Registration for the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2020 is officially
open!

Now you can secure your place at the event to make sure you don’t miss out on the extensive education and networking opportunities available. A world-class speaker line-up has been accrued, with industry-leading professionals sharing their colossal collective experience and expertise.

There will also be an extensive trade floor with dental manufacturers and suppliers demonstrating their latest innovations. Whether you’re looking for digital technologies, restorative materials, software programmes or training courses, there will be something for you.

10,000+ visitors
400+ exhibitors
200+ speakers
100+ hours of education content

Don’t miss out and register for free online today!

The British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2020 – 15th and 16th May –Birmingham NEC, co-located with DTS.

For all the latest information, visit www.thedentistryshow.co.uk, call 020 73485270 or email dentistry@closerstillmedia.com

National Smile Month sees the launch of a new campaign aimed at highlighting and supporting the
dental profession’s greatest ‘achievements for good’.

The ‘beproud’ hashtag will come into force in the coming weeks as the dental profession and
industry celebrate the daily good work of colleagues, customers and friends whose actions they
think are worthy and provoke the feeling of being proud.

Mark Topley, Founder of Dental CSR Certification, the business behind the #beproud campaign,
explains more:

“It’s humbling to know our profession is achieving and doing so much for others and the
environment but also a great shame to see these same individuals holding back from sharing their
stories, as if by highlighting this it somehow undermines the original intention. This campaign is a
way to break down this barrier, to create a safe space to recognise the good and selfless decisions
being made in dentistry and to encourage and inspire more goodness in turn. At a time where the
news is breeding negativity, it’s about time we heard about more of the good. It’s what people want
to see – did you know that 90% of your patients and team now expect you to do good as part of
running the business?”

Dental CSR Certification encourage all practices to #beproud of their good decisions and to share
their positive stories on social media, celebrating everyday heroes. For example, it could be
recognising the efforts of a team member who consistently goes above and beyond with their
patients, the impact of the money your practice has raised so far this year for charity or recognising
someone who works in your local community.

We want you to share your stories and we want to feel the pride behind your words − because all
good work, in whatever format, should be celebrated and this is the time to shine the light on the
people you respect and admire. Everyone loves a pat on the back – be an encourager.
The #beproud campaign kicks off an exciting month for Dental CSR Certification as the company
gets set to launch a new set of standards that recognises dental practices’ commitment to doing
good – for their people, their community, and the environment. This is achieved via three levels of
certification (Bronze, Silver and Gold) depending on the level you are at in your Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR), while motivating teams to aspire to that next stage of recognition.

The #beproud campaign sits at the heart of Dental CSR Certification, where the daily good work of
the dental profession and their pride in sharing it is celebrated.

To take part, all you need to do is share your story on Facebook, Instagram, twitter or LinkedIN
with #beproud and link to the Dental CSR social media accounts – @dentalcsr. This may be via
one dedicated post or through a six week social media campaign, giving you the option to post
weekly or even daily providing the freedom to recognise all those individuals who should #beproud
of their achievements. At the end of August, Dental CSR will select one practice for a free CSR
consultation, during which Mark Topley and his team will be on hand to advise and support you in
your journey to CSR certification.

For more information on Dental CSR and the certification that will become available very soon to
dental practices in the UK, visit www.dentalcsr.co.uk.

The results of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the General Dental Council (GDC) by Dental Protection demonstrate how important it is for dental professionals to have comprehensive indemnity cover and dentolegal support when faced with GDC proceedings.

Nearly one third (29%) of the warnings issued by the GDC in the past five years relate to personal conduct matters. Three quarters of these were given as a result of a driving offence.

This data supports the importance for dentists to maintain their membership of a dental defence organisation that will safeguard their interests and reputation before the regulator.

Dental Protection regularly defends members on a wide range of matters – including personal conduct matters. However, not all organisations provide protection against GDC investigations that relate to personal conduct, and so the dentist would have to personally pay for this legal support when faced by the regulator. When choosing their indemnity provider, it is important for dentists to consider whether their indemnity in GDC cases is limited to ‘the practice of dentistry’.

