Month: March 2019

Protection for your home

Structural damage to your home can incur incredible costs, and protecting yourself from a sudden financial blow of this nature will often require Buildings Insurance.

But with many providers out there, how do you know which one to choose?

Every policy will have its strengths or weaknesses and will vary in suitability depending on your circumstances, and so it’s a good idea to get some expert advice when making the decision from an Independent Financial Adviser (IFA).

The IFAs at money4dentists in particular can help you with their extensive knowledge of both property insurance and the dental industry.

Find out more today.

 

For more information please call 0845 345 5060, 0754 DENTIST, email info@money4dentists.com or visit www.money4dentists.com

Barry Lanesman comments on membership with the ADG:

Barry Lanesman, the Chief Executive Officer of Dentex, comments on membership with the Association of Dental Groups (ADG):

 “As part of our mission to inspire growth and high standards of clinical practice, improve the running of practices, create value and liberate lifestyles – Dentex has joined the ADG. The ADG recognises that dentistry in the UK is rapidly changing and the corporate model is evolving, therefore it is a well-suited association for Dentex as we move forward.

“Being an ADG member ensures that we remain up to date with regulatory and market changes. The ADG brings together some of the brightest minds from the profession and we will be amongst the first to benefit from the latest insights. As such, we value our membership with the ADG and look forward to working with together.”

 

For more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk

Keep up to date with EschmannDirect!

Creators of the award-winning Little Sister range of autoclaves and pioneers in the field of dental decontamination, EschmannDirect, have now joined Twitter!

Follow us on @LittleSisterSES to keep up to date with our latest products and promotions, as well as current decontamination news. We also have a series of articles about dentistry in unusual locations and how certain practices manage to provide effective care in challenging situations – definitely something to get your teeth into!

Feel free to contact us to find out more and be sure to follow us!

 

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

Reach new heights

Practitioners can enhance the mechanical performance and aesthetic outcome of implant treatment using TBR’s Z1. It features a biocompatible titanium body and unique zirconia collar – now available, not only at the 1.5mm standard height, but also at a 2.5mm height.

The Z1 ensures that no matter the clinical situation, practitioners can adapt treatment according to the thickness of the soft tissue and the depth at which they aim to place the implant.

This unique system also protects the crestal bone and the gingiva against periodontal pathogens that could otherwise compromise implant stability and the overall visual result.

 

For more information on the Z1 implant, visit tbr.dental, email support@denkauk.com or call 0800 707 6212

The dark side of artificial light – Stuart Clark of Clark Dental

Many of us have a habit of watching television or checking social media on our smartphone just before bedtime. These days, it seems that we are never too far away from artificial light – the benefits of which cannot be underestimated, as it has enabled us to be more productive during the day and night. In the dental practice setting, artificial light has become increasingly relied upon in the delivery of high quality care – not only to help dentists carry out intricate, complex procedures, but also to create a relaxing environment for patients.

For the most part, artificial light is harmless, but scientists continue to find compelling evidence suggesting prolonged exposure to it could detrimentally affect an individual’s sleep patterns and, subsequently, their overall general health. This is a worrying trend, considering that dentists are frequently exposed to intense artificial light on a daily basis – perhaps more so than any other individual. 

 

The effect of artificial light

Contrary to what some might claim with regard to their personal habits, humans have evolved to sleep at night, and it is the natural phase of the sun rising and setting that influences the body’s 24-hour sleep and wake cycle – otherwise known as the circadian rhythm. When it starts getting dark outside, the retina of your eye sends a message to your brain, signalling that it is time to start producing the sleep hormone, melatonin, which triggers a drop in your body temperature to prepare you for sleep. The reverse process happens the following morning, as your eye detects the light of the rising sun and wakes your body up.[i]

With increased use of artificial light, most people are now exposed to light no matter whether it is day or night, so it can be easy for the body to get confused over when it should be asleep or awake. The effects of artificial light are so powerful that sleeping with the lights on can decrease melatonin levels by as much as 85%, making it difficult to fall into a deep sleep.[ii]Our eyes are especially sensitive to ‘blue light’, which is not only produced by electronic devices, but also energy-efficient LED and fluorescent light bulbs that are typical of most dental care settings.

