Implantology education… as you like it

There is something for everyone in the 2012 dental implantology education programme on www.courses4implants.com.

The online prospectus enables dental professionals to ‘pick and mix’ a training programme tailored to their individual needs.
 
According to Dr Ashok Sethi, of The Centre for Implant and Reconstructive Dentistry, Harley Street: ‘Through its continuing commitment to education, Dentsply Friadent offers a variety of options for every member of the dental implant team. Whatever your current level of competence, there are opportunities to help you improve your skills, from restorative through to advanced surgical training.’
 
Many of the most popular courses feature live surgery and hands-on sessions to help develop practical skills.

Lectures by leading experts give theoretical teaching in implant surgery and prosthetics.  Mentoring supports dentists in their own practice and direct learning online provides convenient training opportunities for the whole implant team.
 
The GDC states that a dental professional’s primary qualification is only the first step in their education, which lasts throughout their practising life.

Dr Sethi explains: ‘To meet patients’ needs in the fast developing field of dental implantology, it is more important than ever that all clinicians continue to maintain and extend their level of competence. There are many ways in which training can be accessed and a variety of recognised pathways, all of which can contribute to implantology skills development.’
 
During 2012, there are more comprehensive year courses for those who want to be able to place dental implants for their own patients.

Dr Paul McKenna, of Finaghy Dental Practice, attended the Interactive Surgery and Prosthetics programme in Belfast. He says it is ‘an ideal course for anyone looking to get started in implants’.
 
For those who are already active in dental implantology, the 2012 programme offers additional surgical courses to help clinicians gain the skills to tackle a wider range of cases.

Dr C Michael Parkinson of Faces and Smiles, Norwich found the live surgery with sinus grafting and bone augmentation on Dr Andrew Moore’s Advanced Implantology course “particularly useful for moving on to the next level of implant treatment. 

Combined with appropriate formal tuition, one-to-one mentoring is an essential component of training in implant dentistry. More than 30 accomplished implantologists listed on courses4implants.com are keen to share their wealth of knowledge to help colleagues get involved with implant treatment.

Dr Nilesh Bhatt of Ocean Dental, Manchester, believes, ‘Having one of the country’s top implantologists in the team offers my practice a certain cachet. You cannot put a price on that!’
 
Dr Ashok Sethi continues: ‘In addition to the implant dentist, Dentsply Friadent also reaches out to the increasing numbers of general dental practitioners who are starting out in this field. Meanwhile, for dental technicians, hygienists and dental nurses, training provided by implant suppliers is especially valuable, in the absence of any formal accreditation.’
 
Dentists who wish to restore implant cases can quickly learn to do so through an even more extensive selection of short courses and training events.

Dr Mike Kelly of Southview Dental Centre, Edenbridge, Kent, found the ‘Restoring Implants’ course with Dr Matthew Holyoak and Steve Taylor, ‘demystified all the implant components and gave me a chance to practise using them’.

Knowing he will be involved in the case gives Dr Kelly ‘more confidence when talking to patients about implants’.
 
Dental nurses and hygienists can gain the knowledge and confidence to support implant dentists, on courses around the UK.

Practical interactive training is also available for dental technicians who wish to undertake implant work for dental surgeons.

As a complement to attendance on traditional courses, dental professionals can gain knowledge of this exciting field with the click of a mouse during a break at the practice, at the end of the day, or from the comfort of their armchair.

Implantology postgraduate education is more widely available than ever before via the online learning resources within courses4implants.com.

In addition, practice development seminars help dentists to treat more patients and grow their business.
 


For further clinical inspiration, insight into the latest developments and a great deal of fun, implant dentists can join more than 2,000 colleagues from 60 nations at the Dentply Friadent World Symposium on 16-17 March 2012.

This stimulating event is the flagship of the company’s international implantology education programme and details are available on www.courses4implants.com.
 
Patient interest in dental implants is increasing all the time.  One way or another, every dentist needs to be able to offer the treatment, as part of a comprehensive package of care.  DENTSPLY Friadent supports postgraduate training for any dental professional who wants to get involved or broaden their skills.  However they prefer to learn, there is something for every member of the implant team on courses4implants.com. 

^1323043200^4668^Implantology education… as you li…^There is something for everyone in the 2012 dental implantology education programme on www.courses4implants.com.The online prospectus enable…^
Dentistry comment: Let them eat cake^

You may detect a slightly European flavour in the contents of this column. This should really come as no surprise given that the subject of Europe and the under-siege Euro has been de rigeur in all corners of the British media recently.

Greece’s palpable irritation of having to go down on bended knee to Germany, of all people, reminds us that only a generation or two ago, Greece found itself invaded and then ruled by Germany (and Italy). Greece has been around for a fair while and, like most of its more recently civilised European partners, has had its fair share of conflicts with a number of its European neighbours over the years.

Several European economies are obviously in a parlous state and several more could join them if a workable and sustainable solution cannot be found. One does not normally think of healthcare professionals when the term ‘economic migrant’ is bandied around, but the free movement of labour around the European Union means that, through Acquired and Derived Rights, the door to the UK Dentists Register is very much open for those who choose to walk through it. In recent years, it is our European colleagues rather than our Commonwealth cousins who are topping the list of newly registered dentists here in the UK. I have mentioned in previous columns (but it bears repeating) that all the graduates of all the UK’s dental schools put together are still in the minority when it comes to additions to our Dentists Register each year.

It is thought to be highly improbable the French Bourbon Queen Marie Antoinette ever uttered those words traditionally attributed her ‘Let them eat cake’. Had she done so, I suspect it would have been with a strong French accent. We will never know whether she would have passed the new English language test recently suggested by the secretary of state for health as a mandatory requirement for healthcare professionals wishing to work in the NHS. He believes that, although it is illegal for a European members state to impede the free movement of European workers from an immigration perspective, NHS Trusts are free to impose criteria on who they will or will not employ from an operational perspective.

This represents a change of policy and direction by the Department of Health in the interests of patient safety and in the wake of some high-profile NHS disasters resulting from communication failures. There is widespread recognition that it is just not possible to practise safely as a healthcare professional if you cannot communicate in the language spoken by your patients. But the elephant in the room was the fact that many fluent English-speaking healthcare professionals also cannot communicate with their patients in their native language. This results from the fact that in an increasingly multi-cultural Britain, it is arguably more likely that the patients (rather than the healthcare professionals) will not speak English to an intelligible standard.

WeightWatchers
Mme Antoinette herself might have been a candidate for a junior ministerial position in the Department of Health, because an understanding of cake and the tendency of the proletariat to want to eat it, will assume increasing relevance as the health reforms are taken forward.

The size of the overall NHS cake, having expanded hugely in the past 10-15 years, is having its own dose of realism, just like the rest of public spending. Yes, it is being allowed to overhang the plate intended for it, but increases in one area mostly need to be justified by savings and efficiencies elsewhere. The real pain of the current trip to WeightWatchers has yet to be felt, because the first round of austerity measures is always easier to absorb than those subsequently overlaid upon it.

And what are the realistic prospects of NHS dentistry getting a bigger slice of that finite NHS cake? Dentistry has always been, and it continues to be, a much softer target than many other areas of healthcare. Consequently, we will do very well indeed if the Treasury cake tongs deposit a slice of cake anywhere near as large as we have become accustomed to.

Mille-feuille
And it doesn’t end there, either, because this particular cake does not have the solidity, density and cohesiveness of a doughnut or muffin. Far from it. Our cake is more like a mille-feuille (something that would have won Madame Antoinette’s approval, no doubt), with one flaky layer suspended precariously over another. It is a balancing act between primary dental care (including community dental care), the hospital and specialist services, public health dentistry and the rest. And the NHS pilots are already suggesting a much bigger (and hence, more expensive) role for secondary care in dentistry.

What happens, therefore, if more and more people are queuing up for a slice of whatever limited serving NHS primary dental care ends up with? You don’t need to have won Masterchef to realise that not everyone is going to get all that they had hoped for.

Providers up and down the country have already been softened up for this disappointment because on my travels I keep hearing of cases where successful practices have pitched for additional UDAs, only to be told that the PCT’s larder is bare.

The last real downturn in this country (about 20 years ago) was very different to the current economic situation because it was deep and relatively short-lived. Most downturns last little more than a year and the period of actual recession within that is even shorter. And history tells us that the recovery from such a downturn is usually strong and fast. For most of 2011, the UK economy has become surgically attached to the flatline between economic growth and contraction and history also tells us that the flatter the downcurve, the longer it takes to bounce back. It is all about confidence, a commodity that is in short supply right now.

Within a year of the depths of the early-1990s recession, strange as it may seem, UK practitioners were striding off into the private sector and Denplan thought Christmas had come early. There was the small matter of a 7% NHS fee cut to start the ball rolling, of course.

In many ways, that migration helped the GDS sums to add up at a difficult moment in time, because the cake went a little further than it might otherwise have done. In today’s economic climate, it is difficult to imagine the private sector coming to the rescue of beleaguered NHS practitioners in the same way. And if it doesn’t, all the additional mouths to feed will severely test the new-look world of NHS dentistry in a few short years from now.

Désolé
It matters not if Marie Antoinette never actually said ‘let them eat cake’ because she has left us a far more enduring legacy which is a lot more likely to be true and also much more relevant to banks, politicians and errant newspaper editors today.

‘I am sorry, I didn’t mean to do it’ are believed to be her last words, after inadvertently treading on the executioner’s foot as she climbed the steps up the scaffold. A mistake, I suspect, that she lived to regret – although probably not for long as things turned out.

^1323043200^4669^Dentistry comment: Let them eat cak…^You may detect a slightly European flavour in the contents of this column. This should really come as no surprise given that the subject of …^
Tory U-turn on school dental screening plan^

Dental screening checks will not be re-introduced in schools as they are ‘ineffective’ at improving oral health, the government has said.

Department of Health guidelines published in 2007 removed the obligation on primary care trusts to provide dental screening to school children.

But before the 2010 election the Tories promised every five year old in the country would get a free dental check-up.

In addition, children would be taught how to brush their teeth properly and warned of the dangers of eating too many sweets and drinking sugary drinks.

Then shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said around 680,000 children would benefit from the £17 million scheme, aimed at combating the decline in pupils’ dental health.

But, on questioning from MPs, Conservative health minister Simon Burns said: ‘We are committed to improving the oral health of school children but have decided against the reintroduction of school screening checks.

‘In 2006, the National Screening Committee (NSC) advised that the routine dental screening of children in primary schools was ineffective in improving children’s oral health. The NSC found that children who were identified as requiring treatment were not accessing a general dental practice where it could be provided.’

Labour’s shadow health secretary Andy Burnham added: ‘This is the latest in a long line of NHS broken promises from the prime minister.

‘David Cameron made the pledge in opposition to show the Tories had changed, but his failure to keep his word yet again goes to the heart of his personal credibility.’

But the British Dental Association welcomed the coalition’s position. Dr Peter Bateman, chair of the BDA’s Salaried Dentists Committee, said: ‘We are pleased to see the Department of Health restate its commitment not to introduce school-based dental screening. Dentists know that such screening does not help to reduce oral health inequalities, and early in the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill the BDA campaigned for this ineffective measure to be set aside.

‘Far more effective are targeted schemes such as Manchester Smiles and Childsmile that seek to engage the child population with intervention and education. It is these approaches that government and commissioners must focus on developing further.’

^1323043200^4670^Tory U-turn on school dental screen…^Dental screening checks will not be re-introduced in schools as they are ‘ineffective’ at improving oral health, the government …^
Dentistry focus: Time for reflection^

Are you successful but there is something missing? Do you keep dreaming of a better life? That whole work less earn more theory keeps banging away but you just can’t quite get there?

