Month: April 2018

Who you going to call?

“Over the years RPA Dental has helped me with a number of projects, so when I took on a new practice that needed renovating from the ground up, I knew who to call,” says Ray McNamara, owner of Dentistry with Integrity.

“With their help and expertise, I’ve taken a physiotherapy clinic and turned it in to the most modern, state-of-the-art practice that I’ve ever owned. There really was no stone left unturned, nor did I hold back when it came to equipment.

“One of my prized possessions is the top-of-the-line Stern Weber S380 TRC dental chair, which affords a very novel way of treating patients.

“The MyRay Hyperion X5 3D/2D unit has also been a hit, both with my patients and I. With five-layer processing and an intuitive wheel that can be used to scroll in and out of the image I am able to get a lot more information without having to compromise on radiation dosage.

“As always, RPA Dental has done an absolute sterling job on the practice; I can’t thank them enough.”

RPA Dental Equipment Ltd.

Visit us at www.rpadental.net

London and Manchester Sales and Service Centres call 08000 933 975

 

Go big or go home – Charlotte Monk is a Foundation Dentist at Rodericks Dental

 

Charlotte Monk is a Foundation Dentist at Rodericks Dental’s Mile House Dental Practice in Staffordshire. Here she shares her inspirational story of balancing the demands and pressures of dentistry with that of her other love – dressage.

I have been eventing now for several years. I decided to focus purely on dressage about 18 months ago, in order tor educe the risk of injuries for my ‘once in a life time’ horse, Bee.

Striking a balance

Along side my passion for horse riding and competing, I also wanted to work in healthcare. I felt that dentistry was a much more personal profession than medicine – you can get to know your patients really well and build a rapport with them – and so I studies at the School of Oral and Dental Sciences, University of Bristol.

I joined Mile House Dental Practice (part of the Rodericks group) last September – a practice on the FD Telford scheme, it was just about within commuting distance from my home. They were also happy to accept me on a part-time basis, which meant I could still look after my horses. The whole team is great to work with, but a special shout out has to go to practice manager Hannah Bentley and FD trainer Odessa Santos, who have been amazing! I feel very lucky to have such a supportive practice environment.

Working with Rodericks also has its benefits in terms of CPD. Training courses can be quite expensive and timely – with all my money and spare time taken up by the horses, this could prove difficult for me. The group provides great support with training, offering internal CPD days and significant discounts on external courses such as those run by Ashley Latter.

Three days a week, my typical routine involves getting up at 4.50am, mucking out, riding and feeding the horses before getting on the road for 7am. The first patients come in for 8.30am and I finish around 4pm. Once I’m home about 5.30pm, I ride the remaining of my now four horses and put them to bed, before going to the gym, eating and sleeping. Fridays are study days spent in hospital and the weekends are usually filled with competitions or training.

The highs and lows

The achievement I am most proud of in terms of competing was being a part of the team that took home Gold from the Home International 2016, despite only switching to dressage about six months previously. In my dental career so far, I cannot put into words how happy I was to survive finals and graduate! The course is hard enough as it is, but with the added pressure are travelling home to see my horses, I was incredibly relived to pull it off!

In the past few years, I have learnt that anything is possible if you want it enough and are prepared to work hard. There will always be ups and downs; you just have to keep going!

 

For more information on Rodericks and how it could help you in your career, please visit www.rodericksdental.co.uk/careers, email opportunity@rodericksdental.co.uk or call 01604 602491 (option 1) and ask for Christina Regan in our Dental Recruitment Team.

 

Twitter @rodericksdental and LinkedIn

Achieving aesthetic excellence

With a commitment to bringing dental professionals some of the industry’s most exciting educational opportunities, the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) invites delegates to take part in Recommended Meetings. These sessions aim to provide practitioners with the latest insights on cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry.

Join Drs Stefano Conti and Constantino Vignatoat a Recommended Meeting in London, where they will be exploring vertical preparation – one of many fundamental concepts in prosthodontics. While Dr Conti has become a leading authority in implant dentistry, Dr Vignato’s skills lie in prosthetics and digital workflows.

