Strength, beauty, value and endurance – this is what patients want from restorations.

But what if they knew that this could be achieved in one visit?

COLTENE’s BRILLIANT COMPONEER™ – prefabricated veneer shells – will enable dentists to offer exceptional restorations in a single appointment.

As for more benefits to you, dentists using BRILLIANT COMPONEER™ report how the material is easy to handle, the results are great, and it is a cost-effective choice too.

With the shells being so thin, optimal healthy tooth structure is preserved, making BRILLIANT COMPONEER™ a minimally invasive solution.

Contact COLTENE to find out how its materials could upgrade your restorations.

For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.

When an impression material takes a long time to set, mistakes are more likely to occur.

Boost patient comfort and accuracy of outcomes by choosing Impregum Super Quick Polyether Impression Material from 3M Oral Care.

Able to capture every detail in just two minutes, Impregum Super Quick Polyether Impression Material from 3M also has a fresh, minty taste to encourage patient comfort during the impression-taking process.

Furthermore, a recent clinical evaluation shows a very high satisfaction rate of 95% regarding the precision of Impregum Super Quick from 3M and the fit of the final restoration.[i]

Choose the super fast option by contacting 3M today.

For more information or to request a demo visit 3M.co.uk/ImpSQ today

END

3M and Impregum are trademarks of the 3M Company.

[i] 3M field evaluation with 447 participants from Europe and the US.

“There are a number of reasons why I would recommend W&H’s Implantmed Plus to other clinicians,” says Dr Kunal Shah. “Firstly, the surgical unit is compact and looks really professional. Secondly, it is very easy for a dental nurse to set up as it has a simple design.

“Thirdly, the Implantmed is already preloaded with programmes, making it straightforward to follow depending on what setting you have the unit on. As an implant dentist, it’s extremely useful that you don’t have to keep changing the pre-settings on the Implantmed. It’s just a neat machine and I like the fact that it is optic.”

To find out more visit www.wh.com/en_uk, call 01727 874990 or email office.uk@wh.com

We all know that the pandemic has been a stressful time for everyone. Indeed, for the majority of people it has resulted in a huge change to their way of life, not only during each national lockdown, but also during times when we were under the tier system.

However, one good outcome of the situation is that it has thrust the importance of mental health into the spotlight. A quick search online will reveal hundreds of articles about the impact that Covid-19 has had on people’s mental wellbeing. This can only be a very positive thing as it takes us all a few more steps closer to understanding exactly how significant mental health is in the modern day, and reiterates that we are all susceptible to conditions such as depression and anxiety.

The truth of the matter is, as dental professionals we often prioritise the mental health of our patients, but it’s not often that we put our own needs first. As such, it’s time to make sure that we are taking care of our mental health and doing all we can to avoid the harsh mental impact that this situation can cause.

Can we control our own mental health?

Unfortunately, mental health is not a black and white issue. Depression, anxiety and other issues can strike us even at the best of times, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t do something to help defend against developing these conditions.

Mental health is incredibly complex and, much like other conditions, people can suffer from different severities of depression or anxiety. We need to keep this in our minds, especially as what works as a mental boost for some people may not work for others.

Regardless, there are certain behaviours that have been proven to impact mental health, and these are the things we should all be aware of so that we are giving ourselves the best chance of remaining positive.

De-stress and avoid potentially harmful behaviour

One of the leading causes of clinical depression is a prolonged feeling of stress.[i] Of course, as we are all living through a highly stressful situation, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted at some point is somewhat inevitable. What we need to do is fight back by minimising potential stress points wherever we can and preparing to reduce the impact that stress may have on our physical and mental wellbeing.

Make time for yourself. Carve out a couple of hours to read a book or go on a walk around your local area. It’s vital that your mind gets time to relax, even if that is just watching a comfort film, bingeing a TV show or indulging in one of your hobbies. It can be tough to find the opportunity to do this, but if you examine your daily routines you should be able to find little pockets of time where you can let you brain have a well-deserved break. Exercise too has been proven to help battle depression, so try to be active as much as possible even if this just means a quick home workout or some yoga in your living room.[ii]

Also, don’t be afraid to say no to commitments during this time if you feel like they are too much – it’s easy to take on the burden of others, but this can be far more damaging to your own mental health in the long run.

