Following similar campaigns for medicine and pharmacy, (no I hadn't noticed either), last week NHS England launched the dental call. It was trumpeted with documents with the admirable aim of improving dental care and oral health, but the large caveat is this must be done with a reducing budget and a £30 billion black hole in the NHS funding stream. One wonders if loosing dentistry from the NHS might infill some of the cavity.

We are told that the NHS dental budget is £3.4 billion per year and that private dentistry makes up £2.3 billion in provision, although some may dispute that. £653 million from patient charges is included in the total budget and is an important part of the contribution. In view of what the government is prepared to pay on other issues, one wonders why it is needed at all, but of course patient charges are a controlling factor of the demand.

Much is made of the Dental Local Professional Networks that have recently been established, but no mention of the chronic underfunding of this, which might explain why so few of us will have noticed their existence to date.

The NHS belongs to the people is the strap line, but not sure the way politicians interfere with it, make any of us feel like the owners.

The document attempts to describe many strengths in the current system and improve access. At a recent GDPC meeting I asked Elizabeth Lynam , head of dentistry at the DoH would there be funding for more patients to register if a reformed registration and capitation model attracted more than the 56% currently visiting practices in a 24 month period, no was the answer.

So if access is to increase, that too must happen within the existing budget. Not so much a call to action as a call for charity from the profession.

As a committed LDC official, I am disappointed that there is not a single reference to local representative committees, nor a mention of them being stakeholders. Perhaps with the manipulation of levy collection ongoing by NHS England maybe they won't be for long anyway?

We are asked to respond to the questions by the 16th May 2014 and that our answers will be independently analysed, we are not told by who,( I am lead to believe it may be an American institution, so much for tendering) but it will make a change for independent analysis when we are deprived that within the pilot programme. A strategic framework for commissioning will be published along with a report.

There is pride on the excellent data on disease and activity NHS England hold but those that witnessed the destruction of the Dental Practice Board will believe this information far inferior to what was previously known.

Again there is a plan to best use tax payer’s money and develop a workforce that is appropriate for the future, a bit rich after what graduates are facing in the lottery of FD placement. But world class has been replaced by exemplar commissioner so perhaps reality is dawning at Whitehall. I wonder where the "tools" to enable a consistent care pathway are being kept.

Remarkably the document admits they need to know how to measure excellence and despite telling us how good the data is they have, they admit they lack data to benchmark performance nationally. I know what I believe of these two versions on data.

In its section on health inequalities it talks about a "seldom heard" group, I got quite excited when I thought it might be the many critics of DoH and NHS England but it turns out to be patients facing barriers to accessing care.

There is a clear message they we carry out our care at times convenient to us, and that patients want extended hours after work and at weekends. Not sure what evidence base there is for this, but the direction of travel is clear.

Much is made of the OFT report of 2012 despite massive criticism from the profession and the BDA. So not much notice taken there then, and of course they trumpet this call to action process is being supported by the BDA. Damned if you do and the same if you don't .

There are also indicators to the shape of general practice of the future, they want to move away from working in isolation and support larger teams in the interest of better care, and develop special interest in primary care. The end of single handed practice and tiered delivery of care for those with the badge to do it is just a review away perhaps?

It is followed by a list of questions deliberately moulded to either restrict answers or get the ones they want, but none the less I would encourage all to let them have the "action" by going to

www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/qual-clin-lead/calltoaction/dental-call-to-action/

Whilst I understand enthusiasm for this is not great and we are being herded along with the medics, we should not under estimate the importance or messages contained.

Eddie Crouch

“Areas where I sit at work are now empty… I'm having a hard time going on.”

“I spend my days fighting off folks who torment me because of this.”

“I am so desperate! I’ve tried almost everything in this world and I still can't find a solution to the problem.”

These are but a few of the many quotes, posted by real people under user names, that can be found in various online forums on the topic of bad breath.

Most people find the subject of halitosis so uncomfortable that a public survey reveals only 9% would speak directly to a colleague about their breath, while a mere 14% would give subtle hints such as offering a mint. The rest would prefer not to mention it, or would avoid the sufferer altogether.[i]

When people who are painfully embarrassed by bad breath feel that there’s no one else to turn to, they may rely on the anonymity of the internet for answers. Online, they can discreetly search for remedies and methods they have not tried; they hide behind aliases to open up about how much bad breath has affected their lives.

According to the web analysis tool Keyword Eye, the terms “halitosis” and “bad breath” have been searched 4,400 and 3,600 times respectively through Google UK alone in a span of less than a month.[ii] And typing in the words “halitosis treatment” on the aforementioned search engine brings up about 1,640,000 results.[iii]

There is a lot of advice on bad breath to be had online – the problem is much of it can be ineffective, invalid, laughable, and in the worst cases, potentially harmful.

One example of a popular internet remedy for bad breath is gargling a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) daily, with recommended dosages and dilutions varying from site to site. Most health care professionals who contribute to these online forums advise users against swishing H2O2 in the mouth[iv], especially when doing so unsupervised.

Another example of a bad breath remedy that can be readily found online is to eliminate certain foods from your diet. Some forum users suggest eschewing carbs and grains, several say avoid dairy at all costs, and others still recommend abstaining from all kinds of meat and acidic foods such as coffee, fruit and fruit juices.[v]^,[vi],[vii]

Chronic halitosis sufferers who have been battling the condition for years can be eager for any kind of guidance, and advice like this may be easily taken too much to heart, putting their long-term health at risk with an unbalanced diet.

Some websites offer misleading information as well – such as that bad breath comes from the gut and can be treated with oxygen therapy[viii], or that the true cause of halitosis can be diagnosed by new age exercise and acupuncture[ix].

While it’s true in about 10% of cases that bad breath can be the result of an underlying medical condition, 90% of the time, foul mouth odour is simply that – a problem that resides in the mouth. Patients led to believe that their halitosis comes from elsewhere in the body can end up following the wrong therapies and treatment plans.

Other sites go so far as to claim that doctors and dentists purposely refrain from actually helping patients in order to keep them coming back.[x] Not only are websites such as these selling what are most probably ineffective solutions for halitosis, they also promote distrust of dental care professionals, and can lead patients to abstain from consulting a dentist about their problem.

While there are many pages that give good counsel for getting rid of bad breath – several recommend proper brushing, interdental cleaning and tongue scraping, for example – there is an equal number that offer ineffective and harmful information. And when chronic sufferers have tried all the sensible advice to no avail, the improbable suggestions may begin look rather attractive.

While it may seem common sense to dental professionals, vulnerable halitosis sufferers who view these pages through a combination of desperation and unawareness can bring their oral health to imbalance by trying remedies that can do more harm than good.

People who chronically suffer from bad breath shouldn’t be left to research their own bad breath solutions without proper guidance. Dental care professionals must always try and educate patients on good oral hygiene, and for persistent bad breath, recommend products that actually work.

Products that contain chlorhexidine and zinc, for example, have been demonstrated to effectively neutralise the Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs) that cause foul mouth odours. CB12 has these ingredients in a patented formula that is superior to that of 18 other mouthwash brands,[xi] and has been proven effective for at least 12 hours.[xii]

Reading through online public forums, the hopelessness and despair of some chronic halitosis sufferers truly show. Dental care professionals are in the best position to help ease such pain by helping their patients become more vigilant about proper oral hygiene. And recommending a truly effective product such as CB12 can help not only the patients’ physical condition, but their emotional and mental states as well.

For more information about CB12 and how it could benefit your patients, please visit www.cb12.co.uk

Welcome to our latest blog on advertising on the GDPUK site. Below are some questions, facts and thoughts for you to consider.

• Would you like the opportunity to reach thousands of Dentists every day? If the answer is yes, we average 3,000 visits a day to the site.

• GDPUK is viewed as a form of social media for Dentists, with many seeing the medium as the hub of UK Dentistry, can you afford to miss out?

"GDPUK is an invaluable resource for any dentist from newly qualified to retirement. The advice, both clinical and non-clinical, is second to none and it a great place to share ideas." Ian Dunn, 2012

• GDPUK has 3,000 visitors a day to the site, everyday of the year. To put it in context, the Dental Showcase had 4000 dentists visit over 3 days in 2013!

• We work with many of the leading dental trade businesses, they recognise GDPUK as central to their marketing strategys.

”The advent of the internet and social media have turned marketing opportunities on their head. We feel GDPUK’s utilisation of web forums for the dental industry, blended with industry comment, are the way the modern dental professional interacts with their peers and learns about the products and services that could be of use to them.” Fay Higgin, TePe UK 2013

• Our site have been running online marketing campaigns for over 10 years, we have expericence and the knowledge on what makes a successful campaign for our clients, please get in touch to learn more

• Helps your budget work harder when marketing to Dentists. Reach your target audience on their network at exactly the point when dentists are actively seeking advice / guidance to make an important decision for their practice or career.

• We can help grow your business in a number of ways; banner ads, product news, press releases, brand awareness, product launches, full accountability of results, run surveys and data collections.

• In a 2013 GDPUK survey, we found that on average our members spend around £48,000 on dental sundries or supplies every year. (from 200 participants)

Get in touch to find out how we can work together.

Advertising on GDPUK.com starts from £300 + vat. Space available in March.

For further information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0161 270 0453

www.gdpuk.com/web

We look forward to working together soon!

What can CHALLENGE do?

• CHALLENGE will argue and lobby powerfully in support of the dental profession’s position as the key providers of oral health care in the UK. The process of building a new dental service cannot be done in secret.
• CHALLENGE will organise forums and events in which key players can be given the chance to air their views and break through the logjam created by the BDA and the Department of Health both of whom have excellent reasons to exclude others from the debate.
• Carry out field research among the profession to establish their opinions, hopes and fears. This is not a feature of any of the work being carried out at the moment. Suppressing the voice of the dental profession is unforgiveable when it is the profession as a whole that will be required to carry out whatever emerges from the discussions, using their businesses and the human resource they control. That voice must be heard loud and clear.
• CHALLENGE will listen to the voices of those whose work is strongly linked to the dental profession and industry but not part of the established professional hierarchy. The dental industry supports the dental profession in a symbiotic relationship – each needs the other. The importance of that element of the industry needs to be recognised.

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Key principles underpinning the CHALLENGE approach to a new GDS contract in 2014/5

Any new system must concentrate its efforts on delivering –

·         Improved oral health for the population as a whole

·         An oral care system that patients understand and can trust

·         A profession that can take pride in its work

These are the simple but important features of a successful contractual arrangement between the dental profession and the Government.

In addition, CHALLENGE would say that the following issues are just as important -

·         A system where the roles of the state and of individual service providers  are crystal clear

·         A system in which the NHS and non-NHS system work in combination, not in opposition

·         a system in which the profession is encouraged and empowered to act professionally

Whatever emerges from the discussions between the profession and the NHS must be able to demonstrate that it has matched these issues with due sensitivity to the needs of both sides. Both sides need to recognise the need for fiscal control and integrity and both sides need to understand that if high clinical standards are required then the funding has to be there to support those standards.

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Chief Dental Officer for England issues a ‘Call to Action’ to the dental profession to help find workable solutions to the contractual problems that have beset the NHS general dental service since the introduction of the last set of contractual changes in 2006.

You’re a bit late getting to the party, Barry, but now you are here you will be pleased to know that your old adversaries CHALLENGE have been resurrected and are looking forward to joining a robust debate alongside you.

Barry, you will remember, but for those who are too young to recall, CHALLENGE was a political pressure group set up in the wake of the 2006 contract debacle. They argued long and strong for major changes early in the life of the new contracts. They even made a significant appearance in front of a Parliamentary Health Select Committee back in 2008. The three founder members were Eddie Crouch, John Renshaw and Ian Gordon. These are well known names with a long track record of standing up for GDPs in the one-sided battle with the Department of Health. The same three professional leaders are still the face of CHALLENGE.

The call for action from the CDO provides us dentists with quite an intriguing headline, especially coming from one of the most obdurate supporters of the status quo. Barry Cockcroft comes to the vexatious arguments over the way the NHS GDS and its various contractual formats work for patients and for dentists after telling anyone who would listen - for years on end - that the service is in great shape and patients are deliriously happy with the way they are treated.

Well, if Barry wants to hear from the profession, CHALLENGE is willing to take up the cudgels once again to promote and articulate the message we hear coming from all the GDPs we listen to on a regular basis. In the near future we will be running our own listening exercise to gather up data on how you see the contract and how you feel you have fared in the eight years since it began. We also need to know your concerns about the pilots being run at the moment and the possible shape of a new service that may emerge.

If we as a profession are to make any real impact other than making a lot of noise and blowing out a lot of hot air, we need your input to validate what we are saying. When that chance comes along please take the few moments it will require to put down, for our benefit and for the benefit of all your colleagues, exactly how you feel about the situation you find yourself in.

If Barry wants action, CHALLENGE says let’s give it to him!!

John Renshaw

CHALLENGE

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For most people, the concept of an urban e-topia, a futuristic paradise where everything is streamlined, simplified and perfected by technology, has only ever been the subject of sci-fi novels. But if we take the time to look closer, glimpses of a modern, ideal society much improved by technology can be seen at this very moment.

From bringing down crime through the use of geographic information systems to diagnosing lung diseases bedside with biomarker analysis tools,[i] technology currently works in unseen ways to improve many aspects of modern urban living.

In healthcare, the emergence of commonly used terms such as eHealth and mHealth (or mobile health) signify how technology has changed the way we manage our physical wellbeing, especially in developed countries where internet and mobile usage are now as common as plumbing and heating.

One measurable way in which eHealth and mHealth improves the quality of healthcare is through enhanced appointment accessibility through online booking sites and applications.

Ready access to necessary health services has been known to impact the overall physical, emotional and mental status of a patient. Naturally, accessible healthcare improves the prevention of disease and disability, the detection and treatment of health concerns, and the overall quality of life.[ii]

In a Californian study, children who had easy access to healthcare scored about 8 percentage points higher on a quality of life survey than children who reported want in care — a difference that the researchers described as ‘clinically important’.[iii]

In Cheshire East, a pilot platform allows elderly patients to book and schedule their care requirements with multiple providers through a centralised system. So far this has been estimated to cut about 20% in staff time, and reduce the cost of delivering elderly care services.[iv]

Aside from making it easier to book and receive primary care, eHealth and mHealth also helps patients make informed decisions about the quality of service they choose.

Because the level of primary care they receive can greatly affect their physical wellbeing, healthcare consumers rely on information about potential service providers more than consumers in other sectors do.[v]

In the desire for what is perceived as credible and easily digestible knowledge, word of mouth recommendations by friends and relatives and e-word of mouth (eWOM) via online reviews serve as major sources of information.[vi]

Not only is eWOM a good business driver for practices who keep their patients happy, it can also serve as a great motivator for practices to continually improve their quality of care and ensure that patients receive the best possible service at all times.

Another way in which technology improves the provision of primary care is by significantly cutting wasted time and money that DNAs bring about. Missed appointments, which are estimated to cost the NHS millions of pounds annually,[vii] can now be greatly reduced with automatic text and email reminders sent to patients.

A good example of the efficacy of this technological system is Barts Hospital and the London Hospital NHS Trust, which saved nearly £1m in 2011 by using an automatic appointment reminder text service.[viii]

Taking all these points into consideration, it’s clear that an effective technological platform that provides easy booking, access to information and appointment reminders – such as Zesty – can greatly benefit both patients and care providers alike.

With services such these, we may soon reach a kind of healthcare e-topia – where anyone with internet access can take better control of their health and improve their quality of life in the simplest, most direct way possible.

Simply email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.zesty.co.uk or call 0203 287 5416 for more details of our Free Trial

[v] Robinowitz DL, Dudley RA. Public reporting of provider performance: can its impact be made greater? Annu Rev Public Health. 2006;27:517-36. Review. PubMed PMID: 16533128.

Obtaining valid consent from patients prior to any treatment is fundamental to the proper provision of dental care. It is not only ethical, but also a legal requirement of all dental professionals around the world. Failure to obtain informed patient consent can leave a clinician vulnerable to criticism on a number of accounts, not least those of assault and/or negligence – which can lead to criminal charges, civil actions or disciplinary proceedings, therefore affecting the professional’s reputation, confidence and possibly even their ability to practise.

For consent to be valid it must be informed, competent and voluntary. The patient must be given all the relevant information about proposed treatments, as well as the opportunity to ask questions of their dental professional. Even with all of this, the patient retains the right to withdraw their consent at any time during treatment, so it is essential that accurate and thorough records be kept throughout the entire process.

This seems to be an area that many modern professionals find indistinct and somewhat worrisome. After all, if the patient can change their mind at any point during the process, is there really such a thing as ‘consent’? How do clinicians prove that they were given the information they needed to make an informed decision?

The key here is to document the patient’s permission to continue with treatment, at each stage of the treatment plan. Robust note-taking should record conversations between the professional and patient including any patient concerns or questions and how these were addressed, and then a signature should be obtained to provide evidence of the patient’s consent to begin. Providing written treatment plans are paramount to the process, and additional communication tools such as videos, animations and further written explanations can be an effective way of portraying the benefits and risks of treatments.

That said however, no practitioner wants to spend half their day filling out the paperwork to evidence their patients’ consents. So how can it be documented effectively yet conveniently?

During the recent BDTA Dental Showcase, the developers of the SafeSeen Touch offered a solution. Discussing delegates’ concerns and deliberating over the various rules and regulations in this area of the profession, the team demonstrated how the tablet could help.

Designed to enable patients to read through their treatment plan and update their medication list or personal details, the SafeSeen Touch also enables patients to provide an e-signature for effective and valid consent. In addition, the compact and easy-to-use device contains practice checklists, sign off protocols, training and update requirements, helping to determine the practice’s compliance in all areas of CQC.

So if patient consent is an element that worries you at any time, know that there are ways of avoiding potential problems. Particularly in light of the recent rise in patient complaints made to the GDC, it has never been so important to protect yourself from potential negligence litigation. Ensure valid consent from all your patients, and enjoy the peace of mind it brings.

For more information, please visit www.safeseentouch.co.uk, call 0845 576 2833 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Finding a suitable contractor can be hugely beneficial when building or refurbishing a dental practice. 

If you are looking to build a brand new dental practice, or refurbish and refresh your existing business, you will have an idea of the sheer amount of work such a project involves.

Particularly when starting from scratch, feasibility studies are paramount to ensure the economic viability of your project, while architectural drawings may be required to demonstrate structural and building methods, elevations and drainage. Planning permission also needs to be granted by the Local Authority in order for any structural or sometimes even cosmetic work to begin, and there are some very strict rules and regulations that must be adhered to.

Particularly if you are running or working in a practice full-time already, such a project can demand a huge amount of your time, money and effort, and so enlisting the help and support of a contractor can make the difference between success and failure.

It is important however, that you work with a contractor who has all the relevant expertise and experience.  An in-depth understanding of the building regulations is of course paramount, along with knowledge of planning permission, listed buildings, disabled access and a healthy respect for the environment.

You would also expect your contractor to ensure that all work is carried out using JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) contracts, as these are recommended and approved by several organisations like the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and they ensure correct documentation to benefit and assure all parties. There have been recent changes to the JCT contract regarding payments made to contractors that are onerous if you get it wrong – a good project manager will advise you on the details of this.

Thorough and up-to-date knowledge specifically of the dental industry is also crucial in order to ensue all the CQC and HTM 01-5 outcomes are complied with. Such contractors will be able to advise on aspects such as efficient use of space and most suitable equipment, all the while ensuring designs allow for optimum workflow.

Providing architectural design services specifically within the dental industry is Roger Gullidge Design. From concept feasibility studies, to planning permissions, building regulations and project management, the team offers a wealth of expertise to ensure the efficient success of your build or refurbishment.

So whether your project involves building a brand new surgery or refurbishing an  existing dental environment, it pays to get help from a professional contractor with specialised knowledge of the industry. They can not only help you avoid the common pitfalls and problems with property development, but they can also give you peace of mind, knowing that nothing will be overlooked.

Roger Gullidge Design is a specialist design and project management consultancy specialising in the dental sector. Call 01278 784442 for more details or visit: www.rogergullidgedesign.com

On-going education is integral not only for your continued registration with the GDC, but also to ensure you provide a high level of service to all your patients. It is also essential that your training is relevant both for your practice and for the patients you see, in order to maximise on the potential benefits.