Well, it’s time to take some personal time. It’s time for reflection and re-evaluation. Have you ever asked yourself what you actually really want and where you want to be? What is success? And what does it lean to you?

The most successful in business take time for reflection and evaluation and re- evaluation. They know and understand what success is to them personally and how to measure it.

• Mentally plan and aim for the future
• Avoid stagnation and staying in the present
• Be honest with yourself about your goals – if something isn’t working for you 
   right now than consider change
• Rethink and rewrite plans if necessary
• By making change you are on the road to success.

The only true measurement of success is our own interpretation. This means that if we don’t take time to think and plan we can’t make things happen however large or small our business is and then we fail to grow and develop.

I have been running my own very successful consulting company for many years and suddenly I realised I was overworking and getting frustrated. I have a clear vision to create a work life balance and spend time with my family. This to me is success. Suddenly on reflection I was juggling my family and constantly responding to my mail.

I took the time to unload. I thought long and hard about my achievements to date, looked back and my plan and my goals and took an honest look at what I was doing. I re wrote some of my plans and considered all of the ways I could manage my work life balance. I thought of a new strategy and then set to work.

For me, it was a case of appointing team members to further support the growth of my business, but most importantly mentally let myself off the hook for not being able to always commit to everything.  I had to take time to change what and how I was managing my day to day running, to ensure efficiency. The key here, being ‘change’.

After all, if I kept on doing the same things I was going to get the same result!

On many occasions, I coach individuals asking themselves these very same questions and I take them through this process and assist them in their move toward success. Is it time for you to ask yourself the questions to move you towards your ultimate vision.

^1323129600^4671^Dentistry focus: Time for reflectio…^Are you successful but there is something missing? Do you keep dreaming of a better life? That whole work less earn more theory keeps bangin…^
Young dentists elect new leaders^

Dr Martin Nimmo, an associate working in general dental practice in London, has been elected to chair the British Dental Association’s (BDA) Young Dentists’ Committee (YDC).

He has vowed to strengthen the committee as a political force and make its voice heard in the decision making of the BDA’s craft committees.

Until earlier this year, Martin worked as a senior house officer in oral and maxillofacial surgery in Scotland. He is also the current chair of the BDA’s Student Committee.

He will be assisted by newly elected vice chair, Dr Maria Papavergos, a general dental practitioner working in a mixed private/NHS practice in Edinburgh.

