Month: November 2022

GDC publishes research on experiences in fitness to practise

Independent qualitative research, commissioned by the General Dental Council to understand and learn from the experiences of 70 individuals involved with fitness to practise, was published today. The research, which looked at historical cases dating from 2015 – 2021, found that although outcomes were seen as largely fair and effective, there were often significant negative impacts reported on the mental health and wellbeing of participants and, as a result, this could have unintended consequences for professional behaviour and practice.

The GDC’s primary purpose is patient safety and one of the ways it fulfils this is by investigating the concerns it receives about the practise, conduct, or health of dental professionals. Investigations are often complex and, as a result, can take a long time. By its nature, the process can be difficult.

Much of this process is set by outdated and rigid legislation and, although the government has made commitments to reform, there is little prospect of change to the legal framework taking effect for some years to come. In the absence of that reform, the GDC is continuing its work to make changes within its existing legislation, and to address some of the issues identified by this research.

GDC Executive Director, Fitness to Practise, John Cullinane, said: “We know that fitness to practise investigations can be stressful and that many take too long to resolve, with some becoming complex and adversarial. Much in this report reinforces our view on where improvements are needed, and its findings have confirmed our thinking on the best way to go about effecting that change.

“This work will be challenging, but improvements have already been made. For instance, by always encouraging local complaint resolution, we’ve seen a reduction of almost 1,200 concerns being brought to us in the six years to 2021. We increased the capacity in our casework team at the beginning of the year and are now starting to see the benefits of that change, and earlier this year we launched the Dental Professionals Hearings Service to highlight the independence of panels and hearings from the GDC.

“Only reform of our legislation can bring the kind of wholesale change which is so clearly needed. But, in its absence, if we are to continue improving fitness to practise, we must go on making repeated incremental changes to improve the process and experiences of those involved, and this is very much our plan.”

The full research report, and further information from John Cullinane, are available on the GDC’s website.

The College of General Dentistry Primary Dental Care Research Poster Award

The College of General Dentistry is organising a Primary Dental Care Research Poster Award, and all dental professionals, dental students, trainees and members of the wider dental team may enter.

Initial submissions must take the form of a structured abstract of up to 350 words about research into a topic of relevance to primary dental care, highlighting the research process undertaken and the clinical importance and implications of the results obtained. Submitted abstracts should follow the format: title, author name(s), practice or institutional affiliations, aims and objectives, methods, essential results, conclusion. Entrants should indicate their professional registration category or job title (or student/trainee status), and note any funding received. Abstracts should not include images or graphics, and the research must not yet have been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Abstracts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word document by email to contact@cgdent.uk no later than Sunday 15 January 2023, using the subject line “CGDent primary dental care poster award”.

Acceptance of abstracts will be notified by email by 15 February 2023, and a detailed specification will then be provided for preparation of an electronic poster for presentation on a plasma screen. Posters of accepted entries will need to be submitted as a PDF by 10 March 2023, and will be displayed at the CGDent-Quintessence Publishing “Excellence for the Dental Team” international conference taking place in London on 24-25 March 2023. Entrants must be willing to attend and present their displays for adjudication during the conference (day passes will be provided).

An overall award will be given for the best poster presentation. Adjudicators may group entries according to career stage, scope of practice and role within the primary dental care team. A further award (or awards) may be made within one or more of these categories.

The CGDent–Quintessence Publishing International Conference is a unique two-day programme, with 36 presentations and 29 moderated discussions taking place across four different lecture theatres, and encompassing all aspects of dental care from implantology to endodontics. Details are available at https://cgdent.uk/2022/07/11/biennial-international-conference-2023-excellence-for-the-dental-team/

Full details of the CGDent Primary Dental Care Research Poster Award, and a link to guidance on writing abstracts, are available at https://cgdent.uk/2022/11/10/the-cgdent-primary-dental-care-research-poster-award/

The Probe’s 25th Annual Dental Awards is now open for entries

The countdown to The Probe’s Dental Awards 2023 is on, as entries are now open at the-probe.co.uk/awards. Register before 3rd January 2023 to qualify for an early bird discount of 50% off the price of entry!

