The Probe

Global mission sees Norfolk dentist restoring smiles for hundreds of refugee children

Norfolk dentist, Dr Gautam Sharma, flew thousands of miles last week as part of an international mission to provide dental treatment and preventative advice to displaced families from Syria.

He was determined to spread a little of his Norfolk cheer in the communities and schools of Lebanon.

In recent days, he has worked alongside medics and specialists from a variety of organisations and academic institutions, and has performed extractions and treatments for more than 300 patients – many of which are children.

The work is part of a global outreach programme, which sees Dr Sharma working collaboratively with a group dubbed the Dental Mavericks. A follow-up for all those treated is scheduled to take place in around six months’ time.

Dr Sharma, who sees NHS and private patients at his West Earlham Dental Health Practice back home, said the experience so far has been extremely humbling.

“I had a sense of what this work might be like and how emotional it might be – but nothing could have prepared me for the impact of spending time in these wonderful communities.

“As a father and as a dental practitioner, I am always particularly concerned about educating parents and children for the sake of their future health, so to be able to help so many families who need my skills so urgently, has been nothing short of life-changing.”

Dr Sharma, who left the UK with a large collection of gifts and toys donated by patients and Norfolk residents, has several days of his trip still remaining, and will see more schools and orphanages before returning at the weekend.

He added: “I am so incredibly glad to have had this opportunity, and to feel I have been able to make such a big difference to the lives of so many people here. Everyone is so grateful and so happy all the time. There are huge lessons in that for us all back in the UK.”

Thanking those who supported him in his mission, he said: “I would also like to extend my gratitude to the many patients and friends of my practice who contributed items which I have now been able to share out among the refugees.

“They have really helped create a big impact in this part of the world.”

New managing director for bredent subsidiary in the UK

bredent UK has appointed a new managing director, who comes from the dental industry.

Stephen Denman, an ex-dental technician who has spent the last 10 years leading sales teams across Europe, developing business strategies plus supporting country commercial organisations for Dentsply Sirona, will take up the position on 1 May 2018.

Stephen said: “I have always held bredent and its products in high regard, first as a customer then as a market peer and am very much looking forward to joining bredent UK. The bredent family is full of talented and enthusiastic individuals who will continue to deliver the excellent service and support customers have come to expect over the years, as well as providing some of the most innovative solutions in the dental field.”

Stephen will replace the current managing director of bredent UK Ltd, Maja Thompson, who co-founded the business in 2004. Maja Thompson has decided to explore new opportunities – a decision fully supported by the bredent family.

The company supplies the dental market with products from the German manufacturer bredent and bredent medical GmbH Co.KG located in Senden, south Germany. The bredent group is a family owned company and has been supplying the dental market for more than 40 years.

Financial solvency – tests fundamentally flawed

The Financial Capability & Capacity (FC&C) tests that are required when tendering or retendering for contracts with NHSE (NHS England) under the “Dynamic Purchasing System” are ‘fundamentally flawed’. That is according to NASDAL (The National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers) and Alan Suggett, specialist dental accountant and partner in UNW LLP.

“The solvency tests are flawed in their application to unincorporated businesses and most owner managed limited companies,” said Suggett. “NHSE don’t (want to?) understand this and their stance is that they are just standard accounting tests that are easily calculated so where is the problem? The problem is that from our initial testing, around 90 per cent of dental practices would fail the tests! As dental practices are regarded as one of the least risky sectors for business lending this is clearly ridiculous.

“The tests are appropriate for larger entities such as the larger corporate groups. However, it would be a cynic that might suggest this is by design rather than accident. As the tests are of a technical accounting nature, it seems that nobody involved (dentists and NHS employees including public sector accountants) understands the issues – they are only apparent to accountants who act for owner managed dental practices.”

Suggett continued: “NASDAL are working with the BDA to persuade NHSE that a cashflow forecast, supported if necessary by proof of deficit funding, is sufficient evidence of financial viability.”

Dental Directory appoints new Managing Director

Dental Directory, one of the largest full-service suppliers of dental materials and equipment in the country, has announced the appointment of Paul Adams as its new Managing Director.

