Understanding that dental students should explore their interests within the profession, this year’s ADI Team Congress hosted a dedicated Students’ Programme for future dentists with their eyes set on moving into dental implant placement during their careers.

A fun and informative mix of educational sessions and hands-on workshops, the Students’ Programme introduced the basics of dental implantology whilst focusing students on aspects such as surgical skills.

Paul Klassen, a student at King’s College London, said:

“The Students’ Programme put on by the ADI was incredibly well run. Learning the practical aspects of placing a dental implant, impression taking and suturing was very engaging and the instructors offered a lot of helpful tips and advice.”

For more information on the ADI and all upcoming ADI events, please visit www.adi.org.uk

ADI members benefit from significantly reduced rates for ADI educational events, join online today.

Prior to the introduction of widespread vaccination programs – which have proven highly effective – numerous epidemics would periodically ravage the population. Diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, polio, smallpox and whooping cough used to be commonplace in childhood.

The arrival of vaccinations for previously common and potentially very serious infections has seen a massive or total decline in these illnesses. Smallpox has been eradicated globally – a disease that, for centuries, had killed between 20-60% of those infected (infant mortality rates of up to 98% were recorded in the late 1800s), and left survivors scarred, disfigured and – in a third of cases – blind.[i]

Not everyone can be immunised. A small number of people are allergic to components that make up vaccines, while others have conditions that leave them immunocompromised and cannot receive vaccines for safety reasons.

Vaccines are also not totally effective on the individual level. In the case of the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, more than 1 in 20 children may still be vulnerable to measles following initial inoculation.[ii]For this reason, a booster shot is given some years after the first, which raises immunity rates to 97% against measles and 88% against mumps.[iii]

While not everyone can be protected directly by vaccination, part of what makes immunisation programmes so effective against human-to-human transmitted diseases is herd immunity. By inoculating a high percentage of the population, there are fewer pathways by which those not immune can become infected. However, for this to be effective at the population level, the ratio of immunised to those who are not has to be kept very high – the herd immunity threshold for measles is generally considered to be in the range of 90-95%.[iv]

Unfortunately, vaccination programmes have become something of a victim of their own success. With the devastating effects of these preventable illnesses no longer commonly seen – alongside irresponsible journalism and the spread of false information – a growing number of parents are choosing not to protect their children. While the American anti-vaccination movement is perhaps the most vocal, within the UK, MMR uptake has fallen consecutively over the last four years. In England last year, nearly 1 in 10 children under the age of two had not received the MMR vaccine, with coverage in London now at only 85%.[v]If this pattern continues, herd immunity will be compromised and outbreaks could potentially follow. 

Measles

Measles is extremely infectious. Without immunisation, 90% of people exposed to measles contract the disease. Infected individuals are contagious from five days prior to symptoms manifesting.[vi]Although the vast majority of children survive measles, the mortality rate for immunocompromised individuals can be as high as 50%.[vii]Present 2-3 days prior to the signature rash, Koplik’s spots can be found on the buccal mucous membrane inside the cheeks and lips.[viii]Consequently, vigilant dentists may sometimes be the first to detect a measles infection.

Mumps

Mumps has an incubation period of around 18 days (+/- 8 days), and spreads through droplets. The virus will be present in the saliva of infected children 11 to 15 days after initial exposure, which means they can pass the virus to others for two to six days prior to clinical symptoms manifesting. Those who become sick remain infectious up until the forth day of symptoms manifesting, after which viral shedding drops drastically. Carriers with non-apparent infections can also spread the virus (around 30% of infected children are asymptomatic).[ix]^,[x]

Between 2012 and 2017 there were over 13,000 confirmed cases of Mumps In the UK, with the highest number of cases found among those aged 20-24.[xi]Serious potential complications from mumps include deafness, meningitis, encephalitis, orchitis and – in rare instances – death. While historically seen as a childhood disease, adults are at greater risk of serious complications.[xii]

Rubella

Rubella presents relatively little threat to most people, however, when a pregnant woman is exposed, it can cause congenital rubella syndrome. This can cause a large number of severe complications for the developing baby with life long consequences.[xiii]

Protecting patients

The threat of vaccine-preventable diseases is still being kept to a minimum, but with relatively more people going unvaccinated, the potential for outbreaks is growing. Measles, mumps and rubella are highly virulent airborne diseases that can be spread through saliva and mucus, and can survive for hours on contaminated surfaces.[xiv]With the rise of the anti-vaccination movement and the continued circulation of misinformation about preventative vaccines on the internet, we can expect growing numbers of patients will be vulnerable to these preventable conditions.

