Practice Plan presents an overview of the current situation with NHS dentistry, to help dentists make an informed decision as to what may be best for their patients in the future.         

Dental contract reform – prototypes

On 15 January, the Department of Health announced that a new stage of reform will start in 2015/2016. In this new prototype stage dental practices will test whole versions of a possible new system, rather than, as in the pilots, key elements needed to design a new system.

The prototypes will consist of:

• A clinical pathway

• A set of clinical measures (DQOF – Dental Quality and Outcomes Framework)

• Remuneration better aligned with access and clinical outcomes (a blend of quality, capitation and activity).

The prototype stage is intended to be a forerunner of a reformed system, but is not the final version. Wider adoption of the approach depends first on the prototypes demonstrating this is a viable approach.

Prototype practices have not yet been selected, with the process potentially continuing until 2019, the earliest date at which a reformed contract could become the prevalent approach.

In 2014, John Milne, Chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee (GDPC), spoke at a series of Local Dental Committees-organised roadshows offering valuable insight into the NHS contract, both now and in terms of what the future might hold.

A significant issue for the dental professional as a whole, is that the potential reform of the dental contract has been the subject of considerable discussion for many months now, with pilots continuing in 2015.

As Dr Milne noted at the 2014 Local Dental Committees (LDC) Conference and was subsequently reported to say on the LDC website: ‘…on-going pilots were not the finished article but were intended to contribute to a workable reform. He [Dr Milne] reminded delegates of his demands of the minister at the BDA Conference: some clear commitment from Government to make progress; expansion of the pilots and modifying them to make them into a real test to be some sort of prototype and a clear timetable and a roadmap to implementation. He had also said that practitioners would need preparation as part of training time for practices, and maybe a release from the UDA targets during the transitional phase. The Minister wasn’t able to confirm this last demand, but was able to confirm the first three.’

Dr Milne ‘…also reflected on some of the big questions GDPC had discussed around capitation contracts at their recent meeting and urged delegates to consider these and discuss them with speakers; e.g., what are the risks and benefits of arguing for the highest possible percentage of capitation? How do we avoid neglect? How do we monitor the capitation contract? Should there be a limit on who gets care? How should activity measures be paid for? How do we avoid the disadvantages of the UDA with its perverse incentives? Should payment for activity be limited to just advanced or complex care? And can we actually define what those things are?’

Practical application

So, what does this mean in reality for NHS dentists? For most of those working at grass roots level, thus far nothing has changed, but for the piloting practices, it has been an interesting journey. 

For example, in July 2014 at the Westminster Health Forum seminar on oral health inequalities, dentistry commissioning, regulation, and the dental contract reform, dentist Sabrena Kara shared with the audience that the new system had led her to overcome a backlog in care by improving time management and using dental therapists to provide treatment, allowing her time to deal with more complex dentistry.

Other comments from pilot providers, published in last year’s report from the dental contract pilots evidence and learning reference group, include:

• ‘I think I could make it work better if I had a hygienist or therapist, that would make a massive difference because I could then you know, offload…I’m a very expensive hygienist at times really’

• ‘The patients are very positive… actually love it because they get such a lot of personal attention and they think it’s great, marvellous’

• ‘…to do the pilot properly takes longer… you’re talking to the patient more… I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but I just think it should be taken on board if we’re spending less time treating people… there’s either going to be a shortfall somewhere, there’s going to be complaints or there’s an element of people who might consider going somewhere else’

• ‘The throughput of patients has reduced and so there’s a pleasanter atmosphere. They’re [the dental team] not rushed off their feet like they were and it’s a more steady pace…they’ve had a little bit more work to do explaining to the patients about ICs and charges...I think they’re happier’.

These comments suggest that there may be a need to balance the time required to deliver the preventive aspect of the clinical pathway with treatment, but actually that isn’t anything new for NHS dentists. There is always a learning curve with anything new, and one hopes that results gathered from the ongoing pilots will help to make any transitions as easy as possible for the dental team.

Looking to the future

There is a general sense among the dental profession that we are most likely looking at the introduction of a reformed contract that will not drastically change, let alone improve NHS dentistry. 

With patient care the focus of the current contract, and, presumably any reforms, for dentists happy with the NHS status quo of restoring the function of dental health in the most cost-effective way possible, the big question is whether the remuneration will be sufficient to run a viable business. Sadly, as has been the case for many years, the NHS is squeezed for funds and, much as we would all like to consider only the level of clinical care, no-one can hope to continue to run a non-viable business.

Nonetheless, NHS dentists have worked hard to ensure patients get the best possible care under the existing contract and, no doubt, will strive to do the same under a reformed model, if the parameters of what is on offer allows them to meets their clinical goals and the needs of their patients, while maintaining a viable business.

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions for more than 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice. So, if you’re thinking about your future and would like some expert advice you can trust, then call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

Dentist David Griffiths shares his experience of those first few, all-important years in practice with Young Dentist readers.

I knew from the start that I would begin working primarily under an NHS contract. Upon completing my training, it felt a ‘safer’ environment in which to initially advance the techniques, skills and practical abilities I’d learnt during my undergraduate studies.

I believe it would be almost impossible to be employed by a private dental practice as a new graduate (in the UK) without any prior experience, as usually employers would request a minimum of two years’ clinical experience post-graduation. Also, new graduates usually have zero business experience and are in no financial position to set up their own practice. Therefore, initially working under an NHS contract is the natural progression after graduation.

The ups and downs of the NHS

The benefit of working under an NHS contract is that it provides professional stability. I did soon realise, however, that there were some less favourable aspects. Despite the current NHS contract being able to benefit patients in the majority of clinical scenarios, there are some circumstances in which private options become more feasible. When treatment does not fall within NHS’ criteria, it can lead to patient dissatisfaction with the dentist, rather than the system.

Also, if a dental practice is to survive within any community, it must engage with it in a positive way, and so dentists must be able to spend time providing treatments that patients are happy with. The NHS contract may be seen as only allowing the time fundamental to completing treatment. Additional time would be appreciated to enable, for example, building rapport with patients so that they are more likely to return for follow-up care, or to expand on long-term treatment options.

Sharing knowledge

There is limited impartial guidance regarding the benefits and downfalls of a career either under an NHS contract or providing only private treatments within the undergraduate curriculum. This division is rarely discussed, as it is not a simple case of NHS versus private.

For those a few years behind me I would recommend they gain experience in both these areas either before or in the years following graduation, to experience the diversity of the spectrum of treatment for themselves.

Training should focus on the ability to carry out good quality treatment and be expanded upon during a dentist’s career within their level of competency. It is up to the individual to decide what form this should take

 Biog

After graduating from Liverpool University in 2011, David Griffiths moved to Newcastle to complete a two-year General Professional Training programme (VT1 and 2), which included working within a large NHS practice in the centre of Sunderland and within several specialist departments in Newcastle Dental Hospital. Following this, he worked as an Oral and Maxillofacial SHO in the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle. Currently, David is working back in Merseyside, beginning his first year within a General Dental Practice as a full-time associate dentist; he focusses primarily on NHS treatments and the practice offers private care through a patient membership plan administered by Practice Plan.

If you’re thinking about your future and would like some obligation-free expert advice you can trust, please call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

Chris Barrow will be among leading business experts from across the dental profession speaking at Practice Plan’s Practice Management Conferences in June.

Delivering an unmissable session on how to develop and grow your practice, Chris will introduce delegates to the latest innovations and thought in practice marketing in his session ‘Boosting your profits and how to do it”.

In Reading on 5th June and Manchester on 19th June, Chris will take attendees on a guided tour on how to market and manage your practice and provide a clear understanding of ‘what you should do next’ and how to avoid missing the boat.

If you’re looking for solutions to your practice marketing and want to learn from the experts, make sure you attend the Practice Plan Management Conferences in June.

For more details please contact Sarah Whittall, Practice Plan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For more information about the business services available from 7connections please call 01647 478145,

email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or

visit www.7connections.com.

A-dec are delighted to announce the appointment of Dean Hallows as General Manager of A-dec UK

Dean (pictured above) has more than 28 years of dental industry experience, both in the UK and internationally. Most recently as A-dec’s International Regional Manager for CIS, MEA and Eastern Europe.

He began his career as an Incorporated Engineer, focused on developing dental products for clinicians and improving business effectiveness for design, manufacture and commercialisation. This stimulated his interest in managing business improvement strategies relative to sales, marketing and customer service, which he took to the next level when he attained an Enterprising MBA.

Dean has held numerous director level positions, mostly within DENTSPLY International Inc. and his past UK responsibilities for customer service, equipment maintenance, sales and marketing will serve him well in his new role as General Manager for A-dec UK. He has been a member of several leading industry committees, assisting with the development of British, EU and International Standards related to Dentistry and is currently a member of the Institute of Directors and Institution of Engineering & Technology. 

A-dec UK
0800 233 285
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.a-dec.co.uk

Kick-starting year-long celebrations of the innovations that have led Nobel Biocare to be “First for 50 Years”, a new complete, cement-free treatment concept was unveiled at IDS Cologne, promising exciting new possibilities for implant treatment.

Developed specifically to address common challenges faced when restoring molar teeth, the complete posterior solution consists of the new 5.5mm NobelActive^® WP implant and NobelParallel^® Conical Connection (CC) system.

Designed for optimised emergence profiles, both implant systems are intended for immediate function and ensure improved stability and longevity of implant treatment.

The new NobelProcera^® Full-Contour Zirconia (FCZ) Implant Crown is the key restorative component of the complete posterior solution. Screw-retained and available with an Angulated Screw-Channel (ASC) abutment, the FCZ avoids the risks associated with cement excess while offering remarkable strength and flexible access.

Richard Laube, Nobel Biocare CEO, commented:

“This year we are marking fifty years since the late Per-Ingvar Brånemark placed the very first titanium dental implants. Nobel Biocare is proud to continue playing an important role in developing original treatment concepts to help restore quality of life for millions of patients. The innovations featured in our new complete posterior solution build on our heritage by further helping dental professionals to treat more patients better.”