2023 marks the silver milestone for the awards, which celebrate the very best of British dentistry, being the 25th year.  For a quarter of a century, The Dental Awards, presented by The Probe magazine, have recognised and rewarded the very best in UK Dentistry. As the original and most respected awards programme in UK dentistry, The Probe’s Dental Awards are judged by a panel of leading practitioners and KOLs, and provide an unrivaled opportunity for practices and DCPs to shine a spotlight on the vast skill and talent that exist within their teams.

The 12 categories that comprise The Dental Awards 2023 are:

  • National Smile Month Award
  • Dentist of the Year
  • Young Dentist of the Year
  • Dental Therapist of the Year
  • Dental Hygienist of the Year
  • Practice Manager of the Year
  • Dental Nurse of the Year
  • Front of House/Receptionist Award
  • Practice of the Year
  • Team of the Year
  • Best Outreach or Charity Initiative
  • Best Website or Digital Campaign

For more information on each category, including entry criteria, visit https://the-probe.co.uk/awards/categories/

“We at The Probe are so excited to announce the silver edition of The Dental Awards for 2023,” said James Cooke, Editor of The Probe. “And, for the second year in a row, we’re going to follow what has proven to be a popular and successful new format for The Dental Awards ceremony. Finalists, Highly Commended, and Winners will all be announced via a streamed video presentation in the spring. The winners will then have the opportunity to join members of the judging panel and our sponsors for a free sit-down meal where they will be presented with their certificates and trophies in person. So, there’s no need to pay extortionate ticket costs!”

The Dental Awards 2022 is presented by B.A. International, Colosseum Dental, Dental Elite, and Waterpik, in association with The Association of Dental Administrators and Practice Managers, British Association of Dental Nurses, British Association of Dental Therapists, British Society of Dental Hygienists and Therapists, and the Oral Health Foundation.

For more information on our sponsors and partners, visit https://the-probe.co.uk/awards/sponsors/

Entry closes 28th February 2023. Those who enter before 3rd January 2023 qualify for an early bird rate of £30 per entry. All entries after 3rd January 2023 will be priced at £60 each.

Maryhill Dental in Glasgow snapped up by first-time buyer

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Maryhill Dental in Glasgow.

Maryhill Dental is a four-surgery NHS dental practice that has been successfully serving the community of Maryhill in Glasgow for over 50 years. It currently has over 3,500 patients and has always held the highest professional standards and a focus on health and excellent patient care.

The practice has been owned by Mrs Kristen Perry since 2015, in which time she has continued to make improvements and upgrades to ensure and maintain best practice. She recently decided to sell to focus on other non-ownership responsibilities.

Following a sales process with Christie & Co, Maryhill Dental has been sold to first-time buyer, Dr Utkantha Sharma.

Joel Mannix, Associate Director – Medical at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, comments, “I’m really pleased to have sold this practice for Kristen, who was great to work with! She was open to many different sale options which allowed me to open the practice up to the market on a flexible basis which attracted a range of buyers meaning there was more coemption. After huge buyer interest, Maryhill Dental went to a closing date with lots of quality candidates, allowing the vendor the freedom to choose a buyer who best suited the business’s ethos. The practice sold to Dr Sharma in excess of the asking with premium post-sale conditions.

“We’re seeing huge buyer demand in Glasgow at present, especially from first-time buyers, which banks are increasingly seeing the benefit of lending to in this needs-driven sector.”

Maryhill Dental was sold for an undisclosed price.

BASCD presents awards during virtual Autumn Scientific Meeting 2022

The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) is keen to encourage researchers in the field of population oral health. To support this, BASCD offer four awards including the Keith Woods Essay Competition and the BASCD-Borrow Foundation Early Career Poster Award.