Having effective legal representation may also help a dentist to eliminate the risk of a warning altogether. In late 2018, Dental Protection brought Judicial Review proceedings against the GDC’s decision to issue a warning to a member who had committed a minor driving offence.  In this case, Dental Protection successfully argued that a warning would be an excessive and unjust sanction by the regulator.

The FOI request to the GDC also revealed that nearly one-third (27%) of warnings issued to dentists related to record keeping. Dental Protection provides advice and has a wide range of workshops and education modules to help dentists with a variety of topics including record keeping.

Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection, said:

“The GDC investigation process can be very unsettling for dentists who fear that their reputation is at stake. If you receive a warning you will have to disclose details of the sanction in any future job applications. Any dentist who receives a published warning will also find that details of the warning are put on the GDC website.

 “While many healthcare professionals may feel that personal conduct issues do not necessarily make you unfit to practise, the GDC are clear that dental professionals have a responsibility in their personal life to behave appropriately.

“Unlike others, Dental Protection supports our members when they face allegations related to personal conduct in front of the regulator.

“Dental Protection continues to support dentists throughout all stages of a GDC investigation by providing the best possible support from our experienced team.”

Throughout the past years, Dental Protection has been contacted by an increasing number of dentists who have failed to pay their Annual Retention Fee (ARF) to the General Dental Council (GDC) by the 31 December 2018. Any dentist who has not paid their ARF by this deadline is removed by the GDC from the register and cannot practice in the UK until they have successfully been restored to the register.

Failing to pay the ARF by the end of this year will result in dentists needing to apply for restoration to the register in the New Year. Restoration requires the completion of the GDC application form and submission of the relevant evidence. The GDC states that the process will take at least 10 working days during which the dentist must not work. Dental Protection has witnessed the enormous distress and inconvenience that this has caused to dentists as patient appointments have to be cancelled and cash flow is interrupted. Knowingly working when not registered is illegal and a fitness to practice issue which can result in sanctions from the GDC.

The end of the year is also the last day of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) year. The Enhanced CPD scheme was introduced this year which has seen the implementation of new CPD regulations. Under the ECPD scheme, dentists will need to complete a minimum of 100 hours verifiable CPD over their five year cycle as well as ensuring they declare at least 10 hours during any two year period.​ It is important to remind all dentists that any CPD done after the 31 December 2018 will not count towards the previous year.

Raj Rattan Director at Dental Protection said:

“We would like to remind our members of the importance of complying with the CPD rules. This year, there are some new requirements including a change in the reporting system, which needs dentists to complete the key annual statement and have a Personal Development Plan (PDP) in place. As far as we are aware, the consequences of not having a PDP have not yet resulted in a case. Nevertheless, we urge all dentists to comply fully with the requirements to avoid a fitness to practise investigation.”

Three national dental organisations are supporting the World Health Organisation’s World Antibiotic Awareness Week by urging the dental profession to help keep antibiotics working.

The Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP(UK)), the British Association of Oral Surgeons (BAOS) and the Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists (ACOM) say that while progress has been made in reducing the number of antibiotic prescriptions in dentistry, more needs to be done to further reduce inappropriate prescribing.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a worldwide problem, with the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to many classes of antibiotics constituting a major threat to public health as even simple infections may become untreatable. Inappropriate prescribing and misuse of antibiotics contribute to an increasing incidence of multi-drug-resistant infections, causing an estimated 700,000 deaths each year, including 25,000 in Europe. The health care gains for patients undergoing major surgery, and a wide range of critical treatments such as organ and stem cell transplants and chemotherapy, will be lost to the higher risk of mortality, and the UK government predicts the annual global toll could be 10 million by 2050.

Dentists issue approximately 5-7% of all antibiotic prescriptions in the NHS, and the three organisations are encouraging dental prescribers to use freely available resources to help ensure appropriate use.