Blue wavelengths in both natural and artificial lighting can boost your attention and mood, helping you to stay awake and alert. In fact, research shows that our brains are more active when we are exposed to bright ambient light.[iii]This is a beneficial process during the working hours of the day, but one that can be very disruptive if you are attempting to sleep. Researchers have found that 6.5 hours of exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin for twice as long as green light does, shifting the circadian rhythm by 3 hours as opposed to 1.5 hours.[iv]

Continual disruption of our internal body clock can have far-reaching, adverse effects on our general health. This is an issue associated with the prevalence of sleep disorders such as insomnia, for example. It has also been linked to more serious complications such as depression, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.[v]Night-time shift work – which can be particularly disruptive to the circadian rhythm – is even recognised as a risk factor for the development of cancer.[vi]More research is required to fully substantiate these claims, but it is hard to ignore the fact that dental professionals could be putting themselves at an increased risk of health-related problems, as a result of excessive exposure to artificial light. 

 

Adapt your environment

Thankfully, there are steps practitioners can take in order to limit the amount of artificial light that they and their patients are exposed to. Where possible, it is important that dentists spend as much time as they can outside in natural light. Additionally, ‘smart’ light bulbs can be installed throughout the practice. The colour and intensity of these bulbs can be controlled via mobile apps, enabling you to avoid unnecessary exposure to harsh artificial light that can interfere with the circadian rhythm. This can also help to create a warm, welcoming, and comfortable environment for patients.

In some cases, it might be worth upgrading your surgery with the help of an experienced surgery design team. Clark Dental not only supplies a wide range of dental equipment packages with advanced lighting features, it also provides a bespoke surgery design service. With the team’s extensive knowledge and expertise, you could benefit from designing a practice that utilises as much natural light as possible, but also capitalises on the benefits of artificial light – all of which are essential to facilitating the delivery of high quality dentistry.

Lights ultimately play a significant role in the way we live. So long as we remain aware of how artificial light can negatively effect us, we can adopt appropriate measures to minimise our exposure to it and ensure a good night’s sleep for the benefit of long-term general health.

 

For more information, call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email info@clarkdental.co.ukor visit www.clarkdental.co.uk

 

References

[i]Tuck. (2017) How Light Affects Your Sleep. Link: https://www.tuck.com/light-and-sleep/. [Last accessed: 29.10.18].

[ii]Gooley, J. J., Chamberlain, K., Smith, K. A., Khalsa, S. B. S., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., Reen, E. V., Zeitzer, J. M., Czerisler, C. A. and Lockley, S. W. (2011) Exposure to Room Light before Bedtime Suppresses Melatonin Onset and Shortens Melatonin Duration in Humans. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 96(3): E463-E472. Link: https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2010-2098. [Last accessed: 29.10.18].

[iii]Chellapa, S. L., Gordijn, M. C. M. and Cajochen, C. (2011) Can light make us bright? Effects of light on cognition sleep. Progress in Brain Research. 190: 119-133. Link: https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/171525/1/Chellappa_Lightandsleep_2011.pdf. [Last accessed: 29.10.18].

[iv]Harvard Health Publishing. (2012) Blue light has a dark side. Link: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side. [Last accessed: 29.10.18].

[v]Vann, M. R. (2013) Too Much Light: Ruining Not Just Your Sleep But Your Health Too. Everyday Health. Link: https://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/too-much-light-ruining-not-just-your-sleep-but-your-health-too.aspx. [Last accessed: 29.10.18].

[vi]Yuan, X., Zhu, C., Wang, M., Mo, F., Du, W. and Ma, X. (2018) Night Shift Work Increases the Risks of Multiple Primary Cancers in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 61 Articles. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 27: 25-40.

How to improve the recruitment system?

