For fantastic learning and networking opportunities, join the BACD at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2020. You will have the chance to engage with top clinicians presenting their insights at the BACD Aesthetic & Digital Dentist Theatre.

In addition, the BACD Lounge will enable you to meet members and explore the benefits of membership. This includes access to outstanding educational events, with the Annual Conference crowning this year’s programme. You can also find out how the BACD promotes clinical excellence in cosmetic dentistry through its prestigious Accreditation pathway.

The BACD looks forward to meeting you at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show in May!

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

Panavia V5 is designed to make your restorative procedures simple.

It covers a huge array of indications so you only need one product for all your cementation needs. It also comes in an automix syringe that facilitates easy, time-saving application, with simple removal of any excess cement.

Panavia V5 contains MDP adhesive monomers to ensure excellent and long-lasting bond strength to zirconia and is available in five shades for superior aesthetics. In addition, its low film thickness of just 12 microns allows a tight fit and reliable marginal seal to reduce sensitivity and promote patient comfort.

Keep things simple with Panavia V5. Order through your usual dealer or from J&S Davis directly.

For more information on the industry-leading products available from J&S Davis, visit www.js-davis.co.uk, call 01438 747 344 or email jsdsales@js-davis.co.uk

The British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) is once again encouraging dental hygienists and dental therapists to join in with its First Smiles initiative this year!

Taking place around the 12^th June, First Smiles is the perfect chance to give back to your local community. Those who want to take part in First Smiles simply have to find a location such as a school or children’s club where they can give an educational session to people of this age group.

These sessions can include anything you like, including quizzes, games, demonstrations and interactive elements. Furthermore, as First Smiles is sponsored by Oral-B, each participant will receive goody bags they can use which contain toothbrushes, reward charts, stickers and other elements that children can take home.

Want to get involved? Contact the BSDHT today.

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

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

In the Straumann Village at this year’s British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show, delegates can discover the wide range of leading products and technologies currently available from the Straumann Group.      

Among solutions on display will be the ClearCorrect aligner system with a comprehensive digital workflow, including intraoral scanners and the innovative DenToGo remote treatment monitoring technology. The Straumann CARES Digital Solutions facilitating crowns in a day will also be there, as will the Straumann coDiagnostiX implant planning software for predictable guided surgery.

In addition, delegates can see the clinically proven BLX implant and ProArch full-mouth immediate rehabilitation system – designed to maximise stability and aesthetics – as well as the comprehensive biomaterials portfolio including XenoGraft non-sintered granules and Emdogain FL for flapless regeneration.

For all this and much more, visit the Straumann Village on stands F30 and F40.

Discover the comprehensive product portfolio from Straumann Group at www.straumann.com

Dental implant treatment with an immediately loaded full- or partial-arch restoration can completely transform the smile of patients with little to no teeth. There are many courses that teach you how to perform this procedure, but most train practitioners to reduce a significant amount of bone on the alveolar ridge in order to support a fixed prosthesis. Although this approach is applicable in some cases, it is not indicated for all. Furthermore, it goes against many implant dentists’ natural instincts to preserve and augment bone and gingiva.

Designed to defy convention, The FP1 Course aims to demonstrate that there is another option for full-arch implant reconstruction – one where the hard and soft tissues are preserved so that patients benefit from a highly aesthetic fixed restoration. Led by renowned implant dentists – Drs Martin Wanendeya, Paulo Carvalho and Nikhil Sisodia – this innovative new course explores a muco-gingival approach to full-arch dentistry that incorporates both digital and analogue processes. The FP1 Course is taught over two days through a series of insightful lectures and engaging hands-on workshops that are fully supported by Nik, Martin and Paulo.

Using various case examples, the highly experienced trio will guide clinicians through the key steps and stages involved with the full-arch rehabilitation workflow, including:

• Diagnosis and treatment planning: This will be the central theme of The FP1 Course, as it is the most important aspect of treatment.

• Digital smile design (DSD): Facial-driven treatment planning is a vital factor to the restorative process. Delegates will learn how to plan the final restoration with DSD and utilise this data in the following stages of treatment.

• Guided surgery: Delegates will be given a laptop and trained on how to use Dentsply Sirona’s Simplant software to plan implants and prosthetics. Guided bone regeneration concepts will also be discussed. Then a practical, hands-on session will give clinicians the chance to use a guided surgery kit and develop their understanding of how this can be applied to treatment.

