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Cost-benefit analysis ahead of 2016
Louisa Buckingham of Patient Plan Direct explains why practices should consider performing cost-benefit analysis ahead of 2016.
The dental industry continues to become an ever more competitive industry with a generation of tech savvy and business-minded dentists. More than ever, dental practices are looking to differentiate themselves, create competitive edge, provide a unique patient experience and embrace digital dentistry all whilst endeavouring to generate healthy profits and deliver the best in patient care.
A cost-benefit analysis is the exercise of evaluating a planned or existing action by determining what net value it will have for your practice. A cost-benefit analysis finds, quantifies, and adds all the positive factors; the benefits. Then it identifies, quantifies, and subtracts all the negatives; the costs. Should the benefits derived from the action outweigh the costs of implementing that action, then the action should be taken and vice versa.
As practices increasingly seek to cut costs and improve productivity and care, cost-benefit analysis has become a valuable tool for evaluating a wide range of business decisions and opportunities for dental practices; the prospect of a move away from the NHS, which consumables supplier to work with, which plan provider to work with in administering and developing the practice’s private dental plans.
When undertaking this review you should ask yourself questions such as; what value does this opportunity/action represent? What other alternatives do I have and how do they compare? When did I last review this area of my business?
Take for example, dental plan administration. It’s alarming how many dental practices aren’t aware of the fees they pay to their plan provider and nor do many assess what value these fees represent.
Many plan providers profess to offer a range of additional ‘non-plan’ related services, hospitality and support alongside core plan administration. This ‘optional’ access to additional elements of service aside from plan development is rolled in to the fee structures charged by some plan providers. Many practices don’t actually utilise these additional elements, effectively paying for something they don’t fully leverage and therefore not seeing value.
When performing a cost-benefit analysis in relation to working with a plan provider you should make a list of what the provider delivers; the benefits. For example; How many times a year do you see your representative? Do you fully utilise additional services such as regulatory advice, ‘key client’ forums, or clinical events? This should then be compared to the costs of the service and also weighed up against other provider propositions in the market.
If you already work with a dental plan provider, the Patient Plan Direct business development team can help your practice conduct a cost-benefit analysis, a very useful technique you may then consider to assess and analyse other areas of your business.
Patient Plan Direct is a dental payment plan provider working with practices across the UK, recognised for its cost effective (£1 per patient per month) approach to support and administration, as well as its innovative web-based management platform. Patient Plan Direct support practice with; New payment plan launches, NHS to Private conversions and Plan provider transfers
Tel: 08448486888
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A recent video from Denplan, the UK’s leading dental payment plan provider, has highlighted the staggering sugar content of festive drinks found in many of the popular high street coffee chains – including a specialist hot chocolate that contains up to 24 teaspoons of sugar. If these drinks are accompanied by cakes or other sweet treats, the amount of sugar consumed can double.
“While most people will probably be aware that their festive drink contains some levels of sugar, they might not be aware of the sheer quantity,” says Henry Clover, Deputy Chief Dental Officer at Denplan. “Many of the festive coffees, lattes and hot chocolates that we looked at across a range of high street coffee chains contained, on average, around 12 to 18 teaspoons of sugar in their largest portion sizes. One caramel fudge hot chocolate from a popular coffee chain even contained a shocking 24 teaspoons of sugar – that’s the equivalent to around two and a half cans of cola.
“As a one-off treat, a sugary festive drink won’t do you any harm, but if you get into the habit of frequently consuming high levels of sugar, this may cause tooth decay. Every time we eat or drink something sugary, bacteria in our mouths produce acids that can cause tooth decay. A high sugar diet is also linked to other health problems such as obesity and diabetes.”
The vast amounts of sugar found in high street coffee chain beverages is especially concerning in light of guidelines from the World Health Organisation published earlier this year*. The WHO suggests that adults should consume no more than 12 teaspoons of ‘free’ sugars a day, but should really be aiming for six. ‘Free’ sugars refer to sugar that is added to foods and drinks, as well as things like honey and fruit juices.
In addition, research conducted earlier this year by YouGov on behalf Denplan** also suggests that consumers would welcome knowing more about the levels of sugar found in their food and drinks, and would even like to see an overall reduction in sugar content. The survey revealed that only a third of UK adults (35%) think that retailers and food companies do enough to inform them of how much sugar is in food and drinks. Of those who disagreed that retailers and food companies do enough, 73% said retailers and food companies should reduce the overall sugar content in food and drinks.
So what are the healthier options for a festive beverage this Christmas?
“It’s certainly not all doom and gloom for the Yuletide season – it’s all about being informed and enjoying things in moderation,” says Henry. “Opting for a peppermint tea or an Americano coffee or plain latte with sugar-free syrup can warm you up without the added sugar.
“If you do decide to sample a speciality coffee during the festive period, make sure you’re aware of the sugar content before you order, and try to drink this as part of a balanced meal.”
*Source: World Health Organization, March 2015 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/sugar-guideline/en/
**Denplan/YouGov Survey February 2015. The survey was carried out online. Total sample size was 5,315 adults.
About Denplan
Denplan is the UK’s leading dental payment plan specialist, with more than 6,500 member dentists nationwide caring for approximately 1.7 million registered patients. Established in 1986 by two dentists who pioneered the concept of dental payment plans, Denplan has been at the heart of dental care for nearly 30 years and today the company is owned by Simplyhealth. Denplan has a wide range of dental plans for adults and children, enabling
patients to budget for their private dental care by spreading the cost through a fixed monthly fee. We support regular attendance and preventive care, reducing the need for clinical intervention and helping patients to maintain healthy teeth and gums for life. For further information visit www.denplan.co.uk. For oral health tips and advice visit www.myteeth.co.uk. Patient enquiries telephone: 0800 401 402 Dentist enquiries telephone: 0800 328 3223
· Denplan Care: all routine and restorative care + worldwide dental injury and dental emergency cover
· Denplan Essentials: routine care only + worldwide dental injury and dental emergency cover
· Plans for Children: routine and other agreed care + worldwide dental injury and dental emergency cover
· Membership Plan: registered with the dentist + worldwide dental injury and dental emergency cover
· Denplan Emergency: worldwide dental injury and dental emergency cover only
· Company Dental Plans: company funded, voluntary and flexible benefit schemes
Denplan also provides a range of professional services for its member dentists and their practice teams, including the Denplan Quality Programme, Denplan Excel Accreditation Programme and Denplan Training, plus regulatory advice, business and marketing consultancy services and networking opportunities.
For more information about Denplan:
Sara Elliott
Denplan Press Office
Tel: 01962 828 194
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About Simplyhealth
We have been helping people with their health for over 140 years. Our roots are in the hospital funds set up during the Victorian era to help working people save for their medical care, and we still follow mutual values today. With no shareholders, our profits go back into supporting our customers and healthcare charitable causes, donating over £1 million each year. Last year, we donated £1.4 million.
In 2011, we acquired Denplan Limited, the UK’s leading dental payment plan specialist. Simplyhealth has 1,391 employees based across our offices in Andover, Manchester, Leeds and Denplan in Winchester. We serve our 3.5 million customers through cash plans, dental plans, Denplan and pet health plans. Simplyhealth has Independent Living Centres which provide daily living and mobility products, including powerchairs, mobility scooters and wheelchairs, in Andover, Bristol, Burnham, Droitwich, Kenilworth, Leeds, Northfield, Norwich, Sutton Coldfield, Telford, Willenhall and Wolverhampton.
Simplyhealth is a trading name of Simplyhealth Access, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
For further information:
This post was stimulated by my re-reading Malcolm Gladwell’s book “David & Goliath”. In it he examines the underdog in several circumstances and how they have managed to overcome the odds to become victorious.
Initially I was looking to draw analogies between the “corporate” large and chain practices and the small, independent practice. My idea was to show that a good little ‘un can beat a big ‘un every time. The idea grew on me so I have expanded the remit.
Quite often when I listen to owners of small dental practices I am reminded of the children’s ‘swing song’ that starts, “Nobody loves us, everybody hates us, think I’ll go and eat worms”. Certainly when one looks at the plethora of legislation, political interference and change in consumer expectations one can understand this attitude. Yet it is those changes or rather the practices’ response to them that can make success more likely.
Let’s look at the David and Goliath of the title. David was smaller, poorly equipped and had no experience of battle. Goliath on the other hand was battle hardened and massive in terms of both physical size and equipment. But we know the result, one slingshot brought the giant to defeat.
Perhaps with these two protagonists we saw a hint of the first guerrilla war. History shows that a larger organisation doesn’t approve of small groups. Michael Collins and his flying columns had learned lessons from TE Lawrence (of Arabia) whose methods, although successful, were frowned upon by the British authorities.
The Davids of Dentistry are used to being the smaller person, indeed one of the reasons for successful small practices is that the owner will put in hours outside the “9 to 5” for repairs, maintenance and upkeep. These hours are never allocated in year end accounts. The successful Davids are light on their feet, flexible and adaptable, they know their terrain and where they can operate to best advantage.
The Goliaths have capital, resources and are “business savvy”, whatever that means. They can absorb wasted efforts, tolerate inefficiencies of staff and materials and, above all, can take a long view.
The negative for the Davids is that they can get stuck in a rut of reacting to circumstances and their campaigns are short term. Financial survival is usually at the top of their agenda meaning that they tend not to consider a long term strategy. In order to survive they need, in the words of Alastor Moody, constant vigilance, this becomes wearisome with time and contributes to their eventual burn out.
On the downside for Goliaths is their rigidity and lack of conventionality as their bean counter driven businesses seek to impose an external model onto a personal service. A surfeit of management levels and often unsympathetic HR practices mean that their teams operate at less than optimum efficiency.
The important thing for Davids has been to avoid the temptation to take on the Goliaths at their own game and terrain because they will surely lose. With market changes it becomes more and more difficult in the post Shipman world for David to remain profitable. The battlefield has morphed too, the big armies of Goliath have taken a lot of the easy low ground of the NHS contracts and can use their clout and experience to bid for more.
Davids must choose their battles, battlegrounds and to time their campaigns with care. They need to learn not only from Goliaths’ mistakes but also from their successes and ensure that they are strong where their opponents are weak. In addition they must look at all the Davids in other professions and industries for inspiration.
Can Goliath learn? Of course he can. To my knowledge nobody has devised a franchise operation in Dentistry that reflects the unique elements of the profession, rewards the franchisee and gives them a sense of freedom. Not yet but with imagination it could work if done properly.
The pattern of post-war Britain has been about smaller companies being absorbed by larger ones. Is it possible for the independents to stay small and free of involvement? Perhaps the model for freedom is one of small managed groups of practices? Here much of the tiresome “grunt” work is centralised. It is this work that, in my experience, ultimately leads to owners losing their resilience, their final fatigue and despair. This sees with them reluctantly selling to a Goliath or to another increasingly cash-strapped David to perpetuate the battle. This group model leaves the clinicians and customer facing team members to do what they are good at with support coming from dedicated and probably off site back office.
All wars eventually end with talks and compromise. The challenge for the different Davids is to find someone with whom you can share a philosophy of business and agree a way forward to keep your places on the battlefield of dentistry. This way the strengths, efficiencies and independence of you Davids can be continued.
In October 2012 a positive duty was placed on all employers to automatically enrol ‘eligible job holders’ in to a qualifying pension scheme. For most Dental Practices the relevant date for complying is likely to be early next year. If your Practice has not been given the relevant date yet, then you should expect notification imminently. A failure to comply with this duty can result in a penalty notice with a fine or enforcement action being taken against you. Enforcement action can consist of inspections being carried out on premises, which is yet another layer of bureaucracy for Dental Practices to comply with.
In this Blog we take a look at who is eligible for auto enrolment; what is a qualifying pension scheme; and what you must do to comply with the auto enrolment requirements. We also explain the continuing duty placed on employers to re-enrol eligible job holders.
Who must comply?
All UK employers must comply with the auto enrolment requirements, even if you employ just one eligible job holder. The only exception to this is if the eligible job holder is already in a qualifying pension scheme.
If you currently do not employ anyone but offer an eligible job holder a position following your relevant date, you will have an obligation to enrol them into a qualifying pension scheme from the start of their contract.
Who is an Eligible Job Holder?
An eligible job holder is a worker who:
• Is working under a contract;
• Aged at least 22 and under State Retirement Age;
• Earns at least £10,000 (in 2015/2016);
Therefore it’s not just employees who must be enrolled; it is workers, agency staff, apprentices, and could even extend to some self-employed contractors. It will also cover permanent and temporary staff and those on fixed term contracts.
Given this is a relatively new scheme, there is limited legal guidance as to what an eligible job holder, or worker, will be for the purposes of the Pensions Act 2008. However, the definition is similar to that found within the Employment Rights Act 1996. As such, we can look to existing case law to assist with the definition of a ‘worker’ under the new act.
Interestingly, in the case of The Hospital Medical Group Limited v Westwood [2012] EWCA Civ 1005 the Court of Appeal held that a GP working as a self-employed independent contractor for a private clinic was a worker.
Dr Westwood held three positions. He was contracted by the Hospital Medical Group Ltd to perform hair loss surgery for its clients; he was referred to in marketing material as ‘one of our surgeons’. He also had his own medical practice which he worked at, and finally, he had a contract to provide advice on transgender issues with another separate clinic.
When asked to determine whether he was a ‘worker’ at the HMG Ltd, the Court of Appeal held that there is a distinction between those who market their services independently to the world in general and those who are recruited by the principal to work as an integral part of the principal's operations. Whilst there was no requirement for the clinic to provide work and for Dr Westwood to accept it, the HMG Ltd had engaged Dr Westwood because of his skills. The patients were clients of the clinic not Dr Westwood. He was therefore recruited by the principal as an integral part of the principal’s operations. He was therefore considered to be a worker despite the flexibility of his role and the terms of his written contract stating he was a self-employed independent contractor.
The parallels between Dr Westwood’s position and that of most self-employed Associate dentists are clear. As such it seems extremely likely that for the purposes of pension enrolment legislation, Associate dentists will be considered an eligible job holder working under a contract. As such they will need to be included in Practice’s qualifying pension scheme, unless of course they choose to opt out.
Practices will also need to consider their company structure when considering who is eligible for auto-enrolment. In the case of Clyde & Co LLP and another v van Winklehof [2014] UKSC 32 the Supreme Court held that a member of a Limited Liability Partnership was a ‘worker’ for the purposes of whistleblowing legislation. In this case Ms Bates van Winklehof was an equity partner receiving a profit-related element of remuneration and a guaranteed level of remuneration. Ms Bates van Winklehof made a complaint that a managing director had accepted brides. She was subsequently removed as a partner of Clyde & Co. Ms Bates Van Winklehof alleged this removal was due to a protected disclosure, a claim a worker is entitled to bring.
The Court’s reasoning for finding that Ms Bates van Winklehof was a worker was because she could not market her services for anyone other than Clyde & Co and she was an integral part of their business.
The result of this judgment means Limited Liability Partnerships will need to enrol their members into a qualifying pension scheme if they meet the other requirements, including the minimum qualifying earnings. If the member received drawings based on the company’s profits there is a question as to whether these would be classed as ‘earnings’. Although the definition of earnings is wide and we would recommend automatically enrolling members in any event to avoid litigation.
The position would be different for partners in a traditional Partnership Agreement, as a partner cannot employ themselves and would therefore not been deemed a worker.
As most Dental Practices are Limited companies, it is worth bearing in mind that a Director of a company is a worker only if he is also employed by the company under a contract of employment and there is at least one other person employed by the same company under a contract of employment.
Exceptions
There are some exceptions to the requirement to auto enrolling eligible job holders and these are:
• Job holders in their notice period within six weeks of the enrolment date;
• Job holders who have cancelled their membership after being contractually enrolled;
• Job holders who are receiving a benefit from a lifetime allowance;
• Job holders who have received a winding up lump sum.
What is a Qualifying Pension Scheme?
A qualifying pension scheme is an occupational or personal pension scheme or a registered pension scheme that satisfies the quality requirements. You should talk to your current or proposed pension provider to get advice on this or you can find out further information here.
The Government’s ‘NEST’ scheme is an automatic enrolment scheme, as is the NHS pension scheme. However, if the eligible job holder is not able to register in the NHS pension scheme then employers are under an obligation to find another qualifying pension scheme for them. An example of this would be someone who has retired, but later decides to return to work. If they are an eligible job holder still they will need to be enrolled into a qualifying pension scheme.
Non-Eligible Job Holders and Entitled Workers
A non-eligible job holder is:
• Aged between 16 and 21 or State Retirement Age and 74 and earnings in excess of £10,000; OR
• Aged between 16 and 74 with earnings between £5,824 and £10,000
Although they are not eligible for auto-enrolment, they must be made aware of the scheme and have the right to opt-in. If a non-eligible job holder opts into a qualify pension scheme the employer must make the minimum pension contribution, which at present is 2% of which the employer pays 1%.
Finally, there are entitled workers who are:
• Aged between 16 and 74 and has earnings under £5,824
Similarly, these workers must be made aware of the pension scheme and their right to join. However, there is no obligation for an employer to make the minimum contributions for this class of worker.
What Next?
Once a practice owner is informed of their relevant staging date they will need to:
· Find an appropriate qualifying pension scheme;
· Provide workers with information about the pension auto enrolment before it takes place; and
· Enrol any eligible job holder into a qualifying pension scheme if they do not opt out.
To find your relevant staging date, click on this link.
It has been suggested that the process can take up to 12 months to complete so we recommend preparing early.
You need to write to employees within 6 weeks of the staging date. For an example letter to send to eligible job holders and an opt out form, click on this link.
Ongoing Duty
There is an ongoing duty to auto enrol. Even after your staging date has passed you will need to be aware of the following re-enrolment dates:
Employment Protection Safeguards
The Pensions Act contains specific duties for employers to safeguard their workers’ rights in connection with auto-enrolment. It should be noted that these safeguards apply regardless of whether you have reached your staging date yet, and will apply to current and potential job holders. Below is a brief outline of the employment protection safeguards currently in place; a more detailed look at these can be found here.
Prohibited Recruitment Conduct. Employers must not ask questions or make statements as part of the recruitment process that indicate that an individual's application may depend on whether or not they opt out of auto-enrolment. This is enforced by the Pensions Regulator; it does not give rise to a separate claim in the Employment Tribunal by the individual.
Inducements. This is any action which has the sole or main purpose of inducing a job holder to either opt out or leave a pension scheme, or inducing an entitled worker to leave a pension scheme. An example of this would be re-negotiating contractual terms at a lesser rate if the sole or main purpose is to take into account the cost of implementing pension auto-enrolment for that individual. Again this is enforced by the Pensions Regulator; it does not give rise to a separate claim by the individual.
Right not to Suffer a Detriment. A worker has the right not to suffer a detriment by their employer on the grounds that:
If a worker does suffer a detriment then this will give rise to a claim that can be pursued in the Employment Tribunal. As above, re-negotiating terms could be seen as detrimental treatment. Alternatively, offering new workers lower rates to take into account the direct cost of pension auto-enrolment for that individual could be seen as a detriment.
The situation may be different if pension auto enrolment causes your Practice financial hardship; this could potentially be seen as a valid reason to re-negotiate contracts. However, this will be fact sensitive depending on the circumstances of your business, so if you are planning to take direct action then you should seek specific legal advice.
Automatic Unfair Dismissal. If you dismiss an employee and the main or principal reason for that dismissal is one of the three points highlighted above under ‘right not to suffer a detriment’ then that dismissal will be deemed automatically unfair and the employee can pursue an Employment Tribunal claim. This right only applies to employees; not workers.
Whistleblowing. Workers are already protected from detrimental treatment as a result of blowing the whistle on their employer. If a worker makes a complaint to the Pensions Regulator and suffers a detriment as a result of such a complaint, then they will have protection under whistleblowing legislation. In the case of a worker this could include their contract being terminated; so whilst they may not have a right to claim unfair dismissal they may have a claim for whistleblowing.
This is yet another financial burden being placed on small businesses. However, given the consequences of not complying with the law, it is important to know what you must do and when; ensuring you are prepared in advance will help take the stress out of implementing pension auto enrolment and help you plan for the future.
Pension Auto Enrolment is a vast area of law and as such this Blog gives an overview of your duties. For more detailed information you can visit the Pensions Regulator website here.
“I have used a variety of other impression materials over the course of my career, though none of these have provided me with the stability, accuracy and level of detail that Impregum has.
“Its ideal flow properties also reproduce the most minor details in my preparations and I avoid drags and airblows. This means I can ensure that the first impression is the last.
“I have no hesitation in recommending Impregum Penta impression material to other practitioners who are looking to provide their patients with the best possible indirect restorations.”
For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk
Rules, Regulations and Requirements
The minefield of regulations to adhere to can be overwhelming and trip you at the first hurdle. There are requirements to ensure you adhere to stringent clinical welfare needs, such as with cross infection control to keep your patients and staff safe. HTM01-05 is updated periodically so it is best to consult with experts to ensure you follow the latest mandates and are therefore compliant.
Then there are the non-clinical rules that must be obeyed; especially pertinent if you are considering building a new dental practice. Planning permission can become a necessity depending on your level of development, and this can be time consuming and needs to be applied for via a particular route. There are other building related regulations too. Many dental practices are located in beautiful historic houses, and so the listed building status needs to be assessed to see if relevant.
Design and Branding
Another essential consideration is the design and branding of your practice. As a dentist, you will have a keen eye for detail but are perhaps more used to working at a microscopic level. From the building layout to the dental units used in surgeries it is crucial that every aspect of the practice conforms to a clear notion of what you have to offer, however this can require a lot of time to plan and implement successfully. Working with a reputable design company that utilises the latest technology and has experience in implementing dental surgeries will help you to achieve a practice that has a consistent aesthetic and unifying brand message.
Experts in this field can work with you to understand what your practice’s vision is and how you want your services to be conveyed to existing customers. They can also advise on how to create branding that will attract new patients. Your practice says a lot about you and so you need to get this right to encourage patients to attend.
Motivated Workforce
It’s not just your patients that may need encouragement; you will need to spend as much time ensuring your staff and colleagues have a comfortable environment to work in. It is remarkable, how when people operate in a new, clean and pristine setting it motivates them to work even harder. They feel the need to exude the same level of competency as their environment conveys. It is not only the aesthetics that can be motivating but also the facilities available to members of the team. The staff room can therefore be as important a consideration in the building of a new practice as a surgery, and should be carefully thought through.
Further still, there is the health and safety of your workforce. “Ergonomically friendly” is a term used frequently when discussing a new surgery set-up. A new build project is the ideal chance to maximise the latest technology and design concepts to ensure your team work in the most healthy and comfortable way.
Customer-Centric
The final consideration to discuss is probably the most important to you: the patient. If you are an existing practice that is refurbishing a surgery or even the whole building, you need to ensure there is minimum patient disruption. Good communications with patients and keeping them informed of the progress of the project will help put their minds at ease and further engage their interest in the practice. If you are unable to proceed with their treatment due to the building work, then alternative arrangements need to be made.
The new surgery and practice should ensure accessibility for all patients and create a comfortable, peaceful environment, especially for those that are more nervous of a dental visit. The décor and design can assist with this, such as the colours used, and the layout of surgeries to the waiting room.
With you all the way
There is so much to contemplate when embarking on a new practice, new surgery, rebuild or redesign that it’s impossible to know where to begin. By turning to the experts at Clark Dental you will have a bespoke design and build solution tailored to your specific needs. They help take care of every aspect; from that initial discussion right through to completion, when you open your new door ready for the first patient to walk through.
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
Another ‘pressure point’ is the works’ Christmas party. This event is the highlight in the annual calendar for many where they are able to enjoy mingling with colleagues in a relaxed environment. However, it can be a time of anxiety for some individuals because although they can reveal more of their personality at the Christmas bash, out of their usual professional role, they worry more about their appearance. According to a survey commissioned by The Clothes Show Live, 63% of women start thinking and researching their Christmas outfit three months in advance.[2]
For a lot of people, meeting and interacting with others, attending Christmas parties and getting up close and personal are what nightmares are made of. Many have social anxieties and suffer from low self esteem, but with 25% of the population experiencing bad breath at some point in their lives, chatting up their latest crush or sharing a kiss under the mistletoe is out of the question for some individuals.
