November, around Armistice Day is an appropriate time to remember those that have died, so it is timely that the GDC has finally produced its report into deaths that have occurred during fitness to practise investigations GDC publishes report on causes of death during fitness to practise investigations .
Neil Richardson is a Dental Regional Manager, at Wesleyan Financial Services, guiding a team of dental Specialist Financial Advisers at Wesleyan Financial Services to support dentists, their families, and their practices with financial planning to secure their financial future.
He answers some questions arising from the October 2024 Budget.
“Following the delivery of Rachel Reeves’s first Budget of the new Labour Party government, Practice Plan and Wesleyan Financial Services - have issued a response of the key points for dental professionals.
Iain Stevenson, Head of Dental, at Wesleyan Financial Services (of which Practice Plan is a part) says:
Dr Linda Greenwall is a renowned author and international lecturer who is an authority on tooth whitening and aesthetic dentistry as well as having a multidisciplinary private practice.
She adopts the latest techniques, technologies and tools in her work and advises others to do the same. Her 9th annual conference on ‘Future Dentistry’ addressing tomorrow’s thinking today takes place on the 1st of November at the British Dental Association headquarters in London, 64 Wimpole Street, London, W1G 8YS
I am (pretty much) there with just a few weeks left before I fly to Antarctica. Phew! It’s only from looking back, that I can see just how far I have come.
nAlmost every dental desert item in the news is illustrated with a personal story from someone unable to find NHS dental treatment for their emergency, and who was left in pain. The usual response from the minister of the day has been that patients with a dental emergency should use the NHS 111 service. In a number of areas there are specifically contracted NHS emergency dental services accessed via 111.
The safe delivery of medical and dental care to the UK population relies on effective teamworking with leaders delegating tasks to qualified and competent colleagues with a range of professional registrations. In both medicine and dentistry, a number of registrant groups can practice autonomously within a defined Scope of Practice (SoP). Why is it so hard to sort out an SoP for new registrant groups or to revise existing SoP guidance?
Commercial Manager, Kabir Ahmed, for Wesleyan Financial Services, shares his views on the topical question of whether vicarious liability should be split among associates.
When Dr Amit Jilka bought Abbey Dental practice in 2012, he was working predominantly as an NHS dentist. However, he knew a mixed practice would be the best way for him to grow his business. “We have a fairly substantial NHS contract with a number of UDAs, so the contract value is so high that I didn't really want to part with that in terms of practice value,” he explains.
Although Amit was keen to add a private dentistry offering to the practice, he didn’t rush to do so. He continued to enhance his range of skills by training in implants and then sedation. Within two or three years of having bought the practice he was able to carry out increasing numbers of private treatment plans.
It was a desire to offer a wider range of cosmetic and private treatments to his patients that led him to take the decision as principal to give up his own NHS commitment and introduce a membership plan with Practice Plan. Thanks to Practice Plan’s years of experience, the conversion process went well, apart from a small dent to his ego! “We sent letters to all the patients that I had previously seen and just stated that I'd be going private thereafter and another dentist would be taking over,” he outlines. “Quite a lot of the NHS patients did go private with me. Surprisingly, there were some of the patients I thought would've gone with me who didn’t. It's always a bit hit and miss. You can't really predict who's going to go with you and who's not, “he says. “I think there was some fear that a lot of patients would be upset by the situation, and we did get a few patients that were upset, but it wasn't as many as I thought it would be. So clearly, I’m not as important as I thought I was!” he laughs. “In all seriousness, as we were still offering NHS services, they could remain with a practice they had grown to trust and still receive the care they needed.”
Separate facilities
A concern some practices express to me when considering a partial conversion is how to deal with the issue of both NHS and private patients attending the practice at the same time. Amit already had in mind an elegant solution to this at the time he converted. “We were building another private building, so we had a premises across the road that we were converting to fully private,” he says. “Which meant we felt we could offer both services and keep the patients separate within that structure. So, if NHS patients wanted more private dentistry, they could go to the other building.”
Benefits
Since introducing private dentistry and the membership plan, Amit has seen huge benefits to the team and the practice as a whole. “Since going private, we have substantially increased our revenue,” he reports. “We've also been able to develop a much larger team as we’re offering more and more different services. The skill mix of the team has increased significantly with our therapy team leading the way. We now have treatment coordinators that are able to scan and do sedation assessments. So just by making that move to private, we're offering loads of different services. This in turn has increased our team capabilities which means ultimately, we’re offering a much better service for our patients.”
Amit has continued to grow and develop the business. As well as the three buildings he now has at his site in Stone, Staffordshire (NHS, private and a separate hygiene building) he opened a five-surgery squat practice last year in nearby Stoke-on-Trent. This squat has the benefit of a top floor which houses conference rooms and a training academy. About three years ago Amit changed the focus of his dentistry and became an implant only dentist. The new premises in Stoke-on-Trent will allow him to run training courses and pursue his interest in mentoring others in implant dentistry.
“At the moment I do one week clinical and then the next week I'm completely admin only. So, I'm only working clinical every alternate week,” he explains. “Probably 95% of the clinical dentistry I'm doing is just mentoring and not really seeing my own patients.” Does he see himself moving away from hands on dentistry altogether? “I don't think I'll ever stop being a wet fingered dentist,” he admits. “I enjoy that aspect of it and I think as a mentor, you can't mentor unless you're in it and doing it. But I think seeing my own list of patients is almost coming to an end and I’m moving more towards being a full-time mentor and trainer.”
If you are interested in finding out more about how we help practices to become more profitable or you are looking to move from another provider, call 01691 684165 or visit practiceplan.co.uk/
About Amit
Amit Jilka is an award-winning dentist and one of the owners of Abbey House Dental. He has been developing the practice and its facilities since he bought it in 2012. He has had extensive training in dental implants and has been placing them for over 10 years.
Amit is the practice Clinical Lead and mentors other dentists in dental implants and sedation. He is a nationally accredited sedation mentor for dentists in IV and RA sedation. His practice is now limited to dental implantology.
Amit has grown his dental practice from a two-surgery NHS practice to having 19 surgeries over four sites offering the full range of dental disciplines. He has grown his team from four staff members to over 100 and recently launched his own training academy.
About Josie
Josie Hutchings has been a Regional Support Manager at Practice Plan for 22 years and has more than 30 years’ experience in the dental industry. Practice Plan is the UK’s leading provider of practice-branded patient membership plans, partnering with over 2,000 dental practices and offering a wide range of business support services.
