Nicky Bartholomew, dental nurse tutor from the School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry (SPCD), scooped Dental Care Professional Teacher of the Year 2009.
She beat seven other finalists and collected the award for making the greatest educational impact on her students.
The annual educational awards, run by the Dental Defence Union (DDU), recognise the achievements of the UK’s most outstanding dental trainers.
Students are asked to nominate inspirational lecturers who show commitment, enthusiasm, innovation and passion.
Nicky was voted for by her students and had no idea she was in the running until the shortlist was announced last October.
At the final in London, she had just 15 minutes to present her achievements to a judging panel and answer questions across a number of criteria, including knowledge of the subject and the ability to motivate others.
Her success as Dental Care Professional Teacher of the Year was announced at the seventh annual Educational Awards in London held late last year.
Nicky, who has worked at the School since its opening in October 2004, is the fourth member of staff to be nominated for a DDU award in the last five years and the first dental nurse to win the award.
In the seven years since the inception of the award, tutors from the School of Professionals Complementary to Dentistry have won twice and been runners up twice.
She said: I’m very surprised and delighted to win. It’s great to receive this type of recognition because it shows that my personal approach to education is supported by my peers and students alike.’
Head of SPCD Sara Holmes said: ‘Nicky puts her heart and soul into her teaching and thoroughly deserves to win.’
Rupert Hoppenbrouwers, head of the DDU, said that the standard of this year’s competition had led to one of the most difficult judging decisions. He said that the winners’ enthusiasm, commitment, knowledge and communication skills are a great asset to the profession.
All finalists were awarded £250 each and the winners in each category received an additional £1,000 towards the cost of educational materials for their school or vocational training. Winners also receive £150 in Marks & Spencer vouchers, courtesy of Dentsply Ltd.
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Colgate supports Heart Foundation campaign ^
Colgate and the British Heart Foundation have joined forces to help raise awareness about leading a healthier lifestyle.
The aim is also to raise vital funds to support February’s National Heart Month and highlight the systemic link between good oral health and an overall healthy lifestyle.
From this week, Colgate will donate 10p to the BHF* for each Colgate product bought at Boots (27 January-23 February).
A spokesperson for the campaign explains: ‘There’s nothing more important than your health and yet it’s something that many people take for granted. That’s especially true when it comes to your oral health.
‘Healthy teeth and gums are an essential part of your overall well being, so as well as maintaining a healthy weight, moderating your alcohol intake, exercising and not smoking, take time to consider oral health as part of your overall health regime.
‘And you can keep your heart healthy by following the BEAT!
Be active
Eat healthily
Avoid smoking
Take the lifestyle check.’
For details, click here.
*Colgate will donate up to a maximum of £100,000 for this campaign.
^1264377600^2505^Colgate supports Heart Foundation c…^Colgate and the British Heart Foundation have joined forces to help raise awareness about leading a healthier lifestyle.The aim is also to r…^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/heart-bulb.png
Painless plasma jets could replace drill^^1264377600^2506^Painless plasma jets could replace …^^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/gloved-hands-drill.jpg
Baby death linked to mum’s gum disease^
The first-ever documented link between foetal death and a mother’s pregnancy-related gum disease has been reported.
A 35-year-old woman delivered a full-term stillborn baby who, during pregnancy, experienced severe gum bleeding, a symptom of pregnancy-related gingivitis.
Approximately 75% of pregnant women experience gum bleeding due to the hormonal changes during pregnancy.
These findings – by Yiping Han, a researcher from Department of Periodontics at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine – are discussed in an article in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
The article explains that bleeding in the gums allows bacteria in the mouth to enter the bloodstream and potentially infect a foetus – but can be stopped by the immune system.
However, in this case, the mother also experienced an upper respiratory infection like a cold and low-grade fever just a few days before the stillbirth.
Lead author, Yiping Han, said: ‘There is an old wives’ tale that you lose a tooth for each baby, and this is due to the underlying changes during pregnancy.
‘But if there is another underlying condition in the background, then you may lose more than a tooth.’
Even though the amniotic fluid was not available for testing, Han suspects from work with animal models that the bacteria entered the immune-free amniotic fluid and eventually ingested by the baby.
‘The timing is important here because it fits the timeframe of haematogenous (through the blood) spreading we observed in animals,’ Han said.
Post-mortem microbial studies of the baby found the presence of F. nucleatum in the lungs and stomach. The baby had died from a septic infection and inflammation caused by bacteria.
After questioning the mother about her health during the pregnancy, Han arranged for her to visit a periodontist, who collected plaque samples from her teeth.
