 2015 onwards. Out of 756 dentists who hadn’t attended the Show in 2013 or 2014, 69% said they were likely or very likely to visit if it was held in April – so the dates were changed. The 2015 Show will therefore take place on Friday 17^th and Saturday 18^th April, enabling professionals who are busy completing UDA quotas in March, to attend without any added stress.

And with more delegates visiting, it will be better for everyone. Not only will more professionals be able to make the most of the free education and CPD available throughout the two-day event, but increased networking opportunities will ensure you have the chance to make even more new contacts across the industry. There will also be a larger number of delegates to support the many leading suppliers and manufacturers around the extensive exhibition, promising an even more dynamic and productive event for all. 

Another particularly exciting new initiative at the 2015 Show will be ‘Launchpad UK’.  With the new dates, The Dentistry Show will now take place just after the IDS in Cologne every other year, making this the perfect platform for the trade show to showcase and launch the very latest products, technology and materials available to the UK market.

For delegates, this means that you can be sure to source all the very latest developments and innovations, with an array of brand new, cutting edge technologies and services at your disposal. In the weeks leading up to The Dentistry Show 2015, all registered delegates will receive updates and highlights on what to expect and who from, so that you can plan and maximise your time at the event. The experts will also be on hand across the extensive trade floor to provide any information or advice you may need and to help you ensure that your practice is at the very forefront of dentistry.

In addition, further proving its commitment to and support of the dental industry, The Dentistry Show is delighted be working with Purple Media Solutions to host the prestigious Dental Awards 2015. The Awards will provide a fantastic chance for delegates to come together to recognise and celebrate the many achievements of both individuals and groups in the industry.

Are The Old Favourites Returning?

The Dentistry Show wouldn’t be what it is without the varied and vibrant learning opportunities it has become known for. Many key features of previous years will return for 2015 including the hugely popular BSP PerioLounge, Short-Term-Orthodontic Lounge and an array of hands-on workshops and live surgery demonstrations. The impressive speaker line-up will once again consist of world-class professionals at the very top of their game, each delivering sessions designed to inform, amaze and inspire.

The dedicated conference streams will also return to ensure there is something for each and every valuable every member of the dental team, with a wide spectrum of clinical, technical and debatable topics covered for GDPs, specialists, dental hygienists, therapists, nurses and practice managers. A lecture programme will also be provided concentrating on business topics with fresh and easy to implement ideas on how to motivate your team, enhance your marketing strategies and maximise your online presence, enabling you to develop and grow your practice. Hours of verifiable and general CPD will be available for all delegates through various conference streams, helping your whole team to meet the requirements in a simple and fun way.

With all this and much more to look forward to, The Dentistry Show and DTS 2015 is one event you don’t want to miss. With first-class education, worldwide leading speakers, hands-on experience, a fantastic social and networking programme and the chance to discover the newest products and innovations to hit the market, what more could you need?

If you choose to attend only one UK dental event next year, make it The Dentistry Show.

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.

Your Dental Website, What’s Important?

The answer to this question “Dental Website, What’s Important?” is incredibly simple really and it’s this: (1) You need to attract as much traffic to your site as possible (2) You need to convert as much of that traffic as possible.

Most businesses view their website as something that they have to tick the box and can say, yes we now have a website. The fact that the only people who know it exists is themselves, friends and family never seems to come into the equation.

Having a dental website built can cost many thousands of pounds and take up a great deal of your time and effort, only for it to lurk in the shadows never being seen by anyone. It’s a little like setting up a new dental practice in the middle of a field and wondering why nobody is coming!

The best and most reliable way to drive traffic to your website is to use Google Adwords. This will take you to the top of page one of Google in most instances or at worst you’ll be over on the right hand side of the first page see below.

When someone looks for your site on a mobile device this is even more important as normally you’ll only ever see the websites that are using Google Adwords advertising or pay per click (PPC).

Google normally allocates the top three slots for paid advertising which means that if you don’t advertise your website with them the best you can ever hope for is position number four and to get to this position you have to be very, very, very good at optimising your dental website.

So let’s assume you’ve decided to pay Google an amount each day to display your dental website and people are landing on the particular page you want them to land on. You now have to convert them from browsers to buyers.

Take a look at the two websites below:

I’m sure you’ll think that the page on the right is much prettier than my page and you’d probably be right, but my page will outrank the other page in Google rankings and also out convert the one on the right by a factor of 1000% here’s why.

On the left of my page is a video which automatically starts running when someone lands on the page, this immediately gets and keeps their attention. On the page on the right is a nice photograph.

On the right hand side of my page is a picture of my book, and a line saying click here to download my book or have one sent in the post for free. However to actually get the book you have to give me your email address and name and this is key.

