Join The Fight Against Mouth Cancer

Mouth cancer cases are increasing at a catastrophic rate, according to The British Dental Health Foundation. In 2011 there were 7,698 new cases in the UK, an increase of 50% since the turn of the century.  With more than 6,000 new cases in England alone, Scotland has the most cases per 100,000 people and almost double the number of men contracted the disease compared to women. It is one of the few cancer variations on the rise and claims more lives than cervical and testicular cancer combined, yet four out of five people still do not know any symptoms of the disease.[1]

Mouth cancer (or oral cancer) can occur in different forms on the mouth, tongue and lips. Rare types of mouth cancer include salivary gland, lymphoma and melanoma.

The two most common symptoms of mouth cancer are an ulcer that does not heal and constant discomfort or pain in the mouth.

Mouth cancer can be treated more successfully when it is diagnosed early, and this is why it was added to the GDC’s recommended core CPD topics. It is thus important for dental professionals to highlight the importance to patients of looking out for any changes in their mouth, including ulcers and red or white patches that have not cleared up within 3 weeks.

Most causes of mouth cancer are linked to alcohol and tobacco. The risk of mouth cancer is increased if tobacco and alcohol are consumed together. A diet containing large quantities of red meat and fried food can also be a contributory factor. As highlighted in media coverage of Michael Douglas and his 3-year battle with this disease, recent research has linked mouth cancer to the human papillomavirus (HPV).[2]

What can dental professionals do to help?

It is important for all members of the dental team to raise patient awareness of the simple lifestyle changes that can help prevent developing mouth cancer (or prevent it reoccurring after successful treatment). These are not smoking, keeping to the recommended weekly limit for alcohol consumption (21 units for men and 14 units for women) and eating a healthy, balanced diet, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, olive oil and fish.

It is the clinician’s responsibility to perform checks that include feeling the neck and face to check for swellings, as mouth cancer can often be discovered in its early stages. Regular dental appointments are thus imperative in the prevention and early detection of mouth cancer. Patients with particularly busy lives need simple and convenient methods for booking regular dental visits. As the dental industry heralds the power of the internet, it is becoming easier for patients to book their appointments online.

Working in collaboration with NHS Choices, Zesty is such an online booking service, providing dental practices with a profile on their website, and advertising all free appointments and cancellations to maximise the client stream. Available day and night, a patient in pain or concerned about mouth cancer at 2am can simply log on to their computer and immediately book an appointment. Peace of mind and a better night’s sleep are assured.

Show your support and join Zesty in the battle against mouth cancer. Call today to find out more.

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

In November, Zaki Kanaan was elected as the new President of the BACD. Here, Zaki speaks about his aims for his upcoming year in office.

I joined the BACD back in 2004, and have been involved in one way or another ever since. I’ve always felt strongly about representing the profession and the BACD is an organisation that I firmly believe in. My first role was to set up the Regional Study Clubs after which I moved to sponsorship and trade. For the last couple of years I have sat on the Board as Scientific Director, where it’s been my great privilege to work alongside some really dedicated, passionate individuals helping to grow the BACD into the organisation it is today. Now, in my new role as President, I hope to continue the good work done by my predecessors by strengthening our ties with other societies and organisations so we can offer our members even more opportunities to grow and develop within their careers.

The BACD has come a long way in a relatively short space of time. We started out in 2003 with only 80 members, and now 10 years on we have almost 800 members and continue to grow year on year. When I look back and compare the Academy in the early days to where it is now, it is like chalk and cheese. I remember we used to pay a PR company for exposure in the national press – now the media come to us! This goes to show the strong reputation we have built over the years, and this is something I hope to continue and grow over my coming year as President.

An Academy for all

I truly believe that the BACD is not just an academy for ‘the cosmetic dentist’. There is a cosmetic element to everything we all do everyday and in almost every clinical situation, be it a single tooth or several. It is therefore an academy for ALL dentists.

Forging relationships

Over the years we have created some strong links with various organisations and this year we are also looking to strengthen our relationships in other areas as well. Implant dentistry is my particular area of interest and like me, many BACD members are also members of the Association of Dental Implantology. So with my good friend Philip Friel, my counterpart at the ADI, I feel some synergy with our organisations. There are a number of interesting opportunities in the pipeline that I hope to bring to fruition in the coming year. After all, dental implants and cosmetic dentistry go hand in hand.

Another area in which I hope to expand the BACD’s role is in the field of teeth whitening. As an organisation we already get approached quite a lot about teeth whitening, but this is not something we can tackle on our own. Illegal whitening is a major problem at the moment, and we really need a national strategy to deal with this challenge. The BACD is an active member of a new initiative, The Tooth Whitening Information Group which also consists of all the major bodies involved in teeth whitening such as the BDHF, BDTA, GDC, BDA, BDBS and all the major dental whitening companies. I hope in the coming year we will be able to disseminate more information to our members on how to tackle local businesses offering teeth whitening illegally.

Orthodontics for the GDP

As well as forging relationships, we hope to build bridges. Many colleagues will be aware of the ongoing debate in the profession regarding orthodontics and the role of general practitioners in the provision of orthodontic treatment. When the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) placed their controversial advert in the Guardian earlier in the year, it caused quite a stir among certain groups of the profession. 

As an organisation we have always tackled adversity head on in the past and invited those concerned to our conferences to show them what we are really about. In response to these ongoing concerns we’ve worked hard to build bridges with our orthodontic colleagues, and we were delighted that the BOS accepted our invitation to speak at our recent Annual Conference.

During my year as President, I hope to nurture this relationship, and together with our orthodontic colleagues, aim to develop ways to help educate general dentists, as well as orthodontists, on how we can work together in a more synergistic way. As with all dentistry, if done within one’s competency, orthodontically facilitated smile design will aid the clinician in keeping treatment as minimal as possible and this can only be for the benefit of our patients.

A fantastic proposition

BACD membership today represents fantastic value for the dental professional, with discounted rates for students, technicians and DCPs. As well as offering a well structured ‘career pathway’ through our tiered membership system and Accreditation process, we offer a number of excellent benefits that I think really make the BACD an attractive proposition, no matter what stage you are at in your career.

The BACD has always been an excellent resource for education, and in the early part of 2013 we struck a deal with Dental XP – a leading educational website with over 1,600 videos and tutorials available to watch. As part of the BACD membership package, all our members are now able to access Dental XP for free – a saving of over $400 per year on subscription to the site.

Another achievement we are particularly proud of is our work to establish Regional Meetings at 11 different locations across the UK. We used to charge £35 per member for these excellent evenings, but thanks to our main sponsor Coltene, as well as sponsorship from Orascoptic and local laboratories and practices, we are now able to offer these meetings for just £1 each. This is absolutely fantastic value, and even better value when you consider the quality of education on offer at these events. Not only that, but they are also a great way to network with colleagues in your region and pick up useful hints and tips to take back and apply to your work the very next day.

All of these things mean that there has never been a better time to be a member of the BACD. With our fantastic member benefits, Regional Meetings, Social Events, Day Courses, the BACD Roadshow and of course our Annual Conference in November, the BACD offers a fantastic opportunity to help dental professionals of all levels of experience learn and grow within their careers. With the prospect of building closer ties with our sister organisations over the coming year, I hope that my time as President will help to further cement the BACD’s position as the leading light in comprehensive aesthetic dentistry today.

For further information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.bacd.com

About the author:

Zaki Kanaan is a highly experienced and respected implant and cosmetic dentist, and is well-known in the dental community. He is a key opinion leader and mentor for Nobel Biocare Implants and he lectures widely on all aspects of cosmetic dentistry with a special interest in dental implants. Zaki gained a Master's Degree from the world-renowned Guy's Hospital in 2001. He also has Diplomas in Sedation and Hypnosis and is a Licenciate of the Faculty of Homeopathy.

Zaki was appointed UK Dental Advisor to Philips Oral Healthcare as a result of his expertise in all aspects of tooth whitening. After being voted second in Private Dentistry's poll of the top 20 Elite Dentists in the UK in 2011, he was voted "UK Dentist of the Year" at the Dental Awards in 2012.  He is also Immediate Past President of The London Dental Fellowship. He sits on the editorial board for the International Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry and was an editorial consultant for Dental Implant Summaries.  Zaki regularly appears on Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies programme carrying out complex implant treatments.

Zaki lectures on all aspects of cosmetic and implant dentistry. He is Director of K2 Dental Seminars and has trained hundreds of dentists, hygienists and therapists in the art and science of power and home whitening techniques. He runs K2 Dental, an award-winning private practice in the heart of Fulham Palace with his wife Dominique.

Whistleblowing and responsibility

The UK law related to whistleblowing changed significantly at the end of June with the result that legal protection for employees who report wrong-doing by their employer is only now afforded to those raising allegations of public interest. In other words, now the element of “good faith” required previously has been removed, disputes over personal issues, such as pay or performance management which lack a public interest element, will no longer be protected under the legislation.

So perhaps you should ask yourself; should I be blowing a whistle and what is the purpose?

Team members are often the first to realise that there is something amiss within the practice. However, they may not wish to express their concerns as they may feel that speaking up would be disloyal to their colleagues or to the practice.

Whistleblowing should primarily encourage and enable team members to raise serious concerns within the practice rather than overlooking a problem or 'blowing the whistle' to an external body. It is important that every organisation, whether it be a dental practice or even a body such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC) itself recognises their responsibilities and takes them seriously and intelligently.

Raising awareness of serious concerns when you work within an organisation asks a lot of the individual and this is the reason why it is necessary to emphasise that they are protected in law by taking appropriate actions. It should be a clearly stated Policy that the practice recognises that the decision to report a concern can be a difficult one to make. If what you are saying is what you believe to be true, you should have nothing to fear because you will be doing your duty to the practice and the patients alike. Furthermore the practice will not tolerate any harassment or victimisation and will take appropriate action to protect the team member who raised a concern in good faith.

Sometimes circumstances have a habit of being rather more intertwined don’t they?

Whenever there is a problem within a dental practice, whether this relates to patient care directly or working relationships; it is wise to attempt a locally agreed solution. Usually a discussion of the circumstances involving all relevant team members will itself point to the correct solution. However sometimes the problem may be so serious or the reaction of the management so ineffective that as a GDC Professional Registrant you feel compelled to take matters further. Whilst doing this, it is extremely wise to examine one’s own position carefully. A thorough investigation will include all parties. All concerns will be treated in confidence and whilst every effort should be made not to reveal the identity of the team member who raised it; at the appropriate time they may need to come forward as a witness.

So that’s clear is it?

I want to encourage everyone to re-confirm the legitimacy of their intending whistleblowing and to be certain that they have:

·         Disclosed the information in good faith.

·         Believe it to be substantially true.

·         Not acted maliciously or made false allegations.

·         Not sought any personal gain.

These points could have a significant bearing if you are shown to have decided to speak to the Press or acted in connection with another practice or organisation which work in competition.

There may have been a number of situations where organisations have been subjected to malicious whistleblowing. I imagine that it’s not a pretty sight and I’m afraid it would have a habit of rebounding badly on the perpetrator as well as the victim. Some of these people may even have found it necessary to leave Dentistry.

The more one thinks about it; the more one can see that whistleblowing can be used in a positive way for the general good, but equally it can be used in a negative malicious way.

One may envisage a situation where a regulatory body has experienced ‘difficulties’ with a Provider and has then approached another regulatory body to re-examine the Provider. This used to be referred to as ‘double jeopardy’, although now it could even be triple jeopardy. You may possibly feel that such things could never happen in this fair Country of ours; I couldn’t possibly comment.

How to raise a concern in your practice

As a first step, anyone with a concern, should raise it either verbally or in writing with the Practice Manager or the Principle if it involves the practice manager.

All concerns must be taken seriously and the team member treated with respect and dignity.  The matters involved should then be investigated and the team member advised of what is happening at all times.

Thank you

Thank you for reading this and whichever of the R’s you feel you may be; Registrant, Regulator or Registrar, I would like to remind you that the use of intelligence, proportionality and responsibility are not your exclusive rights.

Our Commitment

RightPath4 is committed to the highest possible standards of openness, probity and accountability. In line with that commitment we look forward to working with all dental practice teams to help them be the best they can be and be justifiably proud of their achievements.

RightPath4 will continue to work on behalf of those in peril on the C, whether that be CQC or GDC and you may be interested in inviting us to visit you. We hope that you will find that you can spend a small amount of money, very wisely!

You could arrange a practice visit from me for as little as £275.00.

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

Have a look at our website

Search Engine Optimisation is Dead It's All About Adwords

Search Engine Optimisation has changed dramatically over the last five years as you may have read in my two previous articles (read part one), (read part two). But there are still ways that you can improve your rankings as I highlighted in part two.

But even if you are really successful with your ethical and correct search engine optimisation efforts, you are still likely to be fairly well down the list of the front page, assuming your site has made it to the front.

The main reason for this is that Google now gives the top three slots to its paid for offerings, which are called Google Adwords.

Google is effectively now an ads engine rather than a search engine, let me tell you why. They announced their third quarter results a few weeks ago and revenues for that quarter were $14.89 billion, which makes them one of the largest and most profitable company's on the planet.

Of that £14.89 billion 96% comes from advertising!! Only 4% of their revenues comes from the likes of their Android operating systems or their Nexus tablets. So where do you think Google are going to concentrate their efforts over the coming years?

You might delude yourselves into thinking that surely they won't give advertisers all the front page, surely Google is about search. Well just think back a couple of years when Yellow Pages was the search tool of choice. Did you really care that all the entries which stood out were paid for adverts (still are actually), of course not.

So don't think for a minute that Google won't dedicate more and more space on its front page of a search to advertising, because I fully believe that this is what is going to happen, and sooner rather than later.

And to really hammer home that point just think about this. At present 20-25% of all searches are done on smart phones (tablets are fast catching up). Just go to your smart phone and do any search you like.

Unlike a desk top computer, there isn't lots of space on a mobile or tablet, so you don't see lots of entries below the bottom of the screen. Strangely enough you normally see the top three results. Yes you've got it, they are the paid for adverts, not organic search.

So you may do all the search engine optimisation you like (ethical or otherwise) to improve you natural organic listings, but they still won't show on a smart phone or tablet, unless you scroll down the page and most people don't do this they simply click on what comes out top.

So let me state again Search Engine Optimisation is dead, or definitely dying. Google is now a publicly listed company producing massive revenues and profits for its investors, do you really think that it is going to let you or your search engine optimisation company or person out smart them?

If you want to be at the top of the Google rankings the best thing you can now do is to use Google Adwords, which is the modern Yellow Pages. But even then you have to be good at this.

simply paying more for your ads will not guarantee that you will be at the top of the rankings, far from it, you have to ensure that the page you are sending your audience to is good, that the advert is relevant, that your keywords are correct and that you are regularly checking and updating your ads.

If there is such a thing, this is now the modern day Search Engine Optimisation, e.g. keeping your advert above that of your competitors and that is another skill you are going to have to learn or employ somebody to do for you!

If you want to increase your practice revenues, profits and increase you patients numbers, 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 my website www.dentalmarketingexpert.uk

The Dental Design team have been supporting Movember, with the whole team growing moustaches for the great cause. For every Facebook like they receive, they will be donating 50p.

The link to the Facebook page can be found here

If you would like to donate direct to the team, please follow this link to the Movember page. 

Further information on Movember can be found on their website - www.uk.movember.com/?home

Thanks in advance for supporting this worthy cause.

@dentaldesign

I duly went to see my medical practitioner the next Monday. I’m fortunate that my GP runs early morning sessions on some days, so I was able to get an appointment before work.

I felt some trepidation at the visit, in some part to my colleague’s earlier insistence against talking to his GP. His reasons were that “he would just stuff me full of pills, and wouldn’t think of me as a professional”. Frankly, my colleague couldn’t have been more wrong!

My GP was understanding, honest and helpful, to the point that I broke down crying in front of him as I was so glad to get some of the weight off my chest to someone other than my wife.

He asked about how everything had happened, listened intently, and advised me that my wife was indeed right in insisting I seek help. He actually phrased it as “I’m divorced, so I normally wouldn’t admit that a wife was right, but in this case she’s bang on.” It lightened my mood immensely.

He did indeed give me some antidepressants – a low dose – and urged me to try them for at least 2 weeks before questioning their efficacy. He also gave me the numbers of 2 counselling services I could access via the NHS, and subtly hinted at which one was going to deal with me more efficiently (Hint: the one NOT run directly by the NHS).

He stated that he would not sign me off at that time, as he was pretty sure I would ignore the recommendation for some time off in any case (let’s face it – self employed, practice to run, duty of care and all that jazz – he was right).

My GP also asked about my level of self-medication (i.e. alcohol, drugs). My response was “No more than usual”, which of course prompted a much deeper discussion of drinking habits. I consider myself lucky in not having what some may term an “addictive personality”, in that whilst I do enjoy a couple of beers or bottle of wine with dinner, and do have the odd blow out with friends, I can equally go for weeks without touching alcohol at all. I did smoke a bit in my teens, but it was never something I felt I HAD to do. I did partake of some illicit substances while at Uni, and – to paraphrase many noted politicians – I did inhale. Again, it was never what one may term a habit.

As I noted in my first entry, one of the stressors for me was my colleague’s frequent absences. I half joked to my GP on that first appointment that it would be typical if I received a call on my way to work advising that my colleague was “ill”.

You can guess where the story goes from here can’t you?

I was driving to the practice when the phone rang. I could see it was his number on the car display.

I had a little meltdown.

I had to pull over into a bus lane as I was shaking and crying so hard I couldn’t see to drive. I didn’t answer the phone. I couldn’t. It never crossed my mind that he could have been calling for another reason.

I pulled myself together after about 20 minutes and continued to the practice. Upon arrival I could see his car wasn’t there, and could hear the staff making calls to cancel his patients as I walked through the door.

I walked into my surgery, asked my nurse to give me 5 minutes, and had another little meltdown.

To be continued……

[Almodovar has replied to some comments in the GDPUK forum made in that  forum.]

It is a well known fact that in dentistry the key to success relies on regular training throughout the year. This opens doors to new techniques and treatments, whilst improving on those already acquired. Gaining verifiable CPD should not feel like it is a burden, it should instead be seen as a fantastic opportunity to expand both clinical knowledge as well as the vital comprehension of business that will give dental professionals the ability to run a dental practice that flourishes.

Regularly attending courses and lectures gives dental professionals more than just the opportunity to fulfil their CPD quota. It gives them the chance to learn from keynote speakers on a variety on interesting and informative subjects. This will allow them to raise the standard of the quality of the clinical work which they deliver as well as improving the functionality and profitability of their practice.

The range of dental training that is now made available for dental professionals is simply incredible. From clinical procedures to in depth business advice and assistance, there are more ways than ever to reach CPD targets and integrate these advanced skills into your practice. Not only are the areas in which you can train varied, the formats are too, with webinars, lectures, and hands on activities all popular choices. It seems that there is a method of learning to suit everyone’s requirements, availability and style.

Attending lectures and seminars also gives delegates the chance to meet and discuss queries or problems that they have with other like-minded clinicians. Having the opportunity to interact with other clinicians in a training environment is a valuable chance to network with others, something that a number of clinicians may rarely get the chance to do.

Making sure that you attend the correct mix of lectures, hands on courses and online training is essential. With a truly blended approach to education you will be able to get the most out of your training.

The only problem that training presents is the cost of it. Making sure that you attend enough events to meet (at the very least) your CPD requirements can be quite expensive. However, there are ways of managing to control costs and keep them to a minimum whilst attending as many courses as you like. Joining a group like Dental Professionals Ltd (DPL) gives dental professionals of all backgrounds the chance to take advantage of offers on the cost of CPD. They offer a variety of regular courses that are presented by a series of industry experts who cover both the clinical and business aspects of the industry. Previous courses have included a core CPD day, hands on days on endodontic techniques, composite layering techniques, as well as management days on the new NHS contract changes.