Keith Woods Essay Competition

The essay competition is designed to foster the interest of the next generation of dental professionals in public health dentistry. This competition is open to any undergraduate from dentistry, dental therapy, dental hygiene or dental nursing student registered at a dental school in the UK. A prize of £200 and certificate will be awarded to the winner of the competition.

The title for the essay in 2022 was: The oral health of refugees and the mobilisation of oral health care services to meet their needs.

Yasmin Aziz

The essay winner was Ellie Macintosh, a recent graduate of dental therapy and hygiene from the Peninsula Dental School. Commendation went to Yasmin Aziz, a recent dental graduate from the Cardiff Dental School.

BASCD-Borrow Foundation Early Career Poster Award

The BASCD-Borrow Foundation Early Career Poster Award is sponsored by The Borrow Foundation which is actively engaged in promoting oral health and disease prevention. The poster prize is open to BASCD members from academic and non-academic institutions in their early careers, e.g. undergraduates, clinical fellows, trainees and those undertaking Masters and PhD degrees. This includes dentists, dental care professionals and any other groups with an interest in public health.

The 1st prize award winner received a certificate, £200 and be offered financial support to participate at the congress of the European Association of Dental Public Health being held in the following year. A certificate and prize of £50 were awarded to both the 2nd and 3rd prize winners.

Julia Hurry

Sarah Kaddour

Mairead Hennigan

1st prize: K. Julia Hurry, Queen Mary University of London

Topic: Barriers and Dental Care Pathways for Children Looked After in the UK

https://bascd-events.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/24_Poster_K_Julia_Hurry.pdf

2nd prize: Sarah Kaddour, NHS England

Topic: ‘Stay Smiling’: Co-producing an oral health training programme for care homes

https://bascd-events.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/26_Poster_Sarah_Kaddour.pdf

3rd prize: Mairead Hennigan, NHS Lothian

Topic: Service evaluation of a new unscheduled paediatric dental service in NHS Lothian

https://bascd-events.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/25_Poster_Mairead_Hennigan.pdf

Awards presented at BASCD virtual conference

All the prizes were presented during the BASCD Autumn Scientific Meeting held on 10 November 2022. Due to the London tube strike, the event was moved to a virtual platform in short notice. The theme of the conference was A Place to Call Home: Rescue or Repair. It explored the provision of dental care for asylum seekers, refugees and looked-after children.

During the conference, BASCD President Albert Yeung was wearing the Ukraine flag bow tie to express solidarity with those people affected by the conflict in Ukraine. He also put on the poppy as a show of support for the Armed Forces community.

Albert said: “The standard of the entries this year was so high that the judging panel had difficulty to decide on the winners. It was a shame not able to present the awards in person at a virtual event.”

Impact of effective note taking on mental health in dentistry

Clinical note taking is a crucial aspect of the dental team’s responsibilities. Keeping comprehensive records of every patient’s appointments, treatment plans, and consent is vital for protecting dental professionals and ensuring that best practice has been followed at all times. However, note taking in itself is a very time-consuming process, eating into the patient’s appointment time and, commonly, the dentist’s time as well. Due to the sheer amount of information required to produce complete notes, traditional note taking is a long and laborious process, and many dentists worry about forgetting to include potentially important information – which could result in legal action.

The importance of complete note taking

The GDC Standards for the Dental Team are to be followed by all dental professionals, and if you’re found to not meet these standards, you may be removed from the register. When it comes to clinical note taking the GDC states that you must make and keep contemporary, complete, and accurate patient records – this includes a medical history to be updated each time that you see a patient. And, when available, radiographs, consent forms, photographs, models, recordings of consultations, laboratory prescriptions, statements of conformity and referral letters should be included as part of the patient’s dental records.[i] You should also ensure that you obtain valid consent before starting treatment, following an explanation of all the relevant options and possible costs involved for each patient.[ii] These conversations with patients regarding consent to treatment and examination should be noted. And, the dental team should record as much detail as possible regarding discussions with patients – and ensure all records can be understood by others.