For more information, contact Nobel Biocare on 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

Whether you are looking to expand or replace a member in your dental team, is essential to make sure you hire the ideal person. Here are some tips to consider along the recruitment process.

Interviewing applicants

Firstly, check that the candidate has all the necessary technical or clinical qualifications and skills required to carry out the job, such as licences, professional certificates and training. First impressions are of course important as well as the applicant’s interpersonal skills and devotion to the profession. Furthermore, dentistry requires everyone to work in very close proximity and so it is vital to ensure that candidates have right attributes to work as part of a team and to make patients feel comfortable.

Checking references

It may be obvious for some but it is important to follow up on all references. Some references provide an excellent insight but others may be guarded and simply confirm dates of employment and ending salary. In this case, a good strategy is to follow up the reference with a telephone call after interviewing a candidate.

Making a start

When you have made your decision and offer an individual a position in writing, you should implement a probationary period. During this time, the new employee’s progress should be regularly reviewed at weekly or monthly one-to-one sessions.

A written appraisal system that is adhered to throughout employment, gives team members a sense of value as well as direction. It can be also be a great way to learn from team members, listen to their ideas and maybe bring to action any strategies that could improve or streamline the workflow of the practice.

Contracts

When you provide a new employee a permanent contract of employment, it is absolutely imperative that it is concisely worded to include detailed information on every aspect of the job and the practice. For example it should state the hours of work, annual leave entitlement, duties: including written protocols for HTM-01-05 and CQC compliance, protocols for sickness or long-term illness, disciplinary procedure, rules of confidentiality, details covering policies such as adverse weather conditions and the provision of uniform.

Special attention to detail

When employing practice managers or associates it is important to consider the inclusion of restrictive covenants to protect the business. These are typically clauses in a contract that prohibit an individual from poaching other members of staff, contacting patients or competing with an ex-employer for a certain period after they have left the practice.

Help is at hand

If you need help recruiting staff or advice on contracts of employment or contracts for services (for self employed staff) it is prudent to seek expert advice. The team at Dental Elite are experienced dental recruiters who work solely with the dental profession to help practices find suitable individuals to engage in locum or permanent positions. With the aim to provide all clients with such an efficient and effective service Dental Elite hopes to become the natural ‘first port of call’ for any recruitment needs. 

For more information and to find out how Dental Elite can help to recruit the most suitable members of your dental team visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or call 01788 545 900

It is a requirement of the GDC for all dental professionals in the UK to have adequate indemnity provision in place, or they may face removal from the register.

In order to comply, there are currently three types of cover that are recognised by the GDC, and it is crucial that each dentist makes the appropriate choice. The options are:

 - Dental Defence Organisation membership – held individually or as membership provided by the employer

 - NHS / Crown indemnity – most doctors employed by the NHS are covered for the duties described in their contract

 - Professional indemnity insurance held individually or by the employer.

At first glance, the concept of indemnity cover seems fairly straightforward: you are either covered or you are not. However, for a practice principal working with an associate the issue of indemnity, and more crucially the party responsible for it, can cause some confusion due to the nature of their professional relationship. For instance, a question that regularly arises is: Does an associate dentist count as an employee?

This is relevant because according to employment law, an employer is vicariously responsible for the actions and his or her employee and could be held accountable should any claims be brought against them. However, it is widely understood that this is not the case for dental associates who are often thought of as self-employed. Indeed, it is not uncommon for practice owners to operate under the assumption that they will not be held liable, or responsible, for the actions of an associate dentist working in their practice due to their self-employed status. Nonetheless, there have recently been more than a couple of incidents that show that this is not always the case. As such these situations have highlighted the necessity of ensuring any associates working at your practice are sufficiently covered.

The recent Whetstone case is often used by some legal firms to demonstrate how practice owners are vicariously liable for the actions of their self-employed associates. A somewhat unique situation, this case involved an associate who did not have indemnity and the practice owner has held liable for their actions. As the owner had not checked whether the associate had sufficient cover, he was held responsible, despite the self-employed status of the associate. Despite deliberate trying to demonstrate vicarious liability on his part so as to receive compensation from his insurance, he not only lost the case, but was also awarded all the costs.

This case and many others exemplify the position that many principals find themselves in, whereby if their associate was found to have insufficient cover they would face increased scrutiny around the relationship between the two parties, and potentially could be held liable for any claims against the associate. Following the correct procedures and taking reasonable steps to ensure sufficient cover is in place, will help practice owners avoid situations like the case above.

For more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk.

Author: Ian Gordon BDS MFGDP

Senior Partner Alpha Dental Group 

Dental implants have revolutionised the dental industry and they are fast becoming an essential aspect of the modern dentist’s range of skills. Providing a significant improvement in function and aesthetics for partially or completely edentulous patients, implants restore the ability to eat and speak and can dramatically boost self-confidence.

As such, a real difference can be made to patients’ quality of life, enhancing both social and professional areas of their lives. It is unsurprising therefore that patient satisfaction is generally very high with implant procedures, bringing further benefits to the practice in the form of glowing reviews and increased referrals. In addition, clinical studies suggest that although most people would prefer to save their natural dentition (as would most professionals), implant therapy patients become more aware of their oral health following treatment, and ensure regular visits to the dentist for cleanings and check ups thereafter.[1]

The placement and restoration of implants does however require a specialist set of skills and clinical experience, and quality training is necessy in order to ensure the longevity and success of treatment. The clinician’s goal is to serve the patient by providing first-class procedures and care, and alongside sufficient training, this is further facilitated with use of carefully designed, cutting-edge technologies. Digital CAD/CAM systems have been developed to enable high-precision treatment planning and design of restorations, which are now well received throughout the industry. Such technologies also reduce laboratory time and improve the quality and precision of fit of restorations produced first time. This technological accuracy along with streamlined treatment capabilities enables clinicians to take their dentistry to the next level and consistently achieve optimum treatment outcomes.

Careful diagnosis and treatment planning is key to this success. Throughout the planning stages, every detail needs consideration from the design of the implant and restoration to the gingival surface characteristics. Effective planning can shorten surgery time significantly, as not only is the dentist prepared and the patient properly informed, but a satisfactory brief can also be delivered to the team and adequate information can be relayed to technicians during the restoration process. Established implant protocols require meticulous execution by the whole team for the best possible results, so collaboration between all professionals involved needs to be effective.

The patient also has a role to play in the maintenance and continued care of the implants for long-lasing success, which they must be made aware of before procedures have even begun.

Nobel Biocare, a pioneering company in the field of implant-based dental restorations, is dedicated to empowering dentists with the best solutions possible. Through fully integrated technologies that enable seamless workflows, Nobel Biocare helps clinicians not only enhance their clinical practices, but also grow their business.

The globally renowned dental product supplier will provide a morning’s programme at the ADI Team Congress in May 2015, designed to educate and provide a platform for discussion regarding restorative protocols, technological innovations and the latest trends in implant dentistry.

The subject of the interactive sessions will be “Preferred Treatment Concepts for Today’s Patient Needs”, and a range of topics will be covered to help delegates refine and broaden their skills for better treatment provision. Nobel Biocare will present some of the most experienced clinicians and researchers in the field throughout the corporate forum, including:

• Stefan Holst DMD PhD will ask: ‘What impact does implant designs, surface characteristics, surgical and restorative protocols have on the end result?’
   
• Alessandro Pozzi DDS PhD will explore ‘Maximising treatment outcomes in the aesthetic zone with efficient treatment workflow’.
• 
  Jose M Navarro DDS MS will discuss ‘The biology and protocols of immediate implant placement and tooth replacement’.
   
• Edmond Bedrossian DDS FACD FACOMS FAO will speak about ‘Managing failing dentitions and their transitions to edentulism’.
   

Nobel Biocare is at the forefront of implant and restorative dentistry and is dedicated to keeping practitioners abreast of developments as they occur in this constantly advancing market. First-class education is offered as well as products, materials and state of the art technology to enable practitioners to achieve high quality restorations and furthermore, outstanding patient satisfaction.

The ADI Team Congress Corporate Forums will take place on Thursday 14 May 2015 offering professionals a chance to discover the latest research and developments in the dental implant arena, while also gaining new ideas to ensure the highest standards in patient care.

To book a free place for the Corporate Forum, please indicate attendance on the registration form or online registration at http://www.adi.org.uk/profession/index.htm

For more information on the cutting-edge solutions available from Nobel Biocare, please call 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

What if your child had toothache and no hope of help?   

With this message, dental charity Bridge2Aid hopes to increase vital support this year, making it possible to provide access to safe emergency dental treatment for millions more people in need in East Africa.

Chief Executive Mark Topley commented: ‘With not even the most basic dental service available for the majority of people living in the rural areas of places like Tanzania, there are countless untreated dental problems. And more than half of people with toothache and no access to basic treatment will develop complications; sometimes, very sadly and shockingly, the complications lead to death.’

However, Bridge2Aid is making a big impact – by training local health professionals already based in villages to extract teeth and relieve pain. And it works – over the past 10 years Bridg2Aid has demonstrated success in both Tanzania and Rwanda, making access to treatment available to over 3 million people. Health professionals trained by Bridge2Aid have shown they can immediately address 98% of dental problems.

To find out how you can help people in pain today, please visit the team at stand D20, where you can be sure of a warm welcome.

Alternatively, Please visit www.bridge2aid.org/whatif to join with Bridge2Aid in its mission to make access to simple, safe, emergency dental treatment available to all.

Your Landing Page

Neil Sanderson

Most people think of a website as an entity in its self, this is not the case. A website is a series of pages of which you need to think about landing pages.

What is a landing page? Well the description is in the name really, it’s where people land when they first come to your website.

Most people think that the place people should first see when they arrive at your site is the home page, this again is not the case, ideally you need people to land on the correct landing page, let me explain.

