By offering in-demand treatment types to your patients, you are able to provide them with high-quality treatment which meets their expectations. Dental implants, in particular are a fantastic choice, providing patients with a long-lasting functional and aesthetic result.

Whether you have many years of experience, and are looking to enhance your knowledge, or are planning to gain a new skill, the Straumann Group offers high-quality training and education opportunities for you.

Education from the Straumann Group offers the perfect combination of theory and hands-on learning. This allows delegates to develop practical skills under the guidance of experienced professionals.

Get in touch with the Straumann Group to access education on all aspects of implant dentistry, achieve your goals, and meet the needs of your patients.

For more information about the education and training available through Straumann, please visit straumanncourses.com

Sensitive teeth can put a damper on day-to-day life – but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Help patients find relief with Arm & Hammer^™ Sensitive Pro Baking Soda toothpaste. This solution enables patients to achieve up to 16 weeks of pain relief, with regular use for 8 weeks.

Liquid Calcium^™, a patented ingredient, helps to fix the cause of sensitivity by sealing the teeth and shielding exposed nerves for added protection. The formula also repairs the enamel by filling in small crevices on the tooth’s surface.

The inclusion of baking soda means your patients will experience gentle yet effective abrasion for brighter, whiter teeth.

Find out more today by getting in touch with the team.

For more information about the carefully formulated Arm & Hammer^™ toothpaste range, please visit https://www.armandhammer.co.uk/ or email: ukenquiries@churchdwight.com

Arm & Hammer^™ oral healthcare products can now be purchased from Boots, Amazon, Superdrug, ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrison’s, Waitrose & Partners and Ocado.

Maintaining oral health is essential for supporting patients’ overall wellbeing. TANDEX offer a range of oral hygiene tools to encourage consistently high standards of oral hygiene.

FLEXI interdental tools from TANDEX make interdental cleaning simple. Available in a range of different sizes, identified by their ISO and passage hole diameter numbers, patients are able to easily select the appropriate size FLEXI for each interdental space.

FLEXI interdental tools can be used in combination with PREVENT GEL. The oral hygiene supplement contains chlorhexidine, the gold standard for oral disinfection, to help prevent oral diseases like gingivitis, as well as fluoride to strengthen the teeth and protect against caries.

Get in touch with the team at TANDEX for more information.

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

Our products are also available from CTS Dental Supplies https://www.cts-dental.com/ and DHB Oral Healthcare https://dhb.co.uk/

The autoclave forms the foundation of your infection control processes. Keeping your decontamination equipment in optimal condition is vital to ensure that your instruments and handpieces are thoroughly sterilised. There are several things you and your team can do to ensure you can reduce the risk of a breakdown and disruption to your workflow, saving you considerable costs in downtime.

Regular care for a long working life  

Regular maintenance is the most important part of caring for your autoclave. An appropriate team member should refer to the user manual for the unit, and ensure that daily/weekly tests, maintenance and cleaning are carried out proficiently. If you use your autoclave frequently, then more regular cleaning may be required. Certain areas of the autoclave should be paid additional attention, such as the door seals and chamber faces. It is also crucial to check for any noticeable escape of steam or water during the cycle. These checks take minimal time but help to extend the working life of your autoclave, enhancing the safety of your staff and your patients by ensuring total load sterilisation.

It is also important to load the autoclave correctly. Prior to loading, the items must be free from visible contaminants and debris: here, a washer disinfector is a helpful partner. While not mandatory in England and Wales (however, they are in Scotland), washer disinfectors do show best practice, and are superior to manually washing your instrument as they are verifiable and reduce the risk of sharps injuries. They also help to save time and can ensure your items are thoroughly processed and dried prior to sterilisation. If items are not properly processed, sterility cannot be achieved and they must be reprocessed. Once clean, dry and inspected, your instruments should be loaded correctly into the autoclave avoiding overlapping or bunching so air removal is achieved and the steam can make contact with the instruments.

Using appropriate water in your autoclave

Water quality is an important aspect to bear in mind when it comes to the performance and longevity of your autoclave. When operating your autoclave, only water that is low in totally dissolved solids (TDS) and with a low microbial count should be used, such as reverse osmosis (RO) water or freshly distilled water. Hard water, in particular, can severely damage your unit, as the minerals in the water can deposit within the pipes and valves. Over time, this can impact the efficiency of your autoclave, running the risk of cycle failures and unsterile loads. Eventually, limescale build-ups can lead to breakdowns and expensive repairs, halting your daily work and costing you more downtime.

