Bringing UK dental care to the masses

When Jason Leitch, a clinical lecturer in oral surgery and sedation at Glasgow Dental Hospital & School, travelled to South-East India recently, he had not bargained for this amount of prospective patients awaiting their first dental appointment with him! It was the third time he had travelled with a Christian humanitarian organisation called the India Rural Evangelical Fellowship (IREF) who run an orphanage, school, junior college, degree college and nursing school. During his stay he helped to provide basic dental care for around 1500 school age children.

New President elect at British Dental Health Foundation

President Mike Joy has been elected as the new President of the British Dental Health Foundation.

He took over from Avril John at the Foundation's AGM recently. Suart Boulton was elected President-elect, and Penny Middleton was re-elected Company Secretary. Managing Director of Heraeus Kulzer Ltd, Mike has been a long term supporter of the work of the Foundation. The company is the UK subsidiary of the world's second largest supplier of products for dental surgeries and laboratories.

After the hand-over ceremony for the Presidential Seal, Mike Joy spoke about the significant expansion in demand for the Foundation's services, and the 10 percent jump in public enquiries. He spoke of his intention to ensure that this progress is continued. He said that the freehold acquisition of its Smile House headquarters and the introduction of a consumer-friendly new corporate image provides a sound platform on which to manage further growth. One of his first official duties was at the annual Dental Awards which took place in April, which is a joint promotion of the British Dental Health Foundation and Nexus Media.

How dentists can advise victims of crime

Dentists who treat assault victims with missing or broken teeth could help provide basic information about the availability of financial as well as emotional support.

ACICA (Assault & Criminal Injury Compensation Associates) say that dental care offered to victims of assault should be backed up by more information about the practical help and advice to which victims are entitled. There are more than 600,000 serious assaults in the UK each year – with a 30% increase in street crime in some areas since last April – but only 80,000 victims claim compensation from the Government's Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Victims often remain unaware of their right to claim awards for personal injury and loss of earnings of between £1,000 and a maximum of £500,000 in serious cases. Instead, they argue, there is a greater focus on the financial needs of offenders, while their victims suffer largely in silence. A reported £250 million in criminal fines is unpaid, yet only £200 million a year is paid to victims of violent crime.

GKT launches online CPD programme

Guy's, King's & St Thomas' Dental Institute at King's College London have launched its CPD courses to dentists exclusively over the internet.

Pictured are Professor Nairn Wilson, Head of Guy's, King's & St Thomas' Dental Institute at King's College London with Dr Pat Reynolds, senior lecturer at the Dental Institute, King's College London.

The dental school drew on its expertise to launch an online CPD programme so dentists do not have to leave their practices to learn. Professor Nairn Wilson, Head of the Guy's, King's & St Thomas' Dental Institute at King's College London, said that its online CPD courses mean dentists can access top quality teaching at their own convenience, whether at home, in the office or at their practice.

The profits from the venture will go back into the Dental Institute, directly benefiting dental education and the dentists of tomorrow. Courses on offer will initially include: Medical emergencies, Advances in periodontal diagnosis I & II, Dentist-patient communication and Infection control. Plans are for this to expand to 28 courses, all available for purchase via the website. Courses will be presented as a video-streamed lecture, with a separate window devoted to close-up photography or diagrams of items referred to in the lecture. At the end of each course a questionnaire must be answered correctly to verify completion of the course.

This year it became a legal requirement for UK dentists to keep their knowledge and skills up to date through lifelong learning, or CPD. There are already CPD courses available for dentists, but nearly all require time away from the dental practice. This time off can often entail postponed patient appointments, changes in staffing and a loss of income for the practice.

Dentists must complete 250 hours of CPD over a five-year period, of which at least 75 hours should be verifiable. This works out at 50 hours CPD per year, 15 hours of which would be verifiable. Failure to comply with this lifelong learning may mean a dentist is 'struck off' the Dentists Register. The website address is: www.gkt-cpd.org

GDC question time

Questions dentists might wish to know about the GDC might include some of the following: I've heard that our registration fees are set to go up – what does the GDC spend all our money on? How will the GDC ensure that the profession's voice is heard? How will team regulation affect my practice and what should I be doing to prepare for it? Is the GDC doing anything to preserve it?

At the 2002 British and Irish Dental Associations' Annual Conference in Belfast in May, the GDC will be hosting 'Meet the GDC' sessions to give dentists the opportunity to find out more about the Council's reform programme and have their questions answered. GDC President Professor Nairn Wilson and Chief Executive and Registrar Antony Townsend will give a short presentation to bring dentists up-to-date on the Council's reforms. The floor will then be open to all.

This is the dentists chance to get involved – to find out the facts, flag up any concerns and help shape the reforms.

The British and Irish Dental Associations' Annual Conference will be held in Belfast from 2-4 May 2002. The GDC sessions will take place on Friday 3 May and Saturday 4 May at 1.00pm in the Green Room in the Waterfront Hall.

Building on success

Since its launch, the 'keep-up-to-date.tv' CPD website and its content have achieved unprecedented professional recognition and was even included in the prestigious Vision 100 Index of the UK's 100 most visionary organisations. Such has been the level of interest, that Redbus CPD is already launching eleven new programmes both for dentists and the whole dental team.

Corn Street Dental Practice: a class act!

Corn Street Dental Practice has recently been recognised as an 'Investor in People'. The practice's two partners, Helen James and Paul Hustler have been serving the local community of Witney, Oxfordshire for the last 15 years.

Helen James and Paul Hustler (third and fourth from left)

Of the 12,000 dental practices in the UK, Corn Street Dental Practice is one of the first practices in Oxfordshire to be awarded the 'Investor in People' plaque.