Oral malodour is a very personal problem and remains a social stigma that can influence an individual’s confidence and well-being considerably. Unfortunately, with everything else to manage and consider, many people are more likely than ever to forget about their oral health over the festive season. Dashing around the shops, visiting friends and relatives and completing all the additional tasks associated with Christmas may keep them active, but they can become dehydrated and the saliva that helps to wash away bacteria becomes depleted. Additionally, over Christmas and New Year we are all subjected to an array of tempting food and drink that we may normally avoid, but grazing on sugary, fatty, rich foods as well as an increase in alcohol consumption can wreak havoc on the health of the oral cavity as well as the breath.
As well as advising patients to stay properly hydrated, dental professionals can help patients to remain healthy and confident with good oral health instructions, including the use of a daily deodorising mouth rinse and recommending a chewing a sugar free gum after eating. CB12 has developed a mouth rinse that can be used in the morning to prevent unpleasant breath for up to 12 hours, which is great news for patients during the festive season.
For more information about CB12 and how it could benefit your patients, please visit www.cb12.com
[1] Survey of 2000 people conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tesco plc. http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=17&newsid=1104 [Accessed 25th August 2015]
[2] 13 DAYS TO GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS PARTY; Women spend 312 hours preparing biggest bash. (n.d.) >The Free Library. (2014). fromhttp://www.thefreelibrary.com/13+DAYS+TO+GET+READY+FOR+CHRISTMAS+PARTY%3b+Women+spend+312+hours...-a0213350488 [Accessed 25thAugust 2015]
Build on your existing skills by gaining all the business knowledge and practical experience you need to be the best dental practice manager you can be.
Plus, earn a nationally recognised Level 4 qualification with the ILM Certificate in Leadership and Management.
With only 3- 4 classroom-based days, held at Barnet and Southgate College in London, you can even hone your skills while taking next to no time away from your practice.
The exciting two-year programme covers:
Human Resources / Patient Care / Clinical / Marketing / Risk Management / Quality Assurance / Finance and The Dental Industry
The next starting dates are:
18th March 2016
13th May 2016
1st July 2016
Take the next step in your career and find out more about the
Trailblazer Management Apprenticeship today.
For more information or applications contact Barnet and Southgate College on 0208 266 4333 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wrights, an experienced and independent distributor, was proud to introduce Planmeca and its quality products to its range at the BDIA Dental Showcase 2015.
With a competitive edge in scientific knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of clinical workflows, the products from Planmeca have the potential to put your practice one step ahead of the rest.
Aesthetically pleasing, sophistically designed and outstandingly durable, Planmeca offers quality products including:
· First class imaging software for all your imaging needs
· Advanced CAD/CAM solutions
· A wide range of 3D, 2D, panoramic and intraoral imaging devices
· Innovative dental units
If you are looking for cutting-edge equipment at excellent prices with an efficient and reliable next day delivery service, the friendly and approachable staff at Wrights can help you, whatever your needs.
Interested? Contact Wrights now and find out what you are missing!
For more information contact Wrights on 0800668899 or visit the easy to navigate website www.wright-cottrell.co.uk
As we dental professionals know all too well, alcohol is acidic and therefore highly erosive, especially when consumed frequently, in large quantities over an extended period of time. It may also be that the high alcohol intake occasionally causes vomiting, which can exacerbate the damage to the dentition.
To help prevent tooth wear, advise patients to:
1. Drink still water or low fat milk between meals
2. Limit fruit juice to once per day
3. Avoid carbonated drinks
4. Swallow any acidic drinks immediately to reduce contact time with the teeth
5. Use a wide-bore straw to drink acidic drinks to limit the contact time with the teeth
6. Dilute and keep any acidic drinks chilled, as this reduces the damaging low pH potential
7. Rinse the mouth after acidic foods and drinks with water for 15-30 seconds to dilute any remaining acids
8. Snack on cheese or drink some milk following consumption of an acidic beverage
9. Wait at least an hour to brush teeth after consuming any acidic drinks
10. Use a toothpaste that is fluoridated to 1400ppm and low in abrasivity
12. Use a fluoridated mouthwash every day at a different time to tooth brushing, as well as before or after acidic drinks to help limit the erosive potential
12. Chew sugar-free gum, especially that containing xylitol, after drink to help neutralise the acidic environment in the mouth.
If you are concerned that any of your patients are showing signs tooth wear, simply visit www.toothwear.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 020 7486 7180.
The preceding NHS Confidence Monitor, conducted in May and June of 2015, solicited over 300 responses from dentists across the UK. To reflect the profession’s growing interest in the NHS Confidence Monitor, this latest survey has been opened up to enable all members of the dental team to share their thoughts, providing a deeper and wider understanding of the whole profession’s perception of NHS dentistry.
As previously, the survey will monitor the profession’s confidence in:
• The future of NHS dentistry as a whole
• Future career prospects
• Remuneration levels
• Getting the balance of treatment versus prevention within the NHS right
• The ability of the team to work effectively within the NHS
• Whether patients will be happy with level of care provided.
In addition to widened access, the survey has increased in scope to explore a number of new topics. Those taking part are invited to respond to questions concerning their proposed age of retirement to gauge the possibility of a staffing crisis in the future, and whether they would feel happy encouraging a family member or friend to pursue a career in dentistry.
‘Finding out about team members’ retirement plans should offer an interesting insight into whether there might be a Provider crisis when it comes to asking dentists to sign up to a reformed NHS contract. In addition, asking whether one might encourage a family member or friend to pursue a career in dentistry really brings the overall mood of the profession into focus,’ remarked Andrew Lockhart-Mirams, a specialist in business advice and structures in healthcare and co-founder of Lockharts Solicitors.
Also commenting on the survey, Judith Husband, who sits on the BDA’s Principal Executive Committee, said: ‘I think it is very important to understand the landscape of what is going on. That is why I believe the ongoing, enhanced NHS Confidence Monitor survey is so important and I would urge team members to have their say.
‘No one wants to stop positive progress – but, from the Government’s perspective, this should be in the context of open and honest debate and a willingness to listen to what we, as a profession, have to say. This is a great opportunity to help facilitate that dialogue.’
To take part in the latest NHS Confidence Monitor and share your thoughts, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PracticePlanNHSConfidencemonitor3 before the closing date of 31st January 2016. The survey should take approximately three minutes of your time.
Once the results of the latest survey have been independently verified, they will be presented to an ‘Insights Panel’ made up of key opinion leaders and experts from the dental profession who will explore and debate their significance and their implications for the future of NHS Dentistry. The panel’s findings will then be shared with dental professionals throughout the UK.
For detailed results from the last two surveys, as well as to gain access to the discussions from our previous Insights Panel meetings and interviews with our panel members, visit www.nhsdentistryinsights.co.uk.
As the Association of Dental Groups (ADG) understands the positive impact ingenuity and proactivity can have on a practice and on the profession, it is pleased to be welcoming back the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Bursary Awards in 2016. The ceremony will be held on the 18th March at The Library at the Royal College of Surgeons.
With applications open until December 31st 2015, there is still time for budding undergraduate students – including dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and clinical dental technicians – to enter their chosen category.
Covering the competencies of ethics, professionalism, scope of practice and communication, the ‘Skill mix in dentistry’ category focuses on ideas relating to teamwork and the use of skills in the dental setting. Alternatively, applicants can choose to enter the ‘Professionalism’ group. All they need to do is describe a time and situation in which professionalism and ethicality have been demonstrated for a chance to win.
With gold, silver and bronze bursary prizes available for both categories – offering £1,000, £750 and £250 respectively – all applications will be judged and awarded by an expert panel.
As Amardeep Singh Dhadwal, the Undergraduate (Professionalism) Gold Award Winner of 2015 comments, “I would definitely recommend other students to enter the competition next year; it is a great opportunity to discuss and consider what dentistry means to you and what you aspire to as a dental professional.”
Indeed, not only is the ADG Undergraduate Bursary Award 2016 an excellent opportunity for personal development in young professionals and a chance to earn the respect of their colleagues, but it is also beneficial to the future care of patients.
The ADG also recognises the talent and commitment of both postgraduate students and dentists with a dental degree undertaking postgraduate training. Offering a bursary of £5,000 to the winner, applications must detail a project to be executed within the UK – either to improve access for disadvantaged people or to build awareness on oral cancers and the need for early diagnosis – and must be implemented during 2016/17.
Although £2,500 of the award must be used to support the delivery of the project, the other half is very much a reward – and will be a well-deserved one at that. As Orna Ni Choileain, who was last year’s joint winner with Niall McGoldrick, highlights however, the bursary is much more than a cash prize. “When I found out we won the bursary, I had the perfect mixture of shock and excitement. It feels like a great achievement to have our work setting up the ‘Let’s Talk About Mouth Cancer’ charity recognised by other professionals on a national level.”
If you are thinking of applying or know somebody that is suitable for the award, contact the ADG today for more information. Who knows, it could be you?
For more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk
Savings and Pensions
There are some aspects of the Autumn Statement that won’t affect dentists, but taxation on savings and pensions might. It is prudent to note that the band of savings income that is subject to the 0% starting rate will remain at £5,000 for 2016/2017 – a relevant point for those looking to achieve savings on tax through proactive mitigation.
In regards to individual savings accounts (ISAs), the limit will remain at £15,240. The Statement also announced that the list of qualifying investments for the new Finance ISA is to be extended in Autumn 2016 to include debt securities offered via crowdfunding platforms. As for the ISA savings of a deceased person, they will continue to benefit from ISA tax advantages during the administration of their estate.
The Review has also outlined plans to introduce legislation that will enable the pension tax rules on bridging pensions to be aligned with Department for Work and Pensions legislation. As for the pensions tax relief consultation that was launched in the Summer Budget 2015, the proposals will be published in the 2016 Budget.
Inheritance Tax
Another aspect of the Autumn Statement that might affect dentists is changes to inheritance tax (IHT). The Autumn Statement has revealed that inheritance tax rules are to be backdated to 2011 to prevent pension scheme members from being charged for inheritance tax if they don't drawdown their monetary funds before their death.
Buy-To-Let Scheme
For those looking to invest in additional properties, including buy to let properties and second homes, from 1 April 2016 they will have to pay an extra 3% in stamp duty. The money raised will be used to help those struggling to buy their first home. While this may be costly to some, it is certainly good news for the younger generation of dentists who are not yet on the property ladder. With announcements that a new Help to Buy equity loan scheme will lend 40% of the price of a home to those living in London, it is especially good news for those working and living in the capital.
Rent-A-Room Relief
Additionally, there has been an increase in rent-a-room relief, which is the amount of rental income that can be received tax-free by individuals renting a room or rooms in their main residence. From April 2016, the tax-free amount will be increased to £7,500 per annum.
Get Advice
All in all, the Autumn Statement was met with mixed reactions and certainly provides food for thought. For dentists specifically, there is much to be considered, but there is nothing that is especially concerning. If you are unsure what the Review might mean for you and your practice, it is always beneficial to seek out the advice of trusted financial professionals.
For more information please call 0845 345 5060, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.money4dentists.com
Denplan, the UK’s leading dental payment plan specialist, has welcomed George Osborne’s call for clearer dental pricing and treatment plans in HM Treasury’s “A Better Deal” report, which was published this week.
The report stated that pricing for dentistry can be opaque and confusing and that the government wants to ensure that dentist treatment plans and price lists are clear and easily accessible, empowering patients in England to make the best choices.
Roger Matthews, Chief Dental Officer at Denplan said: “Clear communication between dentists and patients is fundamental in every dental practice, especially in regards to treatment plans and pricing. We strongly agree with the Chancellor’s statement in the report that all dental patients should have access to the information they need to make the right decisions about their dental care.
“Denplan encourages all member dental practices to build in enough discussion time with their patients to allow them to explain treatment options and any associated costs. Denplan is also a co-originator and signatory of the BDA Private Dental Plans Code of Practice. The code emphasises the need to provide patients with adequate information about the choices available, work with clear and fair contracts, ensure they understand the payment procedures for each option and, where appropriate, any on-going costs or exclusions, and have in place a system for dealing with complaints and feedback.”
Denplan has a range of support services available to its member dentists and this includes providing regular guidance and materials for practices to use. Roger Matthews continued:
“Denplan member practices are able to access a price list template to ensure they are following the General Dental Council’s standards which requires practices to display their price lists. Through a network of field-based consultants across the UK (supported by an office-based team), Denplan also works continually with member practices to provide business support, which includes helping practices to set their fees fairly.”
In a 2014 Denplan patient survey of over 8,800 patients, 90% said that Denplan allows them to budget for their dental care and treatment*. Roger Matthews added: “We find that patients appreciate the clarity that comes with a dental payment plan as they prefer to know exactly what their dental care is going to cost each month without any unexpected bills.”
“Osborne’s report today should serve as a sharp reminder to all types of practices (NHS or private) on the requirement to provide patients with the most comprehensive information on treatment options and pricing. If greater transparency in this area helps patients make more informed choices about their dental care and oral health it can only be a positive step forward for dentistry.”
*Your Denplan Survey Oct-Dec 2014. Total respondents: 8,802.
Turbo charge your Turnover
Website optimisation can be a cost effective and easily integrated marketing strategy for a dental practice to pursue. Practice owners need to spend time dedicated to the clinical aspects of a dental surgery, and this is where their expertise lie. However, this can result in the business side of the practice being neglected having detrimental effects on the revenue flow, so owners need to identify tactics that have maximum impact with minimal disruption on the care of their patients.
The internet has transformed the way in which businesses can communicate to both their current and potential patients. It is another channel that can be utilised to target specific groups with a tailored message that will resonate with their needs. Most UK dental practices have a website, even if it is not fully optimised, and there are a number of routes that a new patient can take to find it. The majority probably start from a well-known search engine and if a website has been designed effectively, it should have a high enough organic ranking to be featured in the first few search results.
However, many websites have to work proactively to acquire a prime position. One method is to pay for advertising. The advertisement needs to be carefully considered to ensure its effectiveness: concise, informative and intriguing. However, this does not guarantee a new patient, with the average conversion rate currently presenting at only 2.5%. An important tip to increase sales conversion is to ensure that the landing page from the advertisement supports the message. If the landing page does not give the information that the patient requires at first glance, then the viewer is unlikely to spend any more time on that website. Also, it’s important that the potential new patient can easily make contact with the practice through simple forms of visual contact details. Even if the potential new patient does not convert following initial contact, this data can then be used to communicate with the ‘hot lead’ in the future.
With over a hundred years’ of experience across the team, Dental Elite can offer your practice a ‘Health Check’ and practical advice on how to achieve your objectives. Dental Elite will work with you to ensure the practice is optimising its revenue stream with view to maximising the valuation for when you come to sell. The Dental Elite directors have experience in marketing and Search Engine Optimisation and so these activities are at the core of the service offered.
Web site optimisation can be a powerful marketing tool to drive new patients to your practice, maximise their investment once there and increase the practice’s revenue stream. With just a few simple tactics applied online, the practice’s potential reach to new patients is enhanced with minimal disruption to clinical care.
For more information visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01788 545 900
Dedicated to providing first class customer service, Wrights, the independent distributor, continues to build upon the ever-growing reputation of what it can achieve and provide. Lisa Montague, Practice Manager of Hook Lane Dental Care in Welling, explains why Wrights has won her and her practice over.
Ever since our Wrights representative, Shilesh Jetha, first introduced himself to me two years ago, ordering within my practice has not been the same. Happy, friendly and communicative, we hit it off straight away.
He showed me price comparisons and potential offers compared to competitors. Since then Shilesh has price matched, or beaten, everything that he possibly can and he continues to ensure I get the very best deals available.
Since transferring a lot of our ordering to Wrights, I have sampled more and more products, which for the most part, have been exactly what we were looking for. Although we use Wrights mostly for the branded products, we have certainly seen an increase in our use of own brand products, now using the gloves for instance.
In the event of us not liking a specific product, Shilesh has always been very understanding, taking the feedback away and producing an alternative for us to try. What’s more, he always seems to get us a better deal, which is integral in an industry driven by price.
Although I do a weekly order, I probably speak to Shilesh most days! He is extremely helpful and accommodating, ensuring that products arrive next day delivery whenever possible.
Even though we are getting top brands for amazing prices, for me the customer service is what makes Wrights stand out from the rest. If I ring Shilesh with a problem or an issue, he deals with it straight away. As a very good problem solver, I always feel assured that I am getting an incredible service.
Ultimately, he is a perfect example of the kind of representative that Wrights need and do employ. Changing my perception and attitude to ordering, Shilesh has essentially acted as the catalyst for our move to Wrights. The products are great and the pricing is unmatched, but Wrights earn its reputation on the customer service alone.
As a result, I would definitely recommend Wrights, and have done so already to several practices.
For more information contact Wrights on 0800 66 88 99 or visit the easy to navigate website www.wright-cottrell.co.uk
Dr Zamet was an Honorary Consultant and Senior Research Fellow at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute, a Past President and Honorary Member of the British Society of Periodontology and the founder Chairman and a Trustee of the Alpha Omega London Chapter and Charitable Trust.
Applications are open to all UK-based postgraduate dental students studying for a Masters degree or PhD who are undertaking or who have recently completed original research associated with clinical periodontology.
The prize will be awarded every other year with a value of £2,000.
Applicants should submit a covering letter and an abstract not exceeding 1000 words which should, at least, cover the following areas:
1. Background to project?
2. Aims
?3. Methods?
4. Relevance to clinical periodontology
?5. Start and completion dates (estimated completion date will suffice if ongoing)
Three paper copies of the application should be submitted by 31st December 2015 to:
Professor Andrew Eder?Chairman, The Alpha Omega London Charitable Trust 2nd floor, 57a Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YP
And also sent electronically via email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.?. The applicant must also submit a letter of support from their research supervisor confirming their supervision of the project. The submission will be considered by a panel of at least two Specialists in Periodontology of Professorial/Consultant status whose decision is final.
The successful applicant would normally be invited to present the results and/or clinical implications of the research at a meeting of the Alpha Omega London Chapter.
Filtek Z500 has a multitude of benefits including good radiopacity[i] and light stability,[ii] high flexural strength,[iii] and low shrinkage.[iv] All of these factors add up to simple handling and durability, which is essential in the dental setting.
Not only that, Filtek Z500 Universal Restorative is available in eight universal and one opaque shade, so you can create beautiful restorations. The combination of this, along with the excellent polish retention,[v] makes Filtek Z500 your go-to product for aesthetic restorations.
For a truly universal restorative, try Filtek Z500 from 3M ESPE today.
For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk
[i] 3M ESPE Internal Data, Filtek Z500 radiopacity, 2010. Claim no 4441
[ii] 3M ESPE Internal Data, Filtek Z500 light stability, 2010. Claim no 4442
[iii] 3M ESPE Internal Data, Filtek Z500 flexural strength, 2010. Claim no 4430
[iv] 3M ESPE Internal Data, Filtek Z500 shrinkage, 2010. Claim no 4433
[v] 3M ESPE Internal Data, Filtek Z500 polish retention, 2010. Claim no 4427
“Following a seminar I attended presented by Tif Qureshi, I quickly realised that being able to offer patients the Inman Aligner system would be a great skill to add to my armamentarium.
“The course was excellent and very impressive – not only an informative and interesting day, but also a really enjoyable one as well. Instructors Tif Qureshi and James Russell were very professional and they were happy to spend time discussing potential cases.
“The appliance itself is very simple to use in practice and I have been able to use both the online support forum and help from NimroDENTAL laboratory to develop my knowledge of the Inman Aligner and treating more complex cases.
“I was impressed by the IAS academy hands-on training course and I would definitely recommend it to other colleagues.”
Committed to providing the highest quality of training and support, IAS Academy runs courses for the Inman Aligner, ClearSmile Aligners and ClearSmile Braces. To find out more, contact the team today.
For more information, go to www.iasortho.com, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0845 366 5477.
Jon Drysdale of PFM Dental commented: "We based our review on a first-time buyer wishing to borrow £180,000 for a house purchase of £200,000. The majority of dental associates would easily afford the repayments and they have virtually guaranteed job security. The good news is that specialist dental advisers are aware of lenders happy to accept mortgage applications from newly qualified associates."
Around 1,000 dentists have now completed Foundation Training in the current academic year and the majority will start associate positions during August and September. The move to self-employment usually results in an immediate uplift in income, causing many dentists to think seriously about their first property purchase.
Jon Drysdale is an independent financial adviser for Chartered Financial Planners PFM Dental. He specialises in pension and wealth management advice exclusively for dentists.
For more information visit www.pfmdental.co.uk
The Washington Post summed up Aylan’s plight:
“…As refugees from the Islamic State and other turbulent parts of the world besiege Eurostar trains, crowd the French port of Calais, and die on the shores of Libya or in trucks in Austria, it’s clear that Aylan is just one of countless many[i].”
The tragedy of losing this little boy is the stark result of political upheaval, war and suffering in our neighbouring countries. These are ordinary people, like us, who have left behind families, jobs and homes they loved, due to dreadful circumstances way beyond their control. However, in trying to flee their nations, they risk losing their lives. In Syria, the crisis has reached monumental proportions – the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre states that half of the country’s 22 million population is either displaced within its borders or has fled overseas[ii].
European heads of government face the immediate and seemingly insurmountable task of accommodating thousands of desperate people arriving daily on flimsy dinghies at Greek shores. However, because communication lines are broken, it’s easy to forget that there are millions more displaced in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan. Here, communities are torn apart by war, persecution and unimaginable misery and having fled their homes, still remain in their home countries.
The International Rescue Committee depicted the experience of displacement by documenting refugees’ possessions in photos as they arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos. One 17 year-old Afghan boy simply had a change of clothes (shorts, a t-shirt and lightweight trainers), a small amount of Turkish Lira, SIM cards, a comb, bandages and, shamefully, face whitening cream and hair gel. He thought that by whitening his skin and spiking up his hair, the authorities wouldn’t know he’s a refugee and therefore, he wouldn’t be arrested[iii].
Can any of us really appreciate what it is like to be driven from home in a matter of hours, to then have your last remaining valuables stolen at checkpoints before another fifty-mile trek to relative safety? This is a typical experience relayed to Cardinal Vincent Nichols (Archbishop of Westminster) when he met displaced Christians living in makeshift camps in Erbil, Iraq, seeking refuge from ISIS violence. He is at pains to emphasise that it is crucial for these people in order to preserve their dignity by giving them a home, however makeshift and temporary it may be[iv].
Thankfully, this fate is extremely unlikely to beset those of us living in Europe, which is why we are in a position to help. Whilst David Cameron, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin thrash out the political complexities within war-torn countries, the average person reflects, shelving the minutiae of day-to-day life to consider how their actions can make a difference.
Cardinal Nichols touched upon a very human element intrinsic to each and every one of the millions of displaced and resettling people around the world – the preservation of dignity is not only humane, it’s imperative. So, it follows that all of the items supplied to those in need have enormous value, however big and however small. In stable countries, everyday items including toiletries and oral health adjuncts are just taken for granted. But, what would it be like if we had no means to access those products for ourselves, if we no longer had the freedom to cater for the daily routines to which we’re accustomed?
The Humble Smile Foundation and Humble Brush teams are dedicated to providing eco friendly, sustainable, efficient toothbrushes wherever peoples’ needs are the greatest. There can be no argument that the displaced, in many cases only possessing the clothes on their backs, have needs that reach far beyond the imagination. In support of the work the charity Assyrians Without Borders undertakes, aiming to assess the mental health, understand the trauma and address health conditions for refugees both in Northern Iraq, Syria and Turkey, the Humble Smile Foundation has donated over 100,000 toothbrushes. Of course, oral care is just one example of the unending building blocks involved in establishing some semblance of normality.
The non-profit Humble Smile Foundation gives a toothbrush or equivalent oral care to an underprivileged child for every sale of a Humble Brush, made from biodegradable natural bamboo. It’s well documented that taking care of our teeth and gums assists in our general wellbeing. Whether the recipients of these brushes are living in basic refugee camps or in remote parts of our world with no access to dental assistance, nurturing their teeth is a good place to start with bettering their lives.
