Patient Plan Direct, the UK’s fastest growing dental plan provider, has teamed up with Bacs, the organisation behind direct debit payments, to offer the practices that work with Patient Plan Direct an opportunity to give their patients ‘The Big Break’ whilst at the same time supporting Mouth Cancer Action.

For patients that sign up to a practice’s dental plan that is administered by Patient Plan Direct between 1st April and 30th June 2014, these patients are automatically entered in to a prize draw to win £12,000 along with other new direct debit payers across the UK as part of The Big Break campaign.

Patient Plan Direct is also making a 50p donation to Mouth Cancer Action for every new patient that signs up to a dental plan via any of the practices that administer their dental plan through Patient Plan Direct throughout the campaign. 

Mouth Cancer Action is run by oral health charity the British Dental Health Foundation, with the aim of raising the profile of mouth cancer, a disease which has increased by 50 per cent in the last decade.

Simon Reynolds, commercial director of Patient Plan Direct, commented; ‘The Big Break campaign provides the opportunity for the practices that work with us to further encourage patients to join the practice’s dental plan and budget for their preventative dentistry. This is just one of the growth initiatives we have introduced to help the practices we work with maximise the uptake of dental plans. At the same time, it’s a great way for us to support a very worth cause within dentistry’

Patient Plan Direct provides practices with a fully supported, administratively efficient and low cost means of administering and getting the most from a dental plan, whether starting a plan for the first time or taking advantage of switching from another plan provider.  

Patients are contacting us to solve their problems; a problem is associated with negative emotions in varying degrees. Extracting the negative emotion; and interacting with it is an art; we do this day in and day out without thinking. However; as we do this in varying intensities and without mental preparation; the results do vary.

Once you react and interact with the patients’ problem; they open up to you; and you see that they elaborate more without much prompting; interaction could be either verbal; or non-verbal; however; maintaining eye contact is the absolute key.

The next step is to turn the negativity associated with the problem into a positive emotion by acknowledgement and then reassurance that a solution could be found. Note that you have done no examination yet! The positive emotion you invoke must not carry any false hopes or promises; it is just a statement that is aimed at confirming your ability to find a solution (even if this solution meant that you may have to refer the patient). By doing so; you instantly increase the patients’ confidence in you; develop rapport and prepare the patient emotionally for the proposed solution.

Once you have done the examination and collected all the clinical information required; you then provide a solution; or solutions..I never mentioned treatment or treatment plan! Here you should concentrate on the possible outcomes; as this is what the patient is looking for; the outcome!

Working backwards; then you talk about how the outcome (solution) could be achieved in a systematic and realistic manner (I shall not teach you how to suck eggs here!). This is where the patient will take action; because they see and feel that you recognised and acknowledged their problem and are prepared to take action by providing a solution to reach an outcome.

Remember that you do this all the time subconsciously; however; not systematically and without mental preparation; the key to action is emotion and that is what we should be mindful of. See how this would work for you and leave me some feedback.

You could use this cycle in dealing with objections too; remember; objections are negative emotions; but they are more powerful; so you need to listen more and interact more. Try it…

Yours

Sam Mohamed

If you want to learn MORE; The Freedom Dentistry webinar is live on the 23^rd of April; book your place here.  (1.5 hours verifiable CPD included)

©freedomdentistry.co.uk. All rights reserved.

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

3M ESPE is adding an exciting new learning resource to its website. Named the Dental Education Knowledge Base, the online repository of dentistry information provides professionals with advice, clinical studies, hints and tips in an easy-to-navigate, well-structured manner.

With content continually being added, the Dental Education Knowledge Base is a comprehensive facility for anyone who wishes to find out more about a specific dental topic. 

With subjects such as dental cementation, aesthetic dentistry, minimal invasive dentistry, impressions, geriatric dentistry, implant prosthetics and paediatric dental care, there is something for everyone. 

Covering all the hot-topics in dentistry, visitors can access a wealth of information; ranging from ‘maximum tooth preservation in restorative procedures’ to ‘techniques for the production of indirect composite veneers’.

Visit www.3MESPE.co.uk to explore this exciting new facility.

3M and ESPE are trademarks of the 3M Company.

The Government has announced that apprenticeships need to be reformed so that they all provide substantial and sustained training that equips apprentices with transferable skills and full competency in an occupation.

To achieve this, new scheme The Trailblazers was developed. This initiative puts employers at the forefront of apprenticeship reform, and allows them to collaborate on designing apprenticeships within their sector.

Apprenticeships for the Dental Health Sector are currently in development, with plans to improve the current nurse apprenticeship and to create an apprenticeship for Practice Managers and also one for dental technicians.

Two short surveys have been released to gather the dental industry’s thoughts on apprenticeships and what areas need improving. You can complete the surveys by following these links;

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TrailblazersPM

and https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TBdentalhealthtech.

Rave reviews, recommendations, 5-star ratings... today’s best promotions for products and services are happening online.

In the UK, merchants and service providers have long since embraced the importance of positive online reviews as drivers for their business. Consumers have graduated from the ‘passive audience’ they used to be, to become ‘active researchers’ who go online to search for, locate and study the products and services that they need.

With 83% of households connected to the internet and 73% of adults going online every day in the UK,[i] it’s no surprise that we have caught up to and in some cases surpassed the US with our virtual consumer activity.

This can be clearly seen in two surveys conducted by Lightspeed Research in March 2011.[ii] The studies showed that 61% and 62% of respondents read online reviews for products and services in the US and the UK respectively. When it comes to comparing prices online, the UK leads with 75% compared to just 49% for the US.

In another study conducted by Beyond & Lexis that involved 1,500 UK consumers, 40% of respondents have interacted with a brand on Facebook, 47% have shared a product review in various online channels, and 43% have been prompted to purchase a product after an online interaction.[iii]

The same survey revealed that the UK consumers’ top five influential channels when looking for products and services are search results, talking to friends, product websites, review websites and magazine articles.³

The Lightspeed study also shares some interesting facts about online consumer behaviour in the country. 64% trust reviews from other consumers and 58% trust reviews from professional reviewers, while only 51% trust reviews from friends, family and colleagues,[iv] and only 17% trust reviews from a company web page.⁵

With professional and impartial ratings making more of an impact on the UK consumer, you may need to step your networking up beyond relying on your patients to tell their family and friends about your service. And if you want to post positive reviews of your practice online, you may also need to think of channels other than your own website.

One way to effectively promote customer reviews for your practice outside of your own website is to sign up for a service such as Zesty.

Zesty is an online booking system that connects patients with practices in the Central London area. Aside from online booking, the site also offers a clear 5-star review system that can help prospective patients decide which dentist to go to when presented with a list of options from their search.

The site also has an easy to use system that encourages patients to review their experience online after visiting your practice, giving you the opportunity to promote your business in a way that UK online consumers trust the most.

Zesty offers a free two-month trial when you sign up, so you can see for yourself how online booking and good reviews can help bring in more revenue.

A good review can mean the world to your business. If you haven’t done so yet, it’s time to get your patients talking about your practice today.

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

National Smile Month will soon be here and from the 19^th May to the 19^th June, let The Dental Directory help you provide your patients with something to smile about.

Give your patients the choice of toothbrushes and toothpaste they deserve by selecting from our extensive range. With your help and advice on cutting down sugary food and drink, visiting routinely and brushing twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, your patients can meet all three National Smile Month key messages!

When encouraging good oral health, don’t forget The Dental Directory’s BIG BITE brochure is all about bigger oral hygiene savings. Whether your patients need mouthwash, interdental brushes, water flossers or scalers, make The Dental Directory the first place you look.

With over 27,000 products to choose from, our customer service team waiting to help, free delivery and same day despatch on orders received before 5pm, make sure you keep                            too and smiling speak to The Dental Directory today.

Order from The Dental Directory today – independently verified as the best priced dental dealer in 2012 and 2013

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on

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

Without any doubt ‘data’ is great.

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

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

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

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

Therefore, data is a fundamental ingredient in decision making, figuring out where to focus resources and on which specific projects.

Data is not however, the be all and end all of your business success. The data on its own has no inherit meaning – it can never provide the ‘why’ as it doesn’t take into account likeability of the practice, your personal values, the culture that you are trying to create within your team, or your customer’s personal feelings when they interact with your brand.

The difficult job of truly transforming a business is underpinned by your ability to explore these places where data alone can’t reach. The trick is to not collect data for collection’s sake, but to explore alternative avenues in order to evaluate these other areas. Often that requires time and space, and on occasion a ‘Coach’.

Some time ago I worked with a principal dentist who employed someone specifically to collect data for that practice, for a total of three days a month. With all the will in the world, they would not have been able to develop the business how they wanted by doing this. Not only was this process creating a larger workload and costing the practice for the privilege, but it was having very little impact on the practice.

Practice data alone cannot be used to guide the success of the practice. In order to fully utilise the facts and figures recorded however, they need to be put into context. Hours spent analysing data are wasted if the bigger picture is not taken into consideration. Looking at the industry as a whole will help you to identify where changes should be made within your own practice, and effective leadership in this area is then needed to ensure the success of the business. The practice goals and long-term plans must be agreed upon and set out independently, and once you have embarked on the journey you set out, then the collected data can demonstrate whether or not you are travelling in the right direction. The numbers provide an effective tool to help manage and control the growth and development of your practice, but do not dictate the strategy you need to adopt.

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

At the end of the day, you’re highest priority as a practice Principle is your patients and providing the best clinical care you can. In this business, the biggest steps are nearly always taken by those who can hold onto the ‘why’, while using data to adjust the ‘how’.

For more information about 7connections business coaching

please call 01647 478145 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Blogging For Your Practice

Neil Sanderson

Blogging is now essential if you want to have a successful Social Media presence and at the same time get your dental practice website up the Google natural rankings, so first things first, what is a blog?

Well you are reading one now, this is my blog and I write one every week, for two reasons, the first is to communicate with my clients and potential clients, the second reason is that blogging is one of the best ways to keep your website on the first page of Google.

A blog is simply an article written by you, usually on your website, but you can have a separate blog area too if you don’t have this as part of your site. I would recommend to anyone that if you are thinking of building a new dental practice website or changing your existing one you must have the ability to write a blog.

I recently asked for a quote on behalf of one of my clients to have upgrade his website which currently doesn’t have the ability to start blogging. Both he and I were staggered when I was quoted £950.00 + VAT.

All websites should have a blog built into them, if you build a website in one of the two major “content management systems” e.g. WordPress or Joomla, this will be provided for you automatically. Don’t buy a website without either (a) a content management system or (b) a blog section. Incidentally all the websites we build have both as standard see my siteDental Website Design and Build.

So why is blogging so important? Let’s look at Social Media first. The two main Social Media sites you should have your practice on are of course Facebook and Twitter. Neither are really geared up for having lots of content in a single post, in fact Twitter limits you to 140 characters in total.

So if you are going to engage with your patients you have to link to something else, this is where blogging really comes into its own and this is how you do it. First you write your blog (remember a blog can be any size you want) on whatever special offer you are running or something interesting about the practice. You then create a post on either Facebook or Twitter and put a link back to your blog.

This does several things, firstly it takes the person who is reading your post back to your website which is ideally where you want them. Hopefully they will take advantage of your offer or maybe have a look around your website, either way this is what you want to achieve.

Secondly Google loves this type of traffic, so the more traffic you have coming to your site from Facebook and Twitter the higher Google will rank your site. This is the modern equivalent of “link building” but one that Google approves of and rewards you for doing it.

Blogging has another great positive effect on your website ranking. Google is encouraging everyone to update and create new content for your website. A blog is the single best and easiest way to do this. If you start to blog ideally once per week or once a month even once a quarter, your website rankings will improve.

So remember, if you are ordering a new website, insist it has the ability to blog (all ours do). Insist it has a content management system (all ours do). Start blogging and see your website rise up the rankings and your Social Media engagement soar.