If you're a dental practice owner looking to reduce overheads and enhance practice value, switching your dental plan provider could be the solution. Dr Jeevan Boyal, Principal at Casa Dental, made the decision to transition his patients from Denplan to Patient Plan Direct to achieve these objectives.
Head of Dental, Iain Stevenson, for Wesleyan Financial Services, discusses what the upcoming budget could potentially mean to dentists and why having a good understanding of your financial position now, could help you get ahead of the game.
In all the excitement surrounding the General Election and the arrival of a new government the GDC has been busy. It has slipped out several items on its website including its 2023 Annual Report and Accounts. It has published new guidance papers and launched consultations as well as approving a new BDS course for international graduates.
Is your patient journey the best it can be? Are you confident that new patients joining your practice will be wowed by their experience? Could you do better? Practice Plan Regional Support Manager, Louise Anderson, suggests areas to consider for improvement.
As appointments at NHS practices become scarcer, more patients are turning to private practices for their oral health care. Many of them will have been long standing NHS patients and now that they are being asked to pay higher fees for their dentistry, they may have certain pre-conceived ideas about the sort of service they can expect from a private practice.
On Practice Plan’s recent Workshop Tour, Dr Barry Oulton showed attendees how they could offer their patients a first-class service without spending a lot of money. To be able to achieve this he emphasised it was important not just to meet their expectations, but to exceed them.
Take a step back
To state the obvious, before you can start making improvements you need to understand what’s already there. This will involve taking a step back and looking objectively at how your practice team works.
Ask yourself, “What impression would I get of my team and the practice if I were visiting for the first time?” If you’re to get the most out of this exercise, then you have to be prepared for some disappointments. After all, we’re looking for ways to improve things, so there will be things you see your team doing that you know can be done better.
Define what good looks like to you
To focus the review and make it easier for you to assess your team, it’s helpful to first develop your own ideas of what you would expect as a new patient. That way you can gauge your team against the blueprint of how you would like things to be.
It might be helpful to consider these five areas:
For each category, write down a few points that you feel are what you would expect from a first-class team. You can then use that as your benchmark and rank your team members against it.
Come up with the standards that you would expect from a team that meets your definition of first-class. This is the sort of exercise that need only take five minutes of your time, so it’s not something you need to pore over for hours!
For example, with appearance – as a minimum, your team members should look clean and tidy. If you have a uniform/workwear is everyone sticking to it or have some people gone rogue and started wearing their own thing?
Punctuality – is everyone at work and ready to START when you open? Or do some team members stroll in on the stroke of 9am and then spend the next 10 minutes sorting themselves out? What about breaks? If you’re lucky enough to get them (and you should!), do some people take longer than they’re entitled to?
Public interaction with team members – is everyone in the team treated respectfully by their colleagues when they’re in public? Or is there passive aggression or antagonism on display for all to see? Patients should not be aware of any personal differences between team members as any clashes should be put to one side in public. Would open hostility be on your list of attributes for a first-class team?
Behaviour/mindset – complementary to the way your team members interact with each other is their attitude to work. Are they enthusiastic and willing or do they sulk and whine? Do they behave in a way that suggests they enjoy their job and want to do well at it or are they just going through the motions. In short, does their attitude and the way they behave enhance or hinder the work of the team.
Skills/capabilities – foes every member of your team have the right skills and capabilities to be able to do a good job? If not, any skill gaps and training needs you have identified during this exercise can be addressed and put right. By doing that hopefully you’ll not only improve performance but job satisfaction for the individual too.
How do they match up?
Once you’ve completed your assessment, you should have a clear picture of the team as a whole. So, do your team members live up to how you defined the behaviours and attitudes you felt marked out teams as first-class when you set your benchmark? It’s likely you’ll have a mixed result, even if you previously regarded everyone as providing a first-class service. There’s always room for improvement, even if it’s only a minor detail.
Another characteristic of a first-class team is constantly striving for improvement. When Sir Dave Brailsford took over at British Cycling, he looked at every aspect of the operation to discover where improvements could be made, no matter how small. It was uncovering every opportunity to achieve ‘marginal gains’ that turned an also-ran team into a world beater. On their own, each marginal gain was negligible, but when they were all added together they made a spectacular difference to the performance of the team.
So, even if you found that your team currently provides elements of a budget standard of service, by repeating this exercise regularly, you can continue to make small changes to refine and elevate things so that, over time, things become truly first class.
If you are interested in finding out more about how we help practices to become more profitable come along to stand K50 at Dentistry Show Birmingham, on 17th and 18th May for a chat. Otherwise, call 01691
About Louise
Louise Anderson is a Regional Support Manager with Practice Plan. She has more than 30 years’ experience in dentistry which includes 15 years as a group manager for five dental practices. Practice Plan is the UK’s leading provider of practice-branded patient membership plans, partnering with over 2,000 dental practices and offering a wide range of business support services.
Magdelena Harding, dental Specialist Financial Adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares research findings that reveal what you need to aim for…
The golden question asked of a financial adviser by dentists is how much retirement income they need to down tools and enjoy life outside of dentistry.
The aviation industry has the best safety record of all forms of transport. This is maintained by meticulous checking and attention to detail. By borrowing a few techniques from flying, dental practices can improve the efficiency of their examinations, save time and increase treatment uptake. Practice Plan Regional Support Manager, Selina Alexander explains how.
What has the new Labour government announced so far that could potentially impact financial planning for dentists?
If we consider what has been announced so far, Labour has said it is not planning to raise income tax, National Insurance, VAT and corporation tax. On the face of it, this is a good thing, although, on the other hand, this needs to be balanced against the fact that income tax thresholds are being held and will remain frozen until 2028. This means that more people will start paying tax in the first place and others will be dragged into higher tax bands. Labour has also stated that their plans to end the VAT exemption on private school fees will go ahead – this change may have a significant impact on many of our dental clients whose children attend fee paying schools.
What might change in the future?
At present there is a degree of speculation regarding what was notably absent from Labour’s manifesto and what could therefore potentially change in the future. For example, there has been no specific mention of capital gains tax – this could possibly be an area for reform in the future. Capital gains tax, as we know, is not a tax on income, it's a tax on assets and the sale of assets – something which could perhaps impact the net returns received from the sale of a practice.