Student dentist CHARLOTTE GENTRY on foundation training and the current system of recruitment…

Last month I wrote a piece with Barry Cockcroft on how dentistry has changed through the years and what we can learn from the history of dentistry.
I discussed how much foundation training has changed – how it went from there being no form of training at all, to the large training scheme we have today across the UK. Despite being extremely grateful for the opportunity to have a training year, I still wonder – is the recruitment process the best and fairest it can be?

In November I had the interview component of my foundation training application. I prepared a lot, bought my new outfit and turned up to West Bromwich Football Ground feeling pretty nervous to say the least. To say the whole experience was pretty gruelling may be an understatement. Foundation training is highly competitive, both amongst UK dental students and those from abroad and the pressure was huge.

Currently, we have to do a Situational Judgement Test, which could be argued is to a large part subjective, and an interview.

The interview component is made up of a Communication station and a Professional, Management and Leadership (PML) station. These three components mean we are tested broadly on all the important things that will make us a good foundation dentist. I do appreciate that we have a far fairer recruitment process than in the past and for that I am grateful. However, I feel that pinning down our success on to a foundation training course on a 20-minute snap shot of us and a situational judgement test that even tutors have said they all can’t agree on answers in, doesn’t give a good representation of us as candidates.

I myself, prepared well, and found the communication station played to my strengths. However, the nerves most definitely got the better of me in the PML station and I came out feeling a little deflated that I hadn’t shown off what I knew and what I could bring to a practice as foundation trainee. I feel that pinning everything on one interview could be overcome by taking into account what we do and how we do throughout our five years training.

Medical students do things slightly differently and in a way that I think represents candidates better than the way we do it in dentistry. They look at the achievements of the student throughout their five years at university; not only their exam results and honours points, but extra curricular things they may have done (i.e volunteering or writing for a journal for example). Alongside this they also do a Situational Judgement Test. There are far more medical students a year than there are dental, so perhaps this seems the only feasible way, as interviewing every single one of them would be tricky.

I am also sure that the medical students feel that – in some way – their process is unfair. However, by looking at the students’ progress and achievements over five years, rather than a 20 minute interview, I feel that the employers get a far more accurate representation of the student and their capabilities. Perhaps this may be employed in the Dental Foundation Training process in the future? I’m not sure.

Despite my criticism, I’m glad we have foundation training in the UK, and grateful that a system has been put in place to make it as fair as possible. Money and contacts can’t get you a foundation job anymore! I completely appreciate that there will never be a perfect recruitment process, and everybody will always have something to say about a system in place. I just wonder if it can be improved further to make it even better for future candidates?

Dental Protection statement – their response to DHSC’s open consultation on appropriate clinical negligence cover

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is seeking views about indemnity cover for dentists and other healthcare professionals who are not covered by any existing or proposed state-backed scheme, via an open consultation which closes on 28 February.

Commenting, Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection, said:

“Discretionary indemnity as offered by Dental Protection has met the needs of healthcare professionals and patients for over 100 years and continues to do so. In their consultation document, the Government admits that they are only aware of a limited number of cases where current arrangements have caused any issues for patients or healthcare professionals and the examples referenced do not relate to the actions of Dental Protection.

“We are particularly concerned that these proposals would lead to dentists having to pay additional costs – including the cost of insurance premium tax – at a time when the rising cost of clinical negligence is becoming increasingly unaffordable.

“We are also concerned that the limits and exclusions of some insurance products may not sufficiently protect dentists against a claim; discretionary indemnity does not have such limits or exclusions.

“We recommend, as an alternative, introducing a mandatory Code of Conduct for the discretionary providers. This Code of Conduct would, among other things, set out agreed principles for financial transparency and an independent complaints function.

“It is also vital that the Government advances its long awaited strategy for controlling the rising cost of clinical negligence. Dental Protection believes the impact of rising clinical negligence costs on dentists has received insufficient attention and is urging the Government to ensure that the forthcoming strategy tackles this problem head on. Urgent action is needed to ensure that the cost of clinical negligence is balanced with society’s ability to pay”

NHS PENSIONS MAY BE PAINFUL FOR DENTISTS

Dentists could face unexpected tax bills and find their pension pot does not provide as much as they believe following Government changes in NHS Pension regulations, expert advisers in the field have warned.