Clear communication between yourself and the patient, alongside thorough note taking, is essential in minimising the potential for litigation. The GDC received 1,349 complaints in 2021 – a 19% increase from the previous year. The GDC investigates the keeping of proper records as part of their proceedings, to help keep patients safe.[iii]

The dental team must ensure they are meeting their obligations according to the GDC standards to protect them in the event that any concerns are raised about their fitness to practice.[iv]

Impact on the dentist and patient

Across many professions, workload and regulations can lead to issues with mental wellbeing. This can be particularly true in dentistry. Research[v] suggests that dental professionals link the causes of burnout and mental health issues to three key issues; working conditions, isolation, and regulation/litigation. A high number of participants in such studies went on to express the ways in which the landscape in dentistry of regulation and litigation meant that they were experiencing emotional distress leading to burnout or mental illness. They explained that they felt a constant fear of litigation. For many, this will be incredibly overwhelming, especially when we consider the potential consequences.

This need to spend copious amounts of time focussed on record-keeping, particularly during appointment time, leads to less time spent with the patient, too. Patients often use dental appointments as an opportunity to gain advice and talk through their dental health. They may feel unable to do so when the dentist is occupied with administrative tasks. However, even when dentists complete notes after the appointment, this poses its own challenges. Notes may be less accurate, and information and conversations are more likely to be forgotten. It is important to find a balance here, as both comprehensive note taking and quality patient care are very important.

Reclaim your working hours

Because of the strain that comprehensive note taking can put on your workload, dentists should consider ways to relieve the pressure. For example, the GDC recommends that you record information straight away to maintain accuracy.iv However, taking notes during appointments or immediately afterwards isn’t always that simple, with many dental practitioners needing extra time to ensure their notes are complete and accurate. So, finding ways to save time and maintain high-quality records is vital.

When you switch to Kiroku, the digital note taking platform, you are able to take comprehensive, patient specific notes with the click of a button. The technology only recommends prompts which are relevant to the case, evaluating any steps you may want to take, and promoting best practice by suggesting any information you may like to include when speaking to the patient and completing your records. For the dental practitioner, this means that you are able to take accurate and complete notes 60% faster than before – easing the worry of missing out important information and hugely minimising the risk of litigation.

Incorporating digital solutions into your practice to assist you in your day-to-day responsibilities will help you and your dental team work more efficiently, and improve patient satisfaction. Plus, having the assurance that your clinical notes are always accurate and complete, will help you to relieve the worry of potential litigation and keep your work at the highest possible standard.

To find out more about Kiroku, or to start your free trial, please visit trykiroku.com

 

[i] GDC. Focus on standards. Principle Four, Maintain and protect patients’ information. (Date accessed: 02.09.22) https://standards.gdc-uk.org/pages/principle4/principle4.aspx

 

[ii] GDC. Focus on standards. Principle Three, Obtain valid consent. (Date accessed: 02.09.22)  https://standards.gdc-uk.org/pages/principle3/principle3.aspx

 

[iii]GDC. Annual Report and Accounts. (Date accessed: 05.09.22) https://www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/annual-reports/4787—gdc_annual-report-21-22-v7-accessible.pdf?sfvrsn=7dfa926c_3

 

[iv] GDC. Insights from GDC fitness to practise concerns. (Date accessed: 02.09.22) https://www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/fitness-to-practise-learning/gdc-ftp-insights-spotlight-q3-2019-record-keeping-final960ebfdf-4a86-4e7f-b07f-ec3c4cc97ec4.pdf?sfvrsn=fd1b46b3_5

 

[v] BDA. The mental health and well-being of UK dentists: a qualitative study. (Date accessed: 02.09.22) https://bda.org/about-the-bda/campaigns/Documents/The%20Mental%20Health%20and%20Well-being%20of%20UK%20Dentists.pdf

 

DDU encourages dental professionals to get support early as complaints increase

The Dental Defence Union (DDU) is encouraging dental professionals to get support from their dental defence organisation as soon as they become aware of a potential complaint, as NHS figures show an increase in cases.