Mark Stephenson, who has been Managing Director of Dental Directory since January 2015, has stepped down from his role to pursue other opportunities, and leaves the business this month. Paul Adams has been appointed as his replacement and will start in his role on 30 April.

Paul has more than 20 years’ experience in the consumer products, retail, technology, financial cash management and healthcare sectors, including the manufacture and supply of pharmaceutical and medical device products.

He has strong operations experience, having been Chief Operating Officer of Talaris Ltd, the cash management company, then owned by private equity house, Carlyle, the current co-owner of IDH Group. In 2012, he became CEO of Talaris, taking the business through a successful sale to Glory Ltd later that year, where he continued as Chief Executive. Most recently, Paul was CEO of Redeem Group Ltd.

Tom Riall, IDH Group CEO, said: “I would like to thank Mark Stephenson for all he has done at the helm of Dental Directory: the business today is unrecognisable from the one he took on three years ago with a great leadership team in place, a hugely increased scope of service offerings, and extended geographic reach. Paul has a strong operations background and will bring his extensive experience to help build on our past success and drive further high-performance across Dental Directory.”

Paul Adams, incoming Managing Director of Dental Directory, said: “I’m delighted to be joining IDH Group at such an exciting time. Dental Directory has a fantastic reputation as one of the largest full-service suppliers of dental materials and equipment in the country and I am looking forward to building on its past success, continuing to put our customers first and supporting UK dentistry.”

Prima Dental wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade

UK precision dental instrument manufacturer, Prima Dental, has won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade in recognition of its outstanding growth in overseas sales over the last three years.

A long-established market leader in carbide and steel dental burs in the UK, Prima Dental also exports precision dental products to 90 countries around the world. From its production facilities in Gloucester, Prima Dental engineers 30 million micron-accurate carbon, diamond and steel dental burs a year. It has also applied its dentistry expertise and invested £1m in the launch of a new trading division earlier this year called Prima Digital, capitalising on the rapidly-growing global digital dentistry market.

This is the second Queen’s Award for Prima Dental, as the company also won the accolade in 2014. Since then the company has continued to expand, building a permanent presence in key global markets including a subsidiary company in India and joint venture companies in Brazil and China.

Richard Muller, managing director at the 215-strong Gloucester manufacturer, commented: “We are thrilled and honoured to be recognised with another Queen’s Award for Enterprise. This is an amazing accolade and is testament to our dedicated and skilled team who are all instrumental in our growth and success.

“The Queen’s Award comes at a hugely exciting time for Prima as we are witnessing strong growth in overseas trade for our precision dental instruments, as well as new opportunities opening up in digital dentistry. Applying our precision engineering expertise and knowledge of materials, we have just launched the highest quality tool for the digital market and we believe our digital division will be a huge part of our future business.”

With 40 years’ continuous experience in dental engineering, UK manufacturing and export, Richard Muller, 61, has orchestrated the firm’s growth. Richard took the helm at Prima Dental in 1998 and under his stewardship the company has grown to become the world’s fastest-growing bur manufacturer. Last year Richard was awarded a coveted British Dental Industry Association Award in recognition of innovation in his field and his significant contribution to the dental sector.

Today Prima employs 215 staff at its production facility in Gloucester and is set to grow to 250 staff by 2020. It is currently on a recruitment drive to fulfil its planned expansion.

Prima Dental’s growth strategy is based entirely on growing international trade, which accounts for 88 per cent of its turnover. It has invested over £8.5m in the last five years in new plant and equipment in the UK in addition to a new £3m factory and Research and Innovation Centre, adjacent to its existing plant, which has doubled its manufacturing capacity. The company has also grown its talent base and created new strategic roles to facilitate growth including Head of Operations, Head of Research and Innovation, Supply Chain Manager and Continuous Improvement Manager.

The Queen’s Award is the UK’s most prestigious business award, designed to recognise outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the fields of international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. A Queen’s Award is valid for five years and winners are entitled to fly The Queen’s Award flag and use the emblem on packaging, stationary, advertising and websites.

Prima Dental can expect an invitation to attend a royal reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by Her Majesty The Queen. An award presentation ceremony will also take place by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, Dame Janet Trotter at Prima’s production facility at Waterwells Business Park.