Sebastian Evans

The Mouth Cancer Foundation has come a step closer to making sure all patients suffering from the disease have access to a new drug, currently not widely available on the NHS. The drug in question is called Cetuximab and is a new cancer treatment available in Scotland since July 2006, but not England and Wales…

Howard Farran has said that dentistry eats its young and we can all sympathise with that idea when we remember our initiation into the high volume, low quality dentistry of the NHS. This, of course, is also true of medicine where junior hospital doctors are the workhorses of the system. It’s also been said that…

The Conservative Party is investigating proposals to ‘free up’ dental hygienists to allow them to practise in the high street without the need for referrals. Mike Penning MP, who was recently appointed the party’s spokesman for dentistry, said he hoped to launch his party’s response to the government’s ‘fatally flawed’ contract later this year. But…

Europe’s newest dental school will open at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) next month. Costing £5.25m, it is one of the first new dental schools to be built in Britain for over a century, providing world-class teaching facilities and aiming to set new standards in dental training. The school, which is to be officially…

The government’s refusal to consider granting a clawback amnesty over UDA targets means the prospects of many dentists continuing to work under the NHS are ‘dismal’, according to Quentin Skinner. The chairman of DPAS Ltd, the payment collection agent and provider of dental insurance that supports practices in offering their own practice-branded plans, said the…

The Competition Authority has published its final report on competition in dental services in Ireland. The report finds that competition in dental services is restricted and discouraged by an outdated system of regulation. Chairperson of the Competition Authority, Bill Prasifka states: ‘Consumers are paying too much for dental services in Ireland. This is not surprising…

Development of the third step The Hornbrook Group has been teaching the Ultimate Occlusion course for the past eight years. During the development of this course we created a five-step occlusal process for the general practitioner to create a comprehensive occlusion review of every patient, regardless of the proposed treatment plan. The five-step programme includes:…

In a recent article I mentioned John Hunter, the amazing anatomist from the 18th Century. His intricate dissection work led to a greater understanding of the human body and hence the development of many modern surgical techniques. In the same vein, a detailed understanding of periodontal anatomy, the changes that occur in the disease process…

So you are a dental practice – just one of thousands in the UK – and you think you have something different to offer potential customers that you shout brashly about from your new glossy marketing literature and website: specialist expertise, the latest technology, refurbished and relaxing premises, a customer-focused team, etc. You shout and…

Your plans for the future – that dream family holiday, next year’s new car, or helping support your children or grandchildren through university – all depend largely on one vital ingredient: your income. If poor health or an accident stops you working for a lengthy period and money runs short, or worse still you die,…

Most principals will at some time have taken out some form of practice expenses cover. After all if the principal is unable to work, the bills still have to be paid such as mortgage or rental costs, staff wages, utilities, professional expenses. Indeed the majority of expenses to allow a practice to operate continue irrespective…

It was in October 2006 at the BDTA Dental Showcase when I signed up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with Bridge2Aid. I agreed with so much confidence and excitement knowing I was going to climb up this ‘big mountain’. Five days into last month’s trek and I was wondering what on earth I was thinking! We…

The British Dental Health Foundation has issued a warning against travelling abroad for dental treatment after a spate of calls to its helpline from people who have encountered problems. The warning follows news that the number of UK people looking for information on dental tourism through the internet reached almost 60,000 last month – a…

Figures published recently by the Information Centre highlight a significant trend of dentists’ earnings coming from sources other than NHS dentistry, according to the British Dental Association. The Dental Earnings and Expenses Report 2005/06, which reflects the net incomes of dental practitioners in Great Britain from NHS dentistry, private dentistry and other sources, shows that…

Independent Seminars and Private Dentistry magazine are teaming up to present a breakthrough event this winter – Private Dentistry 07. The one-day session, being held on Friday 30 November 2007 in London, taps into the growing realisation in the dental profession of the potential profitability and freedom private dental practices provide. Whether you are pondering…

A dentist who told a female patient she would have to wear ‘appropriate Islamic dress’ to receive treatment has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct. Dr Omer Butt was found to have discriminated against the woman, known as Mrs A, and received an admonition following a three-day disciplinary hearing of the General Dental Council…

Charges for NHS dental check-ups should be scrapped, the Liberal Democrats have demanded. The party, meeting in Brighton for their autumn conference, agreed the move as part of a package of measures designed to boost the availability of NHS dentists in England and help practitioners promote preventive oral care. The policies included a plan to…

Kevin Lewis looks at who has been stealing the show as dentistry returns to the media spotlight.   War of words   Nobody will have failed to notice that the media’s summer ‘silly season’ is over, health is squarely back on the menu, and dentistry has started to reappear in the media. In recent weeks…

The General Dental Council has announced the appointment of 30 more dental professionals to its independent Fitness to Practise Panel. Members of the panel are responsible for hearing cases where a registered dental professional may not be fit to work because of poor conduct, health or professional performance. The new appointments will help meet the…