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<p>The executive of the Committee is completed by two further GDPs: Dr Tom Bysouth, an associate in predominantly NHS general practice in Aberdare; and Michael Lessani, an associate working in a variety of mixed NHS and private practices in Greater London.</p>
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<p>Martin said: ‘Now, more than ever, young dentists need their own voice. Careers in dentistry are changing and younger practitioners must contend not only with the big issues that the profession as a whole faces, but also with their own set of distinct challenges.</p>
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<p>‘Young dentists graduate with increasingly-significant amounts of debt into a world where their talents are to be utilised in very different ways compared to their predecessors of just a generation ago. We need a strong voice that champions young dentists regardless of which country or area of dentistry they work in. The executive of YDC will be working hard to ensure it is that voice.’</p>
<p>^1323129600^4672^Young dentists elect new leaders^Dr Martin Nimmo, an associate working in general dental practice in London, has been elected to chair the British Dental Association’s…^<br />
10,000 smiles to be given away!^</p>
<p>The preparations for the UK’s biggest oral health campaign – National Smile Month 2012 – officially get underway today.</p>
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<p>The new-look campaign is being kick-started with a free giveaway of 10,000 ‘smileys’ – the official symbol of the 2012 campaign – and a new website.</p>
<p>The first 2,000 eligible organisations will be able to register online for their five free ‘smileys’ and get a sneak preview of the UK’s most successful oral health campaign which has been re-branded and overhauled for 2012.</p>
<p>The campaign – sponsored by Oral-B, Wrigley, Listerine and Macleans – is also heading into the high street in a major way.</p>
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<p>Aldi, Argos, Wilkinson and Lloyds Pharmacy are supporting the campaign and helping to promote the campaigns key messages for great oral health:<br />• Brush for two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste<br />• Cut down on how often you eat sugary foods and drinks<br />• Visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.</p>
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<p>The British Dental Health Foundation’s director of campaigns and fundraising, Simon Howell said: ‘After last year’s campaign we spent a lot of time talking to health professionals, sponsors and our partners about how we could make National Smile Month even better.</p>
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<p>‘As a result we’ve announced the campaign details much earlier and completely re-branded the campaign to create many more opportunities for existing, and new organisations and supporters, to help share the message of how to achieve great oral health.</p>
<p>‘Despite retaining a serious oral health message, we’ve placed ‘fun’ at the heart of the campaign.  Our ‘smiley’ is just one of those ideas and the whole approach of this year’s campaign will make it easier to engage with the public and bring the importance of oral health to their attention.</p>
<p>‘The ‘smileys’ are being made available on a first-come, first-serve basis for eligible organisations. We hope the whole approach of this year’s campaign will inspire many more organisations to get involved.  The campaign runs from 20 May to 20 June, so there is lots of time to plan and get involved.’</p>
<p>Organisations can register for their free ‘smileys’ by registering online at: <a href=http://www.smilemonth.org>www.smilemonth.org</a>.</p>
<p>^1323129600^4673^10,000 smiles to be given away!^The preparations for the UK’s biggest oral health campaign – National Smile Month 2012 – officially get underway today.The new-l…^<br />
The holidays – time to smile!^</p>
<p>Can you hear it? The silver bells are starting to ring, and soon Father Christmas will be treating good boys and girls to the delights of the Season.</p>
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<p>Have you been naughty or nice this year? Have you had a dental check-up since January, and how is your oral hygiene?</p>
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<p>Do your teeth look like they reflect the sun, or resemble the last mud wrestling tournament you attended? How about your oral health—have you been behaving and have a good report from your dental practitioner? Tis the time of year to smile big, and you need to take care of your teeth and gums now.</p>
<p>According to UKSmiles, located in London, here are five important considerations to keep your smile in great shape:</p>
<p><strong>What kind of toothbrush is recommended? How should I care for it?  </strong><br />Your toothbrush should be approved by the British Dental Association. Select a soft to medium brush whenever possible. Many different brushes exist on the market today. Children’s brushes come in exciting colours and characters, creating visual interest and helping motivate them to brush.</p>
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<p>Your toothbrush should be visually inspected regularly and should be replaced every 3-4 months, or when the bristles become damaged or frayed. Toothbrushes are personal and should not be shared, as bacteria will be transferred, potentially increasing the risk of infection. Brushes should be rinsed after use, air dried stored upright and away from other toothbrushes or objects.</p>
<p><strong>Should I brush or floss first?</strong><br />The most important aspect of oral care, is regularly brushing twice a day and flossing daily in an effective manner. The order isn’t important, just schedule it in your day. Select an approved appropriate toothbrush and replace when worn or after 3-4 months. If you want to know if your brushing is effective, discuss your technique with our dental team. We love to assist our patients with ongoing preventive care. Sometimes, using plaque disclosing tablets may be best. One tablet is chewed thoroughly in the mouth immediately after tooth brushing. The red dye will stick to plaque, clearly illustrating areas that need more attention in brushing. They tablets are available over-the-counter at a pharmacy or at a dental clinic.</p>
<p><strong>How can I prevent gum disease?</strong><br />This common ailment affects 7 out of 10 adults. It is caused by plaque and tartar adhering near and under the gumline, causing inflammation and infection. Proper brushing and flossing technique and frequency, as recommended at dental practices, is vital in the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums. Brushing should be gentle, covering each tooth surface and especially at the gumline where the tooth and gum meet. This should ideally be done twice a day. Flossing gently between each tooth is important and should be done daily. Regular visits to your dentist for early detection, cleaning and treatment are also key.  </p>
<p><strong>How can I prevent cavities?</strong><br />Cavities are caused by bacteria that live in your mouth. They feed on food residue that contain different types of sugars, starches or carbohydrates such as milk, soda, raisins and candy. Acid is then formed, eroding tooth enamel and causing tooth decay or cavities. To prevent this form occurring, it is recommended you brush twice a day with an approved fluoride toothpaste, use dental floss once a day, east nutritious snacks and meals, obtain fluoride treatments from our dental clinic and have regular dental visits for evaluation and cleaning. Cavities are not just for kids, as adults can get them around older fillings and near the gumline, as tooth roots are easily susceptible and are increasingly exposed with gum disease.</p>
<p><strong>What causes bad breath and what can I do about it?</strong><br />Bad breath can occur for a variety of reasons. Seeing your dentist may help you to identify the cause and develop a plan to effectively treat it. Bad breath can be caused by eating specific foods, infrequent eating, food molecules being trapped between the teeth, dry mouth, tobacco use or a medical condition. Regular and thorough brushing, flossing and the use of a microbial mouthwash can help in reducing bad breath. For recurrent bad breath, discuss your symptoms with a dentist.</p>
<p>The Holidays are a special time of year, and with them come the temptation to eat, drink, and make merry.</p>
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<p>Remember to keep your smile in order during all the festivities, parties, and rich foods you undoubtedly will be consuming.</p>
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<p>According to the British Dental Health Foundation, The habit of snacking and grazing in between meals is one that continues to creep into society, especially during the Holidays. What people do not realise is every time you eat or drink anything sugary, your teeth are under acid attack for up to one hour.</p>
<p>Eating and drinking naturally weakens the enamel on your teeth, and as a result, the Foundation recommends eating three square meals a day instead of having seven to ten ‘snack attacks’. If you do snack between meals, choose foods and drinks that do not contain sugar, limiting the amount of time your mouth is at risk.  It is vitally important that you stick to the Foundation’s three key rules for good oral health – brushing for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste, reducing the frequency of how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visiting your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.</p>
<p>According to DentalCareNews.co.uk, many people want Christmas presents for their friends and loved ones to be special, meaningful and unique… but you unsurprisingly end up finding inspiration low on the ground during the madness that is Christmas shopping and choose to buy a lovely Toblerone for them instead. With Christmas just around the corner, now is a good time to start thinking of the perfect gift. So why not give a gift to inspire a new smile.</p>
<p>A great way to provide a valuable, meaningful gift is to purchase a dental discount scheme for just a few pounds that provides access to participating dental practitioners. Unlike spending lots of money on insurance or waiting on the NHS, you can buy a great scheme at HealthyDiscounts.co.uk and give it to a loved one for a new smile in the new year. The Munroe Sutton company is the administrator for this scheme and provides anyone the opportunity to take advantage of getting a great smile at a very affordable price. The membership allows your family member or friend to get immediate access to dental care, save money, and come away with a brighter look for the New Year.</p>
<p>Although it’s not a new pair of shoes, your gift provides for great oral health, a beautiful smile, and the feeling that you care for your loved ones. Think outside the box this Christmas, and give the gift that makes life better for those you care about. The Holidays are a great time to smile!</p>
<p>^1323129600^4675^The holidays – time to smile!^Can you hear it? The silver bells are starting to ring, and soon Father Christmas will be treating good boys and girls to the delights of th…^<br />
Dental showroom opening goes down a storm^</p>
<p>It was a wet and windy November day in Cardiff but that didn’t deter local dental practitioners and invited dignitaries from enthusiastically being part of the opening of Henry Schein Minerva’s new Showroom in Cardiff.</p>
<p>The Showroom and education centre has been created on the site of the original Minerva building and is an impressive backdrop for three of Henry Schein Minerva’s latest surgery designs which integrate some of dentistry’s latest equipment and technology, including a Sirona Top of the Range Teneo Treatment Centre,  CEREC Cad/Cam system and Sirona 3D capable imaging system.</p>
<p>The showroom itself has an open-plan area that will comfortably seat up to 40 people theatre style and as well as using the area to provide their own education courses , Henry Schein Minerva hope that the local dental community will make good use of the facility.</p>
<p>Simon Gambold, managing director of Henry Schein Minerva was delighted to witness the opening: ‘This new Cardiff Showroom builds on the 100 year Welsh heritage of Minerva Dental and in conjunction with our similar Showrooms in London and Leeds, gives us the ability to reach out to customers from a wide geographic area. Our intention in creating this facility is to encapsulate Henry Schein Minerva’s commitment to the dental profession as a full-service provider; equipment, design, innovation, technology and education are all brought together to provide a fantastic resource for dental teams in Wales and the South West of England.’</p>
<p>The official opening was conducted by Councillor Professor Delme Bowen, Mayor of Cardiff, who stressed how important this investment was to the South Wales area and added his congratulations to Henry Schein Minerva for creating such an excellent local resource.</p>
<p>Following the opening ceremony guests gathered for a champagne winter barbecue and presentations on “HTM01-05 a guide to decontamination”, “Finance for the Dental Practice” and “THRIVE – a recession-busting tool”. The evening ended with a prize draw in which 3 lucky guests won tickets to the Wales vs Australia Rugby Union International held at the Millenium Stadium in December.</p>
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<p>To use the Cardiff Showroom for practice training or a study club event please contact Henry Schein Minerva on 08700 10 20 43, or your local Field Sales Consultant.<br /><a href=http:// www.henryschein.co.uk><br />www.henryschein.co.uk</a></p>
<p>^1323129600^4674^Dental showroom opening goes down a…^It was a wet and windy November day in Cardiff but that didn’t deter local dental practitioners and invited dignitaries from enthusias…^<br />
Hurry – seasonal offers end 16 December^</p>
<p>Dentists have the opportunity to bag some fantastic deals and stock up early on Christmas gifts into the bargain, when they take advantage of 12 days of seasonal exclusives now available from Henry Schein Minerva.</p>
<p>Thanks to their excellent supplier relationships, Henry Schein Minerva has been able to negotiate a host of Seasonal Exclusives guaranteed to deliver some festive cheer. The offers are currently available on a range of products from leading manufacturers including GC, Dentisan, 3M, KaVo , Septodont, Hu Friedy and many more.      </p>
<p>Amongst the great deals are Sybron Endo K-Flex Files, now with 3 free when you buy 10. Kerr’s Sealtight is available at £27.99 per pack of 200, this price is reduced even further to £19.99 when you buy 5 packs and get a further 2 packs free and Ivoclar CEREC blocks come with a free Multilink system, when you buy 15 IPS Empress CAD Blocks.</p>
<p>In addition, the Seasonal Exclusives also include a host of free gifts, so whether you spend as little as £250 or over £5000 you will qualify to receive gifts* from a selection including a case of wine, a Samsung BluRay Player,  Kindle, Sony PS3, Apple iPad2 and much more.</p>
<p>The Seasonal Exclusives end on 16th December so make sure you stock up early, call your local Henry Schein Minerva office for more details:</p>
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<p>London                   08700 10 20 43</p>
<p>Cardiff                     029 2044 2888</p>
<p>Glasgow                0141 952 9911</p>
<p>Belfast                    028 9037 0702</p>
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<p>*Terms and conditions apply</p>
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<p><a href=http://www2.henryschein.co.uk/images/ads/12daysofseasonalexclusives.pdf>http://www2.henryschein.co.uk/images/ads/12daysofseasonalexclusives.pdf</a></p>
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<p>^1323129600^4676^Hurry – seasonal offers end 16 De…^Dentists have the opportunity to bag some fantastic deals and stock up early on Christmas gifts into the bargain, when they take advantage o…^<br />
Bad teeth a turn-off for online daters^</p>
<p>Bad teeth is the biggest turn off for women looking for love online.</p>
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<p>That’s according to a survey by a dating website that questioned more than 30,000 men and women from around the globe.</p>
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<p>The poll – carried out by <a href=http://www.cupid.com>www.cupid.com</a> of its members – reveals the good, the bad and the ugly of what a budding daters is looking for – and avoiding – in an online profile.</p>
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<p>Highlights icnldue:</p>
<p></p>
<p>• A great profile picture is essential – 41.53% men and 50.34% of women all chose this as the first thing they look for.<br />• The most unattractive thing for a man (a majority of 30% agreed) in a woman’s profile picture is when the picture looks too professional – it makes them think it’s just an advert for something less salubrious<br />• Women don’t like men with bad teeth. 40.12% of women surveyed agreed that this is the most unattractive thing a profile picture can show. So get to the dentist, pronto men!<br />• 20.87% of men and 19.09% of women over 30 agreed that location was the next most important thing on a profile picture, including 27 % of all fee-paying members, which suggests that the older and more serious you are about dating the more practical you are about it.<br />• Older people don’t care for chat up lines – only 5.31% care about them, while 18-30 year olds love them (29.15%), even more than they care about location<br />• Both men (13.28%) and women (14.66%) agree that the use of a picture that just has an ex cut out of it, leaving half a face or an arm in the shot for example, is a major turn off.</p>
<p></p>
<p>With this information Cupid hopes to ensure their members remain the best-informed, most comprehensively serviced and above all happiest daters online.</p>
<p>^1323129600^4677^Bad teeth a turn-off for online dat…^Bad teeth is the biggest turn off for women looking for love online.That’s according to a survey by a dating website that questioned more th…^<br />