I’m sure that all of you have at one time or another gone to Amazon. Can you ever think of a time when you arrived on a home page which had menu options across the top for you to find what you are looking for?

No of course you haven’t. You always land on the page that you wanted. For instance if you are looking for a camera. I typed in the search “Canon EOS 70D” and below is the search I got.

Camer search screen

All the search items are about the EOS 70D which is what you would expect, some are reviews and technical pages others are sales pages, but effectively all of them are about this particular camera.

So whenI click on the search item which takes me to the “landing page”. It comes as no surprise that the page I land on is about the Canon EOS 70D.

Because Amazon is so good at this you are presented with everything you need to purchase this camera, there are reviews, things that people also bought when they buy this camera etc. In fact just about everything you need to make a purchase, this is a typical Amazon landing page and they are very good at it.

Amazon Canon landing page

So what has this got to do with your website and the landing page that your prospective patients land on?

Well it’s about this, we have all been tought by the likes of Amazon that we want to land on exactly the page we are interested in. We don’t want to land on the “home” landing page, we know what we want and we want it right now.

People are not prepared to come to a “home” landing page and navigate around the website until they find the item they are looking for, this is why you have to promote your landing pages all the time, so that your visitors get exactly what they are looking for immediately.

If someone is looking for teeth whitening, most dental websites are set up so they will come to the “Home” landing page, they will then click on the treatment tab, then they will find the whiting link and click on that, do you see the issue?

If you want people to visit your teeth whitening page you need to start optimising this page so that Google can pick it up and display it, this needs to become your whitening landing page.

The same goes for all your other treatment, such as facial aesthetics, implants, straightening etc. etc.

Writing a blog is a great help but having the right key words on the page is also crucial, along with the correct meta description. Get ahead of your competition and ensure that your treatment pages are optimised to be your landing pages.

However you can bypass all this an just use Google Adwords, which will always send people to exactly the page you require, this is one of the huge benefits of Adwords.

If you would like more information on your website, call me on 01767 626  398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our Facebook page.

www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk

Now that 2015 is well under way, New Year celebrations seem like a distant memory and everyone is looking to their next holiday, I thought I’d take a minute to look ahead.

I’m going to suggest three main predictions for the coming years, which I think will affect dental practices the most. These changes will not only shape the profession as a whole but also will affect the way practices are operated and how their services are marketed to patients.

Firstly, we will see a significant increase in the number of individual practices sold to corporates and groups. Many practice owners are worn out from the economic struggle of the past few years, from growing competition and the ever-more time-consuming regulations. They have had to work 10 times harder than they would have done 20 years ago, and as a result, I have seen a huge increase in the number of practitioners over the age of 50 considering selling their practice to alleviate the responsibility and stress.

Secondly, I predict further downward pressure on remuneration in dentistry. Salaries will, at best, freeze, as will remuneration packages for dental associates, hygienists and therapists; although it is more likely that they will decrease. This goes hand-in-hand with a continuing transfer of responsibility to dental care professionals – I think associates will become more limited regarding what they can do, as more work is allocated to other members of the dental team.

This is obviously not good news, but you need to be realistic in order to prepare and protect your future career. As a dental associate, I believe your value will depend on the degree of specialisation you develop. The skills you offer in disciplines such as implantology, endodontics or high-end cosmetic dentistry, which cannot be emulated by other team members, will become fundamental for success in the dental profession. The key, therefore, is to be at the top of your game in whichever niche you chose, and it is important to recognise this in order to protect your future.

This could lead to a decrease in the number of general dental associates working in dentistry, and may even call into question whether the role of the dental associate has a future in the modern profession.

Finally, I predict a continued increase in the level of enquiries made to the regulators as a result of patient complaints. With the existing Fitness to Practise system within the GDC widely discredited, steps are already being taken to try to modernise the process for greater effectiveness and efficiency. I think the extent to which the governing bodies regulate the profession will inexorably continue to increase. That will necessitate greater diligence with regards to record keeping and marketing language and increase the importance of providing appropriate and affordable dentistry, as there will be a higher chance of legal problems should any issues arise.

Depending on your perspective, these predictions may not seem particularly positive. You can look at them in one of two ways – one, the profession is doomed; or two, we will create a better, leaner profession which will provide more ethical dental treatment and care to patients.

In an interesting paradox, I am one of many crusaders who support the concept of emotional marketing. It can be a very effective way of attracting new patients and encouraging people to enquire about and go ahead with treatment. With the above points in mind, however, the importance of managing patient expectations and not promising anything you can’t deliver, is very evident. As a healthcare professional, you are often presented with opportunities to improve people’s quality of life, but you also have a responsibility to protect their health and safety and to make sure they understand all the risks and possible outcomes involved.

Consequently, your marketing strategy needs to strike a careful balance between evoking the emotions that will lead people to act and undergo treatments, and giving them realistic expectations of what you can achieve.

Whether you are looking to boost patient numbers so as to improve profits or create a position where you are able to offer staff pay-rises, you need to attract business effectively, and in a way that doesn’t leave you vulnerable.

This is where support such as that offered through the Ultimate Marketing Academy with 7connections can help – we will not only demonstrate how to properly utilise emotional marketing, but also help you to ensure an ethical approach that protects both your business and your patients.

Whatever the next 12-24 months hold for the dental profession, we would expect to see several changes and new trends emerging. It is important that all dental professionals prepare for such changes, so as to protect their careers and secure a successful future in dentistry.

For more information about 7connections and the Ultimate Marketing Academy, please call 01647 478145, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit www.7connections.com

Enacting an exit strategy can be one of the most complicated tasks you will face as a practice principal. However, with efficient planning and time management, you can eliminate a lot of the hassle and stress and ensure both you and your team benefit.

In an ideal world, you should start thinking about your exit strategy at least five years before you intend to leave. This will ensure you have sufficient time to get all your accounts in order and to showcase the best possible profits for your practice. You should also look at staffing situations, income levels and the ways in which your associates are remunerated in order to produce the most accurate and useful overview of your practice’s performance and potential.

One of the most common pitfalls principals fall into during this process, is that they start to slow down by taking on fewer patients and working fewer hours. While this is completely understandable, it can actually have a detrimental impact on the sale of the business – income will reduce but costs will remain the same, therefore profits decrease rapidly. From the bank’s perspective, a business with falling profits is a business in decline, despite the reasons for this being easily reversible. It is therefore essential to not only maintain income of the practice, but to grow it as much as possible in order to create the most appealing deal for a buyer. Reassigning work to associates and building a strong practice management team will go a long way to helping you do this without putting all the hours in yourself. Ensuring an efficient team is in place will also make the practice less contingent on you as you prepare to leave, strengthening the business as a whole.

With regards to non-financial factors, it is vital to ensure that associate dentists have entered into an official associate agreement so as to protect the goodwill of the practice. This demonstrates that your clinical team plan to remain with the business for the foreseeable future, ensuring the stability and long-term success of your practice. Protecting the goodwill in this way not only puts you in a stronger position to sell with the practice seeming more attractive to potential buyers, but it further encourages a smoother sale procedure.

The team at Dental Elite, with over a century of combined experience in the sector, have made a reputation for themselves for giving pragmatic and practical advice to dental professionals. They are in the perfect position to help ensure that planning your exit strategy will not be the complicated and stressful process it has the potential to be.

For more information and to find out how Dental Elite can value
and assist your practice sale visit www.dentalelite.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01788 545 900

• This year sees more innovative events than ever before. They range from screenings of Charlie Chaplin’s ‘The Dentist’ to a marathon to raise awareness of oral health.

• The new World Oral Health Day 2015 poster customisation app will help support participating organisations.

Geneva, 10 March 2015 - As World Oral Health Day 2015 approaches countries worldwide are preparing to celebrate in their own way. The theme is ‘Smile for life’.

Planned activities in 2015 include: a media campaign on local radio stations and free dental check-ups for over 500 children in Senegal; a selfie contest under the theme ‘Smile for life’ in Spain; free oral health assessments and fluoride treatments for all children attending a camp in Liberia; and an attempt to achieve a world record for the most amount of voluntary dentistry done in one day in Australia.

The challenge is for National Dental Associations, Student Dental Associations and World Oral Health Day Partners to match or outdo last year’s vast array of activities, which included an attempt on the World Record for the number of people brushing their teeth simultaneously.

Also this year, a new application provides participants with the means of customizing their World Oral Health Day campaign poster with pictures and other features adapted to their local, regional or national needs.

‘It’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm of so many different groups in the pursuit of raising oral health awareness within their communities,” said FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong. “World Oral Health Day 2015 is set to be bigger and better than ever before, helping to spread the message of a ‘Smile for life’ across the globe.”

To find out if there is an activity near you or to get involved yourself, visit the World Oral Health Day website, which offers the latest news and a range of downloadable material to help celebrate a ‘Smile for Life’ on 20 March 2015.

WOHD is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organised by dentists, dental students and National Dental Associations (NDAs). It offers the dental and oral health community a platform to take action and help reduce the global disease burden of oral disease.

Ninety per cent of the world’s population will suffer from oral diseases in their lifetime and many of them can be avoided with increased governmental, health association and society support and funding for prevention, detection and treatment programmes.

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. FDI is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organized under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

World Oral Health Day 2015 partners

LISTERINE® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

As the world’s number one daily mouth rinse, LISTERINE® Mouthwash has been used by more than one billion people in more than 85 countries. Professional dental organizations around the world have awarded LISTERINE® Mouthwash with their seals of acceptance.

LISTERINE® is distributed by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., a part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Unilever 

Unilever Oral Care is a leading global manufacturer of oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash, represented by brands including Signal, Pepsodent, Close Up, Mentadent, Aim, P/S and Zhong Hua. Unilever recognizes that good oral health and the sense of well-being and confidence it brings, is a vital element to making people look good, feel good and get more out of life and that small every day actions, such as twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, add up to make a big difference for the world. Through its science, products, partnerships and international network, Unilever Oral Care is privileged with the power to make a sustainable and measurable improvement to oral health around the world.