Financial advisers at Capstone Financial Management Ltd and specialist lawyers at Clarke Willmott LLP in Manchester have joined forces to provide help and advice on NHS pension changes and how they impact the dental profession.

Matt Rhodes, a senior financial adviser at Capstone Financial Management Ltd, said: “The combination of high incomes, complex business arrangements and ever-changing legislation means dentists need professional financial advice tailored to their unique circumstances now more than ever.

“Every budget we have a plethora of changes that impact families in the UK. For those in the medical profession, where they have an NHS Pension the impact is even greater as there are also changes to the NHS Pension Scheme coming up.”

Helen Wong, from Clarke Willmott, who specialises in advising the dental sector, said: “Often retirement for dentists also involves selling a business or finding someone to take it on. That involves legal as well as financial considerations and both need to be considered together to ensure a happy retirement.

“There also needs to be consideration for dentists selling shares in a company where there is trapped cash in the company bank account. If that cash is extracted via a dividend, dentists are hit at 40% tax verses 10% if we can extract that cash via a company share sale and ensure that entrepreneurs’ relief is available. With this and with the pension and exits it’s all about planning.”

In 2006 the government introduced a limit on pension saving called the lifetime allowance. This effectively places a cap on the overall value of pension assets that can be accumulated – and anyone exceeding it pays tax at 55% when money is taken back as a lump sum, or at 25% on top of Income Tax if money is taken as pension income. These tax charges would apply when benefits are taken.

Added Matt Rhodes of Capstone: “A cause for immediate concern, are the changes to annual allowance. The government introduced a cap on how much can be paid into a UK-registered pension scheme each year.

“The annual allowance for the 2018/19 tax year is £40,000. However, this assumes that an individual has adjusted income below £150,000.

“Reform introduced in the 2016/17 tax year means that individuals with an adjusted income above this level have their annual allowance reduced by £1 for every £2 over £150,000. The maximum reduction is £30,000 meaning anyone with income of £210,000 or more will have an annual allowance of only £10,000.

Clarke Willmott LLP is a national law firm with seven offices across the country, in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton. 

For more information contact Helen Wong at: helen.wong@clarkewillmott.com or call: 0345 209 1090

HENRY SCHEIN, INC. NAMED ONE OF THE 2019 WORLD’S MOST ETHICAL COMPANIES BY ETHISPHERE

Henry Schein, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSIC), the world’s largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental and medical practitioners, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies.

This is the eighth consecutive year that Henry Schein has been recognized, and it is the only honoree in the Healthcare Products industry, underscoring the company’s commitment to delivering the solutions health care professionals rely on to improve the performance of their practice so they can improve the lives of patients.

In 2019, 128 honorees were recognized spanning 21 countries and 50 industries. The 13th class of honorees profoundly illustrate how companies continue to be the driving force for improving communities, building capable and empowered workforces, and fostering corporate cultures focused on ethics and a strong sense of purpose.

“Throughout our 87-year history, Henry Schein has been committed to pursuing our business goals with integrity while also serving the needs of society,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “We are honored to once again be recognized as one of the Ethisphere Institute’s World’s Most Ethical Companies. This recognition reinforces our commitment to the concept of enlightened self-interest and our ‘higher ambition’ model of deep, trust-based partnerships. I am honored to share this award with the more than 18,000 Team Schein Members around the world.”

“Henry Schein has demonstrated that corporate success and positive societal impact go hand-in-hand when an organization aligns its strengths as a business with the needs of society,” said Ethisphere’s Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. “Congratulations to Team Schein for once again being named a World’s Most Ethical Company.”

Ethics & Performance
Ethisphere’s annual practice of tracking how the stock prices of publicly traded honorees compare to the Large Cap Index found that listed 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies outperformed the large cap sector over five years by 14.4 percent and over three years by 10.5 percent.