Achieving success with implants^</p>
<p>Live demonstrations of implant treatment by Dr Waseem Noordin help dentists learn the most predictable methods of achieving success.  ‘Simplifying Implant Dentistry’ gives an introduction for clinicians who want to offer this option to their patients.  The two-day courses take place at Dr Noordin’s practice in Edgware during March and November 2012.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Further details can be found in DENTSPLY Friadent’s online education programme at <a href=http://www.courses4implants.com>www.courses4implants.com</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Participants are taken through treatment planning, patient selection and surgical placement using the ANKYLOS implant system.  They observe the main stages in the restoration of missing teeth with dental implants, through to fitting of the final prosthesis.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Dr Sunil Kakkad of Approach Dentistry, Hendon found the course clarified what he had previously read in journals.</p>
<p></p>
<p>He added: ‘Since attending, I have increased the number of implant restorations I complete and can better inform my patients about the treatment options available to them.’</p>
<p></p>
<p>Waseem Noordin is a cohort director, lecturer and examiner on the Implant Diploma programme at the Royal College of Surgeons.  At his private referral practice in Edgware, he runs a wide variety of programmes for dentists who wish to offer implant treatment, and full-day courses for dental nurses.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Booking and further information:<br />Tracy Aird, The Park Dental Practice<br />Tel:          0208 905 6324<br />Email:      waseemnoordin@aol.com<br />Dates:     29-30 March, 1-2 November 2012<br />Fee:         £395 per day. Maximum 4 participants</p>
<p>^1323129600^4678^Achieving success with implants^Live demonstrations of implant treatment by Dr Waseem Noordin help dentists learn the most predictable methods of achieving success.  &…^<br />
Dental dinner date^</p>
<p>The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the British Dental Bleaching Society (BDBS) will take place on Thursday 26 July 2012 inLondon, and will mark the start of the Bleaching Society Update Conference 2012.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Following its AGM on the eve of the London Olympic games, the BDBS will be hosting a party at the Royal College of Surgeons tosupport the work of the Dental Wellness Trust Charity.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This dinner is free to members (with a donation asked of attending partners), and will provide practitioners with the ideal opportunity to network with peers within the sumptuous settings of the Edward Lumley Hall.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The BDBS AGM will be attended by an outstanding group of professionals from UK and European bleaching societies, and is set to become one of the highlights of the dental calendar.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p><a href=http://www.bdbs.co.uk>www.bdbs.co.uk</a><br />0207 267 7070</p>
<p>^1323216000^4679^Dental dinner date^The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the British Dental Bleaching Society (BDBS) will take place on Thursday 26 July 2012 inLondon, and will …^<br />
New director appointed^</p>
<p>Nicola Chappell has been appointed as a director at Goodman Legal.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Nicola started working as a secretary while in her second year of a law degree at the city’s university.</p>
<p></p>
<p>She continued to work part time throughout her degree, completed her legal practice course at the College of Law in Chester, fulfilled her training contract with Goodman Legal, and qualified in 2008.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Nicola specialises in commercial law and commercial property with a particular focus on providing services to dental professionals.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Goodman Legal is led by senior partner, Ray Goodman, who has over 25 years’ experience in acting fordentists in practice acquisition and disposal, and related matters.</p>
<p></p>
<p>He is a member of the Association of Specialist Providers to Dentists and chairman of the lawyers group of the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers, and is a regular speaker at BDA seminars on legal issues relating to dental practice.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p>0151 707 0090<br /><a href=http://www.goodmanlegal.co.uk>www.goodmanlegal.co.uk</a></p>
<p>^1323216000^4680^New director appointed^Nicola Chappell has been appointed as a director at Goodman Legal.Nicola started working as a secretary while in her second year of a law de…^<br />
Careers day for young dentists^</p>
<p>Now celebrating its 12th year, ‘Career opportunities in UK dentistry’, organised by the UCL Eastman Dental Institute in association with the British Dental Association, takes place on Friday 3 February 2012 at London’s Hotel Russell.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Aimed at foundation dentists, young dentists, or anyone considering a change of career, the conference is also ideal for those returning to dentistry after a career break, or dentists from overseas.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This year’s theme is ‘What career path is right for you?’ and the event, which offers five hours of verifiable CPD, will begin with a ministerial address by Earl Howe, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Programme highlights include:<br />·       Financial planning for recent graduates<br />·       Working abroad<br />·       Salaried primary dental care services<br />·       Hot tips for your job interview<br />·       Advice on private practice, NHS practice and branching into specialties.<br />Delegates also have the chance to win fantastic prizes.</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p></p>
<p>020 7905 1261<br />k.rhatigan@eastman.ucl.ac.uk</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p>^1323216000^4681^Careers day for young dentists^Now celebrating its 12th year, ‘Career opportunities in UK dentistry’, organised by the UCL Eastman Dental Institute in associat…^<br />
Oral cancer screening innovation^</p>
<p>New from Dentalez is the Identafi multi-spectral oral cancer screening device.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Identafi helps those in the front line of detection to identify biochemical and morphological changes in the cells of the mouth, throat, tongue and tonsils.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The detection is made through the processing ofoptical fluorescence and reflectance in certain body tissues, using this small portable device.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In the UK alone, in 2008 there were 5,790 cases of an oral cancer, according to the British Dental Health Foundation.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Often the signs and symptoms are missed by the naked eye, but this device can help in the screening process.</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p></p>
<p>01442 269301 <br /><a href=http://www.dentalez.com>www.dentalez.com</a><br /><a href=http://www.identafi.net>www.identafi.net</a></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p>^1323216000^4682^Oral cancer screening innovation^New from Dentalez is the Identafi multi-spectral oral cancer screening device.Identafi helps those in the front line of detection to identif…^<br />
It’s Hydrosonic!^</p>
<p>The Curaprox stand was a highlight for hundreds of dental hygienists and therapists at this year’s BSDHT Oral Health Conference.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Displaying a comprehensive range of oral hygiene products, the Swiss oral care specialist also took the opportunity to launch the Hydrosonic Electric Brush.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Delegates flocked to see Curaprox’s leading products and discover the latest innovations for premium oral healthcare and patient wellbeing.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Curaprox team demonstrated the benefits of the new Hydrosonic Electric Brush, which include:<br />·      Three cleaning modules<br />·      Brush head combining sonic and Curen technology<br />·      Two-minute timer for optimum full-mouth clean<br />·      Long-life lithium-ion battery.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Curaprox also showcased the Curasept ADS CHX-based mouthwash with anti-discolouration system, the Xerostom dry mouth range andCuraprox’s portfolio of interdental brushes, which are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all patients.</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p></p>
<p>01480 862084<br /><a href=http://www.curaprox.co.uk>www.curaprox.co.uk</a></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p>^1323216000^4683^It’s Hydrosonic!^The Curaprox stand was a highlight for hundreds of dental hygienists and therapists at this year’s BSDHT Oral Health Conference.Displa…^<br />
Innovation scoops technology award^</p>
<p>Prestige Medical’s Optima autoclave has won the ‘Innovation and technology’ category in the Lancashire Telegraph Business Awards 2011.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The announcement was made at a glittering presentation, at Ewood Park, the home of BlackburnRovers football club, by North West Tonight weather presenter, Dianne Oxberry.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Ian Starkey, managing director of Prestige Medical, said: ‘Prestige Medical has progressed rapidly in recent years, culminating in the launch of Optima, our new flagship product. Optima has been designed and developed completely in house by our own research anddesign team, to fulfil a market requirement for a faster, more efficient autoclave than generally available. We believe it is the best machine of its type in the world.’</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p>01254 844 103 <br />sales@prestigemedical.co.uk</p>
<p>^1323216000^4684^Innovation scoops technology award^Prestige Medical’s Optima autoclave has won the ‘Innovation and technology’ category in the Lancashire Telegraph Business Awards…^<br />
Xylitol experts on hand for dental team^</p>
<p>As one of the key events for dental hygienists and therapists, the 2011 BSDHT Oral Health Conference and Exhibition enjoyed great attendance over the course of the two-day event.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Spry displayed its exciting range of xylitol-based dentifrices, mints and gums.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Renowned for its anti-plaque qualities, xylitol is a powerful tool in both preventive and minimally invasive dentistry, and comes highly recommended by dental associations around the world.</p>
<p></p>
<p>One of the highlights of this year’s conference was the powerful talk delivered by Trisha Ohehir who lectured on the subject ‘From biology to clinical practice’.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Of equal note on Saturday was the workshop held by Dave Bridges and Tim Ives on ‘Redressing the oral balance’.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Two great exponents of xylitol and its benefits to oral health, Dave Bridges and Tim Ives were also available on the Spry stand to answer questions delegates may have had.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p>01730 890290 <br />www.anyone4tea.com</p>
<p>^1323216000^4685^Xylitol experts on hand for dental …^As one of the key events for dental hygienists and therapists, the 2011 BSDHT Oral Health Conference and Exhibition enjoyed great attendance…^<br />
Easy-Tip dental solutions^</p>
<p>The Easy-Tip is a disposable tip that offers separation of water and air while preventing cross contamination between patients.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The tips are easy and fast to handle and can be used with different adaptors suitable for different dental unit types.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The tips have an RRP of £49.98, however Topdental is offering saving of 50% selling the tips at £24.99 per pack of 250 tips (EAS0001 – bag of 250 tips).</p>
<p></p>
<p>Sample packs are available on request.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Topdental has many more products at great offer prices, which can all be found on Topdental’s latest Christmas offer sheet.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Customers will receive a 3% discount on any orders made online. 0800 414 0471</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p><a href=http://www.topdental.org >www.topdental.org </a><br />sales@topdental.co.uk</p>
<p>^1323216000^4686^Easy-Tip dental solutions^The Easy-Tip is a disposable tip that offers separation of water and air while preventing cross contamination between patients.The tips are …^<br />
10 dental lectures in 12 months^</p>
<p>The ‘Implantology year course’ with Dr David Guy, in association with Biohorizons, comprises 10 lectures over 12 months, as well as practical sessions, and commences in January 2012.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Offering 70 hours of verifiable CPD and requiring no experience of implantology, this course provides a very high level of training enabling clinicians to perform implant dentistry skilfully and with confidence.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The lectures and practical sessions – allowing each delegate to treat up to 10 of their own patients under one-to-one supervision – will be held at Dr Guy’s practice in Cardiff.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Dr Guy achieved a distinction in his MSc in implant dentistry and holds a certificate in restorative dentistry. Dr Guy is a fellow and committee member of the British Society of Oral Implantology and is an associate fellow of the Clinical Institute of Education at Warwick Medical School.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Implantology Year Course costs £4,000 per person and is limited to eight participants.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p><a href=http://www.courses.guysdentalclinic.co.uk>www.courses.guysdentalclinic.co.uk</a><br />02920 220794</p>
<p>^1323216000^4687^10 dental lectures in 12 months^The ‘Implantology year course’ with Dr David Guy, in association with Biohorizons, comprises 10 lectures over 12 months, as well…^<br />
One-stop shop for dentists^</p>
<p>There are numerous challenges facing the modern dental practice.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The increasing cost of regulation and compliance is certainly onechallenge – as too is the cost of energy and other general overheads.</p>
<p></p>
<p>While outgoings may be increasing, income is dropping with fewer patients attending their dentist regularly, and each patient spending less than they have done in the past.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Dental Directory is offering dentists savings of up to 54% off its competitors’ published catalogue prices with its special Value+ promotion that will run until the end of the year.</p>
<p></p>
<p>A one-stop-shop for the dentist’s everyday dentistry essentials, The Dental Directory also stocks specialist materials from the likes of orthodontics to oral hygiene and facial aesthetics. With over 26,000 different product lines in stock at anytime, and free overnight delivery, contact The Dental Directory today to make fantastic savings with Value+.</p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p></p>
<p>0800 585 586<br /><a href=http://www.dental-directory.co.uk>www.dental-directory.co.uk</a></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p>^1323216000^4688^One-stop shop for dentists^There are numerous challenges facing the modern dental practice.The increasing cost of regulation and compliance is certainly onechallenge &…^<br />
Orthodontic care suffers in recruitment flop^</p>
<p>Recruitment problems have contributed to orthodontic services at a hospital trust having to be cut back.</p>
<p>South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust currently provides services from six sites but are set to centralise services to two hospitals.</p>
<p>Two of its four orthodontic consultants are set to retire and the positions have failed to attract any candidates.</p>
<p>In a letter to MPs, chief executive of South Tees Hospital Simon Pleydell wrote: ‘The Trust has attempted, unsuccessfully, to make appointments in advance of the departure of the current post holders and we are now concerned that there is little prospect of making appointments in the<br />foreseeable future.</p>
<p></p>
<p>‘As a result, regretfully, we have concluded that the only safe and sustainable way to maintain access to complex orthodontic treatment for patients in the Tees Valley, South Durham and North Yorkshire is to cease provision at hospitals other than James Cook University Hospital and Friarage Hospital Northallerton.’</p>
<p>And he suggested the problem could be a wider issue as in his letter he said there is a shortage nationally of candidate for consultant posts as a result of the expansion of the primary care sector.</p>
<p>Mr Pleydell said continuing to run services at multiple sites would be ‘unsafe and unsustainable’.</p>
<p>He said the development of a local primary care orthodontic services had lowered the numbers being referred to hospital and of the referrals, many are complex and would be best dealt with in a specialist centre where advice and involvement in treatment is available from other relevant<br />specialists including oral and maxillo facial surgeons.</p>
<p>But Labour’s Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham wants health chiefs to carry out an enquiry before a final decision is taken, including the views of patient groups.</p>
<p>He said: ‘Whilst noting that recruitment has proved difficult, I wonder what the longer term intentions of the service are.  Are the posts now simply being deleted for all time to cut costs or is that a short term proposal and we can look forward to other delivery points being reinstated<br />by staffing allows?</p>
<p></p>
<p>‘After all, the lead time for removing the service from North Tees is a year-long – will there be no attempt to recruit during that time and, doing so, save the service?’</p>
