Missed out on this week’s dental news? No problem, here’s what happened over the past seven days…
Time to end ‘bidding wars’ for NHS orthodontics
Commissioning orthodontic services across the West Midlands was abandoned recently after six months of tendering for the services.
This has left practices across the West Midlands uncertain about the future of NHS orthodontics in the area.
The association claims these ‘bidding wars’ have created major delays as well as some legal challenges.
It believes the tendering process places huge stresses on dental practices encouraging a race to the bottom.
Successful bidders have handed back contracts in the NHS southern region due to a lack of staff, the BDA says.
Cancer risk top incentive to give up smoking and drinking
Half (50%) of smokers would quit cigarettes if they knew the increased risk of mouth cancer that it causes.
While 40% of heavy drinkers would drop their alcohol consumption if they knew the increased risks.
More than a third (38%) of smokers are unaware smoking increases their oral cancer risks.
While 50% of heavy drinks don’t realise alcohol also increases cancer risks too.
Smoking and alcohol consumption are the two biggest contributors to oral cancer and consuming both trebles the cancer risk.
Lincolnshire hospitals going smoke free in 2020
From 6 January 2020, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) will no longer provide designated smoking areas.
This will affect sites at Lincoln, Boston, Grantham and Louth.
Lincolnshire hospitals undertook a four-month consultation on the implications of going smoke free, prior to launching the ban.
Feedback showed 56% of respondents believed Lincolnshire hospitals should introduce a smoking ban.
The move brings ULHT in line with NICE guidelines stating all hospitals should be 100% smoke free.
Switzerland best place to live for dentists and dental nurses
The poll ranks countries and various job types based on salary, hours worked, paid leave, cost of living and happiness.
Germany followed in second place, while Cyprus rounded off the top three countries.
Switzerland also topped the polls as the best place to live and work for dental nurses, Totally Money’s survey shows.
Private dentistry in demand as buyers go for growth
The private dentistry market is on the move, with increasing demand for quality practices across the board.
What’s driving increased demand, who’s buying and what’s in demand?
Fillings not the best way to tackle tooth decay in children
Findings from a major dental trial suggest that preventing tooth decay from occurring in the first place is the most effective way for parents to help avoid pain and infection from decay in their children’s teeth.
Dentists from the Universities of Dundee, Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Queen Mary University of London and Leeds led a three-year study .
It compared three different treatment options for tooth decay in children’s teeth.
They found no evidence to suggest that conventional fillings are more effective than sealing decay into teeth or using prevention techniques alone, in stopping pain and infection from tooth decay in primary teeth.
Slow Dentistry movement encourages dentists to change the way they practise
Slow Dentistry is a new movement looking to change the way people view their oral health.
Launched last weekend, the Slow Dentistry network is calling on dentists to slow down the way they practise.
It hopes this will improve standards of care and ensure safety, well-being, comfort and understanding.
The Slow Dentistry movement is aimed at both the dentist and the patient.
It encourages hour-long dental appointments, also enabling the highest standards of anti-infection measures.
Dr Stanley believes rushed appointments endanger patients and increase infection risks.
Doug Watt talks about his experience with a digital dentistry workflow