If you don’t have time to blog yourself, we can do it for you, simply call me on 01767 626 398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

“I’ve been doing All-on-4® for about seven years,” says Dr Riz Syed. “With the All-on-4® concept you can offer an immediate solution in most cases. People with terminal dentition can have an immediate extraction with one surgical procedure and an immediate bridge. There’s no transitional denture phase for the patient.”

The All-on-4® treatment concept from Nobel Biocare has been developed to provide edentulous patients with an efficient and effective restoration using only four implants to support an immediately loaded full-arch prosthesis. This life-changing treatment can greatly enhance patients’ quality of life, giving them the chance to eat what they want, when they want, and once again smile with confidence.

“Patients’ biggest worry is having to wear a denture and All-on-4® is life-changing for them,” continues Dr Syed. “People who have failing dentition or who have had trauma or cancer in the past have undergone this procedure and it’s given them a new life. They can go out, socialise and get their life back.”

With the support of Nobel Biocare you too can offer this revolutionary treatment concept in your practice. To find out more, contact Nobel Biocare today.

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

NOW with 50% extra free!

Made with the finest Swiss steel shanks, UnoDent Diamond Burs are Triton™ bonded to double the strength of diamond adhesion and improve performance. UnoDent Diamond Burs offer faster cutting, with an extensive range of shapes available in popular styles.

Order before the end of May 2014 and receive 50% EXTRA FREE on all orders of UnoDent Diamond Burs. Order 50 burs and you will receive 25 free, order 100 and receive 50 FREE! With a minimum order of 12 with 6 free burs from the same or lower price group than those purchased, take advantage of this exciting offer and contact The Dental Directory now to place your order.

Explore The Dental Directory’s full range of products available on our website, or contact us by telephone to discuss your needs.

Order from The Dental Directory today – independently verified as the best priced dental dealer in 2012 and 2013

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on

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

3M ESPE’s Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material has been proven to have one of the fastest intra-oral setting times of all leading VPS impression materials.[1]

Its unique active self-warming mechanism quickly reaches body temperature for accelerated setting – which doesn’t affect working time. This makes the patient experience more comfortable, as does the material’s pleasant minty taste and smell.

Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material is also very hydrophilic.[2] Its ‘super’ hydrophilicity, even in the unset state, allows for the capture of precise details ­– and lessens the need for adjustments.

Turn to 3M ESPE’s Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material for increased efficiency and less stress for the dental team, and minimal discomfort for the patient.

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

3M ESPE and Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material are trademarks of the 3M Company. 

A recently published 10-year clinical study from The Dental Advisor gives RelyX Unicem self-adhesive resin cement five stars and a 98% clinical rating.

Through scientific evaluation protocol, over one thousand three hundred anterior and posterior restorations were examined over six-months for post-operative sensitivity, marginal discolouration and retention.[i]

RelyX Unicem self-adhesive resin cement performed well under all criteria, leading The Dental Advisor to conclude that “RelyX Unicem has proven to be a reliable self-adhesive resin cement over the 10-year recall period.”¹

The UK’s leading permanent dental cement[ii] proves itself once again through outstanding clinical performance.¹

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit 3Mespe.co.uk

3M ESPE and RelyX are trademarks of the 3M Company.

Prevent ‘Wear to Despair’ with Tif Qureshi at the BACD Annual Conference 2014

Find out more about treating tooth wear the conservative way with Tif Qureshi at the BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference.

In his lecture ‘Preventing Wear to Despair…’ Tif will demonstrate how you can use composite filling materials and the Dahl technique to treat tooth wear without having to resort to invasive techniques.

‘I’ve been using this approach for more than 15 years and have carried out the technique on literally hundreds of patients,’ says Tif. ‘It’s so effective I’d say it’s the most important treatment that I do.’

In a comprehensive and wide-ranging lecture, Tif will set out everything you need to know to use the Dahl technique safely, and predictably in practice. He will also show how you can combine it with other treatments to keep your patients looking younger for longer.

So, don’t miss out – contact the BACD and book your place today!

The BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ will take place on 6–8 November 2014 at the ACC Liverpool.

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacdconference.co.uk

Always keen to support and give something back to the dental profession whenever possible, Carestream Dental has donated a CS1500 Intraoral Camera for Bridge2Aid’s inspirational Tanzania project.

In response to the charity’s recent appeal for help, the CS1500 will help the clinical team in Tanzania to continue providing essential and often life-changing dental care to thousands of local people.

Through the training of local District Dental officers (DDO) and the provision of basic dental care, projects such as this are improving the quality of life experienced by millions of people every year.

The CS1500 is designed for superior image quality, producing sharper, clear images for enhanced diagnostics and patient education. Additional features include the 8-LED automatic lighting system, auto-focus and an ergonomic handpiece for unparallel usability. To find out how your patient could benefit, contact the experts at Carestream Dental today.

For more information, please contact Carestream Dental

on 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

Known for their sound knowledge and extensive expertise in business, the team at 7connections are bringing a little more magic into dentistry.

Providing an array of both digital and hard copy marketing resources, the innovative MagicBox delivers all the tools you need to market your practice effectively for the next year.

Posters, personalised referral cards and social media banners are all featured to name but a few, as well as a 12-month marketing plan and a return on investment tracker enabling you to monitor your progress throughout. 

And more information is available on the fresh new website, www.7connections.com, where you can find out more about other business services available, the team’s backgrounds or upcoming events, while also keeping up-to-date with the industry by reading the team’s blogs. 

Marketing – it’s amazing what you can achieve with a little Magic….

Book your free marketing review with 7connections today, and quote discount code MB004 to receive a 25% on your first three months of MagicBox*!

For more information about 7connections and the MagicBox,

please call 01647 478145, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit the brand new website www.7connections.com

*Discount code valid until the end of  May 2014 

Dentistry has come on a long way in the last 25 years, and continues to change at great pace. In the space of a few short years we have seen incredible changes in both the way the industry operates, and the types of treatments dental professionals are able to provide.

New treatments

One of the most important new treatments to emerge in recent years has been short-term orthodontics (STO) for the general dentist. This option has opened up a huge market for patients who want straighter teeth but without the lengthy treatment times and costs associated with long-term comprehensive treatment.

As well as STO, another significant change has come in the form of composite filling materials. With the latest generation of strong, aesthetic materials, dental professionals can now offer ‘white fillings’ that offer a real alternative to traditional silver amalgam.

Digital technology

There have also been many advances in the field of dental equipment. For example the latest digital imaging systems not only increase efficiency and improve workflow but they also reduce radiation dose for the patient. Furthermore, with the latest wave of 3D imaging systems, treatments such as dental implants are becoming safer and more predictable.

Digital technology has certainly had a major impact on dentistry and these changes are not just limited to the treatment room. For example, most practice teams will now use some form of practice management software to help with record keeping and other practice admin. The internet is also playing an increasingly important part in practice life. Many practices will now have their own website to market to patients, while some will even offer patients the opportunity to book appointments online.

Organisational changes

But these aren’t the only things to have affected dentistry. There have also been significant changes in the way the profession is organised. For example, successive amendments to the NHS contract have led some practices to leave the NHS system completely, and set up as solely private practices. This split between the NHS and private system has impacted on the way patients are able to access dental care.

Regulation

Another important area of change has been in terms of regulation. The GDC for example now requires all dental professionals complete a minimum amount of compulsory CPD each 5-year cycle. This includes a set amount of CORE CPD covering key areas such as radiation, medical emergencies and infection control.

Beyond this there has also been a tremendous increase in the amount of regulation applicable to dental practices. As well as the introduction (and successive amendments) of key documents such as HTM 01-05, in 2009 we saw the introduction of the Care Quality Commission in England – a new regulatory body designed to raise standards of patient care.

25 years and counting

Clearly dentistry has come a long way in 25 years, and this doesn’t even scratch the surface of the many changes that have taken place. At DBG we’ve been working alongside dental practices since 1989 and have helped practice teams overcome the many challenges that have come their way. From materials and equipment to training, engineering and compliance support, we have a complete solution for you.

For more information call DBG on 01606 861 950,

Or visit www.thedbg.co.uk

Dr Harry Singh, CEO of the Dental Property Club, is delighted to invite you to attend his free webinar entitled ‘How Dentists Can Get Their Work/Life Balance Back Without Sacrificing Their Income’.

Space is limited and these LIVE trainings always fill up fast. This one will be no exception, so claim your FREE place now, ahead of the kick off at 8pm Monday

(https://dentalpropertyclub.leadpages.net/webinar-2-copy/) or Wednesday (https://dentalpropertyclub.leadpages.net/webinar-3/) of next week.

Then simply log on to Harry’s webinar on your chosen date to find out:

• How to stop trading your time for money

• How to stop working for money and let money work for you

• How you can buy properties 20% below the market value

• How you can control a property for just £1.

In addition, Harry is the author of a number of publications, including ‘Achieving Financial Freedom: Learn how you can escape the rat race and stop trading time for money’ and ‘Get Moving in Property for Freedom and Profits: Learn how to invest in the asset of the rich and master the rules of the professional property game’, both available from Amazon and in stock now.

‘Achieving Financial Freedom’ takes the reader through the 6-step formula Harry personally use to design his life plan, achieve financial freedom and win the money game, allow him never to work again... unless he chooses to do so.

In ‘Get Moving in Property for Freedom and Profits’, Harry shares the steps to successful property investing that will propel your profits to property and lead you into the road of financial freedom.

For further information, please visit www.dentalpropertyclub.co.uk or email Harry at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

What Can Happen When You Do No Marketing

Neil Sanderson

Oh the perils of not marketing yourself. I had my first customer default on me this week, apparently he is ceasing to trade from next month. I took on this customer in good faith just before Christmas.

The customer called me early January to say that he was in financial trouble and that his creditors were letting him continue to trade, (I know its strange that he would take my services in December and then tell me he is struggling to pay creditors in January.)

Strangely I had gone to see this dentist nearly two years earlier and he had decided not to proceed with any marketing at that time as he was doing lots of other things to his practice and taking on new staff etc. etc.

I could see at that time, that this practice was in trouble and needed help. The first thing that struck me as odd was the fact that he had a practice management system that had 18,000+ patients on it of which only 3,000 were active.

Now it could be that this guy might be a rubbish dentist and just loses patients, I have no idea of that and can’t comment, but whilst I was there, patients were coming into the waiting room and he was speaking with them as friends so I have to assume that he got on well with his patients.

The second thing that made alarm bells go off was the fact that he’d done little or no marketing whatsoever over the past five years, not to existing or new patients.

Whenever I write these columns I stress the importance of saying that as part of your marketing you have to communicate regularly with your existing patients to make them feel loved, just as much as you spend time trying to get new ones. It’s absolutely imperative.

Time and again I see potential customers and they tell me that they can’t afford marketing, whilst at the same time telling me that they don’t have enough patients and the patients they have aren’t spending enough with them.

I hear this statement over and over again, don’t you think that there is a certain irony, “I don’t have enough business, but I don’t want to spend any more money getting any”. Let me say to everyone reading this now. If you continue to do what you’ve always done that’s what you’ll always get. Or even more to the point, doing nothing gets you exactly nothing.

The economy may be coming out of recession but very few of the people I deal with feel that way and patients aren’t just going to start queuing up at your door waiting for your services. Sorry I have to say this, but if you want more patients or you want to sell the higher end services you offer you have to spend money marketing them.

The problem is that most businesses view marketing as a cost not an investment. This week I am spending £3,000 on a 3 x 2 stand for two days at the Dentistry Show. But I know that this will generate me business (without fail).

Unless you start to look at marketing as an investment and not a cost your practice will continue to perform exactly the way it is. Here’s another saying I love to quote “If I gave you £10.00 for every £5.00 you gave me at which point would you like me to stop?”

This is effectively what marketing is about, if you don’t do it, don’t expect your business to grow.

If you would like help marketing your dental practice, 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 Advertising For Your Practice

Neil Sanderson

I’m sure when you think of Facebook Advertising you probably think of having to post all the time and interact with your friends or the people who have liked your Facebook page, which by and large it is, but there is another way to manage Facebook Advertising.