It is widely accepted that patients today have a much better understanding of the various dental treatments available, and as society focuses more and more on appearances, modern patients expect high quality aesthetic finishes to every treatment they undergo.

Having identified this trend among her own patients, Dr Lee Gemmell from Denmark Street Practice in Gateshead took Dr Brian Franks Facial Aesthetics Training Course on Medical Micro-Needling three years’ ago.

“I wanted to learn some different skills for my practice and this was a field in which I knew very little about,” Lee explains. “I started to look into the courses that were available and realised that it could easily be integrated into my practice.

“I chose to take the training course with Dr Brian Franks because he is a dentist, like myself, and I thought that his course would be more relatable to my practice. I also liked how the courses were limited to five delegates, as I thought this would provide a more personal and individualised experience.
 

“The course day itself was split into ‘bite-size’ chunks – the course covered all the essentials, leaving me with a sound knowledge of the topic. With time to cover everything in detail, it didn’t feel rushed to fit everything in, and I found that I could focus on doing a few treatments well, and then attend more advanced classes once I’d have practised my skills. 

“I have now taken a number of training courses with Dr Brian Franks, and they all share similar qualities – thorough content, clearly outlined learning objectives, friendly delivery and efficient progression. The result ensures you gain a good, sound base with which to approach treatments in practise. The courses also give you confidence and you feel inspired after attending. Dr Brian Franks even provides ‘after-care’ for no further charge after the initial course, enabling you to contact him with any queries you may have with regards to a specific case.  It is comforting to know that this support is available.

“I would definitely recommend Dr Brian Franks Training Courses to other GDPs, and have done so on several occasions.  It's not just about learning the techniques; it's about giving you the confidence to go it alone back in your practice. Instructors Brian and Jan have obviously worked very hard on putting the courses together, which is evident from the smooth-running training days to the information that is provided for delegates to take away with them. I am already building a busier client base week-on-week, and it is great to see patients returning time after time for further treatments.”

If you are looking to expand your treatment range in the popular area of Facial Aesthetics, you really need look no further than Dr Brian Franks Training Courses. Whether you want to develop the skills to provide Dermal Fillers, Botulinum Toxin, Medical Skin Needling or Facial Peels amongst others, Dr Brian Franks offers in-depth training to ensure you have the confidence to use your new techniques straight away.

For further information, please visit www.drbrianfranks.com, call 020 8 446 6518 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In this age of litigation, everyone it seems is worried about being sued and losing their livelihood. For dental professionals in particular, this fear is increasingly pronounced. After all, it only takes one small complaint from a patient and whether you’re innocent or guilty, chances are you will come out the other end questioning your whole career.

All of this means that newly qualified GDPs are now terrified of doing many procedures, having gained little in the way of practical experience while at dental school. While they will certainly know about communication skills, vicarious liability and compliance, some may have only completed a single bridge or root canal treatment before qualifying.

And what are they to do now? Gone are the gung-ho days where dentists could try everything in the first few weeks of practice; the potential repercussions if something doesn’t go according to plan are just too great. It would seem then, that the old adage of ‘See one, Do one, Teach one’ – where students learn by actually practising – has gone forever.

Changing attitudes

So what happened? What has brought about this sea change in the way we approach dentistry? Well for one thing, our society is certainly more litigious than ever before. Compensation or ‘claim culture’ has been with us for many years now, and there will always be someone out there keen to make a fast buck. Not only that but many people these days are very quick to place blame, even when there may be no blame to be found. Often the question of right or wrong doesn’t come into it – if people feel wronged then they believe it is their right to complain, even if it means reporting a complaint directly to the GDC.

But the problems don’t just stop there. In the past treatment options were far more limited than they are today. Our job as dentists was primarily focussed on caries control and treating patients for pain. There were also far fewer specialists back then, so there was much more emphasis on the general dentist, and the skills that each dentist had to offer.

These days however, there is a completely different picture. For a start, the treatments that we can provide are far different to those we were able to offer in the past. Many of these new treatments are focussed on beauty over health. While there is of course nothing wrong with providing patients with brilliant, beautiful smiles, we need to recognise that this has fundamentally changed the relationship we have with patients. This has gone hand-in-hand with a changed role for the NHS that again marks a shift away from the way we did dentistry in the past.

Increasing demands

There can be no doubting the fact that new technologies and treatments have been a fantastic boon for the dental profession. Whether it be fantastic ceramics, microscopes or the latest 3D CBCT scanners, very few would argue that these advances haven’t benefited patients and the profession in one way shape or form. With the latest tools, technology and techniques we can see more, and so we can treat more than ever before. All of these advances have meant that the private sector has grown significantly in recent years, as patients spend more on treatments that make them look and feel better about themselves.

However there is one major pitfall here and it is to be found in the form of patient expectations. Because patients are spending more, they are also expecting more as a result. Costs have gone up and patients expect a perfect cosmetic result every time. They don’t always fully appreciate that there are some factors that are just beyond our control – and many dental treatments just aren’t designed to last for life.

Interesting times

Robert F. Kennedy once said, ‘We live in interesting times’. I really don’t think there is a more appropriate quote to describe the dental profession today. On the one hand, we live in an age of opportunity – we have access to better tools and technologies than ever before that allow us to provide an outstanding level of care. Yet on the other hand, there is a darker side to dentistry, one that challenges us on a daily basis, and threatens to undermine the work that we all so love.

With the ever-increasing burden of compliance, assessments and the threat of litigation, in many ways we live in an unpleasant time to practise dentistry. Colleagues are becoming disillusioned with a system whereby admin work and needless regulations trump good common sense and giving patients the time they deserve.

It would seem that fear today, is one of the biggest threats to our profession. Many colleagues now are too afraid to step outside their ‘comfort zones’ for fear of failure or the repercussions litigation might bring. And yet one can only wonder what the future of dentistry in the UK might be. Currently, if a dentist is tried for negligence, he or she is judged by what one’s peers would do. In the States however, such cases are judged by specialist standards. If these same rules were to come to the UK would GDPs want to perform anything but triage unless they had further postgraduate training? The thought just doesn’t bear thinking about, and would certainly herald the death of the generalist GDP!

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.

The use of antibiotics in the treatment of periodontal pocketing ?5mm exposes patients to the unnecessary risk of antibiotic resistance.

The global threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) continues to grow today, as more new strains of resistant pathogens are continuously found. Though ‘superbugs’ such as MRSA and C. difficile have seen some decline thanks to stringent control systems in the healthcare setting, newer threats such as MSSA and multi-drug resistant E. coli and N. gonorrhoeae continue to emerge.[i]

In the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report published in 2013, it was stated that evidence clearly links the widespread use of antibiotics to the selection of resistant organisms.[ii]

The fight against AMR needs to be a consolidated, global effort, as the UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy published in 2013 recognises. As prescribers of antibiotics, dental care professionals have a major role to play in the implementation of the strategy’s main points of action:

• Improve the knowledge and understanding of AMR
• Conserve and steward the effectiveness of existing treatments

Improving the knowledge and understanding of AMR is important for both professionals and patients alike. Wide-reaching awareness movements such as the annual European Union Antibiotic Awareness Day helps spread AMR awareness among the public and can consequently curb the habit of automatically requesting antibiotics with no clinical indication.

Conserving and stewarding the effectiveness of existing treatments is also a shared responsibility that involves correct diagnosis, proper prescription and patient understanding and compliance.

There are several ways in which dental care professionals can cut down on the prescription of antibiotics. For example, an FGDP press release sent out last November 2013 reminded dental practitioners that the majority of uncomplicated dental swellings can be resolved by drainage of the associated abscess, and that dental surgical skills should always be considered before defaulting to antibiotic prescription.

Another example in which routine antibiotic prescription can be cut down is in the treatment of periodontitis. Most dentists and dental hygienists will automatically prescribe metronidazole or amoxicillin as adjuncts to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of advanced gum disease. But in light of the grave threats of AMR it may be time for other therapies to be considered.

Dental care professionals who are looking for effective non-antibiotic adjuncts to periodontal treatment can turn to effective alternatives such as PerioChip®, a small, rounded device indicated for insertion in periodontal pockets that are at least 5mm deep.

There is no alternative product in the market that can match the high local concentrations of chlorhexidine that PerioChip® delivers. The broad-spectrum antiseptic in this formulation is clinically effective at eliminating 99% of subgingival periopathogenic bacteria without the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Dental care professionals have an important role to play in the fight against AMR. By looking to their clinical skills and considering antibiotics only when absolutely necessary, the overuse of the drugs can slowly be stopped, and AMR arrested in its rapid and alarming development.

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

Professor  Machtei is currently the head of the Rambam HCC School of graduate dentistry and chairman of the department of Periodontology

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln

Ok its crunch week, and the quote I have used here seems apposite to the issues at stake in Wimpole Street this Friday, 21st Febrary.

The Probe carries its coverage of the Big Lie discussions which carry on from  Dr Kilcoyne’s leading campaign . The letter in the Daily Telegraph stirred the waters.

The effect of The Probe is to relight the fires of this burning issue in a very welcome manner. The consistent spin of the official replies is becoming eye crossing.

There is general worry that the tripartite comfy zone that is the table around which the BDA, the DH and NHS England sit is looking increasingly as though it is actually a defensive set up to protect their interests, at the cost the care of the patient by dentists.

And so this Friday, as BDA Members YOU have a chance to make YOUR voice heard.

If you cannot attend this EGM, please ensure you vote by proxy. Crack on now because it is a carefully defined legally binding process.  You cannot just phone a mate the day before.

Now is the chance to fire up your Representative Association.  Put a rocket up their collective arses if you will.

There will not be a second chance before Contract Reform hits you between the eyes.

It is a well worn quote of Napoleon Hill, but still, it applies.

“Whatever you want, oh discontented man, step up, pay the price – and take it.”

Good luck to our illustrious and historic Profession – it is not too dramatic to say that a large part of the future of the present generation of GDPs hangs on what happens this Friday.

Having seen some momentous advancements in the world of technology, the dental industry has witnessed many significant changes in the past decade. From clinical procedures to practice management and decontamination protocols, new equipment has been introduced and developed to enhance and streamline every aspect of the profession.

As a result, daily processes within the dental practice have become more accurate, more effective and much more efficient, enabling professionals to deliver the highest standard of patient care and service ever seen, while also encouraging heightened practice profitability. 

The relationship between modern equipment manufacturers and the profession has had a huge influence over the quality and aptness of this technology. In order to produce machinery that meets the ever-changing demands of the dental industry, modern equipment manufacturers constantly engage with the profession to identify exactly what is required, and how it is required to function.

Such feedback from those in practice enables manufacturers to create and refine their products according to exact specifications, ensuring the final product is as high quality and as suitable for the modern profession as possible.

Executive Director if the BDIA (formerly the BDTA) Tony Reed comments,

“Effective R & D involving the end user is an extremely important part of product development and these relationships and partnerships play a vital role in the creation of innovative, quality products. By working closely with the dental team, manufacturers are able to tailor their products to provide cost-effective equipment that meets the needs of both the profession and the patient.”

For this reason, some manufacturers test prototypes of their new equipment in realistic environments before going into mass production, as Eschmann did recently when trailing the brand new LittleSister SES 3000B autoclave in dental facilities across the UK.

Jayne Younghusband, Practice Manager from Victoria Dental Practice in Darlington, was one of many involved in the 12 week trial. The good service she received from Eschmann in the past contributed to her taking part in the trial. “Having worked with Eschmann nearly two years’ ago to replace our entire decontamination room, we already had experience of the high level of service we could expect throughout the trial,” she says. “The LittleSister itself looked fantastic and was of a convenient size to allow easy placement within decontamination room. We did have a couple of issues with the machine, which was exactly why Eschmann wanted to trial the product in practice in the first place, but all minor concerns were quickly overcome. As such, we would definitely work with the team from Eschmann again in the future!”

In some cases, manufacturers like Eschmann who supply equipment directly to the profession are also able to provide new opportunities for practices to try equipment they previously haven’t been able to. From Kirkgate Dental in North Yorkshire, Jennifer Pearce says: “We were delighted to take part in Eschmann’s product trial as we had not previously had such equipment in the practice, and this provided an opportunity to see how easy the autoclave was to use, and which instruments it would be best suited to for our practice.” With professionals using such technology for the first time, Eschmann were able to ensure that the autoclave was easy to use and that the instructions were simple to follow, ensuring further clarity for all their customers. 

Claire Hinchcliffe, Senior Dental Nurse and Decontamination Lead at Dental Directions in Sheffield, confirmed this. “The new autoclave was absolutely brilliant – a clear upgrade from the previous model we had been using, well-made and easy-to-use. The instruction manual was also very clear and concise, and an engineer even talked us through it prior to installation.

“With an 8-surgery practice we have a high demand for efficient decontamination equipment, and this trial was an effective way of testing this machine in action,” adds Claire. “Any minor concerns or problems we came across were resolved quickly by the team at Eschmann, and we were so impressed by the LittleSister that we are already considering purchasing one for ourselves when it goes on general sale!”

The University of Portsmouth Dental Academy also trialled the LittleSister as part of the brand new decontamination training room supplied and installed by Eschmann. Of the LittleSister, the University Decontamination Technician Michael Tyler says: “This was a great piece of equipment for the students to have access to, as it helped them understand the stages of successful decontamination better. Other than a minor issue which had already been identified and addressed by others trialling the LittleSister, we had no problems at all, and we are very much looking forward to using the new autoclave with the students going forward.”

As a student-focused facility, it was particularly important for the University team to have access to fast and comprehensive technical support. “We are always happy to work with Eschmann in all areas of decontamination as they are always highly receptive, and genuinely interested in the feedback we provide, which is want you want from an equipment manufacturer. I believe we will therefore continue working with them in the future.”

Following such feedback from those who trialled the autoclave, Eschmann was able to make all the necessary final tweaks before mass production, ensuring the equipment will be as capable and efficient as possible. By involving the profession in the early stages of equipment manufacture, companies such as Eschmann ensure the best possible service and equipment is delivered every time.

For more information please visit www.eschmann.co.uk, or call 01903 753322

“I have been involved with implants and restoring them since 1986 when I went to Malmo on my first implantology course,” says Professor Paul Tipton. “During this time I have seen many changes in techniques, systems and expectations.

“Nowadays patients require not only a long lasting functional stable implant, but also an aesthetic one that can be delivered immediately – hence the rise of immediate loading cases and provisionalisation.”

As a Specialist in Prosthodontics, Paul Tipton has restored thousands of dental implants in a career spanning almost 30 years. But while he may have used almost all of the major implant systems available today, which system would he use in his own mouth?

Unfortunately for Paul, this was the very question he found himself asking, after a fractured crown left him weighing up his options.

“Imagine my anxiety when just over a week ago whilst eating a chicken sandwich I encountered a foreign body in my mouth,” continues Paul. “It was my upper left lateral incisor crown, fractured off at gum level!

“Upon looking in the mirror I saw no ferrule and my mind was settled: no RCT, crown lengthening with bone removal and post crown; it was to be root removal, immediate implant, definitive abutment and reline the original crown over the top, followed by occlusal adjustment.

“I had this done the very next day by two colleagues well versed in implantology and my implant system of choice. I now await my final restoration in 6 months’ time.”

But what system did he choose?

“There was only one implant for me,” says Paul. “After 28 years in implantology I chose Nobel Biocare for its longevity, ease of use, success rate, and innovation.”

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

To register for the Nobel Biocare Online Store go to:

store.nobelbiocare.co.uk

A retirement seminar, exclusively for practice owners, is to be held at the Pentahotel in central Birmingham on Friday 21^st March 2014.

Practice Sales experts, PFM Dental, will be joined by specialist dental businesses including Goodman Grant Solicitors, lawyers to dentists, and Clear Vision Dental Accountants.

New to the programme for 2014 is a presentation on ensuring your practice is compliant prior to sale. Sean Bradley BDS MFGDP (UK), a former chair of the National Association of Dental Advisers (NADA), will share his knowledge of the CQC and other compliance requirements.

With fewer than two months until sweeping pension changes, Jon Drysdale BA (Hons) Dip PFS, of PFM Dental (Financial Advice), will cover NHS Pension Scheme issues as well as the HMRC’s new annual and lifetime allowances for pension schemes.

Early booking is advised as delegate places are limited. Go to www.pfmdental.co.uk or call Mandy Wraige on 0845 241 4480 to book your place. The event runs from 9.00am to 3.00pm, includes lunch and offers verifiable CPD of five hours.

PFM Dental, Goodman Grant Solicitors and Patient Plan Direct are running a series of retirement seminars across the UK in 2014. Considering the calibre of guest speakers you can be sure that you’ll leave the day feeling far greater equipped to tackle the challenge of selling your practice and starting your well deserved retirement.

The inaugural January seminar in Leeds was a huge success and we expect this to continue throughout the duration of 2014 as each month bring another instalment in the series at locations all across the country, details of which can be found on the GDPUK dental calendar.

What can you expect?

The seminars will cover the key issues facing dentists at retirement:

• Financial planning at retirement
• Goodwill valuations and the marketplace
• Should I sell to a corporate?
• The legal aspects of selling a dental practice
• The accountancy aspects of selling a dental practice
• The influence of a dental plan in selling our practice

The full day course offers verifiable CPD and lunch is provided.

All participating speakers are dental specialists; solicitors, accountants, valuers, wealth managers and plan providers.

The delegate fee is only £50. Book early to avoid disappointment. We hope to see you there!

Past delegate comments:

“Very informative and helpful” | “An excellent day – thank you” | “enjoyable productive day, very helpful” | “The speakers were genuine specialists”.

For further information and to book a place contact:

PFM Dental - Heather Willis This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0845 241 4480

Goodman Grant – John Grant This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0131 834 3705

PPD – Simon Reynolds This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 0844 848 6888

February - Manchester 21st

March - Birmingham 21st

April - Holborn 25th

May - Newcastle 23rd

June - Southampton 20th

September - Liverpool 19th

October - Oxford 23rd & 24th

November - Watford 21st

From aesthetic brackets to IPR ortho-strips to aligner patient kits, The Dental Directory’s Orthodontic Product Catalogue carries an amazing variety of materials and brands that can suit all of your orthodontic treatment needs.

This dedicated range from The Dental Directory was compiled after talking to many orthodontists, and represents the very best when it comes to variety, quality and value for money.

You can order any of the orthodontic products available in the catalogue at your convenience – via website, phone, fax or the Desktop Directory ordering system. And as with all other products from The Dental Directory, every order placed before 4 pm is despatched the same day, free of delivery charge.

If you haven’t spoken to your Dental Directory representative about their extensive orthodontic range, call today and find out how the UK’s largest independent dental dealer can help you deliver the best orthodontic treatment to your patients.

The Independently Verified Best Priced Dealer!

For more information, contact The Dental Directory Orthodontics on

01376 391 291, or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk.

The ability of a dental practice to function as smoothly as possible is of the utmost importance. Standardised commercial leases and the numerous pitfalls and problems that they bring can often hinder dentists in their work, making them waste time and money unnecessarily.

With standard leases, there is a very real danger that the specific requirements of a dental practice can be overlooked, and in some cases actually forbidden under the terms of the contract.

For example, the need for practices to store X-ray machines and various drugs is clear. However, it is possible for a standard lease to prohibit the storage of these items.

Another restriction that a standard commercial lease can enforce is the prohibition of sharing the property with a third party, which can be a problem when considering associate agreements. With a potential restriction on who can occupy the property, simply hiring an associate can unwittingly lead to a breach of contract.

A standard commercial lease can even allow an unexpected and unavoidable rise in rent any time the landlord so chooses. Dentists are usually not required to register for VAT, as you supply an exempt service. However, a standard commercial lease can leave the landlord free to charge VAT whenever they like.

Any time you break the rules of a standard lease even if simply functioning within the normal confines of a dental practice, you risk unexpected termination of your agreement and the emotional and financial burden such an event can bring.

Instructing a commercial lawyer with specialist dental knowledge will offer a solution. A bespoke lease will address your specific requirements as a dental practice and amend the terms a standardised commercial lease overlooks or prohibits. This will provide a successful and hassle free contract, so you can focus on providing dental treatment, rather than worrying about legal matters.

