The Dental Wellness Trust is a Dental Charity that is helping to improve children’s oral health with their innovative, tooth brushing programme. 

With over 13,000 children in South Africa benefitting from the Charity’s programme, its aim is to help solve the tooth decay crisis in children. Along with The British Dental Bleaching Society, this year they are hosting their third conference to raise money to fund and expand the tooth brushing programmes.

The key note speaker is Dr Kevin Donly, President elect of the American society of Paediatric dentistry. His first UK lecture in 20 years, he will focus on his research in ‘Successful bleaching in under 18’s.’ This subject is a grey area from many UK dentists due to EU legislation, so his key note speech ought to be insightful and helpful.

Miss Kathryn Harley, Consultant Paediatric Dentist, will also be back to cover information on the management of enamel defects, and Dr Siobhan Barry will be discussing the management of a high caries risk child. 

Dr Linda Greenwall will also be presenting ‘Minimal invasive techniques in restorative needs in under 18’s’.

The conference will be held at Lords Cricket Ground in the Thomas Lords Suite on Friday 15th November from 8.30–17.30 with 6 hours CPD available and includes hot buffet lunch. 

Join the Dental Wellness Trust and British Dental Bleaching Society if you’re seeking a highly informative and educational day.

The Dental Defence Union (DDU) is advising dental practices to ensure their policies are updated to ensure patients can attend appointments with assistance dogs.

In the latest edition of the DDU journal, the DDU notes that under equality and discrimination law, reasonable adjustments should be made to ensure access to dental treatment facilities for patients with assistance dogs. This can include not only guide or hearing dogs but also dogs helping patients with other conditions. 

Alison Large, DDU dento-legal adviser, commented:

‘According to Assistance Dogs UK, over 7,000 disabled people in the UK rely on an assistance dog to help with practical tasks – offering emotional support and independence.

‘One of those tasks may be to support a patient when attending a dental appointment, so it’s important for our members to know how to deal with such a scenario. While the term ‘assistance dog’ most commonly refers to guide or hearing dogs, it can also mean service dogs for those with other conditions. While many dogs receive specific training some assistance dogs can be owner selected and trained.’

The DDU explains that healthcare professionals have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled users to access services. The Equality Act 2010, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland, require access to dental treatment facilities for assistance dogs. In addition, staff must not treat the owner less favourably due to their impairment. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has also produced a guide for businesses on assistance dogs.

Advice from the Guide Dogs charity also explains ‘there may be areas within the health facility where a guide dog may not be permitted due to infection control or health and safety issues’ in which case alternative support will be required for the patient and a suitable location found for the assistance dog to be left safely.

Alison Large concluded: ‘If a staff member is allergic to dogs or has a phobia, then the practice should take reasonable steps to minimise that individual’s exposure to assistance dogs. However, neither are valid reasons for denying an assistance dog entry to the practice.’

Read the DDU journal at: https://ddujournal.theddu.com/

The British Society for Advanced Dentistry (BSAD) has announced that its annual conference is scheduled to take place in Birmingham on 27th- 28th September 2019, and will feature keynote speakers including Professor Iain Chapple, Dr Tif Qureshi, Dr Dipesh Parmar- as well as a hands-on-session from Dr Louis Mackenzie.

The BSAD -a society providing an academic forum for general dental practitioners with post graduate diplomas- will host its annual conference in the Hotel Du Vin, Birmingham.

The society, formerly known as British Society for General Dental Surgery (BSGDS), was formed in 1983 and reformed in 2015, when it merged with the Implant Diploma (FGDP) Alumni.

The society now offers opportunities for cross discipline discussion, audit and peer review of provided treatments, as well as opportunities for active training and development of younger graduates who commit to further study.

A delegate place at the event includes attendance at the conference with various speaker and special guest presentations, and a place at the BSAD Gala dinner (on Friday 27th September). Events and tours are also planned for the delegate’s partners.

Guest presentations at the event include:

• Professor Iain Chapple– Periodontal-systemic links – the truth and nothing but the truth – AND – Peri implantitis – an epidemic?
• Dr Tif Qureshi- Dahl, and Ortho-Restorative Dentistry – What every dentist needs to know…
• Dr Dipesh Parmar- Veneers: Direct Composite vs. Indirect Ceramic

The Hands-On Session on the morning of Sat 28th September will be led by Dr Louis Mackenzie and will focus on: Minimally invasive direct restorative techniques.

“The conference this year is expected to be a great success.” said BSAD President, Dr Nigel Jones, “We are delighted to have such a diverse range of expertise from colleagues with a wealth of experience in their respective fields. We also hope to encourage new members of our profession who hold -or are training for- a diploma-level qualification (or higher) and have a commitment to advanced dentistry- to join us.”