The latest figures on written complaints in the NHS in 2021/22 have shown a small increase in NHS complaints involving primary care dental services, rising from 14,052 to in 2018/19 to 14,285 in 2021/22. In 2020/21 just 8,751 complaints were recorded, as dental services were paused during the pandemic and no data was collected in 2019/20.

Overall more than 225,000 written NHS complaints were recorded with more than 120,000 being in primary care (GP and dental) and 105,500 in hospital and community health settings. This compares to around 209,000 complaints being made in 2018/19.

Leo Briggs, deputy head of the DDU, said:

“It is concerning that there has been a slight rise in NHS dental complaints since before the pandemic. However, given the disruption we have seen to dental services and the impact this has had on patient care and treatment, it is a testament to the dedication of colleagues that the figure has not risen more sharply. 

“At the DDU, our role is to lessen the burden on members and we encourage them to get our help early on if they are aware of a potential complaint. We can support them in how best to manage a complaint to ensure patients receive a professional and timely response.”

According to the NHS digital data, the most common causes of complaints involving dental practices were:

  • Clinical Treatment (22.0%)
  • Charging/Costs (21.5%)
  • Appointment Availability/Length (11.8%).

The DDU has detailed advice on dealing with complaints on its website: www.theddu.com

 

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BDA: Tweaking broken system will not end NHS access crisis

The British Dental Association has warned minor tweaks to the widely discredited NHS dental contract – set to roll out from today – will do little to arrest the exodus of dentists from the service or address the crisis in patient access.

The professional body has disputed claims that this represents a ‘new contract’ when the package amounts to tinkering at the margins of the failed target-based model and comes with no additional funding.

The contract still only funds care for little over half the population and maintains perverse incentives to dentists. The unsuitability of this system during the pandemic has accelerated the drift of dentists away from the NHS into a full-on exodus. The number of dentists delivering NHS care in England has fallen to levels not seen since 2017/18, and BDA surveys suggest that for every dentist leaving, ten have reduced their NHS commitment by significant amounts. 

The marginal changes include:

  • A ‘find a dentist’ website offering no appointments. Practices will now be legally compelled to update NHS.uk regularly with details on the availability of appointments. Given BBC research in August indicated 9 in 10 practices were unable to take on new adult NHS patients, the BDA stresses all this change will do is underline the paucity of patient access across England. 
  • A higher reward for treating three or more teeth. Dentists will now receive five Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) for treating three or more teeth, an increase on the former level of three UDAs, which applied to care delivered to any number of teeth. However, with patients now requiring as many as 20 fillings, perversity will remain baked into the system, with less complex work still being rewarded at the same rate as treatments that can take hours.   
  • A new payment rate for complex treatment. Root canal treatment on molar teeth will now be rewarded with seven UDAs, as opposed to three, as a result of BDA lobbying. However, the BDA warns the move is unlikely to be a game changer, given the nature of the challenging and time-consuming treatments – which can take up to three hours on a single tooth. 

In July, Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee dubbed the dental contract as “not fit for purpose”, stating that “urgent reform is needed to boost recruitment and retention in NHS dental services.” This mirrors the conclusion of a major government-commissioned enquiry 13 years ago.

The BDA has also warned that a return to austerity now risks fatally undermining NHS dental services. The recent Autumn Statement failed to set aside funds to fully insulate the NHS from skyrocketing inflation. The BDA estimates that simply to maintain the spending power in recent budgets for NHS dentistry would now require an additional outlay of nearly £0.5b a year. This follows a decade of cuts, in which funds failed to keep pace with inflation and population growth. It would take an extra £1.5b a year just to restore resources in NHS dentistry in England to 2010 levels. 

Shawn Charlwood, Chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee said: “Minsters have done little more than rearrange the deckchairs. These minor tweaks will not end the access crisis or give demoralised dentists any reason to stay in the NHS.

“It’s one thing to offer a shiny new website showing patients they can’t get an appointment. It’s quite another to put in place reform and funding so millions can get the care they need.”

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