There are certain behaviours that should be avoided. Drinking alcohol, for example, has been linked to higher rates of people developing depression. As tempting as it is to pour yourself a big glass of red wine after a long work day, alcohol is a depressive substance so this could be more harmful than relaxing, especially if one glass often turns into two or three.

Connect with others

Another primary cause of depression and anxiety is loneliness.[iii] While unable to see and connect with family and friends in person, millions of people are feeling very lonely right now.[iv] Even though we are working and seeing patients, it can still feel like an isolated time for dental hygienists and dental therapists, especially as life right now has thrown off the work/life balance.

One way to help conquer these feelings is to actively seek out support, not only from friends but also within your profession. The British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) is here to help.

The BSDHT offers a great support network for dental hygienists and therapists, and provides members with a number of useful resources and contacts. These not only include professional resources to help you expand in your career, but an emotional safety net too, meaning that you always have someone to turn to whenever times are tough.

Remember your needs

In these hard times, it’s so easy to forget to prioritise your own mental health needs. However, in the long run this can be very harmful, so you need to ensure that you are getting the support and rest that you need. By joining a society of like-minded individuals, you can ensure you are never coping with these difficult times alone.

 For more information about the BSDHT, please visit www.bsdht.org.uk

call 01788 575050 or email enquiries@bsdht.org.uk

[i] NHS. Clinical Depression Causes. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/clinical-depression/causes/ [Last accessed February 21].

[ii] NHS. Exercise for Depression. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/exercise-for-depression/ [Last accessed February 21].

[iii] NHS. Clinical Depression Causes. Link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/clinical-depression/causes/ [Last accessed February 21].

[iv] Mental health Foundation. Loneliness During Coronavirus. Link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus/loneliness-during-coronavirus [Last accessed February 21].

 Much like the rest of the medical field, endodontic surgery has continued to evolve and develop during the past few decades at an astonishing rate. Now, with microsurgical endodontics leading the way, the treatment is all but unrecognisable, giving patients and professionals alike a better chance of favourable outcomes.

But what is microsurgical endodontics and how has this type of surgery helped to revolutionise endodontic treatment? Dr Corneliu Gherasim, an Endodontic Specialist from EndoCare, talks about his experiences:

“In the old days of endodontic surgery, there were many potential problems that could occur during treatment. Due to the complex structure of the tooth and other unique qualities, the prognosis for traditional endodontic surgery would often be questionable, resulting in further pain and problems for the patient. In fact, according to the available literature, the success rate of traditional endodontic surgery was around 45-50%, which is obviously not ideal.

“The introduction of the Surgical Operating Microscope (SOM) in the early 1990s has revolutionised endodontic therapy. Due to this innovation, the term ‘endodontic surgery’ is now being superseded by the new term  – microsurgical endodontics. Microsurgical endodontics is about approaching surgical cases with the addition of a microscope that allows us to see everything in much more detail. Overall, the impact of using the microscope in Endodontics is remarkable. It enables a 90% success rate for the surgical treatment, meaning that otherwise persistent endodontic disease is completely eradicated for 9 in 10 patients. These high success rates are made possible by the excellent precision of manoeuvres and high level of detail an endodontist can obtain only by using the microscope, as this affords a much better visualisation of the treated area. Having control over all possible causes of failure such as cracks, isthmuses and missed or lateral canals, enables such high success rates for this type of surgery versus the conventional approach. This new approach, together with the use of biocompatible materials and microsurgical instruments that were developed to be used in conjunction with the SOM, are responsible for the huge increase in successful outcomes, ushering in a new era of excellent treatment for patients.

“Moreover, it is important to note that, even though not a core consideration for the success of the treatment, the aesthetic outcome is also positively impacted when deploying microsurgical endodontics. The use of the microscope allows the endodontist to have an excellent level of precision due to the increased magnification capabilities, leading to a more precise soft tissue management and, as a result, better aesthetic outcomes. We can be less invasive, and therefore more conservative with the supporting structures while better handling the soft tissues during treatment, helping with the final aesthetics that are particularly important in the anterior zone.”

At EndoCare, providing patients with as pain-free as possible treatment is a high priority. Dr Gherasim explains how microsurgical endodontics has helped him deliver this promise for his patients. 