Methodology & Scoring
The World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment is based upon the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient® (EQ) framework, which offers a quantitative way to assess a company’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized manner. The information collected provides a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies rather than all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance and ethics.

Scores are generated in five key categories: ethics and compliance program (35 percent), culture of ethics (20 percent), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20 percent), governance (15 percent) and leadership and reputation (10 percent). All companies that participate in the assessment process receive their scores, providing them with valuable insights into how they stack up against leading organizations.

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Honorees

The full list of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies can be found at https://worldsmostethicalcompanies.com/honorees.

Best practices and insights from the 2019 honorees will be released in a report and webcast in March and April of this year. Sign up to receive the report.

DDU says of indemnity consultation: ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’

The Department of Health and Social Care’s proposal to mandate insurance as the only way of indemnifying healthcare professionals for clinical negligence claims, is misconceived says the Dental Defence Union (DDU). 

The DDU made the comments in response to a consultation on clinical negligence cover. The consultation’s preferred option is for all healthcare practitioners to have insurance, rather than discretionary indemnity, for clinical negligence claims that are not covered by NHS indemnity.

The DDU explains there is no need for such a radical upheaval, which would increase costs of indemnity very substantially for all dental professionals, with no obvious gain. Especially since the consultation does not identify relevant concerns about discretionary indemnity or explain why or how insurance would provide greater protection for patients who are negligently harmed.

John Makin, Head of the DDU stated:

‘The MDU has been indemnifying doctors and dentists and compensating patients for more than 130 years. This is a service from a not-for-profit mutual fund, subscribed by members, which can respond to requests for assistance however long after the clinical event the claim comes in. It does not impose financial caps and exclusions and, apart from NHS indemnity, is the only proven way of ensuring doctors and dentists are indemnified and patients are compensated for clinical negligence whenever the claim is made.

‘Clinical negligence claims are often made many years – 10, 20, 30 or more – after the incident and in order to compensate patients the indemnity must respond fully at the time of the claim. For example, in 2018 we assisted with a number of cases where the initial incident dates were in the 1990s and early 2000s. Additionally, over a 30 year career, a dentist might expect to face three clinical negligence claims.

‘In the past, we have provided our members with insurance policies as well as discretionary indemnity and each has pros and cons. Insurers must only adhere to the terms of the policy and be adequately capitalised for risks taken on. If the cover was required to extend to unlimited indemnity, without exclusions and conditions, it would be unaffordable. But this is what dental professionals need to meet claims which can arise many years after the clinical event.’

In the consultation, the DDU explains:

  • Making dental professionals have insured indemnity will increase the costs substantially, while there is no evidence this will increase protection for patients. This is bound to have an impact on dental professionals’ ability and/or willingness to undertake such work to the detriment of everyone
  • The DDU is part of the world’s first medical defence organisation, defending members for over 130 years. In contrast to the longevity of medical defence organisations, there are all too many examples of insurers’ failures and insolvencies throughout the insurance market
  • The consultation document fails to mention the most notable example within the clinical negligence market: the surprise withdrawal in 2001 of the insurer the St Paul from the clinical negligence indemnity market. This left thousands of UK doctors and dentists without indemnity for claims notified after the policy ended. They had to make arrangements with the dental defence organisations to be able to access compensation for their patients
  • Dentists, including those providing services to NHS patients, will have to absorb the additional costs of insurance themselves. This may cause difficulties in terms of recruitment and retention if the Government does nothing effective to address claims inflation and their remuneration continues not to keep pace with it. For example, if NHS dentists could not afford the ever-increasing costs of insurance, they might find themselves in a position, where they could not afford to pay for indemnity insurance and/or for run-off cover when they left practice
  • Regulation of indemnity does not tackle the increasing cost of claims – legal reform is the only answer to tackling these costs. For more information visit: www.themdu.com/faircomp

Read the full response to the consultation here.