As I mentioned in a recent blog, Facebook recently became a publicly listed company, which means that is now has to answer to its share holders, and they are interested in just two things (a) increasing their share value and/or (b) getting a regular dividend.

In order to satisfy this requirement, Facebook has suddenly become very business minded and they now offer a wide range of advertising opportunities for the likes of you and I and Facebook Advertising has become a very good and relatively cheap way to get your message out there.

To advertise on Facebook you have to have a Facebook page and of course be the administrator of it, but you don’t have to post regularly on it, the advert will do the job for you. Facebook Advertising works very similarly to Google PPC (per per click). This means that whenever someone clicks on your advert and is taken either to your website or to your Facebook page you are charged a fee.

Compared to Google this fee is very reasonable (usually about a quarter of the price), however it has to be said, it will never be as targeted as Google is simply because there is nothing that is as targeted as Google Adwords.

However if you are trying to reach a particular group of people with a particular profile, Facebook advertising (PPC) is very, very good.

With Facebook advertising you can not only decide which area you want to aim at e.g. your postcode but you can also target whether the person who sees your advert is female or male, what age group they are, what is their marital status (even if they are engaged). You can specify particular interests they may have.

So for instance you could run an advert that will only be shown to someone who is female, who is between 25 and 35, who is engaged, who likes dogs, who likes going on holiday etc. etc.

There are no other platforms that will  let you get down to this level of detail for display advertising (Google is search advertising). You can set up a Facebook Advertising campaign for just a couple of pounds per day and so long as you get your targeting correct it will almost certainly pay for its self.

Facebook advertising is also the quickest way to get people to like your Facebook page and the best part is that you will only be getting likes from the people you are directly targeting, as opposed to buying likes from disreputable sources (don’t touch them).

The best thing about Facebook advertising is that you can send traffic from Social Media to your website with is where you ideally want people to go.

If you need help and advice with Facebook advertising, 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

This years’ budget was very positive, with many factors that give the general population more money in their pockets. It encourages saving and investment and includes some much needed pension changes. But how might it affect the dental profession?

For a start the personal allowance changes have raised the threshold for having to pay tax to £10,500, and will generate a saving of around £800 per year. This will be beneficial to every taxpaying earner regardless of their profession.

From 1^st July Stocks and Shares and Cash ISAs will be merged into a single New ISA with a tax-free savings limit of £15,000. For dentists who are self-employed and put money into an account every month to pay for their January and July tax liability, £15,000 tax free growth each year will be quite appealing.

A significant number of dentists invest into Premium Bonds and they are becoming an even more popular method of saving, as there is always that chance of winning the £1m prize, whilst your stake is guaranteed! The current maximum of £30,000 will be increased to £40,000 in June and then next year will rise to £50,000, with the number of £1m winners being doubled every month.

For those looking forward to retirement there will be a new Pensioner Bond for anyone 65 or over. This will pay a market-leading rate from January, with rates from 2.8% for a 1 year Bond to 4% for a 3 year Bond.

Further to this is the removal of the requirement to buy an Annuity, as well as changes to the tax on any lump sum taken on retirement. These changes give dentists more options as previously restricted pension money can be accessed, allowing for the purchase of additional practices or Buy To Let properties, which will help provide an income for their future.

Other advantageous changes to be aware of would include the doubling of the Annual Investment Allowance from £250,000 to £500,000 and its extension to the end of 2015, the fuel duty rise that was planned for September will be cancelled, £200m will be made available for fixing potholes across the country saving us those uncomfortable jolts and £140m extra on flood defence repairs.   

The affects of the Budget 2014 will be felt in homes and businesses across the county. To find out how it will affect dentistry in particular contact the experts at money4dentists today.  

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

World Oral Health Day 2014 Will Focus On Importance of Oral Care

By Celebrating Healthy Smiles

20 MARCH 2014 - UK - LISTERINE^® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, today announces its support of the 2014 World Oral Health Day, to be held March 20 with celebrations expected across the world from dental associations, schools and organisations. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Healthy Smiles,” to raise awareness of the importance of establishing and maintaining a proper oral care routine.

“We are proud to support the FDI World Dental Federation in its mission, which we share, to educate the global population on the importance of taking care of their teeth and mouths,” said Francesco Salvo di Pietraganzili, Assistant Brand Manager Listerine UK. “Maintaining a proper oral care routine only takes a few minutes each day but can have a lasting impact on your health.”

Worldwide, 90% of the population is at risk for some form of oral disorder, ranging from caries, periodontal diseases and tooth decay to oral cancer.[1] World Oral Health Day will help promote awareness of these oral health issues, the importance of looking after oral hygiene to everyone old and young, and how to take action and help reduce the global burden of oral disease.

The makers of LISTERINE® will offer tips for establishing healthy habits for a lifetime, which include taking a few minutes each day to brush, floss and rinse with a therapeutic mouthwash like LISTERINE®.

For more information on World Oral Health Day, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org.

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than one million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. Over the years, it has developed programmes, initiatives, campaigns, policies and congresses, always with a view to occupying a space that no other not-for-profit group can claim.

FDI works at national and international level through its own activities and those of its member dental associations. It is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org.

LISTERINE^® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

Dedicated to working in partnership with dental professionals to provide expert care for patients, the LISTERINE® Advanced Defence mouthwashes are scientifically proven adjuncts to professional treatment, designed to help treat and/or prevent specific oral care conditions. The range includes Advanced Defence Sensitive, Advanced Defence Cavity Guard and new Advanced Defence Gum Treatment, an alternative to chlorhexidine-based remedies, which cuts gingival bleeding by 50.9% (p<0.001) in 4 weeks when used after brushing. ²

The LISTERINE® brand is part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Media Contact:

Gemma Barker

Director, GG Communications Ltd

07595 282 678

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

UK/LI/14-2697

____________________

² Bleeding Index Reduction DOF 1 - 2013 (LAEBBA0001)

• More than 100 countries and 70 National Dental Associations are celebrating World Oral Health Day 2014, a new record
• Yaya Touré, Manchester City FC and African Football Player of the Year, is this year’s WOHD ambassador

Partnership Provides New Milling Machine

With Resin Nano Ceramic Materials for Single-Appointment Restorations

Carestream Dental is delight to announce that its CS 3000 milling machine has earned approval from 3M ESPE to work with the company’s Lava Ultimate Restorative, a resin nano ceramic material. Officially launched as part of the CS Solutions CAD/CAM restoration portfolio, the CS 3000 enables practitioners to mill aesthetic, anatomically accurate restorations in a single appointment.

“As Carestream Dental enters into this new product category, we want to have strong partners who provide versatile block offerings,” says Edward Shellard, D.M.D., chief marketing officer and director of business development for Carestream Dental. “Our partnership with 3M ESPE further expands the variety of materials that practitioners can use with the CS 3000, enabling us to better accommodate professional’s preferences.”

Global business director with 3M Digital Oral Care, Kristan Chesnut adds,  “Our Lava Ultimate Restorative is characterized and finished without firing, which dramatically reduces production time. This convenience, combined with the CS 3000’s quick milling time, allows dentists to rest assured that they will not have to sacrifice workflow efficiency for precise, durable restorations.”

For more information on CS 3000, or any other technology with CS Solutions, please contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692

or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

Goodman Grant lawyers for dentists are doing their bit raise money for Bridge2Aid.

The team of experienced solicitors may have a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the dental sector, but this won’t help them in tackling their latest challenge.

On May 23^rd members from both the Liverpool and Leeds offices will embark on a 3 day cycle ride, taking them 180 miles across the width of the country from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. With little previous experience or training this will be no mean feat!

The Goodman Grant coast to coast challenge is intended to raise money and awareness in support of the fantastic work carried out in East Africa by Bridge2Aid. They work endlessly to provide training to increase access to dental pain relief for the millions of people suffering in the developing world.

For more information and details on how to donate please visit the justgiving site: www.justgiving.com/goodmangrantc2c.

Thank you.

For more information contact either

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

Tom Wright on 0151 707 0090 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

NASDAL and ASPD MEMBERS

What is the best marketing plan for your practice?

Neil Sanderson

I’m often asked what is the best marketing I can buy or do. Let’s face it there are now dozens of ways to market you and your practice.

Not very long ago you really only had two choices 1. You could place an advert in the Yellow Pages or 2. You could send out a mail shot. Those of you who were a bit more ambitious might try telesales too.

Today you have literally dozens of ways to market your practice, but which is the best marketing?

But out of all these different types of marketing e.g. Direct Mail, Social Media, Posters, Leaflets, Text Messaging, Email what really is the best marketing?

So if you said to me I can only do one form of marketing which would you choose, the answer would be Google Adwords (or pay per click). This is without doubt the most cost effective and best marketing for  you and your practice.

Why do I say this. Because unlike Search Engine Optimisation which may or may not get your website to the top of Google rankings. Google Adwords can pretty much guarantee this.

What makes this even more the best marketing, it that Google will only show your ads when someone searches for it. So just think of it this way. If you could place an advert in a local newspaper and only pay when someone looked at your advert and took action would you buy that ad, you bet your life you would.

Google Adwords does exactly this, they only show your advert when someone searches for whatever it is you are advertising e.g. implants or teeth whitening etc. But you don’t pay anything to Google until someone actually clicks on your advert and goes through to your website.

It is the ultimate form of “best marketing” and Google gives you hundreds of tools to test and hone your marketing. They are the only advertising provider that encourages you to get better at your advertising, and rewards you with cheaper ads and better rankings.

Quite literally the better you become at pay per click, the less you can spend and the more your ad will be shown. That’s why we spend so much of our time at Dental Marketing Expert, making sure that we are the ultimate experts in Google Adwords pay per click.

On average all our clients are normally in position 1 or 2 on the search and the amount we are paying Google for the ads is a fraction of what people who don’t know what they are doing are paying.

If you don’t understand how wot work Google Adwords, you can spend an awful lot of money for very little reward. In fact Google’s default settings are generally design to get you to pay them as much as possible. This is why they are now the second biggest company by value in the world.

I have spent the last two years honing my skills the best marketing (Google Adwords) and as a result I would say that I probably know more about this form of marketing than anyone in the dental profession.

I have personally spent thousands of pounds with Google, but last year I grew my business by 100% and this year we are aiming for 400% growth, using this best marketing technique.

So if you want to make a massive difference to your dental practice’s fortunes and start to benefit from the best marketing on the planet, 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

As the beginning of another tax year is upon us, you can make it your resolution to let figurit take care of your tax filing and help maximise your claims and savings.

figurit is a specialist accountancy and tax service exclusively for dental associates – they can help organise your accounts, keep track of important tax deadlines throughout the year, provide you with sound investment advice and help maximise your tax claims so you end up saving the greatest amount in tax money.

figurit also have helpful online tools such as a yearly tax calendar for important deadlines and tips to make filing and paying your taxes an easier and more organised event, year in and year out.

Give your tax affairs an overhaul this new tax year. For the best accountancy and tax advice for dental associates, come to figurit.

For more information on our specialist accountancy and tax package

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

Helping dentists offer treatment options to improve smiles in a minimally invasive way.

Dr Anoop Maini is the President of the European Society of Aesthetic Orthodontics (ESAO). Here he explains the philosophy behind the organisation and the inspiration that sparked its foundation.

The market for general dentists offering orthodontics for cosmetic purposes has exploded in the last couple of years. The number of adult patients requesting treatment by GDPs of fixed and removable appliances to enhance the aesthetics and symmetry of their smiles has been rapidly increasing. Consequently this has been the cause of growing anxiety within the orthodontic community, with concern about the expansion of the market and the quality of the treatments being carried out, which on many occasions has been unfounded due to a lack of understanding about the nature of the treatment.

This apprehension has at times expressed itself in the form of controversial newspaper articles that appear to advise patients not to see general dentists for such procedures. Therefore now is the perfect time to try to support and represent GDPs offering this treatment, whilst simultaneously educating patients.