“A conservative, precise approach to the microsurgery treatment by using the microscope has an immensely positive impact on post intervention pain levels. Being less invasive, particularly with the bone structure as well as through a better management of the soft tissue, means that the area of treatment benefits from a reduced level of trauma, hence less post operatory pain.

“Another thing I really enjoy about microsurgery is the enhanced associated ergonomics. Historically, these treatments could be very uncomfortable for the professional to perform, and standing awkwardly for long periods of time inevitably meant that there would be muscle injuries and strains, both of which could lead to further problems. Now, with the microscope, performing this sort of surgery requires no awkward bending, which not only means there is a much lower risk of injury, but also that everything flows better. It just makes more sense and helps the procedure to become faster, more effective and more predictable. Add into the fact that four -handed dentistry is now commonplace and that materials are also improving, and it’s easy to see why the procedure has simplified in a relatively short time.

EndoCare takes referrals for complex endodontic cases and patients who suffer from dental anxiety. To find out more, please contact the team.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

In a new era for workplaces, online payroll can make the transition easier
Technology kept us going during the national lockdowns. It connected us to loved ones and, whether you have come to love or loath “meeting” colleagues on Zoom, (other video conferencing platforms are available, of course), technology facilitated home working, allowing businesses to continue functioning.

Now there is a sense of cautious optimism in the air and, with most restrictions set to be relaxed over the coming months, you will be making plans about how to adapt operations for the next phase. Although many of you will be counting down the days to when it will be more normal to meet in person than via a screen, forward-thinking practices will be exploring how technology will continue to support teams, to make life easier during this transitional period and beyond. For certain essential processes, such as payroll, technology will smooth the path ahead.

Payroll made efficient by technology
Payroll is something people take for granted, until it goes wrong. Employees and workers must be paid correctly and on time, to avoid discord. Since March 2020, one challenge to an efficient payroll has been furlough (officially, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme), which has evolved since its inception, including several extensions. But payroll has gradually become more complex over the last decade, with changes including the introduction of Real Time Information (RTI) by HMRC, more auto-enrolment for employee pensions and, this year, new rules for Off Payroll Working (IR35).

Whether your practice is big or small, your payroll has had to keep up and have the flexibility to adapt. The best online payroll systems can do this – support compliance and be able to adjust, while keeping things accurate. This is a brilliant example of where technology can save dental practices time and stress, allowing you to get on with growing the business.

More secure than a filing cabinet
If you were previously reluctant to use Cloud-based payroll software, systems have innovated in line with increased demand – the latest platforms are simple, secure and user-friendly. Storing data remotely has obvious advantages when people are unable to physically come into the building, and it also means it is accessible at any time, without needing to sort through paper files to find what you need.

With an online payroll, you can efficiently scale it up when necessary and it is easier to pay people who are on different payment schedules. Online payroll will also allow you to deliver e-payslips and not only could this save you a fortune in paper costs, but reducing wastage will also enhance your green credentials. If your practice has not yet set goals for sustainability, this is something to put on the priority list for 2021. In this area, the world is moving in only one direction and everyone from prospective employees and business associates, to investors and patients will be looking at how your practice is demonstrating its commitment to a greener future. Going paperless for payroll can support efficiency too. You get a single source of information and certain online portals make it possible to locate historical payslips in a click or two, allowing key information to be updated instantly.

If you outsource your payroll to a provider that uses the latest technology as part of its service, you will double the benefits. The very best providers will have stress-tested their systems, with a workable disaster recovery plan in the case of an(other) unexpected turn of events. Outsourcing means that you’ll be taking advantage of the technology and specialist payroll minds, who will efficiently deal with changing regulations, so you don’t have to worry about them.

So, as workplaces prepare to evolve once again, why not look for a payroll provider that will combine the best use of technology with human expertise? Wagemate will offer your practice an ePayslips portal, which has the level of security features found with online banking. You’ll get peace of mind that data will be safe, your payroll will be accurate, on time and compliant, yet if you have any issues whatsoever you will be able to talk with a dedicated advisor who will offer practical solutions and advice.

What the new era looks like for you will depend on a unique combination of circumstances, but however you navigate it, outsourcing payroll means one less thing to worry about. You may never want to open another Zoom call again, but payroll managed remotely, supported by the latest technology, can save you money, keep you green and transform your practice management workflow.