Humble Brush is now available in the UK and Ireland. For more information please visit www.humblebrush.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0286 862 8880.
To order please contact the exclusive distributor Quintess Denta www.quintesshumblebrush.co.uk
Follow us on social media:
@HumbleBrush and www.facebook.com/humblebrushuk
[i] The Washington Post. Aylan’s Story: How Desperation Left A 3 Year-Old Boy Washed Up On A Turkish Beach by Justin Wm. Moyer, September 2015. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/03/a-desperate-refugee-family-a-capsized-boat-and-3-year-old-dead-on-a-beach-in-turkey/ (Accessed 29/9/2015)
[ii] http://www.internal-displacement.org/middle-east-and-north-africa/syria/ (accessed 30/9/2015)
[iii] Fast Company Magazine. What’s In A Refugee’s Bag? See What People Carry As They Flee: Heartbreaking Photos Of The Things People Take When They Have Nothing Left. http://www.fastcoexist.com/3050993/whats-in-a-refugees-bag-see-what-people-carry-as-they-flee#3 (Accessed 30/9/2015)
[iv] ITV report – Cardinal Nichols: Erbil’s Displaced Refugees ‘Need Our Help’, April 2015. http://www.itv.com/news/2015-04-12/cardinal-nichols-calls-for-more-to-be-done-to-help-erbils-displaced-refuge (Accessed 29/9/2015)
This holiday season, some will struggle to put food on the table and pay their bills, let alone buy presents and indulge in festive treats. Indeed, the number of Britons expected to borrow money for basic living this Christmas could be high as 21%.[i]
The country is also experiencing an increase in the use of food banks, with 2014-2015 statistics showing a 19% rise since last year,[ii] and it is thought that 2,744 are sleeping rough on any one night. [iii] Poverty, perhaps, is closer to home than we thought.
Needing help
Despite advancements in technology and the implementation of ergonomic friendly products within surgeries, work-related illness and injury remains the biggest cause of financial struggle. Figures from 2013/2014 show that 1.2 million working people were affected by this and as a result 28.2 million working days were lost.[iv]
Accidents, bereavement, stress, addiction, marital problems and mental health are other possible factors that unsettle financial stability, impacting everyone from dentists to their dependants, friends and colleagues.
A helping hand
In times of hardship help can come in many forms; a shoulder to lean on can sometimes be enough. But for many, financial aid is required for food and clothing, bills and mortgage payments, nursing home fees and even funeral costs.
Although the Summer Budget 2015 recently made cuts, benefits are still available up to a possible £23,000 in London and £20,000 in the rest of the UK.[v] Yet, research has shown that some people are too embarrassed to seek help and as much as £19 billion in state benefits can go unclaimed each year.[vi]
At some point or another most of us need help, which is why the BDA Benevolent Fund works to provide support to any registered UK dentist in financial need. With help from other professionals, regular donations and gift aid, the Fund provides one-off or regular grants to those who need it most. The difference that this can make at any time, let alone Christmas, is immeasurable.
A donation can help someone in need and make their Christmas worth celebrating.
Thank you.
The BDA Benevolent Fund relies on your help to continue its work,
so please contact us on 020 7486 4994 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
or to give a donation today go to www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk.
And if you are in need of help yourself, please contact us now.
All enquiries are considered in confidence.
Registered charity no. 208146
[i] Accessed online 9 July 2015 http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/media/news/Pages/Warning-as-Britons-put-Christmas-on-credit.aspx
[ii] Accessed online 9 July 2015 themoneycharity.org.uk/media/Debt-Stats-Full-January-2014-pdf
[iii] Accessed online 8 July 2015 www.homeless.org.uk/facts/homelessness-in-numbers/rough-sleeping/rough-sleeping-our-analysis
[iv] Accessed online 9 July 2015 http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/
[v] Accessed online 9 July 2015 https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/budget-july-2015
[vi] Accessed online 9 July 2015 https://www.turn2us.org.uk/About-Us/Research-and-Insights/On-borrowed-money-on-borrowed-time-payday-loans
And now there’s SonicFill 2, which enables clinicians to perform posterior restorations with an easy-to-use, one-step procedure that provides everything you need for reliable bulk filling: the adaptation of a flowable during placement, a high depth-of-cure, low polymerisation shrinkage stress, and the strength and aesthetics you would expect from a posterior restorative.
SonicFill 2’s composite incorporates a highly-filled proprietary resin with special modifiers that react to sonic energy. As sonic energy is applied through the handpiece, the modifier causes the viscosity to drop (up to 84%), increasing the flowability of the composite, enabling quick placement and precise adaptation to the cavity walls. When the sonic energy is stopped, the composite returns to a more viscous, non-slumping state that is perfect for carving and contouring.
The result is:
• No voids, gaps or seams
• Excellent marginal integrity
• Outstanding adaptation to cavity surfaces
• High depth of cure
• Excellent strength, polishability and wear resistance
• Low sensitivity to ambient light.
SonicFill’s technology is unlike any other composite material on the market. To experience why for yourself, please call 01733 892292, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.kerrdental.co.uk.
Take, for example, Herculite™ XRV Ultra Flow, a medium viscosity light cure nanohybrid resin restorative that combines the long-standing expertise of the Herculite brand with an innovative flowable composite.
Formulated with Kerr’s rheological expertise, Herculite XRV Ultra Flow, thanks to its Smart Placement Technology, is able to flow easily when used as a base/liner and maintain its shape when used in small restorations.
Other features include:
• Outstanding flexural strength
• Low shrinkage
• Easy polishability
• Excellent gloss retention.
The Herculite XRV Ultra range offers the best of both worlds – strength and aesthetics – to give you long-lasting, beautiful restorations.
For further information, please call 01733 892292, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.kerrdental.co.uk.
“Patients continue to be impressed with the service they receive at Ten Dental and feel reassured that their own dentist is involved in the treatment.
“Martin Wanendeya and Nik Sisodia at Ten Dental have a vast amount of experience in their speciality fields, especially implants, which means that I know my patients will be treated professionally, in a caring environment and to a world-class standard. In short, it gives me the piece of mind that my patients will receive the best care possible.”
Contact the knowledgeable team today to find out more about the comprehensive and personable implant referral service Ten Dental can offer your patients.
For more information about Ten Dental and The Implant Restoration Course visit Facebook/Implant Restoration Course-IRC, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit www.implant-restoration.com or call 020 7622 7610
Dental professionals will be aware of the importance of building confidence in members of the dental team, nurturing skills and talents and assisting each other. This is an area of familiarity, of mutual benefit, where challenges can be shared and overcome collectively. When this is accomplished well, it extends to the patients visiting the practice, increasing their confidence in the qualities and proficiency of the people that work there.
For many individuals, personal achievement influences their levels of confidence. Some feel self-assured by their level of fitness or sporting prowess, financial position, social status or occupational accomplishment, for others it is their academic ability, knowledge or skills. Conversely, a person’s confidence can be significantly influenced by their appearance or how they believe others perceive them.
Decades of studies have demonstrated that people, in particular women, are bombarded with images of unrealistic beauty that have resulted in unhappiness, anxiety, low self-esteem and low body confidence.[i] The compounding affect of negative body satisfaction has been shown to be a contributory factor in poor mental wellbeing[ii], eating disorders, obesity[iii] and risky behaviour in relation to drugs, smoking and sex.[iv]
Although only 32% of adults[v] agree with the statement: ‘your value depends on how you look’, many individuals become devoted consumers of products, programmes and procedures to improve their appearance and indeed their confidence. Fundamentally, many people overlook the value of more cost effective strategies and the impact and importance of good overall health.
For example it is believed that physical activity can improve self-esteem and self acceptance, indeed when a person enjoys the exercise they engage in, they are more likely to continue, and garner positive psychological effects.[vi]
As we know, the health of the mouth is crucial to overall health and visits to the dental practice can also help people to gain confidence. Patients are able to improve their smile, access safe cosmetic and tooth whitening procedures as well as essential oral health instruction and advice. Certainly, for some patients, conditions requiring orthodontic or cosmetic intervention can impact on issues of self-esteem and confidence. The British Orthodontic Society, in their Guidelines for Referrals for Orthodontic Treatment[vii] note improvement in dental and facial aesthetics often results “in improved self-esteem and other psycho-social aspects of the individual.”
In addition, no matter how healthy or satisfied some people may feel, they still could have feelings of uncertainty or concern about their breath. Interestingly it was recently revealed that nearly 40 per cent of people worry about their mouth once a day[viii]. Believed to affect around 25% of the entire population oral malodour be an exasperating and sometimes debilitating condition. In a seven-year Swiss study, halitosis was found to bring about inhibition, insecurity, withdrawal and reduced social contact to chronic sufferers.[ix]
Maintaining good oral hygiene and having regular dental checks and treatment when necessary will have a significant effect but practitioners can also annul any worries by encouraging patients to use an effective daily oral deodorant such as CB12 mouth rinse. By recommending CB12, practitioners can offer a reliable way of keeping the breath fresh, as it has been proven to work better than 18 other leading mouthwash brands. CB12 is able to target and neutralise all three odour-causing Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs)[x] that cause oral malodour and continue to ensure first class breath for 12 hours. Not only can patients feel confident about their breath but practitioners can also feel empowered by recommending a clinically proven solution to the problem.
When dental professionals feel appreciated for their skills, advice and contributions they are likely to feel more self-assured about their abilities and enhance their team’s performance. If it is possible to successfully resolve a condition such as unpleasant breath, the rewards are far reaching both physically and psychologically. In turn, this confidence and empowerment has a reciprocal effect that extends positively to colleagues and patients.
For more information about CB12 and how it could benefit your patients, please visit www.cb12.com
[i] YWCA Beauty at any cost. The Consequences of America’s Beauty Obsession on Women & Girls. August 2008. http://www.ywca.org [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[ii] Puhl, R. & Latner, J. D. 2007. Stigma, obesity and the health of a nation’s children. Psychological Bulletin. 133: 557-580.
[iii] Janet Franklin, Gareth Denyer, Katharine S. Steinbeck, Ian D. Caterson, Andrew J. Hill, Obesity and Risk of Low Self-esteem: A Statewide Survey of Australian Children. PEDIATRICS Vol. 118 No. 6 December 1, 2006 pp. 2481 -2487 (doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-0511) http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/6/2481.short [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[iv] Government Equalities Office May 2013. Body image – a rapid evidence assessment of the literature. www.gov.uk/.../120715_RAE_on_body_image_final.docx [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[v] Government Equalities Office October 2014. Body Confidence – Findings from the British Social Attitudes Survey. www.gov.uk/.../Body_Confidence_Findings_October_2014.docx [Accessed 13th May 2015]
6 Cohen G, Shamus E. Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What can exercise do for you? The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. April 2009. Volume 7 Number 2. http://ijahsp.nova.edu/articles/Vol7Num2/pdf/cohen.pdf [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[vii] http://www.bos.org.uk - The Justification for Orthodontic Treatment - British Orthodontic Society. [Accessed 13th May 2015]
[viii] Survey by Gorkana January 2015, commissioned by Align Technology
[ix] Andrea Zürcher, Andreas Filippi, Dept of Oral Surgery, University of Basel. 'Findings, Diagnoses and Results of a Halitosis Clinic over a Seven Year Period'. Schweiz Monatsschr Zahnmed. [Swiss Monthly Journal of Dentistry] 3/2012 Vol. 122 pp. 205-210
[x] Greenman et. al., Oral Diseases, Comparative effects of various commercially available mouthrinse formulations on oral malodour, (2011), 17:180-186.
Step 1: Determine product/ market fit
Dentistry is a well-established sector that will continually be required by patients of all ages. However, it is important to choose the correct product or service for the market. If, for example, you are looking to offer a new orthodontic product or service in your practice, it is worth researching whether the market for the product will be sustainable.
Step 2: Choose a traffic source
Attracting interest from potential patients online will greatly optimise your chances of acquiring new clients, selling more products and services and increasing the frequency of sales.
With a number of options to choose from, it is best to focus on one traffic source, then once mastered add a second and third. The goal throughout is to drive prospects into the CVO funnel. This begins with the lead magnet.
Step 3: Offer a lead magnet
The lead magnet prompts a transaction of information by offering an irresistible bribe that gives a specific chunk of value to a prospect patient in exchange for their contact information. With the lead magnet at the very top of the CVO funnel, increasing opt-ins here will pay dividends throughout the rest of the system and allow you to provide more tripwire offers.
Step 4: Offer a tripwire
Tripwire offers are made to potential patients that have displayed interest through the lead magnet. The main aim of a tripwire is to change the relationship from prospect to customer through offers that individuals are unable to resist.
Step 5: Offer a core product
The core offer relates to your flagship product or service, perhaps implants, orthodontic or whitening treatment. In some cases, the core offer will be profitable, but it does not have to be. If you follow through on the CVO process, you could take everything you make from the core offer and reinvest it to acquire more patients.
Step 6: Offer a profit maximiser
The profit maximiser increases the average transaction value per customer. Through an upsell or cross-sell, patients will spend more during one transaction.
Step 7: Create the return path
The final way to grow your practice is to increase the number of transactions per customer. Having gained their contact information through the initial lead magnet, you will have the ability to continue marketing, offering them new lead magnets, tripwires, core offers and profit maximisers.
Effective email marketing is one way to maintain communication with patients and increase transaction frequency. The experts at 7connections have recently developed AIM – Automated Intelligent Marketing – specifically for small dental practices. Based on proven strategies, such as CVO, AIM can help your practice to reap the rewards of a clear and well-thought-out marketing plan.
Successful marketing systems can enhance a business and allow you to make the most of opportunities. Increase patient numbers, enhance the average transaction value per client and raise the number of transactions per patient with a well-thought-out marketing solution.
For more information about 7connections, please call 01647 478145 or email pThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Alternatively, please visit the new website www.7connections.com.
Available in the UK from Nuview, the OPMI Pico incorporates the latest video and ‘live streaming’ technology, allowing you to record examinations and treatments in HD. The innovative camera options available facilitate excellent patient consultation and documentation and provide a fantastic tool for education and communication for the whole dental team.
The compact, high performing and easy-to-use OPMI Pico offers solid, ergonomic support for the most demanding of applications – whether in restorative dentistry, endodontics, implantology or periodontics. It is also available with a Varioskop objective lens that allows you to adjust the focal length to focus on virtually any image detail without leaving your preferred working position.
To find out more about the Carl Zeiss OPMI Pico contact Nuview today.
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
All through my life I have had to account for my actions and omissions to somebody. Parents, teachers, the wife (sometimes J ), and obviously now to my patients and regulators. This is no different to any of you reading this. Accountability for our actions keeps us on the correct path (hopefully) and having a regulatory mechanism and a legal system that should be just and proportionate helps to define what that path is. Whether our spouses are just and proportionate in keeping us on that path is another matter entirely!
But we work in a system where there appears to be very little or even a complete absence of accountability for the actions of those who influence us in some way.
The departure of Ms Gilvarry from the GDC is a case in point; I’m sure there will be rather nice pay off from the ever expanding coffers of the Wimpole Street Complaints Enforcement Company that she currently runs. Following this will presumably be a move into another similar role where her unique skills and qualities will be valued just as much as they were on Wimpole Street. She departs not a moment too soon for the profession in my opinion, but what should stick in the minds of each and every one of us is that there will be absolutely no accountability for the debacle that has occurred during her tenure at the GDC once she has left her post. Had any one of us dental registrants been at the head of our individual organisations and found to be lacking to the degree the GDC has, then our regulators (both GDC and CQC) would have had no hesitation in making us accountable for our inabilities to manage and provide our patients with an appropriate and safe service. I’m absolutely sure if we had been found to be acting in an unlawful manner then the full weight of accountability would have come crashing down on us very rapidly.
Surely rather than a pay off there should be some form of public accountability that executives in positions like this should answer too. The money from any pay off could be placed in a fund to support those practitioners who have suffered injustice at the hands of the GDC in the period of her tenure. It won’t be anywhere near enough, but it would a start and an acknowledgement by the GDC that they have often got it wrong and need to make reparations. And yes, I still believe in the tooth fairy.
The recent report into the HBOS crash in the recession has ruled that about 10 of the executives were culpable in some way for the mismanagement of the company. It has been recommended that they never work in banking again. Whilst I’m sure they will still get lucrative posts in industry (and some indeed have already), at least there is an accountability for their actions in some way and a degree of public shaming. The Iceland banking crash resulted in jail sentences for those found to be culpable which many feel was an appropriate redress.
In addition, we still have a Council that appears to be run similarly to the politics of Zimbabwe. Where is the mechanism to address this? The registrant members of the Council do not seem to be making any difference whatsoever to the decisions made. Are they there just to keep the numbers up? Aren’t they supposed to be part of the accountability system the Executive answers to? And why is there no public mention to the stance Council members are taking? Is every vote unanimous these days? Such questions need a mechanism of accountability to be in place to answer them.
A chief executive is no different to the captain of a ship. There might be various members of crew responsible for various aspects of the running of it; but it is the captain who is in ultimate charge and therefore has the final responsibility. Captain Smith went down with the RMS Titanic, in effect accounting for his responsibility with the ultimate sacrifice of his life. The tragedy of the Costa Concordia has resulted in criminal accountability for the captain who unbelievably left the sinking ship before all the passengers had. Anyone who leaves a ship prematurely that is sinking due to their poor leadership and navigational skills is thinking only of themselves; no consideration to the effect of the disaster on other people’s lives can be at the forefront of their minds, and saving their own skin is paramount. The Council is effectively equivalent to the Directors of a shipping line, and they too can be found liable for policy errors that lead to disaster. The difference is maritime law has robust legislation and accountability for these people, and justice is usually swift, fair, and effective.
Unfortunately we never seem to see this in our profession. From the Commissioners who continued to allow ludicrous amounts of UDA’s over the years in the D’Mello situation, to the lack of appropriate measures taken against the corporate mismanagement in the Stafford fiasco, there is always a scapegoat found in the medical, nursing or dental profession to take the fall. Until we have some form of register for people in the higher echelons of regulation and management of our healthcare in the UK, we will always have this lack of accountability and problems will continue. For instance, if I forgo my registration with the GDC and go off to run a hospital incompetently then there isn’t really any likelihood of a significant punishment that will end my career, ill probably just get moved laterally or get a consultancy position somewhere. There seems to be a reluctance to press for corporate manslaughter charges, and vicarious liability seems to be rarely found. Yet if I forget to write down a medical history or fail to justify my reasons for placing LA whilst simultaneously allowing my child to sit behind reception doing some colouring-in then potentially its career over. Our accountability has gone too far, yet for many others it doesn’t go anywhere near far enough.
We have regulatory bodies and members of those bodies that are accountable to no-one. We have non-dental registrants at the head of dental corporates, companies and organisations who are accountable to no-one, yet are setting policies or advertising services that could affect the care of patients adversely. We have dental registrants at the head of businesses that blame the individuals at the tooth-face for problems, whilst chasing profit in preference to supporting the clinicians appropriately. We have an Ex CDO who has supported the flawed UDA’s system passionately despite all the obvious problems with it. We’ll have another contract from the DoH eventually that will only be designed to further cut the budget and get us to provide more for less. We have expert witnesses who appear to be unable or unwilling to use the correct standards without any redress. And we have Commissioners and Management who in many cases are promoted far beyond their abilities and understanding of healthcare. I can’t recall reading anything of the accountability of any of these groups recently, but please correct me if I am wrong.
Hopefully the new CEO at Complaints Enforcement Plc will have a more proportional idea of how the Dentists Act should be enforced. Because enforced it has to be; but please, not with a zeal verging on fanaticism; it has to be with the right touch and a realisation that this profession is generally very, very good at what it does for the patients and that true misconduct and dishonesty is actually quite rare. But until all those tainted by the problems at Wimpole Street have accepted their responsibilities and left then nothing will change. The shipping line will get to choose a new captain, but we still can’t get off the ship. Bill Moyes expects our patients to have choices and make us accountable, but is impregnable from such actions himself. We need an entirely new crew who are not used to piloting a battleship with its guns constantly trained on the profession whilst getting it to pay for the ammunition used in the barrage.
Until we have accountability for all those currently immune against the effects of the mistakes that humans naturally make then they will never be able to empathise with what we go through on a daily basis in our professional life. Only by respecting the responsibility we have because of the accountability we have, firstly to our patients and then to our regulators, will they finally appreciate what we do and the problems we encounter. The old Council with its primarily registrant make up had this, and the profession wasn’t any more unsafe then than it is now. In fact, in my opinion it is actually far more unsafe for patients now when practitioners are working defensively, and when you can get a single complaint ending a career, without accounting for the thousands of patients who were being cared for (probably) appropriately by that practitioner. Just who is going to be made accountable for this damage to patient care long term?
Because without full accountability for all those involved in providing, regulating and commissioning healthcare, nothing will ever change.
Great article.
The beautiful, bespoke furniture looks contemporary and is built to last. You will be providing your team with an efficient comfortable place to work in, which will boost morale, reduce stress and impress your patients.
Tavom UK’s design service will allow you to see all the furniture in situ before you complete your purchase. The team will find a solution to make the most of your space and create a clean, streamlined environment.
If you want to allow for future expansion, Tavom UK’s experts will build this flexibility into your design. With excellent customer service from a team who will always go the extra mile, contact Tavom UK today and find out why it always pays to invest in quality.
To see how Tavom can transform your dental practice, call 0870 752 1121 or visit the Tavom UK website www.tavomuk.com
“They are absolutely fantastic. Nik is approachable, extremely professional and great with the patients. His help and advice on placing implants and restoration has been invaluable.
“Nik comes directly to the practice and has an innate ability to know how much to push me so that I continue to improve, and he always has time for my questions. I would feel comfortable and confident referring any of my patients to Ten Dental, as they always put the patient first and their communication is excellent.
“Our patients have all been extremely happy with the results and the service they receive. Nik is highly qualified and very relaxed with the patients, which has a positive effect on their experience.”
For more information about Ten Dental and The Implant Restoration Course visit Facebook/Implant Restoration Course-IRC, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit www.implant-restoration.com or call 020 7622 7610
Dr Andrew Bolam is an associate dentist at Bancroft Dentistry in Hitchin, he uses the EyeMag Pro F loupes in his practice and says:
“The loupes have been fantastic. Before buying them I tested all the available options and definitely thought that these were the best in the field. For quality of magnification they were far superior to all the other loupes I tried.
“The benefits are incredible. I didn't initially use them for examinations, primarily for restorative treatment; but now I use them for everything. You can see so much more and the quality of my work is definitely improving.
“I would certainly recommend Nuview and the Carl Zeiss EyeMag Pro F loupes to other practitioners.”
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
Clinpro Fissure Sealant from 3M ESPE can provide this vital protection[ii] while offering you a convenient direct delivery syringe for simple application. Not only that, the low viscosity allows it to flow easily into pits and fissures.
Clinpro Fissure sealant also utilises colour change technology to allow for easy placement.[iii] Clinpro Fissure sealant isPink when applied and changes to an opaque white once exposed to light, leaving a layor of invisible protection.
For a truly preventive and protective solution try Clinpro Fissure Sealant from 3M ESPE today.
For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk
[i] Weintraub, J (2001). Pit and Fissure Sealants in High Caries Risk Individuals. Journal of Dental Education. 65(10). p.84-90
[ii] 3M ESPE Internal Data. Caries Protectionm, 2011. Claim Number 4792
[iii] 3M ESPE Internal Data. First sealant with smart colour-change technology, 2001. Claim number 1297
CGT is a potentially complex area. The law states that ‘if you use part of your residential home exclusively for business use then PRR (Private Residents’ Relief – tax relief available to reduce CGT) has to be apportioned according to the personal element only’. Essentially, this means that the ‘business’ part of your home is subject to CGT.
If a room has a dual purpose, however, PRR will not be restricted. Dual purpose means actual, regular personal use in addition to work use. Don’t think that a few personal items put in a room where you also have your desk set up will suffice. A better example would be a room where you work, but is also available for use as a guest bedroom when it is needed.