Then there is the age-old challenge around pensions – for the 35 years that I have been in this business, pensions have always been a potential target for change and for governments to try and do something in a different way. We know that the lifetime allowance - the maximum amount you're allowed to have in a pension pot or an accumulation of pension pots at retirement - was withdrawn last year, a welcome change that helped to encourage people to continue to save and look after themselves in the long term. Labour has confirmed that it will not reinstate the lifetime allowance, which is good news for dentists; however, another notable omission from the manifesto was around the annual allowance - the amount that you are allowed to contribute to a pension each year. If we look at pensions overall, they're extremely tax efficient and offer a good method of saving – this also means though, that some of the tax allowances may potentially be a target for change, such as pension tax relief to give an example.
The tax-free pension commencement lump sum - this allows you to take a certain percentage (currently 25%) out of your pension as a tax-free lump sum – is another area that has been discussed as a potential for change in recent years. Nothing has been announced however, and this is only speculation. I am hopeful that this government encourages people to save and look to maintain the tax advantages of pension planning and of retirement planning.
What sort of changes would you welcome from the new government?
I would be delighted to see changes made to ISAs to encourage people to invest more, especially so for younger people. If we think of young dentists who are just coming into the profession and how hard they have studied to get started – it would be wonderful to see some sort of scheme specifically for these dentists, to help them save and to encourage them to build solid foundations for their future as well.
What would you encourage dentists to think about now?
I would encourage dentists to look after themselves in the short, medium, and long-term and to not delay making decisions, with regard to their financial planning, in the event that things may change in the future.
My fear is that while there's uncertainty at the moment around what the new government might do, some people may choose to do nothing and that in itself, in the long run, could be even more damaging. By choosing to wait until inflation comes down, until interest rates come down or until the next budget for example, we miss opportunities; and when the autumn statement does come around, it’s likely that other unanswered questions will transpire. There will always be something else, a war that we cannot control or an economic challenge that we weren't expecting, or another reason to delay and before we realise, six months becomes one year, one year becomes five years and so forth, and then the opportunity has gone.
I would encourage dentists to take a step back and use this as a time to reflect and consider the following: What am I trying to do? Am I doing the best I can over the short, medium, and long term?
Speculating over what could happen is an interesting discussion, but it can also create fear. Therefore, we need to be careful that we don't over speculate and just assume that certain things are going to happen. We need to be careful that we don't just keep putting things off and ensure that we continue to make good financial, well-informed decisions.
Bear in mind that the value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invest.
Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in future.
For further support and guidance to plan on financial planning, speak to a dental Specialist Financial Adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services by booking a no-obligation financial review or calling 0800 316 3784.
About: Iain Stevenson is Head of Dental at Wesleyan Financial Services and has over 28 years of experience working in financial services. Under Iain’s guidance, Wesleyan Financial Service’s Dental segment helps to support dentists, their families, and their practices with financial planning to secure their financial future.
Wesleyan Financial Services Ltd (Registered in England and Wales No. 1651212) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Colmore Circus, Birmingham B4 6AR. Telephone: 0345 351 2352. Calls may be recorded to help us provide, monitor and improve our services to you.
Anyone that has worked in a difficult environment where fear of raising concerns, bullying and where there is a blame culture will have enormous respect for the whistleblower that took on the Nursing and Midwifery Council for their failure to address these concerns.
In my 3rd May 2024 blog, I speculated on the timing of the election and the options for the next government when it comes to plans for NHS Dentistry. Just like almost everyone else, including a large number of Conservative MPs who have since decided not to contest it, I got it wrong.
Beautifully argued piece
Dental Regional Manager, Neil Richardson, for Wesleyan Financial Services, shares his views on what could possibly change for dentists under a new government.
We all talk about wanting to get good value for money. But what does that really mean? Practice Plan Regional Support Manager, Jo Phillpot, talks about the importance of taking some time to evaluate whether you’re getting the best value for money from your suppliers.
The recent disclosure of emails by the GDC under FOI concerning the Williams case shows an absolute refusal by the NHS to become involved in the litigation. The reasons for this decision have been redacted, or not even given to the GDC.
Professional Risks Corporate Manager, Thomas Hogan, for Wesleyan Financial Services, outlines the potential impact of business interruption as a result of cyber-attack.
Dear Mr Whiting,
Welcome to the world of dental regulation.
An open letter to the new Chie...
I can only agree with Stephen
As a seasoned Principal Dentist, you've dedicated years to building your dental practice, and now retirement is on the horizon. Selling your practice is a significant milestone, and ensuring you get the best value for your life's work is paramount. One strategy that can significantly increase your practice's value is introducing profitable dental plans.
NHS Dentistry has been the sick service of the NHS for a long time. Not given importance by successive governments and treated like an optional extra, a nice to have but not necessary service. Their neglect over the years and decades has finally come home to roost and we are now in a position where NHS Dentistry will be one of the top 5 concerns for voters at the next General Election due at some time this year.
As a dental professional, you’re constantly busy looking after others and you will often see the effects of illness, and how it can impact on your patients’ lives.
But have you ever taken the time to consider what would happen to you, your home, family, and lifestyle if you were to experience long-term incapacity due to an illness or injury?
NHSE suddenly announced on 12th April that it had decided to cut the funding for secondary care practitioners accessing NHS Practitioner Health with immediate effect. This decision shocked the medical and dental profession, particularly those who have used the service or have recommended the service to colleagues.
Dental Specialist Financial Adviser, Paul Griffiths, for Wesleyan Financial Services, outlines the new tax rates, new allowances and other changes that have come into effect and explains what these will mean to dentists.
Where there is no vision, the people perish - Proverbs 29:18
As a practice owner do you update your team regularly on how the business is going? Can you remember the last time you attended a team meeting? If you answered ‘no’ to those questions, then maybe it’s time you reflected on whether you’re fulfilling your role as a leader within the practice. Practice Plan Area Manager, Suki Singh, explains the importance of leaders being more accessible and sharing their vision with their team.
What is the current state of the practice sales market? Have all of the old certainties been overturned by a combination of the pandemic and the economic disruption of the past 18 months? How should dentists now go about succession planning? Practice Plan Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Jones, spoke to MD of Frank Taylor and Associates, Lis Hughes, to find out more.
Hobbies eh? Who has the time for them? With the crazy hours that many dentists work, the very word hobby would likely be something they come across when they read about the lives of other people, but I’m used to something that I heard back when I was active in Politics.
“Give a task to a busy person and they’ll find a way to get it done.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt’s 2024 Spring Budget, was accompanied by a full fiscal statement from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). In any election year, the Chancellor comes under pressure to make announcements that will boost their party in the opinion polls.
Specialist Financial Planner, Graham Hutton, from Wesleyan Financial Services highlights how a practices value plays an important role in retirement planning.