To better manage your payroll, contact payroll specialists Wagemate today, tel: 03330 102102 or email info@wagemate.com

Author: Daniel Hull

Director – Wagemate Limited

“Money isn’t everything, but its right up there with oxygen”.

Staff are a business’s most important asset and peoples pay matters! Making sure employees are paid correctly, on time and have access to their pay information is one of the fundamentals to keeping staff happy. That is what we do and much more.

My goal is to take away the stress of payroll away from as many people as possible, making sure staff are paid accurately and on time and by adding value, providing excellent service and plenty of convenience to our clients.

In normal cleaning routines, it’s easy to miss hard to reach places – but these areas also harbour pathogens!

The AIRGENE CE Airborne Surface Disinfectant from Eschmann ensures every surface, even the hard to reach areas, are effectively disinfected.

Its unique design means that a cloud of disinfectant fills an area of 40m³ in just one minute, and an hour is all it takes to completely eliminate all airborne and surface pathogens as well as any odours caused by bacteria.

Independently tested under EN protocols (including EN 14476) and proven to be 99.99% effective against Coronavirus, AIRGENE CE Airborne Surface Disinfectant is a powerful addition to your usual cleaning routine, meaning no surface goes untreated!

Find out more today.

For more information on the highly effective and affordable range of infection control products from Eschmann, please visit www.eschmann.co.uk or call 01903 875787

Clark Dental is renowned within the dental sector for its commitment to delivering an unparalleled client service. The team are highly experienced in transforming practices of all sizes, providing exceptional turnkey surgery designs and supplying the latest dental technology from world-leading brands.  

What differentiates the Clark Dental team is that their service doesn’t just stop at the point of sale. Whether you require maintenance, repair or technical support, you can be confident that they will be on hand even after project completion to ensure you have everything you need to do your best work.

Choose Clark Dental for outstanding service that you expect and deserve.

For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email info@clarkdental.co.uk or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk

At Colosseum Dental UK, we care more about our people and we wanted to show our appreciation for the amazing work and dedication of individuals and teams across our clinics in the past year.

Despite having to go online, our annual awards were still able to go ahead. We wanted to recognise those people who had gone above and beyond to show they care more about their colleagues, their patients and the business.

We received many very deserving nominations and we remain so proud to work with such amazing individuals! We hope the presentation of these awards went some way to show just how much we value each person who shares our commitment and passion for excellent dentistry and community support.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners – the full list of which can be found on our website!

For more information about Colosseum Dental, please visit www.colosseumdental.co.uk

A renewed commitment to a healthier lifestyle is something that you are likely seeing more of with your patients. The threat to our wellbeing that we have all faced has inspired lots of us to make changes and adopt proactive, positive behaviours in order to enjoy a better quality of life.

People have always been interested in maintaining good health and every decade has had its own trends. Most recently, there has been a growing focus on nutritional choices, including plant-based eating, buying organic, also food sustainability and provenance.

But we must consider what we drink, as well as what we eat. There is a perception that, in the UK, we consume too much alcohol. However, in 2019, a modelling study published in The Lancet found that people in Great Britain were actually drinking less than they were three decades ago, and consumption was expected to fall even further by 2030.[i]

The modelling did not account for a worldwide pandemic, of course. Respondents to research commissioned by Alcohol Change UK at the start of the first national lockdown stated they were drinking more, more frequently.[ii] This is perhaps unsurprising when work, social and family structures were turned on their heads, with little warning. Later in the year, during the second national lockdown, the evidence seemed to indicate that older age groups were still drinking more and becoming increasingly reliant on alcohol to numb any feelings of loneliness, isolation and the sense that a return to anything like “normality” was a long way off.[iii] 

The focus on older age groups is important, as many younger people in the UK appear to have a different relationship with alcohol than their parents do or did at the same age.[iv] The reasons why they could be turning their backs on alcohol range from cost, the rise of the “sober curious” movement on social media (sobriety promoted as an aspirational lifestyle choice), to wanting to avoid the crushing anxiety that can be brought on by a hangover.

Any patient with a serious alcohol dependency should be supported with accessing specialist services but, for everyone else, whatever their age, oral health practitioners now have an opportunity to discuss with them where alcohol belongs in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle.

