Dental environments are frequently exposed to high levels of contaminated indoor air. The aerosols generated during routine dental procedures are known to carry significant levels of microbial contaminants and blood.

Novaerus air disinfection units, supplied by Eschmann, use patented NanoStrike plasma technology that safely kills and deactivates all airborne microorganisms on contact, providing the first line of protection against viruses and bacteria.

With no harmful by-products, Novaerus plasma technology is safe for continued 24/7 use around even the most vulnerable.

The Novaerus air disinfection units come in two sizes, NV200 or NV800, with no installation, maintenance or replacement filters required.

Keep safe by contacting Eschmann today.

For more information on the highly effective and affordable range of infection control products from Eschmann, please visitwww.eschmann.co.uk or call 01903 875787

It’s no understatement to say that the shift to digital dentistry has completely revolutionised the way we work. Far gone are the days of endless papers and charts, and now most of the straightforward things we do in practice can be achieved with just the click of a button.

However, this has come with its downsides too, and while technology advances at an astonishing rate, it’s easy to forget how absolutely vital it is to ensure that you are keeping this data safe.

I was recently appalled when I stumbled across an article detailing how Dental Care Alliance, a dental support organisation in America, recently had a data breach that affected over a million people.[i] In July of this year there was even a breach of details at the BDA.

In the American attack, it was found that hackers were able to access bank account numbers, and although it has been suggested that none of this stolen data was used maliciously, it’s still a very stark warning of what could happen to any dental practice if we let our defences down.

As such, it’s a good idea to think about how to protect patient data in your practice and what measures you have in place to defend against hackers and scammers.

First of all, one simple way to keep computer systems protected is to ensure that they are up to date. Updates from software manufacturers often include information on the latest threats and viruses, so keeping computers up to date helps to keep defences high. It’s foolhardy not to invest in the best anti-virus software.

Another important thing to do is to educate all staff against the threats of phishing emails and other common methods hackers employ to trick people. Phishing is one of the most common forms of cyber attack, and is thought to be behind 22% of all data breaches in 2019.[ii]

Phishing scams are usually sent via email and are disguised to look like they are from sites you use regularly. If you click a link in these emails it can infect your computer with malware or access important information such as bank account or card details, both of which could lead to significant problems.

Another way to keep patient data safe is to store this information in The Cloud via a solid practice management system. The Cloud makes recovering any lost data easy and because this is a remote, encrypted place to store files, it is much more secure against data breaches.

In the end, cyber security is incredibly important, and this is something we need to keep at the forefront of our minds moving forwards, especially as more and more aspects of our working lives move online. An easy way to keep up to date is to schedule regular cyber security meetings with professionals for your team who can talk you through the latest threats and how best to keep safe. This way you can ensure everyone is on the same page.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

[i] Info Security Group. One Million US Dental Patients Impacted by Data Breach. Link: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/1m-us-dental-patients-impacted-by/ [Last accessed December 20].

[ii] Tessian. Most-Know Phishing Statistics: Updated 2020. Link: https://www.tessian.com/blog/phishing-statistics-2020/ [Last accessed December 20].

Restorative procedures are a mainstay of dentistry. As such, you need a composite by your side that is able to tackle these everyday treatments but which is also versatile enough to be used in a wide array of indications.

Aesthetics, strength, durability and ease of use need to be considered too, and this means that finding an ideal composite is not as easy as you would expect.

So where to begin? 

Streamline your armamentarium

Think of the composites you currently use in practice – do you find yourself throwing away multiple expired products? With so many shade options and composites with different properties available on the market, it’s easy to purchase many more than you need, resulting in high levels of waste and money that could’ve been better invested elsewhere.

As such, the first step towards finding your perfect everyday composite is to look at the products you use regularly and compare their properties, shades, opacities and other characteristics to see what is currently most useful to your patients. If you notice you only use a small shade selection, for example, it’s a good idea to stop investing in other shades that are used far less regularly.

This is also true for opacities and other qualities – it’s very easy to stock up on composites “just in case” you need them, but this quickly becomes wasteful.

What can the composite do?

Now you know what properties you want from a composite, you need to also consider what indications it can be used for. Much like shade and opacity, there are plenty of composites that have been designed for specific uses or areas of the oral cavity. An everyday composite should be able to provide a more blanket approach – not only having the characteristics to be effective throughout the oral cavity, but also the versatility to be a useful tool in many types of cases.