Comprehensive orthodontics will always be the gold standard of orthodontic care, but unfortunately a lot of adult patients seeking smile enhancement treatments turn down a comprehensive approach as an unrealistic option due to the length or complexity of treatment. The alternative options for such patients seem to be limited to either aggressive treatments that irreversibly damage the teeth with preparations for ceramic restorations, or to simply accept their smiles for what they are without undergoing any treatment at all.

Thankfully another alternative is available. By using orthodontic appliances over a shorter time frame, with specific focus on the symmetry and alignment of anterior teeth only, dentists can offer patients a much simpler, less drastic option. Such minimally invasive approaches to improving smiles are often far more acceptable to adult patients and should appeal to ethical dental professionals who would like to offer conservative aesthetic procedures. 

The ESAO was therefore formed out of a necessity to support ethical general dentists who wish to provide aesthetically limited orthodontics to a good standard. Our philosophy is very much geared towards raising the standards of aesthetically limited orthodontic provision by general dentists by improving their core knowledge.

General dentists are well suited to offer this much simpler form of orthodontic treatment. They will already have a very strong overall concept of smile design, and orthodontic realignment compliments other areas of aesthetic dentistry that a GDP might already offer. We should make it clear that we are not trying to replace orthodontists; we are offering knowledge of a solution that utilises orthodontics to facilitate aesthetic smile design.

A lot of the education that is available at the moment tends to be derived from, and led by, companies which manufacture the orthodontic appliances, and who would therefore have an interest in promoting their own products. On the whole that training is reasonable for a mechanical understanding of those appliances, but what we are trying to do is make certain that the key aspects that need to be covered to satisfy medical-legal issues are not overlooked: things like treatment planning, assessments, consent etc.

Thus the ESAO aims to offer an unbiased perspective on orthodontics. To that end the board is represented by professionals within the industry, and there is no particular commercial agenda from any one specific company. There are dentists on the board from a range of different companies and specialisations across the dental profession to ensure this balanced representation.

The events and conferences provided by the ESAO include talks and practical hands-on sessions with experienced general dentists or specialist orthodontists. They are designed to provide all the experience necessary to deliver aesthetically focused orthodontics in a safe and ethical way, and are aimed at exploring the many ways in which GDPs and specialists can work together.

For more information on offering aesthetically focused orthodontic solutions and for details of upcoming ESAO events visit the website today.

For more information visit esao.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What can I claim for tax?

Filing your tax claims can certainly be complicated, as there isn’t a readily available hard-set list of do’s and don’ts on the subject.

To simplify the process, you can apply the ‘wholly and exclusively’ rule of thumb. Using this, you go down your list of claims and check that every item purchased has been solely for business use.

But for dental associates, this guide isn’t as straightforward and encompassing as it sounds.

Take the clothing you use for practicing dentistry, for example. Though you may consider their purchase as a business expense, under HMRC laws you can only claim for the laundering, repair and replacement of these garments, and not for the cost of their initial purchase.[i]

Another example is claiming against subscriptions and joining fees to certain professional organisations, as these are only allowed if they appear on the approved HMRC list.[ii]

The British Dental Association, for example, is listed by the HMRC as a recognised professional body. The Dental Professionals Association, however, is not. Even if you join organisations that are wholly and exclusively for dental professionals, you cannot automatically assume that their fees can be legally claimed.

Another topic seemingly left open to interpretation are the costs of training courses and seminars. The HMRC states that professional development courses are allowable only if they’re designed to further any existing professional skills. If the course is taken to acquire new skills and learning, their costs cannot be claimed.[iii] The question then becomes, how would you categorise a course on, say, implantology or orthodontics? Who do you ask for a definite answer?

As you can see, even the ‘wholly and exclusively’ rule does not wholly and exclusively answer all the questions you might have regarding your tax claims.

These are but a few examples of how tricky tax deductions for dental associates can be. While you can certainly do some research and try to work out the rules of tax claims on your own, this could take up a lot of your free time – time that you would rather spend practising dentistry and earning money. Or, worse, you can get to the wrong or incomplete answer, and miss claiming something, or claim something incorrectly!

Another solution that could end up saving you money is to turn to a professional to resolve all this for you, such as figurit.

figurit is a web-based accountancy and tax solution exclusively for dental associates that can maximise your tax savings with their specialist knowledge and turn your tax returns around within four weeks.

By using figurit you can also reduce the risk of an HMRC inspection, because you can be sure that they have a full grasp of both the nuances of your profession and the laws of taxation. And if you do happen to be unlucky enough to get investigated anyway, their inclusive insurance will mean no additional costs for you to get the enquiry dealt with.

Filing tax returns doesn’t have to turn into the mind-bending puzzle that it can be when you don’t know the law inside and out. You can hire specialists to take care of all that for you so you can do what you do best – practice dentistry with no further distractions.

For more information on our specialist accountancy and tax package

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

10 Ways To Get A Patient Referral

Neil Sanderson

I think just about everyone is in agreement that a patient referral is the best way to get new patients, even I as a marketeer would have to agree with that, however you can only get so many new patients by referral only, so I would still recommend a proper marketing strategy. That said if you are going to increase the number of referrals you get, here are a few hints and do’s and don’ts.

Most dental practices have no patient referral strategy in place at all, getting patient referrals has to be ingrained into the philosophy of the practice, you should view every single patient you see as someone who is going to recommend your practice and services to someone else.

Obviously to do that you have to offer great dentistry, that goes without saying but simply doing this isn’t good enough, because you patients expect you do deliver that anyway. Your services are no different to any other service or product that they are willing to spend their money on, you simply have to deliver quality.

So now we have that part out of the way how can you increase the number of patients who are willing to give you a patient referral?

1. Strange as it may sound Social Media is becoming more and more important in this area. Quite literally social media is the new “word of mouth” marketing, so if you have an active Facebook and/or Twitter account which has lots of interesting content on it you are likely to increase the number of referrals you get.
2. The appearance of your practice is incredibly important. If you have a practice that looks shabby, do you really think that your patients are going to refer you to their friends and relatives, I don’t think so.
3. Don’t think that only long term patients will refer you, in fact quite the opposite is the case. You are just as likely to get a patient referral from a new patient than you are from someone who has been using you for years.
4. You don’t have to deliver fantastic results to get a patient referral either. Courtesy, smart appearance and attention to detail and giving them exactly what they want is just, if not more important.
5. Just because a patient has referred you once don’t think that they won’t do it again, you should encourage your patients to refer you as often as possible and reward them for doing it.
6. Your staff are incredibly important in getting patient referrals, you might be the best dentist in the world and offer a fantastic service, but if your patients don’t have a great experience on reception, you won’t get those much needed patient referrals, reception staff have to be well trained, just as you do.
7. Communicate regularly with your patients, a newsletter is a great way to share things with your patients along with social media. It’s not rocket science, the better they think they know you the more they’ll give you a patient referral.
8. Market your referral program everywhere in your practice. Tell them what you are prepared to offer in return for a patient referral, it could be a bottle of wine or a big thank you, but you need to have a rewards system of place and tell everyone about it.
9. Every new patient that comes to your practice should be given a welcome pack and that should include information about your patient referral program and the benefits they can achieve if they refer a friend or relative to you.
10. Finally and here’s the real big one. ASK FOR THEM you’ll be astounded the difference this simple little thing does.

If you would like more information on implementing a patient referral program or how to promote this using your social media or training your reception staff, call me on 01767 626 398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Michael Lansdell, of Lansdell & Rose, speaks to small corporations about the benefits of Relevant Life Cover.

Life insurance is vital to ensure the safe continuation of any small company in case of the death or terminal illness of a director or key employee. In the vast majority of corporate cases, Relevant Life Cover (RLC) is the most tax efficient means of guaranteeing a secure future in the event of an untimely loss.

RLC does not attract any liability for National Insurance (NI) from either the individual or the company. From the insured person’s point of view, the premiums are paid by the company, not regarded by HMRC as a ‘benefit in kind,’ and not liable to income tax; nor do they form part of the individual’s annual allowance for pension contributions or lifetime allowance for pension savings. From the company’s standpoint, the premiums are usually deductible against corporation tax.

Compared with ‘non-relevant’ life cover, which attracts employee and employer NI contributions as well as income tax liability, an RLC policy will offer yearly net savings which amount to several thousands of pounds over the life of the plan.

RLC comes in two types of cover. Level policies, with a fixed annual premium, deliver a fixed payout with no regard for inflation. Inflation-linked policies, with premiums that go up every year, offer payouts that rise in line with whichever cost of living index is chosen.

RLC policies are written into trust for the benefit of the employee’s family, and on the death of the insured person the policy will pay out a tax-free lump sum to the named beneficiaries.

RLC covers only death or terminal illness, and cannot be extended to include any other provision(s). Each RLC policy is set up individually and can only be taken out by an employer to insure an employee when both are permanently resident in the UK, and the employee is aged between 17 and 69.

Premiums typically begin at £5 per month with no minimum level of cover, but most insurance companies impose an upper limit of £10million, or 25 times the value of the employee’s earnings, whichever is lower.

Small companies who have not yet explored the option of RLC should look into this tax-efficient way of providing death-in-service benefits for their directors and key employees.

For more information about RLC and the services available from Lansdell & Rose please call on 020 7376 9333

Following the introduction of The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 in May last year there still seems to be some confusion regarding the interpretation of the Regulations and the role of risk assessments in relation to the use of safer sharps and recapping.

Edmund Proffitt, Policy and Public Affairs Director at the BDIA comments, “From May last year all dental practices have to ensure that they comply with the ‘Sharps’ regulations. This means that dental practices must avoid the unnecessary use of sharps and where this is not possible a safer sharp must be used where reasonably practicable”.

He adds, “We believe from the discussions we have had with our members, dental practitioners and the HSE that for the majority of dental activities there will be safer devices available and that risk assessment would deem them reasonably practicable to use.

Therefore, it will be in very limited cases that 'traditional' devices can still be used, and this should be justified by the risk assessment process. Ultimately, it is for a dentist to justify to the courts why they did not use a safety device, and it would be very difficult for a court to agree with the dentist if there was a safety device on the market and others were using them”.  

In terms of the ‘recapping’ of needles, the Regulations clearly state that needles must not be recapped after use unless the employer’s risk assessment has identified that recapping is itself required to prevent a risk (e.g. to reduce the risk of contamination of sterile preparations). In these very limited cases appropriate devices to control the risk of injury to employees must be provided. 

As a result of the constant development of devices and technologies by BDIA members and others it is suggested that if a dentist has decided that it is not reasonably practicable to use a safer sharp in a specific circumstance the decision is regularly reviewed to see if a different or new product is suitable.

For more information please contact Edmund Proffitt on 01494 781183 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

BDIA Showcase takes place between 9th & 11th October 2014 at Excel in London. Further information can be found here www.dentalshowcase.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BIO:

Simon Hughes joined Christie + Co in 1987 and has responsibility for the further expansion of its brokerage services into the Primary Care sectors of dentistry and GP surgery sectors. In the past three years, Christie + Co has advised, valued or sold almost £1 billion worth of businesses. Simon heads up a dedicated team of specialist advisors and agents based in regional locations throughout the UK.

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

Its latest innovation comes in the form of the LittleSister SES 3000B Autoclave, which has recently completed a 12-week trial in dental practices and facilities around the UK.

Among these, Dr David Houston, Principal Dentist of The Houston Group of Practices in Somerset says:

“I was pleased with the general design and appearance of the autoclave and found the displays easy to monitor. The inbuilt cycle logger with no trailing leads also ensured that the area remained safe and tidy.

“In addition, the large water tank cut down on the number of refills during a day, and we found the early warning of 'low water' ensured levels were kept constant, reducing the risk of delayed cycles due to insufficient water.

“The large chamber and 10 cassette capacity were certainly a boon to our busy surgery.”

To find out how the LittleSister could streamline your workflow, contact Eschmann today.

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

Individual Saving Accounts (ISAs) are one of the most popular investment and savings tools being utilised in the UK today.

