MP opens Chard Dental Access Centre
Approval for new Dentists Act order
The Section 60 Order to amend the Dentists Act (1984), which allows for the creation of a smaller, more strategic Council and introduces compulsory CPD, was debated in the House of Commons and House of Lords recently, where it was approved with all-party support.
On 9 August 2001,the Department of Health issued a consultation document, Modernising Regulation in the Health Professions, which outlined the Government proposals for the creation of a Council for the Regulation of Health Care Professionals, (CRHP). The NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill, which was published in November 2001, contains provision for the creation of the Council. The second reading of the Bill recently took place.
Society's new award
At the 200l Regional Meeting of the British Endodontic Society recently, Tim Hogan from Maidstone was awarded the General Practitioner prize. It was the first time that an award for an interesting or unusual case report of an endodontic treatment had been made. Three members of Council act as judges, and take into account such matters as the diagnosis and treatment plan, the standard of both the treatment and the presentation, and the use of appropriate references. A prize of £1,000 worth of endodontic equipment was awarded to Mr Hogan, whose presentation was judged the best overall.
Presentations were made to some of the the Society's other award winners. They included Amre Maglad, from The Eastman Dental Institute who was awarded the Spring Scientific Poster Prize of £500 and Philip Tomson from Birmingham, who won the Vocational Trainee award of £350.
The meeting, which drew almost 240 delegates, also saw the official launch of the British Endodontic Society web site.
Business & Features Error-free shade determination
Speaking at the annual meeting of the British Association of Teachers of Conservative Dentistry (BATCD) recently, Dr Gerd Henning, a colour scientist from Germany offered his tips for quick and simple shade determination of cervical, approximal and incisal surfaces. Shade determination, he claimed, is a difficult and complex procedure which is influenced by many factors. Some of the main points of his presentation are:
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According to Dr Henning, 8% of men have colour sight deficiency, but only 1% of women. Women are also more sensitive to colour nuances than men. He suggests dentists should have their sense of colour tested, and have an assistant to offer a second opinion when choosing the shades.
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Each individual human being perceives colour stimuli differently, and has a different emotional reaction to it – its description is subject to wide limits of interpretation. For this reason, the dental technician who produces the restoration (and not the head of the laboratory) should ideally determine the shade in addition to the dentist.
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A distance of approximately 50–70 cm between eye and tooth (hold the shade guide to the patient's mouth at arm's length) is ideal for the optimum colour resolution (small angle of vision).
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Spectacles with reflecting or tinted glasses distort the shade. For this reason, never wear spectacles when shade-taking.
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The eyes will tire after 5-7 seconds and this leads to colour shift. Rest your eyes by looking at a light, white or grey (not blue!) surface or by looking out of the window for about 10 seconds.
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Ideal lighting conditions are daylight at a north facing window in the morning with slightly overcast weather conditions. Glaring, direct sunlight should be toned down with a transparent curtain.
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Do not undertake shade determination at the patient chair under the OP lamp. The light (at least 9'000-25'000 lx) is too bright and washes the colours out of the tooth. The dimmer the light the more grey the tooth shade will appear.
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Strong colours on the workbench and cupboards distort the colour perception of the tooth in the mouth and on the model. Clothing with strong colours should be covered up with a pastel-coloured or grey overall or cloth. For this reason, lipstick should always be removed before shade-taking.
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Model plaster can distort the colour perception of the crowns. Blue plaster is ideal, not white (too light) or yellow plaster.
Investors In People IIP award for Telford Dental Practices
A Telford-based dental practice has become the first in its county to be recognised an an 'Investor in People'.
Bridge Dental of Oakengates was launched in 1992 by husband and wife team Simon and Judy Bromley, with a special interest in cosmetic work as well as general dentistry.
Earlier this year they were named among the top three dental teams of the year in a national competition. The 'Investors in People' award comes less than a year after the practice made the commitment and covers a staff of ten.
Judy Bromley says business has become more profitable since the team started working towards targets and goals. The plaque was presented to the practice by Gail Humphreys, IIP adviser with Business Link Shropshire.
Trust me I'm an NHS Dentist
Confidence in NHS dentists has risen to 62 per cent up from 53 per cent in 1999 according to a survey carried out by the King's Fund. The British Social Attitudes survey is carried out annually by the National Centre for Social Research and involved over 3000 members of the public.
Those people who had recent experience of using the NHS were most likely to be optimistic about it, while people with little first hand experience tended to be the most negative.