Another solution is to rent a room in your house to your company, and for using your facilities they will pay you an income. Again, if the room also has ‘regular residential use’ then you should be able to override the rule that stipulates your home is now counted as a business. Draw up a contract which outlines the days, hours and times that you will be using the room as a workplace and when it will be free for domestic use. A formal agreement like this will protect you if HMRC wants to investigate further.
It is possible to be tax efficient and remain within the law as long as you seek and follow the right advice. Find an accountant who understands the challenges that dental practitioners face and will support you accordingly. Working from home is common for practice owners, yet it can also mean an unwanted CGT bill – simple solutions structured properly will not only help you to be tax efficient, but will also help you make the most of your time at work.
Lansdell & Rose are specialist medical and dental accountants, who can help advise you with tax planning and help you find ways to structure your business. Visit www.lansdellrose.co.uk or call 020 7376 9333.
I saw this advert on Youtube the other day when it appeared before a Youtube video that I subscribe to. I was waiting to watch the latest Vlog from Casey Neistat, when this advert really caught my attention. It caught the attention because of one simple theme, a theme that has been used for centuries. The advert told a story, something humans have been doing for ever. Watch the story about LeeFest below. Further information about LeeFest can be found below the video.
http://leefest.org.uk/holding/index.htm
Brands using storytelling is far from a new concept and obviously just telling a story doesn’t make you a fascinating brand but if a story is presented in the right way, it adds something different to what you are offering and makes you stand out from the crowd.
Thinking deeper about the LeeFest advert which as you have hopefully seen is actually for Android devices, I wasn't thinking I want an Android phone or I must get on Google but that the advert managed to catch my attention and pull me into a awesome story and that was why I liked it. Yes it makes my mind aware of the Android brand but I didn't feel like I was being sold to, I just got taken in by a simple tale and I think that is something we all get attracted by. Examples crop up in our everyday life all the time. This could be a Facebook post someone shares, an advert like I am sharing in this blog or a great story shared between friends down the pub (old skool!). The perfect example was from a few weeks ago when the John Lewis Xmas advert was released, it was eagerly anticipated and everyone quickly had an opinion on it. I am sure the advert has been shared an amazing amount over social networks. Read more here. The advert told a story, which got people talking and exchanging views, whether they liked the advert or not!
I have never followed anyone's vlogs before on a consistent basis until I started watching the earlier mentioned Casey Neistat on Youtube and I think the reason I have found them so enjoyable and addictive is because each vlog follows his daily life in NYC as a businessman and filmmaker and it always involves a story or an adventure. He has a fantastic ability to tell a story within a few minutes, with his unique personality shinning through. This skill to tell stories through Youtube has made his channel gain 1.5 million subscribers and has led to many opportunities that I am sure he uses to his advantage to improve his brand (which is him), as well as setting up the video based social network Beme, which also has the theme of storytelling as the main aim!
So what is our story? GDPUK was established in 1997 by Tony Jacobs when he realised that dentists in the USA were talking to each other over email on a regular basis but there was nothing similar in the UK. Tony wrote a letter to the BDJ to see if other like minded dentists wanted to network and discuss dentistry over email, he supplied his email address and colleagues started emailing him! As simple as that. GDPUK was born. These emails then evolved into a Yahoo mailing list which eventually carried text advertising and then in 2008 our current site was born and we haven’t looked back since. As we approach 9500 members and over 220,000 posts on our forum, we would like to think that we still have a community spirit and that all members feel part of something that has made a positive impact on UK Dentistry. Colleagues have been brought closer together and have made friends for life. Plus they get to help their fellow dentists and offer plenty of advice! The GDPUK story is still evolving and we can’t wait for what the next chapter will bring.
Do you or your brand have a story to tell? How can you get your message across in a different way that attracts the audience you are looking for? What story can you share with your potential or current clients?
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, delivered his Autumn Statement and Spending Review today. There were items of interest to dentists as Jon Drysdale of PFM Dental explains.
Business rates
By the end of this parliament, local government will keep business rates revenue. Elected mayors will, subject to certain conditions, be allowed to raise business rates as the uniform rate is abolished.
Apprenticeship levy
A levy of 0.5% of employers’ wage bill is to be introduced in April 2017 but will affect less than 2% of UK employers.
Pensions
People collecting the new state pension from April 2016 will receive £155.65 per week.
Tax relief on pension contributions could be subject to further change and a decision was expected today but now seems to have been delayed until the Budget next March.
Buy to let and second homes
From 1 April 2016 people purchasing buy to let properties and second homes will pay an extra 3% in stamp duty.
Comment
Jon Drysdale, an independent financial adviser from Chartered Financial planners PFM Dental, says: “After much speculation, prediction and guesswork the Chancellor delivered a fairly benign Autumn Statement. There was little to worry high earners and dentists will be relieved that income tax rates remain unchanged. For once, pensions remain off the agenda, probably in anticipation of the consultation (underway) Osborne announced in the last Budget. This is due to report in 2016 - watch this space.”
For more information visit www.pfmdental.co.uk
Luisa Roncoroni shares with readers the benefits of using Demi Ultra LED curing light in practice.
A curing light should be ready to go when you need it, even if you forgot to charge the battery the night before. You need your curing light to work while the patient is in the chair, and with the cordless curing lights that run on batteries that kind of availability can be a challenge.
Shining a light on technology
Demi Ultra solves this issue; it’s available at all times. Instead of using batteries, we created the U-40 ultracapacitor, enabling Demi Ultra to re-energise in fewer than 40 seconds.
The ultracapacitor maintains energy capacity over time and lasts eight times longer than a battery. It will last for the life of the light, and you don’t have to worry about battery performance, buying a new battery or charging it for long periods of time. What’s more, if you do leave it on the charger it won’t shorten the lifespan, as with other curing lights.
Then there’s our C.U.R.E. (curing uniformity and reduced energy) technology that allows Demi Ultra to deliver uniform depth of cure rapidly, combined with industry-leading low temperatures. Many curing lights have LEDs in the handpiece, generating light that travels down a glass light guide. That’s inefficient, and you lose 50% of the output. So we moved the LEDs to the tip to avoid all that waste.
That’s how we can create the same output with half the energy, and that means less heat for the patient.
In addition, we recognise that a glass light guide blends light, so you do lose that effect a little when you put the LEDs in the tip. To counteract this loss we’ve added a Total Internal Reflector (TIR) lens. It’s like a prism and it blends the light at the tip, so it radiates as a more uniform beam, which means you’re getting a uniform cure with less heat.
Another important aspect of the Demi Ultra is that it is fully sealed. We didn’t want to sacrifice ergonomics; we knew we needed to keep the handpiece lightweight but that we still needed to protect its electric components from being damaged by fluids. We ended up with a frame that is made of metal and plastic that fits together to seal the handpiece completely without sacrificing the weight or handling.
Demi Ultra also offer peace of mind in the form of a radiometer built into the charging dock. The radiometer instantly communicates charging output and lets dentists know if they need to clean the tip before curing.
The user interface is another great feature. We wanted to keep it very simple, so we have one mode and three curing durations. You turn it on and it’s ready to go. We also have a silent mode feature, which many people appreciate.
Demi Ultra in practice
In practical terms, with Demi Ultra the dentist and staff have one less thing to worry about. They can focus on completing their restorations without fretting about whether the lamp is charged sufficiently to complete the case. Always ready, the team doesn’t have to worry about whether someone charged the light overnight. They don’t have to buy new batteries or worry about battery/energy degradation in the light. It’s efficient all life long. Thanks to CURE technology, the dentist can rest assured that consistent uniform depth of curing is being delivered while minimising the amount of heat on the tooth. And all of this is without any risk of thermal shutdown.
As for the patient, the result is reduced incidence of pulpal inflammation, which could cause extended post-op sensitivity and is often blamed on other aspects of the restoration. This will therefore reduce the risk of re-treatments.
Guaranteed for success
Demi Ultra, like our Demi Plus, has a 3-year standard warranty from the date of purchase. If a unit goes wrong, customers can report the issue to a Kerr representative or their dealer and we will put in place all the necessary steps to have the issue fixed quickly.
What is unique in the market is that Kerr offers an additional opportunity; at the time the dentist purchase a Demi Ultra, (s)he may elect to take advantage of an extended 2-year warranty and ‘accidental damage from handling’ coverage. This gives the dentist the peace of mind that their investment and budget are protected from the stresses of unexpected expenses.
Making the right choice
The choice of curing light is crucial, as well as its maintenance and the operator’s technique.
What we have experienced is that dentists are not always giving sufficient weight to the ‘curing step’, which converts into a high number of restoration failures.
The dentist also needs to be aware that a poor distribution of energy may result in inadequate depth polymerisation. They should look at the irradiance values carefully, which are sometimes misleading if not ‘correctly sized’ to the tip area.
As for budget lamps, they are not always the right solution for the job. Some don’t even conform to electrical or safety regulations, for example. The truth is that minimising the expense may lead to failure. Instead a dentist should invest in success!
And while dentists do that, we are fully invested in listening to our customers. Since its launch in September 2013, we have been collecting feedback and suggestions on how to improve Demi Ultra. All of these comments are collected and passed on to the development team, which is surely actively working to improve the lamp, so watch this space!
-ends
Luisa Roncoroni joined Kerr three years ago as the Product Manager for Prevention across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Since then she has also taken on responsibility for the company’s curing lights, including working on the launch of Demi Ultra.
‘With Demi Ultra, heat development towards the end of a complex restoration is considerably reduced compared to everything I have used in the past.’
Dr Alex Kottenhahn, UK
‘No more worries with discharged batteries, because Demi Ultra is fully charged in less than 40 seconds! It is ideal for a busy practice.’
Dr Filip Keulemans, Belgium
‘The working intensity at the light tip is as good today as when we first started using Demi Ultra, providing us with confidence of good depth of cure at each use.’
Dr Michael Evans, UK
‘There are no problems with curing times and the quick charge-up is excellent. The design is great; we can get right back to tube the 7s during orthodontic procedures.’
Theresa Morgan, senior dental nurse, UK
To discover more about Demi Ultra, please visit www.demiultra.eu, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01733 892292.
PECking at the BDA
The BDA claims to be your representative body and the Principal Executive Committee is its leadership board. It is elected by you, if you are a member.
Are you one of the 18000 odd BDA members who have heard the distant thud of voting papers landing on your mat? Have you read the Candidates Statements? You may read them here https://www.bda.org/pecelections
If you have waded through them, you may be forgiven for wondering if the candidates have been reading the dental news!
If you are not a member of the BDA then you may read the list at https://www.bda.org/news-centre/press-releases/Pages/The-candidates-bidding-to-lead-the-profession.aspx
While I admire the concept of leading the profession, and for sure Mick Lad is slapping few heads, I do worry that this reflects an assumed position of strength that is perhaps not wholly justified.
For starters, who will lead the 22000 other odd dentists [a greater number, no less] and who will lead the DCP’s – some 60000? So representing 18000 to “lead” a profession of 100,000 is in my book, bordering on spin of political magnitude. Never mind, move on.
Are the candidates REALLY in touch at your level, at my level? Do they really understand the wet fingered challenges we face?
The news I referred to of course is regarding our old muckers, Cruella and Billy Boy. If their divorce is well signalled in advance, the ARF announcement must be their parting gift to all their friends. How sweet.
BARF
I cannot refer to our annual Practice Tax without using an expletive as the first word. Many years ago, in student days, such a word would suggest advanced post alcoholic nausea. Sadly, I can see a startling similarity nowadays!
In case you missed it. it was serenely announced that the relentless march of arrogant loftiness continued as the GDC, without hint or irony or guilt, agreed to maintain its role as the most expensive [and arguably useless] Regulator in the UK. Proud and passionate, Premier League stuff – indeed with the ARF at this level they should be able to afford a truly gifted player soon, so swollen will be their Reserves.
“Dr William” has become curmudgeonly friendly “Bill” again as he seeks to avoid the need to spend more time with his family.
There is talk about the insanity of it all [see Michael Watson’s excellent analysis at Dentistry http://www.dentistry.co.uk/2015/11/24/the-insanity-of-the-gdc/ ]
The BDA have issued a strongly worded response at https://www.bda.org/news-centre/press-releases/Pages/ARF-freeze-a-choice-not-a-necessity.aspx speaking of the GDC making a choice to simply rob dentists of excessive ARF fees.
The FGDP have also come down in utter contempt for the GDC Leadership at http://www.fgdp.org.uk/content/news/fgdpuk-reaction-to-general-dental-councils-decisio.ashx
Saying “it may be patients who suffer as a result of the GDC’s actions”
PECking Elections
So it is an opportune time [voting closes 14th December 2015] to see if the mood of the BDA Leadership will truly reflect the outside mood of anger.
I am struck that of the 22 candidates, many have issued look-back statements of their achievements, and simply assumed that will be good enough.
Indeed, what a fine profession we have and the contribution that these colleagues have made over the years to the profession of dentistry and the wider community simply cannot be overstated. Please take note Mr Hunt.
They are truly amazing and we should salute them.
But I was also struck by the fact that of the 22 National Candidates to lead the profession, only 8 made any real mention of the GDC.
We can but hope that Dr Armstrong welcomes some proactive colleagues to the Principal Executive Committee if his lead of the fight against the GDC is to carry any momentum in 2016
Your vote counts
At the moment, in the proper voting sense, the Jury is very definitely out.
If the BDA and its PEC are to be an effective representative body, I think the second year of a near £900 ARF suggests that they need to play harder, and kick more accurately. They are 2-0 down and this election suggests that members had better vote carefully if the match is not to be a whitewash.
A wise BDA with its eye on the ball would aim its actions at the other 80000 non members as well, that being the biggest investment in future membership and the wellbeing of the profession that can be achieved.
Here is hoping for better results in 2016.
OPGs are a powerful tool to have at your disposal. They can give you information on periodontal bone loss, help find the source of pain, assist with the correct placement of implants and much more. Digital OPGs mean fewer repeat scans are needed, so less time and cost required, and also less exposure to radiation. Patients can usually understand a panoramic image more easily and they can be emailed to colleagues effortlessly.
These images are also invaluable when dealing with challenging cases, such as elderly patients. The number of older patients you will be treating in the future is growing – and fast. In 2012, the BDA published a review of its 2003 Oral Healthcare for Older People report[1] which concluded that the ageing population was growing faster than had been originally predicted.
OPG scans are quick and comfortable. The detail means that you will be able to anticipate future complications. Caries, periodontal disease and recession of the gingiva can have devastating consequences as a patient gets older and can lead to life-threatening complications, such as cardiovascular problems and diabetes. Type-2 diabetes generally affects people over the age of 40, and oral health is a key component of diabetes management, so it’s a two-way relationship. If a patient has type-2 diabetes, they are also more likely to develop gingivitis, caries and xerostomia, too.[2]
Setting up an OPG scan is quick, and OPGs can be used comfortably for elderly people who cannot open their mouths wide. Patients are usually asked to bite down on a spatula for about a minute while the machine moves around the head. A detailed, informative scan that won’t have to repeated and is easily explained will help you move forward with implementing an effective treatment plan with confidence.
If you do not have OPG technology, look carefully for the right referral partner. Work with a practice that not only has the latest OPG equipment in place, but that employs clinicians who can be trusted to work sensitively with older people and other vulnerable groups. The London Smile Clinic takes referrals, for example, and will meet all of these needs with ease and professionalism.
OPGs will help you deal with the enormous challenges ahead as you treat more elderly and vulnerable people. With a saturated market, and expensive technology that is developing fast, you don’t have to invest in new equipment. Referring out can be the perfect solution to provide the highest-quality care for these patient groups now, and in the future.
For more information, please contact The London Smile Clinic on 020 7255 2559 or visit www.londonsmile.co.uk.
[1] BDA. Oral healthcare for older people 2020 vision. Check-up January 2012. Found at https://www.bda.org/dentists/policy-campaigns/research/patient-care/Documents/older_adults_2012_checkup.pdf (accessed 7 July 2015)
[2] http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/What-is-diabetes/Related-conditions (accessed 7 July 2015)
June also saw Bridge2Aid complete their 71st training programme, meaning that they have now trained 369 rural health workers in emergency dental care. This sustainable model means that once the UK volunteers have left the country the health workers are able to continue treating their local communities for years to come.
The first area where training was delivered was Morogoro which is one of the poorest and most densely populated parts of Tanzania. Most of the inhabitants are subsistence farmers who rely heavily on the surrounding forests for timber, medicinal plants and fuel. The other location was Pangani in the north-east of the country, bordered by Kenya and the Indian Ocean.
There is a desperate need to tackle oral disease, infection and chronic pain in communities throughout the developing world – to enable people to work, attend school and care for their families. Bridge2Aid works hard to deliver the necessary skills in these communities so that local people are able to function free from pain, and avoid the risk of preventable infections and diseases.
If you would like to get involved, either by volunteering or donating to help fund this vital training, please visit Bridge2Aid’s website here (www.bridge2aid.org)
Failing to provide employment contracts to any member of your team is not only a breach of statutory requirement, it can also leave practice owners vulnerable should there be dispute with a member of staff. For example, without an employment contract, there is no clear procedure for staff holidays, sick pay, overtime of discipline.
It is also quite likely that if a tribunal comes across a case where an employer has not provided a contract, they are likely to sympathise with the employee’s position. Thus, the lack of a contract can actually jeopardise the chances of successfully defending against such proceedings.
But by including a clause in an employment contract, that defines the procedures that will be followed in all aspects of work within your practice, you will be suitably protected.
To reinforce this, it is also prudent to supply a comprehensive staff handbook. This must be bespoke to your dental practice and will expand upon the terms detailed in the employment contract, focussing on specific circumstances that may be unique to you and your team. Of course, it must be regularly updated to reflect new legislation and practice changes, and it is absolutely vital to include a thorough introduction to the handbook in any staff inductions.
Ultimately there are two reasons to invest yourself in a comprehensive handbook like this. Firstly, you will be able to significantly reduce the chances of becoming embroiled in a dispute and being taken to a tribunal. The second is that your business will come across as professional, serious, fair and competent.
Of course, these precautions are not guaranteed to stop all staff misconduct, but they do provide an efficient safety-net to fall back on if matters turn nasty. What’s more, it will promote staff happiness, because they will feel protected and valued – and, of course, happy staff should equal happy patients.
John Grant of Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists - a NASDAL member
For more information call John Grant on 0113 834 3705 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.goodmangrant.co.uk
A NASDAL and ASPD MEMBER
The founder of the London Lingual Orthodontic Clinic, the UK’s first orthodontic practice dedicated to lingual braces, he has treated around 250 patients over two years with the groundbreaking Suresmile software. His clinic is one of only 3 centres in the world dedicated to lingual using Suresmile for lingual braces.
What’s unusual about Suresmile is the use of robots for the bending of wires. Needless to say, Asif sends a prescription to the robot, precise to a fraction of a millimetre because he has planned the treatment according to the software’s 3D design function.
Asif builds up the 3D digital image of the patient’s teeth using a small optical scanner about the size of an electric toothbrush. Assisted by a mirror, it takes thousands of pictures in just a few seconds to create the digital record of the teeth and their roots. These are integrated with X-rays and photographs so that every detail of every tooth is recorded.
He said: “With digital technology, you get so much detail. From the moment treatment starts, I know how the teeth will move and what will happen at each stage.”
Patients appreciate the software too, he says, because he can explain how the brackets and wires will work and the patient can visualise their smile at the end of the treatment. This gives the patient the opportunity to be part of the planning.
It’s not uncommon, says Asif, for patients to ask for small variations as the treatment nears its end. “This isn’t a problem. Being able to design custom made wires gives me the ability to finesse the final tooth movements to achieve exactly what the patient and referring dentist want. In other words, the digital software gives me control, freedom and flexibility.”
The Suresmile system was created by Orametrix which has its head office in Dallas, USA as well as offices in Germany with robots in both locations. It’s one of several lingual systems that Asif uses so he can offer patients a range of options. He has recently started providing bespoke aligners for mild treatments. These plastic aligners are designed by Asif and printed on a 3D printer.
The London Lingual Orthodontic Clinic was established by Asif 10 years ago with Didier Fillion as an associate. Asif is the only UK orthodontist to be accredited by both the World and European Societies of Orthodontics He is the current Secretary of the European Society of Lingual Orthodontics and a founder member of the British Lingual Orthodontic Society.
For more information, contact Caroline Holland on 020 8679 9595/07974 731396
A blend of both social and analytical skills is required for a successful dental team. For example some dental professionals may feel shy around patients but excel in clinical tasks or organisation. Others may have a warm chair-side manner and are able to put patients at ease instantly, but may struggle with elements such as keeping records or ordering supplies. There are many elements that go into team chemistry and performance, which frequently fluctuate and coexist at varying levels.
The diversity of patients that visit the practice is also an eclectic mix of personalities that may act very differently at the dental surgery. Some enjoy meeting people, having a chat and telling the dental team about many facets of their lives. Others prefer to remain quiet and simply want to get in and out. Some patients are able to cope with all types of treatments without worry while others can become very anxious. Indeed, national surveys reveal that around 36% of patients experience moderate dental anxiety and 12% of adults are classified as having extreme dental anxiety.[1] It is the role of the dental professional to evaluate how patients feel and behave and to conduct their service accordingly.
Of course it is impossible to understand all personalities but it is important to remember that everyone is different. Even the most shy or fearful patients attend dental check ups while battling with a whole host of anxieties. In all cases empathy is needed with a non-judgemental, kind and gentle approach, the dental team need to be able to assess the reactions of their patients and adapt in order to provide the most appropriate care.
Sometimes in order to achieve the best results and to keep the interests of a patient at the forefront, it may be necessary to refer them to a specialist practice. However, the referral practice needs to work well alongside your practice to ensure good communication and successful results. With patient care a priority, when you choose a referral practice you need to feel confident that their team have the ability and skills to treat your patients whilst also fitting in well with the personalities and characteristics of you and your dental team.
London Smile Clinic is a referral practice with a team of specialist dental practitioners that are experienced in liaising successfully with dental professionals on all levels. They understand the variances of personality and provide open communication, trust and confidence to both practitioners and their patients. As a centre of excellence with exceptionally high standards of clinical dentistry, London Smile Clinic can offer a range of specialist orthodontics, implants and periodontal treatments and can consistently extend a professional and considerate approach to all patients.
You may not always be able to work with perfect people but recognising their strengths is a valuable step to building a well-rounded team of people that will not only streamline operations but also help you to achieve the most favourable results for your patients.
For more information, please contact the London Smile Clinic on 020 7255 2559 or visit www.londonsmile.co.uk.
[1] Adult Dental Health Survey 2009. www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/adultdentalhealthsurvey_2009_firstrelease.
pdf [Accessed 25th February 2015]
One-hundred per cent mortgages are almost obsolete nowadays and the chances of them coming back are slim indeed. Low-deposit mortgages are still out there, and there are schemes you may not know about that can help of which you may be unaware. For example, the Government offers Help to Buy equity loans schemes, which are available to first-time buyers on newly built homes in England. You will need to contribute 5% of the property price while the Government provides a further 20% and then a mortgage covers the rest.
However, even with a low-deposit mortgage, your savings may not be enough. Many first-time buyers ask their family for help, but it is always prudent to document the arrangement thoroughly so everyone knows where they stand. The bigger the deposit you have acquired, the more options you will be offered. When you are looking at your savings, or when you are planning out how much you will need to save, you must not overlook all of the additional costs incurred when buying a property, such as mortgage arrangement fees and stamp duty.
In the current financial market, first-time buyers might benefit from a fixed-rate mortgage. With the Bank of England set to increase the base rate in 2016, anyone on a tracker mortgage will see monthly repayments go up. And with interest rates predicted to rise, if you are on a variable rate mortgage, you may find yourself struggling with repayments. One of the advantages of fixed-rate mortgages is peace of mind. You have no idea how your financial priorities may change over the next few years, so if your mortgage repayments are static, so much the better.
Of course, any advice on home-buying needs to be tailored to your individual circumstances. This is where working with an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) can be most beneficial. By seeking out an expert who has experience of working with dental professionals, such as one of the IFAs at money4dentists, you can be assured that the advice you receive will be specific to the challenges you face.