For example, can your current composite be reliably utilised in situations such as repairing enamel defects or acting as a core build-up for crown preparation?  Can the composite be warmed for use in techniques such as injection moulding? A composite should be a highly adaptable part of your repertoire and able to play a role in simple and more complex cases alike.

Strength and durability

Of course, finding a composite that can provide both great strength and durability should be a priority. A composite that performs well under pressure can withstand the forces necessary for it to be used in posterior locations, and a durable composite will mean that patients will benefit from a solution that lasts for a significant amount of time.

As such, it’s a good idea to look at these properties when choosing between potential options. Product websites will provide technical data, but you should also look to see if any studies have been performed using the products and how they hold up against competitors. Clinical research is a valuable tool, and can often point you in the right direction.

Aesthetics

Although strength and durability are the foundation of a successful restoration, we can’t discount the need for excellent aesthetics. These days, patients want treatment that is natural-looking and that doesn’t stand out against existing dentition.

Therefore, shade selection, opacity and other details come into play. It’s a good idea to choose a composite available in the most popular Vita shades (A1, A2, A3) and perhaps with a Universal option. This way you can achieve beautiful aesthetics in the majority of cases without having to invest in a wider array of products.

Ease of use

From a professional perspective, it’s essential to think about how easy a composite is to use. Does the delivery system have an ergonomic design? What about ease of placement? For something you will likely use on a very regular basis, ease of use soon becomes a top priority.

One solution that offers all of these benefits and more is Filtek Universal Restorative from 3M Oral Care. Suitable for use in a vast array of indications and offering strength, durability and excellent aesthetics, Filtek Universal Restorative also boasts an ergonomically designed delivery system with a unique capsule tip that aids easier placement, even in deep restorations. Plus, Filtek Universal Restorative also has unique shades available that are perfectly suited for bleached teeth and a Pink Opaquer shade that is ideal for masking metal and stained dentition.

Sort the basics

By evaluating your composite needs and finding a solution that can be used in the majority of your everyday restorative cases, you can strengthen your armamentarium and limit the amount of waste you generate. Plus, by investing in a composite with good strength, aesthetics and durability, you can guarantee your patients will be satisfied too.

For more information, call 08705 360 036 or visit www.3M.co.uk/Dental

3M representatives continue to be available via video calling technologies for your convenience.

3M and Filtek are trademarks of the 3M Company.

Following a recent Supreme Court ruling, thousands of small businesses are due to receive insurance payments covering losses made during the first national lockdown of 2020. It is thought that this could provide a vital lifeline for some firms, enabling them to trade beyond the COVID-19 crisis.[i]

To determine whether your dental practice is among the many small businesses potentially affected by this ruling, get in touch with the trusted team of Independent Financial Advisors at money4dentists. They can assess your unique circumstances and provide sound advice on your next steps to ensure you are fully supported.

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

[i] Peachey, K. (2021) Insurers must pay many small firms for Covid lockdown losses. BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55661702. [Last accessed: 18.01.21].

Are you looking to set yourself apart from other cosmetic dentists? There’s no better way to do so than by completing BACD Accreditation.

As part of this challenging yet rewarding programme, candidates must satisfy the BACD’s Accreditation criteria to demonstrate they can deliver the highest-quality cosmetic dental treatment safely, ethically and competently. This involves anonymously submitting before-and-after images of clinical cases performed and taking part in a Viva examination.

Achieving BACD Accreditation earns you a unique accolade that is recognised and respected among both patients and peers. Visit the BACD website to find out how you can join the prestigious Accreditation programme today.

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

The announcement of a second national lockdown in England – never mind the third – was greeted with mixed feelings. Some people welcomed it as a way of keeping their families and local communities safer, while others believed it an unnecessary restriction on their freedom. Whatever you thought of the Government’s strategy, the fact remained that dental practices had to adapt and ensure they were supporting their patients as best they can.

Unlike the situation in March 2020, dental clinics remained open for lockdown round two and were able to continue caring for patients. However, like everyone else, practice team members were prevented from seeing friends and family outside the household. This, coupled with the increased PPE in the practice, caused many feelings of isolation.

Colosseum Dental UK recognised this and decided to do something about it. The leadership team wanted to help its practice teams reconnect with others, to give them an opportunity to engage with like-minded peers and to have a little fun. It has been many months since life was ‘normal’ and the build-up of stress and anxiety can take its toll on people’s mental and emotional wellbeing. Colosseum Dental UK aimed to do what it could to combat this.

