Dental professionals are very good at planning ahead. It is a necessary part of daily life – how many patients will you see tomorrow? Which products do you need to ensure are stocked for the next couple of weeks? How will you arrange your appointment slots to create time for your implant surgery? What will that surgery entail and how will treatment be performed? When do you next need to see your orthodontic patient to review progress?

All these things will be second nature to modern dentists, but the planning is still important to avoid any unexpected problems. Getting organised and knowing what needs to be done when, how and why will also help to improve efficiency and encourages a smoother day-to-day workflow. Ultimately, this is what enables you to deliver outstanding care to every patient, while also keeping your own stress levels to a minimum.

But do you apply the same meticulous planning to your professional development?

Plan to learn
As in many other professions, continuous learning and self-improvement are both key for clinicians dedicated to delivering the best care for their patients. Particularly as new weird and wonderful innovations currently reach the market at an unprecedented rate, reviewing the latest news, products and techniques on a regular basis is essential if you are to remain abreast of the leading recommendations and ideas of the time.

As such, by planning ahead, you can not only better identify which areas would be most beneficial for you to learn, but you can also better organise your time so that you don’t have to make any compromises in either your practice or home life.

Changes afoot
This aligns perfectly with some of the thinking behind the GDC’s recently announced changes to CPD as of 2018. There has been a general shift away from quantity and towards quality, with the overall hours of required CPD reduced but the amount of verifiable CPD slightly increased. As such, dentists are now required to complete 100 hours of verifiable CPD over a five-year cycle; dental therapists, dental hygienists, orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians must do 75 hours; and dental nurses and dental technicians must meet their 50-hour requirement.

In the interests of encouraging continuous learning throughout the CPD cycle, the GDC also now obligates professionals to gain at least 10 hours for every two consecutive years. This still allows for any particularly busy years where CPD is not achievable, but it does mean that you cannot log zero hours of CPD in consecutive years. The merits of planning ahead and booking courses or events are therefore greater than in previous years on the old system.

A complementary addition
Another new feature introduced by the GDC is the personal development plan (PDP). This provides the perfect opportunity to tailor your learning to your specific needs and interests, while also giving you confidence that you’ll meet GDC requirements without a last minute panic.

Your PDP must include:

• The CPD you plan to undertake during your cycle, ensuring it is relevant to your field
• The expected development outcomes of completing said CPD
• The anticipated timeframe for completing your CPD throughout your cycle

This plan demonstrates to the GDC that the CPD you gain is relevant for you and that it supports your work as a dental professional. While the governing body may request a copy of your PDP, it is ultimately for your own use and benefit. (More information and a template can be found on the GDC website – www.gdc-uk.org/professionals/cpd/enhanced-cpd.)

Looking ahead
So, what CPD do you plan to complete in 2018? Regardless of your speciality, interests or career so far, the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show will provide a great platform for developing your knowledge and skills in all the right ways. The two-day event offers educational programmes dedicated to each member of the team, ensuring relevant and informative lectures and discussion sessions for all to make the most of. On-stand learning and live demonstrations throughout the extensive trade exhibition add to the education on offer, plus you can discover all the very latest products, materials and technologies on the UK market. Top up your verifiable CPD while networking with like-minded people and enjoying the prestigious Dental Awards on the Friday night!

Plan to succeed in 2018
You plan ahead in so many aspects of your professional life, including treatment planning, stock ordering, surgery time and patient recalls – why not apply the same sound logic to your learning for the very best results?

The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2018 will be held on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th May at the NEC in Birmingham, co-located with DTS.
For further details visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270
or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com

The irony of the festive season is that during the most sociable time of the year, when people naturally want to look and feel their very best, they will often find themselves eating and drinking more and exercising less. If they have any bad habits that they know they should quit, like smoking, this is likely to be postponed until New Year, with only a transient flicker of guilt.

Pre-Christmas, speedy ways to drop a few pounds scream out from all over the media – presumably, so people can put them all back on (and then some) over the fortnight or so of overindulgence. Even if someone didn’t need to lose weight before slipping into their party outfit, social gatherings will be full of tempting high-fat, high-sugar options. One popular supermarket brand of all-butter mince pies contains an eye-watering 24.8g of sugar per pie, plus 8.5g of fat. If they drink alcohol, consumption will go up over Christmas, when it is perfectly acceptable to accompany said mince pie with a glass of something alcoholic and not long after breakfast, either. Post-party hangovers are soothed with comfort food, and it may be hard to resist the ‘festive’ beverages released by high-street coffee chains to celebrate the season, often loaded with whipped cream and flavoured with syrup.

