News

Midlands dentist earns his PhD

A West Midlands dentist has been awarded a PhD in 'Strategic management within general dental practice' from Wolverhampton University.

David Thomas, who has just sold a large inner-city practice in Wolverhampton, has long been involved with the Vocational Training Scheme and postgraduate education. After completing an MBA at Wolverhampton University Business School, Mr Thomas became interested in management issues relating to clinical dental practice and decided to research the subject for his PhD.

Education for founders and benefactors

The 1999 Founders' and Benefactors' Lecture, held at Newcastle Dental School in March, has focused on the topic of education.

Titled Eduction makes us what we are, the lecture was given by Roy Storer, Professor Emeritus at Newcastle. After the lecture Professor Murray, dean of dentistry, presented Professor Storer with an engraved glass bowl and a silver medal which was set in ivory and bore the University crest. Visitors to the lecture also had the chance to see the refurbished day stay unit in the dental laboratory and view the plans for the new Dental Clinical Skills Laboratory, which received a boost recently as a Millennium Appeal was launched to support the project.

Dentists win award for work with disabled

Above, from left to right: Roger Waller, Pam Charteris, Tracey Kinsella and Karen Henderson, who won 'team of the year' at the 1999 British Dental Awards. The group works in the Dental Department at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, which specialises in the treatment of severely physically-disabled patients. The judges said they chose the team for its energy and dedication in providing excellent dental healthcare for its patients.

Health Train chugs on

The Phelophepa Health Train is preparing to set off again for its latest journey through South African villages to deliver much needed medical facilities.

More than 47,000 patients were seen in 1998, a figure that organisers hope to beat this year with eight new sites earmarked for visits.

In 1998 more than 1000 dental, medical and nursing students served on the Health Train, and dental health charity The Cordent Trust organised £70,000 of supplies.

The Health Train reaches remote villages and gives many locals their first experience of dental care. Each village receives a five day visit, and organisers say that this introduction to preventative healthcare can have a permanent effect. Dentists can get more details from Helen Searle on 0171 534 1462.

New products

Trycare for implants

Trycare has produced a new surgical catalogue featuring a wide range of products for dentists' implant surgery needs.

The Unipost 3-step implant system uses routine techniques associated with crown and bridge work once the abutments have been cemented into place. The system, which comes in a range of screw 'D' fin implants made from Tivalloy (90% Titanium 6% Aluminium and 4% Vanadium) is designed to maximise the use of available bone.

Trycare supplies irradiated allogenic cancellous bone, bone-grafting materials and accessories, as well as Eagle surgical instruments, fibre-optic instrumentation, vacuum autoclaves and surgical attire. A full training programme is also available.

Reader response number: 051

Albega x-ray range

Albega X-ray has a full range of radiographic products from leading manufacturers like Trophy, Cranex, Belmont and Siemens.

The Trophy Orthoslice has a tomograph fitted as standard. It uses autofocusing to generate clear, sharp images and has an automatic exposure level control. Tomographic cross-sections provide a complete picture of the tooth structure, while all images can be digitised on the monitor in a few seconds.

The Cranex De range is easy to operate and offers multi-functional operation from adult to child pan-orals. Users can choose the area they wish to see.

The Trophy RVG uses digital imaging, allowing dentists to see an image on screen almost immediately without having to wait for a film to be processed.

Albega X-ray will service and repair all makes of x-ray equipment. The company also offers a free x-ray room-design service and film quality diagnostic service.

Reader response number: 052

Dentists get the message from Oral-B

Above: The personalised toothbrush from Oral-B, which allows dental practices to display a message of their choice on the handle. Oral-B says that almost 1,000 practices now stock the brushes, which can feature oral hygiene messages or even be used a marketing tool.

Reader response number: 053

Floss fares well

Colgate Flossing Tape has been voted a 'superior product' by dental hygienists who took part in a comparative study.

A group of 200 hygienists evaluated and compared a new fibre used by a competitor against the existing PTFE fibre used in all Colgate Flossing Tapes. They were invited to try two different samples of floss and return a questionnaire.

Over 100 questionnaires were returned and formed the basis of the analysis, which showed that: significantly more hygienists rated the existing Colgate PTFE floss higher than the 'competitor' floss in the 'ease of use' criteria; significantly more hygienists and their patients preferred the Colgate PTFE fibre over the test fibre; and that the majority of hygienists reported no problems with shredding, tearing and fraying.

New contract

Eschmann Equipment is offering a comprehensive service contract for dental equipment. The company has expanded its service operation to cover dental chairs, compressors, lights, x-ray equipment and delivery systems.

The company's private practitioners' service and maintenance agreement includes preventive maintenance, certification, breakdown cover and a telephone helpline, and Eschmann's engineers promise dentists a rapid response.

Reader response number: 054