Henry Schein

Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.  A Fortune 500®{C}[1]{C} Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100®{C}[2]{C} Index (NASDAQ Ticker: HSIC), Henry Schein employs more than 17,500 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 customers. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries. Through Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program, Henry Schein helps expand access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP)

WOHP partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one extra simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugarfree gum after eating and drinking on-the-go. WOHP supports independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening. For more information, visit: www.wrigleyoralcare.com

Bringing the curtain down on dentistry for 2014, Nigel Jones shares with readers some of the more noteworthy news from this year in relation to the New Contract and private dentistry.

Nigel Jones is part of the change support team for Practice Plan. With 24 years’ experience within the dental industry, he has guided many dentists through the 2006 NHS contract and continues to do so today; contact him for further advice and support on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

With the knowledge that the New Contract pilots were to continue into 2015, this year the dental profession were keeping a keen eye out to see how they would progress.  In addition, there was a renewed interest in whether private dentistry might, for some, be a viable way forwards.

It was in February at the Dentistry Show that the first significant discussion of the year took place on the issue of the New Contract. This dialogue clarified that Professor Steele was committed to taking all the time needed to review the data available to produce an effective system that would focus on prevention rather than cure.

Also speaking at the event was oral epidemiologist Liz Kay, who emphasised the need to take into consideration the full oral health picture in the UK, not just to create a contract based upon the needs that could be ascertained from average figures. She asked delegates to consider the realities of dental practice where, for example, the majority of Baby Boomers – who grew up without preventive advice – would need dental treatment in the coming years.

In March it was reported that, for the first time in eight years, the profit level of the average private dental practice was almost the same as the average NHS dental practice, based on the latest benchmarking statistics from the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers.

Figures showed that the average net profit in 2012/13 for a principal of a private practice was £124,086 compared to £125,958 for a principal of an NHS practice.

In April we also learned that after a difficult economic time, private dentistry is set to ‘bounce back’ and make the most of the opportunities offered by an industry currently valued to be worth £5.9bn every year, according to latest report into the UK dentistry market from LaingBuisson.

That same month, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking Healthcare Confidence Index suggested that uncertainty over NHS dentistry was affecting dentists’ choices. It reported that 80% of those questioned were apprehensive that the NHS would provide adequate financial support. In addition, it was revealed that 69% of dentists are planning to grow their business to help overcome any possible financial pressures brought on by the NHS contract.

Commenting on the results, Ian Crompton, Head of Healthcare Banking Services, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, stated: ‘The wider economic uplift has boosted dentistry morale, with dentists again the most confident profession in the short-term, and it is interesting that there has been a noticeable shift in the number of dentists expecting private practice to again become more profitable than NHS.’

The summer months

At the 2014 Conference of Local Dental Committees in Manchester in June, John Milne, chair of the BDA’s GDPC, expressed disappointment at the slow progress being made with designing the prototypes for the New Contract and suggested that the government needed to get a move on.

In July, at the Westminster Health Forum seminar on oral health inequalities, dentistry commissioning, regulation, and the dental contract reform dentist Sabrena Kara spoke about her practice’s experience of taking part in the pilots. She offered a positive view on time management, which then allowed her to focus on delivering more complex dentistry to patients.

August saw a story in The Telegraph reporting: ‘Patients are having to travel up to 40 miles to see a dentist or being forced into private care because they struggling to find treatment locally, a consumer watchdog has warned.

‘Healthwatch England said that patients are experiencing ''increasing frustration'' about NHS dentistry as patients struggle to know where to turn.

‘Some are travelling up to 40 miles to find somewhere that will provide free care while others are so discouraged by their attempts to find a health service dentist that they end up paying for private treatment, it said.’

Dr Cockcroft responded: ‘Our figures tell us that 93% of people who tried to get an NHS dental appointment in the past two years were successful. Of the 6.5% who tried to get an NHS dental appointment at a practice that they had never attended before, 76% were successful.’

Drawing to a close

In October, the BDA’s GDPC came together to discuss the New Contract, welcoming the fact that Alternative Contract Reform (ACR) input had become part of the debate on contractual change. The case for change was described as ‘irresistible’ by the chair, Dr Milne, who continued: ‘We have an historic opportunity here to turn the page on activity targets and put prevention at the heart of dentistry. And the GDPC is determined to get it right on behalf of the profession.’

 Looking to 2015

Despite some disappointment surrounding the slow implementation of the New Contract, 2014 still managed to deliver interesting signposts for dentists looking to the future. Given the well-publicised financial pressure on the NHS, the Government's imperative will be to find a form of contract that will extract the best value it can from NHS dentists.  Come May 2015 and the results of the general election, the dentistry ball may well be up in the air once again. Whatever the outcome, this will mark a new beginning for dentists choosing between NHS and private dentistry to fulfil their commitment to looking after their patients while running a sustainable business.

Practice Plan considers what the current dental contract has to offer and takes a look at what changes could be incorporated into NHS dentistry when the revised contract is fully rolled out.

In 2006 to much fanfare – on the Government’s side at least – a new NHS dental contract came into force. At the time some dentists chose to leave the NHS altogether preferring the private route, some created a mixed practice but the majority stayed put, believing in the provision of dentistry to those in need.

Over the following years, again, some have changed the way they practise; but still a large number have continued to operate within the parameters of the contract while others have joined the NHS. Statistics released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre tell us that 23,723 dentists performed NHS activity during 2013-14. This is an increase of 522 (2.2%) on 2012-13, and 3,563 (17.7%) more than 2006-07.

With a revised contract on the horizon, what does the 2006 contract offer and what might we reasonably expect the next one to deliver?

John Milne Chair of BDA GDPC once said: ‘How can a system improve oral health, deliver prevention, continuing care and advanced treatment, whilst paying dentists adequately, fairly, and provide an environment where all this can be achieved with minimal perverse incentives from any direction to enable the patient, the government and the profession to have confidence for the future?’

Remuneration

As we know all too well, the contract to which the majority of NHS dentists are working operates on annually targeted UDAs (the exception being those on the piloting scheme).  This has, of course, raised some financial issues; a popular view is that dentists have not been receiving fair remuneration for their work in more extensive cases. It should be noted, however, that, committed as they are to patient care, the vast majority of dentists who have stayed in the NHS have worked hard to provide a quality service.

The contract currently being piloted shuns UDAs and instead a capitation system is being tested. Essentially, capitation provides payment according to an agreed number of patients seen during a specified period of time. Three are being piloted:

• Type 1 – guaranteed remuneration for guaranteed NHS commitment

• Type 2 – weighted capitation payments applied within tolerance of contract value with capitation payment covering all care

• Type 3 – weighted capitation model applied within tolerance of contract value with capitation payment covering only routine care and remaining contract value attributed to complex care guaranteed.

Weightings are applied to the registered population, which aim to reflect the workload involved in meeting patient needs. In the report ‘Dental Contract Reform Programme. Early Findings: Opportunity to give feedback’, the following example for a hypothetical practice treating 100 patients was provided:

• Twenty high-need patients: £10 per patient = £200

• Fifty low-need patients: £5 per patient = £250

• Thirty medium-need patients: £7.50 per patient = £225.

This provides a weighted capitation of £675.

With these pilots ongoing, which of these three options are achieving success is unknown, but it seems fair to suggest capitation is likely to feature in some form. 

It would be remiss while on the subject of finances to move on without considering the forthcoming contract’s affordability for the government. Contact reform offers an interesting conundrum; you might achieve happy patients and dentists but realistically only at a cost that would be unacceptable in a wider roll-out. For example, the new approach involving a preventive pathway takes more time and means longer appointments than before, which is why patients tend to like it. Within the pilots, the dentists are happy as they have had their income ring-fenced so they can essentially take as long as they want without incurring any financial penalty. In addition, that all means that access has dropped and fewer patients are being seen which, given that has been a priority for successive governments, won’t be deemed acceptable. There seem to be three possible solutions to this – making more money available (which, let’s face it, is never going to happen in the current economic climate), finding a way that forces individual dentists to improve access for the same money or to accept lower access per dentist but pay individual dentists less.

Quality

There’s little to be written about the 2006 contract and quality treatment that you haven’t already heard or read many times over. Suffice to say, it constrains care to providing treatment to achieve oral fitness and little else; this is a system that does not easily lend itself offering a high level of care and NHS dentists remain the unsung heroes for achieving high quality results. Considered by many as an incentivising scheme gone horribly wrong, we all look to the future with great expectations.

The (hopefully) forthcoming contract aims to deliver high-quality, prevention-based care based upon three indicators:

1. Patient safety

2. Clinical effectiveness

3. Patient experience.

This is where the much talked about Primary Care Clinical pathway approach comes into play. The clinical pathway begins with a comprehensive oral health assessment, recording information on caries, periodontal disease, tooth wear and the soft tissues. Needs and risk are then assessed based upon both clinical information and that obtained from the patient. A preventive plan is then created and shared with the patient and dental team. Lastly, a review date is set according to risk and NICE guidelines.

Advanced care pathways are also being piloted in endodontics, periodontal care, indirect restorations and metal-based partial dentures.

All of this is being supported with the use of software provided by one of three software companies.

Thus far, overall the concept has been considered to have a sound basis but, again, things are still being ironed out so while the future looks to be preventive based there are no guarantees.

Registration

Under the 2006 contact, formal registration with a dental practice, which had been introduced in 1990, came to an end.  In essence, nowadays no-one in England and Wales is registered on the NHS with a particular practice although, in truth, this is not on many patients’ radar. However, access appears to have been a problem for some patients, with pre-pilot figures indicating that 24,292 patients received emergency dental treatment in hospital casualty departments in 2009/10, compared to approximately 17,400 in 2000/2001. These statistics certainly do suggest that fewer people were getting the dental treatment they needed between 2000 and 2010.  
 