Nikki Bebbington, Senior HR Business Partner for Colosseum Dental UK, comments:

“For the first lockdown, as a company, we were functionally effective. We interpreted all the information and created SOPs quickly to make sure people felt safe in clinics, applied fallow times and ensured health questionnaires. We focused on doing everything we could to protect the health of our people and our patients.

“All of this meant that we had the necessary protocols in place for the second national lockdown and we could focus elsewhere. The mood among many practice team members was low – a combination of miserable weather, no sunshine, darker mornings and nights, and feelings of a never-ending cycle. With uncertainty regarding how much festive celebrations might be impacted as well, we thought it was important to try and lift spirits and provide some support for our people’s emotional wellbeing. This was the motivation behind ‘ColosseumConnections’.”

This initiative was all about bringing a little joy into people’s lives and giving them safe activities to participate in with colleagues from across the business. A variety of virtual events were created for individuals and their families to join, including a quiz that welcomed around 60 people. There was also a night with a magician and other competition-themed events to cater to those with different tastes and interests.  

Nikki continues:

“We are looking to continue with these types of events and are open to any suggestions from individuals. We are currently creating a cookbook for the New Year that we hope will showcase some favourite recipes from people across the business, all proceeds from which will go to a food poverty charity. We have also asked anyone interested to send us a picture/painting and /or poem to feature within the book too.”

Cristina Virbanescu, practice manager at Walworth Road Dental Clinic, was one of many who enjoyed the virtual quiz, commenting:

“I found the quiz to be a really fun thing to do. It was a fantastic chance to get to know practice colleagues better, and to put a face to a name for those people throughout the business that I haven’t actually met yet. Many people attended with their families and their children, so there was a very cosy and relaxed atmosphere. It was lovely to get the opportunity to just have a bit of fun. In these unprecedented times, everyone has been sad and scared about the virus, people they care about and their jobs, so I think it was a brilliant idea for Colosseum Dental to do something that was joyful and that brought people together.”

Aside from ColosseumConnections, the organisation has also arranged “Wellbeing Wednesday” to focus on health, mindfulness and general wellbeing. It’s about offers hints and tips that individuals may find useful during their time at work or when they get home. More Care Champions have also been announced, recognising and celebrating those individuals who have gone above and beyond to support their patients or their colleagues. This will be complemented perfectly by the upcoming virtual awards scheme that will further highlight the outstanding dedication of people throughout the business.

Colosseum Dental UK has always been committed to communicating with its people and providing any support that it can. How it has reacted in the past year is a testament to the group’s ethos. Nikki concludes:

“We’re still working out logistics and details, but we are listening to what people are saying and trying to offer the type of support that people appreciate. It is important that we bring people together so they can get to know their colleagues and to interact at a time when they may otherwise feel quite isolated.”

For more information about Colosseum Dental, please visit www.colosseumdental.co.uk/careers

Peter Nixon is a hospital consultant and registered specialist in endodontics, prosthetics, periodontics and restorative dentistry. He accepts private referrals at Kirkgate Dental Surgery, Tadcaster. In this short case report, he shows the attributes of COLTENE’s HyFlex™ EDM endodontic file system.

“The 55-year-old patient was symptomatic from a dental abscess on LR6. Having discussed the options, the patient elected for retreatment of the root canal, rather than extraction.

“Once the large amalgam core was removed, it could be seen there were four canals, three of which were previously filled with the distobuccal, having been missed previously. The majority of the Gutta-Percha was quickly removed, using the HyFlex™ REMOVER file. This file is ideal to remove GP quickly and avoids the use of a Gates Glidden, that can overprepare the canal. The REMOVER file has an apical size of 0.30, so is kept short of the length of the previous RCT, to avoid ledging the canal. The final tip of the old GP was easily removed with hand files and solvent. The canals appeared sclerosed beyond the previous RCT but were gradually chemomechanically instrumented using a size 0.08 hand file and the HyFlex™ EDM 10/.05 Glidepath file. The superior flexibility and strength of this file helps to stay on track to the apical foramen.

“Final preparation of all four canals was to a size 20/.05 HyFlex™ file. Obturation was carried out with warm GP and AH+ sealer, followed by a composite core. The severe apical curvature shown in these canals is best prepared with COLTENE’s HyFlex™ EDM file system, due to its superior flexibility and strength compared to other systems.”

For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.