The NHS gives guidance for alcohol consumption, while being clear that there is no “safe” level of drinking.[v] In dental consultations, alcohol is a highly relevant subject as patients might not realise the range of oral health impacts from consuming just a small amount, beyond having a parched mouth the morning after. There is a wealth of clinical evidence to link alcohol to oral disease, including cancers of the head and neck, periodontal diseases and caries, as well as conditions like halitosis, and these impacts should be talked about in depth.[vi]

Excessive alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for several types of oral cancer, and this risk increases “synergistically with smoking, with a risk ratio of 2.92 and 6.32 respectively”.[vii] Alcohol and tobacco are carcinogens and, although it is not yet fully understood why drinking and tobacco together increase the risk of cancer so drastically, several possible explanations have been explored.[viii]

Similarly, associations between periodontal disease and alcohol consumption have been widely investigated although, again, the mechanism of this action remains unknown.[ix] Regarding caries development, various lifestyle factors will need to be taken into consideration when looking for a causal link with alcohol; the heaviest drinkers tend to have more decay and apical lesions, which may also be the impact of poor oral health practises, such as infrequent, ineffective toothbrushing.[x] As for moderate drinkers, most alcoholic drinks are high in sugar, which can impede a healthy salivary flow. A factor for caries’ development, this is also partly responsible for that dehydrated feeling the day after a drinking session, as well as malodorous breath. Certain drinks stain the teeth; red wine will also discolour restorative materials.[xi]

These are just some of the oral health impacts of alcohol; to mitigate the effect on their teeth (as well as their head), patients could have a glass of plain water between drinks and also practise excellent mouth hygiene, every day. Particularly if they are interested in using products containing natural ingredients, Arm & Hammer™ toothpastes have baking soda added to their formulations, a powerful ingredient clinically recognised to enhance plaque removal.[xii] The addition of baking soda makes the toothpastes low abrasive, and it is also an ingredient that will whiten teeth; Arm & Hammer™ Advance White™ will naturally remove surface stains with micro polisher technology for up to 3 shades whiter teeth in 6 weeks.

Many patients are simply unaware of the wide-ranging impact alcohol can have on their oral health and anyone who is exploring how to enjoy a better quality of life must honestly consider and audit their consumption. Oral health practitioners are ideally placed to explore the topic of alcohol and educate them on the ways in which they can mitigate its effects.

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

Arm & Hammerä oral healthcare products are available at Boots, Superdrug, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons throughout the UK.

[i] Manthey J, Shield KD, Rylett M, Hasan OS, Probst C, Rehm J. Global alcohol exposure between 1990 and 2017 and forecasts until 2030: a modelling study. The Lancet. 2019 Jun 22;393 (10190): 2493-502.

[ii] Drinking during lockdown: headline findings. Alcohol Change UK, July 2020. Link https://alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/2020/drinking-in-the-uk-during-lockdown-and-beyond (accessed December 2020).

[iii] Binge drinking among over-50s rising amid pandemic, says UK charity. The Guardian, 18 November 2020. Link: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/18/binge-drinking-among-over-50s-rising-amid-pandemic-says-uk-charity (accessed December 2020).

^[iv] Adult drinking habits in Great Britain: 2017. Office for National Statistics, published May 2018. Link: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/bulletins/opinionsandlifestylesurveyadultdrinkinghabitsingreatbritain/2017 (accessed December 2020).

[v] NHS Live Well, Alcohol Units, link: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/calculating-alcohol-units/ (accessed December 2020).

[vi] Grocock R. The relevance of alcohol to dental practice. British Dental Journal. 2017 Dec; 223 (12): 895.

[vii] Grocock R.

[viii]Boffetta P, Hashibe M. Alcohol and cancer. The Lancet Oncology. 2006 Feb 1;7 (2): 149-56.

[ix] Grocock R.

[x] Jansson L. Association between alcohol consumption and dental health. J Clin Periodontal 2008; 35: 379–384.

[xi] Omata Y, Uno S, Nakaoki Y et al. Staining of hybrid composites with coffee, Oolong tea, or red wine. Dent Mater J 2006; 25: 125–131.

[xii] Bosma, M. et al. A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the plaque removal efficacy of sodium bicarbonate dentifrices in a single brushing clinical model. BDJ Open 4, 17037 (2018). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41405-018-0003-7#citeas (accessed December 2020)