All patients, whether vaccinated or not, should be treated exactly the same with strict decontamination and sterilization protocols being followed. Insufficient cross-contamination control can lead to transmission of infectious diseases such as herpes, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, MRSA, Legionnaire’s disease and others – all of which have been recorded as being transmitted during dental procedures. With adequate precautions, the spread of these and other infections during patient treatment can be avoided.[xv]^,[xvi]

Using the Lisa type B vacuum sterilizer and the Thermoklenz washer disinfector from W&H can help ensure patient safety. The automatic instrument cleaning function of the Thermoklenz can reduce the risk of spreading an infection. Featuring patented Eco Dry technology, Lisa can also efficiently sterilize an average 2kg load in just 30 minutes, making it the perfect addition to your decontamination and sterilization routine.

In an era with declining rate of immunisation, it is critical to minimise the risk of cross-infection for all patients and staff.

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

References

[i]Riedel S. Edward Jenner and the history of smallpox and vaccination. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings. 2005; 18(1): 21-25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1200696/February 14, 2019.

[ii]Woudenberg T., van der Maas N., Knel M., de Melker H., van Binnendijk R., Hahné S. Effectiveness of early measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination among 6-14-month-old infants during an epidemic in the Netherlands: an observational cohort study. The Journal of Infectious Diseases.2017; 15(8): 1181-1187. https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/215/8/1181/3079109February 14, 2019.

[iii]CDC. Measles, mumps, and rubella (mmr) vaccination: what everyone should know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2018. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/public/index.htmlFebruary 14, 2019.

[iv]Funk S., Knapp J., Lebo E., Reef S., Dabbagh A., Kretsinger K., Jit M., Edmunds W., Strebel P. Target immunity levels for achieving and maintaining measles elimination (preprint). BioRxiv. 201574. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/201574v4February 14, 2019.

[v]Wise J. Child vaccination rates drop in England as MMR uptake falls for fourth year.BMJ.2018; 362: k3967. https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3967.fullFebruary 14, 2019.

[vi]ECDC. Factsheet about measles. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 2019. https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/measles/facts/factsheetFebruary 14, 2019.

[vii]Gordon S., MacDonald N. Managing measles in dental practice. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 2015; 146(7): 558-560. https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(15)00553-X/fulltextFebruary 14, 2019.

[viii]Markel H. Koplik’s spots: the harbinger of a measles epidemic. The Milbank Quarterly. 2015; 93(2): 223-229. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462869/February 14, 2019.

[ix]Maple D. Application of oral fluid assays in support of mumps, rubella and varicella control programs. Vaccines. 2015; 3(4): 988-1003. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4693228/February 14, 2019.

[x]Yung C., Andrews N., Bukasa A., Brown K., Ramsay M. Mumps complications and effects of mumps vaccination, England and Wales, 2002-2006. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2011; 17(4): 661-667. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3377415/February 14, 2019.

[xi]Public Health England. Mumps: confirmed cases in England and Wales by age and region, 2012 to 2017. GOV.UK.2018. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mumps-confirmed-cases/mumps-confirmed-cases-in-england-and-wales-by-age-and-region-2012-to-2013February 14, 2019.

[xii]Yung C., Andrews N., Bukasa A., Brown K., Ramsay M. Mumps complications and effects of mumps vaccination, England and Wales, 2002-2006. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2011; 17(4): 661-667. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3377415/February 14, 2019.

[xiii]Lambert N., Strebel P., Orenstein W., Icenogle J., Poland G. Rubella. Lancet.2015; 385(9984): 2297-2307. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4514442/February 14, 2019.

[xiv]ECDC. Factsheet about measles. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 2019. https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/measles/facts/factsheetFebruary 14, 2019.

[xv]Laheij A., Kistler J., Belibasakis G., Välimaa H., de Soet J. Healthcare-associated viral and bacterial infections in dentistry. Journal of Oral Microbiology. 2012; 4: 17659. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3375115/February 14, 2019.

[xvi]Abichandani S., Nadiger R. Cross-contamination in dentistry: a comprehensive overview. Chronicles of Young Scientists.2013; 4(1): 51-58. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307673242_Cross-contamination_in_dentistry_A_comprehensive_overviewFebruary 14, 2019.

Are you looking to embark on a journey into dental implantology but don’t know where to begin? For dentists with little or no implant experience, Ten Dental Facial offers a practical and theoretical year-long course that – once complete – means you can diagnose, treatment plan, and restore both simple and complex cases.

