Mr Sebastian Evans

The government has rejected calls for a full House of Commons debate on the future of NHS dentistry. It followed a challenge from Liberal Democrat MP Mark Hunter during business questions last month. Mr Hunter, who represents Cheadle in Greater Manchester, told Parliament: ‘Eighty-five per cent of dentists surveyed by the British Dental Association say…

While the end of your final year may seem like a long way away, it won’t be long until you have to be thinking about what to do next. Of course, for many final-year graduates there is a straightforward answer – most will move onto Vocational Training (VT) and progress through the practice system from…

This is one of the most useful time-management tools that I use in day-to-day practice. By asking these questions before each task it allows me to focus on the most important task at any one time. I thought that I would transfer this tool into a way of reviewing dental implant and periodontic procedures. Periodontics…

Finally, after countless proposals and months of negotiation, we now know what changes are going to take place with the NHS pension scheme. These changes will take place from April 2008 and will have differing impacts depending on whether you are a current member, a former member or are likely to join after April 2008.…

The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) has worked with several bodies to develop standards for prison dentists and those commissioning prison dental services. The standards were drawn up by the FGDP (UK) in conjunction with the Department of Health, the Oxford Deanery, the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry and NHS Primary…

Norman Freedman has received The British Dental Trade Association Award for his outstanding contribution to the dental industry. Norman was one of the first to recognise the opportunities of mail order operations, resulting in dramatically improved customer service levels and introducing the concept of next day delivery. He went against contemporary thinking in order to…

Eddie Crouch, founder member of pressure group ChallengeDoH, says he is humbled at the financial backing he has received from dentists to support his court battle against the new contract. The orthodontist from south Birmingham claims his local health trust failed to consult the public on the changes introduced last April, and the case will…

MPs have accused primary care trusts (PCTs) of failing to spend their budgets to increase access to NHS dentistry. More than 20 members have signed a Parliamentary motion which notes the ‘difficulties’ patients are having in seeing a dentist across the UK. But rather than blame the government, they say local health trusts are at…

More than a quarter of a million people across England have lost access to NHS dentistry since the implementation of the new contract in April 2006, according to new figures. Statistics published by The Information Centre show that 27,879,000 patients were seen by an NHS dentist in England in the 24 months up to 30…

Independent Seminars revealed details of its first international seminar at the recent FDI World Dental Exhibition in Dubai. The event, titled Sun, sea, sand and…seminars, will run over the 26-27 April 2008 and will feature a host of well-known speakers including Dr Larry Rosenthal, Dr Neil Counihan, Dr Komal Suri and Dr Ian Buckle. There…

The British Dental Association (BDA) is seeking an urgent meeting with Scotland’s chief dental officer Margie Taylor to address concerns about new decontamination regulations. The call comes after the chief dental officer recently wrote to Health Boards with further guidance on the requirements that will come into force in 2009, including the provision of an…

Ciara Murphy has handed in her resignation as CEO of the Irish Dental Association, a position she has held since the beginning of 2006. Ms Murphy was unavailable for comment.

Some years ago, amidst the two years I spent doing my A-levels, I would not have seen myself where I am today. I had made the decision quite early on that I wouldn’t be following my peers to university, discarding the option because at that time in my life I felt it just wasn’t my…

Over the past few issues we have established that there are many different options available to dental graduates. However, what we haven’t looked at are some of the more obscure avenues within the healthcare profession that you may decide to pursue. Of course, you may want to store these pathways in a little box marked…

Once again I am privileged to have been asked to judge on the Dentistry Awards this year and have the chance to see some great practices whose aim is to impress and raise the standards of the dental care they provide. In doing so, wonderful practice environments are created for patients and team alike. I…

Q. I’ve been thinking about marketing my practice for several years now, but I’m so busy I just don’t see the point. Surely if I am busy enough I don’t need to do any marketing? A. Marketing isn’t just about keeping your appointment diary full – it’s a tool for maximising your profits, for making…

Trainee dental care professionals who are due to qualify before 30 July 2008 can take advantage of the 2007 GDC registration fee of £72, so long as they apply before the end of this year. The registration fee goes up to £96 on 1 January 2008, but trainee dental care professionals can submit a completed…

The annual Schottlander prize for the advancement of knowledge in prosthetic dentistry has been won by Dr David Newsum from Doncaster. The prize is awarded annually and this year marks its 22nd anniversary. The award took place at a dinner in Birmingham, attended by Dr Nick Jepson, President of the British Society for the Study…

A new study claims that the application of beneficial bacteria as an adjunct to traditional therapy may become a valid, non-antibiotic treatment approach for periodontitis. The researchers in this small-scale animal study applied a mixture of beneficial bacteria after scaling and root planing (removal of bacterial plaque from the crown and root of the tooth…