By investing in a RO water system, you can rest assured that your autoclave utilises the recommended water, helping to extend its lifespan and ensure your items are processed correctly. Plus, RO water systems are considered more cost-effective options, so you can be more conservative of your water consumption. It is also important to ensure the water reservoir is cleaned regularly once the autoclave has been drained, in addition to the filters that can become clogged.

Support for validation and certification

Alongside in-practice checks, your decontamination equipment must be supported with professional maintenance. Whatever the make and model of your autoclave, there are always risks of a potential breakdown, and should things go awry you need support that you can depend on. Ensure that the manufacturer offers valuable maintenance and breakdown cover, where they will provide tailored support and get your practice back up and running quickly in times of emergency.

Eschmann offers the Little Sister range, comprised of both vacuum and non-vacuum autoclaves. Plus, all Eschmann autoclaves can be combined with their Care & Cover service offering. Care & Cover includes Annual Validation and Pressure Vessel Certification, unlimited breakdown cover from their team of over 50 engineers nationwide, unlimited Eschmann parts and labour and Enhanced CPD user training. When you choose Eschmann, you gain peace of mind that your equipment is supported throughout its long working life.

Care that makes a difference

Dental practices depend on high-quality, long-lasting decontamination systems during their day-to-day work. That is why it is crucial to not only invest in outstanding products, but also ensure that you care for your investment to keep downtime to a minimum, and keep it running at its optimum.  

For more information on the highly effective and affordable range of decontamination equipment and products from Eschmann, please visit www.eschmann.co.uk/decontamination-guidance/ or call 01903 875787

Providing orthodontic treatment to adults poses a number of challenges which are less prevalent when treating younger patients. Adults, for example, are generally looking to achieve excellent aesthetics[i] quickly, using the most aesthetic appliance possible.[ii] Adult orthodontics are constantly rising in popularity, driven by improvements in clear aligner technology, bringing with it high expectations for what can be achieved through orthodontic therapy.

Even though this is an exciting time for the profession, the litigious world we’re living in often encourages clinicians to practice more defensively. As a result, patients often receive more conservative therapies, require more radiographs, more TMJ examinations, fewer extractions, more second opinions, and more note taking.[iii]It is important to find a balance between providing patients with the treatment they desire, and protecting yourself from litigation.

Providing faster treatment

Sometimes, patients expect clinicians to provide them with their ideal smile within a short time frame. To improve compliance in these scenarios, clinicians may look to supplementary surgical measures to accelerate the movement of teeth, so they can provide patients with excellent results faster. Patients are more likely to accept treatment and comply with clinicians’ advice if it will provide them with outcomes that meet their expectations. There are a number of surgical procedures clinicians may consider when looking to accelerate tooth movement. These include piezocision, corticision, rapid canine retraction, periodontally accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO). Each of these use different techniques which aim to move the teeth more quickly. This accelerated movement can rely on the regional acceleratory phenomenon (RAP) which can be induced by surgery.ⁱⁱ

Even though each of these procedures are proven to be effective, they come with risks. Some produce results which are less aesthetic, as they require an open flap to access the bone (of particular concern in patients with a high smile line), and any surgical intervention can risk damage to the tooth structure, and potentially compromise vitality.ⁱⁱ Nevertheless, these surgeries are useful, with PAOO surgery reducing treatment times to around a quarter of the expected duration, and piezocision surgery by around half.ⁱⁱ When you adopt treatment types which can boost treatment acceptance, and shorten treatment durations for adult patients, you are likely to improve patient satisfaction.ⁱⁱ

What are the risks?