None of this is great news for oral health either, although for UK adults, feeling unhappy about the state of their teeth is certainly not just for Christmas. According to a survey from earlier in the year, 48 per cent are embarrassed about their teeth, with discolouration being the main reason for their unhappiness. Dark drinks, such as mulled wine can stain the teeth, as well as cola, coffee and tea. Similarly, as alcohol is a diuretic, one of the most noticeable after-effects of overindulgence is dehydration. This can lead to oral discomfort as well as malodourous breath. Some drinks, such as strong spirits that often get enjoyed at Christmas, like port, have a more noticeable smell than others and linger in the mouth long after the party has finished.

When your patients are attending festive events, a clean, fresh smile makes a great first impression. A genuine, or Duchenne smile, which raises the cheeks as well as the corners of the mouth, makes everyone look more attractive and approachable. It can establish relationships – both platonic and romantic – and therefore plays a crucial role in social bonding. If an individual can smile naturally and with full confidence, it also triggers the release of endorphins that can help to bust any Christmas-related stress.

January has long been associated with committing to positive resolutions that will improve our health, drawing a line in the sand and making a fresh start. Smoking cessation campaigns certainly get a boost when the temptations of the party season are over and many people begin a crusade to start exercising more. The Dry January campaign is now well established and has had the support of Public Health England since 2015. According to the charity Alcohol Concern, five million Brits pledged to temporarily abstain from alcohol in January 2017.

For dental professionals, who are trying to improve their patients’ oral health for 12 months of the year, changes are needed that will last through the build up to party season and beyond. These changes may be small, but they will be significant and have the potential to improve general health too. For example, at a party, alternating a glass of red wine with one or two of water not only helps prevent tooth staining but might also ease the impact of a hangover. Choosing vegetable crudités can help patients to feel full and also prevent grazing on less-healthy options. The impact of smoking on oral health is well documented and backed up by a huge body of literature; if an individual wants to wait until January before getting serious about quitting, practitioners have a key role in fully supporting their efforts, alongside their GP, by helping them to access cessation services when the time comes.

Ensure their daily oral health routine is working as hard as it can to protect against decay and malodourous breath. Check their brushing technique is correct and recommend that they supplement good brushing with a scientifically proven mouthwash. CB12 White not only rinses away debris and effectively neutralises oral malodour, but its patented formula also lifts tooth stains and prevents new ones from developing. When used twice a day for two weeks, your patients will see an improvement in the appearance of their smile, as well as enjoying the reassurance of pleasant smelling breath.

Whether you enjoy the festive season, or cannot wait until it is over, you can help your patients to make positive changes to face it with confidence. If you offer a long-term solution to improve their smile, they will start 2018 full of optimism, too.

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

Oral Health Foundation. National Smile Month, Facts and Figures. Link: http://www.nationalsmilemonth.org/facts-figures/ (accessed October 2017)
Alcohol Concern, Dry January: our story. Link: https://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/Pages/FAQs/Site/dry-january/Category/dry-january-story (accessed October 2017).

Buying a dental unit is a lot like finding the perfect suit or pair of jeans – they’re both a nightmare to find the right colour and style, and require a lot of shopping around to find ‘the one’ that fits your specific requirements. But as we all know, that time, effort and stress is totally worth it if you find the perfect fit.

Of course, it’s always helpful to have that one friend you know you can rely on to be honest about how you really look, steering you away from the cut that just isn’t flattering no matter how much you like it. It’s the same with dental units; so if you need advice on which model would be most suitable for you and your clinical needs, here’s a few points to consider.

Ergonomics
Ergonomics is everything in dentistry, so unless the dental unit you’ve got your eye on enables you to practice safely with good posture, it’s no good. The dental chair that you choose must give you easy access to the patient, be easily manoeuvrable and offer effortless adjustment to ensure enduring comfort. The practicality of the design plays an important role in this as it helps to reduce twisting, turning and stretching, which as we know are some of the leading causal factors of musculoskeletal pain. You must therefore look closely at even the smallest details, such as the distance and manoeuvrability of the trays and extendable arms, and flexibility of the chair height. These elements may not be exciting, but they are necessary to protect your long-term physical health.