Together, Dr Conti and Dr Vignato will have a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer during their session, where delegates will look in-depth at the application of the Biologically Oriented Preparation Technique (BOPT). By the end of the Recommended Meeting, practitioners will have the confidence to incorporate BOPT into their own clinical practice, in order to achieve successful aesthetic outcomes and enhance the overall quality of care provided.

Don’t miss your chance to learn something new. Visit the BACD website today for more information and to book your ticket.

BACD Recommended Meeting

Saturday 9thJune, 9am – 5pm

The Millennium Gloucester Hotel

Kensington, London

 

For further enquiries about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry visit www.bacd.com

The challenges of mental health, addiction and homelessness

Carole Houston will be speaking in the Dental Nurses Forum at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2018.

About her session entitled “Free dental treatment for Blackpool’s most needy”, Carole comments:

“I think my lecture topic is relevant for professionals right now, because there is a growing community of people in the UK with addiction, mental health and homelessness issues. Dental care isn’t a priority for them and many are therefore living with oral diseases, rotting molars and the embarrassment of ugly teeth.

“I aim to demonstrate that it is relatively simple to reach out to this community by bringing dental care to them, in a safe environment.

“I hope delegates will understand a little more about mental health issues connected with addiction/recovery and be less frightened of offering preventative care in the community, using volunteer dentists and dental care practitioners.”

Supported and chaired by the British Association of Dental Nurses (BADN), the Dental Nurses Forum will host an array of first-class speakers, including Diane Rochford, Deborah Lyle, Katy Kerr and Leonora Ward, among others.

Register for free online today!

The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2018 – Friday 18thand Saturday 19thMay – Birmingham NEC, co-located with DTS.

For further details visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270

or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com

Some updates for the year ahead – Pam Swain

BADN is always looking for ways to improve our engagement with dental nurses and we are pleased to announce our new BADN Facebook page.

 

This will now be the main source of news, updates from the world of dentistry and other relevant organisations, such as the GDC and Oral Health Foundation, and other material regarding the benefits of BADN membership, special offers, and so on. Please head over to www.facebook.com/ BADNUK and ‘like’ our new page.

(Our Facebook Group will remain a closed group, used for discussions and queries – membership of the Group is by request and subject to BADN approval.)

GDC launches two new consultations

The GDC has launched a consultation on a proposed new policy that defines a different approach to setting fees. The proposals aim to better explain how and why funds are used, to be clearer about how costs are allocated and to provide more certainty about the level of fee registrants can expect to pay. This is a consultation about the mechanisms for setting fee levels rather than the about the fee levels themselves.

In 2017, the GDC launched ‘Shifting the Balance’, which set out its views on reforming dental regulation. In that, it said it would work towards a new way of setting fees that would reflect a new approach to regulation and this consultation is a step towards fulfilling that commitment. The proposed new policy is based around three main principles:

• Fee levels should be determined primarily by the cost of regulating each registrant group;

• The method of calculating fee levels should be clear;

• Decisions on the allocation of costs should not lead to undesirable outcomes (e.g. in the form of unacceptably high or variable costs for some groups of registrants).

The consultation is available now at gdc-uk.org/about/what-we-do/consultations and is open until 15 May 2018.

The second GDC consultation is on proposed changes to the way it quality assures education and training leading to registration for dental professionals, is seeking to use its resources more efficiently, supporting education and training providers to drive improvements in dental education. The proposals seek to replace a ‘one size fits all’ approach, instead utilising several factors to shape the scope and frequency of activity. Among these factors will be an assessment of a future professional’s scope of practice; an education provider’s past performance; management of issues and challenges they are facing; and an annual self-assessment.

Another proposed change to inspection activity is the introduction of an enhanced annual self-assessment submission. This will require training and education providers to feedback on an array of topics, including: successes, challenges and a progress report against actions required.

BADN will be responding formally to both consultations and encourages all dental nurses to read the proposals and to respond individually.