With affordable options available there is no reason why all dental professionals, from practice managers to hygienists, can’t attend more than their fair share of courses, lectures and workshops!

For more information contact Dental Professionals Limited

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel: 01256 328575

www.dplgroup.org.uk

The Dental Directory preferred groups

Are dentists’ beginning to gain confidence over the longer term, asks Ian Crompton, Head of Healthcare Banking Services at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking:

“The latest wave of our twice-annual Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking Healthcare Confidence Index revealed that dentists lacked confidence in the future business prospects of their profession when looking ahead over the next five years, despite being more positive over their immediate futures.

“The survey suggested that short term optimism had risen amongst dentists since last year, with an improvement in positive sentiment from a net balance of nine to eighteen, while long term confidence had dipped from a net balance of -60 to -77*.

“Despite an overall rise in business confidence, increased financial pressures look set to impact on the dental sector, with 93 per cent (compared to 77 per cent in 2012) of practitioners saying that they expect to see these concerns increase in the next five years.”

First published in August 2011, The Healthcare Confidence Index is now in its fifth wave and aims to provide an insight into the attitudes and opinions of primary healthcare providers; GPs, Dentists and Pharmacists, over the next one to five years. To complete the survey, go to www.healthcareconfidenceindex.co.uk

Ian Crompton continues:

“Last year we thought it was encouraging to see overall confidence returning to the dentistry sector, but it seems that this positive momentum has continued if we are only talking about 2013. If you look ahead to 2018, confidence levels are lower amongst NHS dentists – most likely as a result of uncertainties over the new contract. Whilst this uncertainty may lead to a lack of investment in the short term, this is likely to recover once there is clarity regarding the contract, thereby improving confidence over the longer term.

“At Lloyds Bank, we have a successful history of advising and supporting businesses in the healthcare sector, in a range of disciplines. Our team of relationship managers has a strong knowledge and sound understanding of the challenges facing these businesses and we are determined to ensure that they remain financially fit for the future.

“The Healthcare Confidence Index provides us with valuable insight into the sentiment of primary healthcare providers right across the UK, and we’re keen to secure the opinions of as many contributors as possible”.

www.healthcareconfidenceindex.co.uk

November 2013

Issued on behalf of Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking by Citypress

More information: Katie Dale on 0121 314 4192 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

*The Lloyds TSB Commercial Banking Healthcare Confidence Index is a dispersement index, so any figure greater than zero represents a positive outlook. The maximum value achievable is +100, the minimum -100.

When Andrew Lansley drafted his Health and Social Care Bill, being married to a Doctor obviously drew his focus away from other healthcare providers. The structures were all there for GP commissioning and the formation of Clinical Commissioning Groups, even the removal of PCTs and transfer to NHS England and Area Teams. We can argue if any of this amounted to "no more top down reorganisation of the NHS" as promised in the manifesto, or the most challenging time anyone working within NHS management had ever faced.

It is hard to remember when someone at NHS England twigged or tapped Sir David on the shoulder and said what are we doing with dentists? Are they supposed to be part of this clinically lead new NHS? Someone somewhere found the fag packet, and I think it was John Milne's sister Helen Hirst that wrote the first plan for Local Professional Networks on the back of it. Helen had hardly got the ink dry before she passed the empty fag box to Sam Illingworth; before the final details were released both had jumped ship to the CCGs leaving others at NHS England to finalise.

Of course by this stage pilots had been invited to test the model, this too lacked direction with a "get on and see what you can do" mantra. Even the regular teleconferences to see what was happening and share experiences fell apart amongst the maelstrom of the de structuring of PCTs and the reapplying for posts.

By February and with the impending changes just a few weeks away, the NHS Commissioning Board (remember them?) released Securing Excellence in Commissioning in NHS dentistry was published. Within its pages contained the framework for LDNs and some examples of what the pilots had achieved. Some like in Manchester under the stewardship of Colette Bridgman clearly had an effect, albeit she struggled to fund her projects. Others exampled in the document like the reorganisation of Oral Medicine services in Birmingham perhaps needed placing in the fictional section of any library, but highlighted how little many of the pilots achieved in their lifespan.

Well six months in, we have recruitment processes in all the Area Teams and in others they have appointed a Chair. Many of these posts have been taken by LDC people, some have continued to wear both hats, and for me I am not convinced that's possible. As far as I am aware many of these newly appointed Chairs are yet to be paid for their new job, apparently due to a HR issue at NHS England, it seems like LDNs have taken them by surprise!

Of course the challenges for the LDN Chairs is to assist depleted commissioning teams in delivering national strategy and developing structural changes in service delivery locally, all within perhaps one afternoon a week. Not only is that the challenge but the budget given to them is somewhere in the region of £40,000, a share of a pot of £120,000 secured for Local Professional Networks for dentistry, pharmacy and opticians. The CDO describes this as "seed money" to allow the LDN to grow and show its usefulness, perhaps he is providing the fertiliser?

It really shows the importance of dentistry within the NHS when it's funding is pennies per patient population for an LDN compared to the £25 per patient that CCGs get for management costs. Clearly if members of the dental team are to be involved in LDNs, they are to be expected to do this with benevolence and with no remuneration; it's clinical leadership on the cheap.

Dental nursing is a second career for Joanne Whiteoak, and one that she’d been meaning to get into for quite a while. But when the 28-year-old quit her job in the travel sector to pursue her dream, she found that it wasn’t easy to convince dental companies to give you a chance if you haven’t got the experience.

That is, until she got in touch with Genix Healthcare.

“Genix Healthcare was the first company to see the potential in me, and with them I’ve done really well. They’ve been very supportive in my path to becoming a dental nurse.”

Joanne is among the first group of nurses to graduate from the Genix Healthcare Apprenticeship Program, a scheme that was launched in late 2011 to provide training and employment opportunities for those interested in joining the dental profession. Through the £250,000 project, Genix Healthcare owner Mustafa Mohammed hopes to raise the standards of dental care in the country.

The first group of apprentices saw around 70% of its graduates go on to find positions in the Genix Healthcare system; the apprenticeship is not only an excellent training course, it’s also a great career path for aspiring dental care professionals nationwide.

Apprentices who join the program are placed in Genix Healthcare clinics, where they train from 18 to 24 months under the supervision of qualified nurses and dental practitioners before going on to graduate.

Joanne found working within the Genix Healthcare system enjoyable and rewarding. “It was a really good experience, personally I think it’s the best way to learn. Everybody was really friendly and there was always somebody there to support me.” Though the newly qualified nurse wouldn’t describe the training as easy, she found the challenge of mastering a new profession and the accomplishment she felt from acquiring critical skills invaluable.

“If you have a patient in the chair and you’re working with a dentist, it could be quite panicky, for example if you didn’t have the right materials ready,” Joanne recalls. “I think it just boils down to a lack of knowledge at the time, but obviously that’s something you learn and become more confident with as time goes on. Not knowing things at the beginning can be quite hard, but there’s nothing you can do about that, you just have to keep at it.”

She also feels that she received a lot support from Genix Healthcare to help her finish the program and receive her qualification. The program allotted a certain number of hours during the apprentice’s workdays for course work and examinations, and when Joanne had any questions at all, the staff in the clinic she was working at were always wiling to help her out. Genix Healthcare also regularly held individual assessments with their apprentices to make sure they were mastering their skills correctly and completing the program at a good pace.

But although a lot of support can be expected from the company and the staff, Jo feels that those interested in taking this course should have some degree of self-sufficiency as well.

“The coursework we needed to do was really good, but you do have to have a lot of self-motivation to get some things done before the deadline. Unlike a classroom setting where you have the teacher in front of you, you’re left to your own devices more when learning through webinars and Skype sessions,” Joanne advises. “You just need a certain amount of discipline, but you need that anyway if you want to become a dental professional.”

Joanne also very much enjoyed the working environment she encountered in Genix Healthcare, as she found everyone to be friendly and respectful. Joanne says, “What I find in Genix is there’s no divide between dentists and nurses – we’re all the same and we all treat each other with the same respect.”

Joanne feels that the program has helped her grow as a professional, and is now a hundred percent more confident in her work than when she first started. She is currently speaking with Genix Healthcare senior management about furthering her education with courses on sedation and oral surgery. She maintains that the big career change she decided to make has been one of the best decisions in her life, and Genix Healthcare is very much to thank for their part in that.

Soon, Genix Healthcare will be offering more opportunities like this to new apprentices. The program hopes to see one hundred more dental nurses graduate in the next two years, and recruitment for new groups of apprentices will be happening soon.

Joanne would recommend a career in dental nursing to anyone who wants to join the dental profession.

“Dental nursing is a great career where you can do something very fulfilling and worthwhile, and you can feel like you’re giving back to the community. It’s also something that you can build on – you can start as a dental nurse then there are so many different qualifications you can do to add on to that. There are so many routes you can go down, you can go through to practice management for example, or become a dental hygienist or a therapist. Dental nursing is definitely a good start for someone who’s interested in learning and working their way up.”

Genix Healthcare is passionate about giving young career starters the chance to improve themselves and their quality of life through excellent qualifications and good careers. Just recently, the company sponsored the Yorkshire and the Humber regional heat of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2013.

Genix Healthcare hopes that through sponsorships such as these and through its own apprenticeship projects, it can raise the standard of young professionals not only in dentistry, but in other industries as well.

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

Surgery design can be a time-consuming and often stressful process. Whether you’re setting up from scratch or just simply upgrading an existing facility, there are just so many different decisions to be made it can be an almost insurmountable task for one person to undertake on their own. As well as arranging financial matters to cover the cost of the project you will need to deal with many various contractors and suppliers to prepare and then fit out your surgery and undertake any outstanding building work that may need to be carried out. You may also need to deal with local authorities to arrange for ‘change of use’ permission, as well as national regulators such as the HSE and CQC. And all this before you even think about how you’d like your new surgery to look.

Of course the key to any successful project such as this is the planning, and then selecting the right contractors and suppliers to work with to help you achieve your goals. When embarking on any project it is absolutely vital that nothing is overlooked in the initial planning stages as otherwise costs can very easily spiral out of control. For this reason it pays to work with companies with direct experience working in dentistry, who can foresee potential problems before they emerge. Many of the best companies can work with you right from the planning stage of your project through to completion and beyond. These companies will even be able to assist you with managing your project on a day-to-day basis so that you avoid getting caught up in the minor details. This can be particularly useful if you aim to continue working while your project is underway, and can save you the time, and the stress of managing multiple sub-contractors and equipment suppliers all on your own.

Aside from the challenge of selecting, arranging and then managing sub-contractors for your project, one of the most trying aspects of any surgery design of upgrade project is dealing with both local and national regulation. As well as the often-quoted HTM 01-05, and the safety and suitability requirements set out by the CQC, there are other non-dental-specific requirements as well. These include the intricacies of design compliance and associated building regulations, which encompasses suitable design and layout, as well as adequate security and maintenance, fire safety, and disabled access.

Once all of these factors have been taken into account, there is then the challenge of balancing regulatory requirements against the need to create an aesthetically pleasing design. Thankfully, help can be found in the form of advanced computer aided design (CAD) software that many of the best companies will use to create accurate plans of the surgery. These plans can then be optimised to make the best use of the space available, while powerful design tools mean you are also able to take a ‘virtual tour’ in 3D. This can help you visualise how the finished project will look before any work is done and you can make as many changes as you like until you are completely happy with the final design.

Naturally, a dental surgery is not complete without equipment. If you already have equipment in situ in an existing surgery then moving your pre-existing dental unit and imaging equipment should not be a problem. Again, a good surgery design company will be able to assist you in every way possible and will make sure your surgery has all the necessary fixtures and fittings in place to see a smooth transition.

If however you are seeking to upgrade, or invest in new technology, a good company will also be able to supply the most up-to-date equipment whilst also being able to come up with a solution that meets your requirements and takes into account factors such as ergonomics and space. The very best companies will even be able to provide ongoing after sales service and support, and can also help by providing appropriate equipment usage training for members of staff.

Whatever the size or scale of your project it pays to work with a company that offers CAD design – a company you know can trust. By employing the services of an established company with a proven track record of success you can rest assured that your project will be in the best hands possible. Experience counts for a lot, and if problems do crop up, the best companies will be able to meet these challenges and keep your project both on time and within budget, leaving you free to focus on the things that matter the most.

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

As a Principal, it is likely that either in isolation or with your management team you make powerful decisions on finance, marketing, customer experience treatment co-ordination and operations each and every day.

In making these potentially ‘game changing’ decisions do you draw on your previous experience, industry trends and/or gut instinct? Or do you draw guidance from objective data sourced from your practice management software, your leadership management tools and your lead generation records?

You may even go one step further and filter the seemingly endless data sets into a simple set of Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s).

I haven’t met anyone in business who hasn’t had some understanding of the power that data can add to their business. Without question, you should track a wide range of data across your business. If you can measure it, you can track it, refine it and improve it.  Undeniably, collecting “clean” and reliable data and analysing it in a consistent way is part of 21^st Century management.

Therefore, data is a fundamental ingredient in decision making, figuring out where to focus resources and on which specific projects. However, it can never provide the ‘WHY”.  Data can’t tell us about your personal values, the culture that you are trying to create within your team, or your customer’s personal feelings when they interact with your brand. The difficult job of truly transforming a business is underpinned by your ability to explore these places where data alone can’t reach. Often that requires time and space, and on occasion a ‘Coach’.

So, consistently collect and analyse data! Certainly, the right data at the right time will facilitate the success of your finances, marketing, patient experience, treatment co-ordination and operation’s; but ensure you control your relationship with data. Make the time to reflect on the bigger picture. Why did you start this dentistry game?  Why are things not as you expected? What’s next – and what do you need to do differently to get there?

The biggest steps are nearly always made by those who can hold onto the ‘Why’, whilst using data to change the course in which they do business.

For more information about 7connections business coaching

please call 01647 478145

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

The comprehensive new range of protective eyewear from UnoDent ensures the safety of dental staff is a top priority. Each pair of protective eyewear guarantees a barrier against contaminated fluids, and while some boast scratch resistant lenses and others anti-fog lenses, UnoDent makes certain that the dental professional’s specific requirements are met.

The innovative and contemporary range of protective eyewear includes:

• UnoDent CrackerJack Range– Stylish and lightweight single lens providing large field of vision available in various colours
• UnoDent Coversight Range – Lightweight and adjustable arms for anti-slip comfort to fit over any kind of prescription glasses
• UnoDent Touring Range – One-piece polycarbonate lens, fits over any prescription glasses with side vents to prevent fogging
• UnoDent Equinox – For lab use fully adjustable with lateral protection with fittings for ‘your own’ prescription lenses
• UnoDent Matrix Range – Lightweight and adjustable protective eyewear with LED light built-in, rechargeable via USB and your own computer
• UnoDent Pop – Single lens with flexible arms designed for a ‘smaller face’ i.e. child.

UnoDent is the obvious choice for protective eyewear for all professionals. Providing stylish comfort with comprehensive protection from contamination, the very latest UnoDent Protective Eyewear range prioritises the professional.     

Available now from the independently verified best priced dental dealer, The Dental Directory.

For more information regarding products within the UnoDent range please contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586, or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk.

The Dentistry Show 2014 returns next year for another two-days of exciting lectures, networking opportunities and practical experiences.

The Show will be held at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday 28^th February and Saturday 1^st March 2014.

Leading professionals will take to the stage of the Hygienists & Therapists Symposium to present cutting-edge lectures on the latest ideas and perspectives in dental hygiene and therapy.

Among those speakers is Professor Avijit Banerjee, who will deliver his lecture entitled ‘Preventing Dentistry “MI” Way: The Team-Care Approach’.

He explains, “I am lecturing about the roles of Dental Care Professionals, namely hygienists and therapists, in the care framework of minimum intervention dentistry. I will show how administration of remineralising agents and practising non-operative prevention is the key to successful long-term oral health maintenance and the role of the dental team must not be under-estimated.”

With plenty for every member of the dental team to enjoy and learn from, The Dentistry Show 2014 is one dental event that cannot be missed. Registration is open so book your free place now to attend the most highly anticipated event of the year.

For more information and to register for your free delegate passes, please visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

DTS 2014 promises to present all the quality, vibrancy and diversity delegates have come to expect from event organisers CloserStill Media.

Presenting two days of motivational lectures, an extensive trade exhibition and an array of hands-on and business workshops dedicated to technicians, clinical technicians and lab owners, DTS will be bigger and better than ever before.

Among the impressive line-up of internationally renowned speakers will be Dr Christian Coachman, developer of the Digital Smile Design Concept and instructor for the Ceramic Specialisation Program at the Ceramoart Training Centre.

He will discuss the need for an integrated approach to patient treatment.

“In the modern dental, good technical skills are no longer enough to ensure desired treatment outcomes are reached,” he explains. “I think the quality of communications between dentists and technicians is one of the biggest problems in dentistry, and this needs to be addressed. A fully integrated approach is needed from the practice team and the lab team, and this can only be achieved through good communication.

“It is this relationship that I hope to encourage delegates to strengthen, and I will be offering some useful tips on what technicians can do to enhance it.”

For more details please visit www.the-dts.co.uk,
call 020 7348 5269 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Kerr is highlighting a warning issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), asking UK dentists to check if they have bought counterfeit and unapproved dental curing light devices after 261 products were sold by people on eBay.

The MHRA states: ‘The products sold on eBay have not been tested for safety or that they work. Whilst the health risk remains low, people treated with them at dental practices could experience pain through tooth decay and may require additional treatment.

‘Dentists who have bought these products are urged to dispose of them following appropriate clinical procedures.

‘They can identify them by:

• no instructions for use
• on the genuine devices the Woodpecker mark is at the top, this is not on the counterfeit ones
• the electrical plug supplied is of poor quality.’

Committed to excellence, Kerr would like to reassure its customers that all of its dental curing light devices meet all relevant regulations.

For further information on Kerr’s range of curing lights, please visit www.kerrdental.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01733 892292.

With nearly half of UK adults (45%)[1] unhappy with the alignment of their teeth, it’s no surprise that orthodontic treatment is on the rise. Interestingly, the YouGov survey, conducted on behalf of National Orthodontic Week (NOW) in 2010, also found that 20% of respondents would consider having some form of orthodontic treatment.

That’s quite a drop. From 45% of people being unhappy with the way their teeth look to just 20% being prepared to do something about it. Now, why could that be? There are two main issues that discourage patients from seeking treatment: cost and embarrassment. But in actual fact there are a number of treatment options to choose from, ranging widely in price, and modern treatments are incredibly subtle.

Innovations in adult orthodontics have led to treatment such as understated tooth-coloured fixed braces, or lingual braces that are fitted to the back of the teeth, or even removable clear aligners.

The first and most obvious benefit to orthodontic treatment is a more attractive appearance and greater confidence. In addition to this, there are the health implications. Optimum dental function reduces teeth grinding and ensures that food is chewed properly, improving digestion and nutritional intake. Straighter teeth are also much easier to clean and so reduce plaque build up and the risk of disease.

Improving teeth alignment balances the force of the bite more evenly. With a crooked dentition, some teeth are taking more of the force than others, creating problems such as uneven wear and even causing headaches or jaw pain. Patients who feel they are saving money by avoiding orthodontic treatment now might be heading for much more expensive dental procedures later in life.

If you are thinking about referring orthodontic treatment for your patients, contact a referral practice with the necessary expertise such as the London Smile Clinic, and discover the best treatment options available. Led by Specialist Orthodontist Dr Preet Bhogal, the clinic develops close working relationships with referring dentists to ensure the best possible patient care for the duration of the referred treatment. From the initial assessment to the day the braces come off, the clinic seeks authorisation and approval from the referring dentist at every stage.

