Born from pandemic, new model virtual paediatric dentistry clinic wins BSPD 2023 Outstanding Innovation Award
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 11th April 2023
BSPD’s Outstanding Innovation Award for 2023 has gone to Armaana Ahmad, Specialist in Paediatric Dentistry at Whittington Health NHS Trust, for leading a Paediatric Dentistry Advice Clinic (PDAC) initiative to create a virtual dental clinic. This project, initiated during the pandemic and further developed subsequently, is supported by a team including Labina Rahman, Whittington Health CDS Senior Dental Officer and Alexandra Lyne, UCLH Consultant. The PDAC model has transformed the Whittington’s Community Dental Service’s ability to enable every child in their catchment of NorthWest and North Central London to get timely access to specialist-led dental care.
An innovative, efficient and convenient model
Armaana’s winning initiative is a collaboration between the Whittington Health Community Dental Service (WCDS) and the UCLH paediatric dental department offering an innovative pathway to provide efficient access to specialist advice for all patients through an online Paediatric Dentistry Advice Clinic. The team took on the challenge of creating an entirely new model that now means children no longer need to travel to get expert-led treatment plans for complex cases. By creating this innovative virtual clinic model, the PDAC ensures patients get optimal treatment, more quickly than they would traditionally be able to be seen – and all without necessitating the cost, logistics and environmental impact of travelling outside their community.
The PDAC was initially held as three pilot clinics that have since been running for a further 12 months. Currently the PDAC has patients booked into a morning clinic split into three one-hour sessions. Dentists from each of WCDS’s three area teams log on via a virtual meeting hub for their session.
Upskilling dental teams through complex case training
On average the clinic can review ten patient cases each hour, with the community dental officer (DO) presenting each patient’s case. The discussions focus on a recommended treatment plan, as well as serving as a teaching opportunity. The subsequent discussion, in what Armaana describes as a ‘safe-space’ for asking any question whether it is simple or complex – opens up a forum for in-depth on-the-job, real-time training – for all levels of dental professionals who are part of the clinics. Patients and families are not present and therefore no definitive treatment decisions are made, but key oral health concerns and the recommendations are discussed afterwards with the family.
Armaana’s prize will include the opportunity to give a talk about the PDAC initiative at BSPD’s 2023 conference in Newcastle in September.
Mrs Jenny Harris, President, BSPD said: “The entries to this year’s BSPD Outstanding Innovation Awards were particularly inspiring. During the judging process we were especially impressed with the concept of the ‘safe space’ that Armaana had created. Having this connection with the Consultant means that the CDS teams feel supported to deliver this level of care. We also noted the multiple benefits of the clinic that not only allow more patient cases to be reviewed and treatments planned more quickly, but they also serve as excellent training grounds for developing dental professionals.
“We were delighted with Armaana and her team’s initiative that showed how some of the necessary ways we adopted to navigate our practices during the pandemic could be developed and enhanced once the crisis was over. I look forward to seeing how the PDAC initiative can be embraced in other areas of the UK. Congratulations to Armaana and the team!”
Armaana Ahmad, Specialist in Paediatric Dentistry at Whittington Health said: “Our PDACs are not only beneficial to patients whose cases can be reviewed more quickly – but the virtual clinics are so good for learning too. The team discussions mean that each dental professional is benefiting from the insights from others’ cases. It was also important to create a friendly environment where individuals can freely ask for consultant advice. Feedback from dental colleagues has been that the PDAC system has completely changed their services and made their clinical work more satisfying. The range of cases being reviewed is more complex than usual, so participants feel that their clinical skills are being developed. I see a future for PDAC in having one in every community by creating a ‘hub and spoke’ model with nearby hospitals and consultants.”
OIA 2023 highly commended award
Rachael Nichol
In addition, Rachael Nichol, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Community Dental Service has been awarded highly commended for her Paediatric Dentistry Level 2 complexity care training programme in Yorkshire and the Humber which aims to support children and young people to access quality care nearer where they live, especially in areas of high dental need and health inequality. The aim of the on-line programme is to develop and up-skill practitioners enabling an enhanced level of paediatric dentistry care to be undertaken as part of a specialist-led managed clinical network. The training of level 2 practitioners will improve accessibility of oral health care for children and young people by allowing them, where appropriate, to access quality care closer to home.
About the highly commended award, Mrs Jenny Harris said: “Rachael’s Paediatric Dentistry Level 2 complexity care training programme is an initiative of significant importance that is the first of its kind in England. We would love to see how it develops and how it could be replicated in other regions.”
In coming to their decision, the OIA judges recognised both Armaana and Rachael’s dedication to addressing real needs. They are excellent examples of how the dental profession can embrace new ways of working and training learned through the pandemic – and turn them into lasting benefits for both patients and clinicians for the future.