Functionality
There are a number of functions that are a must if you are to achieve optimal clinical performance, including a headrest that can be adjusted to the patient’s needs, synchronised movement of the seat and backrest and easy-to-operate foot pedals that can be used to control multiple dental unit functions simultaneously. A touch screen control panel should also be high up on the wish list if you’re looking for a chair to match your clinical skills, one that will let you save the working parameters of each instrument to your personal preferences and needs. There are some models available with built in advanced software where specialist treatment settings can be programmed, so be sure to shop around to find a suitable dental unit with the latest technology.

Other than that, you should give thought to how a chair would work with the available space and surgery surroundings; as a long-term investment it has to compliment what’s already in place.

Hygienic
Don’t be let down by hygiene; ergonomics and functionality might be up there at the top of your requirements, but safety is still key. After all, your chair is the centre point of your treatment room – it’s where you spend as many as 2,000 hours a year treating your patients – so it’s crucial that you are able to keep it clean and free from dangerous pathogens. To safeguard patients and professionals alike and ensure compliance, be sure to look for a dental unit with quality-made seamless upholstery that can be cleaned effectively and won’t wear over time. A chair with removable autoclavable parts is also ideal, as is built in automatic disinfection technology in the spray water circuits and dental unit waterlines.

Trusted partner
As you would when shopping for that perfect suit or pair of jeans, it’s also important to consider who you’re buying from as well as what you’re buying. Does the company have a proven track record in quality and reliability, or are they renowned for producing cheaper, more basic dental units? Choosing to invest in a chair from a company based on price rather than credentials can end up costing more in the long run, which is why it is always best to spend a bit more the first time round – you get what you pay for, after all.

Better still opt for a dealer with a history of unrivalled customer service, first-rate technical support and experience in installing and maintaining equipment to the highest standard. RPA Dental offers all of this alongside five-star dental units such as the Castellini Skema 8, which encompasses the very best in technology and design to guarantee exceptional performance.

Ultimately, a dental unit is one of the biggest and most important investments in the dental practice, so be sure to find your ‘perfect fit’.

RPA Dental Equipment Ltd.
Visit us at www.rpadental.net
London and Manchester Sales and Service Centres call 08000 933 975

The success of a dental practice sale is hinged on a number of variables, but when it comes to achieving a fair and accurate price that rests entirely on the valuation. This aspect of the transaction is often shrouded in mystery with the finer points misunderstood by those entering the fray, so to give you a better idea of how it all works as well as help you to understand why your practice is worth what it is, here’s what’s taken into consideration during the process.

Unlike a car where its worth is guaranteed to diminish the minute you leave the garage forecourt, a dental practice can either lose or gain value when it is sold. The best way to think of it is like an ageing bottle of wine. When all the right boxes are ticked and factors such as grape variety, wine region, winemaking style, storage conditions, and the condition of the bottle and the cork are spot-on, a bottle of fine, aged wine can be sold for an extraordinary price. These elements, amongst others, dictate the quality of the wine – including of course the opinion of knowledgeable sommeliers – and so it’s the combination of all the tangible and intangible aspects that determine its overall worth to consumers; it’s the same in dentistry. Like wine, valuers must consider a number of variables when calculating the worth of a dental practice, which in this instance includes market trends, type of contract, turnover and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation).

Current trends, as well as the ever-increasing demand for a high-performing profitable dental practice are especially pertinent, as we’ve been seeing for a while now that the average transaction value is on the rise. This is further highlighted through the big leaps in the multiples obtained across the board, particularly in private practice sales where the market continues to thrive. It must also be noted that the value of mixed practices has recently overtaken NHS practices, which if you look at percentage of turnover is interesting because mixed practices surveyed had a 161.69% of turnover in our goodwill survey, while NHS practices had 164.80%. This reinforces that using percentages of turnover to calculate a practice’s worth is not a reliable method.