To find out more about the consultations, or to respond, visit: www.gdc-uk.org/about/ what-we-do/consultations

Dates for the diary

March

16 Copy date for Spring 2018 BDNJ

April

27-28 Scottish Dentistry Show

May

Spring 2018 edition of British

Dental Nurses’ Journal published

10 BADN XC meeting

17-19 Dentistry Show/BDA Conference,

NEC Birmingham 

Woman prosecuted for illegal tooth whitening with Optima White

Milton Keynes resident, Lydia Ferguson, has pleaded guilty to offering illegal tooth whitening and has been ordered to pay almost £600 by Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court.

After receiving a complaint in mid-2017 that Optima White was illegally offering tooth whitening, the General Dental Council (GDC) launched an investigation. There is a long history of Optima White illegally offering tooth whitening, with three people having been previously convicted and fined and numerous warning letters having been sent. The investigation produced evidence that Ms Ferguson, working with Optima White, unlawfully held herself out as being prepared to practise dentistry in the form of tooth whitening.

Under the Dentists Act 1984, and following the High Court’s ruling in GDC v Jamous, the legal position in relation to tooth whitening is very clear. The treatment can only be performed by a dentist or a dental therapist, dental hygienist or clinical dental technician working to the prescription of a dentist.

Francesca Keen, Head of Illegal Practice at the General Dental Council, said:

“Our primary purpose at the GDC is to protect the public from harm. Illegal tooth whitening represents a real risk as those who carry it out are neither qualified to assess a patient’s suitability for the treatment, nor are they able to intervene should an emergency arise. The GDC takes reports of the illegal practise of dentistry very seriously and, where appropriate, will prosecute in the criminal courts.”

Anyone considering tooth whitening should first check the register of dental professionals on the GDC’s website to ensure the individual offering the treatment is qualified to do so. If you suspect illegal tooth whitening is being offered, you can report it via the GDC’s website.

 

Peter Dyer re-elected as BDA Chair of hospital dentists

Peter Dyer, oral and maxillofacial surgeon, has been re-elected as the Chair of the British Dental Association’s Central Committee for Hospital Dental Services (CCHDS) for the 2018/2020 triennium, having first being elected in 2015.

Peter was appointed consultant in oral and maxillofacial surgery to the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in 1998 with a special interest in trauma and orthognathics. He has worked as the medical director for the Trust and is the responsible officer for overseeing the appraisal and revalidation of medical staff.

He was closely involved in the development of the new dental school at the University of Central Lancashire and also with the new medical school at Lancaster University. He co-edited the Handbook of Immediate Care and has contributed chapters about dento-facial trauma in a number of textbooks. As hospital dentists are employed on the same terms of service as doctors, Peter led the BDA’s response to the junior doctors’ contract dispute and was determined to secure a contract that is both safe for patients and practitioners alike.

In recognition of his major contribution to dentistry, the BDA and in reducing artificial barriers between primary and secondary care, Peter was appointed as the union’s president whose term expires next month.

Thanking CCHDS members for electing him to the office of chair, Peter said: “The profession is currently facing significant challenges, not least the new trainee contract needs to be implemented fairly, and ditto any changes to the consultant contract.

“It’s frustrating too that the long-recognised need to create a no-blame culture in hospitals, akin to the airline industry, has been undermined by the questionable handling by all those involved in the Bawa Garba case.

“How long more do we have to wait for a culture that promotes learning from mistakes rather than penalising individuals for systemic failures that place patients at risk? Let us hope that this sad case will be a tipping point and we will start to see a paradigm shift in attitudes and behaviours of regulators.

“It’s also unclear how hospital dental departments will be affected when the latest model for commissioning services – Integrated Care Systems [formerly called the Sustainability and Transformation Plans] – comes into play.

“Health Education England’s proposals to radically change the way dentists are trained have not only set alarm bells ringing in the dental community, they also fail to consider the knock-on effects to hospital dental services and the patients we serve.

“Our committee will also be working hard to address the anomalous routes for entry to the GDC’s specialist register for clinicians who have not undertaken formal training. The regulator’s current process is not as transparent as the GMC’s for the medical and surgical specialties.”