<p>The changes will come in January and October next year.</p>
<p>The specialist centres will be at The James Cook University Hospital and Friarage Hospital Northallerton, resulting with the closure of existing treatment facilities at Darlington Memorial Hospital, Bishop Auckland Hospital, University Hospital of North Tees and University Hospital of<br />Hartlepool.</p>
<p>^1323216000^4689^Orthodontic care suffers in recruit…^Recruitment problems have contributed to orthodontic services at a hospital trust having to be cut back.South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation …^<br />
Denplan up for sale for £100 million?^</p>
<p>There is growing speculation in the press today (Wednesday) that dental payment plans provider, Denplan, is up for sale for £100 million.</p>
<p>Denplan is one of the UK’s leading dental payment plan specialist with 6,500-plus member dentists across the UK and approximately 1.8 million patients.</p>
<p><em>The Daily Telegraph</em> reports today that AXA has put Denplan, up for sale for ‘a mouth-watering £100m’.</p>
<p>A spokesperson from Denplan said: ‘It is not our policy to comment on press speculation and rumour. Our absolute focus remains on providing the highest possible levels of service and support to our dentists, patients and companies. We will not be diverted from this focus during this time.’</p>
<p>The proposed sale follows a strategic review across the AXA UK business and comes after the sale of AXA’s life business to Resolution for £2.75 billion last year, and last week its advice arm Bluefin was also put on the market.</p>
<p>AXA has insisted it is not planning a wholesale exit from the UK market and will focus on AXA Wealth, general insurance, and its remaining health care business.</p>
<p>^1323216000^4690^Denplan up for sale for £100 milli…^There is growing speculation in the press today (Wednesday) that dental payment plans provider, Denplan, is up for sale for £100 milli…^<br />
Fortunes are made in good times^</p>
<p>But empires are built in recessions, says Andrew Robinson</p>
<p>If you find this headline hard to swallow, bear in mind that its origins date back to ancient China. It is an old adage that has been heralded since by other business entrepreneurs as recent as Sir Richard Branson.</p>
<p></p>
<p>On a macro-economic level we can indeed look no further than the prosperous Chinese economy during these turbulent times to see that the Chinese aren’t averse to heeding their own advice.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Meanwhile, back in ol’ Blighty, as this article goes to press, Sir Richard Branson has just bought Northern Rock from the government.</p>
<p></p>
<p>With 2012 approaching rapidly, everyone is gearing up for business opportunities in the New Year.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It would appear that if you are still around plying your trade you are in fact doing rather well. If you are making changes, improvements, growth and acquisition, then you are certainly the people who are creating those empires. This is also true of your brand, marketing, online presence, advertising and PR.</p>
<p><strong>Everyone loves a winner</strong><br />Expansion or change in the current market indicates that you are preparing for and encountering growth.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This suggests that you are doing something right. This attracts the right staff, the right customers and, let’s face it, everyone loves a winner (except for the British press).</p>
<p></p>
<p>How then do you give off the right sort of signals? I am not saying that you need to go out and buy your nearest competitor tomorrow.</p>
<p></p>
<p>In fact, your empire building can often be on a much smaller scale. In the world of brands and branding, it is important you give the right impression. Having talked to a lot of practices and suppliers in the industry, many of them are looking at new services, expansion and corporate re-brands.</p>
<p></p>
<p>They recognise that they can change the internal and external perception of their business with as little as a new look to their identity, a new website, a campaign to raise awareness or bring in new patients.</p>
<p></p>
<p>On the subject of advertising, clients are a bit more wary of late. As the professed ‘pioneer in marketing’, John Wanamaker, aptly put it: ‘Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.’ And this is not the time to be wasting half or indeed any of your money. As businesses in a recession we need to spend money that can give us metrics and ROI (return on investment). This can be done in advertising, email marketing, web and branding, but only when done properly. Work out what your brand says, what it stands for and whether it should stand for something different.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Perhaps it is time for a re-focus. Perhaps more of that winning formula. Make sure that everyone knows what it is, starting from the inside. Many people ask me how you sell your brand and the answer is you don’t, you buy into it. This clarity not only tells clients and potential clients what you stand for, it also indicates to your own organisation that you mean business and that you have the tools at your disposal to go after it.</p>
<p></p>
<p>So, build your empires, work at making them recession proof, look at preserving and building on the equity of your brand, because as we all know, (at least, those of us who have seen the <em>Star Wars</em> saga) there is a time soon when the empire will strike back.</p>
<p>^1323216000^4691^Fortunes are made in good times^But empires are built in recessions, says Andrew RobinsonIf you find this headline hard to swallow, bear in mind that its origins date back …^<br />
Minimal intervention with Dr Hien Ngo^</p>
<p>Specialist lecturer, Dr Hien Ngo, takes to the stage to deliver an outstanding one-day seminar on the topic of minimal intervention next month (January).</p>
<p></p>
<p>He will investigate innovations, providing you with a host of new tools to heal and restore carious legions.<br /> <br />Our understandings of caries as a disease have changed so much that some of the traditional approaches in its diagnosis and treatment need to be re-evaluated.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Biofilms that colonise the oral cavity are highly complex and their role in health and disease is now much better understood.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Our understanding on the pivotal role that biofims have on the cause and progress of caries and erosion has changed to the extent that entirely new ways of managing these diseases are now available.</p>
<p></p>
<p>With the public becoming more aware that restorative dentistry alone is not enough to ensure good oral health, it is timely for the profession to look at and consider how these new treatment modalities can be incorporated into everyday clinical practice.<br /> <br />He will also explore innovations, which provided dental professionals with a host of new tools to heal and restore carious legions. When surgical intervention is indicated, in the presence of cavitation, the least invasive reparative technique should be used.</p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p></p>
<p><span class=parafont><strong>Friday 27 January 2012<br />Royal College of Physicians, London</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p><span class=parafont><strong></strong></span>Dentist price: £355+VAT<br /> <br />For further information or to book freephone 0800 371652 or visit <a href=http://www.independentseminars.com>www.independentseminars.com</a>.</p>
<p>^1323216000^4692^Minimal intervention with Dr Hien N…^Specialist lecturer, Dr Hien Ngo, takes to the stage to deliver an outstanding one-day seminar on the topic of minimal intervention next mon…^<br />
Pay fee or pay consequences, dentists told^</p>
<p>Dentists risk being removed from the register and denied the right to practise in the UK if they don’t pay their Annual Retention Fee (ARF) on time.   </p>
<p>Each year, usually in January and February, UK-wide dental defence organisation MDDUS is contacted by members throughout the UK who have not paid their ARF to the General Dental Council (GDC) by the deadline of midnight on 31 December. </p>
<p><ep>Often dentists unintentionally fail to pay due to changes in their banking details or other personal information.  </p>
<p><ep>The advice provided by MDDUS in such cases is unequivocal – dentists who fail to pay will be removed from the register and must cease practising until they are restored.  </p>
<p><ep>Doug Hamilton, dental adviser at MDDUS, warns: ‘If dentists don’t pay, they will be putting their registration at risk. It is illegal for an unregistered dentist or dental care professional to practise dentistry in the UK. Therefore, dentists who have been removed from the register must not practise until their name has been restored.    </p>
<p><ep>Reinstatement takes up to 14 days and even longer if the mandatory paperwork is not in order. During this time, dentists cannot work either within the NHS or privately, leading to significant loss of remuneration and inconvenience to patients.’</p>
<p><ep>To complete this process a number of requirements must be satisfied, including the production of a Health Certificate by a medical practitioner together with a character reference by a different referee, neither of whom can be a family member.      </p>
<p><ep>Mr HAmilton explained: ‘All unregistered dentists are also required to pay a restoration fee in addition to the standard ARF, while those dentists who continued to work after the deadline of December 31 must explain in writing how these circumstances occurred.</p>
<p><ep>‘However, the expense and disruption incurred by failure to pay the ARF on time goes far beyond the completion of the restoration form.’</p>
<p><ep>In view of the penalties for non-payment, he suggested that members should consider paying the GDC by direct debit. </p>
<p><ep>By setting up a direct debit payment, dentists minimise the possibility of the ARF being overlooked. </p>
<p><ep>‘But it must be remembered that individual dentists are still responsible for ensuring the fee has been debited from their account on the designated date. Make sure your bank details are up-to-date otherwise payments may not be processed and you may unintentionally fail to pay the ARF.’   </p>
<p><ep>If members, particularly those who are required to explain why they worked in the UK while unregistered, would like any further advice on this matter, then they should not hesitate to contact MDDUS.</p>
<p><ep>For more information about ARF, including payment methods, visit the GDC website or click on the link: http://www.gdc-uk.org/Dentalprofessionals/Fees/Pages/ARF-FAQs.aspx.     ^1323302400^4693^Pay fee or pay consequences, dentis…^Dentists risk being removed from the register and denied the right to practise in the UK if they don’t pay their Annual Retention Fee (ARF…^<br />
Dental award winners 2011^</p>
<p>This year’s Premier Symposium, the 11th such event organised by Dental Protection and Schülke, was the setting for the announcement of the winners of the Premier Awards 2011.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This annual risk management competition has a total prize fund of £6,000 and accepts entries from projects which recognise the importance of patient safety.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This year’s competition received the largest number of entrants in its history. Congratulations go to this year’s winners:</p>
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<p><strong>Undergraduate prize </strong><br />1st prize  Luke Blythe and Andrew Wilson, Bristol Dental School ‘The potential hazards of respirable particles in dentistry’</p>
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<p>2nd prize Chee Keong Yeap, Western Australia Dental School  “Considerations and management of a pregnant adolescent presenting with an abscessed molar tooth”</p>
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<p><strong>Postgraduate prize</strong><br />1st prize  Anchal Puri (Glasgow 2009) and Gillian Smith (Newcastle 2009) ‘Medicines reconcilation on admission to the oral and maxillofacial surgery ward’</p>
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<p>2nd prize  Lauren Hardwick, Sheffield, 2009 ‘Audit on doctors’ assessment of mental capacity’</p>
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<p><strong>DCP prize </strong><br /> 1st prize Jack Colclough, Dental Hygienist ‘A study into the personal protective equipment used by dentists in general dental practice’</p>
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<p>2nd prize Francesca Mignone, Dental Hygienist, Australia “Minimising risk and maintaining societal trust in the dental profession”</p>
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<p>All the entries this year were of a very high calibre and Andrew Collier, Senior Dento-legal Consultant, who presented the awards took time to encourage dentists and DCPs from all regions of the UK to participate again next year.</p>
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<p>Kevin Lewis, dental director of Dental Protection, said: ‘The entries for this year’s Awards have once again exceeded our expectations, with so many different projects being submitted by a wide variety of dental professionals from throughout the world.</p>
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<p>‘The Awards focus on raising the awareness and management of risks within the practice, and we are delighted that so many of this year’s entries were so relevant to many of the hot topics in dentistry.’</p>
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<p>The Awards were presented during the annual Premier Symposium, a risk management event created for all members of the team.</p>
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<p>This year saw more than 300 dental professionals attend the day. The organisers also wish to thank Denplan, Henry Schein Minerva, Smile-on, The Dentist and Wesleyan for their sponsorship of the symposium that helped to make the day possible.</p>
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<p>If you would like to receive details of next year’s Awards you can register your interest by emailing nicola.photiou@mps.org.uk.</p>
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<p>^1323302400^4694^Dental award winners 2011^This year’s Premier Symposium, the 11th such event organised by Dental Protection and Schülke, was the setting for the announceme…^<br />
Cost may quash fluoride plans^</p>
<p>Local authorities may be reluctant to push ahead with water fluoridation if they have to meet the costs as they have no responsibility for dental care, government has been warned.</p>
<p>The Health and Social Care Bill will see responsibility for consultations on fluoridation transfer to local authorities. The government will consult on the content of these regulations in the New Year.</p>
<p>But during discussions in the Lords, fears were raised over costs, the evidence base which claims fluoridation is beneficial in reducing decay and local consent before any fluoridation takes place.</p>
<p>President of the British Fluoridation Society, Labour’s Lord Hunt, warned if local authorities do not have a direct interest in the cost of dental health care, it could be a barrier to them paying out on fluoridation schemes.</p>
<p>He added: ‘From my point of view the evidence is convincing. It is important that if local authorities come to a view that they wish to fluoridate or to continue to fluoridate, the money will still flow as smoothly as the fluoride in the water in places that are lucky enough to<br />benefit from schemes.’</p>
<p>The Bill includes powers to make new regulations which will include the criteria which local authorities should apply in determining when consultations on the continuance of existing fluoridation schemes should be conducted.</p>
<p>Crossbencher Earl Baldwin told the Lords there was not ‘one good-quality study’ into the benefits of fluoridating and said Southampton residents had their water fluoridated against the ‘express wishes of its population’.</p>
<p>He called for government assurances no new scheme will go ahead unless the local population is in favour and that a neutral body be formed to set out the current state of evidence in any future consultation.</p>
<p>Lib Dem whip Baroness Northover responding for government denied suggestions councils would be put off as they have no responsibility for dental care.</p>
<p>‘Dental ill-health would seem to have wider repercussions. The great difficulty, particularly among older people whose teeth have decayed, certainly bears out the necessity of preserving teeth in younger life. It is not simply a matter of looking at children’s teeth and the impact on<br />them but of seeing dental health as lifelong. Health and wellbeing boards would therefore have a responsibility to consider dental health because of that significance,’ she said.</p>
<p>In addition, she said from 2013-14, the department intends to allocate a ring-fenced public health grant to local authorities and the ongoing costs of fluoridation schemes will be reflected within the grant to those local authorities.</p>
<p>Baroness Northover added: ‘About neutral information this is an area where we should proceed on the basis of evidence. Public Health England might well be the right body to assess such evidence. The noble Earl also asked about schemes going ahead only with the support of the local population.</p>
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<p>‘The provisions in the Bill transfer responsibility for consultations to local authorities and include powers for the Secretary of State to specify the steps that local authorities must take in relation to consultation.</p>
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<p>‘We expect that the evidence base will still determine a decision to consult. However, putting local authorities in charge of consultations would make decisions on fluoridation more democratically accountable.</p>
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<p>She added: ‘We intend to consult on the detail of the regulations, including the process that local authorities must follow when ascertaining public opinion.’</p>