As our latest goodwill survey results also indicates, purchasers are paying higher multiples of profit to compensate for increasing costs, but should trends change this would have a significant impact on valuations – something to bear in mind moving forward. Of course, the true value of a dental practice cannot be calculated on this information, which is why EBITDA modelling is also utilised – though never on its own as EBITDA does not produce an accurate depiction either.

What EBITDA does is removes all of the non-cash costs in your accounts, such as depreciation or the use of a home as an office, to evaluate the practice’s performance without having to factor in financing and accounting decisions and tax environments. Once the figure has been established, this is then multiplied depending on the company, market and economic climate. Generally, the lower the perceived risk and the more sustainable the profit is, the higher the profit multiplier. Our latest results show EBITDA to be 15.10 in private practice, 8.02 in mixed, 6.41 in NHS and 7.07 in NHS ortho. The adjusted EBITDA numbers, which reflect the obvious changes a purchaser would make post-completion, are 9.74 for private, 6.76 for mixed, 6.73 for NHS and 6.30 for NHS ortho.

What can be hard to get your head round is that your profit and loss EBITDA calculation as a vendor will not be the same as a buyers, as the EBITDA and multiples rely on each other to make the valuation work. Plus, there’s no guarantee that the EBITDA figure used is entirely accurate, since the amount of money you pay out on staff, materials, laboratory fees and so on is higher than what a potential buyer might spend.

Naturally, you’ll never be expected to completely understand how it all works, but it’s helpful to have a grasp of the science and art behind it. During the actual sale itself a specialist agency with dental specific experience will compile a valuation report, and will offer the necessary advice and support along the way to ensure that you stay up-to-date with the progress of the transaction.

When you use Dental Elite practice sales and acquisitions agency, you’ll receive a clear and comprehensive report detailing your current market valuation and how the valuation has been calculated, all for free with no pressure to commit. Selling a practice can be difficult at the best of times without becoming an expert on valuations, but with specialist help and the right preparation you can be sure that an accurate, fair and transparent valuation will be achieved.

For more information on Dental Elite visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email info@dentalelite.co.uk or call 01788 545 900

Cash flow is an issue for many SMEs, including dental surgeries. Once running costs such as staff-related expenses have been accounted for, spare cash can be hard to find. SMEs from all sectors are finding that successfully securing a loan from one of the big high-street banks isn’t always guaranteed either.

Enter a government-backed referral scheme that helps small businesses that have failed to access finance from the major banks. The premise is simple. Launched at the end of 2016, the initiative requires nine of the largest banks to pass on the details of any SME they have turned down for finance to three alternative platforms (a forth is due to be added in November 2017). These platforms will then help the business communicate with any provider who is interested in helping.

SMEs should be allowed the chance to grow. Take the example of a dental practice. Investing in a new piece of hi-tech equipment, or building work to add a surgery room, or an overhaul of the reception area… all of these things can drive up patient numbers and increase profits. The UK economy needs to get itself into a place of robust health in the months and years ahead. Giving SMEs the chance to contribute to its potential is essential.

So far, the scheme has helped nearly 250 SMEs around the UK. The average loan amount has been £16,000, although one business secured £500,000 in order to fulfil its plans. The total amount received from alternative lenders is nearly £4 million.

The chances are that many dental practice owners, overwhelmed by day-to-day pressures and bleak economic predictions, won’t be aware that such a scheme exists. This is where the support and guidance from a financial expert, such as the accountants at Lansdell & Rose is essential. Don’t think that advice starts and ends at help with tax returns – being one step ahead, thinking of the future and knowing where a much-needed cash-injection could come from is a crucial part of financial planning.

Research from HM Treasury has shown that over 70 per cent of businesses looking for finance only go to one provider. But a “no” doesn’t have to be the final answer! This innovative scheme can breathe new life into your plans, meaning they won’t have to be delayed or abandoned altogether.

To find out more, call Lansdell & Rose on 020 7376 9333,
Or visit www.lansdellrose.co.uk

‘Root canal’ may be two of the most dreaded words for dental patients, but endodontic treatment, though complex, has a very high success rate. Indeed, a rate of 88% according to one study of over 1.5 million teeth.

Endodontic treatment has evolved, and efficiency has improved with the move towards machine-driven rotary equipment. Many patients are now spending fewer hours in the dentist’s chair, which is beneficial for both patient and dentist. However, this does not mean that all cases are problem-free. Complex cases will need an expert working on them; if you are a general dentist, it is wise to know when to refer your patients to another practitioner, in order to optimise their treatment.