FGDP(UK)’s Antimicrobial Prescribing for General Dental Practitioners is available on the Faculty’s website, and provides evidence-based guidance on when to prescribe antibiotics, what to prescribe, for how long and at what dosage.

The BAOS’s recently-launched Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) e-Learning Modules provide verified CPD enabling oral health professionals to demonstrate application of the principles of antimicrobial stewardship to common clinical scenarios. They are relevant to all GDPs, including those who place dental implants, undertake minor oral surgery or practise in specialist areas.

The FGDP(UK), BAOS and ACOM also highlight the free Dental AMS Toolkit, which is endorsed by Public Health England and available on the FGDP(UK) website at www.fgdp.org.uk/antimicrobial-prescribing. The toolkit includes patient information on the use of antibiotics for the management of dental infections, as well as the Antimicrobial Prescribing Self-Audit Tool which enables dental prescribers to audit their antimicrobial prescribing and management of dental infections against guidelines.

The profession is also encouraged to take the dental pledges at http://antibioticguardian.com/, and to use the hashtags #AntibioticGuardian and #keepantibioticsworking on social media.

Dr Nick Palmer, Editor and co-author of the Faculty’s guidance, said:

“The number of antibiotic prescriptions issued by NHS GDPs is now at its lowest level for 25 years. However dentists can do more to reduce inappropriate prescribing to help keep antibiotics working.”

Greg Gerrard, Council Member of the BAOS, added:

“Oral health professionals have a vital role to play in keeping antibiotics working by prescribing them only when necessary, and by educating patients to take and dispose of them responsibly.”

Dr Noha Seoudi, representing ACOM, commented:

“There is a clear link between inappropriately prescribed antibiotics and the increasing rates of antibiotic resistance, so it is vital that dentists ensure that their use of antibiotics is clinically justified and in line with the national guidelines.”

World Antibiotic Awareness Week is a joint initiative of the UN’s World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation, and World Organisation for Animal Health. It runs until Sunday 18 November, which is also European Antibiotic Awareness Day, organised by the EU’s European Centre for Disease Control.

Group Captain Mark Richardson, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP(UK)), has been appointed Her Majesty The Queen’s Honorary Dental Surgeon.

The honour follows his recent promotion to Chief Dental Officer of the Royal Air Force (RAF), and caps off a successful year in which he was also elected to the Faculty Vice-Deanship. Two Queen’s Honorary Dental Surgeons are appointed from each of the three Armed Services, and while the role is honorary, they assume responsibility, on a rotation with the Queen’s Honorary Surgeons, Physicians and Nurses, for medical arrangements at Investitures at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Mark joined the RAF in 1989 shortly after graduating from Dundee University, and has served as a dental officer in Afghanistan, Europe, the Far East and the UK. Based in Tidworth, Wiltshire, he is currently the Armed Forces’ Principal Dental Officer for Wessex Region, responsible for clinical delivery, governance and quality assurance across 16 tri-service dental centres which look after the oral health of around 30,000 service personnel. He is also the Armed Forces’ Clinical Adviser on Paedodontic Dentistry, in which he holds an MSc.

A holder of FGDP(UK)’s MGDS qualification, he became an examiner for the MFGDP in 2007 and then a Core Group MJDF examiner in 2013. He has been the elected Board Member for the Wessex and Oxford region since 2016, and is also a Facilitator for FGDP(UK) Fellowship.

He is also a Fellow both of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and of the Faculty of Dental Trainers at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, where he recently became an examiner for the Membership in Advanced General Dental Surgery. He also holds an MSc in Medical Education and is a CQC Specialist Advisor.

On his new appointments, Group Captain Richardson commented:

“I feel very honoured and humbled to have been appointed Queen’s Honorary Dental Surgeon, and to have been chosen to be the Chief Dental Officer of the RAF. This represents the pinnacle of my military career.”    