The future contract, meanwhile, promises provide a formal system of patient registration, ensuring patients will receive ongoing care as and when clinically needed. We don’t know much more than that, but it sounds like a good plan to improve access and long-term oral health.

Tentative hopes…

So here we are; the majority of practices are still working within the confines of the 2006 contract and the minority piloting the next contract. The possibilities are tantalising but there is still so much that we don’t know.  When will the pilots end? How will the general election affect NHS dentistry?  And last, but by no means least, how will the government, whatever their affiliation, work within the confines of national finance to deliver what is being promised? We have hope that the resources available can be used to best effect.

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions since for over 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice. So, if you’re thinking about your future and would like some expert advice you can trust, then call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

The BDIA’s ‘Dental Industry Manifesto’ sets out five key priorities for action in the dental sector for the next Government. BDIA Executive Director, Tony Reed, explains, “The industry believes that positive and focussed investment and support from Government is vital to ensure the highest quality oral health outcomes for patients and an efficient and sustainable future for the provision of dentistry in the UK”.

The Manifesto urges the next Government to focus on five areas: ‘Investing in the nation’s oral health’, ‘Protecting patients’, ‘Building a better future’, ‘Championing innovation’ and creating ‘A favourable business environment’. By acting in these areas a future Government can significantly reduce the burden on the NHS by improving the nation’s oral health, protect patients, whilst supporting dental professionals and the industry, foster innovation, encourage investment, improve the business environment and develop exports.

The Manifesto also builds on the industry’s initiative against counterfeit and non-compliant dental devices and instruments seeking full Government funding for the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

It has been circulated to key opinion formers in the political parties and Government departments, as well as Ministers, MPs, senior civil servants and NHS England.

Established in 1923, the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA) represents and supports manufacturers and suppliers of dental products, services and technologies. BDIA members gain access to a range of services designed to benefit them and promote the well-being of the industry as a whole and the profession gains the reassurance of dealing with like-minded individuals who are committed to providing a high quality standard of service.

For more information please contact Edmund Proffitt on 01494 781183 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Lynn Leach presents 10 of the more common concerns dentists feel when considering whether their future lies within the NHS or private practice.

Lynn is part of the NHS Change Support Team for Practice Plan. As a Regional Support Manager with over 25 years’ experience, she has guided many dentists through the 2006 NHS contract reform and continues to help practices evaluate their options out of the NHS. Contact her for further advice and support on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.

One of the greatest challenges facing many dentists in deciding whether to practise within the NHS, privately or a mix of the two is overcoming fear of the unknown. It is important to note that you are not alone in your concerns and, based upon everyday conversations with dentists from all backgrounds, I’ve outlined 10 of the most common worries here.

1. The future of NHS dentistry is uncertain

The forthcoming revised contract has been in the piloting phase for some time; this exploration of possibilities will continue in 2015 with the prototype contracts and there’s no deadline for a national roll-out. There is no doubt that this contributes to difficulties in making decisions about your professional future. However, if you look at it pragmatically, unless you are involved in the protoypes you’ll continue to work within the 2006 contract, so consider your plans for the next few months in light of that. There are no guarantees of what is coming next but you can consider all your options and tentatively put plans in place for further down the line, once you feel better placed to gauge what the NHS will offer dentists and their patients long-term.

Essentially, if you firmly believe that the NHS may have something better to offer you and your patients, it’s probably best to hold fast until the reformed contract is finalised  However, if you feel the new contract will be about different degrees of unpalatability, then it may be worth starting to take steps now to take control of the future of your practice.

2. Is it unethical to leave the NHS?

We acknowledge that for some dental professionals the NHS is the only place for them, feeling strongly as they do about offering those in greatest need a high level of dentistry within the constraints of the 2006 contract. That doesn’t mean, however, that looking to move away from the NHS is unethical. The GDC requires that dental professionals ‘Put patients’ interests first and ‘act to protect them’. This is absolutely a criterion that can be met in private practice; it is simply a different way of working. Many practitioners find there is a tension between their loyalty to the NHS and their commitment to providing the best care possible to their patients and only you can decide what’s right for you.

3. Will enough of my patients follow me into private practice?

There are two initial questions to ask:

1. How many patients is “enough” ?

2. Will my patients want to change?

The first requires some number crunching that considers your income streams and profitability expectations as well as the number of clinical hours you can make available.  This can be influenced by, for example, the availability of a hygienist and if you don’t have a hygienist but plan to introduce one, then those additional costs need to be factored in.  Other financial aspects include the impact on your pension arrangements and any investment in the practice you feel will be necessary.  Only  once all the relevant considerations have been factored in, can you gauge the proportion of patients, at a given hourly rate, that you need to retain to meet you financial requirements.  For a few, this will be too many and caution is the better part of valour.  Most though, will be pleasantly surprised at how realistic the target number of patients feels and in fact, in many cases, practitioners actually need more than half to leave in order to free up the time needed for the level of care the dentist  wants to provide !

As for the second, it depends on your patient list and your ability to communicate the benefits of remaining with you on a private basis. Clearly, if your practice is in a highly socially deprived locale and a high proportion of your patients are exempt from NHS charges then it is unlikely that patients will have money to spend on what they may perceive as ‘optional’ private dentistry.  However, many practices have been able to make a successful transition in all kinds of locations with a variety of patient demographics.

The most important factor influencing the loyalty of your patients is likely to be the length of time you have been seeing your current list and therefore, the number of interactions you have had with your patients.  It is also important to note that if a dentist has only been treating their patient list for a short period of time, that loyalty has probably not had chance to develop to the level that could be tested by a move away from the NHS; this is a significant issue to consider.   For many, however, the trust of patients in them has developed and grown over many years and more than enough will be very reluctant to give up the strong relationship that will have developed.

A final consideration is the way the change is communicated to patients as handled badly, this could have a detrimental effect on the number that decide to stay with you.   It is imperative that you and your whole team feel confident about communicating why you are making the change emphasising aspects such as offering an even better, customised patient experience or the desire to maintain an already high level of care. (see point 4 for more on this). 

There is no substitute for face to face communication with patients in respect of the changes.  However, many practices have found it helpful to signal the change as early as possible via a well crafted letter that might be supplemented by supportive messages through email, your website or social media. Circumstances vary so the content of the letter will vary but most practices that have gone down this route use it to outline the reasons why they are changing – emphasising, for example, how they feel they will have the ability to spend more time with patients understanding their needs, the benefits of a preventive approach, the extra services they will be able to offer and the advantages of having a greater variety of materials to choose from. Some have also felt it worth reminding patients that NHS dentistry is not ‘free’ and that while care was being delivered to the highest possible standards, they felt it was becoming harder and harder to do so.

 4. How will my NHS patients feel?

For many of your patients, the important thing is the ability to stay with the dentist in whim they have built up trust and the value they attach to that relationship will override the additional cost they will incur.  It is also fair to assume that a number of your NHS patients might initially express some concerns. However, it will be important to keep this in perspective and to remember that this is often a reaction that can be managed very effectively.  Providing the whole team are comfortable with the messages they should be putting gout and the way to handle questions from patients, careful and caring handling of the situation ought to mitigate the risk of them voicing a negative opinion about the practice if they chose not to stay.

5. What if my team wants to stay in the NHS and I don’t?

Ultimately, whether your practice works within the parameters of the NHS or private dentistry is your choice. But it’s absolutely true that you can’t do it without the support of your team. It’s important to clearly communicate your ideas about NHS versus private practice early on, so that they can understand the reasons and be involved in a consultation process. Every member of your staff has their own perspective and some are extremely likely to make some good points that haven’t yet occurred to you. This is a big step that has a matching learning curve, and everyone will discover something new if you discuss the options together. You may change your mind, as they might too. If, once you have made your decision, not everyone wants the same thing that is a challenge but it shouldn’t stop you making changes. If you keep the lines of communication open, ultimately everyone can find a situation that suits them best.

6. How do I choose between full or partial private practice?

If you feel that the time is right to seek independence from NHS dentistry, deciding whether to have a mixed or entirely private practice can be daunting. The trick is to ask yourself what you want to achieve and work backwards from there. If you want to continue offering your patients an NHS option then you might, for example, choose to have your associates fulfil that contract while you offer private dentistry. That way you maintain the financial stability offered by the state system while benefiting from the ability to spend more time with patients and provide additional services, which should translate into greater profit. If you feel you’re done with the NHS, then private is your way forwards.

7. Is moving to private dentistry expensive?

It doesn’t have to be. As an NHS dentist you will already have all the equipment you need to provide everyday treatment. This isn’t going to change. You might want to give the practice a coat of paint and that doesn’t need to cost very much. Where investment may be needed is in training for new services and, potentially, the equipment needed to deliver that treatment. But the key terms here are ‘investment’ rather than ‘cost’. Consider what treatments you may want to offer, gather information on the expenditure needed and then get some advice to help you to consider the options. If you can realistically expect to make the money back in a reasonable amount of time then it’s worth serious consideration. Of course, however, there are no guarantees so do be prudent. 

 8. How do I set fees?

There are no set limits on what a private dentist can charge but that doesn’t mean pushing the boat out is a good idea. A balance is needed between affordability for the patient and the dentist receiving fair remuneration for their expertise and time.

You may find it beneficial to get some advice to help you calculate your overheads (e.g. mortgage/rent, staff costs, utilities, lab fees, consumables bill, staff training, etc.). This is your starting point because this is the point at which you will break even. After that it is about valuing your time and skills without going off the deep end. Don’t undervalue yourself but at the same time don’t price your patients out. For a little guidance, it is interesting to see what other private practices in your area are charging but remember your practice and your relationships with your patients are unique.

9. How can I compete with the private practice down the road?

Truly, a little competition can be healthy for the practice but that isn’t to say you want to offer all the same services and undercut your local colleagues. Success in such a situation is about looking at your own practice is a positive manner and emphasising what is unique about your offering of which the most important is you! Ask yourself why a patient would choose you over another practice and focus on sharing that story.