Effective orthodontic treatment delivered by a specialist dramatically improves patients’ lives. Consider it from their perspective. A GDP might see what appears to be a very minor case of uneven dentition and not think it worth referring. The patient, on the other hand, looks in the mirror every day and notices every flaw. To the patient, achieving straighter teeth is nothing short of a transformation. Just imagine how patients with very crooked teeth would feel if they had the opportunity to gain a more beautiful smile. That power lies in your hands.

For more information, please contact 020 7255 2559 or
visit www.londonsmile.co.uk/refer

DDL PROVIDING HOSPITAL STANDARDS OF VALIDATION - the enforced laws

Dental Decontamination Limited has always been known to provide an exceptional standard of validations which has set us apart from competitors, however, this coming April there may be a much more serious difference between ourselves and other dental decontamination companies as the En17665 will become more prominent in the industry and En13060 will be re-enforced. With D.D.L you won’t have to worry about these issues as our hospital standard validations have always been compliant with En17665 and 13060 but many other companies will find that harsh realities lie ahead.

In this blog I will be referencing 4 very important documents that all dentists, podiatrists and tattoo artists alike should become familiar with. Firstly the Medical Devices Agency’s Device Bulletin on Benchtop Steam Sterilizers- which provides guidance on Purchase, Operation and Maintenance [Oct 2002]. Secondly HTM01-05 with the latest information on the ever changing decontamination guidance, En17665 which administers the new laws on validation and most importantly your user manual. In this case we will use a sample Mocom B Futura manual which provides an easy-to-use instructions on how to correctly use your machine.

HTM01-05 is a guideline, not law, with MDA document that is law
“If the sterilizer fails any safety check you should not attempt to test it until the faults have been corrected and the sterilizer passes all safety checks”  [5. Maintenance, periodic testing, routine monitoring and documentation. Benchtop Steam Sterilisers – Guidance on purchase, operation and maintenance] Safety checks should be done at daily, weekly, quarterly and yearly intervals. Manufacturers recommended routine maintenance tasks intervals are specified in the user instructions or manual, for example a Mocom B Futura manual asks for…

Another point that the MDA brings to light is the importance of using specialist equipment when running tests.

“Some of the weekly tests for vacuum bench top steam sterilisers normally require the services of a TP (Test person) and use of specialist equipment, and therefore cannot be performed by the user.”

Some machines already possess automated test facility that the machine can perform itself. All Mocom machines have programmes already installed e.g. Vacuum test/leak test and the helix test cycle can be run on a Mocom with the results seen using the specialist equipment, the helix test and device strip.

MDA argues “If you do not use the test device and indicator combination specified by the sterilise manufacturer, the results might be dangerously misleading.” So it is vital that one uses the correct testing devices.

“The quarterly and annual tests require specialised equipment and skills, and should be carried out only by a properly qualified Test Person. Each cycle available to the user should be tested”
This is mirrored in Mocom’s B Futura user manual

The Law (En17665) now clearly states that it is “the manufacturer's responsibility to develop the process and provide guidelines/ instructions for operation and validation of the process.” The standard also requires “detailed documentation of all conditions that affect the process performance now and in the future.” ISO 17665-1 only provides very general guidelines on steam sterilization requirements and operations. ISO 17665-2 tries to describe these guidelines more specifically through the use of examples and further explanation.

It is essential to compare a printed record of every cycle with records given when the machine was known to be functioning properly (after periodic testing)  “You should check with the manufacturer whether you have to pre-heat the sterilizer chamber before performing these tests, as this can extend the test time” Automatic control test is not required if the steriliser is equipped with a programme that maintains permanent records of the temperature, pressure and elapsed time during all sterilising cycles. Keeping a log of all these records is extremely important and is also beneficial when comparing data and reviewing the productivity of your machine.
 

Many dentist, tattoo artists and podiatrists will soon find that there will be added costs due to these changes but Dental Decontamination customers can rest well assured that they are already covered and compliant. Once again putting your practice and equipment one step ahead.

Validation and testing of Autoclaves on all types unless noted
Before checks, examine door for wear and tear and possible signs of deterioration or leaks and check the security and performance of door safety devices.

Who: It is important that a TP* (test person, this can be a user or operator based in the practice.) is trained to carry out the daily and weekly tests, and their training is documented on personal training records. To receive the correct training, a practice should contact manufacturer of the autoclave

Daily: Automatic control test, steam penetration (Helix or Bowie Dick) not necessary on non-vacuum autoclave.
Weekly: Including daily tests plus residual air test (not necessary on non-vacuum) and air leakage test (not necessary on vacuum) performed by user/TP
Quarterly: Including weekly tests plus automatic control test and thermometric tests. These tests should be carried out by a CP(D)/service engineer to manufacturers’ recommendations.
Annually: Including quarterly tests plus steam generator overheat cut-out test, thermometric tests (small load, large load) dryness tests (small load and large load). Dryness tests are not necessary on non-vacuum autoclaves.

Bibliography

HTM01-05

http://www.lso-inc.com/sterilization-validation-services/iso17665-steam-sterilization.html [10/2013]

Medical Devices Agency [MDA DB2002(06)]

Mocom B Futura User’s Manual

Is It Worth Paying For Search Engine Optimisation For Your Practice?

Search Engine Optimisation as we have known it for the last 5 years or so, in my opinion is now dead and buried and to be quite frank good riddance. Because effectively Search Engine Optimisation is all about fooling the search engines into ranking your site higher than other sites using tricks of the trade rather than having good content.

Google is working very hard to deliver what the person doing the search is looking for (even in paid for ads) and this is good news for all of us who play by the rules and try and offer good content on our websites.

So whilst Search Engine Optimisation as we have known it e.g. keyword stuffing, link building, article marketing etc. may be much diminished if not finished altogether, there are ways to improve the rankings of your website on the natural search, unfortunately it involves work on your part (or mine if you use someone like me).

Effectively Google wants to give people who use its search facility a good experience so it is looking for things like the following:

1. Connectivity to Social Media
2. Video (ideally on You Tube)
3. New original (good) content on your site
4. Blogs
5. Mobile Friendly sites
6. Local Links

Incidentally Google doesn’t really give you brownie points for having pretty pictures on your site, so this may come as a bit of a shock to those of you who have spent a lot of time and effort having lovely graphics of smiling people put on your website.

So lets’ look at the above. Social Media connectivity, Google likes to see lots of traffic coming to your website from Social Media (whatever the flavour). This is because it shows them that the site is interacting with real human beings, not robots.

You Tube Video. Are you aware that Google actually owns You Tube and that You Tube is the second most used search engine on the planet? Because of this Google really likes You Tube, so all you need to do is create some good video, put it onto You Tube, then embed it into your website. This will do wonders for your rankings.

New original good content It’s no good having a website built, publishing it and then forgetting about it. Your site needs to continually be updated, new video, new graphics (optimised), but most of all new written content. If you do this you are really ticking a box with Google.

Blogging Probably one of the best ways to improve the rankings on your site is to write a regular blog or article. This is relatively time consuming, but will reap great rewards, it’s well worth the effort.

Mobile Friendly Site 20% of all internet searches done today are made on a mobile device (growing rapidly) and Google wants to offer mobile users a great experience too. So for instance if your dental practice has a mobile version of your website and the practice down the road doesn’t, guess who will rank higher on a mobile search, because Google knows what you are using to search the web.

Local Links These are links to other companies similar to yourself in your area, so for instance you could ask the local chemist, hairdresser, beauty salon, chiropodist, osteopath, chiropractor, doctors surgery to put a link on their website to yours.

So whilst Search Engine Optimisation may be dead, you can very much influence Google by doing all the above. Unfortunately all of this takes time and effort, but if you want to rank on the natural search you really need to implement all of these things sooner rather than later.

However if you would like me to help with all the above, call me on 01767 626 398 ore email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website at 

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

As the autumnal fall returns once again and the ominous portent of a Comet Ison[1] in the morning sky passes I am minded to wonder at our innate ability to disagree.  There is a really intriguing book out there called   Them and Us: How Neanderthal predation created modern humans by Danny Vendramini  [2] Basically, our behaviour is nothing new!

The BDA saga has not gone away, we are told – well, actually we are NOT told …  but the vox pop of internet chat suggest that those in office at the BDA are running in internal disagreement, and of course all the outsiders like myself are far better placed to run the show.  There is no agreement it seems, and we are polarised into them and us.

Then of course there is how to deal with ‘the problem patient’.  Not only do we all differ, separating into the “This is how to do it” camp on the one hand, and the “No you fool, do it this way” camp on the other.   Never mind that the poor bloody patient is always wrong.  Them is always right and Us is never wrong.

Orthodontics appears to be generating a fair share of divisionary comment:  Far from everyone synergising to the wider benefit of the patient community and for the greater good, we just have to bicker and squabble over long term or short term, GDP or specialist , ultra modern self ligating or out of date elastics.  Throw in a spooful of commercial self interest and the fuse is lit for a right royal bust up.

What would the public think?    Oh – them and us again!

There is a fine line between appropriate professional disagreement and internecine  warfare. We must as a profession beware of breaching it ... if we actually care. Maybe we just like a good fight!

Gawd ‘elp the poor old GDPs if the BDA and BOS combine forces …

Seriously:  who will draw this disparate medley of headstrong prima donnae professionals together? 

If we fight amongst ourselves, the Governments work is done.

Ah … now there is the Ultimate “Them and Us”.

I blame Comet Ison.  Enjoy Thanksgiving, don't all fight over the Turkey now. That would far too Neanderthal ...

[1]  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25001732

[2]  http://www.themandus.org/   
Them and Us by Danny Vendramini
With acknowledgement to the author for the image

I was surprised to see the advice we give our patients has not changed much in over 40 years! I am reading a book called “The Tooth Trip” that was written by dentist Thomas McGuire in 1972; he describes the same prevention based dentistry we practice today. This book was written for the public to understand oral diseases and their role in preventing it.

Some of the book is way off the mark with recipes for making homemade toothpaste with Sage, Myrrh and powdered roots. Making toothbrushes from twigs and sticks does not sound like the best use of an hour of your time. What resonated so strongly with me was the descriptions of self-examination of your mouth and emphasis on prevention and working together with your dentist. A whole chapter was on dental emergencies and what constitutes a real emergency- severe or recurrent bleeding or severe pain not relived by painkillers. Just getting your patients to read this chapter alone would save thousands of wasted dental appointments. There was sensible honest advice on how and why teeth can hurt and how you can prevent it and work together with your dental team to stop it recurring.

In our modern age, if we educate our patients in the causes of dental disease and how it is entirely preventable, they too could have healthy mouths and lower dental bills. Despite the fact that most of this information is freely available on the internet or in the leaflets that some dental practices give out, not much has changed. Why is that?

I feel that until the information is specifically tailored to our patents and they can see the benefit from following that specific advice, they will switch off. If you promote the fact that you fix teeth, they will just come and expect you to fix them. This is where modern dental teams come in. We need to genuinely listen to our patients, do not interrupt them, let them get their whole story out. Examine their mouth, show them the evidence of disease in a clear and non-judgemental way. Explain their options and how as a team, you can return their mouth to health. Make them understand that without them, all your treatment will fail. Spending extra time now will save hours of treatment in the future and help educate a generation that loves going to the dentist. All good dentists want their work to be appreciated and to last a life-time.

Four Dental sins from the 1970’s that Dentists still do to this day:

1. Leaflet avoidance. Handing your patients reading matter to explain your treatment and asking them to go home to go through it. Nothing beats a face to face discussion where you allow them time to discuss their personal fears and questions. Leaflets should be only a back-up once the conversation has taken place.

2. Technical jargon. Using dental terminology or complex words to explain your diagnosis and treatment. All professions have jargon. The skilled dentists explain it in a language that that specific patient will understand.

3. Carrying out treatment whilst discussing the patient’s options. No-one can fully concentrate when lying on their back with theirs mouth open or having treatment carried out. Stop, sit the patient up and have a face to face conversation.

4. Bulldozing. Talking it through you your patient until they are worn down and just say yes. Nothing is life or death that you need to decide there and then. Place a temporary filling and then explain the options; pros, cons and cost. Then let them go away and think about it.

How are you going to make the most of your patients next tooth trip?

Photo by Jenn Durfey, licence info

James Goolnik is a practising Dentist and his book “Brush” donates 100% of the profits to Dentaid. He recently led a team of 8 dental professionals to Malawi to install two dental chairs, equipment and deliver skills transfer workshops from these proceeds. He is a trustee of the charity “Heart your Smile”.

www.jamesgoolnik.com

The Importance of Frequency in Dental Marketing

When I’m talking to me clients about their dental marketing programs (or lack of them). I’m often asked “how often should I do this or that”. The answer is that frequency is all important in marketing your dental practice, in fact it might just be the most important thing tool you can deploy.

Most practices or businesses have at some time or another tried to send out a postcard or leaflet, which either they have delivered themselves or got a professional organisation to deliver and in almost every case they are disappointed with the result.

A leaflet or postcard campaign should be just that “a dental marketing campaign” if you only ever send out one you will not achieve the results you desire. Just think about the amount of leaflets you receive through your door for pizza, Indian/Chinese restaurants etc. The vast majority of them you’ll throw away, however if you continue to receive them from a particular restaurant you may just stick it up on your notice board or keep it somewhere.

The reason for doing this type of marketing is to get your name in front of your audience so that when they actually do want to buy a pizza or have an Indian meal etc. or indeed visit the dentist, they remember the name they’ve been seeing for the past couple of months.

You see we aren’t always in the market for whatever it is that people are selling. Just because someone totally ignores five of the six postcards or leaflets you send them in our dental marketing campaign, doesn’t mean that they don’t want to see a dentist, it means that they aren’t interested at that point in time, but when they are guess who they are most likely to want to see.

Its the same with every other type of dental marketing including email text and the dreaded newsletter. 95% of your patients probably aren’t interested in having their teeth whitened at the time when you send them an email or text message making them an offer, but 5% may well be, and the next time you send out an email or text or leaflet, a different 5% may be interested.

Do you see the pattern that is building up here. Most dental marketing is an attritional process, you will only ever have the interest of your target audience when they actually want your product or service.

I get lots and lots of information through from my BMW car dealer. Now its quite obvious that most of the time I’m not interested in buying a car, because with the best will in the world I only ever change my car every three years or even more. So 95% of the stuff that they send me is of not interest whatsoever.

However it just happened the other day that the existing lease on my car expired and I needed to take it for an MOT. One day that week a leaflet came through the door from the BMW dealer who was offering low finance on a range of used BMW’s. Guess what! I bought a new car from that dealer, simply because he was in the right place at the right time.

So when you start thinking about sending out leaflets, postcards or simple text or email dental marketing campaigns, think in the long term, do it every month, it works.

If you would like to increase your 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. or visit my website

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Marketing Your Dental Practice It’s About Trust

Have you ever thought what it is that inspires you to buy something? You might think about these hints when you are marketing a dental practice!

I hear people saying things like the following:

• People buy on price!
• People buy a brand!
• People buy for convenience!
• People buy on impulse

Well the truth about all the above is that before they part a single penny they need to trust the person who is selling the service or product they want to buy. Even if something is very cheap, normally you still won’t part with your money until you trust the person who is selling the product you want to buy, the same goes for brand, convenience, impulse all of them depend on you trusting the person who is selling.

So when I talk to my clients and they tell me that they are struggling to get new patients do they forget the above when they are marketing a dental practice.

I want you to understand something. Recently I had a stand at the Dental Showcase in Birmingham, during the quiet periods I was talking with quite a few of the other exhibitors, many of which don’t sell exclusively to the dental profession.

Without exception their perception of dentists was this:

1. They are all very rich!
2. They charge well over the odds!
3. They have a very easy life and don’t have to work too hard!

I work hand in hand with my clients so I know that this isn’t the case, in fact the opposite is generally true.

So when you open your dental practice door and expect people to flood to you because you are a good dentist, don’t be surprised when they don’t.

To make matters worse many dental practices also expect their patients to pay a huge premium for the first consultation.

Marketing A Dental Practice

I was recently engaged by a dentist to help him market his dental practice. This practice was in deep trouble, they were getting around 1-2 new patients per month (not per week, per month). Their average patient age was in their sixties and their numbers were dwindling. But their initial examination was £120.00.

Just think about this, people at the moment are scrutinising every penny they spend. By and large they think that dentists are rich and overpriced. There are many other dentists in the area both private and NHS, and they couldn’t work out why new patients were not joining them!

People need to build trust before they will part with their money, so why would someone part with £120.00 when they had no idea what this dental practice was like, whether they were any good or if they offered value for money!

So  the very first thing I advised them to do was to lower their cost of entry into the practice. This didn’t mean they had to reduce the price of any of the treatment, just make it easier for someone to say yes to coming to the practice.

We then embarked on marketing their dental practice. In the first month we booked 20 new patients, in the second we booked 30 new patients, in the fourth month we booked 35 new patients. That is where we currently are.

Yes you could argue that they have a professional helping them get new patients and obviously I wouldn’t argue with that, but the biggest breakthrough was to lower the point of entry, so that they could show the new patients that they could be trusted, that they do offer value for money and they offer great dentistry.

Sometimes you have to go right back to basics when you are marketing a dental practice, its not all about technique and clever marketing, its all about trust.

If you would like to increase your 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. or visit my website

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Marketing Your Dental Practice “Provide Proof”

It’s strange isn’t it, when we are going to buy something we normally like to try and get some information on if before we buy. The very best example of this is when you buy from Amazon, they are simply brilliant, strange that barely anybody copies them when they are marketing your dental practice.

Here’s what I mean, you Google something and up comes an advert for Amazon, you go onto the page and there it is, clear as a bell, with maybe some alternatives, a variety of places you can buy and some reviews of the product “perfect marketing”.

So why don’t dentists do this when you are marketing your dental practice? I have been in many different practices, at the end of the day it’s my job. I usually sit in the waiting room and I always look around for marketing material.

I don’t think I have ever seen a brochure of the practice or a book of photographs of what the practice can do for you the patient. Just think about this, if you want to sell implants these aren’t cheap and the patient has a big decision to make, we are normally talking in terms of thousands of pounds.

So you would think that there would be a catalogue of past work wouldn’t you (or at least I would). But to date I have never once seen a book of photographs of what the dental practice can achieve available in the waiting room, this is so simple it’s ridiculous but nobody does it.

When you are marketing your dental practice, you can spend thousands on adverts, Google, leaflets, posters etc. etc. but a simple book of photographs of before and afters which are your own work costs a few pounds, you can make them up yourself on websites such as Photobox.

Also why not have testimonials from other patients on posters, booklets, your website telling people what a great dentist you are, this is in effect free marketing and so powerful when you are marketing your dental practice.

When we are booking a holiday or weekend away, my wife inevitably looks up the hotel on Trip-Advisor, your services are no different all you are doing is offering proof that you can do what you say you can do and you have other patients who will testify to it.

If you don’t already take photographs before you start work on your patients and then take one afterward, start tomorrow, ideally buy a DSLR with a maco lens, (this will help you with any legal cases too). Start to build up your portfolio of work and create a photographic brochure for your patients, its so simple and costs next to nothing.

If you would like to increase your revenues and profits call me now 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 my website

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Everyone wants to be top of the natural (free) Google listings don’t they? This has usually needed something called Search Engine Optimisation! Which effectively means using a variety of techniques to get your site to rank well with the search engines.

I don’t think a day goes by when I don’t get an email (usually from India) with a company promising to get my website to the top of  Google search, by search engine optimisation. Occasionally I have enquired how they are going to do this and how much will it cost.

They are normally a little vague as to how my site is going to get to the top of  (actually it normally is), but they usually want between £300 and £1,000 per month for doing this, incidentally with no guarantees and the process will normally take between three and nine months to achieve.

Search Engine Optimisation has always been a black art, basically individuals or companies are trying to fool Google and the other search engines into getting their site to the top of the natural listings (none paid for or Google Adwords).