Using bespoke commercial leases can be a sensible way to avoid wasting time and money. From ensuring that the storage of vital dental equipment is allowed to enabling associate agreements and making sure there is no unexpected rise in rent, the benefits of a bespoke lease are clear.

Goodman Grant has a reputation for providing quality legal advice within dentistry. With this crucial and specialist knowledge, Goodman Grant’s team of solicitors are able to draw bespoke commercial leases to the specific advantage of dentists. Ensure you are not distracted from providing exceptional treatment, and take advantage of the huge benefits a bespoke commercial lease can provide.

Nicola Lomas Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists

For more information call Nicola Lomas on 0151 707 0090 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.goodmangrant.co.uk
 

An area of increasing concern in modern dentistry is that of ownership, with so many different options, which is the right one for your practice? Historically, the only legal way that dental practices could be  owned was under either individual ownership or by a partnership. Though there were a few dental corporates in existence this is a relatively new phenomenon. Laws were changed in 2006 to allow dental practices to become limited companies and since then we have seen an increasing number of incorporated dental practices popping up.

However, the idea of incorporation brings with it a plethora of legal requirements which must be successfully negotiated and can only be done so with advice from a reliable legal firm. The significance of comprehensive legal advice in this situation can not be underestimated. Without access to well informed guidance a dental professional will be left exposed to complications that can be difficult to break free from.

These problems are often the result of confusion or the practice owner being misinformed as to what the requirements are to incorporate a dental practice. The legal position on allowing dentists to incorporate is that a non-dental professional can own shares in the company (which can be as much as 100%), but the law states that at least half of the directors of the company must be registered with the GDC. For example, you could have a husband and wife run the practice as a limited company. This scenario is perfectly lawful as at least 50% of the directors of the company are dental professionals. A dental practice with a majority of non-dental professional directors will not be lawful and in fact, is a criminal offence.

Though accountants may be under the impression that by suggesting their client incorporates they are doing them a huge favour and saving them a lot of money, the reality is that their lack of knowledge of dental regulations may cost their client much more, and not just financially!

Usually problems will occur as the result of advice from accountants or lawyers who do not have a good understanding of the dental industry.

The ownership of a limited company can be contrasted with a situation where partners or expense sharers are the principals and where, for a partnership to be legitimate, all partners must be registered dental professionals. A partnership consisting of individuals not registered with the GDC is not only unlawful, it is also a criminal offence. By trading unlawfully a dentist can get himself or herself into trouble with the GDC and will run the risk of being prosecuted.

The dental industry possesses its own unique characteristics and regulations that make it quite distinct from other professions. It is for this reason that when deciding upon your business structure, the advice of a qualified and experienced specialist is sought. Whether searching for an accountant or a solicitor, the very best advice can only be obtained from a specialist who has a firm understanding of dentistry’s legal demands. By seeking advice from someone who lacks a sufficient understanding of the industry, the dental professional is running the risk of problems developing which can jeopardise the future of their practice.

There are a number of specialist legal firms operating in the UK and although using any specialist is better than no specialist, it is still important to search for a firm of distinction. It is worth looking for a legal firm that is a member of either NASDAL (National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers) or ASPD (Association of Specialist Providers to Dentists), Goodman Grant is a specialist legal firm that is a member of both organisations and its solicitors have a combined experience of more than 75 years.

A lot of the time the problem of unlawful ownership goes unnoticed. However, it is now becoming an increasingly common problem. This is because it is only when the owner is looking to sell that their flawed incorporation forms a barrier preventing them from doing so. With the ability to incorporate having been introduced seven years ago, for many the time has now come to sell, only to discover that they can’t. This problem is quite difficult to fix and can be costly. The irony is that to have sorted it out properly in the first place would not have been expensive, nor would it have been difficult with the right help.

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

For more information call John Grant on 0113 8343705 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

A NASDAL and ASPD MEMBER

Nobel Biocare long history of innovation continues with the launch of yet another new product...

creos™ xeno.protect is a biodegradable non-crosslinked collagen membrane designed for use in guided bone and guided tissue regeneration procedures. With excellent handling properties, extended barrier function and high tensile strength, creos xeno.protect produces reliable clinical results, time and time again.

Experience the difference

Dr. Paul Worskett from Amblecote Dental Care, West Midlands, has experienced the benefits of creos xeno.protect first hand. He says:

"I recently used the creos membrane for the first time. My case was the placement of two NobelReplace^® tapered fixtures in the upper anterior region. Due to a shortage of bone buccally, and for aesthetic reasons, I augmented the area, a standard GBR technique using creos as the covering membrane.

“This was the first time with this product and I have to say it was very easy to use. It has an almost paper thin consistency which means it is easy to cut, shape and manipulate. Placement and handling was a lot easier than some membranes I have used in the past and complete flap closure was possible without relieving the periosteum. This was, I am sure, appreciated by the patient in terms of reduced swelling and discomfort postoperatively. At suture removal follow up a week later, I found the tissues to be in excellent condition and the patient was very happy. I will certainly use this product again and look forward to further success in the future."

In keeping with all Nobel Biocare products, creos xeno.protect is manufactured to the highest standards, with a strictly controlled and standardised manufacturing process. The following benefits of creos xeno.protect will help build clinician confidence:

Unique handling

creos xeno.protect is extremely easy to use because it has a minimal increase in size when hydrated and is easy to unfold and reposition, for a predictable placement.  Importantly, creos xeno.protect does not cause any confusion in a clinical setting as it has no functionally preferred side. This means the product can be placed with either surface facing the defect, with the same excellent results.

Easy to fix and suture

Thanks to the dense network of interwoven fibres, creos xeno.protect is a naturally strong and tear resistant material that exhibits high mechanical strength to prevent the migration of bone graft material. This high mechanical strength makes it easy to fix and suture.

Extended barrier function

For resorbable collagen membranes, efficient biodegradation is crucial for treatment success and final outcome. Nobel Biocare’s creos xeno.protect has been designed specifically to provide high stability over a prolonged degradation period. This, combined with 100% tissue compatibility, and the pure, non-crosslinked nature of creos xeno.protect make it the ideal choice for bone and tissue regeneration procedures. Furthermore the product also demonstrates excellent revascularisation behaviour, with fast and predictable healing for optimal clinical outcomes.

The natural choice

Designed to be the natural choice for guided tissue and guided bone regeneration procedures, creos xeno.protect is composed of highly purified porcine collagen fibres inter-mingled with elastin fibres to form a strong and tear resistant network. This fibrous network creates a favourable environment for bone regeneration at the defect site by preventing the migration of undesired cells from the surrounding soft tissue, and allowing the in-growth of osteogenic cells.

To learn more about the market-leading qualities of creos xeno.protect, contact Nobel Biocare today on 0208 756 3300 (option 1) or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

Data on file, Matricel GmbH

Roger Gullidge has more than 20 years experience in providing interior design and architecture services to the dental practice sector and beyond. After training, Roger completed various projects in the USA before returning to the UK to work with several design consultancies before setting up Roger Gullidge Design. Roger is a keen advocate of using well-designed spaces to create a positive environment for living and working

In his spare time Roger enjoys rock climbing and undertaking expeditions as part of the British Cave Research Association (BCRA), jive dancing and spending time with his young family.

The dilemma of the ‘one stop shop’

More and more we are seeing that equipment suppliers are offering building and design services to compliment the sale of their products, making them a ‘one stop shop’. Though this presents the client with an easier and sometimes more financially comfortable way of completing their project, it isn’t always the best option. On the other side of the fence, an equipment supplier offering these services may also find that if not performed properly in all areas it can cause them problems. One way of making it safer is to seek the assistance of an independent third party who can oversee the project and avoid the traps that can occur on both sides of the arrangement.

Usually the case is that dentists choose to go with the equipment supplier and their ‘one stop shop’ service because not only is it simpler, they have also formed a bond with them. The dentist may have been using them for some years and feels familiar with them because they have received a good service in the past. Although there are a number of success stories from people who have used this service, not all projects will end as favourably. To look at it bluntly, the aim of equipment suppliers is to gain the custom of a potential client, by including the other services they stand a better chance of sealing the deal. The problem with using this service is that there are a number of pitfalls that can be fallen in to.

Firstly, the services the equipment supplier provides may not be coming from the company directly; they will subcontract to other companies of their choosing. The experience and knowledge of this company can be a cause for concern and the client should make the effort to investigate who the company are and make sure that they are completely happy with using them. It is important to understand that in the event of something going wrong the client will not be able to go to the equipment supplier for support because they may well be dealing with a separate company.

Another aspect that needs to be made sure of is that you have got planning permission and building regulation approval before any work begins on the project. Unless there is someone checking, you will not know whether the subcontractor has done the work or not. By having a third party monitor this you can be sure that no work will begin before it is safe to do so.

It should go without saying that staying in control of finances is vital, but some clients can become confused because they are not organised. There are several financial categories that must be carefully watched over. The first concerns planning and building regulations, the cost of this applies to the applications and inspections associated with getting approval; this will be paid directly by the client.

The next set of fees concern construction and this will usually be paid through an existing financial arrangement with a bank. Finally, there is covering the cost of the equipment, this will often be paid on finance. Making sure that you have control of these payments is of paramount importance. The equipment supplier may speak directly with your financial supplier, but the client must seek to stay in control of this. Sometime the terms and conditions can request that the deposit is followed by 90% of the payment a certain amount of days prior to installation. The client must make sure that this 90% refers to only the equipment and not the entire project; this has happened before and will happen again. To stop this from happening you should enlist the assistance of someone who can certificate building payments to your bank or building society.

Enlisting a third part will not just benefit the client, it will also help to protect the equipment supplier. If the client isn’t happy with every aspect of the project (and this could be something that a building subcontractor has done) they may withhold an equipment payment because they are under the impression that they are only dealing with one company. If the equipment supplier handles everything under their own name, the client has the legal right to withhold payment. Therefore, it is advisable to offer the client separate companies for each aspect of the project. If offering separate companies, the best way to go about this is to have an experienced project manager oversee the activities of all companies. Companies such as Roger Gullidge Design will be able assist with this, as well as managing some of the other legal aspects of the project. One such area regards protocol should disputes occur further down the line. The advice of an experienced and knowledgeable third party will mean that informed decisions will be made and offer the best protection should and discrepancies occur.

The bottom line is that success (for both sides) when using a ‘one stop shop’ service relies on certification, separation and having someone who can organise the entire project. There are a number of pitfalls that can appear during a project and the assistance of an independent third party can plug these holes.

Roger Gullidge Design is a specialist design and project management consultancy specialising in the dental sector. Call 01278 784442 for more details or visit: www.rogergullidgedesign.com

Teeth whitening is an important part of modern dentistry, and is proving increasingly popular with patients who seek a simple yet effective way of improving the appearance of their teeth. While in the past patients had a limited selection of products to choose from the launch of several new products in the UK has made teeth whitening both more accessible and more affordable than ever before.

One such new product is offered by WhiteWash Laboratories, with the company’s Professional Whitening Strips representing the latest innovation in whitening technology. These mouldable plastic strips contain the optimum amount of mint flavoured whitening gel to safely and effectively whiten teeth.

“Every patient who took part in the trial was more than happy with the results we were able to achieve,” says Brad. “Results ranged from an improvement of three shades over the 14-day treatment, to in some cases an improvement of up to nine or ten shades! The only patient who wanted their teeth even whiter was an elderly lady we treated who was in her 70s. The problem in her case wasn’t so much the shade difference we achieved, but the fact her old upper crowns were so significantly lighter than her lower teeth – even though we took her lower teeth up 7 shades from C4!”

While teeth whitening certainly has a lot to offer patients in terms of creating whiter, more attractive smiles, it also has other benefits to offer besides. One benefit that many practices find is that whitening can often lead patients on to other cosmetic treatments. At the very least it encourages patients to engage more closely with their oral health.

“Teeth whitening definitely makes people more aware of their teeth,” says Brad. “They want whiter, brighter teeth, and they want to keep their teeth that way once their treatment is complete.

“From a practice business perspective this is great news for us, as it allows us to boost our oral hygiene product sales. Some patients will even then ask about other treatments to improve their smiles further still. For example we had one young couple who had really good results with the strips but who then decided to move on to tray whitening for even whiter teeth. We also had one patient who took part in the trial who is now considering investing in short-term orthodontics to straighten her teeth. That’s a major investment to come out of what was essentially a £50 box of Strips.” 

As Brad is keen to point out, whitening can be an important tool in the “business of dentistry”.

“As long as you approach the subject in the right way, I think patients are very open to the idea of teeth whitening,” concludes Brad. “Especially with something like Professional Whitening Strips, it’s a very reasonably priced product that achieves fantastic results for the price. Even just talking about the sorts of options that are available with patients can set the ball rolling for other conversations further down the line. Thanks to this trial I am now able to far better focus my efforts when suggesting whitening options to patients. I also have a better understanding of what Professional Whitening Strips can achieve and I can offer this treatment confident that patients will be happy with the result.”

For more information call 0844 68 69 150, email

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

A new company called Medicare Management Academy UK has been established to cater for the training requirements of managers in all sectors of UK healthcare.

Medicare Management Academy UK will expand on the work of its sister company, Dentac Limited, which focuses on training in the dental industry.

Glenys Bridges, who has considerable experience of training within the healthcare sector, will be running training events for Medicare Management Academy UK, beginning initially with specially developed BTEC management courses.

Glenys says: "Medicare Management Academy will enable managers from all healthcare sectors to develop their management skills and techniques and so gain similar benefits to our participants from within dentistry. Such skills are particularly critical for managers and Registered Managers in healthcare business that must meet Care Quality Commission requirements."

The first Medicare Management Academy courses for which recruitment has begun are:

BTEC Level 3 Management Award – first one-day workshop 4 March in London

BTEC Level 4 Management Diploma – first one-day workshop on 15 April in London

Successful completion of the Level 3 Management Award course is an entry requirement for the Level 4 Management Diploma – the latter widely considered as an essential qualification for those in healthcare management roles.

Enquiries should be addressed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Telephone 01376 573573

Website www.medicaremanagement.co.uk (under development)

The postal address for administration is

215-217 High St, Kelvedon, Colchester? CO5 9JT

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

Impressed by the numbers? Get in touch to find out how we can work together.

Advertising on GDPUK.com starts from £300 + vat

For further information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0161 270 0453

www.gdpuk.com/web

I told you January was interesting …

First we have a BDA EGM on the cards. Anyone who reads tea leaves must be thinking Friday 21^st of February is the new Ides of March. While the BDA turns in on itself in what some might see as a death roll, the world moves on and, boy, how fast!

The DFT numbers have been formally announced – see the link – and the big picture?  1 in 5 students have not got a job to look forward to – nice motivation if you can get it – NOT!  Approximately 240 out the UK Graduate bag of about 1100 have been ‘placed on a “Reserve List” I say approximately – the numbers are not entirely clear even if the big picture is.   What’s that – about 10% in the end? well, give or take.

Have we all been witness to a Coup d’Etat in dentistry – CoPDenD have quietly become the most influential body in dentistry. If you are a student on the receiving end, it must feel like a very unfair and cruel arbitrary selection process.

You know what sucks?  It is clear that CoPDenD would have you believe that the NHS and it’s public funding is the only kid on the block. They saw off Private Vocational Training and now have a monopoly grip on the peri-graduation phase of ones career. Is it me or does CoPDenD have a funny smell around it?

The size of the private dental market is now likely bigger than all of the NHS dental funding for dental care, both primary and secondary.

So why is there not a flourishing private-public partnership in dentistry in which the shortfalls of NHS funded DFT are more than taken up by a commercial organisation?  If ever an opportunity for the FGDP to do something practical ever has been missed this must be it.  I’ll bet if SERCO or Compass were bidding, Private VT would be up and  running by now.

And now ... midway though a Manpower Review at the Higher Education Funding body…  the word on the block  is that a blanket 10% student cut across the board has been enacted with immediate effect.  The Twittersphere is lighting up this week as the well  hinted cuts are finally publicised.

Perversely, that actually sounds like some form of a solution.  Fewer graduating dentists are an inevitable consequence of reduced Government funding. Since we all know the Government IS broke, maybe this 10% cut will be in ADDITION to the chopping of two dental schools, which is being widely trawled.

That will in 2 years mean a broad reduction of about 270 students per annum - job done, CoPDenD’s DFT books balanced.

But where is the drive to use the vibrant private market to create educational opportunities which support and supplement the NHS funded basic training? Lots of willing weekenders but no structure.

In its small way, dentistry is now witnessing the effects of lack of public funding. If the profession of dentistry is a thermometer for public finances, the mercury is falling.  So be it. Can’t spend what we don’t have.  It is not entirely unexpected after all

But there is a £7Bn, and growing,  private market for dentistry.   In fact, year on year growth of 10% and more is anticipated.

There has to be a better way.  The big picture of publicly funded dentistry is gaining a degree of focus.  We need to ensure that private dentistry builds its own big picture, and fast.

How? By whom?

Questions a’plenty. Answers on a postcard please!  If 10% of you reply…

See you soon people. How much more news can there be?

https://www.bda.org/docs/EGM-Notice-2014-02-21.pdf

http://www.copdend.org/content.aspx?Group=press%20releases&Page=press%20release%20january%202014

http://www.dentalschoolscouncil.ac.uk/

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/

“A new year brings a new appointment for plan provider Patient Plan Direct”

Patient Plan Direct offers an, efficient, flexible and extremely cost effective means of administering patient capitation and/or maintenance dental plans. The approach has been extremely well received by the dental community since the company’s inception over four years ago. The latest development in the company’s expansion is the appointment of Simon Reynolds as commercial director.

Simon Pictured below

Conrad Broadbent, Managing Director of Patient Plan Direct commented: ‘we have gathered some real momentum in the past eighteen months as more and more practices choose to administer their plan with us, including the BDA’s 2013 practice of the year. I’m confident Simon’s experience in marketing, partner relationships and product development will help us continue to deliver an excellent value proposition to the dental market’.

Simon added: ‘The dental plan market has been dominated by a couple of providers for a long time. Patient Plan Direct represents an alternative that at the very least any practice should take the time to explore. Around 80% of practices that opt to administer their plan with Patient Plan Direct have transferred their plan administration to us from another provider and reaped the benefits. Our service brings a refreshing, flexible, great value and unique approach to administering dental plans. There has never been a better time to explore Patient Plan Direct. Our technology, our flexibility, our support and our team continues to evolve and strengthen. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues to help more practices across the UK realise there is a way to make significant cost savings and get more from the dental plan they offer to their patients.’

To find out more about Patient Plan Direct visit: www.patientplandirect.co.uk

In November 2013, the Resuscitation Council UK launched new guidance focussing on quality standards for Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training. However it has recently become clear that The Resuscitation Council now no longer provides advice on general medical emergencies within Primary Dental Practice settings.

Thankfully, dbg is here to help. Dbg has been working alongside dental practices for 25 years, providing invaluable help and support in areas ranging from engineering services to materials, compliance, and core CPD training.

To help practice teams keep up to date with the latest medical emergencies protocols, dbg has appointed medical emergencies expert Craig Nelson to join the compliance team.

Craig is a highly experienced Emergency Medical Paramedic and has delivered lifesaving emergency support to over 30,000 patients across a career spanning 21 years. Craig is also an IHCD qualified tutor, and for the last 8 years has dedicated himself to the education and training of ambulance paramedics and other medical professionals to ensure they deliver the highest standard of emergency care.

As dbg’s ‘Resuscitation Officer’ Craig will be utilising his extensive experience to help shape dbg’s medical emergencies and AED training. He will also assist members in light of the change in medical emergencies guidance standards, ensuring that all dbg members remain compliant through the introduction of new and innovative training content.

With dbg you can be sure that your training will be of the highest quality, with relevant and engaging content from professionals who are acknowledged experts in their field. This training will take place at your practice, and will give your team ‘on-site’ training on CPR, emergency drugs, equipment and up to date legislation. The trainer will also carry out and audit, and provide recommendations as per the Resuscitation Council guidelines.

To find out more about medical emergencies training and support, contact dbg today.