If you offer private dental plans in your practice, are you getting value for money from your existing plan provider? At Patient Plan Direct, we're coming across more practices than ever before that feel they're not getting the attention and service they once received and are left questioning why they are paying what can equate to a considerable practice overhead.
This is one of those flashback/PTSD moments. It takes me back to a very stressful period in my life when I came close to ending it at various moments. The process of registering as a dentist in the UK for someone who was from outside the EU/EEA was onerous.
Very encouraging!
Well done
Specialist Dental Financial Adviser, for Wesleyan Financial Services, Stephen Barry, shares his insights on estate planning and how planning sooner rather than later can be beneficial.
Not a week goes by when we meet another dentist who feels trapped in the current NHS system. The continuous issue of clawback, a backlog of patients, recruitment struggles, and more are bringing stress and pressure to many, and it is not what a profession in dentistry is ever supposed to be.
The aim of this blog is to compare the scandalous, criminal, modus operandii of the PO and the methods of the UK regulator of dentistry, the General Dental Council [GDC]. There are many, many similarities in the way they persecute their "underlings" by abusing their power, and their institutionally ingrained, total lack of corporate insight.
The inquiry into the Post Office scandal begins taking evidence today from the Post Office and Fujitsu, whose computer programme Horizon ruined the lives of many innocent people. So far only 4 people have been fully compensated. Here's how HIGNFY dealt with the story in 2021... pic.twitter.com/2azU8Vuvpr
— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) February 13, 2023
What has gone wrong in our UK QUANGO based governance system? The Government seems unwilling or unable to control the excesses of the QUANGO. The QUANGO gets involved too far into the quasi-judicial process. The QUANGO wishes to be judge, jury, appeal court, and the executioner. The balance of power has gone way too far towards these seemingly unaccountable bodies.
This must change urgently as this power has been used malevolently, yet their actions are still being justified by the GDC, and the Post Office.
Governance malfunctioning continues, and GDPUK has a further news story [due to be published in early January] on the same topic whereby an appeal in the High Court strongly supported by an eminent Judge against the GDC, is now to be appealed against by GDC, at further excessive legal cost to registrants.
There are so many examples of the GDC's egregious institutional behaviour, too many to list here.
During the last decade, GDC were pursuing so many dentists for alleged offences, they almost ran out of money, and this funding was and is raised entirely from its' registrants. To repair their finances, GDC decided unilaterally to increase its' financial reserves to remain at around £30 million, this was done by taking about £750 from each of 40,000 registrants over a few years, and placing those monies in its reserve fund which must earn a good sum annually.
During this time the GDC Fitness to Practise [FTP] operation was faced with long delays in justice, and this delay remains today. The Professional Standards Authority report condemns this aspect of the GDC operations year after year, yet nothing changes.
In this period the GDC advertised, [only the once, we believe] in a national newspaper, for more complaints against dentists. This was not repeated due to the enormous exclamation it produced. Was this part of a plan to investigate more dentists and build a larger quasi-non-governmental empire?
The tragic topic of suicides: Sadly, the ITV drama did refer to suicide and depressive illness caused by the PO treatment of sub-Postmasters. Unfortunately dental colleagues are only too aware of this issue in dentistry too. The GDC have been questioned for many years on this matter. They have not had to grace to answer this question properly despite multiple FoI requests.
GDC and their output of information: GDPUK does have an axe to grind; the GDC press and media office continues to refuse to engage with GDPUK, and it’s team of writers. That is, unless one of their junior managers emails us by accident.
Others have also found GDC far from co-operative, and this management style reflects the PO methods. Freedom of Information requests have become possibly the only way to seek answers, and there are multiple [dental] authors who specialise in carefully crafting artful requests to get some information released. It is apparent GDC devote significant resources dedicated to the dark arts of not responding at all, delaying responses, not answering the question, and then of course, redacting answers before sending out.
A simple solution to this would be insight by the GDC as a whole. The Council members and the executive officers. Make the press office transparent, give answers to questions in an honest way, do not act as if there is something to hide in every single enquiry. The present behaviour tells all colleagues across the nation – GDC is guilty of bad behaviour, it is doing everything to obfuscate. And this behaviour in hiding the facts further increases the profession’s suspicion of corporate malpractice.
The Care Quality Commission [CQC], another regulator of dental practice, cannot be spared from criticism here, either. They announced their arrival on the scene about 15 years ago, by publicly threatening dental practices with closure if they did not comply with their petty impositions of tasks and non existent regulations. The CQC has in itself spawned an industry of compliance experts to ensure a dental practice is not closed down. They have ruled by fear for many years, with threats to close the livelihood of dental practices. One example of their stupid over-reach, for more than a decade, every dental practice had to have a nutrition policy for their patients - even though patients do not eat or need to be fed for their dental practice visits. It is confirmed "meeting nutritional needs" remains one of the eleven core standards demanded by CQC. 2
The ITV programme, a sensitive and sympathetic tale, has exposed some of the systemic issues within our nation. Individuals in influential roles in the Post Office, indifferent to the concerns of the sub-postmasters, they ignored outside investigations, and prolonged the ongoing problems for the victims.
This unfortunate reality is evident daily to our self-serving politicians, and this TV drama has brought it to the top of the national agenda. It's essential for politicians to reflect deeply, a truly long hard look at the harm being caused in the name of running our country.
Whether this is about the GDC or the Post Office, this is really about the abuses of power by people who hold those reins. The power of unaccountable civil servants or Quangos [from traffic wardens, housing officers to name but two groups) have over the general public. How they systematically exert that power over us daily, it certainly seems unjustified, and more than unreasonable.
Our politicians must establish a stronger framework of accountability to elevate standards comprehensively. After they make a transparent solution in the management and style of the PO, their next target for total reform must be the GDC.
Thank you for all you do for t...
Magdelena Harding, Specialist Financial Adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services discusses what practice owners need to think about when refurbishing their practice.
With all the turmoil caused by the pandemic, the Truss government, rising energy prices and the war in Ukraine, the economic landscape has seen some change over the last few years. So how has all this affected the practice sales market? Practice Plan Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Jones, spoke to MD of Frank Taylor and Associates, Lis Hughes, to find out more about how things are faring for dentists wanting to buy or sell a practice.
For the past couple of days, we’d been skiing in that ping pong ball again, the continuous white-out making us long for the day when we would see a horizon. On day 19, we were unsurprised to wake up to zero visibility and the morning satellite phone call to Norway failed to fill us with optimism for the day ahead. A storm was due to hit that evening, the high wind speeds making it too dangerous to continue.