The Vice-Chair, Pete Brotherton, was also re-elected, having been elected himself in 2015.

A declining NHS dentistry workforce – Nigel Jones

The number of people leaving the NHS dentistry workforce has been growing, according NHS Digital figures. The statistics show that the number of dentists leaving the NHS has risen every year since 2012/13, whilst the number joining has declined.

Over the four-year period from 2012/13 to 2015/16 the number joining the NHS reduced from 1,693 to 1,646, while the number leaving rose from 1,218 to 1,629.

Having said that, the total number of NHS dentists has grown during the same period from 23,201 to 24,089. However, it then dipped to 24,007 in 2016/17 and during the previous year only 17 more people joined the NHS than left (there are no figures for the number of leavers in 2016/17 yet).

Taking into account the ongoing onslaught of negative newspaper headlines surrounding the NHS and dentistry, reports of low morale from the NHS Confidence Monitor, the BDA and NHS Digital, and a £27 million rise in clawback in just one year – these figures perhaps aren’t unsurprising.

They are still, however, shocking, especially when you take into account the number of dentists working part time, and a sad reflection of the state of the NHS in the year that it celebrates its 70th anniversary.

A continuing trend

Unfortunately, it looks like it is a trend that is set to continue as figures from the NHS Confidence Monitor survey show that 70% of dentists don’t see themselves working in the NHS within five years. Research by the BDA also found similar results, with 58% of NHS dentists reporting that they plan on turning away from NHS dentistry in the next five years.

That being the case, some may be looking with hope towards the younger generation of professionals just embarking on their careers.

However, that may be misplaced optimism, which is not to be taken as a slight on their character or aptitude for the profession. In fact, I have been impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of young dentists I have spoken with recently.

But much like their longer-serving colleagues, they have also indicated that they don’t see their future lying within the NHS. The BDA’s results also showed that 53% of young NHS dentists (aged under 35) intend on leaving the NHS, and almost 10% say they will leave the profession entirely, in the same period.

The NHS Digital statistics also revealed that 39% of dentists who left the NHS in 2015/16 were under 35, and this was the biggest percentage of all the age groups.

Whilst the research didn’t reveal their reasons, given all of the above, is it little wonder that they are planning to pursue an alternative career path?

You can read more blogs and listen to interviews with leading dental professionals on the current state and future of dentistry here.

 

Discounts that are Worth Every Penny

Most of us want to take good care of our teeth. Footing the bill of a single trip to the dentist, however, could cost many patients more than they can afford. The cost of root canal treatment, for example, can vary greatly, depending on what practice an individual attends, whether they require specialist treatment, as well as the quality of service and experience the surgeon has to offer – private practices could charge anything from £95 up to £700.[i] Without an effective method of paying for essential dental care, many patients can be put out of pocket very easily and, in fact, high prices are one of the driving factors behind why some people avoid seeing the dentist. This, as practitioners know, can be detrimental to a person’s overall health.

Can’t Pay… There is a Way

Healthcare cash plans help individuals cover the price of everyday medical costs, including dental treatment. While they may sound like a fairly new concept, cash plans, have a long heritage dating as far back as the 1870s. They were created as a way for people to access medical treatment that they could not otherwise afford. In their earliest form, cash plans were known as Hospital Saturday Funds, and allowed workers to contribute a small amount of their earnings on payday (traditionally a Saturday) to fund medical care when they needed it.

When the National Health Service (NHS) was founded in 1948, cash plan providers restructured their services to reimburse members for care that was not covered by the NHS, which now could include dental treatments, optical check-ups and alternative therapies.[ii] Private medical insurance (PMI), on the other hand, is designed to cover the less frequent, but more acute and impactful medical conditions which, generally, require patients to stay in hospital. Whilst PMI only pays out in an emergency, a cash plan can be an inexpensive way of paying for routine healthcare. For a fixed monthly fee, an individual could take out a personal plan, or a plan can be provided as an employee benefit.