By attending an eight-month IiP training development course which involved a series of six two-day workshops, Corn Street Dental Practice has introduced better communication between its ten staff.

The team has become more patient focused, developing their skills and working together to help achieve the overall goal and objectives of the practice.

New royal role for naval surgeon

Surgeon Commodore Geoff Myers OBE has taken over from Surgeon Commodore John Hargraves as director of Naval Dental Services, and has been appointed as the Queen's Honorary Dental Surgeon.

Surgeon Commodore Geoff Myers looks on as his predecessor Surgeon Commodore John Hargraves signs the dental branch over.

Geoff Myers is currently the director of clinical services in the headquarters of the Defence Dental Agency at RAF Halton, Geoff Myers entered Leeds Dental School in 1965. He was granted a Royal Navy cadetship in 1968 and became a Surgeon Lieutenant in 1970 following time in general dental practice and a house officer appointment in a dental casualty department. His early career included time at sea in HMS Bulwark and a variety of shore clinics prior to taking responsibility for an army clinic in Hong Kong.

In 1989 he became the first dentist to attend the Joint Service Defence College at Greenwich, and in 1990 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief Fleet's Headquarters in 1990. The Gulf War required an additional role in the medical organisation which included the concept, planning and organisation of the Primary Casualty Reception Ship, RFA Argus – a contribution which led to him being awarded the OBE. Following time with the Officer Study Group he became Deputy Director of Naval Dental Service, in the rank of Surgeon Captain. This led to his early participation in the creation of the Defence Dental Agency in 1996. Since then he has held the posts of Deputy Director of Plans and Resources and Deputy Director of Clinical Services within that Agency.

He became the first dentist on Surgeon General's staff under its new direction, as the Assistant Director for Medical Reserves, Recruiting and Training. In addition, he was the focal point for dental matters and held responsibility for the development of the Surgeon General's communication strategy.

Surrey practice recognised as an investor in people

Christine Osborne's practice in Surrey has every reason to feel pleased with the last twelve months. Follow recognition as an 'Investor in People' in the spring last year they were one of the first practices in the country to fulfil all the criteria for the BDA's Good Practice Scheme.

Pictured are Christine Osborne with receptionist Pauline Clement (holding 'Investor in People' plaque) and dental nurse Jackie Marie holding the Good Practice Scheme plaque.

Pauline undertook training in the BTEC Advanced award in Dental Reception and received her certificate in November and Christine was presented with her Fellowship in General Dental Practice at the FGDP (UK) diploma ceremony in March.'

European Festival of Oral Science

In September 2002 over 1,200 delegates are expected to attend the first meeting of the Pan European Federation (PEF) of the International ADR – the European Festival of Oral Science, to be held in Cardiff.

PEF represents a collaboration between four divisions of the IADR namely, British, Continental European, Irish and Scandinavian.

They have stated that the deadline for submission of abstracts for the meeting is April 5th 2002 for paper submissions and April 12th 2002 for electronic submissions.

Full registration information is available at www.global-meeting.co.uk/PEFOFIADR.

New appointments at Liverpool

The University of Liverpool have appointed Professor Graham Embery as Dean of Dental Studies and Professor Cynthia Pine as Professor of Dental Public Health and Primary Dental Care. Professor Embery moved from the University of Wales College of Medicine during 2001 to take up the Chair of Dental Science. He will continue his work on the extracellular matrix of oral tissues and has recently completed his term as President of the International Association of Dental Research. Professor Pine has recently joined Liverpool from the Dundee Dental School. Cynthia is President of the Cariology Group of IADR, has an international reputation for work in dental epidemiology and is the first woman to hold a Chair in Dentistry at Liverpool.

Diary

May 2002

Dental Sedation Teachers Group Annual Symposium Sedation Teaching: Problems and Solutions Date: 14.05.02 Venue: The Royal College of Physicians, Regent's Park, London Contact: Carole Boyle, Floor 26, Guys Dental Hospital, London Bridge, London. SE1 9RT. carole.boyle@kcl.ac.uk Website: www.dstg.co.uk

British Society of Periodontology Spring Scientific Meeting Date: 19.05.02–21.05.02 Venue: The Grand Hotel, Brighton Contact: Mrs A. Hallowes, Administrative Secretary, 44 Pool Road, Hartley, Wintney, Hook, Hants. RG27 8RD. Tel: +44 (0)1252 843598 Fax: +44 (0)1252 844018 bspadmin@btinternet.com

July 2002

Irish Society for Disability and Oral Health Conference on Special Needs Dentistry Date: 04.07.02 Venue: Dublin Dental Hospital Contact: Professor June Nunn, Dublin Dental Hospital, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2. Tel: +44 (01) 6127200 isdh@eircom.net

September 2002

BDA/MDDUS 2002 Scottish Young Dentist Conference Date: 06.09.02–07.09.02 Venue: Dunblane Hilton Hydro Contact: Fiona Angus, Deputy Scottish Secretary, 4 Atholl Place, Perth PH1 5ND. Tel: +44 (0)1738 441 040 Fax: +44 (0)1738 441042 f.angus@bda-dentistry.org.uk

British Society of Paediatric Dentistry 50th Annual Scientific Meeting Date: 11.09.02–14.09.02 Venue: University of Sheffield Contact: Dr Helen Rodd, Department of Child Dental Health, School of Clinical Dentistry, Claremont Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2TA. Tel: +44 (0)114 2717885 Fax: +44 (0)114 271 7843 h.d.rodd@sheffield.ac.uk