Getting Online Electronic future of dentistry
More dental practices could soon be setting up their own websites for patients to e-mail questions or request appointments once a new national framework has been drawn up.
Speaking at a recent conference, the Health Minister John Hutton described the Government's plans for introducing an electronic booked admissions programme as a change in the relationship between the NHS and patients. He insisted that the scale and pace of change needs to be supported by new technology in the form of state-of-the-art electronic booking systems.
Mr Hutton (pictured opposite) told the audience at the 'Moving to Mainstream' conference in London that any new system needs to offer choices to patients and professionals, be simple to use and easy to implement. He outlined the intentions of the Government to provide a full range of information services to the patient and the person booking the appointment about services and waiting times. It would be backed up by local transaction booking services providing a range of options and choices about who makes the booking and from what location it is made. Then it would be supported throughout by an effective booking management service which can help patients change or re-arrange their appointments.
Mr Hutton added that the booked admissions pilots, talks with potential suppliers and consultation with patients and professionals will all inform the final business case for electronic booking.
The NHS, he said, must compare itself with what people expect in other parts of their lives. In banking, transport, leisure and retail private companies use technology to help create and deliver large-scale services. He said: 'We may want to visit a bank during our working day, but we may equally want to make contact with them in the evening or at weekends. We have to make a similar investment in the new technologies that can speed up access to healthcare.'
Mr Hutton said that the challenge as well as redesigning healthcare services so that they can make the best sense from a clinical perspective, was to make sure that the way patients access these services – and indeed relate to the NHS more generally – is supported by the appropriate technology.
One of the finalists at the recent BDA/Department of Health Focus Awards – an initiative set up to recognise patient-focused innovations within dental practices – was commended for its successful implementation of a practice website. The website of Leeds-based '68 The Dental Practice' allows patients to e-mail the practice to request appointments at certain times and they are given details by e-mail or telephone with details of an appointment. Patients are offered the chance to e-mail questions which a dentist answers every day. Practice dentist Dr Jeff Sherer designed and built the web-page over a period of six weeks, paying only for the web space. He says that having a web-page has been an excellent opportunity not only to promote the practice but also to educate patients and non-patients alike about dental treatment, on topics such as crowns and bridgework. The web-site also features directions to the practice and details of opening times. Dr Sherer says that it is very satisfying when new patients come to the surgery having seen the web page (www.68thedentalsurgery-implant.co.uk).
Awarding good practice at Dental Showcase
At the recent International Dental Showcase in Birmingham, Robert Harding on behalf of the Smilecare Dental Centre in Crawley, West Sussex, was presented with the British Dental Association's Good Practice Scheme plaque by Peter Swiss, president of the BDA.
At the official launch function, the BDA's Good Practice Scheme manager, Lesley Derry, outlined the hallmarks of the scheme and mentioned how positive the feedback had been from those practices that had participated in the pre-launch scheme.
The Smilecare Dental Centre practice manager Lindy Meldrum said that membership of the BDA Good Practice scheme will further assure their patients and referral dentists of their ongoing commitment to achieving and maintaining a very high standard in dentistry.
The Good Practice Commitment comprises ten simple statements describing how a practice aims to look after its patients. Every member of the practice – dental nurses and other staff as well as dentists – is asked to make a personal commitment to the Good Practice Standard when the practice applies to join the Scheme. The BDA hopes that the Good Practice plaque will become a recognisable brand and will instil confidence in the patients of those practices that have signed up to the scheme. By working with the Patients' Association in the development of the Scheme, the BDA hopes to create something which is patient-friendly as well as being useful to practices.
New appointment of Professor of Periodontology
The University of Birmingham have announced the appointment of Iain Chapple to Personal Chair in Periodontology. lain's promotion takes effect from the beginning of the 2001 academic session.
He leads a research team active in investigating the pathobiology of periodontal diseases. His contribution in this area was recently recognised at the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) meeting in Japan, when he was awarded the Anthony Rizzo Research Prize of the IADR Periodontal Research Group for 2001.
Iain is also the clinical lead for a large regional specialist periodontal care service and heads the academic teaching program at Birmingham in Periodontology.
lain graduated from Newcastle Dental School in 1986 and after house jobs, two posts in practice and an SHO post in maxillo-facial surgery at Sunderland General Hospital, moved to Leeds Dental Institute as Registrar. He obtained his Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1989 and moved to Birmingham as Lecturer in Restorative Dentistry in 1990.
