Introducing the BACD Annual Conference headline speaker – Dr Lincoln Harris

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Posted by: Dental Design 28th September 2023

The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) is renowned across the profession worldwide for delivering an exceptional Conference every year. Not only is this a chance to see friends, connect with the industry and engage with the wider cosmetic dental community, but it’s also a platform to hear from some of the very biggest names in the field.

This year will be no exception, with the BACD proudly welcoming Dr Lincoln Harris – a figurehead in the global dental community. A highly in-demand teacher, lecturer and clinician, Dr Harris is also the CEO of RipeGlobal; a virtual learning platform utilised by professionals around the world.

Dr Harris will be headlining the already impressive speaker line-up at the BACD Annual Conference 2023, entitled “New Horizons”. He will be presenting a hands-on workshop – “Advanced treatment planning bootcamp” – on Thursday and running a full day lecture on Friday – “Building aesthetic foundations”.

Dr Harris considers what he feels are the biggest challenges for clinicians today in achieving aesthetic dental outcomes:

“It is difficult to balance what looks good in the mouth with what is seen on social media platforms like TikTok. There is an artificial expectation among some patients about what their smile could look like and while sometimes you can achieve it, other times you need to make it clear that their ambitions are not realistic. Patients who decide they want to straighten their teeth two weeks before their wedding, for example, are not always going to get what they want because this is simply not possible in many situations.”

Of course, patient expectations of treatment outcomes can influence their satisfaction with the end result. This is just one of the factors that impacts whether cosmetic dentistry may be deemed successful. Dr Harris continues:

“An aesthetic outcome is successful when you as the clinician are truly happy with it, first and foremost, and secondly, when the patient is satisfied as well. Even then, it is only really successful if the patient does not regret undergoing the procedure after five years. Ultimately, success is giving the patient what they want, in an ethical way, without long-term regrets.”

To achieve consistently successful outcomes for patients, clinicians must ensure meticulous and thorough treatment planning for every case. This should include preparing for the worst scenarios and taking active steps to mitigate the risk of them occurring.

“Planning is incredibly important,” says Dr Harris. “A friend who is a business consultant said that you want to have difficult conversations at the outset of any working relationship, so they don’t happen in the middle of the process. That’s true in aesthetic dentistry too. You want to have all the difficult discussions and ensure the patient understands every possible outcome before you start work. It better prepares the patient and helps to prevent them from feeling disappointed should a complication arise. They also understand what results to expect.”

Dr Harris will discuss all of this in greater detail as part of his hands-on workshop at the BACD Annual Conference. During this advanced treatment planning bootcamp, he will share with delegates the secret to increased case acceptance and confident patient communication.

During his main session, Dr Harris will explore an array of patient management techniques, such as how to deal with the person who lacks awareness of their own condition. He will consider how to plan complex, multidisciplinary cases efficiently, ethically and effectively, as well as how to sensitivity communicate what can be expensive treatment to patients. He will also share his wealth of expertise with regards to creating restorations that patients will love. If delegates take just one key message away from the session, Dr Harris hopes it will be to ensure the highest attention to detail:

“Never place any ceramics in the patient’s mouth unless you are 100% personally proud of them. Yes, it’s frustrating to send them back to the lab to be fixed, improved or changed in any way. However, it’s far more upsetting to remove 10 emax veneers and start a case again because the patient’s friend said that ‘they seemed a bit crooked’!”

The BACD Annual Conference 2023 is set to be another fantastic event, once again bringing exceptional speakers to UK shores. There will also be a trade show and various social events, ensuring plenty of opportunities to catch up with friends, meet new people and generally have an excellent time.

Dr Harris concludes with some final thoughts about the BACD and its upcoming Conference:

“The BACD has had such amazing speakers in the past that it is an amazing honour to be asked to present here – it’s also a little daunting! I am proud that RipeGlobal is a major sponsor of the event. I love London and the BACD dentists I’ve met so far seem super optimistic, upbeat and enthusiastic. I’m sure there is going to be an amazing vibe at the Conference.”