Any surgical procedure presents a number of risks. When manipulating bone in any capacity, there is a risk of damage to the bone, teeth, and surrounding soft tissues. This makes advanced planning especially important, ensuring that you have taken into account any factors which may affect the success of surgery or the final outcome of the orthodontic therapy. Clinical record keeping is especially important here too, making sure to make comprehensive notes of any decisions, discussions, and treatment plans to help avoid any complications. This being said, any techniques which are intended to accelerate tooth movement should not be implemented if their potential benefits do not outweigh any risks.ⁱⁱ

Should complications occur that result in the need for further treatment, or in unesthetic outcomes, it is likely that patients will be dissatisfied with their treatment, making the risk of litigation more likely. This means that it is crucial to carry out treatment you feel confident will produce excellent results, discuss any risks in detail with patients, answer any questions they may have, and treatment plan accordingly.

Creating excellent relationships

Research suggests that patients who have a good relationship with their orthodontist are less likely to pursue litigation than patients who are upset and feel resentment towards them.ⁱⁱⁱ Therefore, to minimise the risk of legal action, it is recommended to establish an empathetic, friendly relationship with patients. This means ensuring clear communication with patients of all ages, helping to ensure patients feel comfortable and cared for at all stages of their orthodontic treatment.

By taking clear and accurate records of each visit, you are able to monitor the progress of your patients’ orthodontic treatment closely, and make decisions with your patients to ensure that the right course of treatment is undertaken at the right time. This is also an excellent way to record any conversations you have with your patients regarding risks and preferences. Kiroku is the digital note taking platform which is designed to make complete note taking easy. With templates specifically designed for orthodontic patients, you can be sure that you are collecting all of the relevant information needed to monitor their progress effectively. The dynamic templates even offer helpful prompts, making suggestions applicable to your case, to make sure you never miss a thing. Plus, this convenient system allows you to take your clinical notes 60% faster than before.

While adult patients will often have high expectations as to what they would like from their orthodontic treatment, it is important to work with them to confirm they understand what is possible with the tools available, and what the potential consequences of any surgical intervention may be. By building a positive relationship with your patients, ensuring you communicate effectively, and make clear notes of any conversations had and decisions made, you protect yourself from litigation, and guarantee that your patients are receiving the most appropriate treatment for them.

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

[i] Cedro MK, Moles DR, Hodges SJ (2010) Adult orthodontics-who’s doing what? J Orthod 37(2):107–117. https://doi.org/10.1179/14653121042966

[ii] Keser, Elif, and Farhad B. Naini. “Accelerated orthodontic tooth movement: surgical techniques and the regional acceleratory phenomenon.” Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 44.1 (2022): 1-21. https://jkamprs.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40902-021-00331-5

[iii] Pour, Hamid, et al. “An overview of orthodontic malpractice liability based on a survey and case assessment review.” Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry 14.9 (2022): e694. http://www.medicinaoral.com/medoralfree01/aop/59785.pdf

In the modern world, financial advice is essential.

However, not all financial advice is equal. It can be difficult to find a firm that will offer you truly independent, bespoke guidance as well as understanding the unique requirements of dentistry as an industry.

That’s why professionals across the nation turn to money4dentists.

With decades of experience in the industry, our award-winning team can guide you through any aspect of your financial planning. From finding the best mortgage rates to advising about stocks and shares, when you choose money4dentists you’re choosing a firm that will do the best for you and your finances.

Plus, as we only work with dentists, you can guarantee that all of our guidance is appropriate for the profession and that we have a deep industry understanding.

Find out more by contacting the team today.

For more information, please call 0845 345 5060 or 0754DENTIST.

Email info@money4dentists.com or visit www.money4dentists.com

Offering dental implant treatment is a great way to attract new patients and grow your practice. The treatment type has risen in popularity in recent years, and it is set to continue doing so, as dental implants provide an aesthetic and functional alternative to dentures and bridges.[i] However, providing this advanced treatment type can require significant investments in hardware and software, which is not always realistic for many dental practices. This could prevent you from accessing this excellent revenue stream, and your patients benefiting from a modern solution.

When you choose to outsource parts of the treatment and manufacturing process, you reduce the need to invest in specialist equipment in practice, allowing you to focus on providing high-quality treatment to your patients. While expanding your practice’s treatment capabilities, outsourcing aspects of your workflow can be beneficial, allowing clinicians to select aspects of the implant workflow which might be better completed outside of the practice, benefiting from additional resources and digital workflows.