Using DNA cloning technologies, Han found a match in the bacterium in the mother’s mouth with the bacterium in the baby’s infected lungs and stomach.
‘The testing strongly suggested the bacteria were delivered through the blood,’ Han said.
With preventive periodontal treatment and oral health care, the mother has since given birth to a healthy baby.
Han says this points again to the growing importance of good oral health care.
Collaborating with Han on the case study were Yann Fardini, Casey Chen, Karla G. Iacampo, Victoria A. Peraino, Jaime Shamonki and Raymond W. Redline.
The study had support from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in the US.
^1264377600^2507^Baby death linked to mum’s gum di…^The first-ever documented link between foetal death and a mother’s pregnancy-related gum disease has been reported.A 35-year-old woman deliv…^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/mum2be2.png
Mum’s bleeding gums linked to stillbirth^
The first-ever documented link between foetal death and a mother’s pregnancy-related gum disease has been reported.
A 35-year-old woman who, suffered severe gum bleeding during pregnanc,y delivered a full-term stillborn baby.
The bleeding is a symptom of pregnancy-related gingivitis and approximately 75% of pregnant women experience gum bleeding due to the hormonal changes during pregnancy.
These findings – by Yiping Han, a researcher from Department of Periodontics at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine – are discussed in an article in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
The article explains that bleeding in the gums allows bacteria in the mouth to enter the bloodstream and potentially infect a foetus – but can be stopped by the immune system.
However, in this case, the mother also experienced an upper respiratory infection like a cold and low-grade fever just a few days before the stillbirth.
Lead author, Yiping Han, said: ‘There is an old wives’ tale that you lose a tooth for each baby, and this is due to the underlying changes during pregnancy. ‘But if there is another underlying condition in the background, then you may lose more than a tooth.’
Even though the amniotic fluid was not available for testing, Han suspects from work with animal models that the bacteria entered the immune-free amniotic fluid and eventually ingested by the baby.
‘The timing is important here because it fits the timeframe of haematogenous (through the blood) spreading we observed in animals,’ Han said.
Post-mortem microbial studies of the baby found the presence of F. nucleatum in the lungs and stomach.
The baby had died from a septic infection and inflammation caused by bacteria. After questioning the mother about her health during the pregnancy, Han arranged for her to visit a periodontist, who collected plaque samples from her teeth.
Using DNA cloning technologies, Han found a match in the bacterium in the mother’s mouth with the bacterium in the baby’s infected lungs and stomach.
‘The testing strongly suggested the bacteria were delivered through the blood,’ Han said. With preventive periodontal treatment and oral health care, the mother has since given birth to a healthy baby.
Han says this points again to the growing importance of good oral health care.
Collaborating with Han on the case study were Yann Fardini, Casey Chen, Karla G. Iacampo, Victoria A. Peraino, Jaime Shamonki and Raymond W. Redline. The study had support from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research in the US.
^1264377600^2508^Mum’s bleeding gums linked to still…^The first-ever documented link between foetal death and a mother’s pregnancy-related gum disease has been reported.A 35-year-old woman who, …^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/belly.png
E-learning professor joins virtual dental school^
An expert on teaching students via the internet is helping to develop an international virtual dental school.
Frank Rennie, professor of sustainable rural development at the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands, will help to spread dental healthcare education across the world through flexible learning.
A pioneer in the use of online education, Professor Rennie is the second UHI collaborator to be involved in the UK government’s £2.3 million IVIDENT (International Virtual Dental School) project which will be launched as UDENTE (Universal Dental E-learning) in May this year.
He joins Dr Isobel Madden, head of the Inverness-based UHI School of Oral Health Science.
King’s College London, where the project is based, has awarded Professor Rennie a visiting professorship, and he is now on the International Advisory Board for UDENTE to advise on global flexible learning.
He said: ‘I am delighted to be involved in this exciting initiative which aims to change the way that dental education is presented and delivered to dental practitioners and students. The innovations will provide top quality digital teaching resources, not just for our own students, but for collaborating institutions all around the world.
He is working with Professor Patricia Reynolds, director of flexible learning at the King’s College London Centre of Flexible Learning in Dentistry.
She said: ‘Professor Rennie’s expertise in creating and researching global learning opportunities, especially in remote areas, resonates with key aims of the project. These are to develop, research and provide innovative dental healthcare education to a global audience through flexible learning.
‘King’s is one of the five academic health science centres in the UK providing local clinical services, global research and education opportunities. Professor Rennie’s advice on educational innovations will be invaluable.’