For more information call dbg on 01606 861 950,

Or visit www.thedbg.co.uk

GDPUK Launches UK Dental Calendar

At the beginning of the year, we launched a new feature on the GDPUK Site. This feature is the “Dental Calendar”. The Dental Calendar will be a central area for everyone from the dental profession to know what is taking place in the world of UK Dentistry. 

As long as you are signed into the site, anyone from the profession can add events, seminars, training and exhibitions to the Event List. We believe this is an exciting addition to the dental landscape. Firstly it is a great way of promoting an event and secondly it makes the profession aware of events taking place close to them or that there is a specific course taking place, that potentially they would not have been aware of.  We hope it can become a really handy resource for the dental community.

How to use?

Once logged into the site, the dental calendar tab drops down to offer the option of “adding an event” as the image below demonstrates.

Once the tab is clicked you can then add the event by following the form, which is easy to use and should only take a matter of minutes. Pictures, the date and location are simple to enter. Once added the event is then added to the event list and can be viewed by the whole dental community.

Currently events can be shared on Twitter and Google plus, which means that you can publicise the event to the wider dental world.

Going forward we will also use the twitter handle of @DentalCalendar to publicise when something is added to the calendar. Please get following!

Future Use?

The calendar will take some time to become established and used widely. Once it is used regularly, we envisage the calendar being used in a number of ways. 

• Featured events – for a small fee, organisations could feature their event on the calendar and ensure it gets maximum exposure.
• Ticket Sales – Places on courses could be booked and paid for on the GDPUK Site. GDPUK would act as a ticket agent and help an organisation with the sales of the tickets to a particular event.
• Specific Banner Adverts – There is an opportunity for a dental organisation to sponsor / associate their business with the calendar. To discuss the opportunity further please get in contact with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For the upcoming Contract Reform Roadshow in Manchester on the 30^th Jan, the dentists attending have been registering through the GDPUK Site. This has so far attracted a few hundred registrations, a figure that is continually rising. More information can be found here about the roadshow. Feel free to register. 

Thanks for reading about the dental calendar. We hope you enjoy using the calendar. If you have any feedback about the calendar or have any further questions. Please get in touch. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To register for the largest dental community in the UK and full use of the calendar, please follow this link - https://www.gdpuk.com/forum/user/register

Blogs are an essential part of online marketing, and are an excellent way of building your practice ‘brand’ online. Not only that, but a well-run, regularly updated blog will also help to boost your ranking on Google. Search engines absolutely love new content, and blogs provide a simple and effective way to add new content and so boost your practice website’s Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

Picking your subject

Your practice blog can cover any subject matter relating to dentistry, though ideally should be geared towrads the treatments and services that you offer. Oral health topics are a great way of stimulating conversation and can also help educate patients on good oral hygiene habits. You may also choose to write on relevant stories in the press, or even practice news. All of these things help make your blog personal, and show that you and your team are real people as well as dedicated dental professionals.

Points to note

Any blog post your write should be a minimum of 350 words, supported by an image wherever possible. Your tone should be friendly yet professional, and the content you write should be unique. Never copy and paste material from another source as search engines hate duplicated text, and you will not be doing your practice brand any favours by copying material produced elsewhere.

To optimise your blog in searches it can help to include the associated keyword and location (if used) in the title as well as the body of the text. So for example if you are writing about dental implants, make sure that ‘dental implants’ features somewhere in the title. However, at the same time be careful not to overuse any particular keywords you are featuring in your blog post. Keyword stuffing is no longer an effective way of boosting search ranking and can be extremely off-putting to the reader!

Keeping things fresh

To keep your blog varied and interesting for your readers, you don’t always have to post just text and pictures. Infographics are a particularly good way of sharing information, and you could also consider adding interviews or videos to mix things up and keep your content fresh.

You might also like to consider writing blogs around testimonials. Instead of just posting a quote from a patient, why not build the testimonial into a news story about the patient’s journey to show how you helped them. You could even add in ‘before and after’ photos to support the story and show your readers the quality of the dentistry you can provide.

Get blogging!

If you haven’t set up a practice blog already, now really is the time to get one. A Google-friendly blog will not only help raise your profile online, but it will also help you to educate and engage with your patients in ways unlike ever before.

To help you make the most of your practice blog, it can be useful to work with a team of experts with experience in dental online marketing. Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ can guide you on every aspect of blogging from setting up your blog to link building, content ideas and social media.

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

About the author:

Naz Haque aka the Scientist is SEO Project Manager at Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’. Naz has a background in mobile and network computing, and has experience supporting an A-Z range of blue chip brands from Apple to Xerox. As an expert in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Naz is passionate about helping clients build strategies to enhance their brand and increase the ROI from their dental practice websites.

Tim Caudrelier looks at how the introduction of a Non-executive or Interim Director can benefit dental practices of various size, structure and development.

Generally speaking, businesses fall into three categories, bronze, silver and gold. Those in the bronze group are the ‘Easyjets’ of the world – those who have the desire to offer their services or products at the lowest possible rate, who search for an ever-enhanced efficiency.

Gold businesses focus on being the best in whichever specific market they are in – the Virgin Atlantic’s who focus on their service / product and customers first, relying on the fact that profit will result from the quality provided.

Those in the silver group are sat in the middle, not entirely sure who their target market is, who they are serving or what their main focus should be in order to better themselves.

There are many dental practices in the UK, and indeed around the world, that express a desire to join the gold category and to become champion league practices opposed to simply increasing profitability. But in reality, there is a GAP between where they are now and where they want to or could be.

Any individual practice may believe their GAP is in their turnover or profit, but find that it is in fact in their:

• Business model
• Branding and brand standards
• Company culture
• Marketing
• Product range
• Customer relationship management
• Staff
• Or systems.

A solution to this can be the employment of a Non-executive or Interim Director.

What is Non-executive or Interim MD?

A Non-executive is a part-time role as opposed to the normal full-time Director of a company. A professional in such a role brings expertise, skills, contacts and guidance to the business, normally with the aim of driving growth, industry excellence or both.

Traditionally, larger companies have been more suitable for the concept of introducing a Non-executive. In recent years however, many smaller companies, start-ups and specifically professional practices have experienced the significant financial and performance benefits that Interim Directors can provide.

What are the benefits?

Firstly it is important to recognise that Non-executives really become a part of your existing management team, and therefore they are usually more integrated than consultants or even mentors. With their specified knowledge, broad experience and extensive professional networks, Non-executive Directors can deliver a spectrum of benefits.

• They provide crucial guidance at critical stages of business development that you may otherwise not be able to reasonably afford or financially justify.
• They fill particular skill gaps, which the owners or founders of a young company may have.
• They can help to prepare, structure and systemise your practice for efficient growth and management changes.
• They can set up the position so it is ready for the appointment of a new, permanent Managing Director.
• Having worked in this position in different businesses, Non-executives can offer sound advice when looking at proposed business plans and analysing options for growth and future investment.
• They are often more committed than business consultants or professional advisors as they frequently have a legal obligation to the business.
• They may already be a part of a network that facilitates sales, understanding the market or establishing suppliers. This can help develop strategic alliances within the profession and market sector.
• They have experience in structuring and creating performance environments specifically for dental teams to flourish.
• Remuneration for a Non-executive is often dependant on the practice’s performance, so you can be sure to get the very most from your money.

With all this in mind, a Non-executive Director should work both strategically and tactically to become the custodian of accountability within your business. Whether your practice requires a sequential approach with a narrow focus on the development of one area, or a wider and more holistic approach, Non-executives establish an effective strategy and help your business stick to it. This also involves ensuring proactive leadership, installing a suitable management structure tailored for your particular business, identifying your market positioning, promoting a clear set of brand standards and ensuring systems are in place to sustain such development.

A Non-executive does this with the desired end result in mind, consistently analysing your business’s progress and ensuring it is on the correct course at all times. In turn, this can have a very tangible effect on the growth of your business and its profitability, in a relatively short space of time. And as you can pass the responsibility onto someone else with the skills and expertise to ensure success, you can get back to what you do best – treating your patients.

For more information about 7connections contact Phillippa Goodwin on 07508 184 044 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

On Thursday 5^th December, Chancellor George Osborne delivered his Autumn Statement to Parliament. In his speech the Chancellor announced that the UK economy is to grow 1.4% this year – more than double the 0.6% predicted in March.

Though the recession has certainly been hard on many businesses, we are now starting to turn the corner and many of our clients are seeing their books filling up. As such we are in a position now where dentists can look to the future with some amount of confidence, as the economy starts to grow again, and the Chancellor has set out a number of small, but not insignificant, changes for the coming year.

Tax relief

ISA allowances will increase from £11,520 to £11,880 in April 2014. This is a relatively small inflationary increase, but one worth using. Any increase in tax relief is a good thing, and ISAs are a very tax-efficient investment. Note that half of this £11,880 can go into cash funds. This gives the guarantees and flexibilities to withdraw like a regular bank account but all the interest accrued is tax-free. It’s amazing how many dentists do not maximise their cash ISA allowances each year, and so are not taking full advantage of a very simple method of saving in a tax-efficient way.

Taxation and property

Tax avoidance was a key area of focus in this year’s Autumn Statement, and the Chancellor emphasised a renewed focus on employees posing as the self-employed. While it still remains to be seen how this will play out in dentistry, if you are unsure as to your employment status, and whether you are working within the legal framework set out by the HMRC then you should seek specialist financial advice.

Another interesting development in the Autumn Statement was the announcement that non UK-residents are to pay Capital Gains Tax on selling UK residential property. While this doesn’t necessarily directly affect dentists, it will hopefully deter more overseas investors and so in the long term, impact upon the inflated housing market in the UK. This may benefit first time buyers in the long term, and should level out the playing field when it comes to investing in property.

Business rates

The Government’s ‘small business rate relief’ scheme has been extended for a further year, while business rates have also been capped at 2% in 2014. Businesses can now also pay in 12 monthly instalments to help spread the burden, and aid in better financial management going forward.

These changes impact on 99% of dental practices in the UK, as nearly all practices are classed as ‘small businesses’ under HMRC guidance. It is quite surprising to note here that many dentists still don’t claim what they are fully entitled to in terms of business rates relief and other related schemes. For example if you own your dental practice freehold you can claim capital allowances on wiring, cabling, sanitation and so on up to a value of £250,000. This isn’t some obscure tax avoidance scheme – this is just following the HMRC rules. If you buy a dental chair then you can take account of this in your finances. After all, it’s a business expense, and a Chartered tax advisory firm can help you to do this.

Further points of note

The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement is weighty document. At 130 pages, there are a lot of points covered, and some more relevant to dentists than others. To help you fully understand the impact of the Autumn Statement, and make the most of your finances, it can pay to use to services of a specialist Independent Financial Adviser (IFA), with experience directly within dentistry.

There are a number of companies out there, but not all are experienced in the unique needs that the dental profession brings. As a dentist you will likely earn a large amount of money over the course of your career. With the services of a specialist IFA you can make your money go further and work more efficiently for you.

For more information please call 0845 345 5060,

email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.money4dentists.com

This period of low interest rates in the UK combined with changes in society and demographics have had some long term effects which are far from coming to roost. Since the financial collapses of 2008, UK Government policies have been to minimize the economic shock; people have been protected by saving the banks from failure and also by continuing low interest rates. 

History tells us that economic policies designed to insulate from short term shock tend to come with a long term consequences. But no-one has thought about a cohort affected more badly by this economic effect, hard working young adults. They have to deal with high property prices and high rents, less secure employment together with rock bottom interest rates if they manage to save, but high interest rates if they have credit card or pay day debts.

Will there be friction between the younger generation whose lives are markedly different from their parents in so many ways? There hasn't been a revolution or even a rebellion, just a combination of changes of circumstance in society at large – greater access to further education, starting careers later on average, starting families later, so many important aspects of life have been shifted by a few years.

One piece of good economic news in the UK, along with growth of the economy, has been the gradual fall in the employment rate in late 2013 and early 2014. However, in UK dentistry, this seems to be in reverse, through unintended consequences, and the combination of many seemingly unaccountable people acting in what they think is the right way, but having a terrible effect on the lives of young dental graduates.

In our dental profession we are now seeing, possibly for the first time in history, unemployment of newly qualified dental professionals. What is now known as the Dental Foundation Training [DF1] scheme, which was commenced as an educational process to help young graduates move to the pressures of working as a trusted professional from those of a dental student. This scheme has now, over many years, become a requirement that dental graduates must complete before they can do any work within the NHS. They have to have a "performer number", obtained by joining then completing this scheme. 

Interestingly, graduates of dentistry from the EU do not have to gain this requirement in order to work in the NHS. However, in the present national foundation dentistry scheme, EU dental graduates have equal standing with UK graduates, and each year some of those from the UK miss out, and cannot work. They may reapply but can only enter the recruitment process twice. After that, if they fail to get through an interview and psychometric assessments, they can have no future career in NHS dentistry EVER.

In the interview process which started in November 2013, with results issued in mid January with no fanfare nor press release, it is estimated [and this is a SHOCKING figure] that more than 10% of UK dental graduates have been left with no employment next summer when they graduate.

What a waste of studying, hours of hard work and sacrifice. Students these days live from loans, those qualifying presently have student debts around £30,000 with potentially no prospect of working in dentistry. Last year, tuition fees rose to £9,000 per annum, so those qualifying soon will have debts of £60,000 or more, yet carry this risk of not having a job when they pass their university examinations and graduate. A further insult is the 18 month rule, where applicants have two chances to apply and go through the process. If then unsuccessful, the artificial rule that bars them from following their career in the UK adds to the injustice.

In addition, this pre-judgment of their chance of a career is insulting and morale sapping, to say the least, before even sitting for their final exams, which seems to relegate those exams, which are the true arbiter of whom is fit to practice, not this FD1 assessment.

Dental colleagues rightly ask where is the British Dental Association in all this? Cannot the dental schools do something – teams of staff there must be angrier than GDPs. And what about COPDEND, who administer this – you must know what is going on? Why can someone take the problem by the horns and change something to benefit UK dental graduates and exclude EU nationals qualifying elsewhere in the EU? Even if you believe there is a risk of breaking an EU law, surely that is better than wrecking the careers and morale of hundreds of young dentists, prejudging the results of their university finals?

The inter-generational friction I referred to earlier might surface in the dental school. Morale must have been affected by this unjust system, university staff must feel that action must be taken for the sake of those they educate. 

This is now the third year of this disastrous situation – something must be done, someone must take responsibility, and make the system fair for UK dental students.

1. COPDEND DF1 Policy statement: http://www.copdend.org/content.aspx?Group=foundation&Page=foundation_policystatement
2. GDPUK forum discussion: https://www.gdpuk.com/forum/gdpuk-forum/vt-national-recruitment-process-opens-9971 [this page requires a GDPUK login]

Dentistry has changed an awful lot in the last few years, and not least in the way we market our services to the general public. Most dental practices now have their own website, and many will also have social media pages where team members can interact with patients in ways like never before. But while the internet has clearly had many positive repercussions in the way we market our practices, it has also had a number of important consequences as well. This includes a shift in the way the public perceive our profession, and the value the public place in the services we have to offer.

Commoditisation culture

Anyone who is anyone these days will know that the internet is literally teeming with online retailers all trying to ‘out do’ each other to offer the most choice and the best value possible. The success of Amazon and the slow demise of the high street bookstore is but one example of how online retailers are fast become the go-to place for the best offers and the cheapest products.

But it doesn’t just stop with online stores. The internet is now the place to find the lowest prices for just about anything at all. Even insurance is a massive area of competition on the internet now, and I am sure colleagues will be familiar with the advertising campaigns that have been run by the likes of Compare the Market, Go Compare and Confused.

While of course there is nothing wrong with people trying to save money where they can, the problem arises when you consider the impact that this price-driven buying culture is having on dentistry. Quite simply our profession, and the services that we offer are becoming commoditised, and our patients are being encouraged to mistake price with value and quality.

Finding the real value in dentistry

If any proof was needed of the ‘commoditisation’ of dentistry, I recently stumbled upon a newly launched website: CompareMySmile.com. As you may expect, CompareMySmile does exactly as its name suggests – it allows members of the public to compare price estimates for dental treatment in locations across the UK. So, your average Joe Public can log on, type ‘Veneers in London’ and they will then receive a list of quotes from registered practices in the area.

To most dentists, the problems with CompareMySmile would seem clear. On one level, it pampers to the misconception that good dentistry is just a numbers game. If I can do a root canal treatment for £X and you can do a root canal for £200 less, then clearly the patient will opt to have the treatment with you and not me. After all, your treatment is cheaper, so if the product is identical then one is better value and the other a rip-off.

The worrying thing here is that many patients really do believe this to be the case. They don’t appreciate the value to be found in good dental treatment; nor do they understand the simple fact that not all dentists are the same, and not all dentists can provide the same standard of care.

As you would expect, CompareMySmile makes no attempt to dispel this myth. However it does go to great lengths to assure patients that the treatment they will receive will be of the highest quality. On the ‘Our Dentists’ page it clearly states that all its members must meet ‘strict criteria to ensure that only the UK’s most reputable practices become part of the CompareMySmile.com family’. These criteria require that dentists: 1) Are registered with the GDC, 2) Have completed 1 year’s accredited private or hospital based training, and 3) Have completed at least 75 hours of verifiable CPD in the last 5 years. I think these strict criteria speak for themselves!

Still plenty of work to do

As a profession, clearly we still have an awful lot more work to do. While websites such as CompareMySmile and GroupOn encourage patients to look at our work in purely financial terms, our efforts should be directed to showing patients what real value in dentistry is – that teeth are just too valuable to be treated as something that can be bought and sold.

Good dentistry is – and always will be – about forming strong professional relationships with our patients, understanding their needs and providing the very best standard of care possible. We are, at our heart, a caring profession, and if we let price become the determining factor in what we do, then that relationship will slowly start to fade.

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. 

For the last six decades, Eschmann has proven its dedication to the dental and medical community through extensive product research and development.

Its brand new autoclave, the LittleSister SES 3000B, has recently been trialled in 12 dental practices and facilities across the UK, in order to assess how the equipment performs in realistic dental environments.

Decontamination Technician at The University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, Michael Tyler, says: “This was a great piece of equipment for the students to have access to – the display interface was clear, it was very user-friendly during operation and with regards to maintenance, its design made identifying potential errors easy, and it handled a full load effectively and without problem.

“Having worked with them in the past, the team at Eschmann are always highly receptive and genuinely interested in the feedback we provide. We are very much looking forward to using the new autoclave with the students going forward.”

Now offering a complete solution with the new essential range of cleaning and disinfection products, you need look no further than Eschmann for all your infection control needs.

For more information please visit www.eschmann.co.uk, or call 01903 753322

As we move through the start of the year, the cheers of the New Year celebrations probably seem a distant memory. The great Oprah Winfrey calls the event “another chance for us to get it right”, and many people will have done the time-honoured commitment of making resolutions – perhaps to lose weight or give up smoking – but by now, many of those well-intentioned pledges will have been broken.

However, one resolution worth making, and sticking to, is ensuring your finances are in order. Financial planning is especially important when you are running a business, whatever the situation. Indeed, it is just as easy for a new company to rush ahead and overlook financial necessities, as it is for an established one to become complacent and lose sight of monetary efficiency.

Planning for the year ahead

The dental practice is no different from any other business and requires the same degree of consideration, and, as the new tax year looms, now is the ideal time to take stock and create that chance to “get it right”.

Maximising your personal and business tax-efficiency is certainly a good place to begin. With the 2013/14 tax year is almost over, now is the time to start planning for the year ahead. After all, the tax situation for you and your practice can change over time, so it is important to review all allowances, expenses and exemptions to ensure that each is being utilised to the full.

Points to consider

All salaries and investments are taxable above a certain level, but there are a variety of investment vehicles to choose from that are tax-efficient within the UK, depending on circumstances. This includes the Individual Savings Account (ISA) for individuals, which allows tax-free interest on savings.

Pensions are a hot topic now, especially with the Government’s new Workplace Pension scheme. If you have not already set up a pension scheme for your practice, it is important to find out when this will become obligatory for your business. Apart from the obvious end-value to an individual, pensions can also be tax efficient, as contributions attract tax relief not only for the member, but may also do so for the employer if they contribute.

