Sebastian Evans

A Cheltenham dental practice has won a second legal battle with international fashion giant Lacoste over the right to use a toothy crocodile on the sign outside their surgery. For the second time in a year, a trademark judge has rejected the French clothing company’s complaints. Lacoste had argued that the sign could wrongly lead…

Thousands of patients in Scotland face going without free orthodontic treatment after news that NHS services are set to be reduced. Those with ‘borderline’ orthodontic problems could be ineligible for help while it is likely that only the most severe cases will be financed by the government. There is due to be a consultation process…

Ministers have delayed a decision on whether to use dental X-rays to help determine the age of asylum seeking children until the spring. Home Office Minister Lord West, speaking in the House of Lords earlier this month, said the use of dental radiographs was still up in the air despite the idea being first mooted…

The General Dental Council is seeking views on proposals to introduce a period of provisional registration for dentists and dental care professionals joining the registers for the first time. Under the proposals, which will enhance patient protection, dental professionals will need to pass an initial assessment (validation) against GDC standards before moving from provisional to…

The majority of complaints logged by the Dental Complaints Service (DCS) are resolved within three working days, according to the service’s first annual report. The service, which helps resolve complaints about private dental care, logged more than 1,500 complaints in its first year of operation. It was set up and funded by the General Dental…

Salaried primary care dentists in England have voted to accept a proposed new contract negotiated by the British Dental Association (BDA) on their behalf. The contract enjoyed strong support in the ballot and the result was endorsed by the BDA and NHS Employers. The Department of Health has been informed so that the new contract…

The British Dental Association (BDA) has teamed up with the British Medical Association (BMA) and written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressing concern at the way changes to Capital Gains Tax could impact on GDPs and GPs. The joint letter, from Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of BMA Council, and Dr Susie Sanderson, chair of…

One of the big winners at the Dentistry Awards 2007, held on 7 December, was James Hamill of Blue Apple who won Best Young Dentist, not only for the Northern Ireland region but also for the UK. Siobhan Lewney, IrishDentist.ie editor, spoke to a delighted James Hamill after the awards ceremony. James commented: ‘This is…

I have written before about how many steps to achieving case acceptance are tied to one source – communication. Communication is everything and great communication will, in conjunction with finely tuned systems, lead to great production. Attitude Good communication begins with a good attitude. Introducing and presenting aesthetic dentistry takes careful planning. Everyone on the…

Abstract This article examines a non-surgical treatment option for reducing the excessive gingival display (‘gummy smiles’), which can be found in many patients. I have termed this ‘lip stabilisation with botulinum toxin’. If carefully administered, this procedure is a very quick, reliable and predictable treatment option for most appropriate cases and should be considered as…

Tooth loss may predict the development of dementia late in life, according to research published in the October 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA, 138(10): 1314-1322). Numerous past studies have shown that patients with dementia are more likely than patients without the condition to have poor oral health. Few researchers,…

A team of volunteers comprising dentists, paediatricians, anaesthetists, nurses and medical students recently performed about 200 cleft lip and palate operations in Africa, as part of a 25-year-old mission to help some of the poorest children in the world. The 23 volunteers with Operation Smile Ireland worked in Africa for up to two weeks, while…

A dental training robot, named Simroid, which is short for ‘simulator humanoid’, has realistic skin over its metal skeleton, moving eyes and a mouth fitted with replica teeth. Demonstrated at the 2007 International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo, Simroid said: ‘Ow, that hurt!’ and narrowed her eyes as a dentist drilled on her replica teeth. ‘Now,…

The 2007 Dentistry Awards proved to be a resounding success as one of the biggest events on the dental calendar lived up to its promise once again. More than 600 people flocked to the Athena in Leicester for a splendid evening of wining and dining before the ceremony itself, presented by celebrity host Roy Walker.…

The General Dental Council has agreed in principle to abolish its current system for adding dental professionals’ additional qualifications to its registers. The decision was made at a public meeting on 6 December, but before making any changes the GDC will consult on the next steps. For dental professionals who already have additional qualifications listed…

A new school-based dental service aimed at preventing tooth decay has been launched in Scotland. The Childsmile School programme involves dental care teams visiting primary schools to promote oral health and offer preventive treatment. With parental consent, children are offered twice yearly applications of fluoride varnish, which is painted on to their teeth by specially-trained…

The Information Centre for health and social care has announced the appointment of former dentist Tim Straughan as its new chief executive. Announcing the appointment, Mike Ramsden, chairman of The Information Centre (IC), said: ‘I’m delighted to announce Tim’s appointment and believe he is the right person to lead The IC as it works to…

The 7th annual Premier Symposium was held on Saturday 1st December at King’s College\. 300 delegates registered for the event which has become something of a landmark in the dental calendar, with many delegates having attended all the earlier ones. The Premier Symposium is jointly organised by Dental Protection Ltd and Schülke, and is recognised…

It has been a long time coming, but Dentistry magazine’s first educational event will be worth the wait. Dentistry magazine is teaming up with Independent Seminars to offer a new event that will break the trend of conventional training methods. The inaugural Dentistry Live! is the first event of its kind tailored expressly for the…