Business High salaries mean low profits
Eighty-per-cent of companies in the UK dental industry are spending more on salaries than they were three years ago yet just over half are making more profit, according to market analysts Plimsoll.
According to their Portfolio Analysis for 2002, 902 job losses are imminent in the UK dental industry next year. The analysis found far more fundamental 'business' reasons for these job losses that go back long before the last few months of economic uncertainty.
The findings reveal that for the last three years the cost of employing people has been increasing at a greater rate than the industry has been able to afford. The cost of salaries has increased by 23%, yet sales have only risen by 28% in the same period.The cost of salaries as a function of sales has increased 2% and already a quarter of the companies are loss making. Further pressure for job cuts will be brought on by next year's expected salary increases.
The analysis suggests that next year average salaries will increase from £21,895 to £22,719, a rise of 3.8%. Plimsoll claim that 45% of the companies included in the analysis could not absorb next year's salary increases, as they simply cannot afford to pay. The analysis provides evidence that at least 60% of the industry will need to shed jobs in the next 12 months. One of these big players could see job cuts of 402 people. According to the analysis, there are at least 31 companies in serious financial distress.
Best industry trading partners
Sixteen companies in the dental industry have been named 'Best Trading Partners' for 2001 by financial analysis company Plimsoll. Chosen from 440 companies in the dental industry sixteen companies were selected for their financial and commercial success.
Taking an overall measure for success, companies must have a combination of a strong balance sheet, good profitability and sound cash control – all while still capturing the market. The 16 'Best Trading Partners' grew by over 10% on average compared with the industry average of 6.2%. Profit margins at 8.2% on average were also above the industry average of 3.5%. These companies are Cross Infection Control Systems (CICS) Ltd, Denplan Ltd, European Dental Laboratory Ltd, Haley Ltd, J. J. Thompson (Orthodontic Appliances) Ltd, Kerr UK Ltd, L Ziman & Associates Ltd, Matland Ltd, Metalor Dental Products Ltd, Newfield Construction Ltd, Practice Plan Ltd and Schulke & Mayr UK Ltd, Skillbond Direct Ltd, Takara Belmont (UK) Ltd, Temp Dent Dental Agency Ltd and Westone Products Ltd.
The company with the biggest market share increase was Denplan Ltd, whose sales increased by over £9.5 million and now have sales of almost £145 million. Metalor Dental Products were the oldest company to receive a 'Best Trading Partner' award this year. Incorporated in 1958 with current sales of over £5.2 million, this company grew 13.4% last year.
Diary
February 2002 Barbados Dental Association 14th Annual Mid-Winter Meeting Date: 18.02.02–23.02.02 Venue: Savannah Hotel, Hastings, Christchurch, Barbados Contact: Dr Colin Wynne-davis, 9 Crofton Road, Orpington, Kent. BR6 8AE Tel: +44 (0)1689 821217 E-mail: cwynnedavis@cs.com Barbados Dental Association E-mail: bdosdentalassoc@caribsurf.com
March 2002 The Royal Society of Medicine Odontological Section Meeting: Part V Date: 18.03.02 Venue: The Royal Society of Medicine Contact: Lochana Nanayakkara, Secretary Elect, Section of Odontology, The Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London, W1G OAE. Tel: +44 (0)207 290 3934 Fax: +44 (0)207 290 2989 Study Day of the North Western Division of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners: Planning for Excellence in Crown and Bridgework Date: 20.03.02 Venue: MANDEC Dental Hospital Contact: Janet Bradshaw, Ian Wood's Dental Practice, 45 Northenden Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 2DL. Tel: +44 (0)161 973 6356
May 2002 British and Irish Dental Associations Annual Conference Date: 02.05.02–04.05.02 Venue: Waterfront Hall, Belfast Contact: Claire Burns, Conference Manager, British Dental Association, 64 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 8YS. Tel: +44 (0)207 563 4590 Fax: +44 (0)207 563 4591 Website: http://www.bda-events.org.uk The British Society for Restorative Dentistry Date: 10.05.02–11.05.02 Venue: The Haven Hotel, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset Contact: Janet Harlow, Turner Dental School, Higher Cambridge Street, Manchester, M15 6FH. Tel/Fax: +44 (0)161 275 6797 Email: janet.harlow@man.ac.uk
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Update. Br Dent J 192, 5–8 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4801277
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4801277
