Stephen Noar joins DPAS

Stephen Noar has taken up a non-executive directorship at Dental Payment Administration Services Ltd (DPAS).

Stephen will be acting in an advisory role, including writing articles on relevant issues in the marketplace, as well as the occasional public speaking appearance.

Dencare chooses DAMAS

Dencare Management Group specifies in its contracts with dentists in their surgeries that they must use a DAMAS (or ISO9002) registered laboratory for all their technical work.

DAMAS, which stands for Dental Appliance Manufacturers Audit Scheme, is a laboratory industry set of standards which all laboratories are being encouraged to achieve. The laboratories are subjected to an annual audit to ensure that they conform to the standard of work demanded of them. They receive a certificate and can use the DAMAS logo to promote themselves. A DAMAS laboratory is one which all dentists can choose knowing that it has undergone stringent quality tests for the procedures used and that it is definitely complying with relevant legislation.

Melbourne practice wins quality award

Above: Melbourne dental practice in South Derbyshire has been rewarded for its commitment to improving services and facilities for patients, as part of a quality development programme organised by Southern Derbyshire Health Authority.(SDHA) The practice has won £250 to spend on improving facilities within the practice for patients. The photo shows from left to right: Dr Naomi Fry — dentist, Stuart Fletcher — Vice Chairman SDHA, Dr Ben Davies — principal dentist and Dr Susan Long — dentist.

Local M.P. opens extension

Heckmondwike Dental Centre (W. Yorkshire) have had their new purpose built extension opened by the Rt. Hon. Ann Taylor M.P. — Government Chief Whip.

Photo following the unveiling of the plaque. From R to L: Rt Hon Ann Taylor M.P with principal dental surgeon Naresh Sharma and daughter Geeta who presented the flowers.

The extension includes a dedicated implant centre, two new surgeries one of which will be for an orthodontist, a new consulting room, a records office, a library and a staff room. There is also a new secure car park at the rear of the building for twenty cars. This new extension has doubled the size of the existing premises.

First Dental Franchise

A new concept in dentistry, offering independent dentists the protection and benefits of a corporate body was launched on 14th May.

The Smile Centres franchise, is initially aimed at practice owners in London and the South-East, but will expand nationally.

The franchise claims to offer dentists a number of benefits under the Smile Centres corporate umbrella, including a strong protected brand, help with management, training, professional marketing and a fund for regional promotion.

Talking Points

In May, Talking Points in Dentistry, the post-graduate seminar programme now in its 14th year, attracted its largest audience ever with over 2,300 members of the dental profession in attendance at 8 locations across the country.

This year's speakers were: Nick Gray, (Left) talking about adhesive and aesthetic dentistry and toothwear management, Maggie Jackson, (2nd Left) whose subject was 'Periodontology in Practice', and Bruce Christopher, (2nd Right) a psychologist addressing the differences in communication between the sexes. (Centre, Jacqui Garcia — Stafford Miller; Right, Roy Higson — Talking Points Chairman.)

Boots' first practice

Peter Smith opens the doors to a new kind of surgery.

Boots Dentalcare opened its first dental practice in Milton Keynes on 10th May. A further five practices are planned to open later this year as part of a £10m trial.

A new era for professionals complementary to dentistry

The General Dental Council (GDC) at its meeting on 11 May gave new impetus to the concept of team dentistry by endorsing the statutory registration of all members of the dental team.

This followed an extensive consultation exercise with the widest possible range of dental and consumer interests resulting in over 200 detailed responses.

The Council now seeks to make these changes by amendment to the 1984 Dentists Act through the Order making Power contained in the Health Bill.

The GDC President Dame Margaret Seward commented:

'I welcome the forward looking decision taken by Council to support the statutory regulation of all members of the dental team as well as to widen the clinical roles of PCDs after appropriate education and training. The public should be greatly reassured by this landmark development in oral health care'.

The Council took the following decisions:

Terminology

The term professional complementary to dentistry (PCD) will replace the term dental auxiliary.

General Principles

  • The needs of the patient and the protection of the public are of paramount importance

  • All groups of PCDs should be trained, qualified and statutorily registered with the General Dental Council.

Dental Nurses

Dental nurses should be statutorily registered with the GDC as soon as the required legislative framework is in place. In the meantime, consideration will be given to amending the ethical guidance to require dentists to employ appropriately trained dental nurses, a way forward suggested by the BDA.

Dental Hygienists and Dental Therapists

The permitted duties of dental hygienists and dental therapists should be extended to include:

  • the emergency replacement of crowns with temporary cement;

  • the removal of excess cement by instruments which may include rotary instruments;

  • the taking of impressions;

  • the administration of inferior dental block regional anaesthesia.

Dental therapists should be permitted to work in all sectors of dentistry. This will require a change to existing legislation to permit dental therapists to extract deciduous teeth and to undertake simple fillings outside the General Dental Services.

Orthodontic Duties

A new class of PCD should be created, under the current Dentists Act, to carry out orthodontic work. Orthodontic PCDs should work to the prescription of a registered dentist.

Dental Technicians

Dental technicians should be statutorily registered with the GDC. The creation of a statutory class of dental technician will, however, require amendment to the Dentists Act through the Order making Power.

Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists

Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists should be statutorily registered with the GDC for intra-oral procedures. The establishment of this new class will require changes to the Dentists Act through the Order making Power.

Clinical Dental Technicians

A new class of clinical dental technician (CDT) should be created and statutorily registered with the GDC. A dentist must first have examined the patient and confirmed in writing that the patient was orally fit for the provision of dentures and prescribed the required treatment.

Such a new class, however, could not be created under the 1984 Dentists Act which prohibits the fitting, insertion and fixing of dentures by any class of 'dental auxiliary'. As with Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists, the establishment of this new class will require changes to the Dentists Act through the use of the Order making Power.

Representational Structure

Representational structure will be given further consideration by the Council in the light of these decisions.

Post-implementation Evaluation

A post-implementation evaluation and review will be carried out within at least two years of the introduction of the recommended changes and as necessary thereafter.