In the main, the dental industry falls outside the scope of VAT, however purchases still attract the tax. With sole traders and partnerships taxed as individuals, it could be time to review the trading structure of your practice.

Insurance is another area to consider. Insurance cover is the foundation of sound financial planning.  While life, vehicle and property cover are obviously essential, protecting your income in the event of you being unable to work through sickness, injury or accident, is equally important.

Once your fundamental financial situation is sorted, you may care to think about more advanced forms of investment such as buying and selling shares. These “speculative” products can provide high rewards and offer excellent tax breaks, but they can also be more volatile and represent a high degree of risk.

Specialist advice

Clearly there are many facets to financial planning and it can be a complicated undertaking, fraught with danger for the unwary or inexperienced. If you feel that your finances are getting beyond your capability, or you are looking for more advanced products, it is time to call on a professional for help. The provision of financial advice is strictly regulated in the UK, so all advisers are highly qualified, highly trained individuals, able to look at your situation in an impartial way.

There are various types of financial adviser you can call on. However, only an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) will be in a position to look across the whole market to find the financial products that best suit your needs. They will look at your financial circumstances as a whole, consider your existing situation, your objectives for the future, and ascertain any existing or potential problems. They will then make suggestions for products based on any gaps they identify in your provision.

Many IFAs will focus on particular industries, so it is important you find an IFA with experience in the dental sector. money4dentists is one such company with a strong reputation for providing advice and guidance to those working in the dental profession. A member of the Association of Specialist Providers to Dentists since 2004, and with over half a century of experience, the Birmingham-based company has an extensive understanding of the particular challenges faced by the profession.

Helping you reach your goals

In addition to providing a range of guides to help you manage your own finances, a specialist IFA can also offer a number of other services to help you reach your financial goals. These may include advanced financial planning and debt management through to preparing for retirement. They can advise on matters such as mortgages and loans, investments, and tax efficiency, and help you make the most of your money.

Financial planning is important at any time, but the New Year can give you the impetuous you need to “get it right”. Taking stock of your situation makes good business sense, and with the support of an IFA, especially one that specialises in your industry, you can be confident you are making the best decisions for the year ahead.

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

The Social Media Phenomenon

A

Around two years ago I wrote my first book called How Your Practice Can Survive The Recession, there is a section in it about Social Media, which I was somewhat dismissive of.

I have recently updated the book for several reasons but one of the most important reasons was that Social Media has now moved firmly into the mainstream of business and because of this, all dental practices need to take it very seriously.

My business now receives around 15% of all the enquiries I receive from either Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin, this is a massive change from just twelve months ago. Thats quite staggering, a year ago I could count the number of leads from Social Media on one hand, all that has now changed

It is also a fact that 50% of the U.K population spends at least one hour per day on Facebook. This creates a huge opportunity for your business, both advertising and posting in in general.

I regularly speak with my clients about the opportunities of Social Media and whether or not they should be active in this area, the answer is always a resounding yes.

However there is a problem, in order to have a healthy Social Media presence means you have to be active pretty much every day, its no point trying to get people to “Like” your page if you never put anything on it, and the majority of practices don’t, for one simple reason they simply don’t have the time.

So whilst Facebook, Twitter, Google Circles and LinkedIn may be free to use, they take up a great deal of time and that is the one thing that the majority of dental practices simply don’t have.

So you could give the task to one of your employees, but are you sure that (a) they will post items that are suitable and (b) will they have the time to post on Facebook and Twitter too as well as doing all the other tasks they have to achieve.

So you have a dilemma, you know that you should be regularly communicating with your patients and potential patients via social media, but neither you or your staff have the time to do it!

That’s where my company can help. Until recently I simply told my clients that they should be posting regularly on social media, but didn’t have a solution to the problem of creating the time to do so.

I can now offer a service to any dental practice, or indeed any company involved in the dental profession, whereby we will post on social media sites at least two times per day, Monday to Friday, to find out more about this unique service, go to my website http://www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk/social-media-dentists/ and you will be able to watch a video where we tell you exactly what we can offer you in this area.

I don’t know of any other organisation that offers this social media service, I suspect we may well be a trail blazer in this area.

So don’t waste any more time visit http://www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk/social-media-dentists/

Best Regards

Neil

If you would like us to increase your patient numbers, revenues and profits call me on 01767 626 398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2014 is developing as quite an interesting year if January is anything to go by.  

Check your straps Mesdames et Messieurs. The ride is getting rough.

For a public letter to have any onward effect, a body of opinion must develope into an irresistable call for change.  

ITV's Daybreak in fuelling further the debate produced contrasting performances. The passion of Tony Kilcoyne winning hearts and minds was evidently enough for wee Lorraine ... But the seat shuffling discomfort of John Milne was sadly not the supportive powerhouse that the profession needs from its leadership.  Maybe he needs to get off that fence.  The BDA's PR release, reminding us all of the power of the pilots, suggests that you can kick the GDPC's door down, but the deals are already being done for the new Contract Reform.

If GDPUK is anything to go by, there most certainly is a developing momentum.If the lack of response from the DH, robust or not,is as deafenaing as such political avoidance would normally be considered, I think it fair to say that Dr Kilcoyne and his band of merry men may have found a weak point.

So what's in the pot, cooking at this time?

We have the demand for DH honesty about what is or is not available under the NHS - if mixed practice is to continue, definition of the boundaries and rules is a must - a deal breaker if you will.  Austerity measures in wider Government surely mean the timing is right for a properly defined basic service.  It simply cannot be anything else.

We have the terrible scandal of  Foundation Training and the lack of availability of places - only this week we read a powerful comment on GDPUK from a graduate colleague who has fallen foul of the CoPDenD Stasi for a second year.  Given the EU regulations, Foundation Training as a compulsory requirement must be dead in the water surely?

on an aside, apparently the GDC think the the NHS is the Gold Standard. Yes I splutterred into my cornflakes too!

Here's Version 1 of the  shopping list then:

• A defined core service for NHS funding
• A clearly defined set of limits to permit the business of dentistry to have mixed income streams, the NHS being one of them
• Scrapping of the discriminatory NHS FD Training requirement and the National scheme, and wind up CoPDenD
• Revert FD to locally organised and locally executed; remove opposition ot privately funded early years training by the profession - allow Private VT to develope.

That'll do for this month.  Lets see what next month holds!

References:

See ITV interviews again:

http://www.itv.com/daybreak/hot-topics/dentists-believe-nhs-targets-impact-on-care

FD1 scandal - please read this

https://www.gdpuk.com/forum/gdpuk-forum/vt-national-recruitment-process-opens-9971?start=930#p169631

By Dr. James C. Grant

This is the 2^nd part of an article I wrote outlining my journey of the past 6 years on the Proximerge Dental Implant and why I felt compelled to research and develop a new replacement for the existing dental implants.

This is the link to the 1^st part:-  https://www.gdpuk.com/resources/implantology/entry/420-why-invent-a-new-dental-implant.

I believe that the Patient is at the center of the Dentist practice, then supported by the finest Surgeon, Dental Lab Tech and Hygienist or Dental Nurse.

The Proximerge implant system integrates an eccentrically shaped platform and anchor implant in the jaw. It is the only technology that can anatomically match the profile of the teeth as they emerge from the bone.  Proximerge is currently focused on molars (where the problem is the most significant) but the future designs are in development to provide solutions for all teeth and other applications such as implant-retained dentures. 

All current designs use a single round implant screwed into the jawbone to act as an artificial root for replacing lost teeth.  However, the footprint of teeth as they emerge form the jawbone is seldom round so this results in an anatomically poor match.  The problem is especially pronounced in the multi-rooted molar region as this approach leaves unacceptably large gaps, which trap food and cause patient discomfort, bacteria build-up, and long-term health risk to bone, gum tissue and adjacent teeth.  Accumulating bacteria around implants can lead to toxins crossing the membrane barrier and entering the circulatory system.  Research has shown these oral bacteria to be associated with many systemic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and pregnancy complications.  In addition, existing implant designs provide a smaller, weaker foundation, which can lead to crown failure from shearing, fracturing of implant materials and bone loss due to excessive forces.  Custom abutments and wider diameter implant designs have been developed to help address these issues but still fall short because the source of the problem is the naturally eccentric shape of teeth as they emerge from the bone.

Proximerge is the only technology that can match noncircular shapes in the bone to provide a better biomechanical foundation and anatomically correct interproximal spaces.

Surgical and Restorative Example

This system allows the dentist to provide to the patient a final restoration produced by the dental lab tech that biomimic’s the anatomy and morphology of the tooth being replaced.  This natural shape is what the patient should expect from the oral health provider that allows the dental nurse-hygienist to instruct the patient on oral hygiene and maintenance.  Without excessive gaps accumulating food and bacteria, the patient and hygienist will be able to keep the area healthy and expect a successful implant restoration.

To discuss the Proximerge system, please email me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Look forward to hearing your thoughts on the implant system.

A survey on NHS Dentistry which was hosted by GDPUK was featured this morning on the ITV Daybreak breakfast programme. 

This morning (16^th January 2014) a survey that was run on the GDPUK forum for the ITV Daybreak Programme was featured as headline news. Link to the ITV news story can be found here and the GDPUK News story here.

Daybreak contacted GDPUK a few days ago and we were able to get the survey posted to the forum within a number of hours. The survey was run in response to the letter posted by Dr Tony Kilcoyne BDS  in the Daily Telegraph a couple of weeks ago, on the “Big Lie”. Only NHS Dentists were able to complete the survey and 340 NHS Dentists, who are all GDPUK members, responded to the survey. This was an amazing response from the GDPUK community and shows firstly this topic is an area many dentists care deeply about and secondly how an online community make things happen on a short time span.  Thirdly it also shows the large audience that GDPUK attracts, the thread announcing the survey has had nearly 900 views and 58 replies within a few days!

The debate and discussion of the state of NHS Dentistry still has a long way to go but we feel proud that we have been involved in the formation of the “Big Lie” letter and also running the survey that was then featured on National TV news this morning. Thanks to Dr Tony Kilcoyne BDS and also the whole GDPUK community who continue to contribute to the forum on a daily basis. We feel it is a great example of a small social media platform, utilising the power of the digital world.

The GDPUK forum is free to join for all dentists and members of the dental profession. Please register here

If you would like to find out how you can engage with this dental community further, please get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Video coverage of Tony Kilcoyne on the Daybreak couch can now be viewed here

NHS pension delays could be costly by John Fearn - PFM Dental

Delays in sending out PSS1 forms to dentists are causing headaches and more problems may be on the way. The form shows annual NHS pension figures, which are needed to complete tax returns by 31 January 2014, but many dentists are still overdue this information.

Some dentists had less than a fortnight in December to decide whether to pay an HMRC annual allowance charge through the NHS Pensions Scheme Pays option or by adjustment to their 2011/12 tax return.

One of our clients only received his PSS1 form, confirming he had exceeded the annual pension allowance for the 2011/12 pension year, on the 19th December. With a deadline for action of 31^st December and Christmas and Bank Holidays to contend with, this gave him insufficient time to liaise with his professional advisers and make an informed decision.

With the Scheme Pays deadline missed, NHS Pensions listened to our appeal and has allowed him to apply for the Scheme Pays method of settling the HMRC charge. This prevented the need for the dentist to produce £20,000 at short notice.

Another potentially missed deadline is looming. So far, only a handful of dentists have received their 2012/13 PSS1 annual NHS pension figures form. Technically, these figures are required for the correct input on the tax return, due by 31^st January 2014. Most of these tax returns have already been submitted and the NHS pension figures are now well overdue. Dentists breaching HMRC’s annual allowance in respect of 2012/13 pension year will need to instruct their accountant to make a retrospective adjustment before 31^st January 2015.

If this seems confusing, dentists are advised to ask a suitably qualified dental accountant and financial adviser to examine their individual pension circumstances. The Scheme Pays option is not for everyone so careful analysis is required.

Jon Fearn is a qualified independent financial adviser and NHS Pension specialist for PFM Dental.

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

t: 0845 241 4480

www.pfmdental.co.uk

An offer of lunch from Patient Plan Direct’s commercial director 

A very Happy New Year to you and your colleagues from me, Simon Reynolds – Commercial Director, and the rest of the team here at Patient Plan Direct. I’d like to extend an invitation to any UK based dentist or practice manager to go and grab a light lunch or coffee and cake at some point in the next few weeks as detailed below.

Hopefully you’ve noticed Patient Plan Direct across the dental media throughout 2013, a year which has proved to be success for us as we continued to help more practices across the UK administer their dental plan more efficiently and effectively and benefit from unrivalled value for money. These practices have enjoyed significant cost savings matched with outstanding support as highlighted in our clients own words.

Did you know a practice with 500 patients on plan that administers its plan with Patient Plan Direct opposed to any other plan provider stands to save on average between £4,100 and £9,700 every year! Savings which can be used to access bespoke support in areas that demand attention to help your practice prosper and grow in a challenging and competitive environment.

Looking forward to 2014, Patient Plan Direct has even more exciting developments in the pipe line, which will prove to further aid the practices that choose to administer their plan with us.

There has never been a better time to explore Patient Plan Direct and understand more about our unique approach to administering dental plans. Our technology, our flexibility, our support, our team and much more continues to evolve and strengthen. Given this, I would like to personally invite you to meet me for a light lunch to understand more about your practices’ plans in 2014, discuss the ever changing world of dentistry and get your feedback on an approach to dental plans both myself, my colleagues and our clients believe fits the modern world of dentistry.  

I’m happy to meet at your convenience and I promise our meeting will be completely relaxed, informal and under no obligation whatsoever. The worst case scenario is a free lunch or if time constraints prevent, maybe coffee and a cake!

I look forward to hearing of your availability, to arrange a light lunch meeting (on me), simply drop me an email or feel free to give me a call. In the meantime I’d like to wish you all the best for 2014. 

Tel: 08448486888

Mob: 07540706323

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

p.s. If you haven't already looked at our Big Fee Freeze promotion, I would encourage you to do so www.patientplandirect.com/fees/the-big-fee-freeze/

In the last few days, I have seen a three different things that have caught my attention when browsing the World Wide Web. I thought I would share them with you.

1.   Blog on Communities.

Jeff Bullas is a relatively well known blogger on all things social media. This weekend he published a guest blog by Michael Silverman titled “4 Reasons Why Brilliant Communities Are More Valuable than Your Social Media Strategy” The writer explains the reasons behind online communities being a great way for people from a certain niche to interact with each other on a secure platform. I was obviously attracted to the post because GDPUK is an online community but also because companies are presently very focused on social media but this blog offers a totally different way of how marketers engage with their audience. What do you think? Are communities more valuable than just focusing on social media?

2.   Bridge 2 Aid

Bridge2Aid is a dental charity based in Mwanza, Tanzania. They train rural-based Health Workers in developing countries, providing them with the skills, equipment and resources that they will need to provide emergency dental care in a world where a shocking 75% of the population currently do not have access to a dentist.

Due to circumstances beyond Bridge2Aid’s control, the charity needs to raise at least £50,000 before the end of March 2014 to ensure its vital work can continue. Please read more here. Unfortunately the charity was a victim of a sophisticated financial fraud and at the same time the charities main corporate sponsor is unable to keep funding the charity. Please follow this link if you would like to make a donation and support a worthwhile cause. At the time of writing nearly £15,000 has been donated in the space of a few days.

3.   Something different

I was taken to carmagazine.co.uk when browsing Facebook at the weekend. I often read the car magazine website but on this occasion a banner ad caught my eye. The ad was for Jaguar and I thought it was great, so please check it out. Looks like it was built on flash and has probably been done before elsewhere but is certainly a bit different. A sign that banner ads can be effective, especially when reaching the right audience?

Thanks for reading!

Due to circumstances beyond Bridge2Aid’s control, the charity needs to raise at least £50,000 before the end of March 2014 to ensure its vital work can continue.

In the past few months, two things have happened resulting in a significant financial challenge for us.

Firstly, Bridge2Aid (B2A) was recently the victim of a sophisticated financial fraud in Tanzania, orchestrated by an organised crime ring. Neither the police investigation nor our own review has shown any link with the B2A team. High quality counterfeit cheques were used the day after a grant payment was received to extract a large sum of money illegally. We have taken swift action to tighten procedures and continue to pursue the funds taken, plus we have switched accounts to a new international bank.

Secondly, we’re facing a sudden, and large (70%), drop in funds from our main corporate sponsor, who dramatically announced at the end of 2013 that they would be slashing Bridge2Aid’s final payment of a three-year grant due to a large fall in their own profits. They have done this with all the projects they fund.

These circumstances mean that instead of starting 2014 with a low reserve, which we could manage, we now have a significant challenge to deliver treatment and training programmes in the first part of the year.

Our current challenge

We need to raise at least £50,000 before the end of March 2014, without which there is a very real threat to our work, including our plans of delivering vital emergency dentistry – and all-important pain relief – to more than 3 million people over the next 3 years.

So we are asking you, please, to donate NOW if you can, to help us continue the vital work that so many people have kindly contributed to over the past 10 years, and make a life free from dental pain a reality for communities in need.

How you can help

We are looking for individual and private donations in units of £40, £80 and £100 that, with the addition of Gift Aid, will give us £50, £111 and £133 in total to replace the missing funds and reduced grant, enabling the planned programmes and pain relief for millions to go ahead.

In addition, we would be most grateful if you could share our message and need with your friends and family, as well as your community as a whole, to help support us in this undertaking. If you need help organising this, please do not hesitate to contact us at B2A (www.bridge2aid.org).

Bridge2Aid faces this huge endeavour with the courage of our convictions and the confidence that our many friends will gather around us and offer their time, talents and funds.

You can make a donation in the following ways:

• By visiting the following page on our website: www.bridge2aid.org/urgentappeal
• Online via our Justgiving page at www.justgiving.com/B2Aurgentappeal
• Online direct to our bank, RBS, sort code: 16.16.20, account no. 10072646*
• By cheque made payable to ‘Bridge2Aid’ and posted to Bridge2Aid, Well House, The Chipping, Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire. GL12 7AD
• By calling 0845 8509877

*please notify This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. when donating online directly to our account please

We have a dental community of 50,000 in the UK. If 1,000 of those people are able to make a donation of £40, plus gift aid, we will reach our target. Please can you help us in this time of need?

What New Year’s Resolutions are you making for 2014? What do you want to achieve? Who do you want to help?

The BDA Benevolent Fund has been supporting dentists through difficult times for more than 130 years. The Charity provides one-off grants, regular grants and loans
to help beneficiaries cope with unexpected illness, accident or another stressful life-changing event. 

If it wasn’t for the work of the Fund, hundreds of dentists would be left struggling to pay heating bills and put food on the table for their families.

Whether you can contribute a one-off, monthly or annual donation, every penny goes towards improving beneficiaries’ quality of life and helping them build themselves a more positive future.

By helping the Ben Fund as part of your New Year’s resolution, you can make a huge difference to dentists across the UK.

To give a donation go to www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk or send a cheque made payable to ‘BDA Benevolent Fund’ to 64 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YS.

For more information about the BDA Benevolent Fund’s work
call 020 7486 4994 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
All enquiries are considered in confidence.

Registered charity no. 208146

Dental professionals will be aware that mercury is a key component of dental amalgam, and there is a significant debate as to the impact and toxicity of amalgam used to fill patients’ teeth. However, while the debate still rages in terms of the impact of amalgam fillings on patients, in other dental contexts, the dangers of mercury exposure are far more clear-cut.

Mercury vapour

In 1996 Parsell et al, found that mercury vapour levels within the room where amalgam was exposed to steam autoclave sterilisation reached levels that constitute an unnecessary health risk to members of the dental team.[1] This is because the heat generated in the sterilisation process causes mercury to turn into a vapour – a dangerous form of the element that can easily be inhaled by clinical staff. While the dangers of autoclaving amalgam-filled teeth such as in the Parsell study may appear obvious to many readers in a modern context, the dangers of mercury vapour from autoclaves still exist to this day.