• Soft tissue manipulation: A hands-on workshop will be delivered to demonstrate different techniques that are essential for achieving optimal soft tissue aesthetics through preservation, as well as horizontal and vertical augmentation.

• Immediate loading: The theoretical and practical knowledge required to immediately load an implant will be explored.

• Intraoral welding: Delegates will learn how to weld a frame intraorally and discover the benefits of this technique.

• Provisional restoration design: The design – including shape and contour – of the provisional restoration is crucial to achieving a desirable outcome, which will be demonstrated through another practical, hands-on session.

• Final restoration design: The design and materials that can be used to produce the final restoration will also be discussed.

The FP1 Course reveals how these elements of treatment facilitate the delivery of prosthetics that offer optimal function and aesthetics. Both digital and analogue workflows will be explored in-depth to show clinicians how they can put what they have learnt immediately into practice. By breaking down the planning, surgical and restorative processes of treatment, The FP1 Course demonstrates the possibilities of treatment with immediately loaded full-arch implants.

In addition, the exciting programme explores how the techniques and concepts learnt can be implemented into all areas of implant dentistry, as well as some aspects of more comprehensive smile design cases. With plenty of opportunities for delegates to pick the brains of experts, The FP1 Course gives practitioners the ideal platform from which to expand their dental implant knowledge and skills within a professional, supportive environment.

“Preserving hard and soft tissue within full-arch implant treatment offers several huge advantages, including improved aesthetics,” Martin says. “Patients can benefit from a truly natural-looking outcome with a restoration produced from high quality materials such as porcelain. This type of prosthesis can be designed more accurately and placed so that it emerges naturally from the gingiva for a superior functional and visual result. Approximately 25% of implant patients can be treated in this way. The FP1 Course is a campaign against the use of dentures with acrylic gingiva in suitable cases, particularly as the appearance of this type of restorative solution is disliked by many patients.”

Although the concepts of The FP1 Course cannot apply to every patient, like everything in life and in dentistry, clinicians must assess the clinical situation and make decisions on a case-by-case basis. If a patient is suitable for an FP1 restoration, then treatment can be delivered in the most minimally invasive and predictable way because – as Paulo puts it – “not all full-arch implant rehabilitations have to end up like a denture”.

“I very much enjoyed The FP1 Course,” says delegate, Dr Sandy Limerick. “It’s actually mind-blowing and will change my practice for the better. I just feel really privileged to have been part of such an excellent course.”

Join colleagues from both the UK and abroad for two days of in-depth exploration into full-arch implant procedures at The FP1 Course. For upcoming course details and to book your place, visit The FP1 Course Facebook page.

For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/FP1Course/

Stand D40

The Waterpik^® Water Flosser is the number one water flosser brand in the world and offers a quick, easy and effective way to floss with significant oral health benefits.

To see the clinical research behind water flossing, try the Waterpik^® Water Flosser for yourself and see the full range of Oral Health Foundation accredited products, visit Waterpik^® on stand D40 at the British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show 2020

Why not arrange a Waterpik^® lunch and learn? You and your team can gain 1 hour verifiable CPD and a free Waterpik^® Water Flosser for your practice –  Simply visit www.waterpik.co.uk/professional/lunch-learn/ now!

Waterpik^® is also seeking dental hygienists and therapists with at least 3 years clinical experience to become Professional Educators. If you have two weekdays free, good computer skills, a car and a valid driving licence, please email Judith Holtkuile on: Judith.Holtkuile@churchdwight.com

For more information on Waterpik^® products please visit www.waterpik.co.uk

Waterpik^® products are available from Amazon and
in store or online at Asda, Boots and Superdrug.

More than two centuries of experience have culminated in the new improved Wisdom Clean Between Pro Rubber Interdental Brushes, which offer an effective oral hygiene solution for many patients.

Prevention has become a fundamental part of dentistry today. Despite exceptional advancements in dental techniques, materials and technologies leading to outstanding treatment outcomes, the best thing for the patient is always going to be preservation of their natural dentition.

And what better way is there to prevent oral disease than for patients to establish and maintain an effective home hygiene routine? This will encourage them to take responsibility for their oral health and maintain standards as well as they can between dental appointments and professional cleanings. It will also help them to avoid oral health problems like caries and gingivitis, promoting long-term health while saving them the time, hassle and cost of undergoing dental treatment in the future.