This foundation training provides a great basis for future courses and, what’s more, offers a fantastic network of support with experienced implantologists whom you can refer the rest of the implant work out to if need be.

For a full list of course dates and additional information on the course content, get in touch with Ten Dental Facial today.

For more information about Ten Dental Facial and The Implant Restoration Course visit Facebook/Implant Restoration Course-IRC, email: office@tendental.com, visit www.implant-restoration.com or call 020 7622 7610

With a long history of innovation, industry leaders Solvay, have created a new high-performance polymer that is revolutionising dentistry. Ultaire^®AKP has been custom-developed for the fabrication of removable partial dentures (RPDs) to bridge the gap between traditional metal and flexible frameworks and to offer patients a lightweight, metal-free alternative

Designed in a digital workflow, Ultaire^®AKP provides an accurate, customised fit that offers the support of a metal frame and the comfort of a flexible partial denture. The benefits of Ultaire^®AKP are many as RPDs created with this innovative material are 60 per cent lighter than metal, biocompatible, non-corrosive, non-toxic, non-irritating and taste free. Patients enjoy the bone like feel and increased comfort of this material and as there are no visible metal clasps, RPDs made from Ultaire^®AKP are more aesthetically pleasing than traditional metal frameworks.

Want to know more?

The Solvay Dental 360^®team are ready and waiting to deliver a Professional Lunch and Learn session at your dental practice. As well as supplying a free lunch to everyone in attendance, industry experts will demonstrate the advantages of a digital workflow, introduce you to Ultaire^®AKP and show you how to create paradigm-shifting RPDs.

The Solvay Dental 360^®team comprises of enthusiastic professionals including:

Phillip Silver, UK Manager with decades of experience in the medical devices industry succeeds by introducingdigital techniques and Ultaire^®AKPto dental laboratories and dental practices up and down the country.

Nathalie Mazur, Technical manageranddental technician, thrives at supporting dental technicians and dentists with the shift to full digital workflows.

Alison Woods, covers Scotland and has primary and secondary dental experience. She iseager to present Ultaire^®AKP so that clinicians may improve quality of life of their patients.

Tracy McKnight, covering the Midlandsisfocused on broadening treatment options, simplifying workflows and managing solutions portfolios using her 25 years of experience and success.

Maxine Russell, covering the North has 20 years experience of digital solutions in the medical arena andis excited to be with Solvay Dental 360^®at the forefront of innovation

and Tania Winters, covering the South West is an experienced dental professional that is keen to help drive dentistry forward with innovative new treatment options.

Take this opportunity to learn together, embrace technology and accelerate dentistry. This is your chance to increase patient satisfaction andadd a high-tech point of difference to your treatment portfolio. Don’t delay, lead the way and arrange your Lunch and Learn with Solvay Dental 360^®now.

To book a Solvay Dental 360^®Professional Lunch and Learn or to find more information about Ultaire^®AKP and Dentivera^®milling discs,
please visit www.solvaydental360.com

New to COLTENE’s HyFlex™ EDM portfolio of endodontic tools is the Glidepath file 15/.03, for the preparation of strongly curved and very narrow canals.

It is the perfect addition to the existing high-quality range, offering flexibility in a variety of indications. Safe and competent shaping of even S-shaped canals can now be achieved efficiently.

The HyFlex™ EDM Glidepath file 15/.03 was developed to help meet the challenge of complex endodontic cases; good preparation means reliable results and upgraded dentistry.

Discover the HyFlex™ EDM Glidepath file 15/.03 and see why COLTENE is a leader in the manufacture of high-performance tools and materials.

To find out more visit www.coltene.com, email info.uk@coltene.com or call 01444 235486

Oral hygiene aids which are comfortable to hold and easy to manipulate within the oral cavity, can help patients optimise their daily routine.

TANDEX produces ergonomically friendly oral-hygiene aids that they will find comfortable to use.

TANDEX brushes have a long-angled neck, with a handle that ensures a good grip. The TANDEX FLEXI ™ interdental brush has also been created for optimal functionality, being flexible and stable, to efficiently reach spaces around the back molars.

The SOLO interspace brush also ensures access to critical points, thanks to its clever design.

Recommend TANDEX and your patients will feel the difference!

For more information on Tandex’s range of products,
visit www.tandex.dk or visit the facebook page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Tandex-UK/234855250044190?fref=ts

Introducing new technologies into your work can be daunting, but in the dental laboratory there is much to be gained from embracing technological solutions that have been designed to improve and simplify workflows.

