| NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson has said primary care trust (PCT) clusters will remain in place after 2013 as “local arms of the NHS Commissioning Board”. However, he indicated many jobs would still be lost. The Department meanwhile has confirmed that the NHS Commissioning Board ‘is best placed to commission’ dentistry. |
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No comments| A ground-breaking invention, invented by dentist Dr John Meechan, which promises reduced pain for dental injections, has won a major national innovation award. The special syringe cartridge works by reducing the acidity of the injection by mixing in a neutralising liquid just before the injection is delivered. |
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| The school of dentistry at Queen’s University in Belfast is at the centre of an official probe over concerns about the level of resources and quality of teaching. The university is at risk of losing the accreditation it requires from the General Dental Council (GDC) to allow it to teach dental students. It comes as Queen’s is having to make £11m in efficiency savings and absorb 200 job losses. |
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| A High Court judge has rejected a final appeal against the decision not to allow a judicial review of claims that the Strategic Health Authority failed to properly assess arguments against the proposals before giving them their unanimous backing. Campaigners have admitted they have reached the ‘end of the road’ in their legal bid to stop fluoridation in Southampton. |
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| The British Dental Trade Association (BDTA) has reminded practices about a warning given by the General Dental Council (GDC) to keep equipment up to date. This follows disciplinary hearings involving complaints about failure to maintain equipment properly and failure to retain proper written evidence of maintenance and certification for use. |
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Read more: GDC tells the profession to keep equipment up to date
| Then bring them to Showcase in October. In order to address the need for dental instruments in developing countries, the BDTA has announced that the instrument amnesty will be returning. The BDTA is linking up with Dentaid to encourage the dental team to donate their unwanted hand instruments at this year’s exhibition. |
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Read more: Do you have any hand instruments you no longer use?
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Following Alison Lockyer’s resignation from the General Dental Council (GDC), moves are underway to appoint another member. Candidates from all registrant groups can apply, so Alison’s successor will not necessarily be a dentist. The recruitment will be carried out by the Appointments Commission which is independent of the GDC. |
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Dentists who volunteered as pilots for the new contract are fed up with the lack of information coming from their PCTs. A source told GDPUK that he has no idea how much he will be paid per patient under capitation and has been given little time to study the contract. Like some of his colleagues he is thinking of withdrawing from the scheme. |
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