Your first step onto the property ladder is just the start: by getting the right advice at this stage, and maintaining the relationship with your IFA, you can progress to making more personal and professional financial decisions in the future.
For more information please call 0845 345 5060 or 0754DENTIST.
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.money4dentists.com
Thanks for reading as always, let me know your thoughts on this campaign and how it was received by your patients?
Denplan has launched a new upgraded version of The Denplan PreViser Patient Assessment (DEPPA) tool. DEPPA provides an instantaneous online report showing a patient’s Oral Health Score, alongside giving an evidence-based assessment of a patient's risk of future diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, tooth wear and oral cancer.
DEPPA first launched its innovative patient assessment tool in May 2013, marking a pivotal moment in clinical risk assessment, supporting effective communication and truly placing patients and their future oral health at the very centre of effective and preventive care.
Denplan has launched an enhanced version of DEPPA, following valued and valuable input from its Excel dentists. Denplan Excel is an advanced quality assurance programme, developed for dentists to help support clinical governance, professional regulation and excellence in patient care and communication. The upgraded version of DEPPA will contain three substantial benefits:
Commenting on the enhancements to DEPPA, Henry Clover, Deputy Chief Dental Officer at Denplan said: “We’re extremely proud of how popular the DEPPA tool has become since its launch over two and half years ago – over 50,000 patients have now benefitted from the evidence based tool, which is designed to help improve the patient experience and significantly improve their understanding of their oral health. It is also a valuable clinical decision support tool.
“We value the continued input from our member dentists, which enables DEPPA and our Excel programme as a whole to continue to develop. The upgrades to DEPPA have been trialled already and we are confident they are straightforward to implement and will significantly enhance the usability of the tool for dentists.”
DEPPA has received extremely positive feedback from both patients and dentists - 100% of dentists asked agreed that the DEPPA report is a ‘valuable patient communication aid’, while 95% agreed that comprehensive patient assessments, such as DEPPA, are becoming an essential aspect of quality dental care.*
Denplan has produced a simple guide to using the upgrade, for existing users of DEPPA, which is available alongside the main DEPPA manual. DEPPA remains free to all Excel dentists, whilst non-Excel Denplan members can benefit from unlimited use of the online system for just £90 per month (inc VAT). For more information about DEPPA or to sign up online, visit
Sonia Rishi explores the world of Future Health Partnership to discover why it offers such a strong alternative to corporate dentistry for practice owners looking for a little extra support.
As someone who has always had a socially aware ethos and a strong interest in the community, when Future Health Partnership (FHP) creator Simon Gallier told me all about his business model I couldn’t help but be interested. I have a real belief that if you support local businesses you are supporting the resident community both societally and economically, which, in my mind, dovetails really well with healthcare provision.
At Simon’s invitation, when the time was right I visited one of the FHP practices and saw how it could work in reality. I saw that it offers a viable alternative to the corporates, providing community-based healthcare.
In a nutshell, FHP is incorporated as a community interest company (CIC) and serves as a not-for-profit healthcare organisation. FHP is similar to a ‘John Lewis’ style of business, offering a viable, ethical future for healthcare. Each practice becomes part of the group, and will be held for the benefit of all staff – not just the practice owner.
A passion for dental care
I have a real passion for dentistry and providing the best possible care for patients. There aren’t many options out there for dentists looking for an alternative business model beyond the corporates, and what FHP wants to do is to enable practice owners to maintain community-based practices in areas that really need them, as well as benefit from economies of scale. So while FHP is committed to each practice retaining their particular local identity, there is the added advantage of joining together when buying from suppliers.
However, we’re not just talking affordable dentistry. It’s an important element, and I think the corporates will make dentistry affordable. However, FHP is also about dentists who care and who want to spend more time with their patients to build rapport and trust, understand what patients need and want, and be able to provide the care they were trained for and want to do.
One element that is certainly attractive for many dentists is that the administrative burden is reduced by the FHP partnership. We want to standardise the regulatory aspect of dental practice, so that our template can be used across the group but be tailored to each business. Every FHP practice has access to our central folders. We provide the tools, training and skills, and personnel are available at FHP to help complete the paperwork, but the practice’s team remains very much involved.
Our dental partners also very much like the ethos that FHP will care for patients, and be sympathetic to the culture of the practice, which means the provision of clinical treatment isn’t affected.
Embracing change
At FHP we recognise that change is difficult, but the truth is once the dental team sees the benefits change suddenly doesn’t seem so hard! Processes are being put in place all the time to make the transition and on-going partnership as easy and beneficial as possible. In addition, we are going to work with external leaders in dentistry to make sure we get the best of everything for our practices, from regulatory compliance to team motivation and career progression.
FHP’s proposition allows dentists to continue with their dentistry and really care for their patients and their team. If this seems like an attractive proposition for your practice, please visit www.futurehealthpartnership.co.uk or call 08000 789 402.
The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s (BACD) Annual Conference has closed its doors for another year – but what an exceptional event it’s been. With a line-up of prodigious speakers, a diverse lecture programme and inspiring hands-on sessions, there truly was something for everyone in the fully-filled three-day event.
The BACD is recognised for always providing the most relevant education to its members – and this year’s Annual Conference was, yet again, a true testament to this. Like previous years, the Academy brought together a collection of internationally-renowned speakers to discuss some of the most pertinent topics in the profession today.
Offering some insightful tips on the finer points of aesthetic restorative dentistry, both Dr Serhat Köken and Dr Walter DeVoto inspired delegates to artistic heights with their sessions on composites, while Dr Ian Buckle, Dr Ken Harris, Dr Heike Krämer and Dr Andy Toy took part in a lively discussion on the effective management of occlusion.
Delegates were also encouraged to get involved with a number of hands-on sessions. Dr Nik Sisodia and Dr Martin Wanendeya shared their expertise on implant restoration while Dr Simon Chard and Dr Bertrand Napier gave delegates the chance to practice their camera skills in a session on clinical photography.
What’s more, Dr Christopher Orr and Dr Donald Sloss gave an insightful presentation on the BACD’s Accreditation process. Designed to elevate practitioners to the pinnacle of clinical excellence, Accreditation was brought one step closer to many practitioners with this detailed session.
As with previous years, the wealth of knowledge and expertise on offer at this year’s Annual Conference was stupendous. Regardless of clinical experience or role, the varied display of industry secrets, techniques and know how provided all delegates with inspirational and exciting information with which they could improve their own dentistry.
Aside from the many educational opportunities on offer, this year’s conference was the perfect chance to welcome the BACD’s new president. Dr Bertrand Napier, well known as the Editor for the International Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry, assumed the title and said:
“I want to be a president that encourages members to become more involved with the Academy, both through learning and giving. I want our members to be able to grow and advance their professional practice while doing what they can to helping their fellow members do the same – more than anything, I think this role is about serving others, just as much as leading.”
Most importantly, the BACD Annual Conference gave delegates the chance to meet and network with other like-minded and talented professionals, learn from some of profession’s leading lights and rediscover their passion for beautiful dentistry.
If, however, you missed this year’s BACD Annual Conference you can still get involved. Membership to the BACD is a great way to stay up-to-date with everything in the world of cosmetic dentistry and the regular regional meetings provide excellent education on a wide range of topics. In addition this, there is always next year’s Annual Conference to look forward to – make sure you put the dates in your diary!
The BACD Thirteenth Annual Conference 2016
‘The Digital Revolution’
10th- 12th November 2016: The EICC, Edinburgh
For more information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry visit www.bacd.com
For those expecting pioneering innovation, enthusiasm, inspiration and vibrant learning opportunities, the Nobel Biocare Team Conference 2015 definitely did not disappoint.
Held against the stunning backdrop of The Brewery in London, the highly anticipated event delivered a unique two-day programme catering to the interests and specialities of all those in attendance. More than 350 professionals were welcomed to the conference this year, ensuring a fully inclusive and well-rounded educational event.
But what made this conference truly stand out?
The Speakers
With over 30 internationally renowned and highly celebrated speakers delivered stimulating sessions throughout the two-day conference. The Scientific Co-Chairs – Professor Ian Brook, Professor Screenivas Koka and Professor Daniel van Steenberghe – led an outstanding line-up of professionals, each recognised as modern-day pioneers in their respective fields. To name but a few these included Edmond Bedrossian, Wolfgang Boltz, Steve Bongard, Richard Brookshaw, Andrew Dawood, Susan Tanner, Richard Elliot, Stefan Holst, Joseph Kan, Glenn McEvoy, Guy McLellan, Alessandro Pozzi and Peter Wöhrle.
The Presentation
As Kishore Pranjivan, Nobel Biocare Regional Director of UK and Ireland, commented in his opening speech, the conference was designed specifically for “customised learning”. Delegates had the opportunity to choose between topics that were of most interest to them, with a combination of lectures and hands-on workshops forming the diverse and exciting programme.
Setting the scene for two days of learning and innovation, the opening lecture took delegates on a journey through the history of dental implants, from Professor Brånemark’s initial invention to today’s cutting-edge solutions that make the previously untreatable cases, treatable. The programme then split into two, with delegates choosing to consider how they can exceed patients’ aesthetic expectations, or to explore how the latest solutions have blazed a trail for change and advancement.
In the afternoon, delegates had a chance to learn from the global podium speakers first-hand within the eight different masterclasses and hands-on workshops available. Sessions explored everything from peri-implantitis to CBCT, 3D modelling and successful relationships between practice and laboratory. In the workshops, delegates had the chance to get hands-on with Zygomatic implants, hone their skills for immediate implant placement or get to grips with the many benefits of the NobelClinician® software. These more intimate sessions were then repeated on Saturday morning, enabling delegates to attend a second masterclass or workshop of their choice, before the plenary session demystified options for treating the compromised maxilla with a fixed prosthesis.
Evolution and Innovation
With a passion for excellence and delivery of high quality implant treatment clear among both speakers and delegates, the atmosphere throughout the conference was one of celebration for past achievements and excitement for the future.
In the words of Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, but rather that which is most adaptable to change”. Nobel Biocare strives to be both, delivering the high quality, innovative solutions the profession needs to meet even the most complex of patient needs.
For more information, contact Nobel Biocare on 0208 756 3300, or visit www.nobelbiocare.com
New and improved Maxcem Elite™, a self-etch, self-adhesive resin cement for indirect restorations, is simplicity refined, offering you the best in class adhesion when compared to other leading self-adhesive cements.
It is also easy to clean up, with no hand mixing and no refrigeration required. For convenience, intraoral and root canal tips allow the material to be easily dispensed in hard-to-reach areas.
Maxcem Elite in automixing syringes also offers:
• Easy handling
• Simple procedures
• High bond strength and efficiency
• Universal application.
In addition, the material’s optimised resin matrix and filler systems improve wettability, resulting in greater adhesion and allowing for immediate light curing and better shelf-life stability.
Also worthy of note is that its proprietary redox initiator system eliminates the inherent discolouration of benzoyl peroxide /tertiary amine initiator systems for a more aesthetic restoration.
For further information, please call 01733 892292, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.kerrdental.co.uk.
This month is Mouth Cancer Action Month, a charity campaign set up by the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF) to raise public awareness of mouth cancer. The campaign has been long running; spearheaded by the late Richard Horner, founder of Scope Group and well known among the dental media and trade, in 1998. He retired in 2003 and handed over the project to the BDHF, who have done much work to raise awareness of mouth cancer; pushing through changes in legislation in relation to the tobacco industry, including a direct marketing ban and the smoking ban.
Over the last year concerns over the Nation’s oral health have hit the headlines; from concerns over children’s oral hygiene, the effect of sugar and proposals for a ‘sugar tax’, and more recently revelations regarding the poor state of professional footballers’ teeth. This article will consider the nations awakening interest in all things oral health, and what impact this has on the fight against mouth cancer.
Children’s Oral Hygiene
In 2013 the Health and Social Care Information Centre commissioned a survey in relation to Children’s Dental Health. This survey has taken place every 10 years since 1973 to track changes in the oral hygiene of children. The results were published in early 2015 and found the following:
· The nearly a half (46%) of 15 year olds and a third (34%) of 12 year olds had “obvious decay experience” in their permanent teeth. This was a reduction from 2003, when the comparable figures were 56% and 43% respectively.
· The proportions of children with some untreated decay into dentine5 in permanent teeth have also reduced, from 32% to 21% of 15 year olds and from 29% to 19% of 12 year olds.
· In 2013, nearly a third (31%) of 5 year olds and nearly a half (46%) of 8 year olds had obvious decay experience in their primary teeth6. Untreated decay into dentine in primary teeth was found in 28% of 5 year olds and 39% of 8 year olds.
· In 5 year olds, the average number of primary teeth with obvious decay experience (dmft) was 0.9. Among 5 year olds with such decay, the average number of teeth affected was 3.0.
· In 12 year olds, the mean (average) number of permanent teeth affected by obvious decay experience (DMFT) was 0.8. Among 12 year olds with any such decay, the mean number of teeth affected was 2.5.
The survey also looked at lower income families by assessing the oral health of children who had free school meals. The findings for this group were as follows:
· A fifth (21%) of the 5 year olds who were eligible for free school meals had severe or extensive tooth decay, compared to 11% of 5 year olds who were not eligible for free school meals.
· A quarter (26%) of the 15 year olds who were eligible for free school meals had severe or extensive tooth decay, compared to 12% of 15 year olds who were not eligible for free school meals
Around this time the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) also published a report in relation to the state of children’s oral health. The RCS was seriously concerned about the state of oral hygiene in children and noted the regional inequalities in the results. The report confirmed that in 2013-14 approximately 46,500 children under the age of 19 were admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of dental caries. The RCS estimated that 90% of dental caries are preventable.
Sugary drinks have been blamed for the poor oral hygiene in children, with many seeing sugar as the new tobacco. We reported on this in Issue 4 of our Dental Bulletin, at which time Tesco had banned sugary drinks from its shelves and Coca-Cola had funded research which down-played the effect of sugary drinks on teeth.
Since that Dental Bulletin the Government has come under increasing pressure to implement a sugar tax and for the food industry to have clearer packaging as to the amount of sugar in their products.
Jamie Oliver has been a campaigner for the sugar tax for a while, even implementing the tax in his own restaurants. He has a ‘five point sugar manifesto’, which includes the sugar tax and banning advertisements for junk food before 9pm. On 19th October 2015 he also appeared before a committee of MPs to discuss the sugar tax, in which he asked David Cameron to ‘frankly, act like a parent’ with the food industry.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Hunt was accused of delaying Public Health England’s (PHE) report on the subject, which was meant to be published in July 2015. The report was finally published on the Government website on 22nd October 2015; it appears his hand was forced after Dr Alison Tedstone, director of diet and obesity at PHE, went public with details of the report.
The highlights from the report are:
· Treating obesity and its consequences alone currently costs the NHS £5.1bn every year;
· Reducing the Nation’s sugar intake in the next 10 years to the recommended 5% (or 30g per day) could save the NHS £484m a year;
· The influencers to buying sugary products include:
o Advertising:
o Food retail price promotions. Foods with higher sugar content are among the highest food retail price promotions on offer in stores:
o Taxation on products:
· Evidence shows lowering sugar in foods will help reduce consumption. This has a proven track record in relation to the reduction of salt in foods;
· The report recognises that one single action will not be effective and a combination of changes will be needed to reduce the sugar intake of the Nation. Eight changes are recommended and these include:
o A price increase of a minimum of 10-20% on high sugar foods:
o Reduce and rebalance price promotions;
o Reduce opportunities to market and advertise.
What is evident from reading all the reports above is that children from lower income families are amongst the worst affected. Yet the Government is still reluctant to take action against the food industry. This is surprising as greater public awareness of the risks of sugar will surely help increase calls for change, hopefully resulting in similar action being taken against the food industry as has been achieved with the tobacco industry.
Professional Footballers
On the opposite end of the spectrum, recent research has shown that wealthy professional footballers are amongst the worst culprits for bad oral hygiene.
Research carried out by University College London and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that nearly 4 out of 10 professional footballers have ongoing tooth decay; 57% have tooth erosion; and 8 out of 10 have gum disease, which in some cases was irreversible. Compare this with the national average, where 3 out of 10 adults suffer from tooth decay.
So why is it that professional footballers have such bad oral hygiene? Again, sugary drinks may be to blame, with the footballers drinking sports drinks during training sessions and games to help maintain energy levels. However, with appropriate oral hygiene, it has not been proven that drinking such drinks would harm teeth.
Similar research was carried out by the same study author, Professor Ian Needleman, on professional athletes during the London Olympics in 2012 and this report had similar findings in relation to the state of the athletes’ oral health.
Many people may be surprised at how oral hygiene can have an impact on one’s health and well-being in general. 7% of professional footballers and 18% of professional athletes said bad oral health had affected their training.
Dr Claudio Peru is a specialist endodontist and the principle at Chiswell Green Dental Centre. CGDC have been working with Watford FC for the last two years, during their rise to the football Premier League. Dr Peru is responsible for the dental health for the players. His view on the importance of dental health in elite sports people is as follows:
“The importance of ensuring optimal dental health for professional athletes, including footballers, cannot be understated. By ensuring the dental health of players, they are able to train and perform during matches without being impaired by acute or chronic dental problems. There is an obvious economic advantage to the club. In particular we find that by addressing occlusal imbalances we are able to optimize neuro-muscular coordination and the postural balances. This is particularly important for the competitive performance of athletes.”
The studies did not give any conclusions as to why these professionals had such poor oral hygiene; many saying they visited a dentist regularly. With access to the best dentists and products surely there is no excuse for this.
Mouth Cancer Action Month
Mouth cancer is one of the few remaining cancers that is likely to increase in numbers in the coming years; the disease has already increased by a third in the last decade. In the UK last year 6,767 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer.
Mouth Cancer Action Month hopes to raise awareness of the symptoms of mouth cancer and the benefits of taking action early on. The key message from this campaign is that early detection is key and it encourages the public to regularly visit their dentist.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has published an article highlighting the vital work dentists and their teams have in making the public aware of mouth cancer and early detection. It confirms that if detected early there is a 90% survival rate; compared with 50% where diagnosis is delayed.
The BDA is also supporting HVP Action’s campaign for the HVP vaccination given to girls to be extended to adolescent boys (rather than just those between 16 and 40 who are having sex with men as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation). It is thought that the HVP virus is likely to rival tobacco as the number one cause for mouth cancer in the coming years; the rate of mouth cancer is expected to double between 1995 and 2025.
If you want to get involved in Mouth Cancer Action Month you can visit their website here. We will be doing our part to raise awareness; look out for JFH Law’s #bluelipselfie.
Laura Pearce, Senior Solicitor
Hello everyone,
Below you will find a video of some testimonials we collected at the BDIA Showcase in October. As you can gather from the short video, our members love using the site, finding it very useful and interesting. Our users find the site becomes a part of their daily routine. Have a watch and please share with anyone that hasn't discovered the site yet! Thanks to all the members featured.
Tapatalk
Mobile has been the biggest thing in the digital world for a number of years, all of us love to use our smartphones and apps on an increasingly frequent basis. Over the years GDPUK have explored the ways in which we can embrace the move to mobile but unfortuntely have never quite found anything satisfactory. But we are pleased to annouce that the forum and our dental news is now available on an app called tapatalk. Our members will be able to use their exisiting logins for the site and within the app you will receive instant updates to the latest articles published and forum threads created. We hope this is an extra convenient way of accessing GDPUK in a mobile format. You may also find one or two other interesting forums to subscibe too! The app is available to download on Apple, Android and Microsoft devices.
Over the next few weeks we will also integrate advertising on Tapatalk. Advertisers will need to supply some extra copy, so their ads can work with the different options that Tapatalk offers but we think it will supplement our traditional advertising avenues perfectly and ensure our clients adverts are getting impressions and clicks!
Bloggers
As the site continues to evolve and grow (eg tapatalk, nearly 9,500 users) we are always looking to offer a bit features on the site, especially as we are known for our original content, news and information when it comes to UK Dentistry. Over the last few months we have added a few new writers to our blogging lineup, which we hope offer plenty of insight, expertise and original thinking around dental matters. We are pleased to say that Alun Rees has recently joined the lineup and his first blog can be found here. Alun is an experienced dental practice owner who changed career and now works as a coach, consultant, troubleshooter, analyst, speaker, writer & broadcaster.
Our latest blogs can be found on this link and our daily dental news can be found here. We are proud to say that we continue to reach and engage with thousands of readers through our news and blogs. Please keep sharing our content and encouraging colleagues to join the site. Thanks :)
My undergraduate years were spent in the old Dental School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. During my five years I learned about dentures, amalgam, gold, porcelain and of course the use of forceps of all shapes and sizes.
I know there was a periodontology department, my tutor was a senior lecturer. The staff were perceived as a bit wet, uninspiring and dominated by the rest of the “cons” floor. Our restorative treatment plans always ended with the phrase “S&P”. There was a hygienist training school but our paths only crossed socially and the idea of integration was years away.
We had to do a “perio" case as a final year project, and mine was to be shared with another student. The patient was wore a chrome partial denture and “needed” a full mouth gingivectomy. My colleague did his half of the mouth, using whatever technique was fashionable then, reviewed her and re-appointed for my ministrations in a month. With gingivectomy knives all set I looked in her mouth, looked at the notes, looked back again and realised that I couldn’t tell the difference between the treated and untreated sides. Patient discharged and my case written up with the patient described as “non-compliant”. I passed - so that’s OK then.
Three years of oral surgery only added to my ignorance. Then the move into general practice, an NHS amalgam factory with a hygienist. One serving five dentists. The mystery deepened, what were these things called PGTs and why did they have to be booked at 11.45am? The answer, the appointment straddled midday so covered two sessions. My introduction to gaming.
I moved from practice to practice, some scale and polishes were bloodier than others, sometimes the blood oozing around the matrix band or the acetate strip was a nuisance. In 1985 I joined a practice where there was a newly qualified hygienist whose company I enjoyed, she explained that her role was primarily as a communicator. There was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
But then the practice was sold. The new regime sacked the two hygienists as being unprofitable and told the associates that they should be looking to do at least four crowns on every patient. I jumped ship - again. It seemed that everywhere I worked patients were treated as mouths on legs whose teeth were there for the benefit of the dental profession.
In December 1987, disillusioned by dentistry but searching for something, I rolled up at the Grand Hotel in Leicester for an evening course given by Phillip Greene. I met the WHO/CPITN probe.
A revelation! First move, order half a dozen CPITN probes. Second, explain to each and every patient what was going on, why it was important and what would happen next. Then a setback, the hygienist was sacked for having the temerity to tell the practice owner’s patients that they had gum disease. He explained it to me by saying that, “hygienists were mostly cosmetic really, a bit like hairdressers”.
For a decade I had drifted but was now a man possessed. I had a dream and a plan. I had been reactive, patients brought their diseases for me to treat. Time for a paradigm change, let’s make a presumption that people want to be healthy and to stay healthy.
The only solution was to start my own practice, so I did. It went well, so I started another 12 months later. In those days I used nurses to inform, to educate, to explain what the diseases were and how they could be controlled. No scaling until plaque control was good. I persuaded “the hygienist” to move to Gloucestershire to join me and for the next fifteen years we worked in adjacent surgeries sharing our patients.
I did the first BUOLD course in perio, I joined the BSP, I bought and read Jan Lindhe’s textbook.
The patients who had good plaque control had fewer problems, their endo treatments worked, they didn’t get recurrent caries, working on them was easier win/win.
We became a practice that listened and talked to our patients. When the time came to leave the NHS most understood why and stayed with us. When treatment options were explored the patients got it, there was already a relationship so we never had to worry about “selling”. Choices were offered, benefits outlined, costs explored and commitment gained, either then or further down the line.
All because everything was done on a basis of health.
Nearly 30 years on from my epiphany I talk to clients and find that many dentists are still driven by what they can do to patients rather than for them. Perio (along with paediatrics, prevention, pathology and public health) is still a Cinderella subject. Hygienists still work in cupboards.