It is important to note that cash plans are not an alternative to PMI, but they can complement the services and benefits often received as part of a PMI policy. In fact, many companies take out healthcare cash plans to cover the cost of any excesses arising from business PMI policies they offer – this can result in an overall reduction in premiums, while ensuring that the everyday health concerns of employees are taken care of.

Money that Goes Further

 There are many cash plans available to choose from, and they all aim to save patients money, but with a Munroe Sutton Healthy Discounts membership, those savings can go even further. No matter if a patient has a cash plan or not, they can still take advantage of the Healthy Discounts scheme, which offers a 20 percent saving on all dental care. Patients simply make one annual payment to become a Healthy Discounts member, and they are free to attend any participating practitioner they wish, with no penalties if they decide to switch. At the appointment, they present their membership ID card to receive discounted treatment, and pay for it upfront at the time of service – with no complicated forms or paperwork to fill in. Members who already have a cash plan can use their discount and file their claim for reimbursement, making dental care far more affordable.

With the ability to include their families on the same plan, members can also use their discount as many times as they like on all types of dental care including:

  • Routine examinations and cleanings
  • X-rays
  • Fillings
  • Root canal treatment
  • Crowns
  • Veneers
  • Dentures
  • Braces
  • Tooth whitening

Munroe Sutton can also help employers offer healthcare benefits to their employees in order to give thanks and appreciation for hard work. The expert team at Munroe Sutton will work with employers to create bespoke plans which can be integrated into their current offerings. Not only are these plans designed to fit the needs of each business, but also reduce the cost of quality dental treatment for employees – helping to improve overall job satisfaction and employee retention, as well as reducing sickness absence and workplace stress for a happier, healthier life.

 

 

In exchange for offering lower rates, Munroe Sutton works tirelessly to advertise and market participating dental practices through some of the world’s largest financial, healthcare and insurance institutions. This comes at no expense to practitioners, providing a new way of attracting patients and increasing treatment acceptance rates. To help you manage the inevitable boost of appointments, Munroe Sutton will provide professional support and advice so that practices are better prepared for the future.

 

For more information, please call 0808 234 3558 or visit www.munroesutton.co.uk

 

 

Price should not be a barrier to attaining the quality care we all deserve in order to maintain the health of our teeth. While private dental care fees have

[i] Pearl, J. (Unknown) Private and NHS dental charges. Link: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/dentists/article/private-and-nhs-dental-charges. [Last accessed: 17.01.18].

[ii] Patton, R. (2012) Buyer’s guide to health case plans 2012. Link: https://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/issues/august-2012-online/buyers-guide-health-cash-plans-2012/. [Last accessed: 17.01.18].

Dentists: English authorities inadequate at height of decay epidemic

New data from Public Health England has shown the total number of children facing tooth extractions under general anesthetic is still growing, and dentists blast government efforts for allowing this to happen.

Jon Ashworth, Shadow Health Secretary underwent Parliamentary Questions, which revealed that children have yet to see any benefit from the government’s centerpiece policy ‘Starting Well’. The scheme, designed to improve oral health in ‘high risk’ children, has no new funding attached and operates in just 13 local authorities in England.

The BDA has called the response from English authorities ‘second rate’ and called for a national effort to try harder. Meanwhile, in Scotland, ‘Childsmile’ has already reduced the bill for dental treatment by £5 million a year, while the Welsh equivalent ‘Designed to Smile’ has secured a 12 point fall in decay since 2007.

England has historically enjoyed better oral health levels than devolved nations, and dentist leaders have accused government of complacency in the face of a decay epidemic and persisting, unacceptable inequalities between children from privileged and deprived backgrounds.

BDA chair of General Dental Practice, Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen, said: “In the face of a tooth decay epidemic the official response remains woefully inadequate. 

“While devolved governments have rolled up their sleeves, authorities in England have chosen to rest on their laurels. The result is an oral health gap that shows no signs of closing.

“To date not a single child has seen any benefit from the government’s unfunded and unambitious plans to act on decay. These figures underline the need for concerted national action.”