10. Marketing adds to my workload

As briefly mentioned above, if you offer a private dental service marketing is important to let people know the treatments available. The good news is that marketing really doesn’t need to be time consuming or expensive.

The biggest misconception about marketing is thinking it is about ‘selling’ and akin to an advert. Categorically, it is not. The aim is to build trust and interest in your service, practice or new offering so that people want to talk to you to find out more. You are not going for a hard sell, so there’s no need to worry that marketing will make you feel awkward or alienate your patients. Rather, it will serve to show patients how you can help to meet their needs and wants.

Once you have identified what makes your practice and services unique, as well as your target audience, it really is simple to get your message out there. For information on how to get your marketing underway, a good place to start is at our resource library (https://www.practiceplan.co.uk/resource-library) and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/practiceplanuk), which offers useful tips.

Overcoming barriers

The question of deciding whether to offer NHS dentistry, mixed or private practice is something that worries a significant number of dentists. The challenge is determining the degree to which those worries are holding the practice back. Your top 10 worries are unlikely to be the same as those presented here, but they are indicative of a common sentiment throughout the profession.  Whether you decide NHS or private dentistry, you can overcome your worries and you need not do it alone.

www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs

Dentist Kris Leeson considers the problems with the 2006 contract and contemplates how a revised contract and/or private practice may improve the situation for dental healthcare professionals and patients alike.

Kris Leeson, BChD Leeds, MJDF RCS Eng, MSc (Implant dentistry), graduated in 2005 from the University of Leeds and is the principal dentist and owner of Thorpe Dental Group York, a mixed practice. Kris has a special interest in the treatment of anxious patients and has gained extensive experience in the use of intravenous sedation. He also has a special interest in dental implantology, and completed his Master’s degree in implant dentistry from the University of Warwick. In 2013 Kris achieved his Royal College of Surgeons qualification. In addition, in December 2012 Kris was crowned winner of The Dentistry Awards Best Young Dentist North East.

Why does the 2006 contract need to change?

It’s a good question with no easy answer but I, like many of my colleagues, have my own view of the situation.

Back in April 2006 when the contract came into being I was still in my VT year, finishing late that summer. It was quite scary for me because my career was starting by stepping into the unknown. In my VT year I was involved with a contract that was basically a piloted scheme. It was like the new contract but without UDAs; you could do whatever you wanted.

From the start I wasn’t happy with the contract and I was in the fortunate position to be able to buy a practice straight away and, in fact, bought the practice in which I had completed my VT. I personally moved away from NHS work, although the practice was, and remains, mixed. For me, the system was inequitable as PCTs varied in how much funding was available. Mine offered me a contract but the funding was unequal to the task. Financially it was impossible to achieve; however, I do recognise that I might have felt differently elsewhere, if a different PCT had been involved.

However, my biggest problem with the 2006 contract is the UDA system. First of all, for example, a band 2 course of treatment is worth 3 UDAs whether you perform a simple occlusal amalgam filling or molar endodontics, which just doesn’t make sense. In addition, from now until April, many NHS practices in this country will need to cram UDAs in to meet their targets. Is that good for the patients? If you do it the other way and see as many patients as possible at the beginning of the year, by the end of the year you can’t see patients because you won’t get paid for it. That side of the system is ridiculous; it’s an organisational nightmare. The NHS expects us to hit 96% of the target and it’s so difficult. You don’t know what’s going to come through the door every day and it’s impossible to get that balance right. We have a small contract and even that’s very difficult. 

What’s next?

Beyond the organisational aspect of UDAs, for me the biggest issue is that there is no payment for prevention or patient education. But it looks like the next contract might remedy that situation. In theory, we’ll have capitation, more time with patients and a simple traffic light system. We do need to work on prevention and spend time with our patients, which will reap rewards in the future.

If the proposed contract, as I understand it, works, it sounds like it could be fantastic. The issue is how it works. Take the computer system for example; it will be different, we’ll have to input a lot more information and first appointments will need to be longer. Where are all the patients going to go? Some of my NHS dentists are booked for the next three months, so imagine the waiting list if appointments need to be longer.  They’re going to be booked up for the next year just doing check-ups.

That leads me onto another of my concerns; that the revised contract, as a preventive scheme, does not financially lend itself to being associate-led.  As a practice owner, I don’t need to pay a dentist to educate patients on their oral health. I can employ a dental therapist who can do the job for less money. Where does the associate dentist fall in this scheme? I would prefer an associate in there, but am I going to be able to pay an associate to do that job if the focus is on oral health and prevention? As always, money is a big issue. How could it not be?

Making it work

Dentists are very good at getting used to a contract; we are adaptable because we have to run our own businesses in a very stressful situation. We get what we’re given and we try to work with it in the best interest of the patients and our livelihood.  The 2006 contract doesn’t balance those two elements and things get missed. What we want is something that will help with the prevention side of dentistry. Capitation with some sort of target and some monitoring is needed. Whatever we’re given we will work with it, as long as it doesn’t hit us financially.

It’s my livelihood, but the contract is changing to be better for patients; it’s not about making things better for dentists. If it isn’t affordable for me then I’ll have to convert to purely private dentistry straight away. I can’t do the same work – or more – for less money.

There is, however, definitely a place for mixed practice. I actually don’t think purely NHS practices exist. There are plenty of NHS dentists with NHS patients on their books, but they offer a private element if those patients want something beyond the contract.  For example, if a patient asks for cosmetic replacement of an amalgam filling you’re not going to do that on the NHS because it isn’t clinically indicated. A patient pays privately for that filling because they’ve requested it. So there you have a mixed course of treatment.

In summary, in my opinion the 2006 contract needs to change because the system is financially inequitable, there is no payment for prevention or education and UDAs are an organisational nightmare. Hopefully, the answer lies in the next NHS contract and if I get a fair deal then I’d be happy to carry on in mixed practice. But if the new contract does not address the fundamental issues, then I will have to seriously consider moving away from NHS dentistry.

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions for over 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice. So, if you’re thinking about your future and would like some expert advice you can trust, then call 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs

A recent appointment with a particularly happy patient got me thinking about what is it that makes us, as dentists, happy? And when are we happiest?

Is it satisfied patients? Successful treatments? New technology and gadgets? Holidays? Certainly all of these elements contribute to a sense of momentary contentment and satisfaction, but what is it that creates a more long-term feeling of happiness? And what can we do to make our profession happier? 

There are many psychological studies that put choice, autonomy and control as major contributors to feelings of happiness. It would appear that we are happiest when we have control of our own destinies, when the decisions that affect us most are the ones that we have the power over. Thus, as dentists, we may be happy in our day-to-day practices and surgeries because this where we are in charge and make the decisions, but, as soon as this control is taken away we can feel uncomfortable, unsure and less content.

In a wider sense, this is something that many dentists are feeling at the moment and there is a growing sensation of unease and unhappiness across the industry. This can be attributed to an increasing sense of a loss of control over a profession that we are all care deeply for and are so passionate about.

The well-documented problems with the GDC certainly don't help the situation and for many the lack of perceived control in this area in particular is a source of anxiety and distress. Many felt that eventually something had to change and the GDC is now firmly in the dock, facing the wrath of a disgruntled profession as LDCs across the country have expressed their disdain and frustration. The latest wave of disapproval from professionals stems from the significant increase in retention fees for practitioners, but also has deeper roots in the way in which the GDC operates as a whole. But the question remains: how do we change all this and what would actually make us happier?

In its response to the LDCs, the GDC released a statement saying that it was anxious to ‘engage constructively with the dental profession’ and has planned discussions that it hopes professionals will participate in. Certainly entering into a two-way discourse is the first step to achieving some sort of mediated appeasement, but will this make us happier as a profession?

Ultimately, what dentists want is to feel like they have some degree of control over their industry and their future. It is therefore time to examine the roadblocks that are getting in the way and begin changing dentistry for the better. By wrestling back some control, perhaps we can all be a little bit happier?

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Dr Michael Sultan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a Specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Director of EndoCare. Michael qualified at Bristol University in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for 5 years before commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house Endodontist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist register in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. He has been involved with numerous dental groups and has been chairman of the Alpha Omega dental fraternity. In 2008 he became clinical director of EndoCare, a group of specialist practices.

‘Networking’ is not simply a personal sales pitch. It is based on trust, which means building on and maintaining relationships over a period of time. The benefits in having a broad and vibrant network are huge. Even if you are not a natural extrovert, it is relatively easy and enjoyable to network successfully and connect with people that will have a long-term, positive impact on your career.

Like any good relationship, networking should be mutually beneficial. See it as a tool to exchange information about best practice, new techniques and products as well as gaining introductions to practitioners with similar interests. When you meet regularly with your peers, you put yourself in a position to seek their advice about similar challenges they will have faced. Active networking can put you at the front of people’s minds when job opportunities arise. Sharing your own ideas will help you to build a reputation as an innovative thinker and being able to offer assistance or advice means people will hopefully reciprocate in the future.

Connecting with more experienced professionals will open the door to career guidance that money just cannot buy. You may even find a mentor or, at the other end of the scale, finding someone to mentor is a richly rewarding experience.

So, how does one begin? The simple answer is to get out there! Go to professional events, take courses and attend lectures - participate. Be a familiar face on the circuit and you will become known as someone who is enthusiastic and supportive of the industry.

The best way to use your networking time efficiently is to join an established group, such as a professional academy. Choose one with high-calibre members. For example, the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) boasts hugely some hugely influential and well-liked dentists, such as Julian Caplan, Tif Qureshi and Zaki Kanaan who are all regular attendees at the Academy’s events as well as frequent award-winners in their fields. The BACD attracts world-renowned speakers to its Annual Conference every year, giving dentists the opportunity to meet with them in a professional, yet relaxed setting. BACD dentists have also participated in high-profile media projects, and members are encouraged to diversify, for example by writing articles or presenting at its events.