However, patient education is crucial if we are to help patients implement an effective oral health regime. A 2019 survey[i] found that only 27% of respondents cleaned between their teeth at least once a day, while 33% never cleaned interdentally. This is somewhat alarming given that caries rates have been shown to be highest on approximal surfaces.[ii] As such, emphasis should be placed on interdental cleaning when reviewing home care routines with every patient.

Professionals should discuss what patients do and how they do it, as an effective technique is important for achieving good results. They should also consider the frequency of oral hygiene routines and patients should be encouraged to employ only tried and tested products. By working with solutions from Wisdom Toothbrushes, for example, your patients can benefit from some of the highest quality materials and product designs in the market.

New generation solutions

From the latest generation of products from Wisdom Toothbrushes comes the Wisdom Clean Between Pro Rubber Interdental Brushes. These build on the success of the highly popular current design to offer even more benefits to patients.

They feature a uniquely curved profile that makes it easier to access all areas of the mouth. The broader thumbgrip further improves ergonomics and promotes patient comfort during use. The strong, flexible stem also affords enhanced durability for an effective clean and a long-lasting product that patients will love. In addition, the robust, rubber-like tip with brush-like filaments gently but effectively sweeps away plaque, bacteria and food debris from between the teeth.

Improving oral health

The new improved Wisdom Clean Between Pro Rubber Interdental Brushes are clinically proven^[iii] to reduce plaque and gingival bleeding, and make it even easier to clean interdentally. This makes them an ideal adjunctive product for all patients, especially those who need to improve their periodontal condition. They are also ideal for patients with crowns and bridges, orthodontic appliances or dental implants.

These extremely versatile interdental cleaning aids are wire- and latex-free and are perfect for anyone who has previously found wire interdental brushes difficult or uncomfortable to use. They are available in packs of 30 and come in the same three sizes as the previous brushes – small, medium and large. For added convenience, the Wisdom Clean Between Pro Interdental Brushes even come with a detachable transparent case that makes storage and travelling easier and more hygienic.

Alternative adjuncts

Appreciating that all patients are different, Wisdom Toothbrushes offers an array of alternative solutions to suit different interdental cleaning needs. These include the Wisdom Pro-flex Wire Interdental Brushes with a unique flexible hinge and curved profile making it easier for patients to access different areas of the mouth. The coated wire promotes patient comfort and the innovative design helps to minimise wire breakage for longer lasting performance.

Wisdom’s comprehensive portfolio of products also includes the Wisdom Clean Between Easy Slide Tensioning Flossers with PTFE tape. The easy grip handle makes these perfect for those patients with reduced dexterity. The flossers also feature the innovative Waveform Tension Control System, which holds the tape taut to enable smooth movement between the teeth for a less traumatic but still highly effective clean.

Work with the No. 1

With more than 235 years of experience in the development of oral healthcare products, Wisdom Toothbrushes remains a leading supplier of high-quality oral hygiene products. In fact, it is the UK’s No. 1 selling rubber interdental brush brand. [iv]

So, if your patients need a little help at home to prevent dental problems, put your trust in Wisdom Toothbrushes. The Wisdom Clean Between Pro Interdental Brushes are top of the class for a reason and they will quickly help your patients to benefit from cleaner, healthier mouths. Encourage your patients to ‘go pro’ with their preventive routines with Wisdom.

Please visit www.wisdomtoothbrushes.com or call 01440 714800

[i] Simplyhealth Consumer Oral Health Survey 2019. https://www.simplyhealth.co.uk/content/dam/simplyhealth/denplan/documents/simplyhealth-COHS-2019.pdf [Accessed November 2019]

[ii] Demirci M, Tuncer S, Yuceokur AA. Prevalence of caries on individual tooth surfaces and its distribution by age and gender in university clinic patients. Eur J Dent. 2010;4(3):270–279.

[iii] James A. Plaque reduction of a dental product. In-use laboratory test report. Advanced Development & Safety Laboratories Ltd. April 2019.

[iv] UK Dental Accessories Value Sales IRI All Outlets 52 w/e 8th September 2018

Initial Medical is thrilled to announce it has been recognised as one of the top twenty companies to work for in the UK!

Glassdoor have recently placed us 18^th in the list of the best companies to work for in the country. Following employee feedback, the company was lauded for giving staff many opportunities to progress, providing strong support network and a caring attitude. We hope to continue making sure that all of our employees feel valued and inspired by what they do in the future!