Take the CS 3600 intraoral scanner from Carestream Dental, for instance. While designed for use in the dental practice, the CS 3600 is hugely beneficial for dental technicians, as the scanner captures and sends images in an open STL format. This means files can be shared between practice and laboratory without having to download or purchase new software.

To find out more about how embracing this technology could benefit your laboratory, contact Carestream Dental today.

For more information, contact Carestream Dental on 0800 169 9692 or

visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

For the latest news and updates, follow us on Twitter @CarestreamDentl

and Facebook

Clare Anand, dentist at Rodericks Dental’s Thame House Dental Practice, shares her career so far and discusses the key changes she’s witnessed in the profession over the last couple of decades.

I always knew that I wanted to work in a profession that cared for people and to study something vocational at university, but my biggest influence was the dentist that I saw when I was growing up. She had a lovely welcoming practice attached to her house and I thought that dentistry was an interesting, fulfilling profession that still allowed you to have a life outside of work. However, I do admit, to my shame, that I didn’t realise we had to make dentures until I started at dental school!

Career of two halves

I would describe myself as having had a career of two halves. I qualified from King’s College Dental School in 1992 before taking on house jobs and senior house jobs (which would now be DF1 and DF2) in oral surgery, orthodontics and paedodontics at King’s, St. George’s and Brighton. I later worked part-time in the community dental service (now the Primary Dental Service) and as a staff grade in Restorative Dentistry in Mayday Hospital in Croydon. As much as I enjoyed working with referred patients, I thought I would gain a lot of satisfaction in having my own list of patients. So, when I moved to Devon in 2006, I brought my experience together and went into general practice.

I joined an owner-principal private practice with a small NHS contract for children in the small market town of Ivybridge. I enjoyed working there for 6 years while I studied for the Diploma in Postgraduate Dental Studies with Bristol University. We then moved to Oxford and I started working at Rodericks Dental’s Thame House Dental Practice in 2012. It is a very busy NHS practice compared with Ivybridge, but being able to provide accessible, high quality dentistry is important to me and I have worked there happily since then. In addition, right from my first contact I felt confident that the group is run in an ethical manner and all their dentists are expected to treat their patients with the highest ethical standards.

Patient care

Ultimately, providing quality care is my absolute priority. I ensure excellent patient care by keeping up-to-date with my CPD through attending courses, reading journals and doing online training. I think that being mindful of patients’ experiences in the practice is important too. As such, I collect them from the Waiting Room and always try to make them feel welcome and at ease. I know that ringing them to see how they are after an extraction or a difficult treatment is very valuable in showing patients that you go the extra mile for them and I try to do this whenever I can.

Job satisfaction

I definitely feel my job is most rewarding when a patient who has previously had caries or periodontal disease returns for a check-up with a healthy mouth. It’s lovely when you feel you have made a difference to someone and they go away delighted that they don’t need any more treatment. Every job has its challenging aspects, though, and I think one of the hardest things as a dentist is needing to squeeze in an emergency extirpation or extraction when your diary is full, while still being fair to the patient, your booked patients and your team.

A team effort

I work with a great team at Thame House. We have an excellent Practice Manager and out of our five dental nurses, three are qualified and the two who are in training are fully competent and confident with all procedures. The four dentists support each other very well, looking after each other’s patients when we can’t be available. Further still, the equipment and materials are of good quality, I am happy that I have everything I need to do my job well and if there is an equipment breakdown, it is always repaired quickly to ensure minimal disruption to patient services. It is also reassuring to have support on hand should I need it from the management and senior clinical team, and that there are plenty of opportunities to broaden my skills and develop my career through training and education available through the group.

Change for the better

Upon reflection of my career so far, the profession has changed fairly significantly. I could talk about the technical innovations like computer records, digital X-ray scanning and CAD/CAM that have come into being since 1992, but the biggest change I have seen and appreciate since qualifying is a change in the dentist-patient relationship. Patients are so much better informed now and we know the importance of presenting all possible options for treatment. Not only is there much more of a two-way discussion with patients and consideration of their views, but there is also an emphasis on them taking ownership of their oral health, rather than seeing the dentist as someone to fix the problem. I think we now have a much better evolved dentist-patient relationship in which we work in partnership with them. In turn, this improves the quality of dental care we provide and helps us to encourage enhanced oral health for patients in the long-term.

For more information please visit www.rodericksdentalcareers.co.uk, please contact Ashley Lillyman at  recruitment@rodericksdental.co.ukor

on 01604 970988(option 1)

#wearerodericks