When I last enquired, Google had around $30 billion in cash reserves. They are renouned for employing the best brains in the world, so just think about it how likely are you to fool Google?

Google has just announced its latest change to the algorithm they use for search, called Hummingbird, as usual they are very coy about what they have done, but basically its going to make things even more difficult for search engine optimisation, especially if you don’t have good original content on your site that is being regularly updated.

You may have a clever search engine optimisation company getting you links and writing articles with links back to your site and maybe even worse, filling your site with keywords. But at the end of the day you really have to offer a good meaningful website that is being constantly updated with new and interesting information for the people who are searching for you to rank better on Google, especially with these new updates.

Most search engine optimisation used to be about link building, that is having other sites link to yours and this still has some validity today, however you can’t just have any links. The links need to be relevant and rank well with Google themselves, the difficulty is finding relevant sites that are in the dental industry and that are willing to put a relevant link to your website from theirs!

If you offer one of the branded products such as Invisalign or Cerec for instance you might be able to get a link from them to your site which might boost you rankings, but ideally you will need many more than this and it still might not work.

Another trick is to write articles and get them published throughout the web with a link back to your site, but again this is very hit and miss, it might or it might not work.

The very worst search engine optimisation trick you can try is to stuff your website with keywords, these are literally the words you think that you patients will search on, if Google thinks you are doing this, not only will they not boost your ranking, but they could actually penalise you for it.

So how can you get your website to rank well in the natural listings of Google? Well the simple answer to that is to have a quality website, with lots and lots of content, that is also continually being updated and added to. Simply putting a website up there and doing nothing with it will also do you not good at all.

So be very sceptical about anyone who claims they can simply improve your rankings by paying them £500 per month, the best way is to do the right thing and make you website lively, have lots of content and be relevant to the person searching for you.

If you want to increase you 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. or visit my website at

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Goodman Grant Solicitors and Patient Plan Direct join forces

The UK’s fastest growing dental plan provider, Patient Plan Direct, and highly experienced team of dental legal specialists, Goodman Grant Solicitors, have joined forces.
 
The partnership sees Goodman Grant sit as Patient Plan Directs preferred legal services provider and vice-versa. Both organisations intend to work together cohesively moving forward to ensure they deliver first class services to the dental industry.
 
Goodman Grant Solicitors was formed earlier this year, bringing together two of the most experienced lawyers in the country to provide expert legal services to dentists.
 
Both Ray Goodman and John Grant have over twenty years experience each in providing legal services to dentists and the dental industry. Ray Goodman is currently Chairman of lawyers section of the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers (NASDAL), whilst John Grant is the immediate past Chairman of the Association of Specialist Providers to Dentists (ASPD).
 
Patient Plan Direct has reshaped the dental plan sector with its market leading proposition charging dentists just £1.00 per patient per month including the provision of A&E patient insurance whilst at the same time giving more control to dentists, reducing the administrative burden and reducing plan administration costs. This all ensures that a practice’s plan delivers total flexibility and most importantly allows a practice to retain more of its own plan income and brand.
 
Conrad Broadbent, Patient Plan Direct Managing Director, commented: ‘Our carefully selected partner network ensures our clients have the option to access the best advise and support in other key practice functions in addition to the dental plan administration we provide. We’re delighted to have partnered with Goodman Grant who we’re confident without doubt are the best around when it comes to all things legal in dentistry.’
 
John Grant of Goodman Grant added: ‘We recognise Patient Plan Directs approach to dental plans is one that works, ensuring dentists can cut costs and spend these savings on specialist and bespoke advice in areas that demand attention. We’re looking forward to working alongside Patient Plan Direct as we both continue to deliver services in line with demands of dentistry.’

Education and inspiration – the BACD’s 10th Annual Conference

This November, delegates from across the profession met at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel to attend the BACD’s 10th Annual Conference. The event featured a packed lecture line-up over three days, with lectures on topics including smile design, clinical photography, digital dentistry and marketing. There was also a selection of hands-on sessions, as well as a trade exhibition and the chance to take part in a special Accreditation Workshop for dental lab technicians, hosted by Luke Barnett.

Joined-up thinking

The BACD was founded in 2003, and has seen a great many changes come upon the profession in that time. A key element of the BACD’s success has been the emphasis it places on high quality education and excellence in clinical practise. For dental lab technicians in particular, the BACD has been a strong proponent of strengthening relationships between dentists and technicians, recognising the valuable role technicians play within the profession.

This point was emphasised by BACD President Julian Caplan in his opening address to delegates. In his speech Julian Caplan spoke about the tremendous progress that the Academy has made in reaching out to the profession, while also making great strides with the dental schools, where the BACD now has a strong presence. The BACD has also been instrumental in creating a structured career pathway within the field of cosmetic dentistry. The BACD Accreditation process – open to dentists and technicians alike – has become the new benchmark for quality within cosmetic dentistry and is an achievable qualification to which all dentists and technicians can aspire.

Education for all

To open the event’s official programme, past-President Chris Orr gave a fascinating lecture on ‘Perspectives in cosmetic dentistry’. In broad ranging presentation, he described many of the changes that have impacted on the dental profession over the last 10 years, including advances in materials science and a shift towards minimally-invasive techniques. Other highlights of the three-day conference included Galip Gurel’s excellent lecture on ‘Esthetic dentistry in the digital era’, and a series of marketing and business-focussed lectures from Rita Zamora, Chris Baker and others.

The Technicians’ Accreditation Workshop also proved popular, with Luke Barnett discussing the types of cases that technicians need to complete in order to achieve BACD Accreditation status. There was also a return of the popular ‘Pearls for Members’ section, which featured short lectures from Michael Cahill and Stephen Lander among others – again showing the BACD’s commitment to strengthening the relationships between clinical and technical side of the dental profession.

Looking ahead

The BACD’s 10th Annual Conference was an excellent showcase for the very best that cosmetic dentistry has to offer. By bringing together a strong mix of lectures, hands-on sessions, a trade exhibition and social events, delegates left having enjoyed three days of high quality learning and networking with like-minded colleagues from across the profession.

For more information on future events contact the BACD today. The BACD’s next Annual Conference ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ will take place on the 6th, 7th and 8th of November 2014, at the ACC Liverpool. For more information, and for all the latest news, visit www.bacd.com.

For further information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.bacd.com

The BACD Annual Conference 2013

The Hilton London Metropole Hotel was the setting for this year’s BACD Annual Conference with many of the leading lights in dentistry taking to the stage to share their experiences with delegates.

The event opened with an address from the Academy’s President Julian Caplan welcoming delegates to the event and giving a summary of where the BACD stands in dentistry today. In the space of 10 short years the BACD has grown to become one of the most recognisable names in dentistry today – a name that is recognised not just in the UK, but on an international stage as well.

An inspirational message

Following on from the President’s address, Julian Caplan welcomed Olympic rower Alex Gregory to the stage. Alex won gold medal as part of the men’s four at London 2012, and gave an inspiring and heart-warming talk on what it took for him to win a gold medal. This talk helped set the tone for the rest of the day, and delegates were able to enjoy excellent lectures from the likes of Chris Orr and Tif Qureshi among others. There were also two shorter lectures from Richard Jones and Derrick Willmot bringing in the orthodontist’s perspective to the cosmetic dentistry debate.

Days two and three

After an outstanding first day of lectures, days two and three of the Annual Conference had a lot to live up – and they did not disappoint! On the second day delegates were able to choose from a range of lectures across six separate conference streams. Sessions included Jason Smithson’s ‘The dentist as an artist technician’, Ash Parmar’s lecture on minimally invasive techniques, and the latest in facial aesthetics from Bob Khanna. In addition to the packed lecture programme there were also a number of hand-on sessions running throughout the day as well as a BACD Accreditation Workshop held by Julian Caplan and Chris Orr.

On the third day, the event reached its climax with the BACD’s keynote speaker Galip Gurel presenting an excellent lecture on ‘Esthetic dentistry in the digital era’.

Meanwhile, in the event’s parallel conference streams Rita Zamora and Chris Baker presented on social media and ‘The media – your friend’ respectively. There were also a number of additional hands-on sessions including a lesson on portrait photography by Lynn Sloss.

Life LIKE aesthetics

As milestone anniversary event, the BACD’s 10th Annual Conference far exceeded all expectations, combining a mixture of high quality lectures with hands-on sessions, a trade exhibition and numerous social and networking events. All of which meant delegates left the conference having enjoyed a fantastic three days of learning and socialising, having had the chance to network with like-minded professionals, and even make a few new friends along the way!

For more information on future events contact the BACD today. The BACD’s next Annual Conference ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ will take place on the 6th, 7th and 8th of November 2014, at the ACC Liverpool. For more information, and for all the latest news, visit www.bacd.com.

For further information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.bacd.com

So,
Here I sit, staring at the words I’ve been writing in my diary of the last year, with tears rolling down my cheeks.
These are not tears of joy, for there is little in the words before me.
The past year has been sheer hell. Not for any one reason, but a multitude of big & little things. These sneaked up, built walls & built ditches but never built bridges, until the “inevitable” happened.
I spiralled into anxiety, depression and to the verge of a nervous breakdown.

The online booking site, Zesty, is proud to announce that is now working with NHS Choices to make booking appointments even easier for the general public in London.

NHS practices who join Zesty will now be able to include an Online Booking link on their NHS Choices page directly linking patients through to their Zesty practice page, which displays their live and available NHS appointments to book.

One of the first practices to adopt the Zesty online booking technology is Tower Bridge Dental in Southwark, based in South East London close to Borough and Elephant & Castle underground stations. Tower Bridge Dental provide the full range of NHS treatment (except orthodontics and sedation) to all members of the public and NHS exempt patients.

http://www.nhs.uk/Services/dentists/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=21985

Zesty takes the hassle out of booking dental appointments for both the practice and the patient. We have booked flights, hotel rooms and cinema tickets online for years, but until now it has not been possible to book an NHS dental appointment online. Zesty has changed this and now makes booking an appointment with a dentist online as simple as a click of the mouse or via your smartphone in less than 2 minutes!

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

In a recent feature in the Yorkshire Post, dental entrepreneur Mustafa Mohammed cited delivering the right service and seeing people flourish as his top motivations for business.

And it must be said that these philosophies truly shine through in both his dental ventures – Genix Healthcare Clinics and Sparkle Dental Labs.

Genix Healthcare was started from Mustafa’s desire to provide accessible and affordable dental care for everyone after he saw patients queuing for NHS dentists in his Yorkshire neighbourhood.

Sparkle Dental Labs was born out of Mustafa’s national pride. He wanted to slow the exodus of dental work being outsourced to the Far East by providing a competitively priced full lab service that boasts of British manufacturing quality.

And for both businesses, education and job provision are at the centre of operations. Both companies provide training and employment opportunities for those who wish to work in dentistry and develop useful skills.

With businessmen such as Mustafa, and businesses like Genix Healthcare and Sparkle Dental Labs, the dental industry is elevated and given the caring and pride that it deserves.

For additional information please call:

Genix Healthcare: 0845 838 1122, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.genixhealthcare.com

Sparkle Dental Labs: 0800 138 6255 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.sparkledentallabs.com

As the end of the first five-year cycle of continuing professional development (CPD) approaches this July, the GDC is urging all dental care professionals (DCPs) to complete the required 150 hours of CPD. The learning and development of DCPs is important to strengthening the level of care practical teams can provide. But one recent report quoted that over 43,000 DCP registrants will end their five-year cycle in 2013. Yet of these, 19% have currently not declared any hours and 33% have declared hours for their first year only. [1]

With the plethora of CPD resources and providers available, why is it that DCPs are struggling to fulfil CPD requirements? Literature published by the GDC[2] on this subject suggests that cost of training, ease of access and work patterns affect all healthcare groups – but in different ways. Therefore the need to make CPD versatile, inexpensive and easy to access is paramount; and there a few ways practices could look to put this into action.

The overall picture of continuing education for DCPs can be positive if the issue of a lack of funding is addressed. A survey on the attitudes of dental hygienists towards CPD for example, indicated that involvement in CPD was good but they just needed more support for CPD activities.[3] Another barrier to education for some DCPs was the geographical location of learning events, since time and money is required to attend. A remedy could certainly be distance learning, e-Learning and private study that can be ‘picked up’ at any time. In fact, 73% of participants in the same survey reported that they would find distance learning to be a desirable alternative to physically attending events.

In response to some of these barriers to learning, online CPD providers such as

ProDentalCPD host over 600 e-Learning modules and members are granted access to CPD articles and videos that cover the fields of Dentistry, Dental Nursing, Dental Hygiene and Dental Technology. Such e-Learning material can be accessed at any time of the day and is flexible since it does not need to be completed in one sitting - it can be started and stopped as other priorities arise.

The purpose of CPD is to maintain public confidence in the dental profession and to enhance standards of patient care. This is can be achieved by registrants if they invest in life-long learning. The skills and knowledge of registrants will then evolve so that the best possible treatment and care is given to patients. For the skills dental professionals learned when qualifying, could easily become out of date if dental professionals are not familiar with burgeoning developments in clinical research, technological innovations and techniques that constantly improve dentistry.

The practical application of evidence-based learning to the workplace is an important benefit of CPD. New skills, knowledge and techniques that are acquired during CPD can be applied to practice. Making the most out of the extensive training and learning resources available can also be made easier by formulating effective personal development plans for all dental professionals.

For easy to use and flexible online CPD that is suitable for all members of the dental team, choose ProDentalCPD as your e-Learning provider. 

To learn more about high-quality e-Learning solutions, contact ProDentalCPD on 0114 282 3509, or visit www.prodentalcpd.com

Those of you who read and digest the news and views of dentistry at large will perhaps have noticed the recent Private Dentistry Awards¹.  A rip roaring time in London for all who attended.  A sore head or two the next day I’ll bet.

The recent announcement of the winners serves to highlight the lengths that many colleagues will go to strive for excellence. They are also extraordinary in that they can find the time to document their activities and seek to obtain external recognition. To all who entered and indeed were in the awards, heartfelt congratulations.

To all of you who did not enter, I am sure I am not alone in noticing that the effect rubs off.

You read about how others do things.  You read about ideas and marketing. You introduce these things in your own way into your own practice.  Just because you do not enter does not mean you are not a winner.

Of course, the clue is in the name – none of these particular practices lay claim to  providing dental care under the NHS, although how many of them employ NHS associates remains to be detailed.

But as we witness NHS England purging their Performers List with suspect letters of a dodgy tone threatening removal arbitrarily simply because it suits someone in London’s database management skills, it seems to me that there is no doubt about this: Beware the false security that the Government offers.

Left to its own devices, Dentistry as a business and a profession would make a far better job of marketing its services at the right price, in the right place, to best suit a particular patient base than any mish-mash of Reds, Ambers and Greens that the Government’s Department of Health lackeys can come up with. Why it is that our academic colleagues often fail to see or understand this paradigm remains a mystery.  Are we all really that imbued with social guilt so that any talk to do with the NHS simply proves it is culturally embedded?

That must be the counterpart message of the BDA as it emerges leaner, poorer, but fitter and raring to “engage”.

By all means engage with the DH, but the BDA must lay out the subtle threat that we do have to courage to do it ourselves, and will do it better.

Now that is a profession in a win-win position. The winners of such a brave approach would be everyone, patients included.

1        http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/smiles-and-success-uk%E2%80%99s-private-practices

2        http://www.privatedentistry.co.uk/awards/

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

At the forefront of campaigning to help raise awareness of the risks and symptoms of mouth cancer, The British Dental Health Foundation estimates that over the next decade around 60,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed with the disease. Without early detection, an estimated 30,000 people will die. Worldwide, over 460,000 are expected to die from mouth cancer each year by 2030. It is one of the few flourishing cancer variations in the UK, with cases increasing by almost 50% in the last decade and claiming more lives than cervical and testicular cancer combined. Anyone can be affected by mouth cancer, whether they have their own teeth or not. Although more common in people over 40, particularly men, research shows that mouth cancer is becoming more common in younger patients and in women. The survival rate for people with mouth cancer is lower than those who have cervical cancer or melanoma skin cancer. [1]

Mouth cancer (or oral cancer) occurs where an abnormal group of cells develops anywhere in the mouth, on the surface of the tongue, lips or gingiva. These are called squamous cell cancers. Less commonly it can occur in the salivary glands, tonsils or pharynx or can appear as melanoma, which starts in skin pigment cells around the mouth or lips.

Mouth cancer arises when something goes wrong with the normal cell lifecycle, causing them to grow and reproduce irrepressibly. The two most common symptoms of mouth cancer are an ulcer that does not heal and constant discomfort or pain in the mouth. Other symptoms can include red or white patches in the mouth, inexplicable loose teeth and a lump or thickening on the lip, tongue or neck. Similarly bad breath, unexplained bleeding or numbness in the mouth and difficulty or pain with chewing, swallowing or speaking can indicate the presence of mouth cancer. All of these symptoms can be due to other conditions, so tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis. Mouth cancer can of course be treated more successfully when it is diagnosed early and it is thus important for dentists to emphasise the urgency of self-awareness to patients. The changes to the GDC’s recommended CPD topics highlight this, as professionals are urged to include five hours of study on the topic within their five-yearly CPD cycle.

Mouth cancer is not hereditary and most causes are linked to alcohol and tobacco. Chewing tobacco is particularly dangerous and the risk of mouth cancer is increased if tobacco and alcohol are consumed together. A diet containing large quantities of red meat and fried food can also be a contributory factor. As highlighted in media coverage of Michael Douglas and his 3-year battle with this disease, recent research has linked mouth cancer to the human papillomavirus (HPV).[2]

What can dental professionals do to help?

It is important for all members of the dental team to raise patient awareness of the simple lifestyle changes that can help prevent the development of mouth cancer (or prevent it reoccurring after successful treatment). These are not smoking, keeping to the recommended weekly limits for alcohol consumption (21 units for men and 14 units for women) and eating a healthy, balanced diet, low in fat and high in anti-oxidants, full of fresh vegetables, citrus fruits, olive oil and fish.[3] Reminding patients to wear sun block on their lips, staying out of the sun between 11am and 3 pm and wearing a wide-brimmed hat to protect their face will not only help prevent melanoma but also other types of skin cancer.

It is the dental professional’s responsibility to perform checks that include feeling the neck and face to check for swellings, as mouth cancer can often be discovered in its early stages. Regular dental appointments are thus imperative in the prevention and early detection of mouth cancer. Patients with particularly busy lives need simple and convenient methods for booking regular dental visits. As the dental industry heralds the power of the internet, it is becoming easier for patients to book their appointments online.

Working in collaboration with NHS Choices, Zesty is an online booking service, committed to providing quick and easy access to dental appointments. This is done by providing dental practices with a profile on the Zesty website, where any free appointments, including cancellations, can be advertised and filled as quickly as possible. A constant stream of patients is thus guaranteed, keeping the practice as busy as possible, and ensuring patients with any immediate concerns can book an appointment quickly.

A prime advantage of being able to book an appointment online is that the service is available both day and night. Rather than wait in physical or emotional discomfort until Monday morning, a patient in agony or concerned about mouth cancer at 3am can simply log on to their computer and instantly book an appointment. This ensures peace of mind and maybe a better night’s sleep, which in turn improves the quality of customer service.

Dental professionals need to continue raising the profile of mouth cancer, to assist in early diagnosis and help fight against the horrors of this potentially fatal disease.

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

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.

Find out more at the BDTA Dental Showcase 2013, stand P05.

For more information on CS Solutions from Carestream Dental,

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

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.

Find out more at the BDTA Dental Showcase 2013, stand P05.

For more information on CS Solutions from Carestream Dental,

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

Practice management software is at the heart of many dental practices, and functions to simplify routine tasks and improve communication across the business. While running a successful practice can be a complex and highly involved task, practice management software is designed to ease the burden of administration, taking care of the details, so you can take care of your patients.