<p>^1323388800^4695^Cost may quash fluoride plans^Local authorities may be reluctant to push ahead with water fluoridation if they have to meet the costs as they have no responsibility for d…^<br />
£15 million savings for dentists^</p>
<p>Recent internal research conducted by DPAS has revealed that practices who have converted to DPAS from a major competitor, have saved approaching £15 million* over the 15-year period since DPAS was established.</p>
<p>This statistic supports DPAS’ claim that they remain the most cost-effective of the three major dental plan providers, and is based on the amount of money converting practices have saved during their time working with DPAS, compared to the fees that they would have paid if they had stayed with their previous provider.</p>
<p>As financial pressure on dental practices continues into 2012, increasing numbers of practitioners are reviewing business expenses and seeking ways of cutting costs where possible, but without compromising on service levels.</p>
<p>DPAS offers exactly the balance that principals and practice owners are searching for; cost effective plan administration combined with a level of service and support you would expect from one of the country’s leading providers. DPAS provides the industry’s most cost-effective administration of practice-branded dental plans partly thanks to their flat monthly charges, which remain the same regardless of the number of dentists, patients, or plans involved.</p>
<p>Whether you are considering a move to private practice, have recently converted or already have an established private practice, DPAS can make the transition to a ‘practice-branded’ plan smooth and worry-free, minimising your business costs in the process and allowing you to benefit from increased revenue even if patient numbers are static. </p>
<p> For more information on DPAS dental plans please visit <a href=http://www.dpas.co.uk>www.dpas.co.uk</a>, or call 01747 870910.</p>
<p>*Data available on request</p>
<p>^1323388800^4696^£15 million savings for dentists^Recent internal research conducted by DPAS has revealed that practices who have converted to DPAS from a major competitor, have saved approa…^<br />
‘Sticking out teeth’ attracts the bullies^</p>
<p>New research shows that being bullied is significantly associated with ‘sticking out teeth’.<br /> <br />A team of hospital-based clinicians, who primarily treat children with malaligned teeth and jaw bone deficiencies (malocclusion), have conducted a UK based study investigating the relationship between being bullied and the presence of a malocclusion.</p>
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<p>They also looked at its effect on an individual’s self-esteem and ‘Oral Health Related Quality of Life’.</p>
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<p>336 adolescents aged between 10-14 years of age took part in this study which is being published in the December 2011 issue of the <em>Journal of Orthodontics</em>.</p>
<p>Key findings of the study show that:</p>
<p>• Nearly 13% of adolescents aged between 10-14 years examined for orthodontic treatment had been bullied. This equates to thirteen of every one hundred young people who need orthodontic treatment<br />• Being bullied is significantly associated with ‘sticking out teeth’<br />• These individuals have a higher need for orthodontic treatment based on an aesthetic assessment<br />• Adolescents who are being bullied due to the presence of a malocclusion reported a negative impact on both self-esteem and ‘Oral Health Related Quality of Life’.<br /> <br />The findings of this study show for the first time that there is clear link between being bullied and the presence of ‘sticking out teeth’ (malocclusion).</p>
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<p>More importantly, the negative impact on a child’s psychological status is reported.</p>
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<p>It is clear that being bullied can have both short-term and long-term effects on physiological and psychological wellbeing.</p>
<p>The four clinicians, who include three orthodontists and a psychologist with a special interest in dentistry, have today launched a website to disseminate the findings of the study and provide advice for both parents and adolescents who are being bullied due to the presence of a malocclusion.</p>
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<p>The clinicians are also requesting such people who have been bullied to fill in a web based questionnaire to enable them to continue to monitor the extent of the problem (click <a href=https://sites.google.com/site/bullyingandorthodontics/>here</a>).</p>
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<p>Dr Andrew DiBiase, one of the consultants involved in the research said: ‘As health care professionals, we feel that it is our duty to raise awareness of this. We feel that any bullying for whatever reason is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.’</p>
<p>He added: ‘The treatment for malocclusion usually involves the use of braces (orthodontic treatment) in combination with other treatment to correct the problems.  It has previously been shown that children with “sticking out teeth” and “crooked teeth” are subjected to teasing related to the position and appearance of their teeth.</p>
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<p>‘Commonly, braces are prescribed in these situations to help improve the alignment of the teeth. However, until this research was carried out the scientific evidence for this was weak and more importantly the psychological effects of this teasing and bullying related to the dental appearance has been unknown.’</p>
<p>The consultants have requested that comments about the research are posted onto the website and are in contact with organisations concerned with child welfare and bullying in the hope that they can set up website links and pass on the information to people contacting them.</p>
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<p>A twitter address @BullyingOrtho has also been set up in order to encourage people to tweet and chat about their experiences.</p>
<p>More information about orthodontic treatment, including information about where people can find orthodontic treatment in their area, is available from The British Orthodontic Society at <a href=http://www.bos.org.uk>www.bos.org.uk</a>.</p>
<p>^1323388800^4697^’Sticking out teeth’ attracts the b…^New research shows that being bullied is significantly associated with ‘sticking out teeth’. A team of hospital-based clinicians, who p…^<br />
Educational website launches^</p>
<p>Leading infection control specialists Dentisan are delighted to announce the launch of their new website which has been designed as an educational resource for all members of the dental team. The website has been active for a few weeks now and professional feedback on the new design and user friendly applications has been excellent.</p>
<p>As well as up-to-date news and articles, the website features three different ways to access all the infection control information you need:</p>
<p>• The “surgery journey” features a surgery diagram which users can “click-on” to discover which of Dentisan’s HTM01-05 compliant products are suitable for each application.<br />·       The “products” section of the site is a more traditional route to find information about the Dentisan products you already know – in this section as well as detailed information you can access and download all the relevant data sheets for each product.<br />·       Finally, if you need to find a product that will help you comply with a specific area of HTM01-05 you can visit the “compliance” section of the website. Using this method you can match the specific section of HTM01-05 with the appropriate product, ensuring you select the product best matched to meet your needs.</p>
<p>With a new Verifiable CPD section to be added in 2012, www.dentisan.co.uk is a complete infection control resource for all members of the dental team.</p>
<p>Visit <a href=http://www.dentisan.co.uk>www.dentisan.co.uk</a> and request a sample of any of our infection control products.</p>
<p>^1323388800^4699^Educational website launches^Leading infection control specialists Dentisan are delighted to announce the launch of their new website which has been designed as an educa…^<br />
Swedish study flags up dangers of gum disease  ^</p>
<p>New research from Sweden into gum disease adds further weight to concerns over its links with more serious medical conditions, warn the experts at Eludril and Elgydium.<br /> <br />Bleeding gums – which some people foolishly dismiss as a common occurrence – have been identified as an important health warning sign in the new Swedish study.<br /> <br />People with the highest incidence of bleeding gums are more likely to suffer from a stroke than those with the lowest incidence, said the Centre for Research and Development of the County Council of Gävleborg, Sweden.<br /> <br />Its study of around 8,000 people has produced a series of potential health risk indicators:<br />People with fewer than 21 teeth had a 69 per cent higher risk of heart attack compared with those with the most teeth.</p>
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<p>Higher numbers of deep periodontal pockets (gum infection around the base of the tooth) had a 53 per cent higher risk of heart attack compared with those with the fewest pockets.<br />People with the least teeth had an increased risk of congestive heart failure compared with those with the most.<br /> <br />The Swedish study echoes similar research presented to the American Heart Association which showed that people who have their teeth cleaned by dentists or hygienists at least every 12 months are 25 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack.<br /> <br />Both sets of research back up oral health care advice given by the manufacturers of the medicinal products Eludril mouthwash and Elgydium toothpaste.<br /> <br />A spokesman for Elgydium and Eludril said: “The new Swedish study is yet more evidence of the correlation between gum disease and more serious medical conditions.<br /> <br />“Increasing numbers of studies are pointing to the link, highlighting the importance of adopting a good oral health care regime and sticking to it.”<br /> <br />During the last two years there have been at least 146 clinical trials relating to gum disease in the United States alone with 72 more in Europe, 26 in the Middle East, 22 in South America plus several dozen more in the rest of the world.<br /> <br />The correlation between gum disease and cardiac conditions has been suggested for a number of years and latest research continues to back this up.<br /> <br />Lack of attention to basic oral health care, such as brushing and flossing, results in plaque which then leads to bacteria and gum disease.<br /> <br />Even seemingly minor gum disease symptoms could be an early indication of more serious medical problems later in life.<br /> <br />Typical early signs of gum disease include swollen gums, a prelude to more pressing symptoms.<br /> <br />Sore gums should be sufficient reason to go to the dentist and tackle the problem quickly before it worsens but some people suffer in silence instead.<br /> <br />Ignoring these early stages can result in receding gums which not only jeopardises the teeth – it leaves the body vulnerable to more serious medical problems caused by bacteria and infections.<br /> <br />Using a medicinal toothpaste such as Elgydium every day helps to ward off plaque and the signs of gum disease.<br /> <br />Elgydium contains the active ingredient chlorhexidine, widely regarded by dentists and hygienists around the world as the leading gingivitis treatment.<br /> <br />Tried and tested chlorhexidine – which has been used since the 1980s – is also one of the active ingredients in Eludril, a leading medicinal mouthwash developed to help combat gum disease.<br /> <br />Eludril is a menthol-flavoured mouthwash that is recommended as a short-term treatment for gum disease. One rinse can keep working for up to 12 hours.<br /> <br />Dental professionals recommend a 15ml dosage (for adults and children aged over 6) diluted with lukewarm water using the measuring cup provided.<br /> </p>
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<p>Discover how Elgydium and Eludril can help to stop gum disease. Contact Nikki Pounds at Ceuta Healthcare on +44 (0)1202 780558, nikki.pounds@ceutahealthcare.com, <a href=http://www.gumproblems.co.uk>www.gumproblems.co.uk</a></p>
<p>^1323388800^4698^Swedish study flags up dangers of g…^New research from Sweden into gum disease adds further weight to concerns over its links with more serious medical conditions, warn the expe…^<br />
Christmas goodies giveaway for dentists!^</p>
<p>To thank its members for all their support, this Christmas dbg is giving away thousands of pounds worth of gifts to practices that purchase through its materials service this December.<br /> <br />Spend £200 with the dbg this Christmas and choose from two bottles of wine or a box of chocolates.<br /> <br />Spend £350 and receive a Golden Flavours basket containing 3 x 18.75cl bottles of wine, and a selection of festive treats.<br /> <br />Spend £550 and receive a Yuletide tray complete with Prosecco Sparkling Wine and Sally Williams Finest Honey Nougat.<br /> <br />Spend £750 and receive a dbg Christmas treat that includes two 75cl bottles of Dry River wine, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, and a selection of seasonal favourites.<br /> <br />Spend £1,000 and receive a luxurious Sseasonal hamper presented in a handcrafted wicker hamper. The dbg Seasonal hamper comes complete with 4 x bottles of wine, a bottle of Special Winter Edition Mulled Wine, a pack of mince pies, a Classic iced Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, a 200g Snowdonia Cheddar Truckle, a jar of caramelised onion chutney, and 300g Walkers Fine Oat Cakes.<br /> <br />To take advantage of this fabulous offer, please quote the code MOMDEC11 when placing an order.</p>
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<p>For more information on dbg’s materials offers,<br />Call 0845 00 66 111 or visit <a href=http://www.thedbg.co.uk>www.thedbg.co.uk</a>.</p>
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<p>^1323388800^4700^Christmas goodies giveaway for dent…^To thank its members for all their support, this Christmas dbg is giving away thousands of pounds worth of gifts to practices that purchase …^<br />
First dawn^</p>
<p>The sun was shining as I ran along the roads of Enfield, north London, for a brisk three-mile run on a Sunday morning in June.</p>
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<p>The following evening I was in my local gym talking to Steve Price, of Takara Belmont, discussing how I strangely enjoyed my run, as I had often complained of running to him in the past.</p>
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<p>The marathon had been a topic of conversation for the six months previous, as Steve had run the marathon in the April with his wife for Bridge2Aid (<a href=http://www.bridge2aid.org>www.bridge2aid.org</a>).</p>
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<p>I had always wanted to run the marathon, but had never got round to entering. It is on my list of things to do and see before I die, just after to see Tottenham win the Premier League, which many of you may laugh at the thought of, at least I would, not Daniel Levy or Harry Redknapp, have control over running the marathon.</p>
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<p><strong>Applying</strong><br />Having had a chat in the office with a few colleagues the decision was made to contact Bridge2Aid (B2A) to offer my services to run the Virgin London Marathon to raise as much money as possible for the hard work that Mark Topley and Ian Wilson to name but a few have done over the years.<br />Bridge2Aid is based in Mwanza, a large, sprawling city in the north of Tanzania, right on the shores of Lake Victoria.</p>
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<p>Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world, with many of its people living below the World Bank poverty line.</p>
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<p>Founded in 2002 by Ian Wilson and his wife, the need for dental services and work with the street communities was clear, and in discussion with local & national government and other agencies that became the focus of B2A.</p>
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<p>So I emailed my intentions to Bridge2Aid on how I could help promote the charity via FMC – Dentistry’s Information Centre – to help raise the profile of the work done as well as help me raise money for the charity.</p>
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<p>I received my email a day later stating I was one of six that had applied but there were only 3 places, so I was told I would have to wait until October to find out my fate.</p>
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<p><strong>Oh ****!</strong><br />The summer months passed and the nights drew in the running stopped and football was back in my regime to ‘just’ 4 games a week. It was 6 October, I was on a train on my way back from a meeting in London when I received a call from my colleague Michelle she said: ‘I’ve got some exciting news for you’.</p>
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<p>My first thought was yes that proposal I sent out had confirmed, a typical salesman’s reaction.</p>
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<p>She said: ‘You’ve been accepted to run the marathon’</p>
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<p>First thought was oh **** a marathon in April, I had just booked a holiday to New York the day before for the first week in March. That initial shock passed and a sense of achieving one of my goals in life presented itself.</p>
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<p>A month or so has passed and the running has started again so has the shin splints, a long road ahead me thinks.</p>
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<p>If you would like to show your support to me and Bridge2Aid please see the link below:<br /><a href=http://www.justgiving.com/James-Macdonald2>http://www.justgiving.com/James-Macdonald2</a><br /> <br />P.S you can follow my progress over the coming months on here</p>