Some of the potential complications will mean that the patient requires additional treatment – e.g. if the tooth has more root canals than would be expected and this is missed during treatment. Without using loupes or a surgical microscope, the smaller additional canals may not be easily visible, and of course, left untreated, any additional canal could become the source of great discomfort, forming an area of persistent infection.

Secondary infection could complicate matters, with the link between periodontal infections and endodontic lesions – though not yet fully explored – clearly problematic. There is strong evidence that bacteria found in infected pulp most likely originates in periodontal pockets, and endodontic infections are likely to fuel infection in periodontal pockets. This link suggests that both issues would need to be treated to ensure success. One pilot study has shown that performing endodontic therapy prior to treatment for periodontitis can be effective.

Human error is also an issue, such as in the case of a root canal perforation. If the side of the root canal is perforated with either a handpiece or file, and the filling material is not properly confined, this can increase the chances of the treatment failing.

With so many potential complications, it is clear that developing skills and expertise is necessary to retain the high success rate for endodontic treatment. Once you have honed your technique through postgraduate study and practice, it is also important to choose the right materials, to achieve the very best results for your patients.

The Harvard® system is one example of reliable materials. With a long history of providing expert cements and fillings for dentistry, Harvard® has the first range of materials in individual capsules to save time and reduce wastage. Available exclusively in the UK from Dental Express (a trading division of Surgery Express LLP), their products include an MTA capsule specially designed for use with root perforations.

Whether straightforward or complex, when you get to the root of the matter, when performing endodontic therapy the first priority is the patient. Knowing when to refer, and choosing the best materials, are two ways you can make sure you are putting your patients first.

For more information, visit www.dental-express.co.uk, call on 0800 707 6212 or email at sales@dental-express.co.uk

Chen, L.H et al. Outcomes of root canal treatment and restoration, implant-supported single crowns, fixed partial dentures, and extraction without replacement: a systematic review. J. Prosthet. Dent. 2007 Oct; 98(4): 285–311
Lačević, A., Foschi, F., Pojskić, L., Pojskić, N., Bajrocić, K., Izard, J. Correlation of periodontal pathogens in concurrent endodontic-periodontal diseases. Archives of Oral and Dental Research, (2015) 2:4
Vakalis, S.V., Whitworth, J.M., Ellwood, R.P., Preshaw, P.M. A pilot study of treatment of periodontal-endodontic lesions. International Dental Journal 2005; 55:5: 313–8
Tabassum, S., Raza Khan, F. Failure of endodontic treatment: The usual suspects. Eur. J. Dent. 2016 Jan–Mar; 10(1): 144–7

There can be no doubt that the ability to deliver efficient, quality patient care and maintain consistently high standards rests on the innovative equipment and tools that are available in modern practice. That is why from inception, W&H has always directed its attention to developing and producing instruments, devices, equipment and technology that will enhance clinicians’ skills and improve patient outcomes.

The latest masterpiece from W&H builds on the tried and tested performance of all its creations and over a century of experience in providing dentists with a solution that is like nothing ever seen before. It’s called the Assistina TWIN, and is the first reprocessing device to be equipped with two process chambers that can be used alternately. Born out of a combination of the latest technology and W&H’s pioneering vision, this next generation handpiece care and maintenance unit is the answer to a question that most dentists may not even have thought of – it’s the future of handpiece decontamination compliance and preservation.

Unlike other devices on the market, the Assistina TWIN offers a sophisticated dual-chamber system in which you can connect your handpiece while another is being serviced in the adjacent closed chamber. When one is done, you simply need to slide the cover to the other side, and then with a click of a button the process will begin again; handpiece maintenance has never been so easy.

More importantly, however, looking after your handpieces, turbines, air motors and air-driven scalers has never been as efficient as it is with the Assistina TWIN. The continuous workflow that the dual-chamber provides is undoubtedly the driving force behind the unit’s remarkable productivity, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that the Assistina TWIN boasts a record cycle time of just 10 seconds. Indeed, it’s because of this winning combination that it is possible to process up to an enormous 360 handpieces per hour. Together, with the intuitive, easy-to-use design and complete flexibility thanks to a wide range of handpiece adapters, the Assistina TWIN grants complete peace of mind – no waiting time, no hassle, just exceptional results quickly and conveniently.

