Abbeymead Dental Centre receive IIP award

Staff at the Abbeymead Dental Centre in Chertsey, Surrey, were pleased to have become one of only a handful of dental practices in Surrey to have achieved an Investors in People award recently.

The practice embarked on the IIP initiative last year and gained sponsorship from Surrey Business Link. Practice principal Dr Tina Tanna said: 'The Investor's has helped us focus our staff training and development on ensuring that all our patients are treated in a happy and relaxed atmosphere where they are provided with the best treatment we can offer at a level they can afford.'

In recognition of this achievement they held a celebratory function at the practice at which the deputy mayor of Runnymede, councillor Peggy Broadhead presented the plaque to Dr Tanna and the team. The photograph features Dr Tanna receiving the plaque from Councillor Broadhead, surrounded by other members of the team : Dr Gulshan Murgai, Matthew Tanna-White, Layla Igoe, Richard Cobbett from Surrey Business Link, Councillor Broadhead and Dr Tina Tanna, Janet Fifield, Dr Rita Upadhyay, Wendy Paxton.

GDC President head's dental school

Professor Nairn Wilson, President of the General Dental Council, has been appointed Head of the Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Dental Institute at King's College London. Professor Wilson will continue to fulfil his commitments as President of the GDC, a position he assumed in 1999.

Professor Wilson said of his appointment: 'The Institute is a world-class centre of excellence with the opportunity to shape the future of dentistry. Providing leadership to the Institute is a tremendous challenge which I am honoured and most pleased to accept.'

New healthcare centre in Dundee

The internationally-recognised Dental Health Services Research Unit (DHSRU) in Dundee will form part of a new, purpose-built Centre for Health Informatics next year (see artist's impression above).

The £1.8 million initiative joins together the DHSRU with the Tayside Centre for General Practice and key parts of the Medicines Monitoring Unit. It will provide a focus for research on health informatics and social dimensions of health and will cement the partnership between the University of Dundee and Tayside Primary care Trust.

The expanded facilities available at the centre will enable DHSRU to take forward its work on dental services, dental caries and dental practice, and also to explore the interactions between dental health and other health indicators. The research will aid identification of potential targets for new treatments to improve dental health.

Diana Scarrott retires from BDA

The former Head of Education and Science, Diana Scarrott has left the BDA to take up the opportunity of early retirement.

Diana Scarrott had worked at the BDA for 33 years and decided not to apply for one of the new posts in the BDA's new management structure. She hopes to pursue new opportunities in dental and health related issues, including freelance projects.

BDA Chief Executive, Ian Wylie said: 'I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks and best wishes to Diana. Diana has been a towering figure in the BDA over a long time and has made a huge contribution to all our work, both individually and collectively.'

CDO's appointment extended another year

The Department of Health have announced that Dame Margaret Seward's appointment as Chief Dental Officer has been extended until October 2002.

Chairman of the BDA Executive Board, Dr John Renshaw, warmly welcomes the news. He said: 'The productive working relationship the Association currently enjoys with the Department of Health has a lot to do with Dame Margaret's energy and vision – we look forward to continuing these good relations in the coming year. In particular, Dame Margaret's work on the Government's dental strategy as well as the consultation into women in dentistry are noteworthy landmarks of her tenure to date.

Looking to the next year however, I look forward to seeing the signs of real improvement in NHS dentistry for dentists and their patients. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Dame Margaret best wishes for the coming year.'

Brushing for Life project given boost

Free toothbrushes and toothpaste will be given to a million children over the next three years, as part of a £1 million dental health scheme.

The scheme is a key part of the Government's dental strategy which sets out targets to ensure that by 2003, 5–year old children should have on average no more than one decayed, missing or filled tooth – with 70% of 5–year olds experiencing no tooth decay at all.

The 'Brushing for Life' project will help to meet this commitment by targeting the 21 health authorities with the highest levels of dental decay – 11 in the North West, 5 in Yorkshire and 5 in London.

As part of the project, health visitors will give out free packs including a toothbrush, toothpaste and leaflets to the parents and carers of young children; demonstrate correct toothbrushing techniques and give oral health talks in nurseries and playgroups.

The packs will be given out at the usual health development checks at 8 months, 18 months and 3+ years.

Dental student wins Junior Hatton award

Wendy Robinson, a fourth year dental student at Newcastle Dental School, was presented with the IADR/Unilever Junior Hatton Award at this year's IADR meeting in Chiba, Japan.

The international competition drew entries from all of the divisions of the IADR. Wendy's trip was sponsored by Unilever after she won the BSDR Poster Prize in 2000. Her research on 'Chromosomal Deletions in Streptococcus mutans' was undertaken during her intercalated B.Med.Sci year working with Professor Roy Russell.