This is because instruments used in the placement or removal of dental amalgam can also be contaminated with amalgam containing mercury prior to sterilisation. Heating instruments that have been used in such instances can also therefore cause mercury to vaporise. This vapour will then emit from the autoclave after the door is opened at the end of the cycle, and can also potentially enter vital parts within the autoclave, causing contamination and possible failure of the unit. To complicate matters further, if there is a suspicion that the failure of the autoclave is mercury linked, then the engineers tasked with trying to repair the fault do themselves run the risk of being contaminated.

Reducing the risk

To minimise the risks associated with mercury there are several steps you can take to reduce the chance of biological or mechanical contamination. Firstly, you should ensure that any instruments used for placing or removing amalgam are thoroughly decontaminated and inspected before sterilisation.

Work with the experts

Autoclaves are an important part of the decontamination cycle and should be considered an integral part of any modern dental practice. Though they are of course designed to facilitate the sterilisation of pathogens, dental team members should be aware that there are still other dangers within the dental practice setting. Though the debate over mercury in dental amalgam still rages to this day, there can be no mistaking the danger of vaporised mercury released during the high temperatures of the sterilisation cycle.

To help you understand the dangers associated with mercury in autoclaves, the experienced team at dbg can guide and support you in your efforts to minimise risk and establish a safe and effective decontamination protocol. Not only that, but dbg can also provide you with the complete engineering solution including validation and servicing packages for all equipment within your practice.

For more information call dbg on 01606 861 950,

Or visit www.thedbg.co.uk

Most estate agents know that when the market for dental practices is up, as it is now, the two factors most likely to persuade you to sell through their company are the valuation price and their agency fees. It then follows that each agency you approach will naturally want to come up with the most attractive valuation.

Trusting the judgement of an agency whose sole viewpoint is to convince you to sell your practice through them can lead to lost time, wasted effort and great disappointment.

On the other hand, it would also be unwise to suggest that the judgement of someone who can only provide rigid and cold calculations is the final word. A practice is certainly worth more than its physical assets and patient base, or its monthly revenue minus the running costs.

The best solution, it seems, would be to turn to a company who can offer both marketing expertise and professional accountability; an agency that has been in the business of selling to people and banks for many years, and one that has professional accreditations to top that experience off.

When it comes to the sale of dental practices, there is only one company with such criteria, and that is Christie + Co – the only national firm that specialises in the valuation and sale of dental practices that is also accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

When you deal with a company that offers both years of real estate marketing experience and RICS accreditation, you strike the perfect balance. What the RICS, and companies and surveyors accredited with them ensure, is that when you sell your practice, the basis upon which you determine your pricing stands both the valuation test and the market test.

The valuation test is important because unless you’re selling your practice for cash to someone who doesn’t bother to bring their own surveyors in for another look, it will eventually have to be valued by an independent firm.

The market test is equally significant because the final selling price of your practice also depends of your agency’s knowledge of the market, and their knowledge of your potential buyer.

Selling your practice is essentially passing the trust and welfare of your patients onto the next person, and is naturally something that will be very close to your heart. This is not something that can be tackled with just pure intellect – accurate and impartial calculations also need to be made.

By turning to a company that understands both sides of the dental estate coin, you can be sure that all considerations are covered and your best interests as a seller are paramount.

To discuss how Christie + Co might help you achieve your future plans please contact Simon Hughes on 0207 227 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 surgery sectors. In 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 advisors and agents based in regional locations throughout the UK.

ICE WHITE PARTY RAISES OVER £2,000 FOR CHARITY

Dr Nilesh R. Parmar’s much anticipated Ice White Charity Xmas Party made a welcome return in December, enticing over 300 guests on board HMS President and raising over  £2,000 for this year’s chosen charity, Operation Christmas Child (OCC).

Nilesh commented, “I am thrilled with the success of Ice White 2013 and the incredible amount we have raised for OCC. I’m also extremely thankful for all those who returned for a second year of celebrations and of course welcome new friends. I look forward to seeing you all again next year.”

OCC is the world’s largest children’s Christmas project, run by the charity ‘Samaritan’s Purse’; sending gift-filled shoeboxes around the world to underprivileged children. All funds raised at the charity event will go towards OCC shipping costs to help children in more than 150 countries experience the true joy of Christmas.

The lavish event wowed guests not only with its fantastic location but with live entertainment, the fun-filled photo-booth and of course the dental handpiece shaped ice sculpture. Guests were invited to contribute to the charity raffle, which saw lucky individuals win a Samsung Galaxy S4, a trip for two to La Toque, France and £100 shopping vouchers to name just a few. Celebrations carried on well into the early hours of the morning at the new members club Carriage 34, in Waterloo.

If you were unable to attend donations can still be made via the Just Giving website: https://www.justgiving.com/icewhitexmasparty2013 - all donations are greatly appreciated.

For more information, please visit www.drnileshparmar.com, or call 01702 467133.

Twitter: @NileshRParmar

OCC UK (Samaritan’s Purse International) Registered Charity numbers: E&W1001349, SCSC039251.

From 2009 to 2012, the number of adult patients who struggled to find an NHS dentist dropped from 35% to 29%.[i] Although these statistics are a welcome development, they still leave a significant percentage of the population without ready access to subsidised dental care.

In a survey that involved more than 11,000 British people, 44% of respondents don’t visit their dentist as frequently as they should because they can’t afford it. [ii] And 54% of adults in the UK are worried about having the budget for their dental care needs in the future.[iii]

This trend of foregoing dental care due to financial strain can see some people skip going to the dentist altogether. As recently as two years ago, 5 million people in the UK hadn’t been to see their dentist in ten years,[iv] and it’s safe to assume that a considerable percentage of these absentee patients have financial concerns to blame for their non-attendance.

Most people probably view dental visits as an unnecessary expenditure, as long as they are asymptomatic. But dental professionals know that this can’t be further from the truth. Prevention is of course the most efficient way of improving the overall state of oral health in the country, and in this light affordable dental care should be accessible for everyone.

For patients who have difficulty getting onto an NHS dental register and can’t afford regular private care, there is the option of a dental payment plan, which spreads the cost of basic dental check-ups throughout the year.

Payment plans are a great way to ensure that patients attend to their oral health more regularly, but as a product it can also easily be miss sold. The guaranteed income that dentists receive from this scheme may see some professionals unnecessarily selling more expensive packages to patients in good oral health, making them pay upfront for treatments that they may not need.

As we’ve seen happen with dental insurance, for example, payment schemes that turn out to be less than straightforward and leave the consumer out of pocket can fast earn a bad reputation.[v] And unless they are offered in the most scrupulous manner possible, payment plans can fast suffer a similar fate among consumers.

In a 2010 survey of 499 private dental patients with payment plans, 29% of respondents felt that they were required by their dentists to sign up as a condition of attending the practice. [vi] To further investigate how dental payment plans are offered to consumers, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) conducted their own survey into the matter the following year. 20% of OFT respondents said that they felt somewhat pressured into joining a payment plan scheme, with 4% feeling that their dentists have placed them under ‘a lot of pressure’.[vii]

The 2012 OFT Final Report states that “because dentists often have a high degree of influence over patients' decisions, care must be taken by dentists to ensure that they are not at risk of unduly influencing patient decisions regarding whether or not to join a dental payment plan.” [viii]

While it is a reality that practices need to turn a profit, dental professionals must always keep in mind that the patient will rarely distinguish between professional advice and a sales pitch while they’re lying in the dental chair. The feeling that they have been sold to unnecessarily may come after the patient leaves the clinic, which can then sour the dentist-patient relationship.

In order to avoid this, dentists must make sure that patients aren’t given the impression that they have no other choice but to accept the payment plan on offer. If and when a practice decides to make such a product available to their patients, steps must be taken to ensure that these are presented in light of all the other payment options the patient may have, and that these plans truly give them their money’s worth.

An example of a solid payment model is the Gencare Payment Plan, the scheme that Genix Healthcare will be launching soon. Designed to be as affordable as possible for patients, the Gencare Payment Plan will offer basic check-ups, X-rays and prophylaxis at proposed payments of around £10 a month, putting its costs well below that of other offers that include similar treatments. With basic payment plans such as these, patients shell out the least amount of money for quality care, and there’s little danger of giving them the impression that they are being sold to needlessly.

If used the way they are intended to, payment plans may get more people visiting their dentist regularly. This in turn can elevate the state of the nation’s oral health and advance the dental profession towards the preventive practice that it aims to become.

For additional information please call 0845 838 1122, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.genixhealthcare.com

Being an associate puts you in a rather special category when it comes to income tax considerations. Although you do fall under the HMRC’s description of a self-employed earner, you also have very different financial circumstances to that of, say, a freelance artist or a small business owner.

You don’t own a business, and yet you work for yourself. You’re not an employee, yet you report to a specific place (or places) of work on a regular basis. And unlike most freelance workers, you’re required to wear a uniform whenever you’re on duty!

The same anomalies your working status brings into your everyday life also apply to your tax needs. So if you’re looking for a tax solution to help with your returns, you need to find a service that caters specifically to associate dentists. This way, you can be sure that your particular tax requirements are being met.

A tax solution must first of all prepare your annual accounts and tax returns accurately and efficiently whilst communicating with you in each step of the process, and deliver this service in the shortest time possible so you don’t incur late penalties.

They also need to have the specialist knowledge to be able to ensure you can make the most of your tax claims. Some items that you think are claimable may very well not be, and other items you haven’t thought to put on that list can result in lost savings.

A tax service that can provide you with a comprehensive list of dental specific claimable expenses and ensure you are informed of how to record these accurately will end up saving you quite a lot in the long run.

You should also consider finding a tax solution that’s based on an easy-to-use online system, so you can supply your tax solution providers with income records and other information quite easily, with minimum interruption to your busy schedule. An online-based system can also give you easy access to your financial documents and files any time you might need them.

One very important factor to consider when you work for yourself is the possible risk of an HMRC investigation.

As the HMRC conducts a certain percentage of random inspections each year, you’re never guaranteed to avoid one; although there are certainly measures that can be taken to ensure that the risk is reduced as much as possible and any pain to both your time and pocket are minimised. Free insurance for such an event can be invaluable.

As a self-employed earner, you also need to look toward budgeting for the years to come quite carefully, and extras which can help you plan your financial future can be most welcome. These free benefits can include interim tax estimates that help greatly with your yearly budget, or a consultation with a financial advisor to speak about investments, pensions and the like.

If you hope to gain practice ownership someday, a tax package that comes with a free formal accountant’s reference which you can use to look for financing will help a great deal. And assistance with setting up your own business bank account if you don’t have one yet is another great bonus.

All this may seem like a lot to ask for, but there is a company that can deliver all this, at a very affordable price as well. figurit is a new accountancy and tax solution exclusively for dental associates that can take care of all your tax returns, and delivers the most in free added benefits.

Filing your taxes and taking a hold of your finances shouldn’t send you into a panic, if you turn to a company that understands your specific needs and can deliver the kind of service that you deserve.

For more information on our specialist accountancy and tax package

exclusively for dental associates, visit www.figurit.co.uk

Every dentist will strive to give treatment that is tailored to the specific needs of a patient. This approach is also applicable when looking to lease a property for use as a dental practice. Taking into account the very specific service that dentists offer, it follows that their practice will also require specific terms and conditions in the lease to support that service.

Standardised leases

The ability of a dental practice to function as smoothly as possible is of the utmost importance. Standardised commercial leases can often hinder dentists in their work, making them waste time and money unnecessarily. The pitfalls and problems are numerous with standard commercial leases, and it is best to avoid them at all costs.

There is a very real danger that the specific requirements of a dental practice can be overlooked and in some cases actually forbidden under the terms of the lease! For example, the need for practices to store X-ray machines and various drugs is clear. However, it is possible for a standard lease to prohibit the storage of these items. If a dentist does not adhere to the conditions of the lease there is a possibility of the lease being terminated by the landlord and the dentist being evicted from the property, which can lead to otherwise preventable high expense and hassle in order to resolve the situation.

In addition, dentists are often not required to register for VAT in respect of their supply of an exempt service. However a standard commercial lease can leave the landlord with the ability to charge VAT at any point should the landlord so chose. If this were to happen, it would mean an unavoidable and immediate 20 per cent rise in the rent of the property.

The restrictions that standard commercial leases enforce can not only cripple the financial position and functionality of a practice, but can also prohibit anybody from sharing the property.

This is particularly unfavourable when considering commonplace associate agreements. A term that associate agreements usually state is that the associate is given a license to use the property for dental purposes. With a potential restriction on who can occupy the property, an associate agreement can unwittingly lead to a breach of lease, and once again termination of the lease can occur.

The fact is that many general practice solicitors who draw up standard leases do not take into account the particular requirements of a dental practice, as opposed to the requirements of their other commercial clients. Whilst these general practice solicitors may be knowledgeable about commercial leases in the broad sense, it would be extremely advantageous to any dentist considering taking a commercial lease to employ a solicitor who has experience specifically in the dental industry.

In simple terms, the disadvantages a standardised commercial lease presents to a dentist can be overwhelming.

The benefits of bespoke commercial leases

Instructing a commercial lawyer with specialist dental knowledge will offer a solution. A bespoke lease will address the requirements a dentist has for his or her practice and amend the terms a standardised commercial lease overlooks or prohibits. This will provide a successful and hassle free lease, ultimately allowing for a dentist to focus on providing dental treatment, rather than worrying about legal matters.

Using bespoke commercial leases can be a sensible way to avoid time and money being wasted, and the complications that come with that waste. From ensuring that the storage of vital dental equipment is allowed to enabling associate agreements, and making sure there is no unexpected rise in rent, the benefits of a bespoke lease are clear.

 The key points to always bear in mind is not only the employment of a dental lawyer who understands the dental industry, but also the fact that where any legal matter is concerned it is important not to cut corners to save time. Bespoke commercial leases can be extremely beneficial in avoiding unnecessary complications and costs; their importance cannot be stressed enough.

Goodman Grant has a reputation of quality legal advice within dentistry. With this crucial and specialist knowledge, Goodman Grant’s team of solicitors are able to draw bespoke commercial leases to the specific advantage of dentists. Ensure you are not distracted from providing exceptional treatment by taking advantage of the huge benefits a bespoke commercial lease will provide. 

Nicola Lomas Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists

For more information call Nicola Lomas on 0151 707 0090 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

 

Why Invent a New Dental Implant?

By Dr. James C. Grant

Founder/Inventor Proximerge Dental Implant

As a dentist, we all have our list of why we chose this profession; I suspect that somewhere on your list is, “Helping people.”  We take people out of pain; we change patient’s lives by creating a smile that gives them a new confidence.  We give patients a healthy mouth that perhaps they never had before, and hope to assist them in maintaining oral health for the rest of their lives.  Even some patient’s gain the ability to chew their food better and gain benefits from nutrition they weren’t aware was missing.  For me, the satisfaction of all these and knowing that I did my best to improve the life of my patient is my first goal.

Six years ago I became compelled to do something to change the way dental implants are restored, being motivated by a recurring complaint from my patients.  They made me aware of a common problem, to which I could not offer a solution, because there was not one available.  I began an evidence-based journey using my own resources, spending countless hours contacting various adjunct manufacturers of dental implants, major implant companies, notable researchers and experts.  It resulted in prototyping my own solution, manufacturing it, and finding suitable clinical patients for my own clinical trial.  After 3 years, I secured my first patent and with the help of Angel Investors started the Proximerge Dental Molar Implant System. We are currently placing and restoring the implant system by outstanding Implantologists and surgeons in the UK.  Why did I bother to incur this time consuming, not to mention expensive project in the first place? It is a complex answer, where I shall start with my philosophy on this journey.

Dentistry is in the most exciting period that I have ever known in the 35 years I have been involved, a sort of renaissance.  The availability of Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine is a standard of care that makes transmitting, storing, and printing dental information commonplace.  From X ray images to digital impressions with accuracy as impressive as 10 microns are now everyday tools.   The use of Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and Virtual Design is standard software in dental laboratories and at the chair.  Custom same day design and milling in the dental office that offers a crown in about an hour is remarkable technology.  Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing has applications in the dental lab and stereolithography has impressive accuracy with future applications for expansion.  The routine use of laser’s for hard and soft tissue in dentistry makes the procedure less invasive and impressive results.  The lists go on with new drugs, materials, techniques, quicker, faster and safer methods are being introduced on a regular time frame.

I had a dental instructor who use to say, “You can’t diagnose what you don’t know.”  It was true when I was in school, but in today’s world of social media and computer information the availability of data and access to Internet research makes any undiagnosed question a click away.  On-line forums with other professionals who can write an opinion and give advice from their experience and carry on conversations are an invaluable tool for every complex case or patient problem.  This adjunct to a clinical situation and diagnosis will only make for a more accurate treatment option.  We as dentists must expand and increase our range of standard of care beyond the teeth and gums.  It is required of us to become doctors of the entire body specializing in the oral cavity.  A simple saliva test can now identify a patient’s DNA, Genome Map, specific bacteria and the diseases associated with them.  This information allows us to identify and prevent specific systemic diseases where the oral connection can be actively recognized. 

It has been suggested (Everett Rogers) that about 15% of the population is a combination of Innovator and Early Adopter of new technology.  These people think with their limbic brain often having a “gut feeling.”  They seek out ideas that challenge the dogmatic and pragmatic thinking of the day.  I think most of us have some of this attitude in certain situations where we follow our gut instincts, and maybe can’t define why we are doing something other than it feels right.  Dentistry is a little more cut and dried.  We are taught to examine and apply the tried and true knowledge where our best judgment is used for the situation.  Some of this is taught to us, but the majority is compiled from our curiosity for published research, continued education or evidence based experience. The debate as to which has more value takes on the bias from each perspective, I feel there is value from both and each is just as necessary.  The famous sayings, “You must think outside of the box,” and the definition of, “Insanity, doing the same think over and over, but expecting a different results” are what the 15% Innovators and Early Adopters use as their mantra.  It is important to keep asking, “Why” and pushing the envelope to inspire original thinking.

My hope is that I leave the dental field better than how I found it and my patient’s lives enriched in any small way from my ability to improve a life.  So when my dental implant patients who were experiencing a similar problem and complaint with their molar restorations, I knew that I must look for a solution.  I was compelled to ask the major implant companies about their solution to what my patients viewed as a real irritation.  I knew that for this patient’s it was potentially far more than just a nuisance or being over critical, but a problem that could initiate disease and tooth loss.  These patients were unknowingly uncovering an ignored violation of dental principles we were fundamentally taught in school.  It is understandingly the natural evolution of the procedures we have found to work the best in dental implants and the speed of change to accept implant treatment. It is easy to recognize the many benefits of choosing an implant whenever the situation warrants over traditional treatment choices of the past, even when the easier acceptance of insurance, cost and convenience seems more attractive.  The benefits of replacing one tooth with another root shaped implant makes for the best treatment option given to the patient.  During my career and the use of dental implants, I have seen the success rate increase with the advancement of research and technology.  Better instruments and techniques along with higher manufacturing tolerances, custom component designs, and new ideas pushing the critical thinking outside the norm benefits the patients.  With over 200 dental implant manufactures all looking for the new and better paradigm to attract the dental customer has made for some interesting variations in a fairly pragmatic field.  Yet, in my experience and listening to my patients, I found that there was something omitted and over looked in the development of molar implants that needed to be addressed.

According to the dental labs I have talked to estimate that somewhere between 65-70% of the crowns they fabricate on implant teeth are in the posterior area, mostly molars.  These are the functional grinding teeth and not necessarily the esthetic zone ones, which is not usually what I see when I attend lectures on implants. Rarely are the molars featured in the lectures, it is usually the “sexy” front teeth that get the attention where we start with a visibly compromised mouth and after the implants the patient has a new beautiful smile, new hairdo and less wrinkles.  It makes me proud to be a part of a profession that can change a person’s appearance and confidence to that extent, however we must not forget that the majority of implant crowns are produced for missing molar teeth.  I asked myself, “Why is it that these lectures I attend rarely show photos and x-rays of molars?”  I believe that part of the answer has already been stated above, but in my opinion the real answer is more basic. 