<p>^1323388800^4702^First dawn^The sun was shining as I ran along the roads of Enfield, north London, for a brisk three-mile run on a Sunday morning in June.The following …^<br />
Dentistry business: Don’t pay over the odds^</p>
<p>Investing in a dental practice is usually the biggest business decision a dentist will ever make.</p>
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<p>Therefore, it is essential that thorough investigations are carried out to ensure that the business you’re buying is properly run and a viable prospect.</p>
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<p>This process is known as ‘due diligence’ and involves everything from accounts to checking that your autoclaves have been properly inspected and that fire risk assessments have been carried out. <br /> <br />This procedure can be lengthy, and not without frustration but it does ensure that the practice you’re buying hasn’t been run into the ground by your predecessor.</p>
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<p>Due diligence often means being alert to what you are not being told as much as what you are being told.</p>
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<p>A recent example came to light when a young dentist wishing to invest in her first practice instructed my firm who carried out a full due diligence procedure.</p>
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<p>We noticed that the last trading accounts for the practice were over 18 months old.</p>
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<p>Whilst it can take some time for accounts to be processed, we constantly came up against brick walls when requesting either management accounts or draft up to date accounts.</p>
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<p>This lack of information regarding the current financial position of the practice and the refusal to give updated information aroused our suspicions which turned out to be well founded.</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, the buyer was advised not to proceed until the selling dentist provided the information required as to the present trading position of the practice. <br /> <br />It transpired that the practice turnover had fallen by 23% since the previous accounts, meaning that the practice was over valued by £35,000.</p>
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<p>Had the buyer proceeded without insisting upon updated trading accounts she would have paid well over the odds. Investigating due diligence with a specialist dental solicitor may seem time consuming but saving time does not always mean saving money – in fact, it could cost you more!</p>
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<p>For more information call Ray Goodman on 0151 707 0090 or email rng@goodmanlegal.co.uk<br /><a href=http://www.goodmanlegal.co.uk>www.goodmanlegal.co.uk</a>.</p>
<p>^1323388800^4701^Dentistry business: Don’t pay over …^Investing in a dental practice is usually the biggest business decision a dentist will ever make.Therefore, it is essential that thorough in…^<br />
Hygienists call for direct access to patients^</p>
<p>A dental leader is calling on hygienists and therapists to influence the future of their profession.</p>
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<p>Sally Simpson, president of the British Society of Dental Hygiene & Therapy (BSDHT) has urged members to get involved in the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) study in order to get the ball rolling on direct access.</p>
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<p>In a direct letter to all members, she writes: ‘I’m keen that we should make the most of the time… to get our views across.’   The OFT launched the study in September to examine if the private and NHS dentistry markets are working well for patients.   And part of its remit is to invesigate the issue of professional restrictions on direct access to specialists or providers of auxiliary services, such as hygienists.</p>
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<p>‘The BSDHT welcomed the study and, last month, an OFT representative joined members of the society at the BSDHT Stand at the Oral Health Conference in Bournemouth to hear directly from delegates.   The OFT suggests findings will be published March 2012.’</p>
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<p>Sally says: ‘I’m keen that we should make the most of the time until then to get our views across. This is particularly important in relation to direct access where the OFT want to hear real rather than anecdotal examples of the impact – particularly the financial impact – the current lack of direct access has upon you and your patients.</p>
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<p>‘So I’m writing personally to each and every member of BSDHT to encourage you to submit your views and comments to the OFT.’</p>
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<p>Dental professionals can email dentistry@oft.gsi.gov.uk, or write to:  Dentistry Market Study Team  Services and Public Markets Group  Office of Fair Trading  Fleetbank House  2-6 Salisbury Square  London EC4Y 8JX</p>
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<p>Sally adds: ‘Please do your part by pledging your support for the removal of the requirement of a referral from a dentist to see a dental hygienist or dental therapist and where possible, by providing evidence of the negative impact denial of direct access has for you and your patients. Let’s not miss this opportunity to influence the outcome of this study.’</p>
<p>^1323561600^4703^Hygienists call for direct access t…^A dental leader is calling on hygienists and therapists to influence the future of their profession.Sally Simpson, president of the British …^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/Sally-Simpson-ISDH–copy.jpg<br />
DCP dental research – the way forward^The challenges facing DCPs seeking to undertake research, as well as the opportunities available to them were examined in a symposium entitled ‘The Way Forward’. </p>
<p/>This event held on 3 December 2011 was the third annual DCP Research Symposium organised by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) and the British Society for Dental Hygiene and Therapy. </p>
<p/>More than 70 people, including 60-plus DCPs, listened to a succession of speakers sharing their research experiences and findings.</p>
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<p/>The packed full-day programme featured seven speakers addressing topics including NHS funding for DCP research, undertaking a Phd and the research of dental hygienists in the Netherlands. All of the presentations from this free symposium are available on the FGDP(UK) website (www.fgdp.org.uk).</p>
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<p>Among those presenting the results of their research was Marina Harris, who outlined the results of a BSDHT/FGDP(UK) backed survey into dental hygienist skills usage. </p>
<p/>She reported that there was a demonstrable mismatch between procedures that people had been trained to do, and the degree to which those skills were utilised in areas such as taking impressions and giving ID blocks. </p>
<p>Harris also outlined significant skills training and usage differences between Dental Hygienists and Dental Hygienists/Therapists.</p>
<p>The Symposium was introduced by Russ Ladwa and chaired by Ario Santini, Chair of the FGDP(UK) Research Committee. In addition to the speakers there was also a poster session, as well as breakout sessions that allowed attendees to discuss issues arising from the presentations. The event was made possible by the kind support of Proctor & Gamble and Woodside Management Services Ltd.</p>
<p>Feedback from the Symposium has been extremely positive. One DCP member of the FGDP(UK) said of the event: ‘I feel that this alone justifies the paltry membership fee.’</p>
<p>Planning is already underway for a 4th DCP Research Symposium late in 2012. </p>
<p>The speakers were:</p>
<p>Yvonne Holloway (Dental Hygienist, Manchester) </p>
<p>One journey towards a PhD </p>
<p>Susan Bissett (Dental Hygienist, Newcastle) </p>
<p>Winning a Research Prize and Planning a Research Project </p>
<p>Ian Taylor (Dental Technician, Birmingham)</p>
<p>Research Topics Relating to Interaction between Dental Laboratories and Dental Practices</p>
<p>Marina Harris (DCP Representative on the FGDP(UK) Research Committee)</p>
<p>Dental Hygienist Skills Usage Survey</p>
<p>Saurabh Saraf</p>
<p>Proctor & Gamble Project </p>
<p>Jenny Lyons (Primary Care Research Facilitator, PCRN South East) </p>
<p>How the NHS Can Provide Research Training for DCPs</p>
<p>Dagmar Slot (Dental Hygienist and Therapist, Amsterdam)</p>
<p>The Development of Research for Dental Hygienists in the Netherlands – Lessons to be Learned</p>
<p>For more information, please contact Gareth Kingston on 020 7869 6778 or gkingston@rcseng.ac.uk or visit www.fgdp.org.uk </p>
<p>Follow the FGDP(UK) on Facebook (www.tinyurl.com/FGDP-FB) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/FGDP_UK). </p>
<p>^1323561600^4704^DCP dental research – the way for…^The challenges facing DCPs seeking to undertake research, as well as the opportunities available to them were examined in a symposium entitl…^<br />
Private dental complaints up by 24%^</p>
<p>The Dental Complaints Service (DCS), which deals with complaints about private dental care, has revealed a 24% increase in complaints from 1,180 in 2009/10 to 1,559 in 2010/11.</p>
<p>Of the 1,559 complaints it received in between May 2010 and the end of April 2011, 67% were resolved within a week.</p>
<p>The statistics have been revealed in its Annual Review, which is now available online at <a href=http://www.gdc-uk.org  >www.gdc-uk.org</a>.</p>
<p>The DCS, which was set up by the General Dental Council in 2006, provides a free, impartial service for patients and professionals to help resolve complaints as quickly and satisfactorily as possible for both parties.</p>
<p>When a complaint can’t be resolved with the help of a DCS complaints officer a panel meeting will be held.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Twenty-three of these have been held in the 12 months to the end of April this year. Three trained volunteers (made up of lay and registrant members) help both parties bring the complaint to a close without the need for costly legal proceedings.</p>
<p>Head of the DCS, Hazel Adams said: ‘We’re working hard with professionals and the public to ensure we’re able to provide one of the best complaints handling services in the UK. We are committed to being fair and impartial and we do not take sides.’</p>
<p>The DCS is keen to raise awareness of its role with the public and earlier this year produced a leaflet aimed specifically at patients.</p>
<p></p>
<p>‘Making a complaint about private dental care’ aims to guide patients through the process of raising an issue and the steps the DCS can take to help them reach a solution with their dental professional.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Copies can be ordered online at <a href=http://www.gdc-uk.org>www.gdc-uk.org</a>.</p>
<p>^1323648000^4705^Private dental complaints up by 24%^The Dental Complaints Service (DCS), which deals with complaints about private dental care, has revealed a 24% increase in complaints from 1…^<br />
Dental X-rays predict fracture risk^</p>
<p>A new study reveals that it is now possible to use dental X-rays to predict who is at risk of fractures.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Researchers at the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy reported in the journal <em>Nature Reviews Endocrinology</em> that it is possible to use dental X-rays to investigate the bone structure in the lower jaw, and so predict who is at greater risk of fractures in the future.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Lauren Lissner, a researcher at the Institute of Medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy, said: ‘We’ve seen that sparse bone structure in the lower jaw in mid-life is directly linked to the risk of fractures in other parts of the body, later in life.’ </p>
<p>The study draws on data from the Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg started in 1968.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Given that this has now been running for over 40 years, the material is ‘globally unique’.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The study included 731 women, who have been examined on several occasions since 1968, when they were 38-60 years old. X-ray images of their jaw bone were analysed in 1968 and 1980 and the results related to the incidence of subsequent fractures. </p>
<p>For the first 12 years, fractures were self-reported during follow-up examinations. It is only since the 1980s that it has been possible to use medical registers to identify fractures. A total of 222 fractures were identified during the whole observation period.</p>
<p><strong>One out of five in higher risk<br /></strong>The study shows that the bone structure of the jaw was sparse in around 20% of the women aged 38-54 when the first examination was carried out, and that these women were at significantly greater risk of fractures.</p>
<p>The study also shows that the older the person, the stronger the link between sparse bone structure in the jaw and fractures in other parts of the body.</p>
<p>Although the study was carried out on women, the researchers believe that the link also applies for men.</p>
<p>Grethe Jonasson, the researcher at the Research Centre of the Public  Dental Service in Västra Götaland who initiated the fractures study, said: ‘Dental X-rays contain lots of information on bone structure. By analysing these images, dentists can identify people who are at greater risk of fractures long before the first fracture occurs.’</p>
<p></p>
<hr />
<p>The article was published in Bone in October. For more, go to <a href=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8756328211010775>www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8756328211010775</a></p>
<p>^1323648000^4706^Dental X-rays predict fracture risk^A new study reveals that it is now possible to use dental X-rays to predict who is at risk of fractures.Researchers at the University of Got…^<br />
Oh, what a night!^</p>
<p>The Dentistry Scotland Awards were created to celebrate the best in Scottish dentistry at a glittering ceremony, and we’re pleased to report that they achieved exactly that.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The Gleneagles Hotel was the glamorous setting for this inaugural event, held on 25 November.</p>
<p></p>
<p>On arrival, guests were treated to a champagne reception while the band played in the background, before moving into the splendid ballroom – led by a traditional Scottish piper, of course – where the ceremony took place.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Chairman of the judging panel, Robert Donald co-hosted the event – with Dentistry Scotland’s managing editor, Heather Podbury – he said it had ‘been uplifting to review such a stunning array of high quality entries, which provide both inspiration and encouragement to our colleagues.’<br /> <br />Here are the winners and highly commended awards in each category:<br /><span class=blue_medfont> <br />BEST NEW PRACTICE</span><br />Blue Sky Dental<br />Highly commended – Cherrybank Dental Spa Edinburgh<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>MOST ATTRACTIVE PRACTICE</span><br />Philip Friel Advanced Dentistry<br />Highly commended – Cherrybank Dental Spa Edinburgh<br /> <br class=blue_medfont /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST DENTAL TEAM</span><br />Fergus & Glover<br />Highly commended – Beam Specialist Orthodontic Practice<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST PATIENT CARE</span><br />Stafford Street Dental<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST SPECIALIST PRACTICE</span><br />Beam Specialist Orthodontic Practice<br />Highly commended – Lubiju<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST COMMUNITY OR CHARITY PROJECT</span><br />Berkeley Clinic<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST MARKETING</span><br />Glasgow Smile Gallery<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST EMPLOYER</span><br />Fergus & Glover<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST DENTAL LABORATORY</span><br />Dental Technology Services International<br />Highly commended – Pearl White Dental Laboratory<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST NHS PRACTICE</span><br />M & S Dental Care<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>BEST PRIVATE PRACTICE</span><br />Philip Friel Advanced Dentistry<br />Highly commended – Visage Lifestyle Clinic<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR</span><br />Elaine Halley<br />Highly commended – Kasia Zawada<br /><span class=blue_medfont> <br />PRACTICE OF THE YEAR – NORTH</span><br />M & S Dental Care<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>PRACTICE OF THE YEAR – SOUTH</span><br />Birch Valley Dental Care<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>PRACTICE OF THE YEAR – EAST</span><br />Lubiju<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>PRACTICE OF THE YEAR – WEST</span><br />Visage Lifestyle Clinic<br />Highly commended – Philip Friel Advanced Dentistry<br /> <br /><span class=blue_medfont>DENTISTRY SCOTLAND PRACTICE OF THE YEAR 2012</span><br />Visage Lifestyle Clinic<br /> <br />Without the support of our sponsors we would not be able to showcase the best in Scottish dentistry with these awards. It is thanks to these companies that we were able to host this ceremony in such a glamorous setting.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Our sponsors are Braemar Finance, Costech Elite, Independent Care Plans, Ivoclar Vivadent, MDDUS, Philips Zoom and Wright Cottrell.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Dentistry Scotland magazine would like to thank everyone who entered this year for believing in the value of these awards.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who was shortlisted, we look forward to seeing even more of you next year!</p>
<p></p>
<p><img src=/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/ScotlandNEW.jpg alt=