This attitude is what helps us succeed, not only as a team, but also as one of the most prominent names in the industry.

So, if you want to find out more about Initial Medical, please contact the team today.

For further information please visit www.initial.co.uk/medical or Tel: 0870 850 404

-Ends-

About Initial Medical Waste Experts

Initial Medical is an expert in healthcare waste management, providing a complete collection, disposal and recycling service for hazardous and non-hazardous waste and offensive waste produced by businesses and organisations within the UK.

The safe management of healthcare waste is vital to ensure your activities are not a risk to human health.  Initial Medical’s healthcare waste services ensure that all of your waste is stringently handled in compliance with legislation and in accordance with Safe Management of Healthcare Waste best practice guidelines, providing you with the peace of mind that you are adhering to current legislation.

For further information please visit www.initial.co.uk/medical or Tel: 0870 850 4045

The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show will once again open its doors to thousands of dental professionals this May. It will feature an array of educational theatres with programmes tailored to different areas of the industry and delivered by industry-leading speakers.

Dr Tif Qureshi will be presenting in the Speciality Interest Theatre. He is well-known for pioneering the Align, Bleach and Bond (ABB) concept, which reflects his passion for minimally invasive dentistry that achieves long-lasting, functional and aesthetic outcomes. He is a founder and Clinical Director of IAS Academy – a global provider of appliances, training and support for ortho-restorative dentistry – as well as a highly respected lecturer across the UK and abroad.

Tif will be sharing his philosophy for treating the lifetime patient during his session at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show. He offers some initial insight into the benefits of such an approach, commenting:

“There is an argument that dentists take far more risk by treating new patients not previously known to them with treatments that the patients don’t really understand the benefits of, than treating regular patients they have developed a relationship with over time. It is logical that a patient who has visited for the last decade will be far more trusting of professional advice given to them, than someone who has just met a new dentist. The clinician will also have a good idea of what the patient understands and how they react to treatment. Oral hygiene and treatment recommendations can therefore be tailored accordingly, encouraging better outcomes.

“If all dentists saw their patients and offered personalised preventive advice regularly for a prolonged period of time, next to none of their patients would ever need a full mouth rehabilitation. Clinicians need the confidence to identify potential issues quicker and treat patients sooner.”

Tif’s session in the Speciality Interest theatre will be entitled “Ortho Restorative Dentistry for Every Dentist and Every Patient”. During his lecture, he will ask whether clinicians are focused on treating the right patients at the right time in the right way. He says:

“My lecture at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show will explore the idea that using a longer-term approach to patients and building rapport with them, will enable more treatment to be carried out on better educated patients. I will discuss some of the diagnostic processes that clinicians can use to identify the collapse of the dentition. I will also cover how to communicate with patients in these situations for enhanced understanding and cooperation and how to treat these cases at an early stage. Treatment should always be as simple, affordable and non-invasive as possible, which can be achieved by using methods such as simple orthodontics, guidance enhancement and the Dahl Principle.

“Regarding orthodontic treatment, I will consider how good principles, occlusal schemes and correctly planned orthodontic set-ups are essential for functional success. I will share some of my own cases to demonstrate these concepts. Some of these patients were originally treated more than 25 years ago, but they remain stable thanks to effective tooth wear prevention and maintenance of both function and aesthetics. The same approach can be taken by all GDPs for a wide range of their patients.

“I hope delegates will leave the session with an improved appreciation of the lifetime patient – if this approach is taken from the beginning, both the clinician and their patient will benefit in the long-run. To do this, it’s important to identify tooth wear and functional changes due to tooth movement early on. Digital analysis will encourage accuracy and predictability of treatment planning, while also helping to increase case acceptance. I also hope delegates will gain a better understanding of how tooth alignment combined with composite edge bonding can provide a comprehensive approach for aesthetics, functional and long-term stable outcomes.”

Tif will be joined by a selection of passionate and forward-thinking clinicians in the Specialist Interest Theatre, covering a diverse spectrum of topics. Whether you are interested in ortho-restorative dentistry or looking for an update in endodontics, this will be the place for you.

Learning opportunities will be abundant throughout the show for all members of the team. From the BDA Theatre to the BACD Aesthetic & Digital Dentist Theatre, Next Generation Conference, Dental Business Theatre, Hygienist & Therapist Symposium, Dental Nurses’ Forum and much more, there will be something for everyone. Further learning is possible across the trade floor as well, where more than 400 dental suppliers will demonstrate their latest and greatest innovations.