If we look at a clinical photo of a restored implant molar in the mouth, there appears the lab does a remarkable reproduction of the missing tooth.  However, an x-ray shows the real image of the restoration.  Using an implant as large as possible that the available bone allows, still produces a morphology that does not resemble a tooth anywhere else in the dentition.  Even to a non-dental observer the implant crown and replaced implant root are not representative of the natural shape of the missing tooth.  The dis-similarities are obvious with glaring omissions.  Generally, molars have 3 roots, a wide CEJ at bone level, and a rectangular occlusal table.  When they are replaced by implants, which I believe they should be whenever possible, the 3 roots are replaced by 1, and whether the abutment is a manufacturer’s stock or a custom abutment made to follow the emergence profile of the tissue, the resulting crown ends up over contoured and resembles an “apple on a stick.”  An x-ray of this implant system and components, which varies little from company to company, does not biomimic a natural tooth, but because it is the only choice we have as dentists, it has come to be accepted as the norm and “Standard of Care.”  This is what I asked many of the major implant companies worldwide by visiting them personally at their North American Headquarters or writing to the President’s and expecting some sort of a reply.  More often I received a not interested courtesy letter, a referral to some other department, or instructions on how to submit a New Product Idea. I followed up on every replay I received, called whoever I could get to respond, journeyed to meet with Chief Scientists, VP of New Products, Head of Marketing, Research and Development, even a Key Opinion Leader from a major university supported by the one of the largest dental implant company.  The Professor is a well-respected international lecturer who granted me 10 minutes after one of his presentations at the request of my friend the National Sales Manager.  Many of the sales people who are in the field and interact regularly with clinicians practicing dentistry on real patients saw the value of my questioning why there was not an alternative to the molar design, and the advantage of my prototype idea.  The meeting with the Professor lasted about 11 minutes, which was long enough for me to purpose my idea for a solution to the clinical complaints and dilemma we face in treating some of our patients.  Unfortunately, he was not impressed, and in fact called it a “radical” idea and way “outside of the box.”  To which I responded, “ Actually, I am thinking inside of the box.”  Referring to the round peg of a molar implant, being placed inside a square or rectangular space of the missing molar.  He wasn’t amused and probably never knew that his comment was the highest compliment he could have paid me.  I felt I was coming up against the academic dogma and my limbic part of my brain is what was compelling me to continue with this gut feeling that we can find a better solution.  I struggled to discover an alternative treatment for the patients who trusted me to offer the best solution for their missing molar, the dental laboratory technicians who I rely on to fabricate the best crown possible, but finds it frustrating to achieve a biomimic molar using 1 implant when replacing 3 roots, and the dental hygienist who has the professional responsibility to maintain and instruct the patient in the care of the implant, crown, and surrounding tissue to keep it all healthy as the day it was places.  This is why I continued to develop a platform for this circle of support for the patient, including the implant surgeon, restoring dentist, dental lab tech and hygienist.  I was committed then to finding a solution, and am committed to continue to develop and refine any product we develop for the clinical benefit of the people we help….

Link to Part 2 - Part 2:  How I developed what I believe is the solution.

James C Grant DDS is a clinical dentist in Colorado Springs, Colorado USA.                                                           

Dr. Grant is the founder and inventor of Proximerge Implant System.  He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

After some number crunching over the holiday period we were proud to discover that in 2013, the GDPUK forum had 958 different contributors. The fact that just under a thousand different members of the dental community have “put their head above the parapet“ during the year on the forum pages is a fantastic sign of the growth of the forum and the number of subjects that provide discussion in UK Dentistry.

Moving into 2014, we now have thousands of members who are part of the community. With just under a thousand people posting last year, there were thousands on the sidelines who quietly read the posts. They represent the silent majority who we can see in every community, they are part of it, they enjoy it, but they don’t get involved. If you would like to join the GDPUK community, please follow this link. The forum is free to join for all members of the dental profession. You will find the forum is a fantastic resource for advice, opinion and information on UK Dentistry.

Overall in 2013, we averaged 3300 visits a day to the site, the equivalent of the number of people who visit a UK Dental Exhibition in a day. The difference is that we are getting those numbers every day of the year! The site continues to publish exclusive news and shape the agenda of UK Dentistry. For example, GDPUK was used as a sounding board to compose the letter that was recently published in the Daily Telegraph - http://bit.ly/JKkA3J

GDPUK is free for dentists or dental professionals to join. The site earns revenue from dental focused organisations advertising on the forum, news, blogs or daily digest emails. If you would like to find out more about the advertising opportunities, please get in This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thanks for everyone’s support and help in 2013, please continue to contribute, share and discuss all things dental. We look forward to an excellent 2014 for all and well over a thousand contributors to the GDPUK Forum!

If you would like to register for the site please follow this link - https://www.gdpuk.com/forum/user/register

To refer a colleague or friend to the site - https://www.gdpuk.com/more/refer-a-colleague-to-gdpuk

For information on how to advertise on GDPUK or to download a media pack - https://www.gdpuk.com/overview or alternatively please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. who will be happy to help. We will also be visiting the Dentistry Show on Friday 28th February, please get in touch if you would like to meet up and have a coffee. 

What?

Happy New Year y’awl. For those long-breakers among you, welcome back to the coal face, and the dark days of gyms, diets and abstinence.  Not long now and it’ll all be chocolate!

And boy,  has the dust been a’disturbed in  your absence.

You see... "the letter" is out.  See the link below if you wish to read it, and read it you should.  The cat is out of the bag but is there a mouse to be caught? The gauntlet has been thrown down, but will the DH accept the challenge or merely hide under the armour of political expediency? You decide - and if you choose to act, just maybe you will.

So what?

Will anything change? Only if you truly believe with a passion in your profession. Only if that passion is strong enough to make you feel you want to change something.  Only if you can be bothered to make your voice heard at the GDPC.  Only if you call your MP to account. But please do NOT do nothing.

Dr Alun Rees has blogged powerfully on the subject at http://theincisaledge.co.uk/2014/01/02/basic-british-nhs-dentistry/

Elephant and Whatsit ?

The DH have replied and it has duly been published by the Dentistry web portal at http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/open-letter-slams-nhs-dentistry 

If it was a table tennis ball, it would be an unplayable serve with all the controlled spin! Although, to give the DH credit they “try” to collect “factual data” and are referring to the said data in what might be described as a strangely neutral way.

As denials go, a wet kipper thrown from 20 yards would have been more effective.  Perversely encouraging I think.  Anyone might think the CDO has been awaiting this challenge for a long time.

What now?

Dr Tony Kilcoyne , with his boundless energy and commitment, has highlighted two major issues which the DH and inter alia the CDO England refuse to address:

Ask yourself: what can you do to move the DH start their road to better ways in 2014, by admitting these two truths publicly:

1. The NHS Dentistry System in England cannot possibly provide for ALL the clinical needs of ALL their population fully.

2. The NHS Dentistry System in England cannot possibly provide ALL clinical care & treatments to the highest standards available, for all their population too.

I say again - what now?

As the quiet lurking kinda readers who are happy being below the parapet,  I think there is a job for you here.

If you agree with the essence of the argument here, tell your patients. Let them know YOU care about them and what the Government system does to your practice.

If you agree that we need a proper definition of what IS available under the NHS and what is NOT, call your LDC rep.  Unless of course you remain content to see your mixed practice options shrink back again ...

E-mail John Milne at the BDA GDPC

and copy all correspondence to Dr Barry Cockcroft, CDO England.

Having opened the can of worms, we do now have to stick our hand in and clean the can out.  In my opinion, we have until the end of March to achieve the changes needed for the 2015 Contract Reform.

Tin hats everyone.. Tally ho, we're going in.

Letter at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10546044/The-public-should-know-of-the-dangerous-decay-of-NHS-dentistry-in-England.html

Article at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10545878/NHS-dentistry-is-unfit-for-purpose-professionals-warn.html

Other references:

1. The Francis Report – Chairman states:
"They (patients) were failed by a system which ignored the warning signs and put corporate self interest and cost control ahead of patients and their safety.”
http://www.midstaffspublicinquiry.com/report

2. The third most common medical reason for any child occupying a Hospital Bed in England, is still rotten teeth!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4699838/Tooth-decay-third-most-common-reason-for-children-to-be-admitted-to-hospital.html

3. Dental Adult Health Survey shows 45% of Adults have at least one 4mm deep gum pocket that’s associated with deeper gum disease (BPE level 3 where worst possible BPE level is a 4 score!)
http://www.esds.ac.uk/doc/6884/mrdoc/pdf/6884theme2_disease_and_related_disorders.pdf

4. Dentistry planning is only based on ‘visible’ obvious decay holes in major surveys. This is totally inadequate by NOT using modern techniques for hidden decay detection between teeth like X-rays or other detection methods. Such survey results or conclusions are thus unreliable and invalid for planning.
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/adhtechnical_information.pdf

5. NHS was too powerful to criticise, says Chairman of the CQC Regulator.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/laura-donnelly/

Simon Reynolds from Patient Plan Direct takes a look at how the dental plan market has evolved and how this has affected dentistry

If your dental practice offers its patients a dental plan then there’s a good chance you’ll administer it through one of the ‘well known’ plan providers in the market. When you made the decision to start a dental plan or indeed if you are thinking of starting a dental plan, what is your main objective? Our guess; It is a means of reliably debiting patients month on month to generate regular income whilst offering your patients an excellent vehicle to budget for and access quality preventative dentistry.

Essentially the administration of a dental plan involves collecting a fee from a patient month on month and in many cases incorporating an A&E dental insurance policy. Therefore, the role of a plan provider should be straightforward and involves administering a financial transaction and facilitating insurance cover. Despite the simplicity of this model many plan providers seem to have evolved in to tying in additional services and support in other practice functions, offering access to events, entertaining ‘key clients’, employing business coaches and much more. This has resulted in a trend of inflating fees year on year. The question is whether or not this evolution is of benefit?

Good or bad evolution?

Paying for services that are useful and utilised is justifiable. But many practices don’t access the range of services offered by their plan provider, and many will never need to, despite paying for the privilege. It’s rather like buying a Christmas Hamper and only cooking the Turkey!

It’s also alarming how many practices don’t actually know how much they pay to administer their dental plan or take the time to assess just what they get from the fees they pay. For many practices there is a worthwhile opportunity to significantly cut costs by administering their dental plan more efficiently. For some, plan provision with access to all the add-on’s may be the right choice, but for many a simple and reliable solution delivered at lower cost makes sense.

The alternative which makes sense

Four years ago Patient Plan Direct came to market with a unique approach to dental plans. A reliable, low cost, practice branded and administratively friendly means of offering patients a dental plan.

This ensures practice’s that administer their plan with Patient Plan Direct know exactly what they pay for and choose to spend the money they save in areas they see fit. It’s an approach which makes sense and is being discovered by more and more practices throughout the UK.

-          We charge a flat transparent fee structure of just £1.00 per patient per month, which can prove to be more than three times less expensive than other providers. 

-          Our fee includes worldwide A&E insurance underwritten by Hiscox insurance.

-          We’ve never increased our fees since we launched our service.

-          Our parent company is First Capital Cashflow, one the UK’s leading payments bureaux. We’re experts in delivering managed payment solutions which is why we’re able to offer our service at such great value.

-          On average we save practices around £9,000 every year, but have saved some practices significantly more.

-          Our client retention rate is 100%. Our client testimonials highlight our focus on quality client service. We’re not just a cheap option, but rather a great value alternative.

Is it time you assessed how you administer your dental plan or if it’s time to start a plan? Switching provider or starting a plan is simpler than you might think. At the very least we promise it’s worth understanding more about Patient Plan Direct. Take action, contact us today and kick start 2014 with a bang.

FIND OUT MORE about Patient Plan Direct’s unique approach to dental plans, charged at just £1 per patient per month.

Visit. www.patientplandirect.co.uk plus more info on www.patientplandirect.com/fees/the-big-fee-freeze/

Call. 0844 848 6888

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

Twitter @PatientPlan

Blogging Is Essential To Promote Your Dental Practice or Business

For those of you who are not quite sure what a blog is, you are reading one right now and blogging is becoming more and more an essential part of any dental practice’smarketing strategy.

Why I can hear you all saying? Well hopefully you recently read my series of articles on search engine optimisation which over the three articles outlined what you need to be doing to raise your website’s ranking on Google. One of the things I mentioned was that you need to add new original content to your website, and the best way to do that is blogging.

Blogging is effectively you writing anything you like on any subject really. Because it is your ideas and your thoughts, you can write on any subject and be an forthright is you wish. Ideally you need to make it interesting to your public. So for instance if you are a dentist the subjects you might want to cover would be around oral hygiene etc.

Having said all that don’t make your blogs too serious or technical as you’ll just lose your audience, they have to understand what it is you are trying to convey to them, equally don’t use jargon, or scientific dental terms.

Blogging is one of the best ways to increase the rankings in the natural Google search. As I mentioned in my earlier articles, Google wants to present websites to their audience that are fresh and have new original content on them. Blogging is the most natural place to put this new original content. It will quite literally do wonders for your rankings, quite often my blogs out rank my overall website.

Blogging also has the effect of ranking you for many subjects too so for instance you might want to highlight that you offer implants in your practice, well the best way to do this is to write articles on the subject, use slightly different headlines and titles for the blog and you can start to rank for implants as well as general dentistry etc.

Blogging should also be part of your social media strategy. Every time you write your blog you should be promoting this with both Facebook and Twitter, not to mention Google Circles, this again helps immensely with your Google rankings.

Being seen to be an expert in your specialist field is essential if you are to sell at premium prices. For instance if you are regularly blogging on a  particular subject and your patients and potential patients read them, it is highly likely that when they actually want to use this service that they will turn to you rather than your competitors and they will pay a higher fee because of this too.

We call this in the industry “being the trusted expert”. The down side of this is that you have to give lots of information freely and regularly, which of course takes time and effort. But you’ll see that in the long run you will gain from it immensely, the other way to achieve this of course is to have someone else write them for you and this is one the services I offer my clients.

If you want to increase your revenues and profits, increase the number of new patients and encourage existing patients to spend more with you, call me on 01767 626 398, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit my website

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Oralift - Personal trainer for the face!

Oralift appliances are thermoplastic mandibulary mouthguard-type appliances incorporating 3, 5 or 7mm bite blocks which, when moulded to the teeth, only contact in the molar region.

They are worn in a cycle of two months worn, four months not worn, two months worn, four months not worn etc.  However, when not being worn they still seem to be having an effect on the ageing process because of the long-term results Nick has observed.  It’s like having a personal trainer for the face!

How does Oralift work?

There are a number of theories. The most plausible one seems to be that, when it is in the mouth, the muscles of the head and neck are activated to create an increased Free Way Space and this activity generates new chemistry and adjustments within the musculature.

What results can be achieved?

As part of the ageing process there is a downward migration of the soft tissues of the face, so that the ageing triangle changes from a youthful inverted triangle, pointing towards the chin, to an elderly triangle with the base at the chin. The Oralift appliance is designed to have an effect on these soft tissues and to reverse the ageing triangle to a youthful one.

The biggest changes occur in the skin, which becomes thinner and loses its elasticity during the ageing process.

At the same time, all the facial muscles gradually decrease in mass. By the age of 60 they retain only about 60% of their volume. Meanwhile, the muscles of facial expression increase in tone so that wrinkles and crow’s feet start to develop.

Fat on the face is stored in compartments between the skin, muscles of facial expression and deep muscles, but as people age it migrates down towards the jowls. 

As people age the facial skeleton changes. Research is now showing that these changes contribute to the southward migration of the soft tissues. The maxilla moves inwards, so that the skin and muscles are no longer supported and cause the naso-labial folds to become deeper. These changes could partly be attributed to changes in facial muscle function. As the muscles on the face deteriorate, the strain they put on the facial skeleton changes. This could lead to the remodelling of the facial skeleton.  However, if the muscle function is improved, as a result of wearing an Oralift appliance, these changes may be reversed again contributing to a more youthful appearance.

Using Oralift you can manipulate the Free Way Space to create a three dimensional change to the face, which will help to restore the Golden Proportion. In many cases, both Class II and III patients can be altered into Class I when the mandible is at rest, although when in maximum intercuspation the face will revert back to its original form. This can be achieved without the need for orthodontics or surgery, just by manipulating the Free Way Space. 

Smile Design 

As a result of the ageing effect on the face there is a change in the “smile window”, so that the amount of tooth displayed becomes less because the “mask” is coming down. Observers start to notice more of the lower teeth and less of the upper teeth.

As the ageing triangle migrates downwards it also affects the patient’s smile profile.  If you reverse this migration, using Oralift, the “facial mask” moves upwards too, without the need for any tooth adjustment.

As people age their whole face tends to become asymmetrical as a result of bony and/or muscular changes.  Wearing an Oralift appliance helps correct this asymmetry. 

Conclusion

Oralift can provide a long-lasting, natural and non-invasive solution to the ageing process.

To learn more about the Practice Building Benefits of Oralift attend one of Nick Mohindra’s Two Day Hands On Courses. The £650 Course Fee includes 12 hours verifiable CPD and a free set of Oralift appliances valued at £180.

The next courses will be held in London on the following dates - 7^th and 8^th February, 4^th and 5^th April, 27^th and 28^th June 2014. For further information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.oralift.com

http://oralift.com/cms/become-a-practitioner/

MIMI^®- Flapless Implantation with Single-Tooth Champions Implant (R)Evolution^® in the Esthetic Zone  

Author: Dr. Stephanie Ott, Dental Care Solutions, Frankfurt/Main

*Please note: The tooth numbers mentioned refer to the FDI Notation System (Dental Chart/Two-Digit World Dental Federation Notation)

As a dentist in private practice, I have placed and restored different implant systems since 2001. For some time, I have incorporated MIMI^®-Flapless, the Minimally Invasive Implantation Method, as an additional treatment in my dental office. I am delighted to say that this implantation procedure that is performed without surgical flaps and opened mucosa proves to be less traumatic for patients than the conventional methods of implantation that require reflected flaps and direct visualization of the bone. Most patients feel almost no pain, swelling or post- operative soreness after the surgery. In most cases, patients can resume their activities that day or the next. In this article I would like to describe a case of an implantation of Teeth 11 (#8) and 21 (#9) and the following 8 weeks.

Fig. 1-3: X-rays after the patients’ accident that caused a fracture of the zygomatic bone and the nasal septum: view of the roots of Teeth 11 and 21. Both teeth were lost. The clinical situation 4 months post extraction. 

Implantation

After administering local anesthesia with UDS-forte, we inserted a Champions^® conical triangular yellow drill transgingivally until it was in contact with the periosteum to determine the gingival height and thickness (laser markings: every 2 mm). We measured 2 mm-gingival thickness. We drilled transgingivally and slightly palatinally at a slow rotation speed of a maximum of 250 rpm (no water used) (Fig.4 and 5). After measuring the initial gingival thickness and before placing a 10 mm-Champions Implant (R)Evolution^®, we prepared the bone with the following 3 conical triangular drills in the D2/D3 bone: first the yellow drill, followed by the black drill and finally the white drill. These drill types allow the spongy bone to be laterally condensed. Between each drill sequence a bone cavity check is performed. (Bone Cavity Check “BCC” is a manual check of the bone cavity to confirm all walls of the prepped bone are intact.”)

Fig. 4-6: Use of the conical triangular yellow drill to prepare the implantation site using the MIMI^®-Flapless technique and Bone Cavity Check (BCC) with the flexible thin BCC probe.

After the drilling, a 3.0 mm-diameter condenser (Fig.9) was used to extend, expand and condense the spongy bone area to confirm the implant size picked was correct. If primary stability cannot be reached, a larger diameter can be placed. In this case, primary stability of 30/40 Ncm was achieved, which was indicated when the Torque Wrench middle line moved from 20 to 40 Ncm and when the arm of the Torque Wrench bent at 40 Ncm (Fig. 10). We unpacked the blister package and removed the sterile Champions (R)Evolution^® implant from the vial. As a rule, you can insert the implant manually with the integrated white plastic Insertion Aid that is attached when the package is opened. There is no need to touch the sterile implant or reset the Insertion Aid. Once the resistance becomes so great that you cannot insert any further, you can remove the Insertion Aid and place the gold hex headed metal driver on the implant head. You have 2 choices to continue the insertions: either use a surgical unit with handpiece at very low RPM (5-10 rpm) or use the Torque Wrench on the gold driver. This treatment is non-traumatic and takes only a few minutes. In this case, the Torque Wrench was used to drive the implants on both 11 (#8) and 21 (#9) to the desired depth. The total time for both placements was less than 1 hour. Finally, X-rays were taken. The patient was very satisfied. She compared this to a friend who had conventional implantation in another office that took two hours to complete.