Over £443 billion has been invested in adult ISAs since their creation in 1999, and since Junior ISAs or JISAs were launched in 2011, they’ve seen more than £557 million in total deposits. With so many UK taxpayers opting in, opening an ISA can’t be a bad decision.

The key benefits of an ISA are its income tax and capital gains tax-free status and its flexibility for either cash or stocks and shares deposits investments. As both children and adults can have multiple ISAs, they are also a great way of helping secure your whole family’s future.

Unlimited transfers can go in and out of ISAs each year with no impact, and they also offer generous savings limits – in 2013/14, the individual allowances for an adult ISA and a JISA are £11,520 and £3,720, respectively.

ISAs are clearly a great investment option – as long as certain things are watched out for.

For example, if you’re moving to another provider, you need to make sure you do not withdraw the funds – rather, complete a transfer form in order to retain your tax-free status.

If you move abroad, you cannot continue putting money into your ISAs as you are no longer a UK resident for tax purposes.

And the ISA’s tax-free benefit is only applicable until death, after which the funds may be subject to inheritance tax.

When investing in an ISA, the key tip to keep in mind is to use as much of your allowance as affordable every year, as these do not carry over. And as with any investment, consulting with a professional before taking any action is always advisable.

For more information about the services available from Lansdell & Rose

please call on 020 7376 9333

Leeds-based healthcare entrepreneur Mustafa Mohammad was recently invited to attend 10 Downing Street as part of the National Apprenticeship Week celebrations.

Mustafa is a well-known figure in dentistry, and is Managing Director of Genix Healthcare and Owner of Sparkle Dental Labs. He is also Chair for the Trailblazers programme in dental health, and has been a key figure in helping to promote apprenticeships in dentistry. As part of his role, Mustafa heads up a group of national associations, employers and educational institutions working to improve the quality of apprenticeships to give apprentices the skills and training they need to help their employers grow and compete.

As testament to Mustafa’s work promoting apprenticeships, he was invited to 10 Downing Street for a reception to mark National Apprenticeship Week. Mustafa attended the event alongside apprentice dental nurse Courtney Morgan-Jones, where they met Chancellor George Osborne MP and Mustafa was congratulated on his on-going commitment to apprenticeships and promoting British jobs.

Mustafa Mohammad said: “It really was a great honour to be invited to 10 Downing Street to such a prestigious event. I have always been passionate about apprenticeships in dentistry, and as such I am proud to be associated with the Trailblazers programme. I believe apprenticeships can be an excellent way to give young people the skills and experience they need to build a successful career within the profession.”

Meanwhile, apprentice Courtney Morgan-Jones said: “I had a sort of nervous and excited feeling beforehand, but it was a great experience – fantastic. And the paintings were fabulous!” Courtney was also eager to sing the praises of the apprenticeship scheme: “I’d definitely recommend it to other young people. It’s given me a great start in the career I want to do.”

Dentist Helen Barnes, who has been training Courtney, agrees. She said: “With the apprenticeship scheme, everybody wins. Courtney is brilliant and is actually one of the best dental nurses I have ever trained. She’s only 17 but she has a fantastic work ethic and takes everything on board. I’d urge other businesses to take on an apprentice – it allows you to train someone from scratch and it gives young people who may not want to stay in academics another choice, where they learn by actually doing the job. Courtney is going to be a very great asset to the practice.”

To find out more about the Trailblazers programme in dentistry, and how your company could get involved, contact Mustafa Mohammed: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tooth wear is a common condition among patients in the UK. According to figures in the Adult Dental Health Survey, over three quarters of the population suffers from tooth wear of some kind.[1] The treatment of wear poses a dilemma for many dentists. On the one hand there do exist some strict established protocols for the treatment of this condition, but these protocols can be impractical, invasive and expensive to perform.

However, there are other treatment options out there. On Saturday 8^th November, Tif Qureshi will speak at the BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference sharing a minimally invasive interceptive approach to the treatment of tooth wear. As a past-President of the Academy, Tif is a familiar face to regular conference goers, and will present on a topic that he believes is one of the most important treatments that he provides.

‘The idea behind my lecture is to present an “alternative approach” to treating tooth wear,’ says Tif. ‘It’s about using composites to try and restore patients’ teeth rather than having to go down more traditional invasive routes such as using preparing teeth for ceramics.

‘Often it is the case that treating occlusal problems requires certain protocol to be followed. In my lecture however we will be looking at the problem in a slightly different way using composite and the Dahl technique. Of course I understand that for some people the Dahl technique remains a slightly controversial treatment option, as some people think it doesn’t work, however I aim to prove them wrong.’

In a comprehensive and wide-ranging lecture, Tif will set out everything you need to know about the Dahl technique to use it safely, and predictably in practice. This includes when to use it, when not to use it, as well as a range of hints and tips to help you produce consistently excellent results.

‘I’ve been using this approach for more than 15 years and have carried out the technique on literally hundreds of patients,’ continues Tif. ‘Never once have I had to “take it off” or reverse treatment, nor have I ever had any serious problems with it. Of course case selection very important, as it’s not something that every patient can have.

‘As dentists I believe we have an ethical responsibility to be as minimally invasive and conservative in our treatments as possible. By intercepting wear cases sooner, rather than later we preserve more of the patient’s natural tooth structure for longer, and save them time, money and stress of leaving it and then treating them with more invasive methods further down the line.

‘It’s not that there’s a “right way” and a “wrong way” to treat tooth wear. All of the various forms of treatment out there work, however some are simpler, cheaper and more practical than others. To me, the idea of using composite before things get a lot worse makes a lot of sense as it makes it a lot cheaper and easier to maintain.’

As Tif is keen to point out, dentistry has come on a long way in the last few years. Materials technology in particular has progressed immensely, and presents new and exciting opportunities for dentists to provide effective treatments that are both conservative, and highly aesthetic. One particular area that Tif will focus on his in lecture is the use of the Dahl technique in conjunction with other minimally-invasive treatments such as short term orthodontics (STO) in order to enhance the final aesthetic result.

‘With short term orthodontics we have a powerful tool to help us enhance not only the appearance of patients’ teeth, but their overall facial profile as well,’ says Tif. ‘As we know the facial arch naturally narrows over time, which makes people appear more aged than they perhaps are. However with a combination of STO and the Dahl technique we are able to control and intercept this change.

‘This isn’t something that’s commonly dealt with in dentistry, and it’s something I aim to take up in my lecture. As such I aim to draw attention to the many different factors that as dentists, we are able to control. We will talk for example about canine width protection and canine width expansion and how we can use this to control anterior occlusion and maintain facial width. I will also demonstrate how using the techniques I have described we are able to dramatically affect a patient’s appearance and make them stay younger for longer.

‘In my opinion this is an exciting new avenue for dentists to explore, and is an excellent addition to what we can “offer” as cosmetic dentists.’

To find out more about this topic, Tif will present his lecture ‘Preventing wear to despair…’ on Saturday 8^th November at the BACD’s 11^th Annual Conference in Liverpool.

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacdconference.co.uk

The European Society of Aesthetic Orthodontics (ESAO) is committed to raising the standards of aesthetically focused orthodontic provision by GDPs through improving their core knowledge.

Following on from the success of last December’s course, the ESAO will run two parallel courses on 21^st June; one designed for dentists and one tailored toward dental nurses. Delegates will be offered all the hands on experience necessary to deliver aesthetically focused orthodontics in a safe and ethical way.

Attendees to the dentist course will have the opportunity to practice interproximal reduction (IPR) on typodonts, and will explore topics from accessing joint abnormality; accessing occlusion; Incision edge bonding and composite laying techniques; as well as effective retention protocols to avoid relapse.

While delegates on the dental nurses course will be instructed on how to take impressions, the safe removal of retainers and taking effective orthodontic photographs.

Both courses will feature specialist orthodontists who will provide valuable insight into the many fruitful ways that GDPs and specialists can work together. Contact EASO today to find out more, and see how your practice can benefit from offering aesthetically focused orthodontics.

For more information visit esao.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In their persistent efforts to be the biggest and best, Sparkle continue to make changes to their service that can improve the way they fulfil all their clients’ needs.

New clear boxes for protection and infection control

Among recent customer care initiatives is the distribution of a new info pack that will be reaching everyone in their client base soon.

Together with updates on their products and services, the info pack will also provide dentists with new clear boxes that will serve to protect all items and products that are shipped between the lab and their customers.

Sparkle Dental Labs believes that this new method of transportation is a better way of ensuring product preservation and cross-infection control for everyone involved in the manufacturing process.

And Sparkle Dental Labs continues their commitment to green operations by making sure that these boxes are fully recyclable and environment friendly.

Sparkle Dental Labs reaches Scotland

Sparkle Dental Labs have also recently extended their scope of service to include dentists in Scotland who are looking for high-quality British workmanship at very competitive prices.

Dentists in Scotland will also receive personal attention from dedicated Sparkle representatives based in the area, to ensure that communications with the lab in Leeds are as smooth and stress-free as possible for practitioners.

Sparkle representative Kay Thompson, who is heading the launch of Sparkle Dental Labs’ Scottish service, says:

“Any problems with the service, any questions with the order, the dentists can call their dedicated Sparkle representative instead of having to spend time chasing up the lab themselves. Their rep is dedicated to making sure that all their concerns reach the technicians in a timely manner.”

“And of course,” Kay adds, “if dentists want to speak with the technicians themselves, they are always available, and this call is also something the rep can gladly facilitate.”

With the dependable delivery of Sparkle Dental Labs’ courier partner FedEx, practitioners in Scotland can also enjoy the same fast turn around times as the rest of their clients all over the UK.

Additional services such as these help ensure the satisfaction of all of Sparkle Dental Labs’ clients. And dentists can expect continued innovation from the laboratory, because service is the core of their business.  They always strive to make sure that every dentist who uses them gets the best in all aspects – in product, workmanship, partnership and customer care.

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

www.sparkledentallabs.com

The BDIA is looking forward to welcoming laboratory owners, dental technicians and CDTs to its Tech Show at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 16 - 17 May.

Tech Show will bring together a combination of expert speakers, live demonstrations and presentations, along with a range of the key manufacturers and suppliers in the sector who will be displaying their very latest products and equipment.

Edmund Proffitt, BDIA Policy and Public Affairs Director commented, “Tech Show probably offers the widest scope of any technician-facing event in the UK for many years. It will feature around 20 lecturers and 35 presentations and live demonstrations over two days, including international speakers such as Dr Christian Coachman, Dr John Besford and Ruth Bourke”.

Tech Show has been specifically organised with input from partner organisation the Dental Technologists Association (DTA) to appeal to the widest range of interests, with each day being themed around a specific area; Friday, 16 May will feature advances in prosthetics, whilst Saturday, 17 May will focus on advances in restorative dentistry.

Covering everything from denture making, crown and bridge build-up, implant planning, use of composites and working as part of a dynamic team alongside clinical colleagues, to the advent of CAD/CAM, digital printing and how to successfully integrate digital techniques into an existing laboratory set up, Tech Show will provide a diverse platform to suit all technicians and CDTs, regardless of levels of experience or expertise.

Entrance to Tech Show is free, with free parking for all our visitors and for those coming to Coventry by train there will be a free hourly shuttle bus from Coventry station to Ricoh Arena. Delegates wanting to come to the show can register online at www.dentaltechshow.com

BDIA Tech Show will take place in the Jaguar Hall, Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 16 & 17 May 2014 and will start with a key note presentation each morning from 9.30 to 11.00am. The show runs from 11.00am to 5.00pm on Friday 16 May and from 11.00am to 4.30pm on Saturday 17 May. More details are available at www.dentaltechshow.com

The British Dental Industry Association (BDIA) is a non-profit making organisation which means that any surplus funds generated from its activities are ploughed back into dentistry either directly or by supporting and working with other professional dental bodies.

For more information please contact Edmund Proffitt on 01494 781183 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

As self-employed earners, it can be said that associate dentists appreciate the value of money a little more than the salaried employee.