If you are selling anything that is of a higher value such as an implant on your dental website, invariably people will not just pick up the phone and book an appointment now, simply because whenever we buy things of a higher value we want more information and this is where the email comes into play.

When someone gives you their email address it is placed in what we call an auto responder, this does exactly what the name implies, it automatically responds. So you can have a series of emails spaced out over the next three or four months that will automatically be sent to your subscriber.

This means that when they do eventually decide to have that implant or have their teeth straightened or have a smile makeover, invariably they will choose you because you have been sending them information for that last three months.

That’s how we convert browsers into paying patients on your dental website.

If you would like to know more about our website service, with video and auto responders built in, call me on 01767 626 398 or email me a This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

According to key business lobby groups, the UK economy is prospering and economic recovery is now in full-swing. 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%.

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.

With this in mind, 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.

There are arguably very few markets that are more affected by the rise and fall of discretionary spending behaviours than the dental market. Prior to the recession and during it, the biggest determinant was patients’ attitudes toward 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, recently reported in its 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.

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’.

The private dental sector, particularly, is set to ‘bounce back’, from its recent period of contraction. What is more the activity in the transactional and investment environments 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 – 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.

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.

As with any property sector there are countless external factors and economic influences that will inevitably 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.

What happens when an Immovable Object meets an Irresistible Force?

Impasse. And so it would appear to have been for the last couple of weeks after the initial thrust of the BDA’s threats, and the parry and riposte of the GDC’s response.

However, I always thought it was going to be right at the end of the ‘consultation’ process that the BDA would make their next attack, and as we have seen yesterday, Mick Armstrong has told the GDC in no uncertain terms ‘ it’s 1 minute to midnight’. Waiting until the last minute has made sure the Judicial Review can’t be halted or paused to allow the consultation to finish, had it been launched prematurely and has made sure the GDC don’t get to see the BDA’s hand of cards early.

But this hasn’t actually seen the announcement of the BDA taking legal action to go to Judicial Review, and as such I bet a lot of people will be disappointed if they just look at this video superficially. I can see the posts on GDPUK forum that this is just BDA posturing again, and they haven’t the guts to carry out the threat.

But if you read the full press release as well as watching the video, and especially take time to look at the additional information within the release regarding the figures in the consultation, it is obvious the BDA are actually giving the GDC a final chance to back down. The GDC will suffer a humiliating loss of face if they do, but we as registrants and members won’t then have to foot both sets of legal bills.

I don’t get the impression Mick Armstrong is messing about when he says the BDA are committed to following this through. But as a fellow Yorkshireman I appreciate the sporting nature of letting your opponents know you’re going to hit them, hard, and give them a final chance to back down. But you only do that once you know you have the upper hand. The BDA might not have a Royal Flush, but it seems like the GDC only has a pair of Jokers at the moment. Reading the documents attached to the BDA’s submission leaves one in no doubt of the intention of the BDA to go to JR.

By engaging the services of a FORENSIC accountancy company the BDA appear to have pulled off a masterstroke; utilizing the skills of professionals specializing in detecting high level fraud, regulatory scrutiny and anti-corruption, and then publishing a précis of the findings publically must surely send the a big signal to the GDC that the BDA is not playing brinkmanship here, but actually means business. This is serious stuff now, and the BDA have now shown their cards to the GDC by revealing financial inconsistencies are what the JR will probably be based on.  

The forensic analysis of the accounts has apparently shown the GDC’s own published figures for the ARF hike are somewhat contradictory. These inconsistencies not only call into question the validity of the need for the ARF increase by questioning the basic level of evidence, but the inconsistency of the figures must surely now call into question the bigger picture of the integrity of the GDC in all of its financial matters. Whether this is part of the Judicial Review or not, the financial matters of the GDC must be impeccable, and they appear not to be.

The analysis of the figures would appear to go beyond the fact insufficient and inconsistent information has been given to registrants so they can’t actually make an informed response to the consultation. It seems to confirm the GDC is actually so contemptuous of us as intelligent people that they feel they can knowingly release confusing figures, expect us to then swallow the ARF rise, (after what we have all agreed is a sham consultation) and carry on as before. If a dentist were to confuse a patient in that manner, it would be cause for a registrant to be hauled before the GDC. Alternatively, it suggests incompetency and a lack of communication in the organizational structure of the GDC. Once again, they are grounds for a registrant to appear before the regulator. Whichever way you look at it (and it may be a combination of the two), our professional association appears to now have more robust evidence of the failings of the regulator and is prepared to act on it.