Fig.7 to 10: After drilling with the yellow, black, and white conical triangular drills in the soft D3/D4 bone, condensers were used with the Torque Wrench. The Torque Wrench was adjusted to 20 Ncm. When the scale sleeve bent around the axis of the Torque Wrench at 40 Ncm and the middle line moved from 20 to 40 Ncm, primary stability at 40 Ncm was reached.

Fig. 11-13: Manual insertion of Champions Implant (R)Evolution^® Shuttles by means of the Insertion Aids. The Shuttle (also playing the role of transgingival healing) should not stick out of the tissue more than 1 mm to avoid strong lateral shear forces of occlusion particularly during the first 2-6 weeks post surgery.

Fig. 14-16: The second implant, including the bacteria-proof Shuttle, was placed. The 3.5 mm-high Shuttle is fastened with 10 Ncm from the factory. The implant and Shuttle were placed so only 1 mm of the Shuttle was supragingival. As a rule, if the mucosa is less than 3 mm thick before drilling, subcrestal drilling and positioning of the implant will be preferable to prevent the Shuttle from sticking out more than 1 mm above the gingival height, thus preventing lateral shear forces and movement on the Shuttle head.

Fig. 17-19: After taking X-rays, a WIN! Gingiva-Clix was set on the Shuttle of each Champions Implant (R)Evolution^®. Then, a temporary prosthetic restoration (Maryland bridge) was fitted and cemented with Fynal (Dentsply).

Impression & Laboratory & Prosthetic Restoration

During the seven weeks post surgery (Transition between Primary Osseointegration Stability and Secondary Osseointegration Stability), the patient felt no pain and experienced no complications. Seven weeks post surgery, the temporary restoration and Gingiva-Clix were removed. A closed transgingival Impregum impression of the implants was made through the Shuttles. The Gingiva-Clix were replaced on the Shuttle and the temporary restoration recemented. The supragingival treatment lasted 15 minutes without the need of anesthesia or X-rays. Our German laboratory, DENTworry in Alzenau, Germany, manufactured two individual zirconium-coated crowns. It is important to provide the laboratory with both Implant Analogs and Shuttles to preserve the exact location of the implant and the soft tissue contour. The lab should use gingival mask material to simulate soft tissues.

After a week, the Shuttles, including the screws, were removed for the first time. The angled titanium Abutments were placed using a resin key and screwed in to a torque of 30 Ncm. The final crowns (zircon) were fitted and cemented.

Fig. 20 to 22: After unscrewing the retaining screw from the Shuttle/Implant, the Shuttle Extractor (R)Evolution was used to remove the Shuttle. With the adapter, the Shuttle Extractor was manually screwed clockwise in through the Shuttle and into  the implant. This lifts the Shuttle off of the implant. Favorable peri-implant soft-tissue results are observed from the Shuttle and Gingiva-Clix. Before the removal of the Shuttle and placement of the Abutments, the inner diameter of the implant has remained sterile during 6-8 week healing. This prevents the problems of peri-implantitis around the healing implant. The titanium Abutments are screwed in and torqued to 30 Ncm, and the screw shafts are covered with cotton pellets and Cavit.  

The implant/Abutment can be connected with the same screw as the one removed from the Shuttle that was connected to the implant. In this case, the crowns were fitted and cemented in only 15 minutes without anesthesia. Highly esthetic results were obtained.

Fig. 23: X-rays. Fig. 24 and 25: After fitting the Abutments and the crowns, excellent esthetic results in the buccal and palatinal areas were obtained.

Conclusion

Apart from the advantages of the non-traumatic, efficient and time-saving treatment, the innovative and high-quality Champions Implant (R)Evolution^® and prosthodontic restorations are more affordable for patients than conventional implantation (total price: 135 €, including Gingiva-Clix, angled Abutment, Laboratory Analog, Shuttle, and impression, laboratory and dental accessories). This implant system has now been fully integrated into the treatment services offered in my dental office. I don’t want to be without it!! The innovative Champions Implant (R)Evolution^® is a real "Revolution".

In fact, the MIMI^®-Flapless method is very promising for patients. Over the past 10 years, international scientific studies at universities have shown that the MIMI^®-Flapless method is very beneficial. One of the many advantages of the system is no need of re-entry in the gingival tissue during the impression or when the final restorations are placed. Many patients are enthusiastic about MIMI^®-Flapless implantation techniques and the Champions^® implants.

Please watch the video of this case here:

https://vimeo.com/75207980

Author:  Dr Stephanie Ott     DENTAL CARE SOLUTIONS

Leipziger Strasse 4    60487 Frankfurt am Main                            

Tel.: 069 - 97 78 33 66     

Internet: www.dr-ott.net       

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

After the first quarter of 2014, you may have more patients ask about the effective bad breath solution that is CB12.

CB12 will be sponsoring the local weather on ITV news from the beginning of January to the end of March, in an effort to make the product top of mind for consumers who seek effective relief from chronic halitosis.

There are many scientific reasons why CB12 should be top of mind for dental professionals as well. Heading the list is its patented formula with low concentrations of zinc acetate and chlorhexidine, which have proven effective at neutralising all three Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs) that cause halitosis.

Other excellent reasons for recommending the product are its long-lasting 12-hour protection,[i] and its superior performance against 18 other leading mouthwash brands.[ii] For patients looking to effectively manage bad breath, CB12 is great news.

For immediate and lasting relief from foul mouth odours, you can confidently recommend CB12.

For more information about CB12 and how it could benefit your patients, please visit www.cb12.co.uk

Optimise Treatment Quality, Workflow and Patient Experience

With CS Solutions from Carestream Dental

Widely renowned for providing top quality digital imaging systems and practice management software, the experts at Carestream Dental have developed the innovative CS Solutions. Designed to offer maximum flexibility to the practitioner, the system represents the very cutting-edge of CAD/CAM technology in dentistry.

Offering ultimate versatility, CS Solutions consisting of:

 CS 3500 Intraoral Scanner

 CS 9300 or CS 9000 3D CBCT Impressioning Scanner

 CS 3000Milling Machine

 CS Restore

 CS Connect

Available as stand-alone technologies or as a complete and comprehensive system, CS Solutions provides the option to scan, design, mill and place restorations in a single appointment. This enables the clinician to work the way they prefer, whether they wish to scan their ‘analogue’ impressions; scan the patient directly; create the restoration chairside; or send their digital impressions to a laboratory.

Carestream Dental has listened to the profession and developed CS Solutions to accommodate the specific requirements of the modern dentist, technician and patient.

With this in mind, each component is user-friendly and easily portable. The system can also be fully integrated into any existing practice management software, for optimum workflow and communication between the entire dental team. In addition, patient experience has been enhanced with quiet and vibration-free technologies, ultimate precision for fast yet accurate treatment, and improved handling for maximum comfort.

For more information on CS Solutions from Carestream Dental,

please call 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

Schick 33 is the latest addition to the modular Schick Digital Imaging System and is the perfect choice to take your practice into the digital age. Each system comes complete with cutting-edge DICOM digital radiography software, and you can even include WiFi for even greater freedom and flexibility within your practice.

Featuring the industry's highest image resolution and lowest learning curve, Schick 33 will change the way you see your images — and your practice.

Dr Tony Druttman, a specialist in Endodontics at London Endo Ltd says:

“I have used Schick digital sensors for over twelve years starting with CDR, moving onto Elite and have for the last two years been using the Schick 33 sensors. The image quality with this latest technology surpasses anything that I have used before. I see many radiographs taken by referring colleagues using a variety of sensors and technologies and nothing compares in quality.

“I use size 1 and 2 sensors and this allows accurate positioning and total versatility to obtain accurate and meaningful images of the adult dentition with minimum discomfort to patients.

“Getting the best quality information that I need as an endodontist is of paramount importance to my work both for diagnosis and post-operative evaluation. The images I can show my patients enable them to see clearly and therefore understand more easily either what needs to be done or what has been done. The software is easy to use and very versatile.

“Finally there is no point in having the best technology without having the best support. I have had that consistently and continue to receive a high level of support from Clark Dental. Their response is always efficient and effective. It gives me the peace of mind to know that I have quality and reliability with technology on which I depend so heavily.”

Intuitive Schick 33 software allows you to see and save images the way you and your colleagues want. Interactive image enhancement allows you to quickly adjust image quality and sharpness, while Schick 33’s clinical-specific mapping feature allows you to automatically default to presents for different clinical disciplines. You can even save and share personalised settings for complete flexibility across the practice. 

With an image resolution of 33 line pairs per millimetre, Schick 33 from Clark Dental is the truly industry-leading intraoral digital imaging solution. If you already own Schick products, upgrading to include Schick 33 is easy. You can also trade in your existing digital imaging system up to 50% with Clark Dental’s new trade-in programme for even better value. To find out more, contact Clark Dental today.

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

We thought we would reminisce over the popular dental news stories published by GDPUK in 2013. Overall in 2013, we have published 286 different news stories.

We have focused on the articles which as well as having a large number of hits, they also make our top ten because they caught the imagination of the forum and the wider dental community. It is unsurprising that the majority of the articles chosen for the top ten, are an indication of ongoing issues, politics and controversies in UK dentistry that are likely to rumble on till 2014 and beyond....

1.       Olympic Health Survey – news story published on the surprisingly poor oral health of Olympic Athletes - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1430-olympic-dental-problems-revealed

2.       Problems at the BDA – An example of a story that caused pages of debate on the forum pages and will there be more to come?  - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1388-bda-to-make-staff-redundant

3.       NHS / Private Gaming – Another extremely popular / contentious issue on the GDPUK forum – This news item was about a dentist who got struck off for “gaming” https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1335-dentist-struck-off-for-gaming

4.       Teeth Whitening - A number of articles published on the issue, something that is still happening illegally, will we see this subject reappear in 2014? https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1303-gdc-stance-on-whitening-upheld & https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1292-more-moves-to-eradicate-illegal-tooth-whitening & https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1230-stop-illegal-whitening-debates-at-the-dentistry-show

5.       NHS Pilot Scheme – This is an area we will all be watching in 2014, the direction of NHS Dentistry is still unclear and will lead to continued debate next year - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1210-shortlist-for-new-dental-pilot-practices-announced

6.       Corporate Dentistry – Corporate Dentistry continues to dominate the landscape in UK Dentistry, next year it is expected that supermarkets will look to expand their dental coverage. Oasis Dental Care sold for £185m - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1256-oasis-dental-care-sold-for-185m

7.       Direct Access – An area of dentistry that is still being understood and digested but the BDA’s response was strong - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1254-direct-access-decision-misguided-says-bda

8.       HTM01-05 amended – https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1259-2013-version-of-htm01-05-published

9.       Dentist Commit Suicide – A topic that unfortunately does not go away, with a number of recent cases being in the news - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1299-bda-calls-for-inquiry-into-dentist-s-suicide

10.   Dental Graduates – It was confirmed that UK Graduates would be given preference for Foundation Training – Common Sense Prevailed - https://www.gdpuk.com/news/latest-news/1381-uk-graduates-to-be-given-preference-for-foundation-training

Thanks for having a look at our top ten news stories published by GDPUK in 2013. Next year we would expect to see similar topics reappear with many issues in UK Dentistry still to be resolved. Watch this space for further GDPUK Exclusives!

Please let us know if you think we have missed important dental news from 2013?

What do you expect to see in the dental news in 2014? Predictions welcome...

On a lighter note, dentist Abi Sampa who was one of the stars of The Voice is still pursuing her singing career. Story can be found here and on twitter @Abi_Sampa

Dental prostheses are like bespoke pieces of art that require skilled technicians to execute well. And so it follows that when dentists search for a laboratory to create their ceramic restorations, the first thing they need to look for is a supplier that can boast of adept and experienced craftsmen.

Dentists should keep in mind, however, that using a skilled worker only makes up half of the equation. Like commissioning a bespoke piece from an artisan, a satisfactory end product is also largely dependent on the amount of instruction the maker is given.

A client wouldn’t approach a jeweller and simply say, “I’d like you to make me a gentleman’s ring, and I’d like it to be gold.” In order for the client to receive a product that is faithful to what they had in mind, they would supply more information, such as the shade of gold they’d like, how heavily decorated the piece should be, and so forth.

In the same way, dentists cannot expect to receive an ideal prosthetic if all they extend to the dental lab by way of instruction is what kind of prosthetic they require, and what shade it needs to come in.

While it’s true that the technician also picks up a wealth of information from the impression that the dentist sends, not everything can be determined from the model derived from the initial cast. If for example the dentist would like a tooth brought in, or a certain translucency is required to match neighbouring teeth, then all this needs to be made known.

On the flip side, a good technician will also keep the dentist and the patient in mind at all times when creating ceramic prostheses. Whether the technician works in a small laboratory and handles every step of the restoration himself, or labours in a bigger outfit as part of a team whose members concentrate on specific stages of production, the end goal is always to create a dental prosthetic that is satisfactory for both the practitioner and the patient.

One of the main differences between a small and large dental lab is turn-around time – in the teamwork style of production, time-consuming step-by-step processes can be executed simultaneously, bringing about a more efficient process. If the team works well together, this system can function beautifully. The core team of technicians at Sparkle Dental Labs, for example, have been running solidly together for more than a year and have reached a kind of symbiosis with each others’ working styles, leading to excellent ceramic restorations with quick turn-around times.

But whether a dentist chooses to work with a small or large laboratory, the concept remains the same: with the combination of a skilled craftsman and detailed instruction, the creation of excellent dental prostheses can be expected.

For any additional information please call 0800 138 6255 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit:

www.sparkledentallabs.com

With more than 115 years’ combined experience, Castellini and Tavom have become leading suppliers of quality dental and medically cabinetry and equipment.

Dr Mike Booth, Founder of Total Dental in the Lake District, recently worked with both teams to create a brand new dental surgery in the heart of Windermere.

“I have enjoyed a very happy working relationship with RPA Dental, my regional Castellini dealer, and Tavom UK for nearly 20 years now,” says Dr Booth. “Due to their strong heritage, attention to detail, quality of product and workmanship and unparalleled customer service, they’ve been the sole suppliers of our surgery equipment during this time.

“In order to meet the high standards of dentistry we strive for, my team and I simply can’t rely on anything but the very best in the market. Castellini / Tavom technology is sophisticated and reliable, and the teams know the dental industry inside out – they know the challenges that dentists face and they proactively work to make their lives easier.

“We would certainly recommend the teams from Castellini and Tavom to any practice owners looking to create a new surgery with minimum hassle!”

For more information on how Castellini UK Ltd and Tavom UK could help you transform your dental environment, please visit www.tavomuk.com or www.castellini.com

Multimedia You Need To Cover Every  Channel

You only have to think back five or six years ago and marketing your dental practice was pretty straight forward, basically you could put an advert in Yellow Pages and one in the local newspaper and you’d pretty much done it. Today is very different, multimedia is the norm.

Wouldn’t it be easy if all your patients and prospective patients were the same, you could then market to them using one platform or media and everything would be taken care of. For instance you might only have to advertise on Facebook, or Google, the truth is that everyone is different and that’s why you have to cover all the bases, with multimedia.

There is an amazing statistic that 50% of the population spends at least an hour on Facebook every day. But that also highlights another statistic and that is 50% of the population don’t spend an hour or any time whatsoever on Facebook. So if you only use Facebook as your marketing platform, you’ll miss half of your audience.

The same can pretty much be said about any media you choose to look at, for instance did you know that 12 million people buy a newspaper in the UK every day? And when you ad the free newspapers that figure grows to around 15 million, quite a sizeable market.

In 2012 21 million people took action as a result of receiving direct mail. nine out of ten people who receive direct mail open it, which compares to around twenty percent who open email. Without doubt whilst direct mail is relatively expensive in comparison with online, it is one of the the most effective way to grow your patient base, do you see where I’m going with this multimedia thing.

I am asked all the time by my clients “can’t we just email them”? Well yes you could, but ask yourself this question, “how many emails to you receive every day?” If you’re like me probably between 50 and 150. Then let me ask the same question about direct mail, “how many envelopes drop through your door every day?” I suspect the answer is probably less than five and certainly less than ten, quite often it might only be one or two packages each day!

The same can be said for text messaging, how many of you use text messages to market your products and services? I suspect very few, but think again, how many text messages to you receive each day? Just about everyone looks at a text when you receive one, for the simple reason that most text messages come from friends and family and you probably only receive one per day (maybe two).

So just have a think about the multimedia that you can now market your practice with, they include:

• Social Media (Twitter, Facebook Google Circles etc.,
• Your Website,
• Your Google Places Page,
• Text Messaging
• Direct Mail
• Leaflet Delivery
• Video (You Tube)
• Google Advertising
• Facebook Advertising
• Local press advertising
• Local radio

To name but a few and the only way you can ensure that you reach as many of your potential patients is to have a presence in all these platforms, some may will perform better than others, but it is essential that you address all these areas. So when I say Multimedia is a must for your practice I hope you understand what I really mean.

Because marketing is now more and more complex, you almost certainly need help and that’s where Dental Marketing Expert can help you. Call me on 01767 626 398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Special Offer below for all GDPUK readers from Dental Decontamination who are official distributors of the Mocom brand.

Dental Decontamination Ltd offer a full turnkey solution for medical professionals. Offering high end yet affordable equipment coupled with experienced staff make DD the right choice for decontamination. They offer advice, choice, training and support. Their main aim is to ensure you, your staff and your patients are safe.

Click on the banner below to find out about all the features the latest model offers and the speical "GDPUK" pricing.

www.dentaldecontamination.net/our-products/autoclaves/b-futura-17-litre/

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Dental Decontamination LTD are proud members of the Infection Prevention Society - http://www.ips.uk.net/

The social stigma that comes with halitosis makes it such a sensitive topic, that even dental professionals might find it hard to bring the subject up.

In a work situation, only 9% of people would tell a colleague that they had bad breath, while one in five would give subtle hints such as offering a mint. The rest would rather not talk about it, or would just avoid the person altogether .[i] In our society, bad breath isn’t something that can be candidly discussed.

Though it may feel like you’re stepping into your patients’ personal space, it’s your duty as a dentist or a dental hygienist to discuss the problem of bad breath on a professional level.

To delve further into the subject, we speak with Professor Stefan Renvert, a renowned expert on peri-implantitis, periodontitis and halitosis, with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications on these subjects.

“From my experience, most patients are not aware that they have this problem,” Professor Renvert says. “I think a lot of people fear that it’s insulting to tell someone they have bad breath. Therefore, many individuals with halitosis are not knowledgeable about it.

“This is one of the reasons why we as dental care professionals need to be informative about halitosis to our patients.”

Professor Renvert stresses that good oral hygiene is the very first thing that dental professionals need to instil in their patients. However, not everyone who practices good oral care can escape bad breath completely.

“There are some patients who, despite brushing and flossing, can’t get rid of their bad breath,” Professor Renvert says. “In which case we turn to scraping the tongue, or using rinse solutions.”

When asked how he would choose a mouth rinse to recommend, the Professor said, “I will of course only suggest something that has proven effective in literature. And there are several of those in the market today, such as Halita, UltraDEX, and CB12.”

A clinical study on the efficacy of various mouthwash brands shows that the combination of chlorhexidine and zinc in low concentrations is effective in suppressing oral gasses that produce foul mouth odours.[ii] CB12 could  therefore be recommended for the treatment and prevention of bad breath.

Despite halitosis remaining a delicate issue for many, Professor Renvert advises professionals to push whatever reservations they may have aside in order to help their patients.

“Even if you feel like you are moving into your patient’s personal space, you still need to speak up and discuss bad breath, for their best interest,” the Professor says. “When you help a patient get rid of bad breath they really feel that you improve their social interactions and quality of life. It is very rewarding to help those individuals in such a way.”

The next time you feel even the slightest bit awkward about bringing up the subject of bad breath with your patients, just think about the embarrassment their condition causes them, and how fulfilling it will be to restore their confidence with a simple and effective solution like CB12.

For more information about CB12 and how it could benefit your patients, please visit www.cb12.com