Networking will not only keep you in touch with the industry, but will help you to focus your career path – the earlier you start, the better. Professional academies facilitate networking, but it does involve a degree of commitment too – the more frequently you get out there, the more your confidence will grow. You will not become the best you can be by going it alone.

The BACD’s 12^th Annual Conference runs from 12^th - 14^th November 2015 at The Hilton London Metropole Hotel. Go to www.bacd.com, email Suzy Rowlands at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0207 612 4166.

The very first evidence of dental impressions can be found as far back as the early 18^th century. Dentist Phillip Pfaff described a technique of taking impressions using sealing wax softened in hot water, before pouring plaster of Paris into the mould to form a rigid cast.[i]^,[ii] A letter by Isaac john Greenwood in 1861 also suggested that beeswax was used to create models for early dental prostheses.[iii]

While the general concept for taking impressions has remained the same, methods of acquiring data has of course changed. The first true precision impressions using hydrocolloids were taken in 1925, and the fundamental compounds have been used ever since. Various products have been brought to the global dental market over the years, each designed with the latest technologies of the time to improve the experience for both practitioner and patient, while enhancing the clinical result.

The test of time

In the last century alone, few products and technologies have stood the test of time. In fact, many of those that have been around even a decade after inception owe their survival to continual development and refinement in order to cater for the ever-evolving demands on dental professionals.

Modern suppliers and manufacturers have therefore invested much time, money and effort in the research and development stages of any and all products on offer. Clinical trials, studies and assessments are performed to test products before general release into the market, and user feedback is used to refine both existing and future solutions.

No company understands this better than 3M ESPE, who is delighted to be celebrating an impressive 50 years of the Impregum Polyether Impression Material family, from which several widely recognised and highly praised products have been borne. It was the first polyether impression material available.

Where it all began

Since its introduction in 1965, Impregum F was immediately popular with dentists around the world. Properties of the polyether material such as its incredible hydrophilicity, snap-set behaviour and monophase characteristics lent well to wet environments, and dentists were afforded good handling with the desired long working and setting times. Its rigidity when set allowed for superior accuracy and detail capture, as well as dimensional stability and outstanding reliability. Polyether products have since been the material of choice for most implant dentists, and even to this day, the Impregum Impression Materials remain the only true polyethers available on the market.

In the early 1990’s came the 3M ESPE Pentamix Automatic Mixing Unit – another first of its kind. The initial material to be made suitable for the Pentamix Mixing Unit was the high-selling Impregum F, which henceforth became known as Impregum Penta. Similarly, Permadyne Polyether Impression Material followed two years later, which was also suitable for automatic mixing. As many dentists preferred a heavier viscosity material in the impression tray and a lighter less viscous running material around preparations in the mouth, this is exactly what Permadyne provided.

Continual development

In order to improve the smell and taste of Impregum Impression Materials, while also offering a less rigid-set option, 3M ESPE developed Impregum Penta Soft in 2000. Combining all the characteristics of the highly popular polyether family, this product was designed to be easier to extract from the mouth while also being more forgiving with a softer set state. A year later the Impregum Penta DuoSoft was launched, meaning ‘two softs’, which provided a heavy viscosity yet softer material for the tray and a light viscosity material for the prep.

By this point, the clinical practise of dentistry had changed somewhat since Impregum was first developed. As such, a new demand for short working and setting times needed to be met. The entire 3M ESPE polyether family so far had an approximate overall working and setting time of 6 minutes. Customers had expressed a desire for faster setting times in order to enable smooth and streamlined workflows, and so came the Impregum Penta Soft Quick range in 2004, which dropped the working and setting time down to about 4 minutes. For the first time, dentists could employ fast setting modified polyethers for monophase and one-step / two-viscosity techniques based on the revolutionary ‘snap-set’ behaviour. Dental laboratories also reported a very high quality of casts with this material.[iv]

Industry recognition

Giving dentists even more confidence in their 3M ESPE products, Impregum Penta Impression Material and Pentamix Automatic Mixing Unit have gained several accolades over the years.

Impregum Awards:

• The Dental Advisor, Preferred Product winner, 2010 – highly rated and considered one of the best products in the market at that time.
• The Dental Advisor, 2013 Clinical Problem Solver – recognised for its ability to capture margin detail with subgingival preparation.
• The Dental Advisor, 2014 Clinical Problem Solver – praised for its rigid set state and ability to provide an accurate representation of an implant for more precise impressions first time, even when haemostasis is difficult to achieve.

Pentamix Awards:

• The Dental Advisor, Editors’ Choice.
• Reddot design award, 2009 – praised for its compact and versatile design and ease of use.
• The Dental Advisor, Assistant’s Choice, 2009 – awarded for its smaller size and easy use.

50 years later

Proving its worth half a century after its initial creation, Impregum Impression Material remains a highly suitable product for a wide range of indications including inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges and implants. Offering flexibility of working times and viscosities, Impregum enables you to work the way you want to and is often the preferred material for implantologists the world over.

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

Geneva, 18 February 2015 - In the weeks leading up to World Oral Health Day on 20 March, the FDI is calling for a focus on prevention to help achieve a healthy ‘Smile for life’.

Governments, national dental associations, schools, communities, and families all have an important role to play in effective prevention strategies, in particular by raising awareness of good oral hygiene and habits contributing to good oral health.

Globally, oral disease affects most adults and as many as 90% of schoolchildren. Oral diseases are a significant burden on overall health, with the greatest burden falling on disadvantaged and poor populations. The principal problems are: dental caries, periodontal diseases and oral cancer.

Relatively simple, inexpensive measures can largely prevent these conditions and thus reduce the high burden of oral disease, including brushing with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day; however, research has revealed that the poorest populations of developing countries have the least access to affordable toothpaste.

Water fluoridation, therefore, may be particularly appropriate for such populations demonstrating moderate to high risk of dental decay. It confers positive health savings and contributes to reducing disparities in the rates of dental decay in communities.

Also of preventive value is reducing the intake of sugary foods and drinks, and limiting their consumption to meal times, as well as cutting tobacco use and reducing how much alcohol is drunk.

Oral health can also be improved by rinsing with a fluoride-based mouthwash and chewing sugar-free gum after meals when on-the-go.

FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong said: ‘The FDI recommends a comprehensive preventive approach as the most appropriate method of reducing the heavy burden of dental decay worldwide.

‘This is particularly important given the unequal access to care worldwide. For example, in Ethiopia the population per oral health professional is 1.3 million, while in Croatia this figure is just 560. These statistics show just how much work needs to be done to address this issue, which compromises quality of life, as quickly as we can.

‘Ideally, a good oral health regime includes regular check-ups with a dental practitioner so, where there is access, the FDI urges individuals to talk to their dentist about best means of prevention.’

WOHD is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organised by dentists, dental students and National Dental Associations (NDAs).

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. FDI is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organized under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

References

FDI Policy Statements

Need and Demand for Oral Health Care (2005).

Preventing Oral Diseases’ (2008).

Promoting Dental Health Through Water Fluoridation (2008).

Promoting Dental Health through Fluoride Toothpaste (2008).

Sugar Substitutes and their Role in Caries Prevention (2008).

Improving access to oral care (2009).

Oral Health and the Social Determinants of Health (2013).

Index of FDI Policy Statements at www.fdiwordental.org/policystatements

As well as

Global Affordability of Fluoride Toothpaste (2006). - www.fdiworldental.org/global-affordability-of-fluoride-toothpaste

World Oral Health Day 2015 partners

LISTERINE® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

As the world’s number one daily mouth rinse, LISTERINE® Mouthwash has been used by more than one billion people in more than 85 countries. Professional dental organizations around the world have awarded LISTERINE® Mouthwash with their seals of acceptance.

LISTERINE® is distributed by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., a part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Unilever 

Unilever Oral Care is a leading global manufacturer of oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash, represented by brands including Signal, Pepsodent, Close Up, Mentadent, Aim, P/S and Zhong Hua. Unilever recognizes that good oral health and the sense of well-being and confidence it brings, is a vital element to making people look good, feel good and get more out of life and that small every day actions, such as twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, add up to make a big difference for the world. Through its science, products, partnerships and international network, Unilever Oral Care is privileged with the power to make a sustainable and measurable improvement to oral health around the world.

Henry Schein

Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.  A Fortune 500®[1] Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100®[2] Index (NASDAQ Ticker: HSIC), Henry Schein employs more than 17,500 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 customers. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries. Through Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program, Henry Schein helps expand access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP)

WOHP partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one extra simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugarfree gum after eating and drinking on-the-go. WOHP supports independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening. For more information, visit: www.wrigleyoralcare.com

Website Traffic, How Facebook Can Increase Yours Completely Free Of Charge

Neil Sanderson

We all know that saying thank you is a great courtesy and makes the person who is receiving, feel much better don’t we. Well here’s a tip to make those two little words “Thank You” increase your website traffic too.

As I’ve said on many occasions before, there are two things you need to concentrate on with your website, (1) you need to maximise your website traffic. (2) you need to converts as much of that website traffic as possible into paying patients.

So here’s a little tip that will cost you absolutely nothing, it may endear you to your patients and you’ll get more traffic to your website and if your website has the right things on there when they land you’ll start to get more new patients too.

70% of the population now owns a smart phone, which is quite staggering, and just about every person who has a smart phone knows how to use an app. Additionally 50% of the population use Facebook for at least half hour per day every day.

So when you have done a great job for one of your patients and they say “thank you”, why don’t you ask them to put a link onto their Facebook page and just say thank you, it’s as simple as that.

They can even do this whilst you are with them on their Facebook app!

Let me elaborate on how powerful this little “thank you” can be to increase your website traffic. Let’s say you see fifty patients per day and one in five of them post this link to your website on their Facebook page.

The average person has 500 friends and likes on their Facebook account, this means that the link to your website could potentially be seen by 5,000 people every day.