Beyond helping to relieve the administrative burden, many of the best practice management solutions are modular in nature, giving you the means to tailor your software to meet your specific business needs. This may include options such as online appointment booking or modules designed to help you enhance your patient communication. All of which can be used to improve either productivity or the quality of patient care, thus helping you grow your business.

Integrated payments

Of all the many advances demonstrated in the latest practice management software on the market, the option for integrated payment systems has been one of the most significant. By integrating payment processing with your other day-to-day practice management functions, you can save time and money, reduce errors and get a better view of your business.

One of the main advantages of integrated payment processing is that it greatly enhances your business efficiency. Transaction amounts are sent automatically to the card payment terminal. This means your team members don’t have to enter transaction amounts by hand, which reduces errors and speeds up the whole procedure. Furthermore, because the whole process is linked in with your management software, at the end of the month you won’t have to reconcile figures with your merchant statement – the whole process is completed for you.

For a small business, efficiency gains such as these can make a major difference. Where one member of staff will often have many different roles within the business, time spent on re-entering data or re-verifying credit card information can be re-allocated to more important tasks that can help your business get ahead. After all, time is money, and the time you save with an integrated payment system can be put to much better use caring for patients and ultimately, helping your practice to grow.

A case study

One example of how integrated payment systems can greatly enhance the efficiency of a dental practice can be found in the case study of Carestream Dental. The company has partnered with leading omni-channel payment services provider Anderson Zaks, to offer a fully integrated payment processing for its R4 Clinical+ Practice Management Software.

Chris Groombridge is Principal Dentist of 543 Dental Centre in Hull. He has sourced equipment from Carestream Dental for many years, and has recently introduced integrated payment processing to his practice. This includes the RedCard payment application and a card reading PIN pad that links  directly with his practice management software.
 

“We use a lot of the software and technology available from Carestream Dental within our practice, due to the quality of both the equipment and the customer service provided,” says Chris.

“The main reason we sourced the RedCard solution  from Carestream Dental, was that it could be fully integrated into our practice management software. Data is therefore fed directly from the R4 software into the till, and this automation greatly reduces the chance of human error.

“Through our own market research, we also found the new payment processing service offered by Carestream Dental to be cheaper than other alternatives available in the industry, which was another great plus.”

Further benefits

In addition to the efficiency benefits offered by an integrated payment system, you will also find that having more convenient payment options for patients also reduces the amount of debt owed to the practice, and will help to promote fast payments. Patients will appreciate the fact they can pay for treatments by credit or debit card, and the ability to do so is the hallmark of a modern practice.

If you already have an existing payment processing facility that isn’t integrated with your practice management system, you may be interested to learn that the latest systems do not require a dedicated payment processing telephone line as they operate through your existing broadband connection, thus saving further practice resources.

Whether you have an existing payment processing facility, or you are still yet to make the move over to credit and debit card payments, adopting an integrated system such as that available with Carestream Dental’s R4 Clinical+, offers a number of persuasive benefits. As well as efficiency and productivity gains, your practice will also benefit from improved cash flow on account of faster payments and the fact you are able to track payments through your practice management software.

While modern dentistry provides a great many challenges for dental practice teams, payments needn’t be one of them. An effective, integrated payment solution can prove an invaluable tool in making payments simpler, giving you and your team more time to spend on the things that matter the most.
 

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

Most NHS restorations deliver a reasonable degree of patient satisfaction and achieve a significant improvement in the patient’s quality of life, this is down to the skill of both the dentist and the laboratory technician as they collaborate to make the most of limited, financially constrained, possibilities.

Private patients, however, expect much more, regardless of whether their prosthetic teeth are fixed or removable; they want only the highest levels of comfort and functionality, but also aesthetics indistinguishable from natural dentition. For many, they feel they are investing not only in their teeth but also their appearance, and this last consideration, irrespective of the cost, is stretching the remit of NHS dentistry. 

Private practices cannot survive without providing absolute patient satisfaction – unlike NHS practices, they have no guaranteed contract income, and their patient list is not ‘captive’ with often no alternative destination – and so the private practice’s choice of laboratory is crucial. 

Although many laboratories work for both NHS and private practices, the advent of CAD and more advanced technology, together with a range of new materials, has widely expanded the prosthetic options when cost is not a primary consideration. At the same time, the quality of laboratory output is still heavily dependent on the technicians’ skill, and private practices must, above all, be profitable. The laboratory should always advise regular customers of the economic advantages of bulk purchasing, whether of materials or the finished prostheses.

From the laboratory’s point of view, NHS work, although relatively repetitive, tends to be subject to onerous time pressures, while the private laboratory is able to dedicate much more time to each case to ensure the optimum outcome.

A key factor in the different approach to private prosthetics is the range of material options, with ceramics becoming increasingly popular, especially when the patient shows an allergy or aversion to a metallic construction. At the same time, neither practice nor laboratory should automatically assume that for all private patients money is no object – a tariff encompassing a choice of materials delivering comparable results is highly advisable in the present economic climate.

Stressing the advantages and benefits of a private prosthesis is not to denigrate in any way those produced for NHS patients, who are fully entitled to expect a functioning, visually acceptable result. Nevertheless, the additional expense incurred by the patient who chooses to ‘go private’ will naturally be reflected in a higher quality outcome in terms of detail and aesthetics. Dentists should never forget that their restorations are in effect a free, constantly ‘onscreen’ walking live advertisement, and a satisfied patient will always recommend friends and family to visit the practice.

Modern dental labs such as Sparkle Dental Labs Ltd. are aware of the expectations their customers harbour. This is why they seek to provide craftsmanship of the highest quality for both NHS and private work. They also take into considerations other factors that customers are looking for, such as competitive prices, free logistics, free traceability, a rapid turnaround (3days guaranteed for urgent requests) and sourcing all active materials in the UK. Combined with a passionate commitment to delivering the very best customer service, the future is looking bright for the British dental laboratories.

For additional more 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

William Lyons is Head of Prosthetics at Sparkle Dental Labs.

I was attracted to dentistry as a career during secondary school and I have been a qualified dental technician from the age of 20.  I have been involved in all aspects of dentistry and I am passionate about high standards, commitment and patient satisfaction. As Head of Prosthetics at Sparkle I can share the knowledge I have gained over 30 years. My experience and communication skills will ensure a professional relationship with clients to allow Sparkle to meet every expectation.

Maddy Managooli is Technical Manager at Sparkle Dental Labs.

I have been in dentistry for14 years, having worked as a dentist, dental technician and Head of Quality Control for one of the biggest labs in the UK. I am very excited about the Sparkle project as we have the best technology and a highly skilled Technical Team to deliver superb quality prosthetics at affordable prices.

 BDA Benevolent Fund’s Christmas Appeal 2013

In the Bleak Mid-Winter…

Christmas is considered a time of family gatherings, eating good food and sharing gifts. But for dentists and their families who are already struggling financially, the extra pressure the festive season brings can prove too much. 

Dentists who are in financial crisis often turn to the BDA Benevolent Fund to help them cope when they can no longer keep their households functioning on their own.

With the majority of these dentists surviving on state benefits, and many poverty-stricken, the winter months are particularly harsh. The average household energy bill has risen by £300 over the last three years to £1,420[1] and the cost of an average household’s annual food bill has also risen by more than £400 over the last ten years from £2,356 to £2,799[2]. With bills soaring like this, it often means some dentists have to make the difficult decision between feeding their families and heating their homes.

And for those whose finances are already stretched to the limit by rising bills and Christmas, the added cost of the GDC Annual Retention Fee ­– ­that has to be paid
by 31 December in order for them to remain registered for work – is often another major concern.

The BDA Benevolent Fund works hard throughout the festive season to help dentists and their families who have been financially crippled, whether that’s through illness, unemployment, bereavement or another event that has turned their world upside down. This support includes a Winter Fuel Grant, which is given to every dentist who is receiving regular assistance from the Fund.

Dr Ann Rockey, Chairman of the Fund, has seen first-hand throughout the year what measures dentists take to deal with their money troubles and what Christmas does to struggling families. She says, “Please consider your colleagues in need this Christmas. We all know what an expensive time of year it is with increased fuel bills, the ever-increasing costs of a supermarket shop, Christmas and the GDC Annual Retention Fee on top of all that. Every year we have requests for assistance from dentists in need, often already recipients of assistance from the Fund, who cannot afford to pay their ARF. In recent years there has been a threefold increase in the number of applicants who are in difficulties with their commissioning bodies and or the GDC. Sometimes they have such restrictive conditions placed upon their licence to practice that they are unable to find work, and without paying their ARF, they will be unable to work and support their families in the future.”

To date this year the Fund has received 20 new applications for help.  Most dentists received help by way of a one-off grant, a monthly grant towards living expenses
or a loan. The charity currently supports 17 families with children of school age on
a regular basis, also providing school holiday supplements and uniform grants[3].

Sarah* turned to the Fund after the sale of her practice in 2009 resulted in an unfair suspension. After losing her job, Sarah was left struggling to support her three children of school age and the mortgage on the house. She began working as a locum dentist in a hospital, but because her earnings had significantly dropped, she began to use her savings and credit cards for the family’s living expenses. It was when she realised she couldn’t continue on such a downward spiral that she turned to the Fund for help in 2010. While, the interest free loan offered Sarah and her family a lifeline, Christmas still remains a particularly difficult time of year for them.

Sarah says, “Christmas has been particularly hard for us. Last Christmas was a real struggle. It’s my eldest son’s 21^st birthday this year as well, so we will probably put whatever we can afford into his birthday, rather than into Christmas. It’s going to be
a hard one.”

Sarah admits that without the Fund’s help she may well have had to have her house repossessed resulting in her family being left without a home. She added, “I’m doing all I can at the moment to pay back the Fund and if I was to win the lottery tomorrow they would get a great big lump sum. I’m really thankful for all the help they have given me.”

Please will you spread a little festive cheer by making a special gift to your colleagues who will be struggling this Christmas?

To make a donation please go to www.benevolentfund.org.uk or send a cheque to ‘BDA Benevolent Fund’ 64, Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YS.

For more information about the BDA Benevolent Fund

call 020 7486 4994, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 or visit www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk

All enquiries are considered in confidence.

Registered charity no. 208146

While Christmas is the best time of year for many, we are all more than aware of the added expenses that come with the festive season. For those amongst us already struggling to keep up with routine living expenses, the extra pressure can prove too much.

For dentists who have suffered accident, illness or other life-changing event,
the Christmas period can be difficult to cope with, and that is where the BDA Benevolent Fund can help.

The Fund offers financial support all year round but gives all regular beneficiaries some extra support, with a supplementary fuel grant and a special Christmas grant to give a helping hand through the winter months.  This will ensure they can heat their home, feed their families and enjoy the festive period.

The Fund relies on kind donations from the dental profession. Every pound received goes to dentists who are in crisis. Any gift you can give could make
a huge difference to beneficiaries’ quality of life. Please help us help those colleagues in need this Christmas?

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

For more information about the BDA Benevolent Fund
call 020 7486 4994, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 or visit www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk
 

All enquiries are considered in confidence.

Registered charity no. 208146

Without any doubt ‘data’ is great.

As a Principal, it is likely that either in isolation or with your management team you make powerful decisions on finance, marketing, customer experience treatment co-ordination and operations each and every day.

In making these potentially ‘game changing’ decisions do you draw on your previous experience, industry trends and/or gut instinct? Or do you draw guidance from objective data sourced from your practice management software, your leadership management tools and your lead generation records?

You may even go one step further and filter the seemingly endless data sets into a simple set of Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s).

I haven’t met anyone in business who hasn’t had some understanding of the power that data can add to their business. Without question, you should track a wide range of data across your business. If you can measure it, you can track it, refine it and improve it.  Undeniably, collecting “clean” and reliable data and analysing it in a consistent way is part of 21^st Century management.

Therefore, data is a fundamental ingredient in decision making, figuring out where to focus resources and on which specific projects. However, it can never provide the ‘WHY”.  Data can’t tell us about your personal values, the culture that you are trying to create within your team, or your customer’s personal feelings when they interact with your brand. The difficult job of truly transforming a business is underpinned by your ability to explore these places where data alone can’t reach. Often that requires time and space, and on occasion a ‘Coach’.

So, consistently collect and analyse data! Certainly, the right data at the right time will facilitate the success of your finances, marketing, patient experience, treatment co-ordination and operation’s; but ensure you control your relationship with data. Make the time to reflect on the bigger picture. Why did you start this dentistry game?  Why are things not as you expected? What’s next – and what do you need to do differently to get there?

The biggest steps are nearly always made by those who can hold onto the ‘Why’, whilst using data to change the course in which they do business.

For more information about 7connections business coaching

please call 01647 478145

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

The latest business programme from 7Connections has the capacity to accelerate your business growth more than you ever thought possible.

Never mind trying to increase your annual sales by 5 or 10%– how about looking to become a £10 million business? 

You might think that is a very ambitious target, but in order to make real changes to your annual sales, you have to think big.

Business experts at 7Connections have put together ‘theTwenty’ – a community of no more than 20 dental business owners striving to better themselves in every aspect, expand the services they provide and grow their potential profitability by a substantial margin. This opportunity is open to owners of dental practices, laboratories and supply companies, who will benefit in a number of ways.

With the support of all the 7Connections team, each member of theTwenty will have access to bespoke advice in the areas of staff training, ethical selling, patient experience and business marketing to name just a few. They will aim to produce some of the best business managers and treatment coordinators in the profession, as well as creating highly efficient and desirable working environments.

Regular online ad tele- meetings will be held to bring members together to share ideas and experiences on effective systems, marketing strategies and recruitment processes. This also gives members a chance to see how they are comparing to others in the group, while under the guidance of 7Connections.

In addition to receiving business support, members of theTwenty will also be able to form a purchasing group for cost-effective supplies, materials, training, compliance and facility management.

All in all, members of theTwenty can expect to develop a whole new way of looking at their business. Aiming for a £10 million business in five years may seem daunting, but by broadening ideas and taking a determined approach, it is by no means impossible.

With 10 spots still available for theTwenty, if you own a dental practice, laboratory or supply company and want to reach for the stars, contact 7Connections today and start the biggest journey of your professional life.

For more information about 7connections business coaching

please call 01647 478145 or email phillippa.goodwin@7connections.

The amount of complaints lodged by patients left unsatisfied with the healthcare service they received, has risen in recent years. For example, the GMC saw a 23 % increase in the number of complaints in 2011[i], and NHS Scotland has seen a rise of 13%[ii].

The dental industry is no different, and the Dental Complaints Service (DCS) in fact received 1887 complaints between May 2011 and April 2012 – resulting in an increase of 17 % since the previous year[iii]. Throughout 2012, 2278 complaints were received by the GDC with regards to professionals’ Fitness to Practise, which was a massive 44% increase from the year before[iv]. Approximately half of these cases went on to be investigated, with issues centring around ‘poor treatment’, ‘fraud and dishonesty, and ‘poor practice management’ [v].

While constant fluctuations are to be expected in such figures, this is a significant and quite worrying rise that may have an impact on the modern dental profession. Should these figures continue to increase at the same pace, practitioners may not only be tempted to practise elsewhere but potential students may also be put off a career in dentistry, in turn affecting the dental care available to the public.

There is no solid evidence to show the reasons behind this rise in complaints, but improved public awareness and accessibility to information will have played a huge role. Patient expectations are much higher than they once were, and without proper management of these expectations, modern society has developed somewhat of a ‘complaints culture’.

Until we understand more about the upwards trend in dental complaints however, it seems the best method of protecting yourself as a dental professional or as a whole practice, is to ensure all regulations are meticulously met.

As the GDC’s remit is ‘Protecting Patients and Regulating the Dental Team’, it would seem that robust contemporaneous note taking is absolutely paramount to make a water-tight defence in case of a negligence claim. And this means that you need an effective and convenient way of updating patient data and more specifically, documenting patient consent.

Technologies such as SafeSeen Touch are designed specifically for this reason, with protocols and treatment details already stored to aid patient communication. The tablet is compact and easily portable so it can be used throughout the practice for maximum accessibility. The device can also be used to record daily practice processes to demonstrate compliance to all CQC and GDC regulations.

Working as a modern dentist or dental care professional requires more than just good clinical skills. It is important that you and your whole team appreciate the importance of demonstrating your fitness to practise, as this can prove invaluable in the unfortunate event of a patient claim. This protection can only be achieved by following strict protocols and keeping fastidious records.

For more information, please visit www.safeseentouch.co.uk, or contact Chloe Booth on 07825 201657 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A dental laboratory website represents the single most cost-effective marketing strategy available today, providing far more substantial returns than printing brochures, placing adverts or using directories such as the Yellow Pages.

In 2005 Ross Liversidge and business partner Peter Smith set up their lab website www.precedental.co.uk with the help of Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’.

‘We set up our website just under 10 years ago now,’ says Ross. ‘At the time many of our competitors were setting up their own websites and so we wanted to “join the club” and see if we could get any business from it.

‘It’s a good tool. Any client who is thinking of using us, or changing to us from another lab will always look at our website first before they make contact. For us it’s not so much about generating new leads directly from our website alone – the dental lab business doesn’t really work like that. More it’s about making sure that when new clients do want to look for us, that we have a good professional website where they can see what we do and the services that we offer.’

For the modern dental laboratory, a website is far more than just an electronic ‘business card’, as a website will work for you around the clock, even when you’re not working yourself.

‘If you don’t have a website these days, then you really are missing a trick,’ continues Ross. ‘I really do believe it is something all labs should be doing these days as it can be a great way to showcase your work. On our own website for example we’ve included morphing “before and after” pictures, and we’ve also included some of our brochures as well as our referral forms for visitors to download.’

While establishing a professional, effective laboratory website is no easy task, it is not one you have to do on your own. Ross and Peter worked with Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ to create their website – a decision that meant they could focus their time on growing their business while they left the online marketing to the experts.

‘It was actually one of our clients who recommended Dental Focus ®. We looked at examples of their work and liked what we saw, so we got in touch with Krishan Joshi and his team and went from there,’ continues Ross. ‘Based on our initial ideas, they created a series of sample designs that they showed us, and we were then able to give feedback. They then listened to our suggestions and adjusted the design until we were completely happy. It was a very smooth process and both Peter and myself were very happy with the result.’

To get the most out of your online marketing efforts, it pays to trust the experts. By working with an experienced, established online marketing team, you can create a laboratory website that really works for your business. This website will be completely compliant with regulations set out by the GDC and ICO, and will be fully search engine optimised to help your business grow. 

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

Prestige Dental was proud to offer Roger Honey’s course on occlusion to dental technicians at Oral Ceramics in Worcestershire in September.

On the course, technicians received guidance on how to communicate effectively with dentists regarding various occlusion issues that they may encounter.

Working in pairs, delegates had the opportunity to take facebow registrations in order to mount their partner’s models onto a semi-adjustable Denar articulator using a centric bite. Further bite registrations were then taken (protrusive, left and right lateral) to enable each delegate to adjust the settings on the articulator to the correct angles.

Using these mounted models, delegates were taught to recognise the kinds of problems that are visible on the anterior teeth in relationship with the posterior teeth.

Course leader Roger Honey said: ‘Unlike dentists, technicians don’t necessarily have the ability to treat patients directly and gain experience using what they’ve learned on the course. Because of this, during the course they work using their partner’s models, so that once they’re back in the lab they still have something new to practise on.’

To register your interest in attending a future course or for further details, please call Prestige Dental on 01274 721 567or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CV

Roger Honey has over 40 years of experience as a dental technician. During his career Roger has furthered his education by attending courses at the Pankey Institute and, closer to home, has enjoyed a close working relationship with occlusal experts such as Roy Higson. Committed to sharing his knowledge with fellow dental professionals, Roger is now working with Prestige Dental to provide straightforward but enlightening occlusal education. 