Since you have the capacity to increase earnings the more effort you put in, you naturally see and feel your own value, which in turn can be applied to your life choices. Whether it be for essentials such as weekly shopping or any luxury purchases, value is at the top of the list of your priorities.

Now, you can easily get the value you seek in everything else from your accountancy and tax solution of choice.

figurit is a specialist tax solution created exclusively for dental associates. With this new online system, you can easily have your tax returns filed and your business transactions reviewed by experts. And figurit not only completely understand all of your specific tax needs, you receive a good number of benefits for the fees you pay as well.

figurit provide the following as a one-off exercise when you join, among many other benefits:

• A full review of your previous year’s tax return
• Thorough assessments for any missed tax saving opportunities
• Assistance with setting up your own business bank account (if you don’t already have one)
• A 30-minute personal induction onto the Year 1 Customer Care Program

The low monthly fees include the preparation of your annual profit and loss and tax return in the required format, and secure online access to your financial documents and files. All returns are completed within four weeks, so as long as you supply the information needed in good time, you don’t have to worry about ever filing your taxes late.

The whole package also offers an array of additional annual benefits valued in the excess of £400 a year, all of which you get absolutely free. These include:

• Insurance that protects you against the costs of any HMRC investigations
• An interim tax estimate and planning review
• Easy-to-use online bookkeeping software for more accurate financial records

The figurit team also has helpful account managers who deal with the HMRC on your behalf, taking the hassle away from you. And the package offers an annual consultation with an expert financial advisor who can provide guidance on pensions and investment opportunities for those who are interested.

Because they’ve been servicing the dental trade for quite a while now, the team behind figurit can also provide specialist knowledge such as a full and comprehensive list of what you can and cannot claim as business expenses, and how to record these accurately so you end up with maximum tax savings.

As the only accountancy and tax package exclusively for dental associates that provides this much in added benefits, you can count on figurit to make your financial life not only easier but also more profitable. Now that’s true value for your money.

For more information on our specialist accountancy and tax package

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

Renowned for his highly acclaimed facial aesthetics training courses, Dr Brian Franks offers a variety of courses including Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Fillers at Foundation and Advanced levels, as while as Medical Micro-Needling and Chemical Facial Peels.

Having taken the Foundation level Botulinum Toxin training course with Dr Brian Franks, Deepak Songra, Principal Dentist at Abacus Dental Care in Buckinghamshire, says:

“It was an excellent two-day course that we all enjoyed! Brian and Jan have given me the confidence and reassurance that I needed to happily start building my facial aesthetics practice.

“I would like to say a really big thank you to them.”

Through the comprehensive and structured hands-on training, all the courses are designed to ensure that delegates provide the treatments competently and safely, so they can use their new skills in practice with confidence.

For more information on training courses, and the next dates available, please visit www.drbrianfranks.com, call 020 8446 6518 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As part of the Government’s strategy to improve the quality of Apprenticeships, the Department for Business Innovation & Skills has launched the Trailblazers programme – a series of employer-led projects designed to simplify the existing system and give people the skills employers need to grow and compete.

MP Matthew Hancock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning says:

“National Apprenticeship Week is designed to celebrate Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.  

“We want to see Apprenticeships become the new norm for all ambitious young people, and employers who are dedicated to growing their own talent and increasing the skills base of the nation.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been involved this trailblazer for their commitment to Apprenticeships and Traineeships”

Delivery of the Trailblazers programme will follow a staged approach. The Government aims to continue to grow the programme in 2013/14 and 2014/15, with employers creating a range of new Apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches in different sectors and occupations.

The two academic years 2015/16 and 2016/17 will be the key period of transition to full implementation of the reforms. The stated aim is that from 2017/18, all new Apprenticeship starts will be on the new standards.[1]

The Trailblazers group in dentistry is a working group that includes the Association of Dental Groups, Dental Laboratories Association, Dental Technologists Association, and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It also includes dental employers: 211 Dental, Den Dental, Genix Healthcare, Integrated Dental Holdings (IDH), Oasis Healthcare, Rodericks Dental and Smile Care Group. Furthermore, it includes the dental laboratories: Attenborough Dental Laboratories Ltd, Barry Appleby, CosTech Elite, First Impressions Denture Centre, JW Dental Ceramics, Kestrel Dental, Knight Dental Design, S4S Dental Laboratory and Sparkle Dental Labs.

Chair for the Trailblazers programme in dentistry is Mustafa Mohammed Managing Director of Genix Healthcare and Sparkle Dental Labs. He says:

“I am really very excited to be involved with the Trailblazers initiative, and encourage other likeminded individuals to join us in leading the development of standards for Apprenticeships in our sector.

“I am extremely passionate about developing Apprenticeships for both dental nurses and technicians, as I believe this would really help to encourage careers within the dental industry within the UK, while also working to raise standards.  

“In terms of the nurse Apprenticeship the idea would be for us to put our heads together as representatives of the sector and look at how we feel improvements could be made to existing schemes that are in place.

 “The dental technician Apprenticeship will really help the dental sector in this country, as it will mean more jobs for dental technicians, stopping the recent decline. Once trained the new technicians will be able to follow a structured career path, and perhaps focus their skills on a particular department, thus shaping their own future within the profession.”

David Worskett, Chairman of the Association of Dental Groups (ADG), says:

“I believe we really need to make much more use of the Apprenticeship route for training in dentistry, as with other sectors of the economy. The ADG is absolutely delighted to support the initiative in the dental sector as we think it can be good for dental professionals and for patients.”

Professor Stephen Dunne, Head of the Dental Practice & Policy Department at King’s College London, says: 

“I am delighted to be involved in this exciting initiative. Apprenticeships could play a major role in the training and career development of dental nurses and dental technicians.”

Richard Daniels, Chief Executive of the Dental Laboratories Association says:

“The Dental Laboratories Association is delighted to be a part of the Trailblazers initiative for setting up an apprenticeship in Dental Technology.  As an organisation, we have committed significant resources into this project with Skills for Health, so to see the Trailblazers group bring together associations and dental laboratories from across the UK is a fantastic step in the right direction.  Whilst Dental Technology has some excellent providers of education, there is still room for a work based apprenticeship to allow those who prefer the vocational route into a career as a professional dental technician.”

Barry Appleby, President of the Dental Technologists Association, says:

“I'm delighted that the Dental Technologists Association will be part of the Trailblazer apprenticeship initiative and we look forward to working towards the creation of training pathways that will aid the development of dental technologists with the skills and abilities necessary to meet the needs of Dental Laboratories of the 21st century.”

To find out more about the Trailblazers programme, and how your company could get involved, contact Mustafa Mohammed via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Like it or love it, the healthcare business in the UK now centres around contracts, agreements and settlements. Whether it's the NHS Standard Contract, dental contracts or Personal Dental Service Agreements, everything requires careful negotiation to get the best deal for your business.

Such negotiations invariably require detailed preparation, an in-depth knowledge of the procedures and a good understanding of what is likely (and unlikely) to be accepted. In other words it's a task for an expert, which is why more and more businesses are using the professional negotiation services of Amanda Atkin of Atkinspire Limited.

Steeped in healthcare management experience, including several roles within the NHS, Amanda Atkin has negotiated contracts from both sides of the table so she knows what commissioning teams want and how to manage them.

She says: "Whether you are tendering for a new contract or negotiating to reduce the clawback on an existing one, preparing a strong case is vital and that's where I come in. I know the sorts of questions that will be asked and the evidence needed. I also stay abreast of the constantly changing policies and guidance."

Although all her contract negotiation work is strictly confidential, Amanda can allude to some recent successes. In one case she had clawback cancelled, in another a contract was agreed at a much higher price than was offered originally.

If you don't want to be a hostage to negotiation, contact Amanda Atkin now on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 07772 876 967. There is more information about the range of healthcare management consultancy services offered by Atkinspire here: www.atkinspire.co.uk

On the 14 February 2014, BDIA Dental Showcase unveiled the new identity and strapline for this year’s exhibition at the impressive Tate Modern.

An example of adaptive reuse, the Tate Modern is housed in the former Bankside Power Station, and retains the national collection of British and international modern and contemporary art. It was the ideal venue at which to launch this year’s Dental Showcase, following the Association’s recent rebrand to the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA); the Tate Modern is the most visited modern art gallery in the world and offers the general public the opportunity to view some of the most iconic and innovative pieces of modern art ever created. Similarly, BDIA Dental Showcase is the biggest event in the UK dental calendar, regularly attracting around 10,000 members of the dental profession keen to experience the latest dental products, services and innovations, hence the exhibition’s new strapline ‘Putting innovation into practice’.

Members of the dental press congregated for drinks and a catch up at the renowned location before embarking on a private tour of the expansive permanent collection. They then sat down to lunch in the gallery’s restaurant, which offers stunning views overlooking the Thames and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Tony Reed, Executive Director of the BDIA, formally introduced the BDIA Dental Showcase 2014 theme and thanked the dental press for their continued support.

Tony Reed commented, “We were delighted to launch this year’s BDIA Dental Showcase at such a spectacular venue. Art galleries provide a valuable function in that they reassure visitors that what they are seeing is the real thing rather than a forgery. The growth of internet trading and globalisation may have increased opportunities in many markets but it has also opened the door to fakes and cheap copies of just about everything including dental equipment and materials. Recent scandals in other markets have emphasised the importance of a reliable supply chain and I believe that BDIA Dental Showcase provides the perfect opportunity to see the real thing and to establish relationships with trustworthy suppliers. Showcase provides a vital link between the industry and the profession and I am particularly grateful for the support that Showcase receives from the dental press each year.”

BDIA Dental Showcase takes place from 9-11 October 2014 at ExCeL London. For further information visit www.dentalshowcase.com.

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

Standardised leases

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The benefits of bespoke commercial leases

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

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

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

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

Nicola Lomas Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists

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

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.sparkledentallabs.com

BIO:

Richard Shaw is a Senior Technician at Sparkle Dental Labs with over 25 years’ experience as a dental technician. He first started training in a dental lab in 1988, and has since then attended numerous courses on various lab techniques, including ceramic restorations and implants.

Colleagues will be familiar with the old adage, ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’. It ties in with the idea that if someone does something for you, you feel in some way beholden to them, even if they insist that they expect absolutely nothing in return. The psychologists tell us this is because we don’t like the idea of owing somebody – we feel that we should pay them back.

Of course the manufactures and suppliers are well aware the effect that a ‘free lunch’ might have on members of the profession, and certainly don’t hand out incentives without good reason. All well and good in everyday business, but when it comes to the healthcare professions, these practises can sometimes give cause for ethical concern.

You may for example be aware of the controversy that surrounds the medical profession, where the big pharmaceutical companies often go to great lengths to persuade doctors that drug A is better than drug B. You can see why the companies do it – a single doctor will make hundreds of prescriptions each year, which in turn could generate thousands of pounds of revenue for the company in question. But what about the patient? Are these new products really better, or are the doctors being mis-led?

Thankfully dilemmas of this sort of scale don’t really apply in dentistry, and the decisions we make don’t normally mean the difference between life and death. But nevertheless, we should ensure we are always transparent in everything we do. Are we recommending products because we truly believe in their effectiveness, or because it just happens to be the latest product the company rep has sold us?

At EndoCare we are the largest users of a certain NiTi system. The company we purchase this system from is certainly warm and friendly, but we’re never incentivised to use the product – we use it as we genuinely believe it to be the best product available. Because we believe this to be the case, when any of our specialists give lectures we say, ‘We use product A and we therefore recommend it.’ This doesn’t mean that we don’t recommend product B, but it means that as professionals, hand on heart, this is what we use and we believe to be good.

Cases like this are fairly black and white when it comes to ethics. We use the product, and recommend it to colleagues because we believe that it is an excellent product. But unfortunately these things aren’t always so clear-cut. This is especially true in cases where the products are all very similar with very little to differentiate between them. 