Yet those practices that embrace health thrive, are profitable and happy.
Reply following your perio art...
Thanks Bruce
Dental flossing can be an unpopular oral health adjunct for many patients and the Wisdom Clean Between Interdental Brushes offer an effective alternative to both floss and wire interdental brushes.
Constructed with latex-free, rubber filaments, they are wire-free and easy to use between tight spaces in natural teeth, under bridges, around dental implants and with fixed orthodontic appliances.
The soft tips gently stimulate and massage the gingiva, minimising trauma and helping to prevent galvanic effect.
From September, a Dentist Surgery Pack of Wisdom Clean Between Interdental Brushes will be available via dental wholesalers for you to use on patients. Consisting of a dispenser box with 100 cello-wrapped bundles of each colour of brush, these will provide the ideal opportunity to introduce the products to patients, showing how their oral health can be maintained with ease.
Whatever the dentition, Wisdom Clean Between Interdental Brushes provide a solution. Find out more today.
To find out more, please visit www.wisdomtoothbrushes.com or
call 01440 714800
[i] Yost et el, Interproximal gingivitis and plaque reduction by four interdental products. J Clin Dent. 2006;17(3):79-83.
[ii] Prof. Dr. Petra Ratka-Kru?ger et al, Clinical trial of a metal-free interdental brush. University Medical Centre Freiburg, Germany. Pub Nov 2010.
Held in the stunning Battlebridge Room in the King’s Place venue, London – overlooking the Regent’s Canal – the evening was a prime opportunity to celebrate some of the year’s finest innovations and achievements.
Many excellent products were nominated for the coveted Product Awards, and the expert panel of judges awarded the following Product Winners:
· Pikster Tip Brush – from Erskine Dental
· SpotIt – from Directa
· Synea Vision – from W & H (UK) Ltd.
Not only were the Awards a chance to showcase some of the most distinguished new products in the industry, it was also a fantastic occasion to celebrate some of its finest people as well. The Dental Nurse Certificate was given in recognition to those nurses who had shown outstanding commitment to the Advanced Dental Nursing apprenticeship. The winners were:
· Keisha Ellis Dale
· Artesia Anderson
· Phoebe Kennedy
The Clinical Innovations Awards evening was a perfect addition to CIC 2015 – and allowed delegates to enjoy good food, live music and the company of like-minded and enthusiastic colleagues.
For more information call 020 7400 8989, visit www.healthcare-learning.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
And follow us on twitter for all the latest @hlc_newsweb @hlc_smileon
“As long term supporters of the British Dental Health Foundation and Mouth Cancer Action Month, we are as pleased as ever to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause,” says Chair of the ADG, David Worskett. “By working together we can tackle oral cancer and make a real difference to those who suffer, one campaign at a time.”
Diagnosis
With the latest figures showing that 6,767 people are diagnosed with mouth cancer in the UK each year,[i] educating and alerting people on the dangers of oral cancer remains crucial for ensuring early diagnosis and treatment.
As it stands, a referral to a specialist must be completed within a two-week time frame,[ii] and there is a one-month maximum wait from the date a decision to treat is made to the first definitive treatment.[iii] For survival rates to increase, delivery of these treatment pathways by NHS England must continue to be implemented and improved upon.
As Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE explains, “if more of us are aware of the potential dangers of long-lasting mouth ulcers, red and white patches and unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth, there could well be a reduction in the number of mouth cancer cases we are seeing.”
Do Your Bit
Unfortunately however, a lack of patient knowledge is evident, with statistics showing that only 40% of patients who develop oral cancer visit the dentist with concerns.[iv]. As Dr Nigel Carter OBE explains, “If the dental and wider health profession can inform and urge patients to regularly attend dental check-ups, we can increase the chances of mouth cancer being detected at an early stage.” That is why Mouth Cancer Action Month continues its efforts to inform and educate and why it urges you to incorporate regular screening for oral cancer into routine appointments.
Meanwhile, the British Dental Health Foundation will continue to provide educational materials to dental practices, hospitals, GPs and pharmacies, and remains passionate about improving the awareness of patients and professionals alike. Whether it’s through donning a blue ribbon, taking part in the Blue Lip Selfie Campaign, running an event or donating, you can give back to the cause and to your patients. Remember, all the support received really does make a difference to the charity and to the lives of the individuals who have suffered at the hands of oral cancer.
To donate or for more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk
[i] Facts and Figures. Mouth Cancer Action Month. Accessed online August 2015. http://www.mouthcancer.org/facts-figures/
[ii] Your right: urgent two-week referral. The NHS Constitution. Accessed online July 2015. file:///Users/officeone/Downloads/Your%20right%20urgent%20two-week%20referral.pdf
[iii] Delivery Cancer Waiting Times: A Good Practice Guide. Accessed online July 2015. www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/delivering-cancer-wait-times.pdf
[iv] Hollows P, McAndrew P G, Perini M G. Delays in the referral and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Br Dent J 2000; 188: 262–265. Accessed online July 2015. www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v188/n5/full/4800449a.html
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Early last year Dr Smith, who was then married and had two young children, suffered a series of setbacks which turned his and his family’s life upside down. First of all he was treated for early stage liver cancer which fortunately was found to be operable. However, he suffered severely from the after-effects of the treatment and had to take considerable time off work, eventually leading to him losing his job. This meant the family had no income and were struggling to keep on top of mounting debts. His wife had recently been made redundant and she was finding it very hard to come to terms with this and to find new employment. Dr Smith had just managed to recover enough to return to work himself when the family suffered a further blow: his wife was struck down with a debilitating stroke. Although she managed to recover after several months, she has not been able to find employment since that time.
Dr Smith returned to work for a short period but found it increasingly difficult to cope both mentally and physically with the aftermath of his own illness and looking after his wife and their two children. The situation adversely affected his daughter who started experiencing periods of depression and performed badly at school. Finally, he came to the conclusion that he would be unable to continue working as a dentist and has not practised since. The couple’s debts eventually led to them having to declare bankruptcy and to sell their family home. During this process his wife left him and their children and has not contributed to their support since.
Gradually with financial help from the Ben Fund, Dr Smith was able to get back some sort of normality. The Fund helped him with a regular monthly grant towards living expenses and contributed to the costs of moving house. He was also given some extra support during the summer holidays for the children and help with fuel bills in the winter. Dr Smith is now starting to feel much more positive about his life. He has begun working part-time as a support teacher in a local school and is considering the possibility of training to become a mentor and counsellor.
The BDA Benevolent Fund relies on your help to continue its work,
so please contact us on 020 7486 4994 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
or to give a donation today go to www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk.
And if you are in need of help yourself, please contact us now.
All enquiries are considered in confidence.
Registered charity no. 208146
So… we learnt today that the Chief Executive and Registrar of the GDC is to step aside. What is it you hear said? The longer the name of the job … Hmmm.
By all means have fun deciding whether she jumped or was pushed. Enjoy heating the invisible ink in order to read between the lines of the Press Releases. Savour if you will the exchange of pleasantries between the Chairman, Dr Moyes and Ms Gilvarry which suggest that there may have been little love lost.
Is it me or was there an undertone of glorious victory from the Chairman? A bijou hint of “OK that’s over, let’s move on”.
What now?
The problems with the GDC remain three fold
The financial aspect.
The GDC seem to assume that the funding of the ARF can be an unlimited remit, a bottomless pit of registrant’s cash. Nowhere in the Strategic Plan, for example [being celebrated rather rudely by Dr Moyes in almost the same sentence as his “goodbye wave” to the CEO] is the concept raised of budget cuts, or reduction of budget.
Indeed at the Dental Complaints Service, a reduction in complaints is seen as a crisis needing management to bring the numbers back up by advertising. Only an arrogant Quango could possibly see things this way.
This of course is in the context of department cuts and harsh realities of reducing public funds.
The sense of aloofness and insulation from the realities of the world mark the GDC out. They arrogantly march on ignoring the realities of day to day financial life for the dentists.
Unless the new CEO comes in with a wholly different attitude I see little chance of change. It is the Council and the Chairman who will design the ‘essential skills’ matrix. It is they who will determine the job requirement.
The Council and The Chairman must now, of necessity, come under immediate and decisive pressure from the profession.
The regulatory aspect.
The problems of the GDC are in simple terms their reluctance to recognise and classify complaints properly at the early stages. FtP and the appalling costs are driven by too many single patient complaints, in which over-zealous Expert Witnesses [colleagues by any other name] encourage the GDC legal teams to generate charge lists which if they were not so serious for the Registrant, would read like a copy of the Beano. Lets remember: the present CEO has been in cahoots with the Chairman to create a Complaints Handling Agency - a far cry from an efficient regulator with its eye on patient safety.
Proper classification of incoming complaints does not need a Section 60 order – this needs a CEO to understand Dentistry. Only if our new CEO understands Dentistry will we stand a chance of having a CEO who understands a Dental Complaint. Only then can a CEO classify at the early stage complaints which should be managed out of the GDC and those which are truly FtP matters.
Unless the new CEO brings a wholly different level of dental knowledge I see little chance of change. The Council and the Chairman will design the ‘essential skills’ matrix.
I say again: The Council and The Chairman must now, of necessity, come under immediate and decisive pressure from the profession.
The unresolved business.
Can we expect a new CEO to take a different view on the matter of publication of addresses? Can we expect true transparency and full public domain records for Interim Orders? Can we expect a reduction in ARF? Can we expect it to be become permissible to employ nurses out with the over-priced and over burdensome system of registration?
A skirmish, maybe, but there is more
It seems to me that the resignation of the Ms Gilvarry may be regarded as a decisive moment.
But the problem remains the Council and their Chairman. Six of those are Registrants.
Now is the time for them to consider their true loyalties as they write up the Job Specification for the new CEO.
Wow, imagine of the six registrant members were now to tender their own resignations in order to effect complete change at the GDC?
I think our representative bodies – the BDA, FGDP, and DPL / MDU / MDDUS – have their goal now.
The only effective change for the GDC will involve the departure of the poisoned and ineffective Chairman. Anything else will look very watered down and leave too many questions unanswered.
“Jackie and the rest of the team are extremely helpful and easily accessible, always providing a first class customer service; that's why we now use them in 99 % of our consumables and materials orders.
“Wrights deliver amazing deals and provide us with the best value for money. What’s more, Jackie has delivered excellent one to one advice in helping us to set up a time saving monthly ordering list; this enables us to reach the targets within our budget and has been invaluable to the practice.
“We could not be happier with the service and we would definitely recommend Wrights to other practices.”
For a professional and friendly service and to work with an experienced team, contact Wrights and find out how you can get next day delivery on top-selling products at exclusive discounted prices.
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The extremely reliable manufacturer Anthos is well known for its beautiful dental units that exude quality and style. The range includes a number of chairs that feature the latest technology and dental delivery systems.
Or for the very best of Swiss innovation and precision engineering for dentists that require a perfect blend of sophisticated design and pleasing aesthetics there is the Stern Weber range. With over 50 years of pioneering invention and intelligent design, the Stern Weber range has everything to meet the needs of modern dentistry.
Meanwhile, the A-Dec range includes the entry-level Performer, updated A-dec 300: Evolved, the contemporary A-Dec 400 and the outstanding A-Dec 500 series, which are extremely flexible for superb ergonomics, come in left and right handed models, and optimise operator access whilst enhancing patient comfort.
Clark Dental has the range of products and wealth of experience to help ensure you make the right choice for your practice, contact the expert team today.
For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk
Don’t let the past shape the present
For many years I have been a very keen member of Alpha Omega. This is an organisation that was founded over a century ago in the United States with its primary mission is to fight against discrimination in the dental profession wherever it’s found. It continues to provide outstanding postgraduate courses as well as being a real fraternity. I have often wondered whether the anti-discrimination origins of the group was anachronistic.
So it was with great sadness that I heard recently about a particularly unpleasant episode – the details of which I will not dwell too closely on here. The overall gist, however, was that patients in the UK are inherently racist and any practitioner who does not fit within a certain ethnic bracket should be prepared to encounter negative attitudes.
Is this true? I think not; it may have been 30-40 years ago, but certainly not today. When I first started in dentistry in the West End of London I found many practitioners refused to hire black dental nurses. They maintained that they did this, not because they were racist, but because their patients would simply not cope with such an arrangement.
But this has changed. Time has moved on. The people of the UK are open-minded, tolerant and accepting of difference and diversity. I have personal experience of this: I am from a Jewish family, my father’s first language is Arabic. There used to be a time when patients who, after being referred to my practice and seeing my name on the door, would ask: “And where is he from?”
In those days, I think a lot of people just shrugged off this disparaging attitude and grew thick skin. They became accustomed to it and, in doing so, almost condoned it. I am still guilty that I did not take a stronger stance earlier on as I believe racism will occur only if we let it. Thankfully, when those individuals did later question my efficacy as a practitioner based upon the sound of my name, I took a zero tolerance approach and simply suggested they find treatment elsewhere. I do not think anyone should have to reassure a patient that they are competent, despite their name and ethnicity.
Fortunately, these days are over. I so rarely hear remarks about ethnicity or gender in this profession, that when the aforementioned incident came to light, I was deeply saddened.
Dentistry already receives an often terrible press. Dredging up past bitterness and bad memories of a time that has resolutely been put behind us is unnecessary and disappointing. Just consider the intake by our dental schools! The draconian ‘old boys’ who long ago lambasted difference would be spinning in their graves if they knew, I’m certain – but what does that matter? Our profession is proud to be enriched by such diversity and our patients are open-minded and tolerant, with their feet placed firmly in the present and not in the past.
For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999
Or visit www.endocare.co.uk
Dr Michael Sultan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a Specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Director of EndoCare. Michael qualified at Bristol University in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for 5 years before commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house Endodontist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist register in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. He has been involved with numerous dental groups and has been chairman of the Alpha Omega dental fraternity. In 2008 he became clinical director of EndoCare, a group of specialist practices.
A common mindset is, “Well, if I do XYZ myself, I know it will be done properly!” Yet delegation is not about relinquishing control and/or an inability to manage time. When you are a new business owner, it is essential to involve yourself in establishing all systems and processes, in order that you know how everything works. But if you continue trying to do it all, not only do you risk burnout, you will probably hinder growth.
Every member of your team should have a job spec, which lists all the tasks they do on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, and is reviewed periodically. When tasks are documented, you can easily see where to eliminate certain duties, or delegate them. Job specs will also help you to compile an Operations Manual, with every system, process and expectation/desired result documented. An Operations Manual will give staff something to refer to if anyone is absent and makes training new starters easier.
Having the right people around you is essential. You need individuals who are confident enough to do their own job well and also have the motivation to take on other tasks. Take time to learn people’s strengths and weaknesses, and things they would love to do given the opportunity. When you delegate, you are saying that you trust someone. As people broaden their experience, this will naturally lead to more responsibilities and possibly future promotion. For example, a motivated receptionist could move into a practice management role if they have been able to develop and grow with your support. Even if that’s not at your practice, it still helps to enhance its reputation as a brilliant place to work!
Be a responsible delegator – it’s not about offloading tasks you find mundane. The golden rule is you should not delegate anything that you are not prepared to do yourself: that is a sure-fire way of losing respect. Communication is fundamental and you should promote a listening culture in your practice, with all opinions are considered equal. When you delegate, be upfront about expectations and timelines and give people all the information they need. The more direction you give, the better the result will be. Be approachable and patient, so your staff are comfortable about asking questions, or clarifying things they are not sure about. Mistakes happen of course, and that is how one learns, but you want to eliminate repeat errors. If people are confused or misdirected, not only will you waste time when something is done incorrectly, but you will also affect an individual’s confidence in the long run. Make sure you give credit where it is due too and share any achievements with the rest of the practice if appropriate.
As your practice grows, you simply will not have the time to do everything to a consistently high standard. If you delegate and share responsibilities, you will not only save time but create a productive and confident team. Delegation is a sign that you trust your staff; that you value their skills and want them to succeed while allowing you to focus on growing the business.
Lansdell & Rose are specialist medical and dental accountants that also share business tips with clients via an up-to-date and informative blog. Visit www.lansdellrose.co.uk or call 020 7376 9333.
“The Nomad Pro 2 handheld X-ray machine is great for our practice. The beauty of it is that we can walk around and there is no clutter on the walls – just one fully mobile machine.
“The advantage to us is that radiographs do not have to be taken in only one X-ray room as before. We can move around across multi-surgeries and so our patients don’t have to, which helps them to feel more at ease. As it’s handheld the practitioner can work around the patient much more freely, ensuring they get the most appropriate radiographs.
“The images quality is great too, and perfect for our practice needs.”
To learn more about the fantastic Nomad Pro 2, and the benefits it will bring to your practice contact the Clark Dental team today.
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.nomadhandheldxray.co.uk
Film x-rays still have their place in the modern profession. The picture quality is excellent, giving great detail and contrast and sterilisation is simple, which is an important consideration within the clinical setting. However, there are disadvantages to consider too. For example, the image is static once processed with the contrast fixed, and it takes time to be processed and much space to be stored. It is also labour intensive further making it expensive, and it is hazardous posing a health and safety concern.
Digital alternatives strive to tackle the downsides of conventional film imaging techniques. The practitioner and the patient can view the image instantly, allowing improved communications between the two parties and quicker treatment times. Radiation exposure is reduced and even at a lower dosage the image can be digitally enhanced to aid accuracy of diagnostics. The image can also be increased in size to help detect very small cavities that may not have been noticed on a conventional x-ray. And in terms of cost, the initial outlay may be an investment, but it is often a fruitful one as everyday expenses are reduced and the quality of patient service delivered is elevated.
Is there not a ‘happy medium’ that offers the benefits of both systems?
The CS 7200 phosphor plate imaging system from Carestream Dental fits this remit. It is an affordable solution for any practice and covers all daily intraoral indications. You will appreciate the simplicity of the workflow, while the instinctive software allows you to view the high quality images in less than 8 seconds. Further benefits include hygienic sheaths available to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, and automatic removal of images from plates after each scan for optimum convenience.
So if you favour the use of film imaging processes and are unsure about changing to completely digital systems in your practice, there are solutions available to you. Today’s dental market is littered with different innovations to enable you to work in the way you prefer, and selecting only those products of the highest quality will ensure you don’t have to compromise your working methods or the quality of dentistry you provide.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
For all the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl and Facebook
No matter what industry you are in, you need effective ‘tools’ and the skills to use them in order to be successful. In dentistry and facial aesthetics, it’s no different. There is such a wide range of products and equipment available (which I will reference throughout as ‘tools’) – and it can sometimes seem impossible to know which to choose to accompany your provision. However, it is essential that the ‘tools’ you utilise are of the highest standard and achieve the best results.
After all, it just takes one poor choice in product, or one unreliable piece of equipment, to take a patient from their desired outcome to an unsuccessful result. We all know that only a bad workman (or workwoman) blames their tools, however you wouldn't be a good workman if you didn’t first at least ensure that you were using the right tools.
From major recognisable brands to leading manufacturers with cheaper ‘own brand’ alternatives, every company wants you to think that what they offer is the best and superior to all others. But they can’t all be, so we must employ our own professional judgement in deciding which will suit us most and which will offer the most successful and predictable results time after time.
Given that there is so much choice out there, how exactly do you do this?
A fundamental question when choosing should be, “Does it do the job I need it to? And will it do so reliably and consistently?” If you were to ask your product rep I’m sure they would say, “Yes, of course” – unless they have an alternative item to sell. But the only way to find out for sure is to try and test it out first hand.
But, before doing so it may be prudent to take note of the following considerations:
Cost effectiveness
Firstly, this can be something of a subjective term. Not specifically related to that which is the cheapest, rather the items that provide the best value for money. Of course, it can be easy to simply choose the product that appears to give you the highest quantity for the lowest cost, but this can lead you into problems later down the line.
Indeed, for something to be cost effective it will need to be reliable, have a well-thought out delivery system that minimises wastage, deliver consistent results and have a price that is relative to its quality. For instance, you might expect a single use disposable item to be far cheaper in comparison to a piece of equipment you would use over and again throughout your career. But, if the quality of results you achieve with a cheaper product is substandard and means you have to invest in more expensive products to rectify any issues, this negates any potential savings you might have made.
Ease of use
One of the main advantages in offering facial aesthetic treatments such as botulin toxins or dermal fillers is their relative ease of use and application (which in turn make for more cost effective treatments through time savings). However these benefits will be negated through poor product choices. On the other hand, products that have been designed with ergonomics and function in mind will be far more intuitive and natural to use, but this often comes with a higher price tag. In some instances this expense is justified, as those that are not designed with these considerations are likely to deliver results of a lower standard.
Compatibility
Familiarity with new ‘tools’ and understanding their compatibility with your own personal work processes are also essential factors to consider. Some clinicians like to stick with what they used in their training or have a long-standing familiarity with, whilst others will be constantly looking for new and innovative products. It is worth thinking about the time it may take to become accustomed to new products or equipment and whether any workshops or further training are required to utilise them properly.
Recommendations
One of the best sources of reliable information will come from recommendations from colleagues, peers and trainers. Before investing, it is wise to ask fellow clinicians to share their opinions and experience and for any advice or suggestions. It is also well worth visiting trade shows and exhibitions, as new products and equipment are often launched at these events alongside special promotional offers.
Certification
Finally, it is essential that all products and equipment you use have the appropriate certification and comply with all the required regulation and legislation. Look out for CE marks and any symbols or logos that certify quality. There are often horror stories in the news around forged or inferior products that have been imported into the country from foreign manufacturers. This rise in counterfeit products poses a real risk to both patient and practitioner due to the lack of regulation, certification and accountability. The trick here is to not be tempted when an offer looks too good to be true. A product that would normally cost £700 is unlikely to be genuine if sold for £50.
Ultimately you want to use ‘tools’ that will help make the service and treatments you offer faster, easier and better for the patient. So by taking into account practicality, cost, ease of use, compatibility, peer recommendations and manufacturer’s certification you can begin to ensure that the treatments and services you offer will not be let down by the products and equipment you choose to use.
To find out more visit www.auradental.co.uk, call 020 8549 5710, or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr Nadine Skipp is the Principal and Founder of AURA Centre of Dental Excellence and Facial Aesthetics in Kingston Upon Thames. Having trained with leading experts from across the dental profession in the US, UK and internationally, Dr Skipp has fulfilled many educational roles throughout the industry, and was awarded a Fellowship from the International Academy for Dental and Facial Esthetics in 2014. She is also partner of SOURCE1uk - Dental Recruitment, Training Courses, Classifieds and Practice Sales.
So the Government is trying to implement a new contract whilst retaining this same level of control. However, it is very difficult to envisage a system that will allow them to do that and satisfy the dental profession.
For the last few years, everything seems to have been focused on reducing spending on NHS dentistry. This can be seen with both GDS and PDS contracts. As the PDS contracts come up for renewal the LATs are taking a much harder stance and reducing values wherever they can.
There was a time, a number of years ago, when over 50% of practices had not achieved their UDA target on a regular basis and yet no action had been taken by PCTs to recoup any monies. This was certainly the case for the first five years of the current contract; however, one of the changes we have seen recently is a significantly stronger focus on performance. So that now if a practice does not hit targets, not only will the LAT recoup the money but they will seize every opportunity to reduce the contract value, either by decreasing the number of UDAs or lessening the UDA value.
Under any new contract, if there is one, underperformance and failure to achieve KPIs is going to lead to a similar situation. Whilst the latest prototype proposed contains remuneration based on capitation, the number of patients that you have registered, the work performed and some for achieving KPIs, the potential risk for missing these targets is a massive 10%. Nevertheless, a lot of the essential details here remain unknown.
In some ways the most concerning part about the change in contract is the notion it might be time limited. This completely fails to recognise the investment that dentists have to put into practices, not only in terms of equipment, but also regarding the time spent building a good dental business. To fit out a dental practice is a very significant cost, and nobody is going to do that if there is a contract that only lasts for five years – over that period one is not going to get back that which one has paid out, never mind actually make any money!
It seems, whether stated or unstated, that it is the Government’s clear intention to reduce spending on NHS dentistry. To achieve this, perhaps all they would have to do is introduce time limited contracts and there would be a very large shift away from NHS ownership towards private.