So what’s the catch? With the Assistina TWIN there are no drawbacks, as it’s also incredibly cost effective to run. One refill contains sufficient oil and solution to maintain approximately 2,800 instruments, and it oils all components efficiently in ten seconds flat to make rotational lubrication a thing of the past. It works by first nebulising the oil before blasting it through the instrument at high pressure so that the fine mist reaches even the most remote parts of the gears without any need for the gearing components to be set in motion first. This is all possible without having to measure the exact amount of oil needed for each instrument, as the Assistina TWIN’s state-of-the-art process monitoring system does this for you.

Of course, none of this matters if you don’t have access to reliable technical support, which is why W&H offers nothing short of faultless care and first-rate expertise with total commitment to providing the highest level of technical service. Components can fail, but with access to W&H’s in-house Technical Service Department and team of field-based engineers, unwanted downtime never has to be a concern.

Add W&H’s unwavering reliability, unmatched expertise and refreshing approach to ecological sustainability and you get a solution that, when matched with innovation, can help clinicians take dentistry to the next level. So whether you are looking to enhance treatment outcomes, improve standards or streamline your workflow, the Assistina TWIN is an essential addition to your arsenal.

To find out more visit www.wh.com/en_uk, call 01727 874990 or email office.uk@wh.com

You will have likely heard in the news about the so-called threat of job automation – that is, the idea that many occupations in the UK (some experts believe as many as 15 million ) will be taken over by robots in the near future. While this may seem like the storyline to a Hollywood science fiction film, it is a genuinely accepted fact that our society is heading towards greater automation: we simply need to look at driverless cars as an example – though these self-driven cars are by no means the first examples of artificial intelligence being used to replace the work of a human. In their bid to become more productive and efficient, humans have been developing technologies to replace them for hundreds of years. The difference is now the robots are becoming smarter and better suited for a wide range of jobs.

Indeed, most experts believe that some occupations, such as telemarketers, cashiers and taxi drivers will almost certainly be replaced in the near future by automated machines. This is something of a doubled-edged sword: not only does it represent a step forward in terms of our technological capabilities and will undoubtedly increase our overall productivity, it will also bring with it new challenges in terms of unemployment – after all, what will all those people made redundant by machines do for their livelihoods?

As dentists, we might have been watching this news with scepticism. Our profession, at least, has always been one of those that are less likely to be taken over by machines – and that is unsurprising. Not intending to disparage telemarketers or cashiers, but dentistry intrinsically requires a higher degree of skill and training than either of those jobs. The time we spend in education goes to support this. It’s not just the technical skill that dentistry requires either, but the interpersonal needs, business sense and regulatory observances that make dentistry a job suited to humans rather than robots.

But we may have cause for alarm. It has recently been reported that, in China, a robot has carried out the very first dental procedure without human intervention. The procedure in question was the placement of two dental implants, which the machine did with a high degree of accuracy. What’s more, the prostheses that were used had been 3D printed using automated CAD/CAM technology – meaning the entire procedure had been completed with minimal human control.

The Chinese dental robot was designed as a potential solution to the lack of fully qualified dentists in China, where demands for dental work far outweigh the number of professionals trained to provide it – and with such promising results from this first test, it is likely that more procedures will be referred to these robotic surgeons.

In the UK, we are seeing a similar problem – where there are too few dental professionals to address the growing dental needs of the public. But is the answer robotics?

Of course, patients want their dental procedures to be carried out with a high degree of accuracy, and they want their treatments to last for a long time – but we know that results are not the be all and end all of dentistry. Can a robot comfort a scared patient the same way we could? Can they detect an anxious patient’s body language and adapt their behaviour and manner in response? At the moment, the answer to these questions is no. Yes, a robot may be able to undertake a dental procedure within the accepted margins of error, and they may be able to complete an implant placement in less time than a human surgeon – but they will not be able to build up the same vital rapport with the patient, or the trust, that is so vital in dentistry. A crucial part of my job as an endodontist is to understand my patient’s frame of mind – could a robot empathise with a patient’s pain the same way I can? Certainly not today, and probably not in my life time either. Ultimately, while automated systems may be able to fulfil very technical functions, that is not what dentistry is all about. It’s about caring for people, encouraging human to human contact and building trust. Until a robot can do these things, I think dentists are safe.