^1323734400^4707^Oh, what a night!^The Dentistry Scotland Awards were created to celebrate the best in Scottish dentistry at a glittering ceremony, and we’re pleased to …^
Conman pleads guilty to dental scam ^

A man pleaded guilty to carrying out illegal dentistry practices at Exeter Crown Court following an investigation by Devon County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

Stephen Sickelmore, trading as ‘The Denture Clinic’, ran an illegal denture fitting and supply business from his home on Old Gatehouse Road, visiting people in their home to take teeth moulds he was not legally qualified to do.

Following complaints from customers, Devon County Council’s Trading Standards Service carried out a long and detailed investigation into Mr Sickelmore’s activities, working closely with the General Dental Council (GDC) & The Medical & Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Sickelmore admitted illegally supplying dentures and related dental services, supplying dentures that were poorly fitted and poorly made and delays in dealing with complaints.

He was convicted of three offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

The case was adjourned to a later date for sentencing.

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Trading Standards said: ‘The law protects patients by putting a strict duty of care on dental care professionals to be suitably qualified and medically competent before they can treat a patient.

‘Our Trading Standards Service will continue to take necessary enforcement action to protect Devon residents, particularly the most vulnerable, from unfair trading practices and to safeguard the economic interests of legitimate local businesses.’

^1323734400^4708^Conman pleads guilty to dental scam…^A man pleaded guilty to carrying out illegal dentistry practices at Exeter Crown Court following an investigation by Devon County Council&rs…^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/gen-dentsit-pic-Tate.png
Teeth ‘under two-day attack’ over Christmas^

Spare a thought for your teeth this Christmas, as eating and drinking habits could be putting your teeth in constant danger for 48 hours.

Constant snacking, drinking and eating of sugary foods and drinks over Christmas can make the holiday period a miserable time for teeth.

The indulgences and tempting treats on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in particular means that teeth are likely to be under constant risk of attack from tooth decay and tooth erosion over the festive 48-hour period.

Sugar-filled mince pies, chocolate selection boxes, fizzy drinks and acidic alcoholic drinks like red wine that make up a traditional festive diet are all likely to pose a hazard to teeth during the holidays.

Whether young or old, the message remains the same; don’t forget about your oral health.

Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said: ‘It is important to be extra vigilant with your oral health over the Christmas period. Your teeth are under attack for up to one hour after eating or drinking, and if you think about how much is consumed, and how often, particularly over Christmas and Boxing Day, your teeth don’t really get the chance to recover.

‘Brushing your teeth just before you go to bed will make sure that you have removed acid forming plaque before sleep as at night your saliva flow (the tooth’s natural protective mechanism) slows down, while brushing first thing in the morning is a simple way to limit damage caused to your teeth. If you’re partying late, with less sleep than normal, you may also want to take extra care of your teeth during the day.’

In order to ensure you fully enjoy this time of year – without having to compromise on what you eat and drink – the Foundation recommends you bear in mind it is not how much sugary food and drink you have, it is how often you have them that causes a perilous situation for oral health.

There is some good news.

Some traditional foods like cranberries, the perfect accompaniment for your turkey, are scientifically proven to be beneficial to overall health, and scientists have also shown they may have the capacity to help prevent both gum disease and tooth decay.

However, moderation is important as cranberries are acidic and it is a good idea not to have them too often throughout the day to avoid erosion of your teeth’s enamel.

Other things like passing a tin of sweets around throughout the day, selection boxes and even Buck’s Fizz have the potential to damage teeth if consumed too often, and for this reason it’s best to try and keep them to mealtimes.

Mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding are all laden with dried fruit which is high in sugar and sticks to the teeth where it can cause most damage.

To accommodate these treats, it’s a great idea to open the cheeseboard after mealtimes as a small piece of cheese will help return the mouth to its natural acid balance and help reduce the chances of tooth decay.  Chewing on sugar-free gum for around 10 minutes can also have the same effect.

To accommodate your child’s sweet tooth without damaging their teeth, Dr Carter suggested some novel yet practical ways of getting the balance between sweet tooth and healthy tooth right.

Dr Carter said: ‘Children will inevitably get sweets, so try and get them to eat them straight after mealtimes rather than grazing on them all day.

‘New research even suggests ice cream containing probiotic could reduce levels of tooth decay so in the future this could become a healthier option.

‘Any fruit juice they have should be diluted 10 parts water to one part juice as most are acidic and many contain added sugar.

‘If you need something extra for your child’s stocking, a character-branded toothbrush, some of which have been approved by the Foundation’s accreditation scheme, has the potential to make brushing fun and something they wish to take part in.

‘The minimum we can all do during this time is to brush our teeth for two minutes twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste.’

^1323820800^4709^Teeth ‘under two-day attack’ ov…^Spare a thought for your teeth this Christmas, as eating and drinking habits could be putting your teeth in constant danger for 48 hours.Con…^http://dev.dentistry.co.uk/sites/all/themes/dentistry/images/news_images/sweets-and-dental-tools.jpg
Dentistry to share £4.1 billion NHS cash injection^

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley today announced that the NHS will get a funding boost of over £2.5 billion to provide services for patients in 2012-13.

Next year, £91.6 billion will go direct to Primary Care Trusts – a 2.8% increase in total allocations.

This investment in the NHS represents a real-terms increase in health spending and shows the Government’s determination to ensure that patients have access to high quality local NHS services – a significant step given the difficult economic climate.

The £91.6 billion investment in the NHS can be broken down by:
• £87.5 billion for allocations to Primary Care Trusts to provide care for local patients. This includes £300 million for re-ablement services to help give people the community care they need to become more independent after being in hospital, which is double the £150m invested in 2011/12
• £4.1 billion will be invested in dental and eye care, pharmaceutical services and support for joint working between health and social care.

Health secretary, Andrew Lansley, said: ‘I am committed to the NHS and to services for patients. We are continuing to meet our commitment to increase the NHS budget in real terms. This will mean a £2.5 billion increase next year.

“The extra investment gives Primary Care Trusts a strong platform to sustain and improve NHS services for patients. But despite this extra spending, the NHS must still strive to get the best value out of every penny it spends to meet rising demand and continue to improve results for patients.’

‘In the future, we want those closest to patients – doctors, nurses and other clincians – to be in charge of the NHS budget to deliver care for patients. Next year, the NHS will be bringing clinical leadership to the forefront in planning services for patients.’

The allocations place the NHS in a strong position to deliver the Government’s national priorities set out in the recently published 2012-13 NHS Operating Framework.

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