Specialist Financial Adviser Magdelena Harding shares her insights into the key types of cover for business protection for dental practices.
With the issues of patient access to dentistry showing no signs of resolving themselves, could now be the time to consider opening a squat practice? Is it a realistic option for dentists to own their own practice? Mike Blenkharn of UNW, and dental business coach, Chris Barrow, discussed this topic during a session recently at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show, hosted by Practice Plan Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Jones.
Greenland – a country we could all locate on a map with relative ease, but a place that is otherwise a mystery to many. For those that choose to venture there, it is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the ultimate goal being to cross the Greenland ice sheet, the second largest body of ice on the planet.
Dental Regional Manager, Neil Richardson from Wesleyan Financial Services shares his thoughts on what all young dentists should be aware of with regard to financial planning.
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, at least in so far as dentistry is concerned, leaves me pondering. Is it a credible attempt at identifying issues and proposing solutions? Or a thinly veiled attempt to win the approval of a public largely unaware of the detailed reality?
Simon Cosgrove, Specialist Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, highlights the importance of checking where your pension is and how it’s performing…
Kabir Ahmed, commercial insurance manager at Wesleyan Financial Services, discusses the cyber security concerns every practice should plan for.
Whether you’re a mixed practice or fully private, Practice Plan Regional Support Manager Tracy Webb, explains how having a membership plan can pay dividends.
Looking to buy a dental practice? Here, corporate law and dental specialists Eugene Pena and Kirsty McKenzie-Hopkins explore the six key steps in the purchase process, answering the most common questions from budding buyers.
1. Find the right legal team
In our experience, no transaction is ever the same. Once you have found the right practice and are in a position to start the buying process, your first step should be to find the right lawyers to represent you and guide you through the process. You can instruct lawyers even before you’ve made an offer.
You should consider working with lawyers that specialise in the dental sector — in particular, those with significant experience in buying and selling dental practices.
Most sellers are keen on a speedy transaction, so having the right team in place will put you in the best possible position.
2. Consider funding
Next, you’ll need to know how the purchase is going to be funded. Most lenders will require you to have a deposit, so having this ready and being able to show how this amount has accumulated will save you time further down the line.
The more information you have available at the outset, the better. Knowing what type of security the bank will take will also help your lawyers to determine what additional work (if any) will be required.
3. Terminate your contract
Buying a practice can be a lengthy process. Most first-time buyers are also associates working elsewhere and are required to give notice to terminate their contract.
Timing when to hand your notice in is key. While this decision is ultimately yours, having expert lawyers who are aware of the process and the intricacies involved in dental transactions, as well as the potential issues that may arise, can help to ensure that you aren’t left without work. They can provide guidance and help to reduce the risk of you being left without a source of income.
4. Recruit your team
You may be eager to make your mark as soon as you get the keys to the practice, but recruitment is a big issue in most sectors and dentistry is no exception.
You may be acquiring a well-established practice with members of staff that have worked there for many years. While there are regulations that protect employees’ rights, it’s possible to implement certain changes (known as measures) — but you’ll need to consider how any changes (whether big or small) would affect the workforce.
It’s usually a good idea to maintain the status quo (provided that it’s working) until you’ve embedded yourself with the team.
5. Register with the CQC
Be prepared to go through a CQC (Care Quality Commission) registration process. This may differ depending on the type of practice you’re looking to acquire.
First time buyers may be asked to attend a fit person interview with a CQC assessor, so preparation is key. Again, having lawyers who are familiar with the CQC process is crucial to enable a smooth purchase. Your solicitor may even be able to make the application for you.
6. Manage time effectively
Finally, a simple but critical piece of advice — don’t leave things until the last minute. Set time aside to deal with matters related to your purchase — sometimes, the last thing you want is to read an email from your lawyer or action any documents, but always try to keep your end goal in mind. Make sure that you know what you’re signing up to and allow time to negotiate any points that you’re not fully comfortable with.
If, for example, you have agreed that the seller will be remaining as an associate, try to finalise the agreement in advance of the exchange of contracts. Even if you have agreed headline terms with the seller, circumstances may have since changed — so you don’t want to be renegotiating terms late in the transaction.
How we can help
Buying a dental practice may well be one of the biggest decisions you ever make. Avoiding common pitfalls by having an expert legal team with specialist dental experience makes a huge difference. You need a team that can calmly guide you through each step of the process.
We are proud to provide market-leading legal solutions to dental practices across the UK. Our dental team contains true specialists who understand the unique pressures you face.
We play an active role in the market for dental practice sales and purchases, working alongside third-party brokers to ensure smooth transactions. Advice is provided across multiple specialist practice areas, including practice sales and acquisitions, property acquisition or leasing, property disputes, regulatory (including a CQC application service), fitness to practise, litigation, international recruitment, employment and litigation.
Talk to us by calling 0151 600 3000 or complete our contact form and have a member of our team get in touch.
We’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and dentists are not exempt. When buying or selling a dental practice — likely one of the most important decisions in your life — cashflow is key. So should you spend money instructing a specialist dental lawyer or go with a generalist ‘high street’ option?
In our latest Q&A with leading law firm Brabners, corporate law and dental specialists Eugene Pena and Kirsty McKenzie-Hopkins weigh up the pros and cons.
Niche area of law
On average, dental sales and purchases take around six months to complete. However, this can be extended by a range of external factors, so a deep level of understanding and forward planning is key.
Law, like dentistry, has its specialist areas. The rules and regulations affecting the dental industry can be subject to change at both national and local levels. Instructing a specialist dental lawyer ensures that the advice you’re receiving is in-line with the most up to date law.
Dealing with complexities
There are also many dental-specific complexities during the buying or selling process that only those with years of sector expertise will know how to navigate. These include the transfer of NHS contracts from sellers to buyers, ensuring that the correct CQC (Care Quality Commission) applications are carried out, the transfer of capitation schemes and conducting due diligence.
For buyers, entering into an agreement without asking the right questions could be a costly mistake. It’s critical to take due care in reviewing all documents thoroughly. Any terms that are out of the ordinary in a standard general dental services (GDS) contract will be picked up by specialist dental lawyers, who review these regularly.
For sellers, the need to respond to specific questions about the NHS, CQC and capitation schemes is very common.
Providing tailored advice
A specialist dental lawyer will ask the right questions — tailored to your specific circumstances — and will ensure effective collaborative between you and your legal team. This is essential for smooth transactions. If issues arise, you need a legal team that can draw on its experience to get all parties back on track.