The Guardian: What jobs will still be around in 20 years? Published online: 26/06/17 – link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/26/jobs-future-automation-robots-skills-creative-health [accessed 29/09/17]
South China Morning Post: Chinese robot dentist is first to fit implants in a patient’s mouth without any human involvement. Published online: 21/09/17 – link: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/2112197/chinese-robot- dentist-first-fit-implants-patients-mouth-without-any-human [accessed: 29/09/17]

David Gibson, Marketing Manager for Eschmann, considers the return of the seasonal virus, influenza and how it can impact the dental practice.

Flu season is like a ticking time bomb in dentistry. You know it’s going to happen, but when and on what scale is beyond anyone’s guess. All you can do is be prepared – because if you’re caught out, it’s your patients and dental team who will suffer from complications caused by the influenza virus.

Besides the usual, less serious symptoms, flu can seriously affect people in high-risk groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, and those with a long-term condition or weakened immune system. This can lead to severe illness and hospitalisation, of which high volumes of cases were reported well into March in 2016 with 163 influenza-related admissions to ICU and HDU in one week alone. The worse case scenario is death, killing an average of 600 people a year in the UK.

It’s your duty as a dental professional to do everything you can so that this doesn’t happen, because let’s face it, a dental practice is a breeding ground for influenza. From the minute your patients enter your practice they come into contact with a number of objects and surfaces that they could easily either infect or contract the virus from. If you think that in the 10 or so minutes a patient spends in the waiting room they could have touched the front door handle, reception desk, armchair, magazine pile and more, that’s a huge surface area that you’ve got to keep on top of – and that’s all before they’ve even entered the surgery.

In addition to that that, you’ve got the worry of airborne transmission by individuals coughing, sneezing or talking, as influenza virus aerosols can land in the mouths and noses of people up to six feet away. So you need to ask yourself, are you 100% ready for what awaits you during flu season?

Here are two scenarios to get you thinking about whether or not you’re fully prepared.

Practice A: The cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation processes carried out in this practice are of the required standard. Staff always clean instruments through a combination of manual and ultrasonic cleaning followed by steam sterilisation. The clinical team also meet the expected standards for surface infection control according to the CQC in terms of cleaning the appropriate equipment and surfaces either in-between each patient, daily or weekly. However, staff members frequently refill the spray bottles used to apply cleaning or disinfecting solutions. The staff haven’t realised that the influenza virus has contaminated the bottle and cultivated inside the spray mechanism, so despite all of their hard work the whole practice is at risk.

Practice B: This practice is also compliant with the CQC’s standards, but instead of using an ultrasonic cleaner the practice uses a washer disinfector, which is considered to be the gold standard for cleaning and disinfection. The staff have also upped their surface decontamination, taking care to disinfect all blinds, shelving and radiators every day throughout flu season (rather than once a week) as well as all light switches, door handles, reception furniture, keyboards and so on. In an effort to guarantee the safety of all patients and team members, the practice has even done away with all magazines and toys in the waiting room.

For the sake of the exercise both of these practices passed their most recent inspection, but example B is by far the most efficient practice, and therefore the safest. If you relate to practice A – in other words there are areas where you could improve upon and more could be done to safeguard the practice during high-risk times – then the reality is you’re not quite ready for flu season. There’s a big difference between having everything in place when the inspector comes round with their clipboard and knowing how to deal with season epidemics like influenza; and it’s the extra effort towards achieving best practice that truly counts in times like these.

This flu season, all it takes is one small mistake to put everyone within your practice in danger, so be sure to do what you can to keep the influenza virus at bay as much as humanly possible; you can’t risk a pandemic in your practice.

For more information on the highly effective and affordable range of decontamination equipment and products from EschmannDirect, please visit www.eschmann.co.uk or call 01903 753322

GOV.UK: Public Health England highlights the late flu season. Published 24 March 2016. Accessed online 16 October 2017 at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-highlights-the-late-flu-season
Vaccine Knowledge Project: University of Oxford. Influenza. Accessed online 16 October 2017 at http://vk.ovg.ox.ac.uk/influenza-flu