Dr Farook Patel has recently completed the Advanced Diploma course from the IAS Academy. He shares his experience:

“The IAS Academy has a good reputation and is well renowned in the world of dentistry. I chose to sign up to the Advanced Diploma course because it offers accreditation, which was not offered by other courses available from other providers. Achieving a diploma was important to help me advance my career further.

“One aspect of the course that I really enjoyed was the small, personal group. This facilitated really good one-to-one education, and the course leader was excellent – offering clear and decisive information.

“All of the content throughout the course was relevant, presented clearly and was easy to understand. I would definitely recommend the Advanced Diploma course to other professionals. I have taken other courses from the IAS Academy previously, and this was actually another reason I chose to take the Advanced Diploma course with them.”

For more information about the Advanced Diploma course, please contact the team at the IAS Academy today.

For more information on upcoming IAS Academy training courses, please visit

www.iasortho.com or call 01932 336470 (Press 1)

Stress is associated with xerostomia,[i] and dry mouth, giving patients another issue to worry about when facing difficult times. Help them to ease the unpleasant ramifications of dry mouth with Xerostom oral care from Oraldent.

The product range includes toothpaste, mouthwash, gel, mouth spray and pastilles, using a combination of natural ingredients to help ease the common symptoms of dry mouth proven to increase salivary flow by up to 200%.[ii] Patients can make use of these solutions during the day and as part of their existing oral hygiene routines. Many will also appreciate the sugar-free, vegan-friendly and non-acidic formula that’s gentle on the mouth.

To help your patients manage dry mouth, which is one of the many possible symptoms of stress, recommend a product they can trust. Recommend Xerostom from Oraldent.

For more details, please visit Oraldent.co.uk, call 01480 862080 or email info@oraldent.co.uk

[i] Atif, S., Syed, S.A., Sherazi, U.R. and Rana, S. (2021). Determining the relationship among stress, xerostomia, salivary flow rate, and the quality of life of undergraduate dental students. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, [online] 16(1), pp.9–15. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1658361220301712#:~:text=Many%20factors%20are%20associated%20with%20xerostomia%20such%20as,swallowing%20and%20speech%20difficulties%2C%20and%20frequent%20oral%20ulcers.11 [Accessed 2 Aug. 2023].

[ii] SHIP, J.A., MCCUTCHEON, J.A., SPIVAKOVSKY, S. and KERR, A.R. (2007). Safety and effectiveness of topical dry mouth products containing olive oil, betaine, and xylitol in reducing xerostomia for polypharmacy-induced dry mouth. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, [online] 34(10), pp.724–732. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17824884/#:~:text=No%20clinically%20significant%20adverse%20events,population%20with%20polypharmacy%2Dinduced%20xerostomia. [Accessed 1 Jun. 2023].

Have you heard about Success Simplified, the outstanding resource created by 3M Oral Care?  

With Success Simplified, you are given the tips, tricks and recommendations to help you streamline and simplify your indirect restorative procedures. Such workflows are already complex, and you do not want to complicate things further with unnecessary steps or inadequate materials.

Success Simplified lays out the 7 steps of the indirect workflow, providing guidance on how to best optimise each stage, without compromising on quality. Available as both an on-demand webinar or as a downloadable booklet, Success Simplified provides crucial information that will be relevant to all clinicians.

If you have any questions, be sure to get in touch with the team, otherwise you can visit the website today to watch the webinar or download your FREE booklet here: https://www.3m.co.uk/3M/en_GB/dental-uk/indirect-restorations/success-simplified/

For more information, call 08705 360 036 or visit www.go.3M.com/ocsdpr

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3M Oral Care releases cannot be edited, any changes needed please call me 01227 265700

About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $34.2 billion in sales, our 92,000 employees connect with customers all around the world.

The UK is home to one of the largest 3M subsidiaries outside the USA, employing around 1,900 people across 12 locations, including four manufacturing sites.

Products manufactured in the UK include coated abrasives, personal safety equipment and adhesive tapes.

As a strategic partner of the British Science Association and a sponsor of WeAreTheCity Rising Star Awards in Science and Engineering, 3M is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at 3M.co.uk or follow @3MUK on Twitter or 3m.uk on Instagram.

Cosmetic dentistry has been coming into its own in recent years and the growth in demand for such services is showing no signs of slowing. For dentists and their teams, this presents an exciting opportunity to develop skills and expand the business. The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) is dedicated to helping clinicians achieve this in a safe and effective way. The organisation is committed to providing and supporting excellent education in the field, while also offering an invaluable source of advice and peer guidance.