Cfast is delighted to announce it won the Best Cosmetic Dentistry Product category at the celebrity-packed MyFaceMyBody Awards held in London on 2 November 2013.

UK-designed and -owned, Cfast (Cosmetically Focused Adult Straight Teeth) is a fast, minimally-invasive and discreet system that straightens the front six teeth in about six months.

With devices priced at only £199, cheaper than other short term orthodontic providers, Cfast makes a great smile affordable for more patients, as well as providing a new revenue stream for the practice.

Cfast offers a choice of removable and fixed appliances, so you are not restricted to just one system. It is also kinder to the patients’ occlusion than most other systems, and therefore more appropriate for general dental practice, while its unique retention protocol allows for predictable long-term results.

Speaking about the award, Gary Dickenson, Cfast’s CEO, commented: ‘We at Cfast are so proud to have won the Best Cosmetic Dentistry Product award. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us.

‘We have known all along that we have a fabulous orthodontic appliance, and are delighted this has been recognised by the industry and general public alike. We are now very excited to build on this success, and to continue to deliver fast, outstanding cosmetic results for patients at incredible value, as well as customer service that is second to none.’

The MyFaceMyBody Awards recognise and reward brands for their product innovation, effectiveness and popularity. Attended by leading health and beauty professionals, beauty brands, journalists, TV personalities and celebrities, it is an event not to be missed.

Stephen Handisides, creator of the Awards, said: ‘We were overjoyed that so many outstanding brands, companies and personalities took part. This meant competition was fierce and the judges really did agonise over their decisions. It was a struggle to create a shortlist for consumers to vote on.’

It was then over to the general public who, by choosing their favourites, put Cfast firmly in the spotlight on the night.

From left to right:

Dr Iain Morrison (Clinical mentor and lecturer), Rhian Tarling (Graphic designer), Gary Dickenson, CEO, Dr Nick Simon  (Clinical mentor and lecturer)

For further details on Cfast, please visit www.cfastresults.co.uk, call 0844 209 7035 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

The Pointer uses a straightforward indicator system that enables the dentist to locate the exact position of the implant quickly and easily – with no need to raise a flap. When swept over the patient’s gum during second-stage surgery, The Pointer uses a green light to indicate an implant’s position. If The Pointer is moved just a fraction away from the implant in any direction the light turns off.  Once located, simply use a tissue punch or, to save tissue, perform a cross incision to gain access.

The Pointer also enables the dentist to administer a reduced dose of anaesthetic, treatment time is halved, there is no need to suture the gum, and the possibility of post-treatment complications is considerably reduced.

‘The Pointer is like a metal detector which shows you exactly where the implant is. It is very useful in cases where the implant is buried, especially where the patient is wearing dentures during the healing process,’ says Graham Browning, Director and Principal Dentist at South Coast Dental Specialists in Wimbourne in Dorset.

The Pointer is available in the UK from Prestige Dental. For more information, please call 01274 721 567or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

An autoclave should be viewed as if it were a working motor vehicle when making the decision which one to purchase. After all it is now an integral part of the everyday running of a dental practice.

When choosing a motor car or van one considers the marque, the standing in the market place, the residual future value, the running costs, the reliability, the service costs, availability of spare parts, the back-up, and how it is to drive.

If we take the engine and transmission of a motor vehicle the equivalent for this on an autoclave is the steam generator and the vacuum pump (B and S type to ISO En13060). The steam generator on the majority of autoclaves is simply two plates with water channels and a heating rod, sealed by a series of o rings and heat resistant rubber seals. In days gone by motor engines were susceptible to choking up with carbon deposits, causing major and expensive problems. Steam generators clog up because of the build-up of mineral deposits and foreign particles which block the channels and cause back pressure on the vacuum pump and valves (3 in a vacuum autoclave), which inevitably leads to the machine to fail. The steam generator is not usually part of an annual service so the potential problems can go undetected. The problems can be minimised by servicing, such as air filters and water filters being changed annually, however calcium can by-pass these filters creating a baked calcium effect on the plates due to high temperatures.

In summary the most common design of steam generators are susceptible to failure due to a small amount of debris, excess minerals etc. easily getting trapped in the water /steam channels. These foreign particles become baked on by the high temperatures generated by the heating rods in the steam generator. An everyday example of this can be seen by looking at a domestic iron that furs up through the steam ports.

When the steam generator fails it is a sign that it has started a chain reaction with the inline valves and expensive vacuum pump. To remedy the steam generator problem, the engineer has to attend site and spend hours removing it, splitting it, cleaning it (sometimes the deposits are that baked on they cannot be removed), change the seals and o rings, and re assemble it. The engineer will have to then check the valves and vacuum pump causing a lot of work which could have been easily avoided. If one has this type steam generator then the policing of what enters it is crucial. This breakdown is a worldwide problem and so the industry had to come up with a better design.

Well the industry has-say hello to the Mocom Futura and Classic range.

The new patented steam generator has moved away from plates and introduced a serviceable cylindrical design, which is easy to clean and is an engineering masterpiece.
Just to make sure this is probably the most reliable vacuum autoclave on the market they have put the three valves together on a manifold for ease of servicing, and long term reliability.
The vacuum autoclave is now much, much more reliable saving time, money and creating durability.

Dental Decontamination Limited is proud to produce and be the only UK supplier of the Mocom Futura and Classic range, and they are now available to order by phone or by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please save yourself precious time and expense and put yourself ahead of the game. Contact us now.

Phone:- 01253 736355

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

Web:- www.dentaldecontamination.net/

Twitter:- @DENTALDECON

Patient consent is a fundamental principle of quality dental care, and it permeates all areas of treatment. Valid consent must of course be voluntary and patients must have the capacity to freely make their decision.

They must also be informed and have a thorough understanding of their dental situation and any proposed treatment. This requirement is the subject of much discussion and debate within the profession, particularly as it can be a highly subjective issue, and on a day–to-day basis is exceedingly time consuming. As a result, the patient’s right to self-determination is at the root of many problems in dental and medical ethics. Consent, or the lack of it, has become an increasingly common problem in negligence litigation, and ‘Fitness to Practise’ cases.

Indeed, the recent changes to the GDC’s Standards for Dental Professionals stands to highlight the importance of acquiring patient consent, and the process through which this should be done. An increased emphasis has been put on improving patient understanding, and documenting any conversations had with the patient about dental conditions and potential treatments.

While the concept of informed patient consent is, and always has been, an important issue in the dental profession, it often presents somewhat of a ‘grey’ area. After all, how much is enough information? And does the concept of ‘consent’ actually exist? A patient can withdraw their consent at any time during the treatment, so is consent absolute once acquired, or is it up to the dentist to demonstrate via robust note-taking? Not only does the practitioner need to inform the patient and provide proof that they did so, they then need to acquire consent with a signature based on the information delivered, to demonstrate the patient’s consent to proceed.

The most effective way to start on the road to acquiring consent is to provide a thorough outline, in a manner in which the patient can understand – an explanation of what the problem is, what treatment options are available, what the proposed treatment entails, and of course the main benefits and risks associated with the procedure(s).

Written treatment plans are paramount to the consent procedure, as is an engagement with the patient at every juncture and at every level. Tools such as animations of proposed treatments are extremely helpful, as are patient information leaflets. Inviting questions from the patient is crucial, and the fact that these questions have been asked and responded to are paramount.

In the rare (and worrying!) event that a patient requests no information, or fails to engage with their treatment plan, it is important to highlight that consent is an on-going process and that details are available to them at any time.

And following research with safeguarding professionals, it is recommended that if a patient fails to engage with a treatment plan, or give an indication to the dentist that there are any elements to their treatment that they fail to understand, that the dentist should, under no circumstances, commence treatment.

Such a situation should also be recorded accurately to show exactly what was said in order to protect the professional against potential complaints at a later date. Essentially, it is crucial that no assumptions are made and that the patient clearly understands their position.

Pricing is another area that can affect the integrity of consent, and so all possible treatment costs should be covered in detail before any procedures begin.

When treating children or patients who are unable to provide consent for themselves, the appropriate guardian or carer should be informed about treatment instead.

It is also important to record why one particular treatment was recommended over any other, making contemporaneous notes about the individual circumstances for the patient, and how this was communicated to them. 

Once all this is covered, it then becomes important to ensure accurate records are kept of every discussion. These documents should demonstrate how treatment was explained, what information was given and the indications that the patient gave to the dentist to show that they fully understood the proposed treatment plan. It is also crucial to note that consent does not just apply at a higher level of treatment planning, and the patient is required to consent every single time that the dentist lays hands on them!

Documenting thoroughly that the patient was happy to be treated at each appointment is absolutely paramount.

Despite the many uncertainties regarding this area of dentistry, it is obviously crucial that informed consent is sought for all treatment. Failure to do so can lead to severe consequences for the professional, which can be detrimental to their career.

Any patient who undergoes treatment without feeling adequately informed, has the right to make a formal complaint against their practitioner. In most cases these are claims of negligence, and if they reach the GDC they often come under the ‘Fitness to Practise’ bracket.

With a 44% increase in the number of such cases brought to the attention of the GDC in the last year, it has never been so important to ensure informed consent from each and every patient.

This is where innovations such as the SafeSeen Touch are invaluable – designed specifically to ensure practices are compliant and empowered to seek full, informed patient consent, the device offers a complete compliance suite. As a compact and portable tablet, it can be used to not only provide patients with information about treatments and aid communication, but also to record consent through convenient eSignatures.

Dr Ian Hunt, Clinical and Managing Director of Maple Dental Care Ltd says:

“Indeed the GDC directives make it important to get consent and a new medical history each time we meet a patient. It is one area where we generate a lot of paperwork, so I feel the device will enable our patients to check their own details, change anything that needs updating and then sign it there and then.”

No matter how long you have been working in the dental industry, what you specialise in or how many patients you see, it is crucial that you acquire the correct patient consent every single time. Modern technologies such as the SafeSeen Touch are available to help make your life easier, so can go back to doing what you do best, and focusing on your patients.

For more information, please contact Chloe Booth on 07825 201657 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

“Dental nursing is a great profession where you can do something fulfilling and worthwhile, and it’s also a career that you can build on at the same time,” says Joanne Whiteoak, a newly qualified dental nurse who has just graduated from the Genix Healthcare Apprenticeship Program.

The £250,000 project was first launched in 2011, and through the program Genix Healthcare aims to provide aspiring dental professionals with high-quality training and opportunity for employment.

For Joanne, the prospects she’s received from Genix Healthcare are invaluable, with many avenues for growth in the dental nursing profession. “There are so many different qualifications you can add on, and so many routes you can go down – you can go on to become a practice manager, for example, or a dental hygienist or therapist,” Joanne says. “Dental nursing is definitely a good start for someone who’s interested in learning and working their way up.”

Genix Healthcare plans for the apprenticeship scheme to be ongoing, with recruitment for more apprentices happening soon.

Just recently, the company also sponsored the Yorkshire and the Humber regional heat of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2013, further showing Genix Healthcare’s support for young professionals nationwide.

For additional information please call 0845 838 1122, or email

There has never been a better time to work within the dental profession. Thanks to the latest advances in tools, materials and clinical techniques, dental professionals are now able to provide a standard of dentistry unlike ever before. From the latest composite filling materials, to dental implants and short-term orthodontics, the dental profession has a great deal to offer patients and professionals alike, with the chance to create beautiful, natural-looking smiles that make a real and lasting impact on the quality of patients’ lives.

Dental conferences

One of the best ways to help you keep on top of the latest developments within dentistry is to attend the major dental conferences held throughout the year. Conferences can be a fantastic way to sample different lecturers and get a sense of where dentistry is at today. Furthermore, many conferences will also feature an exhibition element where you can talk to representatives from the major suppliers and manufacturers and see for yourself the materials and products that are now available.

As a busy dental professional it can be all too easy to become trapped in your practice ‘bubble’. However, dental conferences represent a great opportunity to escape this bubble and get a taste for what’s out there and the sorts of things that are now on offer. Whether you are a recent graduate, or you’ve been working in the profession for many years, conferences can be an excellent way to get out there, challenge your expectations and ultimately ‘raise the bar’. Not only that but you will also find conferences are a great way to network, to meet new people and maybe even make a few new friends!

Join a society

Another excellent way to help you keep on top of it all is to join a society or dental academy. No matter what your special area of interest there is an organisation out there for you – whether you are interested in endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics or even cosmetic dentistry! Indeed, the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) is one of the most active and vibrant organisations in UK dentistry, with members of all experience levels and backgrounds in dentistry. By joining an academy such as the BACD you can be sure to stay up to date with all the latest developments within the profession, while also gaining access to high quality education and social events.

Mentorship

Beyond conferences and societies, another fantastic way to help you stay ahead of the game is to consider finding yourself a mentor, or even mentors. This doesn’t have to be any sort of formal arrangement – nor does it have to be limited to just a single colleague. In fact it can help to find mentors in a range of different fields to give you a fresh perspective on dentistry and to help you develop your skills. Again, you may find that organisations such as the BACD and others can be a fantastic resource to find mentors, or even just local colleagues with whom you can meet and share ideas.

Dentistry today is a wonderful profession with so many opportunities on offer for you to learn and grow within your career. The opportunities are out there, but as with so many things in life, the secret is knowing where to look.

For further information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit www.bacd.com

For many years now, Nobel Biocare has led the way in the field of dental CAD/CAM technology with its market leading system NobelProcera®. Ever since the launch of the first Procera system in 1983, Nobel Biocare has constantly pushed the boundaries in terms of materials, products, services and support. Now, with NobelProcera 2G, the company has taken another major step forward, with the launch of the brand-new NobelProcera 2G Scanner and Software to deliver an unrivalled cutting-edge CAD/CAM package.

Ease of use in every detail

The NobelProcera 2G Scanner features a number of key developments designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the scanning process. The new automated Smart Motorised Holder takes complete care of the scanning stage, allowing you to focus on the tasks that add the most value to your lab business. As the scanning process takes place, the holder continuously and automatically repositions the model to obtain optimum scan data, without the need for human interaction. This means you can trust the NobelProcera 2G System to produce the same outstanding results, time and time again, while you can allocate your time to other tasks.

Improve lab efficiency

By taking feedback from existing NobelProcera users, Nobel Biocare has expanded the successful NobelProcera platform, to make even simpler workflows, while also providing new options for the scanning of occluded and un-sectioned models. This makes the whole scanning and design process simpler and more efficient, allowing you to do more, in less time. With the new NobelProcera 2G, you can process the largest and most complex cases with ease, thanks to the combination of unique conoscopic scanning technology and the latest software updates.

Designed with the future in mind

Nobel Biocare is a company renowned for its innovation and commitment to creating cutting-edge dental solutions. As such the new NobelProcera 2G isn’t just designed with today’s challenges in mind – but tomorrow’s challenges as well. Due for launch in 2014, Nobel Biocare’s integrated digital treatment workflow* will mean that as a NobelProcera 2G owner, you will be equipped to offer additional services to your treatment partners. The new integrated workflow will mean that you can collaborate with clinicians diagnosing and planning implant surgeries via the NobelClinician™ Software so you can be involved with treatment plans before decisions are made. This innovative system will provide better implant diagnostics, reducing prosthetic challenges after implant placement to ensure the best possible treatment outcomes.

Guaranteed quality

Once the scanning and design stages have been completed, the final stage is NobelProcera Production. Here your design will be precision engineered in a state of the art production facility with a fast turnaround and prompt delivery back to you. For your complete peace of mind, all NobelProcera frameworks and copings are covered against breakage and/or defect by Nobel Biocare’s comprehensive 5-year warranty.

Nobel Biocare has been at the forefront of CAD/CAM technology for almost 30 years. NobelProcera 2G represents the very pinnacle of what can be achieved today, combining high quality automated scanning with intuitive software and state of the art production facilities for consistently high quality results. To find out how you can grow your lab business with the NobelProcera 2G System, contact Nobel Biocare today.

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

* Available for partially edentulous patients in 2014.

Whether private or NHS, the key to keeping a practice busy is to ensure that its patients are always satisfied with the service that they receive. It’s an obvious statement, but despite this it is all too often overlooked: too many practices don’t realise that this doesn’t just relate to the clinical service they provide, but the overall experience of visiting the practice.

Though all practice staff will seek to make the patient’s time at the practice as enjoyable as possible from the moment that they enter the front door, it must be remembered that this isn’t where the patient’s experience began. For them, it starts outside of the practice, the very moment that they decide to book an appointment.

With this in mind, all practices should be making a concentrated effort to make sure that from this point onwards the patient’s interactions with the practice are both easy and enjoyable. Too many patients have to go through the gruelling inconvenience of constantly calling a practice, only to find that the line is engaged: this is annoying for any caller, regardless of whether or not they are suffering from dental pain. The practice has to make sure that they are always available when a prospective patient wants to get in contact with them.

The problem gets worse, outside of practice opening hours, there is virtually no way for a patient to get in contact with their practice to book an appointment. This is especially inconvenient as dental pain becomes more noticeable through the night. This is because not as much blood is pumped around the body due to a drop in heart rate when asleep, making the body more sensitive to pain. Many who have suffered from toothache know the feeling of waking up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain, unable to do anything about it other than wait until 9am to start ringing around practices in the hope of finding an available appointment. After a sleepless night the last thing that they want to hear is an engaged phone line.

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The introduction of online booking services is making it much easier for patients to find and book an appointment with a local dentist when they need it the most. Being able to book with a practice online means that the service is available 24/7, so if someone awakes at 3am in intense pain, they can log on to their computer immediately and book themselves an appointment for the same day. Knowing that they have an appointment booked may even help them to get some sleep!

There are a few of these services beginning to appear, such as Zesty who is now working with NHS Choices to make it even easier for patients to book a dental appointment. Practices who join Zesty are now able to directly link visitors to their profile from their NHS Choices page, not only does this make it easier for a potential patient to find and book an appointment with a dentist, it also gives the practice more exposure.

The benefits of a service such as this are numerous, for both the practice and the patient. It creates a greater online presence for the practice, giving them a chance to convey its own approach to dentistry, the treatments that it provides and is a simple way of getting its name more widely recognised. By introducing an online booking service, practices will have a wider reach when finding new patients and also be able to make sure that patients, both new and existing, are always able to book a dental appointment when they need it the most.

Making the process of booking an appointment easier for the patient drastically improves the quality of a practice’s customer service. This is especially important: providing a higher level of customer service than a competitor can be the deciding factor for a potential patient who is looking to choose the practice that is right for them.

The impact that the internet is now having upon the dental industry is undeniable, with most practices now having their own website, the industry’s migration online has been truly remarkable. The collaboration between Zesty and NHS Choices marks a new direction for this online revolution. Making NHS dentistry available simply and quickly to all will have a huge impact upon the dental industry. It allows patients to book with an NHS dentist at their convenience, making painful mornings trying to book an appointment a thing of the past.

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

Dr Riaz Yar and Dr Craig Barclay worked with Clark Dental to create The Square Advanced Dental Care – a dedicated specialist referral centre in Hale Barns.

Dr Yar says:

“The whole design process went very smoothly indeed. Clark Dental created some initial plans that were presented to us on 3D computer design software that really gave us a good feel for how everything would look. We were then able to provide feedback and make changes until we came up with something we were all really very happy with.

“Throughout the whole project Clark Dental’s Managing Director Richard Beal acted as our project manager, and really took a lot of stress out of the whole process. This meant my business partner Dr Craig Barclay and myself could focus our time more effectively and oversee things rather than getting ourselves caught up in every single detail. Clark Dental supplied and fitted everything in the practice from the dental units to the X-Ray equipment, and were also responsible for bringing in and managing sub-contractors as required. They literally dealt with everything and took a great burden off our shoulders. I highly recommend them!”