However since the GDC’s regulator is the PSA, and they seem to be about as threatening as a periodontally compromised 3 legged chihuahua with trismus and a sore throat, and as much use as a pair of waterproof sandals then you can’t really blame the GDC for not being too worried about the consequences of their actions.

Judging by the interview with Ms Gilvarry in Dentistry magazine, she doesn’t have appeared to understand what the profession is finding such a problem with. The penny certainly hasn’t dropped with her; perhaps this is because there aren’t actually any spare pennies left to drop at the GDC since their accounts seem to be in such a tangle.

But surely there must now be a realization by at least someone in power at the GDC that the BDA and the profession as a whole just might have a point. It would be useful if it dawned on them simultaneously that they have picked a fight with what seems to be a quickly developing Irresistible Force.

And they as the Immovable Object appear to have some ominous cracks developing, which wouldn’t do them a lot of good if they continue on the course they seem hell bent on taking…….

Image credit - James Cridland  under CC licence - not modified.

1. Let someone know you are outside their house waiting in the car. Just send them a "Yo".
2. Thinking of that special someone, send them a "Yo".
3. Your chinese takeaway is ready, you receive a "Yo" and go to pick it up.
4. Tell a patient in your surgery that you are ready to see them now! Or is that taking things to far?

• 30000 angry letters to MP’s WILL count.
• 30000 angry letters to the GDC WILL count.
• 30000 angry letters to the PSA WILL count
• 30000 angry dentists arriving at the GDC on a chosen day to pay their ARF WILL really get their attention
• 100,000 letter from dentists and DCPs – now THAT will really get attention!

The revelations of a recent FOI request showing the cash reserves and short term access assets of the GDC potentially raise questions of the financial fortitude of our regulator.

If indeed the figures supplied by the GDC are correct, and represent the full and correct answer to the question asked, then it would appear they have access to about £11.9million of funds within a 5 day period. (I’ve got that figure from 10.5m less 4.8m at 22/7/14 added to the 6.2m at 1/8/14)

Given that the GDC costs £104,000 per day to run by their own admission, then this sees us with a regulator that looks like it is going to have no more cash by the end of November 2014. Coupled with the £7.1million that it is spending on refurbishing its HQ on Wimpole Street, it doesn’t seem all that surprising now that the GDC is threatening the BDA with its losses if the judicial review fails (if it goes ahead).

The GDC usually takes its run of Direct Debits for the ARF in the first week of December, so this would then have the effect of restoring its cashflow straight away.

However, what if all the registrants cancelled their direct debits? What if the BDA were to lead a concerted effort to get us to do this? It won’t fall foul of the legality of having to pay the ARF, it’s just that the GDC won’t be able to actively take it to help their cashflow; we will give it to them when we decide. As long as it is paid before the end of that month, then we cannot be erased for non-payment of the ARF. Wouldn’t it be great for the BDA to suggest ALL registrants cancel their Direct Debits with the GDC?

If this is the case and the GDC is running out of money, then in all likelihood they will just delay the FtP cases and other hearings until the cashflow looks better. Since these equate to the majority of their expenditure this would be a fairly easy way to massage the situation swiftly;  but this then becomes even more intolerable to those stuck in the ever increasing queue for the March to the Scaffold. That means that yet again there will be  practitioners that indeed represent a danger to the public still unpunished and still working, along with those in the queue probably because they used the wrong grade of soflex to polish a composite. Is that any way to protect the public?

But what happens if a regulator is effectively insolvent? Has this ever happened before, and if it is boracic, will it get bailed out by the Government?  What happens to the role of protecting the public if this happens, and how does this square with the requirement in the Dentists Act to have a regulator? If it does indeed become insolvent and is bailed out by HMG, then this shows us that it is indeed a wholly owned subsidiary of HMG, so if they want it to remain solvent , then they and not us should fund it.

Many a profitable business has gone bust in this and the recessions before due to a cashflow problem, so why should any other type of organisation be immune from this when it gets its sums wrong or experiences an increase in its expenditure?

Would the duty of the GDC then be better served by the CQC instead? After all, the CQC now realises dentistry isn’t that bad, and that it recognises the need for experts to be involved in its inspection processes. It appears to have grown a pair of ears more recently. If we are going to have a super-regulator foist upon us, wouldn’t we rather have one that whilst it still seems a bit dim, does  appear to be learning from its mistakes, or continue with one that treats us with arrogance and contempt whilst (possibly) overspending its funding? That’s discussion for another day.

This is all probably hypothetical and the figures have been interpreted incorrectly and they don’t include the contingencies for the refurbishment etc;  if so the GDC isn’t going to run out of money .

But if this IS the situation, the GDC isn’t just Broken, it's Broke.

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