As he steps down as President of the BACD, Dr Simon Chard considers why he believes this is the time for colleagues with an interest in cosmetic or restorative dentistry to get involved with the Academy:

“There has never been a more important time than now for a community like the BACD to exist. There is so much misinformation about cosmetic dentistry being pumped out on social media platforms like TikTok. It is easy to find commercially-driven adverts for products that are ineffective or even dangerous for patients – especially when it comes to teeth whitening, for example. It’s up to the next generation of dentists to be vocal in their positive education around cosmetic dentistry, once they’ve had appropriate training in the relevant clinical areas. To have a supportive community that provides exceptional, broad and highly ethical training in cosmetic dentistry, is critical. That’s why the BACD is such a vital resource for clinicians throughout their careers.

“The other area we have seen substantial growth within is digital dentistry. By utilising the technologies available on the market today, clinicians can make their dentistry more minimally invasive and more biologically-respectful. In doing so, we can avoid the long-term issues that so many patients will be facing after choosing cheap treatment at overseas establishments that do not share UK dentists’ passion for ethical and progressive treatment. With the right education and tools, we can achieve beautiful cosmetic dental results that protect patients’ natural dentition for many years to come. The BACD provides access to both.”

The education available through the BACD on everything from digital dentistry to new clinical techniques and research is one of the main pillars that hold it in such high esteem among the global profession. Simon reflects on the past 12 months to discuss what else has been key for the Academy this year:

“The BACD Annual Conference is always the highlight of the year, with world-class speakers brought in from around the globe. It’s a great resource for clinicians and team members at any stage of their careers – from those just starting in cosmetic dentistry to others who are highly experienced with many years in the field.

“It has been important to the Board and I throughout my Presidency that we continue to grow the Academy, in particular, by welcoming young dentists to the community. I was the youngest BACD President so far, so it was important to me that we connected with the next generation of cosmetic dentists. We have to remain relevant and current in order to grow as an Academy, and providing a service for young dentists and students is part of that. I’m delighted with how successful we were with this – the enthusiasm among newly qualified dentists and student ambassadors has never been stronger. In fact, we have seen an increased appetite throughout the organisation from new people wanting to get involved with committees or the Board, which is always fantastic to see.

“When you’re the President of such a prestigious organisation for a year, you are the steward of the Academy, guiding progress in the direction that Presidents before you have established. I’m proud of what we have achieved this past year.”

Indeed, Simon has demonstrated just how far the BACD can take you, having initially joined as a student representative and worked his way up the ranks over the past decade. He considers how his journey has shaped his own dentistry:

“When you’re steering a ship as large as the BACD, you are exposed to many different facets of dentistry, from business aspects to corporation models and board structures. At every stage of my personal development, from student up to President, through every committee and board, I have picked up skills and obtained useful information.

“In my first ever BACD board meeting, I sat there quietly and didn’t say a word. This year I have chaired the events, making key decisions along the way. Difficult times shape you as a leader and I am honoured to have added BACD Presidency to the experiences that have made me a better human, dentist, leader and businessman. I’m grateful of the opportunity and being elected President of the BACD has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I look forward to handing over the reins to Luke Hutchings!”

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

Using AI in dental imaging can help dental professionals identify defects quicker, helping them make more confident and accurate diagnoses.

AI Insights from Carestream Dental is a robust new tool that analyses panoramic x-ray images and reports the outcome. From caries to implants and fillings, the software can detect a broad range of conditions and highlight them in colour directly on the image.

Easy to use, AI Insights integrates seamlessly with CS Imaging 8 software to deliver consistent results and automated reports. Visit the website today to learn more!

For more information on Carestream Dental and our new extended warranties visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @carestreamdental.uk

Dr Kaisra Siddique, general dentist and sedationist, is a past student at the One to One Implant Education, completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Implant Dentistry programme. She says:

“Dr Fazeela Khan-Osborne is a true outlier of dentistry, one who does things that go above and beyond the realm of the ordinary, for students and patients alike.

“Being a complete novice to implant dentistry, I was extremely apprehensive to embark on this implant journey with Dr Fazeela. But her passion and love for dentistry transformed my confidence and thought process to another level, very quickly. The delivery of her lectures, practicals and 1:1 mentoring was to a very high standard, detailed yet simplified.

