Mr Sebastian Evans

For decades special care dentistry has been the preserve of committed dental professionals in the public dental services who have much experience but little education and training. For some, training in paediatric dentistry was a starting point for a working life devoted to children and then adults with special needs. Likewise, specialists in oral medicine…

A single unit anterior crown in a young female has always been a challenge to restore. We have now been using the CEREC 3D for four years, and with constant improvements in the software and materials available we have been able to increase the range of applications with some innovative techniques. Below is a case…

‘Is this serious, doctor? Could it become cancer?’ These are difficult questions for the dental practitioner and they demand action. ‘I don’t think so but I will get a specialist to see you just to make sure,’ is the safe reply. Yet this approach will be counter-productive if the numbers of patients referred are excessive…

It is well accepted in the medical and dental profession that consent is required for every procedure undertaken, be it an examination or a more invasive procedure such as a dental extraction or surgical intervention. This consent may be oral, written or implied. However, every procedure carries a list of risks and benefits, and it…

Sometimes the most profitable sale you make is the one from which you walk away. That seemingly counterintuitive message is an important business lesson that dentists should heed when faced with price-shoppers. Here’s an example; last year, the Spanish airline Iberia needed to purchase a new aeroplane. To get the lowest price, Iberia asked two…

Gordon Waddell’s book, The back pain revolution, states that the cost of back pain has escalated as a result of time taken off work through sickness and insurance claims. Much of Waddell’s work has centred on the debilitating effect of back pain. He developed the ‘biopsychosocial model’ – how one copes with such a health…

In my first article, I wanted to highlight to the general practitioner and the specialist dentist what a problem back pain can be. In this article I want to look at what happens if back pain is occurring while the practitioner is working and what can be done to alleviate the problem. The sedentary athlete…

Sixteen people were in need of hospital treatment following a hazardous chemical spill in a dentist’s office in Georgetown, USA. The incident happened when less than an ounce of formocresol, a chemical containing formaldehyde and used in root canals, spilled in the office. A spokeswoman for Milford Memorial Hospital said seven of the 16 injured…

Denplan’s Key Client dentists were recently invited to discuss the issues facing the dental profession at a series of successful forums across the country. The forums allowed Denplan’s senior management team to meet with over 350 Key Client members to discuss their views and opinions about the company as well as the issues faced by…

Joanne Haines has been revealed as the winner of ‘Against the Odds’, the national competition organised by the British Orthodontic Society’s Orthodontic Specialists Group. Joanne, a part-time practice nurse and mother of three who lives in Warwickshire, was very happy to have won the competition which aims to find the most inspiring account of orthodontic…

The Resident Dentists Group UK has responded to the GDC’s changes to the International Qualifying Exam (IQE). The three-part test has been changed to a two-part Overseas Registration Exam (ORE), while transitional arrangements have been made for those who were already in the middle of their exams at various stages of the IQE. The Resident…

1. Carefully evaluate the tooth that will be treated, preferably with multiple radiograph views. Ideally these views are digital and as such can be manipulated with software. I use Dexis (Dexis digital radiography, Alpharetta, GA, USA) for its clarity, ease of use, reliability and integration capabilities. Pre-operative study of the canal anatomy before treatment can…

So far in the last three articles we have covered the following blockages to the uptake of periodontal care by our patients: • Initial attendance or failure to come in the first place • Lack of case acceptance or the failure to sell the necessary care. Now I would like to consider the last two…

What do we mean by the term ‘a good patient’, I wonder? Someone who pays their bills on the day? Someone who carries out all the instructions to the letter, or one who turns off their mobile phone before sitting in the chair? All are contenders for the title in my book and deserve our…

Over recent years dental care professionals have gained enhanced status, making dental carers more aware of the importance of working in a structured, well-managed practice. Although dental receptionists and practice managers are not required to register with the General Dental Council (GDC), they are still required to work within the GDC’s Standards for Dental Care…

The deadline for entries to this year’s Dentistry Awards 2007 is less than a month away\. Don’t miss your chance to outshine your competitors…. If you feel your practice deserves praise for a year’s hard work and success, then make sure you get suitable recognition by entering the Dentistry Awards 2007. Now in its second…

The General Dental Council is seeking higher education professionals to oversee its new examination for overseas dentists. Following the launch of the new Overseas Registration Examination (ORE), the GDC is recruiting: • A chair to help establish and lead its new Overseas Registration Examination Board (OREB) which will ensure the successful delivery of the ORE•…

The UK’s first training course for orthodontic therapists has begun at the Leeds Dental Institute. The students will complete a 45-week course which will lead to a Diploma in Orthodontic Therapy from the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The course is said to be the first hands-on dental…

The General Dental Council is looking for views on its draft guidance for registrants concerning their responsibilities when acting in a business capacity. The guidance, Principles of management responsibility, will apply to any registrant who has a management role, whether that is for a dental body corporate, a primary care trust, a dental practice, a…