And this, in my opinion, is what the Government wants. They need to save money and whilst they talk about the NHS in hallowed terms, I’m not so sure that NHS dentistry is quite so hallowed as the rest of it.
John Grant of Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists
For more information call John Grant on 0113 834 3705 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ASPD MEMBER
A number of different variables are taken into account in order to assess the happiness of a country. These include GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption and generosity. Of these, generosity has one of the highest positives affects on people and produces the lowest negative affect overall.
To evaluate a population’s generosity, participants were asked, “Have you donated to a charity in the past month?” The most recent survey of its kind, the UK Giving Report 2014, found that 57% of adults in this country gave to charitable causes in a typical month – meaning that around 34 million people were extending their financial generosity to people in need to the estimated sum of £10.6 billion.[2] But while this is an encouraging statistic, how does it have an impact on the overall happiness of the country?
Research has shown that people who are giving money to charity exhibit heightened brain activity – particularly in the ventral striatum and tegmental areas. These areas are closely linked to the experience of positive affect and our physiological reward system and the processing of emotional output from the amygdala.[3] What this means is that giving to a worthwhile cause triggers a chemical reaction in our brains that produces a sense of reward and positive emotion. The same areas of the brain are stimulated when we ourselves are given good news or receive something we want, but studies have shown that giving is the better stimulant, corroborating the common adage that ‘it is better to give than receive.’
It has also been proven that doing good for others can benefit our own mental and physical health[4] as well as being an important, pro-social function that contributes to the overall wellbeing of the country. Of course, while it is nice that being charitable makes us feel better, the impact on the people we are giving to is far more important. Being able to depend on the generosity of our peers is a real indicator of a population’s happiness and will make a real difference for the people who are most in need. Circumstance and chance can too easily force any one of us to the brink of desperation and knowing there is a network of support built on the goodwill of others, who are ready and willing to provide help, is a comforting reality.
Established in 1882, the BDA Benevolent Fund has been providing this type of vital support for decades. By offering essential financial assistance for everyday expenses they can bring much-needed relief to dentists and their families, when all other avenues of income fail.
Depending entirely on your generous donations, the BDA Benevolent Fund needs your continued support to carry on helping dentists and their families when times are tough. Help support your colleagues and donate to the BDA Benevolent Fund today.
Thank you.
The BDA Benevolent Fund relies on your help to continue its work,
so please contact us on 020 7486 4994 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
or to give a donation today go to www.bdabenevolentfund.org.uk.
And if you are in need of help yourself, please contact us now.
All enquiries are considered in confidence.
Registered charity no. 208146
[1] The World Happiness Report 2015, published online, 2015; link: http://worldhappiness.report/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/04/WHR15.pdf [accessed: 28/04/2015]
[2] UK Giving 2014, published online, 2014; link: https://www.cafonline.org/pdf/CAF%20UK%20Giving-FINAL%20-%20web%20enabled.pdf [accessed: 28/04/2015]
[3] Moll, J., et al. (2006). Human fronto-mesolimbic networks guide decisions about charitable donation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(42)
[4] Mental Health Foundation; Altruism page; link: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/A/altruisim/ [accessed: 28/04/2015]
The repercussions of poor oral health have the potential to not only damage self-confidence and relationships, but are also linked to diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. To add insult to injury, the healthcare required to treat dental conditions is notoriously costly. As completely free NHS dental procedures are only available to pregnant women, new mothers, children up to the age of 18 and those receiving benefits, virtually everyone – whether private or NHS – pays towards dental care. Current NHS treatment bands range from £18.80 for a standard check up, through to £222.50 for more complicated procedures such as crowns. Bearing in mind that 63% of NHS dental patients choose their practices based on cost[i], it’s prudent for clinicians and patients to investigate dental insurance policies, particularly when several treatments are required.
A British Dental Association report in 2013 showed that over half of mainly NHS dental practices in the UK, didn’t employ dental hygienists at all[ii]. However, the 2009 Dental Health Survey revealed 45% of the population with natural teeth had gingival pockets of 4mm or more revealing that periodontal disease is widespread[iii]. For these patients, hygienist sessions are recommended at least twice a year, typically costing around £50. If a standard amalgam filling at £50.50 (a composite, white filling is usually a private treatment), and any related dental examinations are then added to the mix, fees can escalate.
For a series of private treatments, a £220-£280 annual cover plan, recompensing 75% of the final bill makes financial sense. NHS dental patients may also be able to opt for NHS clinic-only cheaper insurance plans covering 100% of the costs[iv]. With some policies covering families, dental accidents or emergencies overseas, and giving no upper age limit for new customers, there’s a wide range of options available to suit both need and budget.
Munroe Sutton has been organising, designing and managing stand-alone, affordable dental plans for over thirty years. Created by dentists, these policies are committed to fair compensation for professionals and improving accessibility to quality dentistry for the individual. Together with leading insurance providers, a network of high quality dental practices has been established. Completely free to join, it offers your business a highly effective and efficient promotional tool to help increase your patient-base and build profit, all at no extra cost.
For more information please call 0808 234 3558
or visit www.munroesutton.co.uk
[i] National Smile Month Facts and Figures http://www.nationalsmilemonth.org/facts-figures/ (accessed 23/6/2015)
[ii] [ii] The State of General Dental Practice in 2013 Table 11. https://www.bda.org/dentists/policy-campaigns/research/workforce-finance/ddrb/Documents/state_of_general_dental_practice_november_2013.pdf (accessed 01/7/2015)
[iii] 2: Disease and related disorders – a report from the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB01086/adul-dent-heal-surv-summ-them-the2-2 (accessed 23/6/2015)
[iv] Which? Dental Insurance Policies http://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/reviews-ns/dental-insurance/dental-insurance-policies/ (accessed 23/6/2015)
Technology, coupled with a social media explosion has meant that real time information is no longer a figment of our over active imaginations, it’s here and constantly developing. Everyday, live data is served up in many guises via digital applications covering diet and fitness through to bus timetables. Many businesses are recognising the endless benefits of capturing this kind of data. Online news sites can post two headlines for the same feature, monitor the interest generated and within minutes discard the less popular, optimising their online hits. They stay one step ahead in an increasingly competitive environment by not only communicating to readers in real time but by enhancing the product (editors receive immediate data and respond accordingly).
Dental practices accessing live data can reap similar benefits in terms of workflow and profitability. In 2009, the British Dental Association ran a survey to calculate the amount of hours lost for practices by Failures to Attend (FTA). It recorded an average of 81 hours per dentist over the year, with an astounding rise to an average of 111 hours where those practices had no reminder system in place[i]. This is equivalent to three weeks of back-to-back treatments so can any practice afford to ignore appointment management?
There is now software available offering the continual stream of information and communication between your practice and patient base. This fully automated system takes care of appointment fixing, credit card processing, and crucially, reminding patients to attend. Covering the four focal points of chair occupancy, treatment planning, appointment confirmation and patient recare, this real-time information helps to monitor and manage appointments efficiently. Staff are then free to instantly respond to situations as they occur, keeping schedules at optimum efficiency.
Carestream Dental can provide this real time data via the new fully automated Springboard feature of the CS R4+ practice management software. Because the system immediately undertakes time-consuming administration, Springboard enables a continual, fluid workflow. In return, resources and skills are applied to the areas where they’re required where they’re most needed – attending to patients.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
For all the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl and Facebook
[i] BDA Policy and Research – Fail to Attend Research, December 2010 https://www.bda.org/dentists/policy-campaigns/research/workforce-finance/gp/Documents/failure_to_attend_research_2010.pdf (Accessed 9th June, 2015)
“We’ve been working with Wrights for a number of years but since our current representative, Tina, joined the team a year ago, we have been especially happy with the excellent service we’ve received. Wrights offers the best value for money and we now order all our materials and consumables, as well as some oral health products, through the company.
“Tina and I hit it off straight away. She is absolutely fantastic, her level of customer service is extremely high – she is always prepared to go that extra distance to deliver on our requirements. I get regular emails with any deals or offers that may be of interest and anything she doesn’t know is investigated and immediately reported back to me; it is first-class customer care.
“I am extremely satisfied with Tina and will stick with her for the foreseeable future. I would recommend this service 100%, in fact I always do – Tina is wonderful!”
For a professional yet personal service from an experienced team, next day delivery on top-selling products and exclusive discounted prices, contact Wrights today.
For more information contact Wright on 0800668899 or visit www.wright-cottrell.co.uk
Clark Dental is proud to introduce the Florida Probe Dolphin – the single-use and disposable probe that ensures each new patient can be treated with a fresh appliance. Seeing you unwrap a new probe especially for them increases patient trust and reassures them that they are receiving the best and most hygienic care possible.
The Dolphin features a new, more flexible plastic sleeve, in a neon yellow colour to make it easier to see in both light and dark environments. With its improved flexibility, you will also be able to reach difficult interproximal sites far more easily.
The Florida Probe Dolphin is compatible with your existing Florida Probe and the powerful Voice Works perio-charting software. This innovative product is changing the way periodontal exams are conducted and is the ideal tool for any practice. To find out how you could benefit from it, contact the team at Clark Dental today.
For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk
In the UK, periodontitis affects about half of all adults with up to 15% estimated to have the condition severely.[2] These shocking statistics echo the findings of the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey, which reported that, although this generation has a better outlook than their predecessors, there are still many people whose oral health and function does not meet the best possible standards.[3]
Periodontal disease is a particular area of concern because it can cause serious oral health problems and when left untreated, and can result in tooth loss as well as deterioration of both gingiva and bone. Ominously the potential effects and implications of periodontal disease may also extend beyond oral health and recent research has established that periodontal infection is a probable risk factor for various systemic diseases, including pulmonary disease.[4]
Furthermore, periodontal disease has the capability of changing the chemical composition of the blood and glucose levels as well as interfering with the body's inflammatory system and thereby increasing the risk of diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis,[5] respiratory[6] and cardiovascular diseases.[7],[8]
As we know, tobacco use, stress and obesity may be significant risk factors in the development and progression of periodontal disease. However people with other general health conditions also have an increased risk of developing the condition. Evidence has consistently revealed that diabetes is a risk factor for the prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis[9] and a five-year follow-up, population-based study in Taiwan[10] has also indicated that patients with osteoporosis might have an increased chance of developing periodontitis.
Over the last few decades the concept of a genetic vulnerability to periodontal disease has also been investigated.[1] Since the completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP)[2], researchers have found evidence to suggest that a key element of whether individuals develop periodontitis appears to be controlled by the way they interact with environmental agents including biofilm. These researchers also believe that periodontal disease could be categorised more effectively using pathobiology-based grouping as well as the clinical presentation of the disease, rather than the current clinical only classifications of ‘chronic’ and ‘aggressive’.[3]
A new system for categorising periodontitis based on the molecular profiling of gingival tissues has therefore been devised, which could enable earlier diagnosis and more personalised treatment. It is hoped that patients found to be highly susceptible to severe periodontitis may be considered for assertive therapy even if that person only show indicators. This would then prevent aggressive progression, bone and tooth loss.
Helping patients to understand the threat of periodontal disease not only with regard to oral health but also in relation to other potential health risks is vital. Of course treatment for periodontal disease depends upon each individual case, but every patient must appreciate the importance of practicing good oral hygiene. Employing an improved oral health care regime may be enough to kerb further development of the disease in some patients, although professional scaling and debridement is commonly required to remove plaque, calculus and biofilm from the teeth and roots.
For some patients it is necessary to include on-going periodontal therapy with medication to keep infection under control and to heal periodontal pockets. Nevertheless, in aggressive cases it may be necessary to perform flap surgery to clean the area thoroughly and suture periodontal pockets. Some of these patients may also require bone grafting to promote new growth or tissue regeneration to cover any exposed tooth roots.
In many cases a general dentist, therapist or hygienist can treat patients with periodontal disease successfully. However, in complex or unresponsive cases the skills of a specialist periodontist may be needed. By creating a good working relationship with a reliable referral practice, such as London Smile Clinic, your patients can benefit from specialist clinical skills in a wide spectrum of dentistry. With a wealth of experience in oral and maxillo-facial surgery, Dr. Hatem Algraffee, specialist periodontist at London Smile Clinic
[1] N.J. Kassebaum, E. Bernabé, M. Dahiya, B. Bhandari, C.J.L. Murray, W. Marcenes. Global Burden of Untreated Caries: A Systematic Review and Metaregression J DENT RES, May 2015; vol. 94, 5: pp. 650-658, first published on March 4, 2015
[2] http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Gum-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx [Accessed 29th April 2015]
[3] 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB01086/adul-dent-heal-surv-summ-them-exec-2009-rep2.pdf
[4] Scannapieco FA, Papandonatos GD, Dunford RG. Associations between oral conditions and respiratory disease in a national sample survey population. Ann Periodontol 1998;3:251-256.
[5] American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/risk-factors
[6] Association between respiratory disease in hospitalized patients and periodontal disease: a cross-sectional study. Sharma, N., Shamsuddin, H. J. Periodontol. August 2011. pp1155-1160. Available at: http://www.pharmaden.net/pdf/articles/2.pdf
[7] Machado AC, Quirino MR, Nascimento LF. Relation between chronic periodontal disease and plasmatic levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and fractions. Brazilian oral research, 2005, 19(4):284–9.
[8] Genco RJ et al. Overview of risk factors for periodontal disease and implications for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Compendium of continuing education in dentistry, 2001, 22(2 Spec. No.):21–3.
[9] Mealey BL, Oates TW. Diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases. J Periodontol. 2006;77:1289-1303.
4 Research, Science and Therapy Committee of the American Academy of Periodontology. Informational paper: implications of genetic technology for the management of periodontal diseases. J Periodontol. 2005 May;76(5):850-7.
5 Schafer AS, Jepsen S, Loos BG. Periodontal genetics: a decade of genetic association studies mandates better study designs. J Clin Periodontol. 2011 Feb;38(2):103-7.
[2] National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institute of Health US. www.genome.gov
[3] Gingival Tissue Transcriptomes Identify Phenotypically Distinct Classes of Periodontitis. Panos N, Papapanou M, Kebschull R.T, Demmer B, Grün P, Guarnieri P, Pavlidis P (University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada) March 2014. http://jdr.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/03/17/0022034514527288 [Accessed 25th March 2015]
You are probably aware that Google now gives the top three search results to it’s paid advertising e.g. pay per click or Google Adwords. This is without doubt the most effective and quickest way to get your website to the top of Google’s rankings.
However there is also a case to be made for being near the top of the rankings organically or free listings. Some people just prefer to click on the free area rather than clicking on an advert. So whilst I would always advocate using Google Adwords as your first choice, I’d like to talk a little about search engine optimisation.
Search engine optimisation is effectively trying to make your website rank towards the top of Google’s listings. You must remember that fourth place is probably the best you will ever get because of the pay per click.
But if you can get yourself to position four of five it’s certainly better than being on page two. So what do you need to do?
I’ll go through some of the other SEO tactics in later posts, but if you start to adopt these you should see your rankings improve, although this isn’t guaranteed and you are at the mercy of Google. As I said earlier, the only tried and tested way to get your site to the top of the listings is to advertise with Google.
If you would like help with your digital marketing, 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 Facebook page
The Trailblazer Management Apprenticeship in Dentistry provides an extensive work-based programme with a national recognised level 4 qualification – ILM Certificate in Leadership & Management. The course offers a foundation of knowledge, skills and experience for progression into lots of different roles, not only that of practice manager; it also paves the way for advancement towards area or regional manager roles. It is applicable for individuals working in both independent and corporate practices and the qualification in leadership and management has the potential to open a lot of doors, so there is no limit to the career opportunities available.
The aim of the course is to develop a student’s capabilities and personal awareness in order for them to become a leader. It provides learning pathways in a wide range of areas to allow a holistic approach to how the practice is run on a large scale, enabling them to make better-informed decisions. Graduates will be able to take a strategic approach to managing the practice; increasing the efficiency of operations by streamlining workflows and increasing the quality of patient care.
Due to the nature of apprenticeships, the two-year course keeps students in the working environment with only three or four days taught in college per year. Candidates are able to implement new procedures and processes in an environment they are already familiar with to benefit the entire team. A portfolio of work showing evidence of scenario-based projects, learning activities and assessments is developed in practice and a student mentor supports individuals as they learn. The programme covers Human Resources, Patient Care, Clinical, Marketing, Risk Management, Quality Assurance, Finance and the Dental Industry and other areas, enabling practice managers to marry their existing abilities with new skills.
Employers can obtain fully qualified people to run their businesses without huge expense. They are not required to fund the entire apprenticeship, just a third; the other two-thirds is funded by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). Students must of course provide drive and commitment to the training but they do not pay anything, so it's a fabulous opportunity for learners to gain high-level qualifications as they earn.
Intake for the apprenticeship programme begins every few months and the start dates at Barnet and Southgate College are:
The college offers an eligibility criteria form designed to provide a quick assessment of candidates’ suitability for the course. Generally, candidates need a grade C or above in GCSE English and Maths and should have a level 3 qualification (A-level equivalent or BTEC qualification), but most candidates will be at this kind of level if they are applying.
Dental practice managers are undoubtedly the ‘life-blood’ of the company. To ensure your management staff members have the skills and experience they need to excel in their careers and drive your business forward, find out more about the Trailblazer Management Apprenticeship today.
For more information or applications contact Barnet and Southgate College. Tel: 0208 266 4333
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
BDIA Dental Showcase, the UK’s leading B2B dental trade show, opened its doors to three days of brisk business and networking at Birmingham’s NEC from Thursday 22 to Saturday 24 October.
The exhibition, organised annually by the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA), brought together over 330 exhibitors and the widest selection of dental equipment, products, services and demonstrations of the latest techniques for the profession to discover what’s new, meet with product experts and conduct business deals.
With sponsorships deals in place with the major oral healthcare companies for the next two years, as well as exhibition bookings now being taken up to 2017 in response to exhibitor demand, BDIA Dental Showcase is firmly established as the premier business event for the dental industry.
Visitors to the exhibition had an exceptional opportunity to experience a significant number of innovations first-hand with more dental companies than ever choosing this event to unveil or showcase their latest products to the UK market including Oral-B, Cattani Esam, Ceramic Systems, Cerezen, DMG, KaVo, NSK, Philips, Software of Excellence, TePe, Voco and W&H to name but a few.
Although overall footfall at the exhibition was a little lower than in previous years it was clear that the event continues to be the place to see what’s new, do business and network with colleagues, with plenty of key purchasers and influencers in attendance.
The feedback from delegates and exhibitors alike has been fantastic.
Nigel Williams a dentist from Hay-on-Wye said, “It’s all here and you can actually see the stuff and have a look and see what it feels like, see what it looks like, see what the quality’s like. You can’t really do that from a catalogue. You see new stuff as well. You get new ideas, new practises.”
Roham Barez, a visiting dentist from The Dental Gallery, commented, “All the companies are gathered in one location so you have an opportunity to see everyone under one roof and it’s good for making new contacts.”
GC UK Ltd’s surgery products manager, Patrick Kelleher, added, “We see this as a premium show, it’s our big show of the year, it’s a chance to showcase the new materials on the marketplace and meet old friends as well, so it’s a really important place for us to be.”
Dean Hallows, the general manager at A-dec, revealed how well the company did at the BDIA Dental Showcase, “A-dec had an outstanding 2015 Showcase, customers were able to chat with the knowledgeable A-dec team and experience the A-dec dental chairs and stools in a relaxed atmosphere, all of this led to our best show in many years, with more leads than recent years and a much higher volume of sales too.”
There were lots of new features at this year’s show, including the inaugural Implant Zone, at which selected leading members of the team from the Association of Dental Implantology gave lectures and demonstrations on this increasingly important aspect of dentistry. Current ADI President, Philip Friel, said, “Our programme at Dental Showcase has been a fabulous opportunity to share the advances we have made in implantology. And it was pleasing to see the huge level of interest from dental professionals and be able to answer their questions and provide advice.”
BDIA’s Executive Director Tony Reed added, “Showcase plays a vital role in facilitating business for the sector enabling exhibitors and buyers to meet on a one-to-one basis to conduct business.”
“Like many others within dentistry I am concerned about the proliferation of events diluting audiences both for exhibitors and the profession. This has refined our audience significantly. A substantial amount of business of mutual benefit has been conducted during Showcase and we are looking forward to another productive event in London next year.”
Visitor and exhibitor feedback clearly shows that BDIA Dental Showcase was a great success. Ken Finlayson, the CEO of FMC summarised; “This year’s Dental Showcase was exceptional in terms of the consistent calibre of attendees. We had our best ever Showcase and will definitely be taking a major stand in London. It feels like the dental world is getting stronger and stronger.”
BDIA Dental Showcase 2016 will be held at ExCeL London from 6-8th October 2016, so make a note in your diary and start planning your visit now!
Delegates can download their CPD certificates from this year’s exhibition by visiting www.dentalshowcase.com from 9 November 2015.
The CS Adapt module allows you to define and customise images in whatever way you wish. Up to six pre-set filter options are available for you to choose between, enabling each image to be presented in a format that best suits the individual case.
The intuitive library-style programme facilitates easy browsing, image selection and the choice of filters ensures faster and more accurate diagnostics every time.
Available to use with various imaging solutions from Carestream Dental, including the CS 8100, CS 8100 3D, CS 9000 and CS 9300 systems, CS Adapt image processing is ideal in a wide variety of situations.
What’s more, you can be confident that the customer service delivered by Carestream Dental will be second-to-none, enabling you to make the very most of your innovations.
Don’t compromise the way you work when employing new systems – discover CS Adapt.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
For all the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl and Facebook
Particularly in such a fast-paced profession as dentistry, where techniques, materials and technologies are rapidly advancing and changing the way treatment is provided, remaining abreast of the latest innovations and ideas is vital. Not only does this ensure competency to treat patients in the most appropriate way, but it also allows practitioners to enhance the dental care and treatment they offer.
What’s more, it’s important to develop knowledge and understanding in a broad range of areas. For example, if you wish to offer implant treatment to patients it is clear that you need to complete advanced training so that you have the skills necessary for the provision of safe and effective services. However, even as a GDP who doesn’t provide such treatment directly to patients, you still need sufficient knowledge that will enable you to assess the health of implant supported restorations that you may encounter.
Whether clinicians require education for the placement, restoration or maintenance of dental implants, it is paramount that any training completed is of the highest calibre.
Passionate about improving awareness of and access to first-class tuition in the field is Ken Nicholson. Ken is the founder of the British Society of Oral Implantology, a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and a member of the Faculty of Examiners at RCS Edinburgh, amongst many other accolades. He is also the founder of SmileTube.tv, a learning portal designed to ensure practitioners’ competency in implant treatment. He says:
“The widespread use and published success of dental implant supported restorations is encouraging more and more GDPs to become involved in this treatment modality. A visit to the dentist’s section of the Yellow Pages makes it difficult to ignore the fact that an increasing number of practitioners are using the label ‘Cosmetic and Implant Practice’. Ensuring the clinician has the appropriate knowledge and skills to undertake dental implant treatment is of paramount importance.
“The GDC’s required learning outcomes of undergraduate education for Dentists: The First Five Years states that dental students should ‘be familiar with dental implants as an option in replacing missing teeth’. UK-qualified dentists are not expected to practise implant dentistry without undertaking structured postgraduate training and assessment of competence.
“The first step towards treating a patient is case assessment, where attention to detail and identification of the salient features of the case are essential. Even if a general practitioner does not wish to provide implant treatment, it is almost certain that he or she will be caring for patients with implant-supported restorations. A component of that care will be assessment of the health of the implant restoration(s) for which an understanding of implant dentistry is essential.”
For those wishing to perform implant treatment themselves, it is crucial that any training undertaken is carefully designed to provide both the theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience clinicians need to ensure their clinical competency.
Through SmileTube.tv, practitioners have access to a structured, blended learning programme that is tailored to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skill to place and restore dental implants, in a safe environment. The course involves four online modules, which can be completed at a time and from a place of the delegate’s choosing for ultimate engagement and effectiveness of learning. Training concludes with eight clinical days where delegates can develop practical skills for placing and restoring implants, while under the supervision of leading implant practitioners across the country and with access to cutting-edge facilities.