For more information contact Clark Dental on 01270 613750,
email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clarkdentalsurgerydesign.co.uk

Amongst the internationally renowned speakers at this year’s BSDHT Oral Health Conference will be Deborah Lyle, presenting on topics that support this year’s theme ‘looking beyond the obvious.’

Deborah will deliver a lecture on each day of the conference, first looking at the societal and social impact of an ageing population.

With a huge evidence-base now showing links between oral and systemic health, Deborah will discuss how physical limitations may affect elderly patients’ ability to look after themselves, and what oral adjuncts may help them avoid oral problems.

On the second day of the Conference, Deborah will explore the 21^st Century challenges of child and adolescent health, considering the effects of diabetes, obesity and smoking on young people. She will also look at the emerging links between HPV and oral cancer and evaluate the methods available to reduce caries and gingivitis in young patients.

Make sure you are up-to-date with Deborah Lyle at the BSDHT Oral Health Conference 2013.

For more information on the solutions available from Waterpik®, please speak to your wholesaler or visit www.waterpik.co.uk. 

The NobelReplace® Conical Connection implant system offers proven stability and outstanding aesthetics. Dr Ian Kelly says:

“NobelReplace is an excellent implant system. It is simple and easy to use, and we are able to achieve good primary stability. With the Conical Connection option we have the potential for improved gingival aesthetics and the long-term stability of marginal bone levels. The result is enhanced soft tissue management, and a healthy implant site.”

Nobel Biocare is a world leader in innovative restorative and aesthetic solutions, providing dental professionals with state-of-the-art evidence-based solutions for all indications. The NobelReplace system is the original tapered implant, and mimics the shape of a natural tooth root for high initial stability, making it ideal for immediate function. NobelReplace Conical Connection also feature Nobel Biocare’s unique oxidized TiUnite surface with patented grooves, which increases implant stability through faster bone formation and increases long-term success.

As Dr Ian Kelly concludes: “The system is highly recommended.”

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

The 2^nd International Zeiss Dental Symposium 2013 proved to be a great success, with two-days of fascinating and exclusive lectures delivered by world-class speakers and a series of educational workshops.

Dental professionals from around the world attended the event, which was held at Hotel Russell in Bloomsbury from 4th – 5th October. The aim of the event was to introduce delegates to the latest microdentistry and magnification techniques, broadening their clinical knowledge and enabling them to share their experiences with and to seek advice from expert dental professionals.

Renowned lecturers from across the world took to the stage on Friday to enlighten delegates on the ways microscopes can be used to enhance different areas of work ranging from endodontics to periodontics. The day began with a motivating lecture delivered by Professor Ivo Krejci, Ordinary Professor and Chairman of the Division of Cariology and Endodontology and President of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Geneva. His lecture ‘The Geneva Concept of Surgical Microscopes In Dentistry’ informed delegates that the microscope has transformed the way his team work and his dental students are growing up with the technology. He told delegates that it’s time to bring optical magnification into modern dentistry to treat the symptoms of transmissible infectious and incurable diseases and the next logical step is to introduce the microscope into general dentistry. He concluded that surgical microscopes are vital to achieve a high quality treatment in the field of cariology and endodontology.

The morning session finished with lectures by Dr Rino Burkhardt, who presented ‘Minimally Invasive Periodontal Surgery and Its Effect on Wound Healing’ and Dr Domenico Massironi, who spoke on ‘Microscope: 25 Years In Practice’, which looked at the impact the microscope has had on dentistry.

Dr Gilberto Debelian, began the afternoon session with his lecture ‘The Use of Surgical Microscopes in Endodontics’. Dr Tony Druttman, followed with his lecture ‘Endodontic Retreatment Techniques’, which was ensued by Dr Tomas Lang, who presented a series of case reports using footage from his own clinical work.

Each of the speakers’ lectures delved into the numerous ways dental microscopes can be used to enhance all aspects of dentistry to deliver improved clinical and treatment results. They used detailed images and footage from cases they found in their own clinical work to highlight and express the key points of their lectures.

The day concluded with a lecture by Dr Oscar von Stetten, a specialist endodontist with 14 years’ experience working with microscopes. His lecture ‘Digital Documentation’ provided delegates with an insight into the latest advice on how best to utilise a dental microscope for documenting work, which the images could then be used for teaching purposes, referral and patient communications. He informed delegates that taking images with a dental microscope has nothing in common with normal photography and should be viewed in a completely different light. He detailed some of the advantages of using a microscope to document work, which included ease of use, a live feed and the ability to take both stills and videos. He provided tips on how to use the microscope to its full advantage with good stabilisation and a perfectly balanced microscope.

Between lectures delegates were able to browse the trade exhibition to sample the latest products and seek advice from industry experts. Delegates were able to experience using Carl Zeiss microscopes in the company of knowledgeable professionals who were on hand to provide assistance and answer any questions.

The educational workshops on Saturday at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute's CPD department, provided delegates with a chance to discover how advanced magnification can improve their clinical work. Upon request, delegates were also able to receive one-on-one microscope training with an expert. Highlights of the day included Dr Gilberto Debelian delivering a hands-on experience, demonstrating how to use a surgical microscope in endodontics and Dr Massimo Mazza showing how a microscope can be used to enhance regenerative implant surgery.

Dr Jeremy Thompson of Antley Villa Dental Practice in Accrington found the two-day event extremely constructive. He said, “I found the lecture programme very useful and highly informative. The whole weekend was very well organised and the literature that was sent out beforehand was great.

“I attended because I don’t want a very expensive piece of equipment hanging on the wall and not know how to use it. I thought by seeing how others use it, it would allow me to realise the microscope’s full potential. Attending the workshops and training sessions was really fascinating. Having a guide show me how to use the microscope effectively was really revealing and helped me immensely. The symposium was a great chance to speak one on one with experts in an intimate venue. I’m really glad I came and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to buy a Carl Zeiss microscope or wants to learn more about how to use theirs effectively.”

All in all delegates enjoyed an insightful two-days of lectures, workshops and one-on-one training sessions, encapsulating the very best in cutting-edge technology with high quality education.

For more information please call Nuview on 01453 872266,

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

United Smile Centres has launched a unique marketing cooperative designed to promote dental implants and dental treatment in the UK. This new initiative will give members the chance to take advantage of the huge cost saving that can be enjoyed by sharing marketing on a national level.

Drawing on extensive experience gained in the North American market, the new marketing cooperative will place a strong emphasis on ‘same day implant solutions’ and will target those patients who may be searching for a solution to their missing or failing teeth.

By harnessing the power of combined marketing on a national scale, the project aims to boost patient awareness through adequate market saturation. All patient enquiries will then be processed at a centralised call centre, where patients will have their needs assessed before being allocated to a local practice.

United Smile Centres’ marketing cooperative represents a true revolution in dental marketing in the UK. Nothing of this scale or focus has ever been seen in the UK before, and the scheme represents a huge opportunity for implant practices keen to take part.

For more information call Philip Oag on 020 7255 0931, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The 22^nd annual meeting of the European Association of Osseointegration (EAO) was recently held in Dublin, Ireland. Delegates were keen to find out more about Nobel Biocare’s three new solutions designed to improve treatment outcomes and boost productivity.

• The new NobelProcera® 2G system represents the cutting edge of CAD/CAM technology. Building on the success of the original NobelProcera, the new 2G system reduces scanning time by up to 50% and offers unrivalled prosthetic solutions from single copings to advanced full-arch implant cases.

• The industry-leading customised abutments from NobelProcera are now available for users of the 3Shape Dental System. After integrating with NobelProcera, 3Shape users can produce high-quality NobelProcera Abutments in zirconia and titanium for both Nobel Biocare and other major implant systems.

• Nobel Biocare has also established a new connection between NobelClinician™ software and OsseoCare™ Pro. This new connection, which will also be an important part of the upcoming digital treatment workflow, allows the transfer of the digital planning treatment file from NobelClinician directly into the intelligent OsseoCare Pro drill unit for free-hand surgeries or guided surgery options.

To find out more about any of these innovative new solutions, contact Nobel Biocare today.

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

Helen Wigglesworth is Co-Owner and Group Financial Director of Quadralene, the parent company of Dentisan, leading UK manufacturer of infection control products and the company is delighted to announce that Helen was recently shortlisted for the Vitalise ‘Business Woman of the Year 2013 Award’.

The Vitalise Awards are sponsored by a number of large businesses including Lloyds Bank, British Airways and the Hilton group and celebrate women’s achievement within industry. Helen made the final shortlist of seven candidates, who were then subject to a rigorous interview by a panel of six judges, chaired by Lord Digby Jones, former Director General of the CBI. The winner was announced at an awards luncheon, held in Birmingham in October and hosted by the inspirational Dame Kelly Holmes.

Helen’s nomination for the Vitalise Awards was made by a Regional Director of the CBI, and came as a complete surprise to her: “I am very proud to have been in the company of some outstanding candidates, during what has been a very interesting and worthwhile journey. As a business we have come a long way since we expanded into the healthcare market six years ago and thanks to our ability to intelligently work our way through a number of challenges our team has achieved a great deal.”

Helen is a great exponent of the company ethos of ‘business for the common good’ and is heavily involved with a number of charitable causes, including helping education in Pakistan; micro-finance in Sierra Leone; a community bus project and community transformation in Romania.

At the recent BDTA Showcase, we had some great meetings with potential advertisers. The GDPUK Team really enjoyed exhibiting at the show, it was a great experience, something we would like to repeat.

Last week, I sent a number of follow up emails after the Show and made phone calls. By the end of the busy week, I started thinking about why companies from the dental trade should advertise with GDPUK and why we should be part of their marketing plan. I have to admit, it is not a question I have thought enough about but over the weekend, I got my thinking cap on.

So this weekend, after my feet and body had recovered from Showcase, I started to think about the question in the subject line, below are 8 reasons that GDPUK can be used as an effective marketing tool, please feel free to add to them and hopefully we can get a feel for what we are doing well or not offering enough of! All feedback would be appreciated!

1.    We have thousands of members using the site every day – GDPUK is the largest online community of dentists in the UK. Dentists proactively look for information on GDPUK to inform their decisions.

2.    Target Audience – If you want Dentists as customers, we can prove that your target audience is using the GDPUK site every day

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

4.    Word of Mouth. The UK’s most influential dentists will talk about your brand on the forum – Create the right message on GDPUK and this will spread to other social media sites, creating improved awareness and recognition of your brand.

5.    Benefit from our knowledge of the Dental Profession – We’ve been around for over 15 years, we understand how dentists think and react, this means we are well placed to support you with your aims and we can share our insight into the dental profession.

6.    Marketing on the site can be done in a number of ways; introduce a new product, improve brand awareness, special "GDPUK" offers, data collection, sample requests, focus groups

7.    Accountability. We give our partners, a full report on the number of clicks received every week, plus the number of impressions the ad receives. This is an effective way to see how the ad performs.

8.    Adaptability. Unlike in the printed media, ads can be changed; partners can experiment with a number of messages over the period they have booked.

No matter what business or industry you’re in, if you deal with Dentists, then GDPUK has to be part of your marketing plan. Social Media is now part of the dental landscape and it’s important that you can get your message across and be part of the discussion.

By reading this, we hope you now get a better understanding of how we can help with your marketing plans, if you would like to know more, please get in This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Jonny on 07786571547. 

NEW Advanced Defence Gum Treatment cuts gingival bleeding by 50.9% (p<0.001) in just 4 weeks when used after brushing¹.

Johnson & Johnson is pleased to announce the launch of Advanced Defence Gum Treatment, the newest mouthwash in a range that addresses specific oral care conditions.

Plaque is the major cause of gum disease^2,3. Used as an adjunct to mechanical cleaning, Advanced Defence Gum Treatment helps to treat gum disease, as it is formulated with LAE (Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate) technology, which forms a physical coating on the pellicle to prevent bacteria from accessing and attaching to the pellicle proteins, interrupting plaque biofilm formation and maturation¹.

An alternative to chlorhexidine-based remedies, this twice-daily mouthwash is clinically proven to treat gum disease as an adjunct to mechanical cleaning. It has been shown to significantly reduce gum disease at 2 weeks (p<0.001) and cut gingival bleeding by 50.9% (p<0.001) in just 4 weeks¹.  

In addition, Advanced Defence Gum Treatment is designed not to cause staining⁴ and has a crisp mint taste.

The arrival of Advanced Defence Gum Treatment mouthwash strengthens the Advanced Defence range from Johnson & Johnson Limited, which includes Advanced Defence Sensitive and Advanced Defence Cavity Guard.

For more information on LISTERINE® Advanced Defence Gum Treatment, please contact Johnson & Johnson Limited on 0800 328 0750 or visit http://listerine.co.uk/products/advanced-defence-gum.

ENDS  

References:

1. Bleeding Index Reduction DOF 1 - 2013 (LAEBBA0001)

2. The pathogenesis of human periodontitis: an introduction. Page RC, Kornman KS. Periodontology 2000 1997; 14: 9-11.

3. http://periobasics.com/?p=1022. Accessed 26 September 2013

4. DOF 2 - 2013 (UNKPLT0006)

UK/LI/13-2141

So.. its all over. That’s it for another year.  

Farewell BDTA Showcase ....   Sadly true

Farewell BDA problems. ....   Sadly untrue

I find myself intrigued by the numbers. About 4000 dentists attend, and about 14000 ‘others’. It seems there is a massive networking opportunity here, and perfectly positioned at the centre of the country, and yet barely 20% of owner dentists attend. I wonder what would make it a “MUST” – maybe a GDC standard?

To those of you who did indeed support our industry, well done.  Your investment in the future of good dentistry, at your risk, using your money [well maybe with a little help from a finance company] speaks volumes for the ethics of dentists.  If you did not make that purchase decision, perhaps you were put off by a pushy salesman who reckoned he or she knew it all?

When the new Government contract comes around, you will be fully IT’d up … won’t you?  Do it now, build your IT Ark  BEFORE the storm.

It was also of course an opportunity for some big organisations to get down and dirty. 

The GDC stand saw a steady  passing of interested people, many of them DCPs …  I wonder if like me you feel nervous going up to them – should you be anonymous just in case?  Can they really call you to account for just ‘having a go’ at the stand? I sincerely hope not.

GDPUK of course ‘trailblazingly’ set the standard for shiny shoes - but I never did find an answer to how to get shiny white crocs in the surgery!  It was THE place to meet and chat though.  If there was a centre to the Showcase, the GDPUK stand was it.  Just like it’s the centre of open opinion now. And if you have one, about anything, please come online and jot it down.

Talking of pushy salesmen, the BDA missed a trick in Birmingham, choosing instead to simply whip up a bit of spin with their racket by issuing yet another “All part of the grand plan” statement, care of the Chief Executive and PEC Chairman.  Good on you, lads.

Dodgy salesmen eh? You can smell that reptilian oil from a mile off.

With thanks to Matt at The Telegraph for the image. The original may be found at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/?cartoon=10371411&cc=10345727

Delegates impressed by Nuview’s innovative products at BDTA Dental Showcase 2013

Delegates at this year’s BDTA Dental Showcase were impressed by the innovative products displayed by Nuview. Visitors had the chance to experience the superior quality of advanced visualisation systems such as the Carl Zeiss OPMI Pico and Pro Ergo dental operating microscopes.

The name Carl Zeiss is known across the world for its high quality products. Its range of microscopes and loupes offer the highest precision, which vastly improves clinical results in all areas, not just endodontics. The OPMI Pico microscope has been ergonomically, ensuring clinicians can work with a healthy posture.

Also showcased at the event was Nuview’s range of Continu infection control solutions. Continu is a fully HTM01-05 compliant water based solution that achieves a 99.999% reduction of harmful microorganisms in under 30 seconds. The range includes surface disinfectants, instrument and equipment cleaners, as well as hand cleaning solutions.

Carl Zeiss microscopes and loupes are sold exclusively in the UK by Nuview.

For more information please call Nuview on 01453 872266, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.nuview.co

Toothpick.com has recently been announced as one of this year’s entries in the Smarta Top 100 Business Awards. Launched in November 2012, the company has been acknowledged within the Top 10 ‘Most Innovative Businesses’ category.

In partnership with O2, The Smarta 100 Awards (http://www.smarta.com) aims to celebrate innovation and finds the best 100 businesses in the UK. This year’s entrepreneur judges of the Top 100 include Ben Dowd (Business Director, O2), Holly Tucket MBE (Co-Founder and CEO, Notonthehighstreet.com) and Piers Linney (Dragons’ Den and CEO, Outsourcery).

As the only dental-focused business to be included within this category, Toothpick.com has been recognised for strongly supporting the growth of dental practices within the UK with an aim to provide transparent access to patients with a live online booking system.

All the winners of Smarta 100 have been invited to the awards ceremony, taking place in central London mid-November. The overall Business of the Year and winner of the £10,000 grand prize will be announced on the night alongside the winners of each category.

To put online dental appointment booking on the map place your vote here http://www.smarta.com/smarta100/2013/toothpick/

For more information about Toothpick visit www.toothpick.com/get-listed, call 020 77681851 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Facebook: /ToothpickDental

Twitter: @toothpick

The team at JETPIK is excited to announce its brand new Smart Floss unit will be on show at the BSDHT’s Oral Health Conference & Exhibition on 15 and 16 November at ICC in Birmingham.

As a special deal for BSDHT delegates, JETPIK is being offered at a 50% discount throughout the event.

Offering an unbeatable cleaning action that pulsates 20 times per second to tackle stubborn areas, laboratory tests show that JETPIK Smart Floss is twice as effective at removing plaque biofilm from human teeth as a high pressure water irrigator.

The ‘Go-with-Water’ design of JETPIK combines the essential power of floss with clinically proven water and air irrigation to allow floss to reach all areas of the mouth, even below the gum line and between teeth.

JETPIK Smart Floss improves overall oral health and assists in combating gum disease. In addition, for patients who wear braces, JETPIK offers the ideal oral hygiene solution.

JETPIK was launched in the UK last month at Dental Showcase, where the team on the stand was kept busy demonstrating its benefits.

Commenting on the launch, Richard Van Peebles, JETPIK’s Business Development Manager, said: ‘We were delighted by the turnout, and we’d like to thank everyone who visited us. Next on the agenda is the BSDHT event, where we’re very much looking forward to showing delegates why JETPIK is so special.’

To see JETPIK in action for yourself, please visit their stand.

For further information, please visit www.jetpik.co.uk or call 01268 544588.

Raise Money at the Ice White Charity Xmas Party!

The Ice White Charity Xmas Party is back! Bigger and better for 2013, Dr Nilesh R. Parmar invites you all to jump on board HMS President, permanently moored along London's Embankment, on Sat 14th December 2013 and help raise money for this year’s charity - Operation Christmas Child (OCC).

Following the success of last year’s inaugural?event, which saw hundreds gather to?celebrate the start of the festive season and raise money for charity, Nilesh is excited to see the return of the Ice White Party. This year you can expect all of the same entertainment plus much more, as Ice White promises plenty of champagne to sip, live entertainment and the return of the raffle, where guests can win some fantastic generously donated prizes. Plus, there’s an after party ‘til 4am at Carriage 34, a new members club near Waterloo.

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. Despite the abundance of shoeboxes sent to OCC each year, the shipping donation of £3 is often forgotten. Nilesh commented, “All funds raised at the Ice White Charity Xmas Party will go towards shipping costs. So if we raise £3,000, that’s 1000 shoeboxes we can help send to children in more than 150 countries and help them experience the true joy of Christmas.”

Kindly sponsored by Digimax, Manan Ltd, NSK, Enlighten, Quick Straight Teeth, Navigation Wealth Management, Bredent, The Riverbanks Clinic and Genuine Solutions Group, tickets to this exclusive event are £10. Don’t miss out... reserve your space on the Facebook event page or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and don’t forget to wear white (or silver)!