Register for your free delegate place today!

The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2020 will be held on Friday 15^th and Saturday 16^th May – Birmingham NEC, co-located with DTS.

For all the latest information, visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 7348 5270 or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com

Is oral health around the UK in a good, bad or improving state? One set of data can lead to multiple articles that are wildly different in tone, depending on which news outlet has published it, the editorial stance it has taken and which statistics it has chosen to focus on.  

Of course, how we interpret any article we read, or see on the news, will depend on our personal perspective, experience and if we are a ‘glass half-full or half-empty’ person. Also, working on the front line, many of us would agree that the problem of access is the number-one barrier to improving the statistics. Wherever we work, there will be large sections of our local community who either cannot get an appointment with an NHS dentist and/or can’t afford treatment.[i] So, until the problem of access is solved, ‘improvements’ will relate to the portion of patients currently using services.   

We must ensure that, for the patients we do see, they become loyal, regular attendees and that the prevention message is delivered so effectively, that they need to come less often for maintenance appointments. Prevention is central – if we can prevent oral disease and keep more people orally healthy for longer, we can turn our attentions to those who need extra support.

Loyal patients expect more than a silent check-up. Interestingly, a historical study into patient loyalty found that the most important factors for returning to a practice included, “care and attention”, “the dentist puts you at ease” and that treatment is explained properly.[ii] This survey may be 20 years old, but surely this is what people want today, too? With all the talk of digital technology and the amazing advances in treatment, it’s easy to push bread-and-butter care to one side. But there is a strong argument that it’s the basics – such as talking to our patients, listening to their concerns and helping them with things like correct brushing technique – that really make a difference.

Enabling people to feel at ease, so that they trust our advice, isn’t something that everyone finds easy. This is where training and up-skilling can come in. More dental practitioners are upskilling in order to offer more and help more patients. Improved oral health starts with thinking about how care is delivered and ensuring that delivery changes when needs change.

The issue of skill-mix is also a theoretical focus for how to improve modern dental service delivery. An article from 2015 into skill-mix in the dental practice found that this could be the key to better outcomes for everyone, within the preventive model.

It said: “Ensuring ‘the right number of people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time to provide the right services to the right people’ is critical… to ensure future services are cost-effective, efficient and reduce health inequalities.”[iii] The study concludes: “Within an integrated team, the dentist and their hygienist-therapists all have the chance of ‘up-skilling’ to better meet the needs of the population in the future.” 

Because we have an ageing population, dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists will be seeing more older patients with complex health needs. But we will also see families who need to know the right way to care for their teeth and mouth in order to keep future appointments to a minimum. With better use of skill-mix, dental hygienists and dental therapists will be able to help ‘healthy’ patients with brushing technique, if they don’t need further treatment from the dentist. Preventive care is built upon technique and good tools – cleaning correctly and effectively, learning how to clean interdental spaces and using any adjunctive products the practitioner recommends. The tools used to brush with should be high-quality, easy and enjoyable to use and functional. Many recommend the TANDEX range, which includes something for all ages and dental situations. Everyone loves a prop – and showing patients how to use a premium brush to get into all the nooks and crannies of the mouth equates to a preventive-maintenance appointment with real added value. It’s the added value – including dietary advice and answering questions on all sorts of related topics – that keep people receptive and loyal. The net effect hopefully is better oral health, because they take good care of their teeth between appointments.

What do we make of the often-contradictory headlines around the state of oral health in the UK? Well, perspective is key and we must also recognise that we will help more people by allowing them to access dental services, if we can support our orally healthy patients to stay that way for longer. Skill-mix is a relevant and hot topic in modern service delivery and a strong preventive approach is the key to statistics that won’t give mixed messages.

For more information on Tandex’s range of products,
visit www.tandex.dk or visit the Facebook page

[i] Million missing out on NHS dentistry. BBC, 20 November 2019. Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50467776 (accessed December 2019)

[ii] Holt VP, McHugh K. Factors influencing patient loyalty to dentist and dental practice. British Dental Journal. 1997 Nov; 183 (10): 365.

^[iii] Brocklehurst P, Macey R. Skill-mix in preventive dental practice – will it help address need in the future? BMC Oral Health 2015 Dec (Vol. 15, No. 1, p. S10). BioMed Central.