Ian Mills, Dean of FGDP(UK), said:

“On behalf of all members of the Faculty, I congratulate Mark on this significant achievement and career milestone. We are privileged to benefit from his immense knowledge and wide experience.”

Sara Hurley, the Chief Dental Officer for England, added:

“Mark’s appointments as CDO (RAF) and Queen’s Honorary Dental Surgeon are fitting recognition for a career dedicated to the delivery of exceptional care for an exceptional patient population, as well as his broader contribution to continuing excellence in training”.

ADAM and specialist dental accountants Hazlewoods are working in partnership to produce their annual survey looking at current pay rates. The aim is to gain a better understanding of current rates of pay within the dental sector and provide participants with a benchmark against others in their region.

One lucky respondent will win an iPad and one year’s subscription to ADAM. To be entered into the prize draw your survey must be received by 30 November 2018.

Take part here – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/G92TFBG

www.hazlewoods.co.uk / @Hazlewds_Dental

DPAS Dental Plans has welcomed a new member to the team, with Leanne Rose joining them as a Business Development Consultant.

Leanne, has six years’ experience in NHS and private practices with roles including Dental Nurse, Treatment Coordinator and Practice Manager. She has a wealth of practical experience in building the online presence of practices, increasing the number of patients on plan and training staff on the patient journey.

She has joined DPAS’s team of Business Development Consultants who are dedicated to providing personal support, training and encouragement to help practices grow their patient numbers.

Leanne, who is covering the North West region, said, “I am passionate about using my experience in dentistry to help practices grow their plan numbers and create a solid foundation to further build their business.

“I’m already beginning to feel like an extended member of the practices’ teams, and with my background I can relate to the challenges and opportunities they’re facing as I have been in the same situations so can share advice I know works.

“The opportunity to become part of the DPAS team was perfect for me. I have already begun to enjoy visiting our practices and learning about the different approaches they take and sharing that best practice with others. I’m looking forward to building long-term relationships with all the dental teams under my care.”

For more information about DPAS visit: http://www.dpas.co.uk/

FGDP(UK) rejects amalgamation of regulators

The Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP(UK)) has responded sceptically to proposals to cut costs by amalgamating the UKs health regulators.

In response to a consultation by the Department of Health, it says it is not convinced that combining dental regulation with that of other professions could save money while retaining the required understanding of the dental professions, and that in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the interests of patients and the profession will best be served by the continued existence of a regulator dedicated solely to dentistry.

The Faculty says that decisions on the regulation of health professions should instead be guided by the risk of patient harm, and that as such there can be no optimum number of healthcare regulators. It also suggests that as the UK has over 70 regulators, including four for social care, and six each for legal services, financial services and privatised utilities nine regulators for healthcare, covering 1.5 million professionals in 32 occupations, does not appear excessive.

FGDP(UK) also expresses concern over proposals to create a single adjudication body for fitness to practise, a single register of all health professionals, and a single set of standards in lieu of profession-specific ones, and rejects the suggested use of mediation in regulatory proceedings and proposals for employers to be represented on the General Dental Council (GDC).

However, FGDP(UK) agreed that the currently statutorily-regulated professions should be reassessed to determine the most appropriate level of oversight, and that the regulator should be accountable to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Irish Assembly in addition to the UK Parliament.

Dr Mick Horton, Dean of FGDP(UK), said:

While the GDC itself acknowledges that there are improvements to be made to the way in which it regulates, it has nonetheless developed specialist knowledge of dental patients and the professions that treat them, each of which exhibit characteristics and contextual factors which are not necessarily the same as those of other medical professions and their patients. In an amalgamated regulator, this sector-specific knowledge would either be maintained at additional cost, or, more likely, lost in a drive to harmonise procedures and cut costs. For these reasons, the onus is on the government to produce convincing evidence that its own stated objectives for regulation public protection, performance management, and professional development and support – would not be all the harder to meet if dental regulation were to be amalgamated with that of other professions.