Donations are greatly appreciated and can be made on the night or via the Just Giving website https://www.justgiving.com/icewhitexmasparty2013

A quantum leap in curing light technology

Kerr is delighted to announce the launch of the Demi™ Ultra LED Ultracapacitor Curing Light System at the BDTA Dental Showcase on Stand N14.

Representing the latest technological advancement in dental curing from the Kerr Demi™ brand, it is the first curing light to free dentists from both batteries and cords, while offering the unmatched performance and reliability of a Demetron curing light.

Committed to providing the very best for its customers, Kerr asked potential purchasers what they were looking for in a new curing light. In line with the responses, the product offers:

• A non-degrading power source

• Battery-free and cordless operation

• Rapid recharge in 40 seconds or less

• Uniform depth of cure

• Low heat generation without compromising cure time (C.U.R.E. ™ technology)

• Simple and intuitive operation and maintenance

• Unit swap should failure occur

• Warranty extension

• Accidental damage cover.

For more information, please call Kerr on 01733 892292, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

http://www.kerrdental.com/kerrdental-curinglight-demi-ultra

or visit www.kerrdental.co.uk

Food for thought from the Bank of England:

In the week where the UK dental industry was tied up at the NEC, the Chief Economist of the Bank of England gave a question and answer session to the world using the medium of Twitter. It appears he made a good job of it. Some commentators criticised the fact that the answers were standard PR fare, but others realised he did, in fact, release some crucial financial information.

Other companies in the world of high finance feel forced by their regulators to only release critical news via official channels. Twitter does not count as "official".

So did the Bank of England break its own and other regulator's rules? Newspapers were once new, as were radio and TV, the world realised these were tools of communication, and engaged with those media.

Let's turn to the consumer field, where large retail and customer facing companies use Twitter and other social media to enhance their customer service operations. They have teams of people, sometimes responding 24/7, to show that they are giving the best customer service and that they are listening. Ask a few people at Dental Showcase, I did, and they all have a story. "My train was cancelled, I had paid through the nose in advance, and I missed a very important meeting, what will the railway operator do about it?" Or " My heating is broken, we have a small baby, an engineer to fix our heating in seven days time is not good enough".

Do have a look in the social media - those two comments are only a small example of the complaints aired daily, and addressed to the relevant companies. In those cases Virgin Trains and British Gas did reply, and fixed the problems rapidly. The responding company hopes the complainant returns to the same social medium to say how great the service recovery was.

So, back to dentistry.

Dental practices and their teams do face the social media and partake, they take the risk that a complaint may be aired, but they know they must respond to this, and respond seriously.

However, some of the dental industry are scared of GDPUK, on whose website you are reading this blog. GDPUK gives dental professionals a platform to tell their colleagues [and only that limited group]  when they have had great service, and that sort of comment is rewarded by a magnified, greater uptake of that service. I know this is a true fact.

As well as sharing all sorts of news, information, questions and experiences, some dental professionals use GDPUK to tell their colleagues when they feel they have had bad service. Sometimes the complaint is only about what is perceived as poor service. The effect of this can be magnified, in the world of the isolated dental professional, when two or three other fellow professionals appear and confirm they too have had the same less than perfect experience. This is the power of the internet in the modern world, we all know it allows us to rapidly compare prices, compare services, and read reviews. Surely the winning technique for the dental companies, and other small businesses the world over, is to monitor those media, and if a problem occurs, respond in that medium, and try your best to give the best service possible. This could be a winning formula and may lead to positive results, and positive feedback, which in turn will create more sales.

I am convinced the modern companies who adopt this approach will be the winners in the long term. Censorship cannot win, but open-ness will.

Refs:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/bank-of-england/10388036/Bank-of-Englands-chief-economist-says-2014-rate-rise-very-unlikely-in-AskBoE-Twitter-chat.htm

Blog image by Gord Fynes, @gordasm. With thanks.

Dental Focus ® draws the crowds at the BDTA Dental Showcase

The team from Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ proved a hit at this year’s Dental Showcase, with delegates keen to find out how to make the most of their dental website marketing.

Dental Focus ® CEO Krishan Joshi aka the Master was joined by his trusted team of marketing experts including Naz aka the Scientist, and Alfie aka the Guru.

With over 12 years’ experience in dentistry, the Dental Focus ® team are renowned for creating powerful, compliant websites that work, with many sites now featuring Google friendly blogs, fast-action mobile websites and LIVE appointment booking.

With 538 dental websites already to their name, the Dental Focus ® team pride themselves on providing trusted, reliable results to help put your dental practice well and truly on the Google map.

To find out more about how you too can make your practice website a success, contact the team from Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ today.

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

The Dental Directory impresses delegates at the BDTA Dental Showcase 2013

The UK’s largest dental dealer The Dental Directory did not disappoint at the BDTA Dental Showcase, offering a wide range of practice solutions with surgery furniture, sundries and larger pieces of clinical equipment, including digital imaging.

The stand also included an impressive display of working chair packages and a decontamination area complete with Prestige Medical washer disinfectors and autoclaves.

This year’s event also saw the launch of The Dental Directory’s brand-new “Win a Mini for 2014” promotion, run in partnership with DENTSPLY. With a deadline of 17.00 on the 20^th December 2013, delegates were excited to find out how they could be in with a chance to win one of the most desirable small cars on the market today.

The prize draw is open to Dental Professionals that are residents of Great Britain (being England, Wales and Scotland). Full terms and conditions apply, available upon request. To find out more visit: www.dental-directory.co.uk.

As the independently verified best priced dental dealer, The Dental Directory is the UK’s leading supplier of dental materials, equipment and sundries. With a range of innovative products at affordable prices, The Dental Directory stand was a fantastic showcase for the very best dental products on offer today. The Dental Directory stand also offered a haven for all delegates with complimentary refreshments in the purpose-built Hospitality Suite.

The Independently Verified Best Priced Dealer!

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on

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

Delegates learnt with DENTSPLY at the BDTA Dental Showcase 2013

DENTSPLY gave delegates at this year’s BDTA: Dental Showcase the chance to attend a series of lectures and hands on sessions presented by some of dentistry’s leading names.

Across the three-day event delegates had the chance to discover some of DENTSPLY’s innovative products and find out how they can be effectively put to use in a dental practice. The sessions proved so popular they were standing room only.

Thursday’s sessions focused on preventive treatments and were presented by Mel Prebble and members of the DENTSPLY team, including Steve Clarke of DENTSPLY’s UK Service Centre, who demonstrated the best methods of maintaining a Cavitron® ultrasonic scaling unit and its inserts.

The Friday and Saturday sessions focused on restorative and endodontic dentistry, with classes led by Dr. Ian Cline and Dr. Mike Horrocks. These gave delegates the chance to learn more about DENTSPLY’s endodontic file systems, WaveOne™ and ProTaper Next™, as well as Ceram.X nano-ceramic composite.

DENTSPLY is committed to the continual development of dental clinicians’ abilities and the popularity of this year’s sessions at the BDTA Dental Showcase affirmed how highly valued DENTSPLY’s training is by dental clinicians.

Contact us at www.dentsply.co.uk or 0800 072 3313

Earn rewards against purchases at www.dentsplyrewards.co.uk

Access webinars and products demonstrations and earn CPD at www.dentsplyacademy.co.uk

DENTSPLY impresses with ProTaper Nextä at BDTA: Dental Showcase

DENTSPLY was the talk of this year’s BDTA: Dental Showcase, with many delegates keen to find out more about its new endodontic file system, ProTaper Nextä.

Visitors to the DENTSPLY stand were impressed with the features that make ProTaper Next stand out from other endodontic files, particularly its unique swaggering movement. This motion is due to the file’s patented, off-centred, rectangular cross section which creates a larger space for the removal of debris, whilst also optimising canal tracking and reducing binding.

Delegates were also interested to learn about SDR®, the perfect companion to ProTaper Next, a Smart Dentine Replacement bulk fill material indicated for core build-up, designed to save time and successfully restore an endodontic treatment.

Members of the DENTSPLY team were on hand to discuss any questions or queries that delegates had.

Contact us at dentsply.co.uk or 0800 072 3313

Earn Rewards against purchases at dentsplyrewards.co.uk

Access webinars and product demonstrations and earn CPD at dentsplyacademy.co.uk

On the 12th October, guests gathered at the exclusive “Eight” private members club in the City for the inaugural Burmaball. The ball, which organisers hope will become an annual fundraising event, was organised in aid of Burmadent, the dental charity set up to help dental volunteers provide care to the people of Burma.

The ‘Burmaball’ has been 10 months in the planning, ever since dentist Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen and his wife Sharon Bierer returned from their first trip, during which they provided dental care to 1200 orphans and local people in the area of Lake Inle.

During this trip, Henrik and Sharon, who were accompanied by Lesley Naismith, support manager at Software of Excellence, had the idea for the Burmaball and on their return they enlisted the help of fellow Charity trustee Brian Weatherly (President, Software of Excellence).

10 months later, with 140 guests and a long waiting list for tickets, Sharon feels the effort has all been worthwhile. “Our aim was to raise awareness of the charity and its aims. We were also keen to raise enough money to cover the cost of a mobile unit, which will enable volunteers to bring desperately needed dentistry to the more remote tribal peoples.”

The black tie event was an eclectic mix of glamour and tradition, with Burmese dancers providing a traditional welcome for guest of honour Burmese Deputy Ambassador, Daw Ei Ei Tin and Syed Kamall, the MEP for London and Master of Ceremonies. Games, an auction and a raffle, featuring some amazing prizes such as holidays in Portugal and Italy, helped to keep the donations flowing and following a sumptuous south east Asian dinner, the evening concluded with dancing until the small hours, to music provided by Brian Weatherly’s band ‘The Viceroys’ and a professional DJ.

There are three separate trips already booked up until December, Burmadent is growing into a successful and influential dental charity. The Burmaball will only help in disseminating this message throughout the profession.

Anyone interested in becoming involved with Burmadent or wishing to donate to the Charity, please visit www.burmadent.com

Win a Mini Cooper for 2014!!!

The Dental Directory, in association with DENTSPLY, is offering two lucky customers the chance to win a brand new Mini Cooper for delivery in early 2014.

Spend £250 (excl VAT) on a single order of DENTSPLY products* between the BDTA Dental Showcase (17^th October) and 5pm on the  20^th December for your chance to win. 

Simply place your order of DENTSPLY products through The Dental Directory’s:

-         Telesales team.

-         Local Business Consultant.

-         On The Dental Directory website: www.dental-directory.co.uk

Or order from your DENTSPLY Sales Representative or on the DENTSPLY Rewards Website: www.dentsplyrewards.co.uk (as long as your order is billed through The Dental Directory you will automatically be entered into the draw).

For even more chances to win a Mini Cooper, visit The Dental Directory (G22, H14/15) or DENTSPLY (G07) stands at the BDTA Dental Showcase 2013.

For every £500 you spend during the BDTA Dental Showcase only, you will receive not two, but three entries for the exciting prize draw.

It could be you driving away with one of the most iconic cars ever made, so make sure you don’t miss out.

The prize draw is open to Dental Professionals that are residents of Great Britain (being England, Wales and Scotland). Full terms and conditions apply, available upon request. Competition closes at 17.00 on the 20^th December.

* Excluding anaesthetics and pharmaceuticals and Terms and Conditions on application

 The Independently Verified Best Priced Dealer!

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on

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

DPAS walks for charity

Over twenty representatives from DPAS put their best foot forward on 29 September when they took part in the 10km Mouth Cancer Awareness Walk 2013. The team included members from all departments, including the majority of the management team.

The event, now in its 8^th year, saw Team DPAS join many other fundraisers for a 10km walk around Hyde Park in order to raise awareness of the symptoms of head and neck cancers. In total, over 600 people took part and Team DPAS managed to raise over £1,200, with donations still being received.

Sam Brice, Marketing Manager at DPAS, said: “Mouth Cancer kills one person every 3 hours in the UK because of late detection. The work that the Mouth Cancer Foundation is doing in terms of education about screening and public awareness of the symptoms is tremendous and such a high profile event can only help to create a better understanding of the disease. DPAS is proud to be associated with this organisation.”

To add your donation to this worthwhile cause, visit the DPAS fundraising page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/TeamDPAS

For more information on the Mouth Cancer Foundation, visit: http://www.mouthcancerfoundation.org/

@dpas_ltd

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the BACD Annual Conference – an exciting three-day event designed to offer the very best in education for all members of the dental team. This year’s Annual Conference will take place on the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th November at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, and will include a packed lecture schedule featuring some of the most highly regarded names from across the dental profession.

On Saturday 9^th November, delegates can look forward to an extended lecture from the event’s keynote speaker Dr Galip Gurel. In his presentation, “Esthetic Dentistry in the Digital Era” Dr Gurel will investigate minimally invasive approaches in modern dentistry, and will examine how to make best use of digital technologies to improve communication between team members for the best treatment outcomes.

Introducing Dr Galip Gurel

For many years now Dr Gurel has been recognised as a leading figure in dentistry, and has a long list of honours to his name. He is the founder and the honorary President of EDAD (Turkish Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry) and he was the President of the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (EAED) in both 2011 and 2012. He is a visiting professor at three universities: New York University (USA), Marseille Dental University (France), and Istanbul Yeditepe University (Turkey). He is also author of “The Science and Art of Porcelain Laminate Veneers” which was published in 2003, and has been translated into 10 different languages.

Away from his academic career, Dr Gurel also runs a private dental clinic in Istanbul, which he established in 1984. It has grown significantly over the years, and is now a large practice group employing a mix of specialists, associates and two different in-house laboratories, with a team of 34 people.

Esthetic Dentistry in the Modern Era

“In today’s dentistry, correct diagnosis followed by one of the selected treatment plans has prime importance,” says Dr Gurel. “Most of the time it necessitates a highly focussed team approach to execute the treatment. There are many different people involved in the treatment process – dentists, specialists, technicians – so it is important that there is a strong emphasis on good communication.

“Nowadays we are all living in a world surrounded by many digital technologies, and most of these technologies are being used by many of us for our daily activities and communication. In my lecture we will look at how to integrate these digital technologies in to our daily dental practice to ensure excellent communication between the patient, dentist, specialist and the laboratory in order to ensure the best end result.”

As well as exploring the use of digital technology in dentistry, Dr Gurel will also investigate the latest minimally invasive techniques, and how to incorporate them into the treatment planning process.

“A key part of my lecture will be to emphasise the importance of being minimally invasive,” continues Dr Gurel. “Even though the main goal should be excellent form and function, one should never sacrifice any extra healthy tooth tissue more than necessary. In order to reach this goal, in complex cases, specialities such as orthodontics and periodontics should definitely be a part of the treatment planning. For this reason good communication between dentist and specialist is even more important as it will ensure that the patient loses the minimum amount of natural tooth structure.”

In an expansive and wide-ranging lecture, Dr Gurel will speak at length on how technology can be used to enhance modern dental practise, and provide a better experience for the patient. As with all lectures at the BACD Annual Conference, delegates are guaranteed to come away with plenty of hints and tips that they can apply to their work the very next day.

“I hope that delegates will leave my lecture having learnt a great deal about ‘Esthetic Dentistry in the Digital Era’,” concludes Dr Gurel. “My lecture will include strategies for communicating with the patient and ways of presenting the design to the patient in 3D before the treatment even starts. We will then discuss getting the team together, and approaches for predictable, precise and repeatable tooth preparation. Finally, we will discuss how to make best use of modern CAD/CAM technologies, and how to use these technologies to best effect.

“I am really looking forward to my lecture at the BACD Annual Conference. I look forward to seeing you all there.”

This year’s BACD Annual Conference will be held on Thursday 7^th, Friday 8^th and Saturday 9^th November 2013 at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel. For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacd.com

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major health issues of the day and the principal cause of death for communities throughout Europe[i]. According to NHS statistics[ii], chronic heart disease affects more than 2.6 million UK residents - approximately 0.6 million more men than women – and accounts for over 88,000 deaths annually, primarily from heart attacks.

CVD is a generic term encompassing a number of diseases of the circulatory system and the four main forms are coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, peripheral arterial disease and aortic disease. Nearly half of CVD-related deaths in the European Union (EU) are due to CHD, followed closely behind by instances of stroke[iii].

Considering the widespread devastation it is causing, it is interesting to note that cardiovascular disease is largely influenced by lifestyle; with contributory factors ranging from an individual’s weight, diet and levels of physical activity to smoking habits and even stress. In effect, cardiovascular disease is - to a degree - avoidable. Further to this, research is increasingly coming to light demonstrating another link that brings control or even prevention of the disease back to the individual – oral hygiene.

A Scottish health survey[iv] has indicated an increased risk of heart disease for individuals who don’t undertake an adequate, regular oral hygiene routine. Of nearly 12,000 participants in the eight-year study, those with the poorest oral hygiene (who rarely or never brushed their teeth) were found to be up to 70% more likely to develop heart disease than others who brushed their teeth twice a day. They also had increased frequency of markers of low grade systemic inflammation. The results suggested that poor oral hygiene might increase the risk of developing CVD by means of periodontal infection.

Another study[v], a collaboration between the University of Bristol, Ireland’s Royal College of Surgeons and the State University of New York, has looked into the association between oral bacteria and heart disease. In particular, the researchers found the oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii to be a plausible agent for CVD. Chronic oral disease, such as periodontitis, provides a pathway for the bacteria to access the bloodstream, where they can interact with platelets and induce aggregation. The study found that the S. gordonii could contribute towards unwanted blood clotting and the development of infective endocarditis.

Although heart disease remains the biggest killer in the UK, there is some good news on the horizon. The rate of deaths from coronary heart disease has been slowly but surely declining for the past three decades throughout much of Northern and Western Europe; and mortality rate following stroke is also decreasing[vi]. Heart attack related deaths in England have cut in half since 2002[vii] while public health targets, including reducing premature death from CVD by 40% by 2010, have been met[viii].

Interestingly, oral hygiene habits and oral health in the UK have likewise shown improvement in recent years; with the latest Adult Dental Health Survey establishing that 75% of adults brush their teeth at least twice daily[ix]. However, much fewer numbers use adjunctive interdental cleaning methods - just 22% floss, for example - and this could account in part for the high instances of plaque[x] which was found in two out of every three adults.

Clearly, tooth brushing along with fluoride toothpaste - although an excellent start - is not enough and it falls to the dental profession to help patients to maintain their own oral health with encouragement and advice. Patient education divides into three main aspects: which oral hygiene products are best for the individual patient to use, how to use them, and why it is so important to do so.

Most patients are aware of string floss for cleaning the interproximal spaces, but few are keen to use it and they frequently cite a lack of time or claim they forget to floss. In the majority of cases, patients struggle to use string floss properly and are more liable to give up quickly. In addition to this, research has thrown considerable doubt on the effectiveness of string flossing on reducing interproximal caries[xi] or inflammation.[xii] Perhaps it is time to give other interdental cleaning techniques a higher profile?

One method of quickly and efficiently cleaning between the teeth and below the gumline is the oral irrigator, also known as the Water Flosser. Easy to use and suitable for most patients, including those with braces or restorations, the leading Water Flosser can reduce gingivitis[xiii] and bleeding[xiv] and can help to minimise probing pocket depth[xv]. In particular, the Waterpik® Water Flosser is superior to dental floss at reducing gingival bleeding,[xvi] inflammation,[xvii] and plaque[xviii] with multiple patients including orthodontics, implants, and mild to moderate periodontitis. In fact, evidence shows that the Waterpik® Water Flosser removes up to 99.9% of plaque biofilm from any treated area of the tooth in just three seconds.[xix]

Through sound education on both the risks associated with poor oral health and the right tools for effective oral hygiene, we can help patients to prevent or control oral disease and help minimise the risk of developing or exacerbating chronic systemic disorders.

For more information on Waterpik® Water Flossers please speak to your wholesaler or visit www.waterpik.co.uk. Waterpik® products are widely available in Boots stores and selected Lloyds Pharmacies.