High street lawyers with little or no experience in dental practice sales and purchases may take longer to understand the process and suggest an appropriate strategy. This could cause huge delays, spiralling costs and ultimately jeopardise transactions.
Before you instruct a lawyer, think carefully about the level of support and experience you need.
How we can help
We are proud to provide market-leading legal solutions to dental practices across the UK. Our dental team contains true specialists who understand the unique pressures you face.
We play an active role in the market for dental practice sales and purchases, working alongside third-party brokers to ensure smooth transactions. Advice is provided across multiple specialist practice areas, including practice sales and acquisitions, property acquisition or leasing, property disputes, regulatory (including a CQC application service), fitness to practise, litigation, international recruitment, employment and litigation.
Talk to us by calling 0151 600 3000 or complete our contact form and have a member of our team get in touch.
Neil Richardson, Dental Regional Manager at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares how the Spring Budget’s biggest announcement can be addressed from a financial planning perspective…
My time in Chamonix could have got off to a better start. I was unaware of my dependence on my phone until the moment I left it on the plane seat, my reliance soon becoming painfully clear. Hotel details, navigation, pin numbers, email passwords, AirBnB address, camera-my entire life was on that device.
Are you finding more patients than you’d like are declining treatment plans? There can be a number of reasons why this happens. Medenta Business Development Manager, Lesley Turner, looks at why you may be getting the brush off and how you can turn things around.
Following the news of an urgent recall of emergency oxygen cylinders from one supplier, Hewi Ma of Brabners LLP writes a Q&A blog on the topic, especially aimed at a buyer or seller, in the present timeframe.
Graham Hutton, Specialist Financial Planner at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares a key business management area that poses a significant financial risk to your practice…
Stephen Barry, Specialist Financial Adviser at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares the latest retirement research from the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA)…
In the third of her series of articles for GDPUK, Hewi Ma of Brabners Solicitors discusses employing overseas workers.
Parliament may finally be debating what to do about NHS contract reform, but for many dentists and practice owners it’s all too late.
The most recent oral evidence sessions of the Health and Social Care Select Committee into dentistry left those watching with little doubt that any hoped-for improvements in the state of NHS dentistry were a long way off.
I was under no illusion that preparing for an expedition to the South Pole was going to be easy. It requires physical and mental preparation, developing skills and experience in navigation, glacier travel and being able to recognise and avoid crevassed terrain. The necessary tick-list I received when I started this journey, rom Steve Jones, was a definite reality check. I knew that there was a big challenge ahead of me and that I would need to push far beyond my comfort zone to achieve it. The key to my success was going to be my training.
My initial preparation began with reaching out to two polar veterans, Wendy Searle, the 7th woman to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported, and Louis Rudd MBE, the first Briton and second person to ski solo across Antarctica. As mentors, their insight, expertise and connections have been invaluable, and they have helped me to gain the skills and confidence I need to face what lies ahead.
An important aspect of my training was finding the right coach. Jon Fearne of E3 coaching has a proven track record of training female polar explorers. Every week I am sent tailored training plans, focussed on building my endurance, strength and cardiovascular fitness that are monitored through an app. I train within certain heart rate zones, the aim being, to achieve maximum performance in Antarctica without sweating, which increases the risk of hypothermia. I carry out repeated drills, such as setting up and dismantling camp in the thick gloves which I will wear on expedition. All of this is to form muscle memory and to increase speed and efficiency when out on the ice.
To mimic the experience of pulling of a pulk, I spend many hours hauling a tyre along the Cornish coastline. As you can imagine, this does not go unnoticed, and 18 months in, I still manage to raise a smile as someone inevitably remarks, “ooh, that looks tyring”, the sarcastic sound of the snare drum and cymbal repeating “ba-dum-tss” in my head every time!
Behind the beauty of Antarctica is isolation and danger. Its landscape is a testament to the forces of nature and it’s a full body workout to navigate the large areas of sastrugi (wind-formed ridges of snow and ice that can reach several metres in height). The upper body and core requires just as much fine tuning as my legs.
Managing my mental state during the isolation is somewhat uncertain and difficult to prepare for. I’m reassured by my positive attitude to adverse conditions during training expeditions, but I am also not naive to the fact that this might be one of the most challenging aspects. The monotony of the landscape and the lack of interaction has led to some solo expeditioners to experience hallucinations……from chats to long lost grandparents on the bus, to small bald-headed men hiding behind sastrugi, I can’t deny that I am somewhat curious as to what my hallucinations might be!
Mental training will include visualisation exercises and mindfulness practices, but in reality, I have got to hope that my mental toughness has developed throughout my life experiences.
I still have some big training milestones to achieve over the next few months, but as with everything, I am concentrating on what is next on the list to avoid feeling overwhelmed with the larger picture. May will see me back on Dartmoor for further navigation and GPS training, then toward the end of June, I’m off to Chamonix to gain experience in glacier travel and to look at my route options in detail with an ALE guide. By the time August comes, I should be fit and prepared enough to take on the most difficult test to date, a 3 and a half week crossing of the Greenland ice cap, where I will try my best to disguise my fear of polar bears, or at the very least, ensure I don’t look like their easiest meal!
I hope that this overview has given you just a taste of the training required. I was never in the scouts (more an air-cadet kind of girl), but their motto ‘Be Prepared’ seems a sensible one to follow and I know that I can never be too prepared for the challenge that awaits.
Perhaps spare a thought for me on a Sunday morning, knowing that whatever the weather, I’ll be out there, dragging a tyre or two, imagining myself to be on the breath-taking and unforgiving terrain of Antarctica. I definitely find myself having to dig deep, but the motivation comes from imagining the reward that awaits if I have the right mindset and put the training in.
Are you struggling to recruit and retain good staff? Are you thinking about leaving the NHS and moving into private practice? Is your practice being affected by the cost-of-living crisis?
Questions! Questions! Questions!
Practice Plan Regional Support Manager, Chris Nicholson, talks about the importance of increasing understanding in helping patients to maintain their own oral health to prevent future dental problems.
Practice Plan Area Sales Manager, Suki Singh, gives five reasons why now is a great time to make the move to private dentistry.
I find myself writing this, surrounded by expedition gear, a day before leaving on a Polar training expedition in Finse, Norway. It’s fair to say that my life has never felt so busy and varied as the past 12 months since admitting to myself and the world that I would be embarking on a solo, unsupported expedition to the South Pole.
