In mid-2013 41,621 dental care professionals (DCPs) will come to the end of their first five year cycle of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This means they must complete 150 hours of CPD by 31 July 2013 or risk losing their registration the General Dental Council (GDC) has warned. This deadline could prompt a rush of registrants signing up for courses and the GDC is taking this opportunity to alert CPD providers to the possibility of an increase in demand.

An EU Commission study has opened the way to phasing mercury out of dentistry. A new study recommends phasing out dental amalgam use in the next five years, while improving enforcement of existing EU waste legislation. The EU and member states will now consider this recommendation. 

A Comprehensive Dental Reform Act has been introduced into both Houses of the US Congress. It has been described as ‘the most sweeping legislation ever to address the national crisis in dental care’ and has the intention ‘to help extend good oral health to all Americans’. 

Colorado (USA) state health officials have warned thousands of patients of a Denver-area dentist to get tested for HIV and hepatitis after it was revealed that he reused dirty needles on patients for 12 years. According to local reports. Dr. Stephen Stein used the same IV syringes to put different patients to sleep during surgeries conducted between September 1999 and June 2011.

A recent Department of Health survey shows that 83% of patients found their NHS dentistry good or very good. 93% were successful in finding a dentist to see them under the NHS. Two of the most common reasons given for not seeking an NHS appointment were that they were happy with private treatment. 

Interestingly, dentists practising privately find they see a constant stream of patients dissatisfied with NHS dental provision.