“This is a phenomenal course for dentists at all stages of their career with an exceptionally inspiring and leading woman in the world of dentistry.”

To reserve your place or to find out more, please visit
https://121implanteducation.co.uk or call 020 7486 0000

Measuring occlusion is a vital aspect of practising dentistry that is well-informed and patient-centric. The ways in which occlusion is assessed have seen improvements, adaptions and ventures into new areas over the years. Perhaps the most pertinent advancement in recent decades has been the use of digital technologies and approaches: a market that is still relatively new and thriving with innovation. There are advantages and disadvantages to any promising new technology, and the use of digital in assessing occlusion has so far drawn both praise and hesitation from the dental profession.

An important step

From orthodontics to restorative care, occlusion and its harmony is paramount to successful, long-lasting outcomes. For instance, in implant dentistry, the literature postulates that occlusal overload is usually deemed one of the main causes of peri-implant bone loss and prosthesis failure.[i] There are also debates regarding occlusion and temporomandibular disorders (TMD), albeit still controversial:[ii] studies have concluded that ‘occlusal irregularities may be important contributing factors’ in certain TMD cases. Ultimately, poor occlusion can have certain ramifications for a patient’s oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), in addition to causing other personal and social issues.[iii] Thus, assessing occlusion is an important part of practise and, unsurprisingly, many modalities have been developed to ensure clinicians are able to capture information accurately.

The old and the new

Traditional concepts have been tried and tested, and continue to be trusted in practice today. However, the benefits of emerging digital modalities cannot be denied. The literature is accruing more and more evidence to support the view that digitalised dentistry is introducing professionals to a new frontier. For other aspects of practise, such as patient satisfaction and revenue growth, digitalised methods are proving fruitful, too. One advantage of digital technology in practice highlighted by some clinicians is the potential time it saves for both the dental team and their patients. A study observing the reliability and time efficiency of digital and analogue bite registration techniques found the digital bite workflow to be 60% faster than the latter, with a clinically acceptable overall deviation of approximately 1mm.[iv]

Alongside time, comfort is an incredibly important part of the treatment process, and a key player in facilitating an improved patient experience. Dental anxiety still impedes good oral health for many patients, and so methods of reducing discomfort should be sought. During impression taking procedures, studies show that patients report an inclination towards digital methods, such as intraoral scanners (IOS), due to the level of comfort they provide.[v] Improved comfort has many positive ramifications, including increased treatment acceptance, and reduced repeat appointment visits and retreatments.^v Traditional methods of recording occlusion, namely wax and acrylic resins, certainly still provide clinically acceptable results, but patient demand may impact their uptake.[vi]

Taken with a grain of salt

Like any new development, there are always drawbacks and complications that require finessing as the technology matures: digitalised dental tools and equipment are not exempt. Some of the debate around the adoption of digital technology includes its initial monetary investment, and time-and cost-investments for team training, to ensure the tools and equipment are being utilised properly and safely. For many professionals, time is of the essence and prioritising training may not be feasible for a myriad of reasons.

Despite the impressive performance of digitalised tools, the technology just isn’t quite perfect, not yet. Researchers, when highlighting the efficacy of digital technologies, do stress that the accuracy of digital devices need to be further analysed: it remains important to be aware of the limitations of this technology.[vii] Taking the example of occlusal analysis, precision is incredibly vital to ensure that all necessary information is recorded correctly – for some clinicians, traditional materials still do the best job, and this will be incentive to stick with traditional methods until a time that new, more advanced digital solutions are available. Further development is required to finesse this technology and smooth out any issues. As the years progress, it will be interesting to see how these potential issues are solved and whether this influences digital adoption in more practices.

Food for thought

It cannot be denied that digital advancements in the field of dentistry have completely transformed the dental workflow, as well as relationships with peers and patients. With areas like occlusal assessment, digital technology is beginning to provide some new benefits – or at least it could, when it’s ready. However, all new innovations, especially in a relatively new market like digital dentistry, require careful consideration and the maturation of their efficacy is expected over the coming years. For those looking to introduce digital tools into their workflow, it is vital to weigh up the potential complications with the benefits for optimal results.  

Stephen Claffey Managing Director of Dental Pathway™ and the Independent Dental Advisory Board™

[i] Verma, M., Nanda, A. and Sood, A. (2015). Principles of occlusion in implant dentistry. Journal of the International Clinical Dental Research Organization, [online] 7(3), p.27. Available at: http://www.jicdro.org/text.asp?2015/7/3/27/172924 [Accessed 3 Sep. 2023].