In the second of her series of articles for GDPUK, Hewi Ma of Brabners Solicitors discusses common legal pitfalls in the business of Dentistry.
Jeremy Hunt revealed the contents of his 2023 Budget in the House of Commons last week. Amongst announcements on household energy bills, free childcare and corporation tax, the Chancellor unveiled surprise changes to the pension tax regime that could benefit anyone who is a higher earner.
While the landscape for dentistry has changed considerably since I started in the industry some 25 years ago, one thing has remained the same - our patients need to know we will look after them.
In the first of her new series of articles for GDPUK, Hewi Ma of Brabners Solicitors discusses common legal pitfalls in the business of Dentistry.
Jayne Gibson shares four key questions to ask yourself whether your plan provider is right for you or if it’s time to move on...
When you’ve been working with your plan provider for a while, it can be easy not to notice that you may not be getting the best service.
The long established income protection provider Dentists Provident, has released its claims statistics for 2022.
Following a record year in 2022 for patients on plan, and as more practices decide to introduce membership plans and join the Practice Plan family, we’re adding some extra pairs of hands to the team to ensure we maintain a great level of customer service.
Iain Stevenson, Head of Dental at Wesleyan Financial Services, shares key financial planning areas for dentists to address for the year ahead…
Practice Plan Head of Sales, Zoe Close, talks to CSR expert and coach, Mark Topley, about the part CSR can play in helping practices beat the recruitment and retention crisis.
General dental practitioners are largely paid to fix things. To examine, to diagnose, to treat and to review at whatever recall period is appropriate.
Donna Hall examines what practice teams need to look at when choosing the right plan provider to work with.
In this GDPUK exclusive interview, Guy Tuggle talks to Dental Therapist Eleanor Ridge about her recent trip to Malawi with Dentaid.
Michael Copeland, Dental Regional Manager for Wesleyan Financial Services, reveals sought-after financial nuggets when it comes to life after work for dentists…
As Managing director of Christie & Co’s medical division and a dental specialist, Simon Hughes has been working the UK dental market for nearly a decade. In an exclusive interview with GDPUK he gave his insights into the current state of the ‘business of dentistry’ in what is an increasingly complex market for practice sales.
Contract reform is on the agenda again – or maybe it never left. A recent paper in the BDJ from Rebecca Harris and Rachel Foskett-Tharby of NHS England describes the problem of the current dental contract as ‘wicked’ or ‘stubborn.’
Practice Plan Sales Manager, Zoe Close suggests that, contrary to popular opinion, we may be entering a time of great opportunity for dentistry.
In a football season where a statue has been raised in Plymouth of Jack Leslie, a black footballer, racism is in the news. Leslie played 400 times for Plymouth Argyle in the 1920’s and 30’s, scoring 137 times in the football league. Selected for the England squad in 1925, in the form of his life, he was inexplicably then dropped.
Suki Singh talks to dentist and Head of Indemnity at the BDA, Len D’Cruz, about the inevitability of complaints and how to prevent them from escalating.
Paul Barnfather, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, shares how there is a cost when delaying financial planning for retirement.
Much separates the UK for the USA.
An ocean, obviously.
And language - ‘Two nations divided by a common language’- a comment variously attributed to George Bernard Shaw or possibly Oscar Wilde or even Winston Churchill.
I mean, who knew that the exhaust pipe on your car is a muffler and the bonnet is a hood? Chips/crisps, fries/chips, pants/trousers, jelly/jam – the opportunities for misunderstanding are endless.
When it comes to the differences in advice with regard to management of patients at risk of infective endocarditis (IE), the chasm between the UK and the USA is very wide indeed.
The American Heart Association (AHA) continues to recommend that antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) is given to those undergoing invasive dental procedures (IDP) and at risk of IE.
Those at increased risk of developing IE include people with
IDPs which should be covered by AP are defined as
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommends that AP is restricted to those at highest risk of IE.
However, in the UK, since 2008, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance has stated that “antibiotic prophylaxis against infective endocarditis is not recommended routinely for people undergoing dental procedures.”
The evidence for the use of AP before IDP’s appears to be lacking and causal links with bacteraemia’s from tooth brushing have been suggested. Despite research published in 2013 which found an increase in IE in the UK followed a decrease in AP prescriptions subsequent to the issue of the 2008 guidelines, the NICE recommendations have largely remained unchanged since then.
However, a recent paper in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, by Martin Thornhill of Sheffield University and colleagues, provides evidence that an association between IDP’s and the development of IE in at risk individuals. Using diagnostic, treatment and hospital admission coding from almost 8 million case records, it was found that the chances of acquiring IE following extractions or other oral surgical procedures were significantly increased for those at high risk. Where AP was provided (in 32% of cases) there was a significantly reduced risk of acquiring IE. The low rate of compliance with the AHA advice about AP is possibly explained by a lack of understanding of the guidance or a belief that AP is the responsibility of the cardiologist, not the dentist.
The authors suggest that their findings “provide evidence to support the current AHA and ESC recommendations that those at highest risk of IE should receive AP before IDPs”, implying that the current NICE guidance is out of date.
NICE guidance to UK dentists continues to be that AP is not routinely recommended and that
“Healthcare professionals should offer people at increased risk of infective endocarditis clear and consistent information about prevention, including:
So - watch out for new guidance soon!
But for TMD, there’s a bridge over the pond!
The regular reader of this blog (there’s probably only one, I’m a born pessimist) may recall that the first in the series, back in January, discussed the management of tempero-mandibular disorders (TMD) and asked to whom patients should be referred. Given its links to other chronic pain conditions, a multi-disciplinary approach to care and management seemed appropriate.
And here’s a move towards that. A recent paper in the British Dental Journal – A commentary on Tempero-mandibular disorders: priorities for research and care – bridging from the US to the UK (Durham,J, Greene,C and Ohrbach,R) reviews work from the US indicating that ‘the current dental-focussed treatments for TMD must be re-conceptualised toward a multi-disciplinary, inter-professional team approach, involving specialists within the broader healthcare community.’ International co-operation to create registers to gather data on patients’ health and treatments should provide sufficiently large datasets to allow the development of clinical guidelines for patient care. Centres of excellence for treatment are proposed for treatment of TMD s and management of oro-facial pain. Already in the UK, a National Orofacial Pain Alliance has been set up, drawing together the expertise of oral surgeons and clinical psychologists.
So, as we move into fall, perhaps we can take a rain check on our dental differences with the USA, and wait to see how NICE has gotten on with some new guidance.