“The SmileTube.tv ‘Ultimate Implant Year Course’ delivered in partnership with Nobel Biocare provides delegates with the core knowledge and competence in implant dentistry expected of a GDP, as described by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for the Diploma in Implant Dentistry at the College,” continues Ken. “The knowledge component of the course, and assessment of that knowledge, is delivered online through the purpose designed e-learning platform SmileTube.tv, and delegates are able to revisit any material as many times as they need for the duration of the course. The clinical skills component, and skills assessment, is delivered through one of a network of clinical training centres throughout the UK and Ireland.
“I believe Nobel Biocare to be a global leader in implant dentistry with a hugely impressive and well documented track record. It is a proactive, innovative and forward-thinking company keen to support education and training for the GDP, which arguably offers the most comprehensive range of services, products and materials in the industry. The latest implant design from Nobel Biocare, the NobelParallel® Conical Connection (CC) implant will be one of the implant designs used on the SmileTube.tv course and promises to be an excellent platform for the newcomer to implant dentistry.
“As Nobel Biocare has been innovative in its approach to implant dentistry, SmileTube.tv has been innovative in its approach to education and training in the field. We hope to develop a passionate, global learning community, pushing the boundaries of education and training in implant dentistry to provide a better experience for our learners and a safe and predictable outcome for their patients.”
For more details on the learning opportunities available, please visit www.smiletube.tv, email Janine our Learning Community Facilitator on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0289 252 8522.
For more information about the exciting innovations available from Nobel Biocare, please call 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com
“I would highly recommend Clark Dental,” says Dr Collins. “The support and advice the team offered was excellent.
“I have worked with Matt Rowlingson from Clark Dental on a number of occasions and he has always been incredibly helpful. This project was no different. His team of engineers and experts, including Ryan Shoesmith and Grant Smith, were exceptionally dedicated, helpful and professional throughout the entire process – from planning to installation and their ongoing support now everything has been completed.
“With new Apex Elite cabinetry in both surgeries, and A-Dec dental units, our 100 year old practice has been given a new, modern look that has had a positive response from both our patients and our dental team.”
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
“When it came to renovating two of our surgeries, Wrights did everything and the team was efficient and well-organised. We were given a really great price and a five-year warrantee with most of our chairs and equipment. What’s more, Wrights beat every single quote I received from other suppliers.
“Due to the excellent and consistent service that Wrights provides, we use it for 100% of our ordering. The delivery of our consumables and materials is faultless; even the most unusual requests are met by Louise.
“Wrights offers no limitations on payment and we are able to pay monthly. This is testament to the strength of our working relationship and the mutual trust between Wrights and its customers.
“The personalised service that we receive in invaluable and is the biggest selling point of the company. We will continue to use Wrights for all of our ordering into the foreseeable future.”
To find out how you can get a dedicated, professional and personalised service, contact Wrights now.
For more information contact Wrights on 0800 66 88 99 or visit www.wright-cottrell.co.uk
With reports showing a decline in nightshifts and the three-day working pattern, it appears that emergence of ‘other types of shift work’ is on the rise highlighting the constant change that workers face.2
Finding the time
Because of the erratic and unpredictable patterns that shift work brings, it can therefore be difficult for people to arrange and attend much needed or emergency appointments.
In comparison to fixed contracts, which specify pre-arranged working days, shift work rotas are subject to change and can often not be distributed to staff until the last minute. As you would expect, booking an appointment in advance can become a seemingly impossible task.
What’s more, because employers are not required by law to allow workers to attend medical and dental appointments in work time,3 booking an appointment without a definite rota is out of the question, unless annual leave is approved for that specific time.
The toll on oral health
Not only does working unsociable hours and shift work have an effect on the convenience of booking an appointment, it could also create or contribute to medical and oral health problems.
Although there is insufficient research specifically on the topic of oral health in patients who work these hours, there is some evidence to suggest that it can be damaging to a person’s general health and wellbeing. As well as affecting sleep, weight and increasing the chance of diabetes, studies have shown a link between shift work and increased cardiovascular morbidity.4
The solution
Making appointments more accessible and offering online booking will encourage the general and oral health of shift workers. The current system has many flaws including busy phone lines, lack of out-of-hours options and limited choice of appointment times.
In comparison, online booking is flexible and transparent, offering 24/7 access to available appointments. A quick, easy-to-use and stress free alternative, online platforms such as Zesty offer a solution to those who work unsociable hours.
If you want to streamline your practice, optimise your surgery time and allow patients who do shift work to access services, contact Zesty today.
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. visit www.zesty.co.uk or call 02037717799 for more details today
1 Unite guide to shift work and night work – a health and safety issue for unite members. Revised October 2013. Accessed online 24th July 2015.
http://www.unitetheunion.org/uploaded/documents/ShiftandNightWork%2011-4950.pdf
2 Changes in shift work patterns over the last ten years (1999 – 2009). Prepared by Office for National Statistics for the Health and Safety Executive 2011. Accessed online 6th August 2015 http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr887.pdf
3 Advice Guide. Citizens advice bureau. Accessed online 24th July 2015 https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Documents/Advice%20factsheets/Employment/e-time-off-work.pdf
4 Europe Published Central. Shift work and health – a critical review of the literature on working hours. J.M Harrington. Accessed online 24th July 2015 http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/784775
Held on 6th and 7th November at The Brewery London, the conference offers an exceptional programme with lectures, hands-on workshops and masterclasses run by leading global professionals.
Among the outstanding speaker line-up will be Professor Sreenivas Koka, renowned for his leading expertise in the field of implantology and prosthetics. He will be presenting a masterclass alongside Professor Daniel van Steenberghe, entitled “Peri-implantitis: a tsunami waiting to happen? Facts and fallacy”.
“Reports of peri-implantitis are steadily increasing and it is up to the profession to ask what we can do to reduce its prevalence,” says Professor Koka.
“During our session, Professor Steenberghe will focus on the treatment and management of the condition, while I will look at how the disease is caused and what we can do to prevent it.
“We know that patient behaviours influence the development of peri-implantitis to some degree, but it is how we as clinicians use dental implants that will have the most significant affect. The key is in the treatment planning, before implant surgery is performed. We need to fully understand the science behind our decisions: where do we choose to place the implants, in what types of people and why?
“We used to have many concerns with regards to implantology, but as the procedure has become more common and success rates have improved, we have relaxed our approach slightly. This just needs tightening up again to ensure we create the best possible chances of clinical success.
“My section of the masterclass will focus on what we should be looking for and doing in preparation for implant placement. Particularly relevant for those who are relatively new to the field, the session will emphasise that implants will not always work well with every patient.”
Professor Koka will also present a lecture on “Prosthetic solutions for the edentulous patient: What, when and why?”, exploring the key prosthetic pathways for different solutions. Discussing the evolution of protocols and materials in this area, there will be an opportunity for debate regarding prosthetics for the All-on-4® treatment concept, prosthetic implant bridges, IBO and maintenance.
A member of the Scientific Committee and involved with the creation of the programme, Professor Koka concludes by highlighting the calibre of the event:
“This conference will celebrate how far we have come as a profession in the past couple of decades – the science and clinical experience we have developed is truly astounding. It will also highlight how much more there is yet to come.
“Historically, Nobel Biocare has been a major leader in the dental implant arena and this kind of programme will definitely keep it at the forefront. The conference will go back to basics, emphasising the science, education and research supporting the many products, materials and techniques used today. It’s a very exciting programme!”
For more information about the Nobel Biocare Team Conference, or to register, please visit www.nobelbiocare.com/uk2015, or call 0208 756 3300.
For some time now I’ve been banging on about how your website should be mobile ready because 60% of all search is now carried out on mobile devices and you should have your website ready for these visitors.
Well things are just about the heat up even more. Google have announced major changes to their algorithms, (the industry is calling this Mobilegeddon that will do two things.
The marketing press have been full of this, Read This Article. So just what does this mean to you as a dental practice? Well basically everything. As I have mentioned on many occasions 60% of all search is not done on mobile devices. This means that if your site isn’t mobile ready, people searching for you will probably never see your site listed.
But and it’s a big but, if your site is actually found by someone who is searching for you, your listing will not have the Google mobile stamp of approval so they may well decide not to bother with your site.
This Google update is not some small thing that they will roll out as they have been doing over the last two years with most people not noticing, this is a major deal for Google, (Mobilegeddon), this is why they have been flagging this up for some time.
So what do you need to do to ensure that your website is mobile friendly and you won’t fall foul of Mobilegeddon?
In addition Google are offering you a new tool to test your website, click here to check your website and ensure that it is mobile ready, this tool is completely free and safe, it will give you all the information you need to ensure your site is mobile ready.
Incidentally Google are also checking to see if you have a mobile app too, and again if you pass this test they will rank you higher than if you don’t so you might want to think about getting yourself a mobile for the practice (we sell these too) click here to see how our Mobile App can build your practice, it’s been designed specifically for dental practices.
We are now very busy converting many websites to make them mobile ready, if you would like us to give you a quote on making your website mobile ready, call us today on 01767 626 398 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk or check out our Facebook page.
The outstanding CS 8100 3D produces both 2D and 3D images of exceptional clarity, optimising versatility, accuracy and predictability of diagnostics and treatment planning procedures.
Further aiding a quick and smooth image acquisition, the intuitive interface is easy to use and patients of all shapes and sizes can be scanned in just seconds.
The CS 8100 3D also offers carefully controlled radiation exposure, with flexible fields of view available to ensure the safety of patients at all times.
To harness the benefits of 3D imaging within your every day practice, find out more about the CS 8100 3D from Carestream Dental today.
For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk
For all the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl and Facebook
“I think anyone involved in dental practice sales and goodwill values will have noticed that the market has gained considerable strength,” reflects Luke Moore, Co-Founder of Dental Elite. “Most practices this year have achieved over and above our valuation.”
This year, NHS practices are displaying a 3.66x ANP, 6.79x EBITDA and 156.70% turnover compared to mixed practices, which sold for an average of 8.98x adjusted EBITDA or 3.56x ANP with a reflection of turnover standing at 136.02%.
“The breakdowns are very interesting,” says Paul Wilkinson, Co-Founder of Dental Elite. “It would seem that mixed practices tend to sell more to dentists who seek to work in the practice themselves, hence the slightly higher EBITDA multiple which is counteracted by the lower Adjusted Net Profit. It is also interesting to see Private Practice Multiples starting to narrow the gap between NHS Practices.”
To find out how you can get the best deal on your practice, and for a free, no strings valuation, contact Dental Elite now.
For more information contact Dental Elite. Visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01788 545 900
With lectures held throughout the duration of the conference, EuroPerio Platinum Sponsor, Acteon, presented lectures on Thursday and Saturday.
On Thursday, Dr Amit Patel and Donna Schembri explored the concept of ‘Seeing the Unseen’ - Utilising Fluorescent Technology for Optimal Periodontal Care.
The theme from Acteon and the two speakers was clear: improve patient understanding to empower self-care and utilise technology to see better and treat faster.
Cutting-edge products mentioned as examples for the effective removal of plaque included the Newtron P5xs ultrasonic generator, the Air n Go easy airpolisher and Soprocare - which utilises state of the art photonics technologies.
It was a similar story from the Ziv Mazor lecture on Minimal Invasive Surgery Utilizing Piezo Surgical Device - Optimizing Biological and Functional Outcome in the Posterior Maxilla.
Using products such as Piezotome® and Sinus Lift Kit as examples, he articulated that innovative technology minimises complications, reduces treatment and healing time, and ultimately enhances function.
Improve patient understanding and encourage them to look after themselves by giving them the tools and the knowledge: together we can improve patient care.
Find out more about innovations available from Acteon by calling the team today.
For more information on Acteon and how to educate your patients, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., call 01603 227019 or visit www.acteongroup.com
At this year’s BDIA Dental Showcase Wrights was pleased to introduce for the first time, the sophisticated and quality imaging software, CAD/CAM solutions and dental units from leading manufacturer Planmeca.
Wrights also had the pleasure of launching its new partnership with the easy-to-use and multi-functional cloud based practice management software Dentally, as well as a new orthodontic range from leading provider of clinical solutions, G&H Orthodontics.
“I am pleased to finally announce the launch of these three ranges exclusive to Wrights,” said Ahmed Zaher, “and I thank everyone for their support”.
For those who missed out on the exciting array of old and new products and brands, flyers displaying exclusive discounted offers will be made available throughout the year.
To find out more about quality products and brands unveiled at the BDIA Dental Showcase 2015, contact Wrights now. Rest assured that whatever your supply needs, Wrights has it.
For more information contact Wrights on 0800 66 88 99 or visit the easy to navigate website www.wright-cottrell.co.uk
Never one to rest on her laurels, Jennifer, who has an extensive dental nursing background, is in the process of rolling out an exciting programme of learning opportunities in individual practices.
Whether lunchtime, first thing or after the practice closes is best for you, armed with sandwiches and in the space of just one hour Jennifer can provide invaluable information on products such as ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE, as well as vacuum forming and Medentika’s implant range – obligation free.
Speaking about her new role, Jennifer commented: ‘I am really looking forward to meeting customers – new and old – and learning what support I can offer individual dental practices so that dentists and their teams can remain focused on what they do best – delivering excellent patient care.’
To make an appointment for Jennifer to visit your practice or for more information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01274 721567.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) began operating on the 1st April 2009 and was created to regulate and inspect health and social care services. Since its inception a number of additional services have come under its umbrella, including Primary Dental Care Services as of 1st April 2011.
In recent months the CQC has come under fire from the Medical Profession, with reports such as:
Delegates at the British Medical Association (BMA) conference in June 2015 voting in favour of a motion stating the current CQC regime was "unfit for purpose". After the conference GPC chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said it was ‘clear that the CQC has lost the confidence of the profession’ and that it needs to ‘urgently address the fundamental problems within its inspections regime’.
This was shortly followed by the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) calling for an immediate suspension on the process of routine inspections. Research by the RCGP found a GP could gain an additional 120 hours a year in practice, if the Government slashed the administration burden of the CQC inspections.
The British Dental Association (BDA) has been relatively quiet about the CQC inspection regime. In October 2015 the BDA posted on its website that it welcomed the report from the CQC that Dental Practices were ‘low risk’ to patient safety.
However, the BDA’s silence on the matter does not reflect the feeling amongst the dental community generally. On forums such as GDPUK.com, the old CQC inspection regime is viewed as over cumbersome and bureaucratic, time consuming, expensive and inflexible.
In addition to the lack of confidence in the CQC inspection regime, is the dental community’s frustration and mistrust of their regulating body, the General Dental Council (GDC). This year alone we have seen the Professional Conduct Committee make some damning criticisms of those who investigate fitness to practice on behalf of the GDC. The Professional Standards Authority reported that the GDC was the worst regulatory body, with only two of the ten ‘Standards of Good Regulation’ being met. Finally the BDA asked ‘Will the GDC ever learn?’ in their article on the 24th June 2015 in response to the Professional Conduct Committee’s comments and MPs querying the GDCs hike in the Annual Retention Fee.
However, unlike the GDC, the CQC has recognised its failures and has accepted that the old inspection regime was not fit for purpose. As such, from 1st April 2015 the CQC has implemented a new format for inspections. Are we now entering a new era for the CQC inspection process?
Life before CQC
Prior to the CQC taking over the regulation of Primary Care Dental Services, NHS Dental Practices would be assessed by Dental Reference Officers (DRO). This often involved the DROs observing a dentist at work. The advantage of this system was that as DROs were qualified dentists, they had a good understanding of the required standards to be met in terms of treatment.
In addition to the above, all Dental Practices were governed by the GDC and were expected to meet the standards set by them. There was no on-site inspection process by the GDC; dentists, as professionals, were left to ensure they maintained those standards and the majority did in order to maintain their business and reputation.
There was no obvious need for overhauling the system. There was no public outcry regarding the quality of dental practices, and no high profile cases of errant dental practices. However, as with many areas of life, the Government took the view that this additional layer of regulation would benefit the public, in principle creating a more effective and standardised regulation of Primary Care Dental Services.
CQC - The Beginning
From 1St April 2011 the CQC was tasked with the regulation of Primary Care Dental Services.
The first hurdle of the old regime was for Providers of Primary Care Dental Services to register with the CQC. Each Provider had to show from the outset in the application form that it was meeting the ‘essential standards’. The application form ran to 42 pages, setting out each Regulation and asking the Practice to state whether or not they were compliant and, if they were not, how they would become compliant. Guidance was provided on how to meet the essential standards, which comprised 174 pages. On top of the registration form each Provider had to have a ‘Statement of Purpose’. Needless to say the registration process alone was both complex and time consuming.
After the registration process, nearly all Providers underwent an inspection. This involved further preparation and time to ensure the ‘essential standards’ were being met. The plan was that follow up inspections would then take place every two years thereafter to ensure continued compliance. However, the CQC grossly underestimated its workload and it took up to April 2015 just to carry out the initial inspections and even then the task was still incomplete!
The concern with this inspection regime was that it was a ‘tick box’ exercise, undertaken by non-professionals. Whilst on the face of it a few underperforming practices may have improved, questions were raised as to whether it improved the overall quality of care; for example did it prevent injury and were patients safer? The general feeling amongst dentists is that no, overall it did not and instead placed huge administrative burdens on them, that took them away from the practice of dentistry.
Whether a mark of successful regulation or not, the GDC and NHS England have reported an increase in the number of complaints about dental professionals. Given that the aim of the CQC inspection process was to focus on a patient’s experiences and ensure they were being treated fairly, it suggests a change was indeed needed.
A New Era?
In its report, a fresh start for the regulation of primary care dental services, the CQC acknowledges that when it started regulating dentists it did not get the model right. The report confirmed that the CQC had inspected nearly all of the 10,102 dental practices registered. One in eight was not meeting the regulations compared with one in five in adult social care. Furthermore, in the majority of cases where inspectors re-visited practices, the concerns raised had been addressed. The CQC therefore identified that the dental profession presented a lower risk to patient safety compared with other areas inspected by the CQC.
Following a review of the inspection regime, on 1st April 2015 two Regulations came into force which created new ‘fundamental standards’. These fundamental standards are applicable to all regulated activity; not just Primary Care Dental Services. You can find guidance on the new standards at this link.
As a result of the new standards and the review of the existing inspection process, on 5th April 2015 the CQC implemented a new system for regulating Primary Care Dental Services.
The key changes are:
· The removal of the rating system for Primary Care Dental Services;
· The introduction of five questions about the service. Are they safe? Effective? Caring? Responsive to people’s needs? Well-led? These will be used to ensure the fundamental standards are being met;
· In order to answer these five questions, inspectors will use ‘key lines of enquiry’ (KLOE) and prompts. These KLOE and prompts, along with examples of how they can be met, can be found in the Provider Handbook;
· As before, there are two types of inspection, but these have been re-labelled ‘Comprehensive’ and ‘Focused’ inspections. A Comprehensive inspection will be carried out at 10% of registered Providers in 2015/2016 and will usually look at the Practice as a whole. A Focused inspection will either be a follow up or be responding to a particular concern or issue;
· Clinicians will be involved where necessary with the inspection process.
In addition to the Provider Handbook, you can download our CQC Inspection Guidance here, which gives examples of the documents that may help you meet the five questions and fundamental standards.
The new regime has only been in place for six months. Having reviewed the Provider Handbook, there does appear to be more flexibility in the process. Under the section ‘Making judgements’ it states:
These examples of what we would expect to see in demonstration that the characteristics of each key question, and fundamental standards, are being met. The KLOE’s and examples of evidence are not an exhaustive list, or a ‘checklist’. We will take into account the context of the Practice when we look for evidence.
Therefore, the KLOEs and prompts do not need to be followed to the letter. It seems as long as the registered Provider can show the five questions and fundamental standards are being met, they should be free to run their Practice as they see fit.
The Handbook is much more user friendly; the five questions each have the relevant KLOEs set out and examples of how to demonstrate these have been met. The relevant Regulations are referred to under each question, but the document does not set out the Regulation and avoids legal jargon. Having in place good Practice policies and procedures, having regard to patient satisfaction, ensuring legal documentation is completed and training and managing staff effectively will greatly assist when preparing for a CQC inspection; all the elements needed to run a successful business in any event.
If you have prepared in line with the old inspection regime, then the reality is that you should meet the requirements of the new regime. The Regulations are very similar; they both focus on patient safety, legal requirements and managing staff/the business.
The new Regulations add a ‘duty of candour’, which requires a Provider to notify a patient if something unexpected happens, so this will need to be considered when preparing for your next inspection.
Only time will tell if this new system does in fact ease the bureaucratic burden on Registered Providers, freeing up your time to concentrate on dentistry.
Fees
In addition to the changes made to the inspection regime, in October 2014 the CQC began consultation on a proposed increase to registration fees. The proposal was to raise fees for all registered Providers, except Dental Services. The rationale for this was that the CQC did not envisage the cost of regulating dentists would increase. The proposed increase for other registered Providers was 9%. This came into effect on 1st April 2015 and, as proposed, registration fees for dentists this year remained the same.
On 2nd November 2015 the CQC announced a further consultation on increases to registration fees. The good news for dentists is that it is proposed registration fees for 2016/17 should again remain the same and for 2017/18 they should be decreased and then frozen until 2019/2020.
Unfortunately for GP practices, they will see registration fees nearly double year on year for the next four years.
To find out what your annual registration fee is you can use this handy calculator from the CQC website:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/fees-calculator
Laura Pearce, Senior Solicitor
The state of the nation’s children’s dental health never seems far from the headlines. Although the NHS insists there has been a vast improvement over the past decade, the fact that nearly 26,000 five-to-nine year olds were admitted to hospital for tooth decay in England in 2013-14[i], means the time for action is now. But a focused, multi-agency approach, based on education and prevention, must consider how a child’s needs change as they grow older and move into adolescence.
Just like other life stages, hormones play a significant part, making a good oral health routine crucial. Research has shown that puberty’s rush of ‘sex hormones’ affects the periodontium.[ii] This is an unavoidable factor; as for an ‘avoidable’ one, a smoking habit usually starts, and gets established, during adolescence, and obviously has many serious consequences for dental and systemic health.
Like smoking, eating disorders are often initiated during the teenage years. Individuals who develop bulimia nervosa may experience acid erosion to the surface of the teeth as a result of vomiting. Anorexia nervosa can lead to increased caries, xerostomia and osteoporosis due to a lack of essential nutrients.
Energy drinks are popular during examination time as they are marketed as boosting energy, decreasing fatigue and enhancing concentration. However, they are often full of sugar, too. Skipping breakfast – or grabbing something unhealthy on-the-go – is also common. New research has shown that teens are twice as likely to suffer from halitosis if they miss breakfast[iii] and, with these years being a defining time socially, bad breath can be a great motivational tool to trigger better oral care!
With finances also likely to be an issue we need to look at simple, cost-effective ways to boost teens’ dental health between appointments. Education about the causes of halitosis, proper brushing techniques and the dangers of smoking of course are important, but they could add some adjunctive products, too, such as CB12 mouth rinse and Boost chewing gum which are clinically proven to neutralise the gases that cause halitosis and keep the the mouth fresh all day.
With such a drive to improve children’s dental health, we much not forget what comes after. Late adolescence is full of social, psychological and financial pressures and regular trips to the dentist are unlikely to be a priority, especially if an individual has just left home for the first time. The best solutions are always the simple ones, and no one wants to be known as the person with bad teeth or breath! Guidance and support is not just for kids, and will provide life-long benefits.
For more information on CB12 and the extensive research behind it, please visit www.cb12.co.uk
[i] Child tooth removal ‘at crisis point’, doctors warn. BBC Health News, 12 July 2015. Found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33498324 (accessed 15 July 2015)
[ii] Apoorva, S. M., and A. Suchetha. "Effect of sex hormones on periodontium."Indian J. Dent. Sci 2 (2010): 36-40.
[iii] RANI H et al (2015) ‘Oral malodour among adolescents and its association with health behaviour and oral health status’, International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2015