Consider Smile in a Box™

Smile in a Box™ allows clinicians to access the benefits of the Straumann^® digital workflow, without investing in additional hardware or software. With Smile in a Box™, providing patients with high standard implant solutions is straightforward. Throughout treatment planning and component manufacture, flexible options are available to ensure you are able to produce a solution customised to your patient’s specific needs. This means that you are in control of your patient’s treatment plan, and you are able to place the implant system when it is conveniently delivered by Straumann^®.

Smile in a Box™ allows you to focus on providing high-quality care to your patients, improving their experiences and allowing you to improve efficiency in your practice. Smile in a Box™ provides options for a flexible workflow, along with the benefits of immediate protocols. Flexibility is key, which is why Smile in a Box™ adapts to the current needs of your practice, allowing you to grow without the need to invest in digital workflows.

So, how does it work?

Smile in a Box™ aims to make your work life easier. The simple workflow facilitates the creation of high-quality components, and encourages customisation at various stages. Firstly, submit your case to Smile in a Box™. Case submissions should include CBCT scans and images of the patient, as well as STL files of the patient’s anatomy. From here, you are able to decide whether you would like the steps to be outsourced, or completed in practice – starting with treatment planning. Smile in a Box™ is able to create a treatment plan based on your case data, to be reviewed and approved by you during a webinar session, keeping you in control.

Following this, Smile in a Box™ can customise your digital designs in accordance with the treatment plan, for your approval. Smile in a Box™ will then be able to produce all components with precision, and deliver them to your practice in one convenient box, ready for placement. Finally, you are able to treat your patient with the peace of mind that everything you need is available and ready-to-use.

High-quality implant systems

The Smile in a Box™ service is able to accommodate all clinical situations ranging from single tooth to fully edentulous cases. This gives the clinician the ability to choose between various dental implant systems. Smile in a Box™ gives you access to market-leading implant systems from the Straumann Group. Choose between solutions from Straumann^®, Medentika^®, Neodent^®, and Anthogyr, enabling you to provide patients with restorations of the highest quality.

Outsourcing your implant workflow with Smile in a Box™ allows you to set high standards in your practice. Patients will be thrilled with the results of their treatment, and this will help to give your dental practice a boost. Digital workflows boost efficiency, and allow you to focus on what is most important to you, your patients.

For more information on the Straumann^Ò Smile in a Box™, visit https://www.straumann.com/digital/en/discover/smile-in-a-box.html

[i] Forbes. Dental implants: everything you need to know. Accessed March 23. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/dental-implants-guide/

Waterpik^® provides dental professionals with a fantastic learning resource – their Lunch & Learn sessions, hosted by a Professional Educator.

When you book a Lunch & Learn for your dental practice, you can learn more about the outstanding Waterpik^® Water Flosser. Melissa Sin, from Newcastle Dental Hospital, shares her experience below:

“The Lunch & Learn was really useful to find out about Waterpik^® products, and how it can help our patients!”

All attendees receive a free lunch, an hour of verifiable CPD and a demonstration model for the practice. What are you waiting for? Book your Lunch & Learn today! 

For more information on Waterpik^® Water Flosser products visit www.waterpik.co.uk. Waterpik^® products are available from Amazon, Costco UK, Argos, Boots, Superdrug and Tesco online and in stores across the UK and Ireland.

Join the 3,000+ dental teams who have already benefitted from a professional Waterpik^® Lunch & Learn. Book your free session for 1 hour of verifiable CPD and a free Waterpik^{Ò ®} Water Flosser – available either face to face or as a webinar – at  https://pe.waterpik.co.uk/en-GB/OfficeRegistration

Dr Conor O’Kane has recently completed the Complete GDP course from the IAS Academy. He shares his experience:

“I was recommended the Complete GDP course by my principal. He had completed training delivered by Dr Ian Buckle before, so highly recommended his knowledge and teaching. I loved the systems that Ian showed us. He has tried and tested them, and this made approaching more complex plans so much less daunting.

“The course was really well delivered, and included lots of cases to provide real life examples which made it easy to see the approach played out for real.

“I would definitely recommend this course to anyone looking to perform more complex dentistry, or do so in a more predictable way. It was a great experience and I would definitely take another course with the IAS Academy in the future.”

For more information on upcoming IAS Academy training courses, please visit www.iasortho.com or call 01932 336470 (Press 1)