[ii] Al-Ani, Z. (2020). Occlusion and Temporomandibular Disorders: A Long-Standing Controversy in Dentistry. Primary Dental Journal, [online] 9(1), pp.43–48. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2050168420911029 [Accessed 3 Sep. 2023].

[iii] Alrashed, M. and Alqerban, A. (2020). The relationship between malocclusion and oral health-related quality of life among adolescents: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Orthodontics, [online] 43(2), pp.173–183. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/ejo/article/43/2/173/5917509 [Accessed 3 Sep. 2023].

[iv] Nuytens, P., D’haese, R. and Vandeweghe, S. (2022). Reliability and Time Efficiency of Digital vs. Analog Bite Registration Technique for the Manufacture of Full-Arch Fixed Implant Prostheses. Journal of Clinical Medicine, [online] 11(10), p.2882. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/10/2882 [Accessed 4 Sep. 2023].

[v] Yuzbasioglu, E., Kurt, H., Turunc, R. and Bilir, H. (2014). Comparison of digital and conventional impression techniques: evaluation of patients’ perception, treatment comfort, effectiveness and clinical outcomes. BMC Oral Health, [online] 14(1). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3913616/ [Accessed 4 Sep. 2023].

[vi] Camcı, H. and Salmanpour, F. (2021). A new technique for testing accuracy and sensitivity of digital bite registration: A prospective comparative study. International Orthodontics, [online] 19(3), pp.425–432. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1761722721000875 [Accessed 4 Oct. 2022].

[vii] Revilla-León, M., Kois, D.E., Zeitler, J.M., Wael Att and Kois, J.C. (2023). An overview of the digital occlusion technologies: Intraoral scanners, jaw tracking systems, and computerized occlusal analysis devices. [online] Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jerd.13044 [Accessed 4 Sep. 2023].

Dr Roshwin Pereira Carvalho is an implant dentist who works across a number of practices. He shares his experience using Kiroku, the digital note taking platform:

“As we know, note taking is a very important part of dentistry. Firstly, for taking patients’ records, but also for treatment planning. I travel between around 5 or 6 practices and, prior to using Kiroku, I found inconsistencies in the types of notes that were being recorded. My dental nurses help record the clinical notes – some were good, and some were less confident. This used to bother me, and I even considered hiring someone to travel between practices with me to record my notes!

“Then I came across this wonderful platform called Kiroku, which I have been using for around a year now, and I don’t think I could go back to taking conventional notes. For those who haven’t tried it yet, Kiroku is a dynamic system in that, based on the information you fill in, it provides you with further points that are relevant to the patient. The main advantage for me is that I can use it across multiple practices, and wherever I go the dental nurses love it! They can follow it easily and it’s a simple checklist to go through, so I don’t miss anything out. Plus, I can do my treatment planning from home because all the data I collected is available to me remotely. Finally, if there are any dentists or practice managers looking at my notes, they can see what was suggested to the patient at the appointment as it is well laid out and consistent and they can follow up with patients easily.

“I would definitely recommend Kiroku to any dentist who wants to be thorough in their note taking, but doesn’t want to spend hours sitting at a computer outside of clinical hours. It’s made my life easy, made my dental nurses lives easy, and I don’t think I could go back to another way after this.”

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

ClearCorrect^® gives you the flexibility to choose the best plan for every patient, with a wide variety of treatment options to meet the unique needs of each case.

Additionally, ClearCorrect^® offers the added security of upgrading cases mid-treatment. This means that clinicians are able to upgrade the treatment plan at any time during treatment to ensure each patient is getting the care they need.

Upgrades can be made quickly and easily from the case details page, with options including increasing the cap on revisions or retainers, and increasing the length of the treatment option.

For more information, please contact the team at ClearCorrect^®.

For more information on ClearCorrect^®, visit: www.clearcorrect-uk.com

When a patient presents with advanced endodontic needs, consider referring to the specialists at EndoCare for treatment you and your patient can rely on.

We make the referral journey simple – all you need to do is complete the secure online referral form. We will then be in touch to clarify any details and arrange for your patient to come in.

Once the referral treatment is finished, your patient will return to you for their on-going care – although we are always available for any endodontic aftercare where needed.

Expand your services to include specialist endodontic treatment with EndoCare. To find out more, visit our website today.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk