Mr Sebastian Evans

As an associate, it is easy not to get involved in a practice environment; one can simply come to work and leave without much thought for what is occurring outside your respective surgery. In reality, there can be several different worlds being run all in the same practice. Well, this is completely contra to the…

The Preventive Practice of the Year Award 2010 is designed to recognise the UK practice with the strongest, best established preventive ethos, whether it be NHS, private or mixed. As a team, you will successfully communicate the oral health message to your patients, you will work together to raise oral health standards and you will…

Whether or not dental hygienists support the theory of selective polishing, polishing is an integral dental procedure (Barnes CM, 2004a; Beebe SN, 2009). While the process of polishing appears to be straightforward and even mundane, it involves several complex issues, many of which are interdependent. Polishing is an inherent part of dental hygiene practice and…

The price of a product or service is one component of the so-called marketing mix and the only one that produces revenue. The other three (product, place and promotion) produce only costs. The Chartered Institute of Marketing observed that: ‘The impact of effective pricing on the bottom line is immediate and can be dramatic. Yet…

Xerostomia, also known as dry mouth, is a common symptom associated with a decrease in the amount or quality of saliva. Xerostomia is not a disease in itself but may be a symptom of a disease or a side effect of medical treatment. It is also a very common daily condition among the patient population…

The loss of PRSI state-funded dentistry and the proposed changes to the DTSS scheme has set challenges for us all. Surviving these changes for both our own and our team’s sakes will require a new outlook. I believe the setting of a goal that is focused on improvement will help us all to survive, at…

Conflict can occur at all levels of interaction during a dental nurse’s day, whether at work with colleagues or an irate patient, among friends or within families. When conflict happens and communication breaks down, the resulting relationship may be weakened or strengthened, depending on how effectively we communicate during this time. Conflict can be a…

There are many reasons why individuals offer their services, skills and time in a voluntary capacity. Possibly it is to experience the sense of altruism associated with offering your time and expertise; even a sense of atonement, perhaps. Or maybe it’s the need to ‘make a difference’ in some way or the yearning to contribute…

I am up at 6.30am, but slow to wake up. My children Joanna (17) and Oliver (15) are more independent, so the most I do is drop one or other off at a bus stop. We have been fortunate that my wife, Laura, has run her business from home so has been able to be…

So, there we have it. A new Government. I do apologise for the delay in commenting, but (as recently explained) the lead time for printed copy publications does not permit an instant, real-time response. By the time you read this you will probably be asking ‘what election?’ As for that ‘other’ delay – between ballot…

Most of us will have experienced those moments when we lost the will to live while travelling on a low-cost, ‘no frills’ airline. But in future I will keep my views to myself after the story that broke over Easter, featuring the elderly gentleman who was already dead, strapped into his wheelchair, at the time…

I have worked with Mike Reece for more than 10 years and he has always been passionate about providing the highest standard of patient care and had been frustrated that he felt we as a profession were failing our children in the field of prevention. In 2005, Mike approached me with his plans to open…

This year’s campaign slogan for National Smile Month, ‘Teeth4Life’, highlights the importance of looking after teeth and maintaining them for life. It also stressed the systemic link and that a healthy diet can improve the quality of your life. The campaign will run between 16 May and 16 June and will be an opportunity for…

Acupuncture can calm highly anxious dental patients and ensure they can be given the treatment they need, suggests a small study published in Acupuncture in Medicine. A visit to the dentist provokes extreme fear and anxiety in an estimated one in 20 people, and can put them off going altogether, a condition termed odontophobia. And…

In the last year, 39% of Britons have had to pay for dental bills over £50 using a credit card and 2% have been forced to take out a loan. These shocking results come as even more people struggle to find an NHS dentist for themselves and their children (up from 59% to 63%), according…

Employers are increasingly discouraging their staff from visiting the dentist during work hours, a survey has revealed. The number of companies taking this approach has doubled from 5% in 2009 to 10% this year. Researchers behind the 2010 Simplyhealth Annual Dental Survey said it is a sign that companies have been under pressure to keep…

A bus advertising campaign in Bradford is aiming to drive home the message that it’s a lot easier to see an NHS dentist than many people think. Access to NHS dental care is being advertised on buses across Bradford and Airedale as part of an awareness campaign to encourage more local people to find an…

An 81-year-old dentist who pioneered an alternative treatment to orthodontics has been reprimanded by the General Dental Council (GDC) for misconduct. John Mew upset the governing body by openly arguing that the profession has promoted surgery as the only treatment for jaw misalignment and failing to tell patients of other methods. The GDC took issue…