Rheumatic fever
Regional Support Manager, Emma Flunt, reflects on some of the points raised in a recent Practice Plan workshop by Marcos White on adapting the patient journey to the digital age.
From listening to Marcos, I realised that’s it’s possible to use digital tools of some sort for the whole of the patient journey. In his practice he uses a 3D printer, digital design, milling, guided dentistry, a scanner, iPhones so images can be sent by WhatsApp to patients, AI (artificial intelligence) apps to show how good people’s teeth could look and a CBCT scanner which is a scan that can show both bones and soft tissues. Every part of the process has a digital element. He even uses digital language as he describes treatment planning and delivery as a ‘workflow’ which involves a combination of digital tools.
Porcupines – literally ‘spiny pigs’ - have a gestation period of about six months, which is completely irrelevant to dentistry but a useful introduction to the subject of recall intervals for dental patients.
Dental, Health examination
6 monthlies
With most of Europe in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis, now is a good time to make sure you’re getting the best value from the money you’re spending.
Many people, even if they really love their job, understandably look forward to a life of leisure after retiring – and the sooner they can get there, the better.
Your NHS dentistry and oral health update
19 July 2022 (Issue 50)
An update from Sara Hurley and Ali Sparke
You don’t have to hang around on Twitter for very long these days to discover that there are some subjects you cannot raise without receiving a barrage of opinion and sometimes abuse from both sides of the argument. Accusations of being a (insert subject here)phobe are rife.
simple answer
On 16th June 2022 the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) handed down its decision in a case concerning a dentist claiming worker status. This is another in a long line of cases where dental associates have claimed that they are not ‘self-employed’, but instead have worker status.
There has understandably been concern amongst the dental profession that this decision will significantly impact the future of NHS dentistry. However, it is important to bear in mind that the EAT did not determine that the associate was a worker, only that the original employment tribunal’s determination that she was not had been incorrectly reasoned. The case will now return to the employment tribunal for rehearing.
Crucially, this is not a current case, in that the associate in question was working under a 2010 version of the BDA contract; a contract that since has been updated on at least two occasions.
Whilst some important points have been raised by the EAT, which may require dental practices to consider their current business model, it is important to bear in mind that the EAT has not been asked to consider the current BDA contract, which no doubt was updated as a result of the spate of cases on worker status in recent years.
In this article we set out the facts of the case and comment on the EAT’s decision; as we represented the dental practice in this matter, we have an insight into the facts and findings.
Before we review the case, it is helpful to remind ourselves of the test for worker status. A person is a worker if they work under;
The latter is often referred to as a ‘limb B’ worker. You also have to bear in mind that a person can be self-employed for tax purposes, but a limb B worker for employment purposes.
What the tribunal will ask itself:
When looking at the first point, the courts will look at the substitution/locum clause and whether there is any ‘fettering’, or limitation, on that clause. The more fettering there is, the more likely the dentist is required to perform the work personally.
For the second point the tribunal will consider how much control the practice has over the associate; how much the associate is integrated into the practice.
The dental practice is a corporate with locations across the country. The dentist had originally worked in Oxford, before moving to their Kensington practice 2021. The dentist was working under a contract that said:
In the event of the Associate’s failure (through ill health maternity paternity or other cause) to utilise the facilities for a continuous period of more than 14 days the Associate shall use his best endeavours to make arrangements for the use of the facilities by a locum tenens, such locum tenens being acceptable to the Primary Care Trust and the Company….
The dental practice argued that this locum clause meant the dentist was not required to provide the services personally. Whilst the dentist had never sent a locum herself, evidence was provide to the tribunal of other dentists within the business utilising the locum clause, for example for sickness and maternity leave.
However, the contractual term only imposed an obligation to send a locum after 14 days of not utilising the facilities. The practice in response gave witness evidence that dentists within the business, as across the profession, were entitled to send a locum at any time.
The tribunal accepted that the locum clause meant the dentist was not required to perform the services personally and her claim was rejected.
By the time the case came before the EAT, the Supreme Court had handed down its decision in Uber. Whilst the Court of Appeal overall decision was the same. The Supreme Court made it clear the test is a statutory test not a contractual test. The focus should be on the reality of the of the working relationship, not the contractual one. Whilst the contract can be helpful, the courts must look at what happens day to day.
The EAT relied on this case when determining this appeal and found that the tribunal judge had relied on contractual interpretations over statutory provisions.
The EAT went on to find that the tribunal judge was wrong to find there was no fettering on the right of substitution in this case. They considered the following were such fetters:
In the opinion of the EAT, the above all amounted to fetters on the right to send a substitute, meaning the dentist was required to perform the services personally.
The EAT did not consider the second part of the test, which has been remitted to the tribunal to consider the point by a fresh panel. This means the dentist has not yet been found to be a worker; only that she was required to perform the services personally.
The BDA has since updated its template to state:
The Associate
The question now is whether the above amendment is sufficient to avoid worker status.
If you are interested in further analysis of the case, including our tips on how practices and dental associates can work together moving forward, join our webinar on 27th July 2022 at 7pm. To sign up for this webinar please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Julia Furley, Barrister and Laura Pearce, Senior Solicitor
No doubt we have all followed a car down a road, with billows of smoke emitting from an open window, and wondering whether said vehicle was on fire. Similarly, who hasn’t been walking down a pavement and been nasally insulted by puffs of bubblegum or apple pie and custard from an enthusiastic vaper?
See also this link for vaping ...
Further link here re vaping, f...
Stephen Barry, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, shares the lesser-known risks when it comes to the cost of living crisis, where you may see a reduction in the purchasing power of your money…
Emma Flunt talks to Simon Gallier about why he decided to leave the NHS, for the second time, and turn his 95% NHS practice to private and how he’s now feeling about the future…
Back in the past, I used to hate dental materials lectures. It all seemed so irrelevant. I just wanted to know the material worked. I couldn’t get excited about the chemistry. Oh, I remember the important stuff.
Wesleyan Financial Services’ Kabir Ahmed interviews Kevin Culliney, Partner at Densura, to discuss the key occurrences that are changing the face of dental indemnity…
Walking to dental school one day, I met one of our professors, carrying a cage.
A conversation ensued.
‘May I ask what is in the cage, Professor?’
‘You may, Mr. Hellyer – it’s a monkey of the species Macaca Irus.’
‘Really?’.
Two years on from the start of the pandemic, Phil Barlow, Specialist Dental Financial Adviser for Wesleyan Financial Services, looks at how COVID-19 has impacted the dental property market and what that means for those looking to sell their practice in 2022…