In these cases, to have the product recommended by a key opinion leader can make a massive difference to how the product is received. But at what cost? Are these people recommending products because they genuinely believe them to be the best on the market, or because they are paid to say the things that they do? Though we’d like to think that we can all tell the difference between those recommendations that are genuine and those that are not, these distinctions aren’t always obvious to everyone, and we can soon find ourselves in very difficult ethical ground.

As dental professionals it should be our duty to always ensure that we are always open and honest about any sort of incentive we may have received from the trade, however big or small. Though incentives don’t always take the form of ‘free lunches’ they do often include other inducements such as free lectures and free CPD. While there is nothing wrong with free CPD, we should always remember that nothing in life is ever truly ‘free’. We are offered these incentives in the hope that they may sway our opinion. Though we may be dental professionals, we are also consumers, and we should always approach these events with an open mind, understanding that companies aren’t just doing these things for purely altruistic reasons.

If we are to maintain our integrity as a profession, then we should be sure to be absolutely transparent in everything that we do, and the product recommendations that we give. Even if we are absolutely certain that we have not been influenced by a company’s advances, we should not shy away from making clear any dealings we’ve had – no matter how insignificant we believe them to be. This isn’t just to preserve our reputation as professionals, but ultimately to protect patients’ best interests as well.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Dr Michael Sultan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a Specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Director of EndoCare. Michael qualified at Bristol University in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for 5 years before commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house Endodontist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist register in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. He has been involved with numerous dental groups and has been chairman of the Alpha Omega dental fraternity. In 2008 he became clinical director of EndoCare, a group of specialist practices.

The area of cosmetic orthodontics is currently experiencing much growth and development. As our technology advances and our knowledge broadens, a broad range of appliances are available to enable the provision of fast-working, effective and minimally invasive orthodontic treatment.

Already known around the world for their development and training of the Inman Aligner, the team behind IAS (Intelligent Alignment Systems) recently brought their latest innovation to London. Holding a training course for Powerprox 6 Month Braces, the team explored both the concept and practical implementation of the device, taking delegates through each and every step of the process.

Renowned instructor in cosmetic orthodontics, Dr Rick DePaul, led the two-day course. Recognised for his work in the development of Powerprox 6 Month Braces and for being the world’s most experienced instructor for the appliance, Rick was keen to share his extensive knowledge with delegates and his passion for effective and minimally invasive dentistry quickly became apparent.

A mixture of professionals was in attendance, each with various different levels of past experience both in general dentistry and in orthodontics. The comprehensive training delivered ensured that all delegates could follow both the reasoning behind each step of treatment and the practical indications of them.

Rick opened the first day by determining the benefits available to practitioners once they were able to provide the new appliance to their patients. He highlighted that 6 Month Braces is not only a relatively low-stress treatment option, the patient demand is generally high due to its speed and effectiveness and it is a highly profitable solution for practices to provide.

Delegates were then taken through the four main steps that form the ‘pieces of the puzzle’, providing an efficient treatment strategy to be followed for optimum treatment outcomes every time. These steps included making sure that the patient’s primary complaint is dealt with every time, ‘beginning with the end in mind’, making space and removing any traps for the free movement of the teeth.

From here Rick went on to look at diagnostic criteria and case selection, recommending the types of cases delegates should attempt when first using the appliance in practise. He offered a wealth of practical tips and advice in each instance, keen to help delegates avoid making the same mistakes he had in the past when developing the technique. Rick also highlighted the benefits of using detailed X-ray images to predict the complexity of each case, and looked at patient communication, management of patient expectations and ways in which to reduce relapse with effective retention.

Day 2 of the training then focused on practical exercises, giving delegates the opportunity to apply what they had learnt in theory, practise their techniques and really get hands-on with the appliance. Led by Rick and Andrew Wallace, time was spent looking at bracket bonding for replacements and adjustments, as well as simple ligation. The use of powerchains featured prominently too, and delegates practised using them to rotate teeth to close space, sling-shots to treat anterior cross-bites and attaching them to buttons.

Other aspects of the hands-on day included how to approach spacing cases, open-bite cases, class II anterior cross-bites and combination cases, where a mixture of different techniques were required for the best results.

Tools designed specially by the IAS team were introduced to delegates throughout, including the innovative digital treatment plan aid, ‘Spacewize’. Particularly useful when calculating the amount of Interproximal Reduction (IPR) needed and where it is needed for individual cases, the feature also provides quick and effective case support as well as marketing resources for all certified dentists.

By the end of the course, delegates were impressed both with the delivery and content of training. Principal Dentist of Hillton Dentistry in Kent, Mahesh Patel commented:

“The course was fantastic. The content was broken down into sizeable chunks so that GDPs without extensive orthodontic experience could easily follow. Rick really took the myth out of orthodontics and I was so confident with the new skills I had learnt, that I have already begun discussing the treatment option with two of my patients, one week later.”

Richard Field, an active member of the BACD and dentist at Advanced Dental Clinic in Chelmsford added:

“6 Month Braces seemed like an excellent next step to expand my knowledge and to allow me to provide another treatment option to my patients. Rick is a great teacher, his enthusiasm is infectious and I would definitely recommend this course to my friends and colleagues.”

If you have ever considered expanding your treatment range with easy-to-use and highly profitable solutions in order to reduce the number of referrals you make, IAS has the answer. Whether you are interested in gaining certification for 6 Month Braces, Inman Aligner or ClearSmile, contact IAS today.

For more information on Intelligent Alignment Systems and upcoming training courses, visit www.inmanalignertraining.com, www.6mbrace.com, and www.clearsmilealigner.com

or phone 0845 366 5477

Patient consent is widely acknowledged as one of the ‘grey areas’ of dentistry.  As consent is a process rather than a definitive moment, a patient saying ‘yes’ once is not enough to support the entire course of treatment.

Patients should instead be given the opportunity to confirm their consent to continue at each and every stage of treatment. This needs to be documented so that patient consent can be demonstrated effectively in case of inspection or review. Details recorded should demonstrate how proposed treatment plans were explained to the patient and what information was provided. They should also show that the patient had the opportunity to ask questions about the treatment, and that they were offered all the information they requested.

While it may seem obvious, it is also worth noting at this point that every single treatment offered to a patient must be consented to before it begins, and not just the high-end procedures.

Regardless of the treatment, it is imperative that all records are as accurate as possible, and that they are updated each time a patient visits. Such reliable documentation can prove invaluable in case of a formal patient complaint, protecting you and your team from potentially expensive litigation.

The new Standards for the Dental team reflect the importance of acquiring a high quality of informed consent from each and every patient. The new outcomes are centred around patient communication and enhancing the experience provided, and they highlight the standard of care all patients have the right to receive.

The changes to the Standards came into implementation not long after the number of patient complaints rose an enormous amount. As you may have seen in the media recently, 2278 complaints were received in 2012 by the GDC, questioning dental professional’s Fitness to Practise, which represented a massive 44% increase from 2011[i]. And of course, worse case scenario in such cases can lead to removal from the GDC register and the end of a dental career, so it has never been so important to protect yourself from possible litigation.

Modern technologies offer several solutions to help ensure your records are clear and reliable and the concept of the ‘eSignatures’ has recently entered the dental market. The best systems available in the industry allow patients to provide consent electronically and in ‘real-time’, ensuring they understand what they are signing for. The patient can read through the details of any proposed treatment plans you have discussed, and then sign the bottom of the same page, with the added convenience of establishing an electronic signature for future use.

The eSignatures offer many more benefits both for you and for your patients, and the most obvious of these is the cost-efficiency for the practice. Of particular importance in the currently fragile economic climate, your financial situation should be enhanced wherever and whenever possible (of course without comprising on the quality of service provided.) By eliminating the need for paperwork and mail couriers for all of your patients, you have immediately saved the money it would cost to buy the paper or forms and print the records, while also having a much more positive affect on the environment. In addition, you don’t need to waste all that space storing hard copy paperwork – electronic documents take a lot less space!

The practice workflow can also be enhanced with the introduction of eSignatures, as patients can provide signed consent quicker and simpler than before. The best of the tablet-like eSignature pads available in the industry are easily portable and so can be used anywhere in the practice for maximum convenience. This also saves staff time and hassle, enabling the practice team to go back to concentrating on their patients and improving the service provided.

The last and possibly most important benefit of eSignatures is the protection and security they offer. For a start, electronic files are less likely to be misplaced or lost, and they can be protected by electronic passwords for more security for your patients. This protection also extends to you and your fellow clinicians, as quality records can be used to demonstrate that cases were handled correctly in the case of a complaint.

With several different technologies now available for eSignatures, a little research can highlight the most effective products. The eSignatures module from Carestream Dental for example, uses biometric technology to record the pressure points of a patient’s signature, time taken and angle of the pen, greatly reducing the possibility of illegal duplication. Approved by all the BSA and NHS Protect, this eSignatures module promises to offer the highest possible level of legal protection for both you and your patients.

So whether you are looking for an effective way to protect you and your team, or for a way of ensuring the safety of your patients’ data, eSignatures provide a solution.
 
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As self-employed earners, it can be said that associate dentists appreciate the value of money a little more than the salaried employee.

Since you have the capacity to increase earnings the more effort you put in, you naturally see and feel your own value, which in turn can be applied to your life choices. Whether it be for essentials such as weekly shopping or any luxury purchases, value is at the top of the list of your priorities.

Now, you can easily get the value you seek in everything else from your accountancy and tax solution of choice.

figurit is a specialist tax solution created exclusively for dental associates. With this new online system, you can easily have your tax returns filed and your business transactions reviewed by experts. And figurit not only completely understand all of your specific tax needs, you receive a good number of benefits for the fees you pay as well.

figurit provide the following as a one-off exercise when you join, among many other benefits:

• A full review of your previous year’s tax return
• Thorough assessments for any missed tax saving opportunities
• Assistance with setting up your own business bank account (if you don’t already have one)
• A 30-minute personal induction onto the Year 1 Customer Care Program

The low monthly fees include the preparation of your annual profit and loss and tax return in the required format, and secure online access to your financial documents and files. All returns are completed within four weeks, so as long as you supply the information needed in good time, you don’t have to worry about ever filing your taxes late.

The whole package also offers an array of additional annual benefits valued in the excess of £400 a year, all of which you get absolutely free. These include:

• Insurance that protects you against the costs of any HMRC investigations
• An interim tax estimate and planning review
• Easy-to-use online bookkeeping software for more accurate financial records

The figurit team also has helpful account managers who deal with the HMRC on your behalf, taking the hassle away from you. And the package offers an annual consultation with an expert financial advisor who can provide guidance on pensions and investment opportunities for those who are interested.

Because they’ve been servicing the dental trade for quite a while now, the team behind figurit can also provide specialist knowledge such as a full and comprehensive list of what you can and cannot claim as business expenses, and how to record these accurately so you end up with maximum tax savings.

As the only accountancy and tax package exclusively for dental associates that provides this much in added benefits, you can count on figurit to make your financial life not only easier but also more profitable. Now that’s true value for your money.

For more information on our specialist accountancy and tax package

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

Bad breath has always been something of a taboo subject in society. In a recent survey of 2024 people[1] only 29% of respondents said they would tell someone if they had bad breath, while 71% wanted to be told if they were suffering.

Research in the Netherlands in 2005 revealed that halitosis constituted “one of the 100 biggest human overall exasperations,”[2] and a retrospective study conducted over a seven-year period (February 2003-February 2010) by the University of Basel in Switzerland reports:

“In 83.4% (of subjects) bad breath took its toll on one’s social life, manifested to varying degrees of inhibition, insecurity, isolation, withdrawal, reduced social contact, problems in relationships, less talking by an unwillingness to speak or by keeping a distance to others.”[3]

Bad breath is an emotive topic and may need a considerate and sensitive approach. The implications for a patient may go beyond those of simply addressing a physical problem and move into the realms of their personal and social life with possible psychological effects.

But because of the intensely personal nature of the problem, patients may also be reserved about discussing halitosis, and dentists may find themselves in the position of being unsure of whether their advice will be welcomed or not.

According to a study conducted at La Sapienza University of Rome, “What is said, and especially the way of saying it, may play an important role in patient's acceptance of the information without producing, or reducing to a minimum, the undesirable side effects on the patient-professional relationship, and on the personal dynamics of the patient him/herself.”[4]

In the Basel study “almost every patient (94.5%) tried self-remedies to combat bad breath. These included chewing gum, sweets or mouthwashes which had a masking effect but no influence on the cause of bad breath (Quirynen et al. 2002).”[5] Perhaps this can be taken as an indication that those who do suffer from bad breath, albeit quite shy to openly discuss the problem, will welcome recommendations for effective remedies that they haven’t tried.

Meda Pharmaceuticals product CB12, developed at the University of Oslo, offers this, using a combination of low concentrations of zinc acetate and chlorhexidine to neutralise and prevent the production of Volatile Sulphur Compounds (VSCs), combating bad breath and offering relief for up to 12 hours.[6]

Treatment of, and relief from, bad breath can have implications that extend beyond addressing the physical cause of the problem.  Although a visit to the dentist is unlikely to ever rise to the top of the ‘favourite things to do’ list, it may make an important difference to a patient’s enjoyment of life.

For more information on CB12 and the extensive research behind it,

Please visit www.cb12.co.uk

Having listened to your feedback and identified the need for a handmix liner/base solution, 3M ESPE has re-launched Vitrebond Powder & Liquid Glass-Ionomer Liner/Base.

Indicated for lining and basing applications under composites, amalgam, ceramic and metals, Vitrebond powder & liquid offers several benefits to you and your patients.

You can control the mix ratio of powder/liquid to create your preferred consistency, enabling you to dispense just the amount you need.

Vitrebond liner/base also provides extra protection for patients by preventing microleakage under the restoration[i] and releasing fluoride into the tooth for caries reduction[ii].

Providing the advantages of a liner/base and the flexibility to achieve your preferred consistency, Vitrebond powder & liquid from 3M ESPE is back.

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

3M ESPE and Vitrebond Powder & Liquid are trademarks of the 3M Company.

Continuing to support clinicians in cosmetic dentistry, Enlighten Smiles are proud to announce dates for Renamel® - The London Sessions, an extraordinary 2-day programme dedicated to Renamel®, the outstanding composite material used in over 70% of AACD Accreditation cases.

Taking place in Central London on 27^th & 28^th June, Renamel® - The London Sessions will be hosted by industry experts Jason Smithson and Corky Willhite, both internationally renowned for their courses in composite resin artistry.  

Comprising of engaging lectures and hands-on sessions delegates will gain an enhanced understanding of Renamel’s® superb properties, including long-term wear resistance, natural translucency and outstanding colour stability, making Renamel® - The London Sessions the perfect opportunity to build their skillset and start enjoying successful and profitable minimally invasive dentistry.

Book your one or two day tickets for ‘Renamel® - The London Sessions’ now by contacting Payman Langroudi at Enlighten Smiles on 020 7424 3270 or click here. 

Facebook: Enlighten

Twitter: @EnlightenSmiles /@drpay

Pinterest: Enlighten

Simon Reynolds, Commercial Director of Patient Plan Direct, explains his recent conversations with a dental practice and discusses whether some dentists are paying double for access to some services and support.

I had a very interesting conversation with a dentist the other day. He had asked to meet with me as he recognised that some of the ‘inclusive’ support elements his plan provider offered in addition to the payment collection and patient insurance were the kind of areas he already had access to through his BDA membership or through his annual membership with the DBG for just a few hundred pounds per year. 

"I’ve realised that I’m paying an excessive administration fee to my plan provider which gives me access to some relatively generic advice and support in certain areas I just don’t need. The vast majority of these things I don’t utilise and I have no choice but to pay for the privilege of the access being available. The other annoying thing is that some of the events and support that I feel may actually be worth while often cost in addition to the monthly fees I pay!"

Does this ring true at your practice?

In my experience, many practices aren’t even aware of the exact fees they pay to their plan provider. I came across a practice recently that was paying 32% of the income generated through its plan in fees to its plan provider!

If you haven’t already heard of Patient Plan Direct, we’re the fastest growing plan provider in the UK and we’re experts at helping practices either introduce a plan for the first time or transfer their plan provision across to us from another provider smoothly and effectively. We have the proof and the processes to ensure patient retention when switching provider needn’t be a concern.

We charge a flat and transparent fee of just £1.00 per patient per month including worldwide A&E cover. This can prove to be 2 or 3 times more cost effective than other providers!  Our fees include the appropriate support from a dedicated business development manager to ensure you get the most from your plan.

Don’t pay more than necessary to offer your patients a dental plan. Discover Patient Plan Direct – plan provider of choice for the BDA’s practice of the year 2013.

If you would like to discuss an attractive and beneficial option under no obligation! Simply give me a call 07540706323 or drop me an email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The BACD will hold its 11^th Annual Conference ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ on 6^th – 8^th November 2014 at the ACC Liverpool. As one of the highlights of the dental calendar, delegates can look forward to an exciting three days of high quality education and networking opportunities.

Thursday 6^th November will include exclusive hands-on sessions, with delegates able to join one of three separate courses running across the day. These will be run by renowned clinicians Dr Didier Dietschi, Dr Lee Ann Brady and Dr Rahul Doshi, and present a fantastic opportunity to learn from established experts in their field.

On Friday 7^th November there’s even more to look forward to as the main conference kicks off in style. After the opening ceremony two main lecture streams will run in parallel with Dr Didier Dietschi presenting on no-prep comprehensive smile rehabilitations, while Dr Christian Coachman will lecture on ‘The smile designer: a new speciality beyond conventional dentistry’. Both of these extended sessions will run over the entire course of the day, while delegates will also have a chance to attend sessions on clinical photography, BACD members’ pearls, and an ‘Introduction to cosmetic dentistry’.

After a busy day’s lectures, Friday night is gala night, with the return of the BACD’s famous gala dinner and dance. With an exciting evening of fun and entertainment in store, the gala dinner is the must-attend social event of the year, and is a great place to meet new people and make new friends.

If that wasn’t enough, on Saturday 8^th November, the BACD Annual Conference reaches its climax with an incredible packed day of lectures spread over five separate conference streams. In the main hall, Dr Lee Ann Brady will share her top aesthetic tips and techniques, while in the next hall Dr Tif Qureshi will speak on the subject of tooth wear. If business management and marketing are more your thing, Hall 4A is the place to be as a succession of well-known speakers will take to the stage including Mark Oborn, Tracy Stuart, Kevin Rose and Steve Cartin. There will also be a return of the BACD Accreditation workshop other lectures on digital solutions and vacuum forming among others.

The BACD Annual Conference really does represent one of the best educational conferences of the year. As well as great education from renowned mentors the BACD conference is excellent for sharing hints and tips with fellow members and for gaining valuable new knowledge that you can take away and apply in your practice the very next day. Delegates to last year’s event have commented on, ‘Learning you can take straight back to the practice’, as well as, ‘Great networking with colleagues,’ and, ‘If I could only attend one meeting in a year it would be this one!’

As with all BACD conferences, ‘Life LIKE Aesthetics’ is an event not to be missed, so check out the BACD website for early bird discount offers. To find out more, contact the BACD today!

For further information call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacdconference.co.uk

SafeSeen Touch – Making a Complicated Job Easier

Providing a complete compliance suit, SafeSeen Touch is a compact tablet designed to help dental professionals enhance their patient consent acquisition, security and CQC compliance.

Paul Kaye, Director of QuiqSolutions, has been working with SafeSeen Touch to ensure the CQC module meets the demands of the industry.

“It seemed like a perfect marriage – our CQC understanding and IT skills combined with the SafeSeen Touch team’s dental experience and expertise,” he says.

“As a result the tablet contains a module that highlights the aspects of CQC relevant to dental practices, helping them implement effective audits and action plans to enhance and evidence their compliance. It’s making a complicated job much easier.

“The module is also very scalable, so information is provided at group, regional and national level and as a collaborative platform, it offers a very useful management tool for dental co-operatives and networks.”

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

Zesty celebrates London’s best Dentists

Zesty announced the winners of its 2013 Awards, celebrating the best London has to offer. From family clinics to orthodontic specialists, Zesty recognised London’s premier award winning practices and expert Dentists.    

Congratulations to all the winners:

• Best Practice – Progressive Dentistry, Principal Dentist Nissit Patel.
• Best Family Practice – The Fulham Dentist, Principal Dentist Dr Sarveen Mann.
• Best Hygienist – Henriette at Open Dental Care.
• Best Dentist for Teeth Whitening – Dr Favero at Favero Wimpole Clinic.
• Best Practice for Nervous Patients – The Gentle Dentist, Principal Dentist Dr Antonia Paolella.
• Best for Restorative Dentistry – Dr Punit Shah of Dazzle Dental Care.
• Best for Orthodontics – Dr Neil Counihan of Victoria Dental Care.
• Best for Cosmetic Dentistry – Dr Thang Nghiem at Ultra Smile.
• Best Holistic Dental Practice – The Neem Tree, Principal Dentist Dr Smita Merha.

Zesty is a new marketing channel for healthcare professionals. Sign up to register your practice and start receiving new patients straight away!

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

Dental Focus ® CEO Krishan Joshi has been announced as the first keynote speaker at this year’s Practice Management Conferences.

The events, run by Practice Plan, will be held in Bolton on 6 June, Oxford on 27 June and Edinburgh on 7 November, and promise to provide a wide range of relevant and engaging subjects that will help practices to succeed on all levels.

As CEO of the award-winning Dental Focus ® team, Krishan has been working in dentistry for over 13 years, and can draw upon a wealth of research and experience on how to create dental practice websites that work – providing a real, tangible return on investment to help your business grow.

So, don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn from a genuine expert in the field of online dental marketing. If you want to make the most of your dental website, then make sure you attend one of Krishan’s lectures at this year’s Practice management Conferences. To find out more, contact Dental Focus ® ‘Websites for your profit’ today.

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

Henry Howard Finance is pleased to be able to offer dental practices an exciting new option to help patients fund their dental treatment.

With 0% finance available up to 36 months, patients will no longer have to save for treatment, and will be able to access immediate funding at the touch of a button. This means necessary treatment can start straight away and patients will no longer have to delay potentially life-changing dental treatment.

Already, the Henry Howard Finance scheme is proving to be a success. One satisfied client said:

“The patient finance is far more efficient than any other in the market. I have proposed £60k of patient finance in the last 3 weeks and had 100% acceptance. The last agreement was proposed, accepted and I had documents within 4 minutes of acceptance during an out of hours application.”

To find out more about how your practice could benefit by offering a unique 0% finance option to patients, contact Henry Howard Finance today.

For more information, call 01633 415239 or visit www.henryhowardfinance.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Changing attitudes

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

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

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

Increasing demands

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

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

Interesting times

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

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

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

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Dr Michael Sultan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a Specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Director of EndoCare. Michael qualified at Bristol University in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for 5 years before commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house Endodontist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist register in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. He has been involved with numerous dental groups and has been chairman of the Alpha Omega dental fraternity. In 2008 he became clinical director of EndoCare, a group of specialist practices.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What can you expect?

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

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

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

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

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

Past delegate comments:

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

For further information and to book a place contact:

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

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

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

February - Manchester 21st

March - Birmingham 21st

April - Holborn 25th

May - Newcastle 23rd

June - Southampton 20th

September - Liverpool 19th

October - Oxford 23rd & 24th

November - Watford 21st

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

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

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

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

The Independently Verified Best Priced Dealer!

For more information, contact The Dental Directory Orthodontics on

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicola Lomas Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists

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

www.goodmangrant.co.uk
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

A NASDAL and ASPD MEMBER

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

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

Experience the difference

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

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

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

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

Unique handling

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

Easy to fix and suture

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

Extended barrier function

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

The natural choice

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

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

Data on file, Matricel GmbH

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

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

The dilemma of the ‘one stop shop’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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