Now I know that not everyone is going to do this for you, however much you try and persuade them. So we’ll scale this down (a lot). Let’s say that only 50 people per day get to see a link posted by one of your patients. This means that upwards of 1,000 people will see the link every month (12,000 per year).

Even if only 10% of them actually click through to your website, this means that 1,200 new patients will visit your site, simply because you asked your patients to say “thank you” on their Facebook page with a link to your site.

The best thing about this is that all this new website traffic is completely free, you’re not spending a penny on advertising anywhere.

But you also need to remember that you have the right wording, graphics, video etc. on your site to convert them from website traffic to paying patients and that is a whole different subject and incidentally even more important.

If you would like to know how I can help you grow your dental practice, call me on 01767 626 398 or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.dentalmarketingexpert.co.uk, or you can visit our FACEBOOK page too.

Almost half of dental professionals (NHS performers, Providers and Business Owners) working within the NHS (44%) are less confident that practising dentistry within the NHS will offer the right balance of treatment versus prevention over the next 12 months than they were a year ago, according to an independent study conducted on behalf of Practice Plan.

Despite this worrying statistic, 61% of respondents were as confident that patients will be happy with the outcome of attending an NHS dental practice over the next 12 months as they were in the previous 12 months.

Also worthy of note is that smaller practices appear to have concerns about their future financial success within NHS dentistry. The study reports that 65% of practices consisting of up to three dentists are losing confidence that practising dentistry within the NHS will offer an appropriate level of remuneration over the next 12 months - which is considerably higher than the percentage of respondents across all practice sizes (54%), who felt the same.

In addition, 39% of the respondents asked are less confident about their career prospects within NHS dentistry over the next 12 months than they were a year ago.

These figures are of particular interest in light of the potential for change within NHS dentistry over the next 12 months and beyond.  The Department of Health recently announced that prototypes of a reformed contract will start later this year, with practices testing a possible new system in its entirety. 

The aim of this NHS Confidence Survey, comprising 80 telephone interviews with a range of practices offering NHS treatments to adult patients, was to gain insight into the confidence levels in NHS dentistry over the coming 12 months.

This means that as time moves on and the selected prototype practices reveal their thoughts and findings on the system, the NHS Confidence Survey, which is scheduled to be carried out at regular intervals during this time of change, will help to provide a snapshot of the general consensus within the dental profession.

What’s more, each NHS Confidence Survey will be followed up with a gathering of key opinion leaders, to explore the results in greater depth and place them in context, and then share their views with dental professionals throughout the UK. 

Practice Plan is the UK’s number one provider of practice-branded dental plans. They have been supporting dentists with NHS conversions for over 20 years, helping them to evaluate their options and, for those who decide to make the change, guide them through a safe and successful transition to private practice.

The first gathering of key opinion leaders will be held in February and includes Eddie Crouch, Michael Watson, David Houston, Tony Jacobs, Sarah Franks and Andrew Lockhart-Mirams. Information on their thoughts will be released soon.

 For those dentists thinking about their future within NHS dentistry and wondering about what a move to private dentistry might look like for them, then specialist and expert support and guidance is available from Practice Plan’s NHS Change Support Team without obligation.

The NHS Change Support Team provides advice in the key areas of strategic direction, financial planning, commercial finance, business support, team development, marketing and branding.

The NHS Change Support Team can be contacted at 01691 684120 or visit www.practiceplan.co.uk/nhs for further information.

Now we know that we need to market our practices, we need to know how much to spend and where to spend it.

As I have suggested on numerous other occasions, 5% of the practice’s gross revenue should be invested in marketing. What I have also realised over the years is that for practices with an annual turnover of £0.5 million, while spending £25,000 on their marketing will provide some results, it’s not enough to set their campaign on fire. Similarly, a young practice turning over £300,000 with a £15,000 marketing spend, will see a relatively small return on investment.

It is necessary therefore to manage your expectations. There is a certain quantity of investment that can have as much of an effect as the quality of the marketing. There is a tipping point where the size of the investment will generate momentum, regardless of what you decide to do with it, below which the return on investment can be difficult to see.

In fact, I recently went so far as to suggest a minimum marketing spend of £50,000 (cue the cries of ‘what?!’). Realistically, I think anything over £25,000, wherever possible, will see more bang for your buck and provide enough momentum to achieve a high return on marketing investment (ROMI).

So the next question is how you deploy your resources. There are three main areas to focus your efforts in the modern marketing world: digital, direct and word of mouth. The latter of these of course requires little financial investment – it’s all about the language used with patients, as well as the self-esteem of team members who are asking for referrals and tackling the fear of rejection. While it appears to be a hideously difficult thing to do, word of mouth marketing can be highly effective.

With this in mind, the majority of your marketing budget will be allocated to the remaining two marketing avenues – digital and direct. The former of these involves Google and Facebook advertising, an effectively designed website, a carefully orchestrated social media programme and lifecycle marketing techniques to create short and long term nurture sequences. Direct marketing concerns more traditional methods such as print media, signage, business cards, smile evaluation questionnaires, waiting lounge TV loops, radio advertising and networking.

I usually suggest that approximately 50% of the overall marketing spend should go to each area. However, there are more specific allocation decisions to make at this point: for example, in digital marketing for the next 12 months, how much will you invest in the website? How much will you invest in your social media channels? In your content creation and curation? Equally, direct marketing can be split into further sub categories as listed above, and the budget can be calculated and allocated quite simply between each area.

It’s the detailed breakdown of spend that makes for an authentic marketing plan. The actual figures will vary depending on your annual marketing budget and the goals identified for your individual practice.

10 year’s ago, practice owners concentrated their marketing energy on newspaper advertising. The fashion at the moment however, is to focus on Google advertising, creative websites and social media channels such as Facebook. There can be a ‘herding’ instinct in dentistry where dentists speak to colleagues, find out what they’re doing, and then follow the crowd. While this can be effective when sharing ideas of what works, this is only one phase of the research process, and it is the easy solution to simply stop there and implement similar strategies.

The key, is to look further into the ROMI. Through treatment coordination and patient journey systems, you should be looking to engage patients in a detailed conversation about how they came to visit the practice. If they discovered the practice through your website, were they searching for ‘a dentist in the area’, or for your practice specifically? If the latter, where did they originally come across the practice name?

These conversations also need to happen every time a new patient visits – while you may have created a preliminary 12-month marketing plan, it is a living document and subject to change throughout the year. By analysing the source of new patients on a monthly basis, tracking your marketing exploits and establishing your ROMI, you are able to refine your strategy through the reallocation of resources. Think of your practice as a sailing boat and you are at the helm – you plot your course straight, but the boat needs to tack and jibe left and right according to the tide, wind and trim in order to follow that course. Similarly, your marketing strategy needs to adjust to both external and internal factors affecting your practice, helping you to achieve your goals.

This is exactly what the Ultimate Marketing Academy from 7connections is designed to help you do. Through quarterly meetings and on-going support, we will help you not only establish what to do, how much to spend and where to spend it, but we’ll also share effective tactics to help you maximise your ROMI and sail through 2015.

For more information about 7connections and the Ultimate Marketing Academy, please call 01647 478145, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit www.7connections.com

For your chance to win an iPad, simply visit http://www.futurehealthpartnership.co.uk/survey/ to fill in Future Health Partnership’s (FHP) survey and share your opinions on the business of dentistry.

FHP community interest company (CIC) is a not-for-profit healthcare organisation.  It is similar to a ‘John Lewis’ style of business, offering a viable, ethical future for healthcare. Each practice becomes part of the group, and will be held for the benefit of all staff – not just the practice owner.

Simon Gallier, the Managing Partner of FHP, commented: ‘I’m a dentist. I believe in dentistry. I believe in the future of healthcare, and I think the best people to run it and deliver it for patients are the staff themselves.

‘I feel this is the logical step in running the business of dentistry.  What would be the ideal model for dentistry in the future? I think FHP is it. If people do care and believe in better, they will ultimately thrive. Please let us know what you think by filling in our survey and, who knows, you might even be the iPad winner.’

The iPad winner will be chosen on 27^th February 2015.

For more information on Future Health Partnership, please call 08000 789 402.

Every year the Association of Dental Groups’ (ADG) member companies invest significantly in their training and development for their people, as well as in surgeries and equipment to ensure that dentists are able to offer the highest standards of care to their patients. The ADG’s commitment to wider education and training is epitomised by the Association’s annual Bursary Awards.

The number and standard of Bursary Awards entries in 2014 outstripped previous figures by a significant margin. The winners were announced at a prestigious awards reception held in the Library at the Royal College of Surgeons on the 13^th February.

The awards are divided into three separate categories: Postgraduate, Undergraduate (Professionalism) and Undergraduate (Management). All applicants were judged by lead members of the ADG, and the panel was delighted with the overall standard of this year’s entries.

Postgraduate Award

The Postgraduate Award was open to foundation or postgraduate dentists and was looking for the most innovative voluntary project that sought to improve or promote better oral health. The winning applicant received a prize of £5,000, which consisted of £2,500 as an award for the winner and a further £2,500 to be used to support the delivery of their project.

The winners of the ADG Postgraduate Bursary Award were Orna Ni Choileain and Niall McGoldrick for their project ­­­­­­­­Let’s Talk About Mouth Cancer.

On winning the award Orna said: “When I found out we won the bursary, I had the perfect mixture of shock and excitement. It feels like a great achievement to have our work setting up the 'Let's Talk About Mouth Cancer’ charity recognised by other professionals on a national level. This bursary will allow us to continue our efforts to raise awareness of mouth cancer. It's a sign of confidence for us and the wider team that all the work we have been doing over the last year has been worthwhile”

“Mouth cancer is the one of fastest growing cancers in the UK, with incidence rates in Scotland being the highest. In fact, I found my first case in general practice within 9 months of graduating. Let's Talk About Mouth Cancer focuses on raising awareness in the general public and among professionals. With assistance from the Oral Surgery Department of the Edinburgh Dental Institute, three mouth cancer screening events were held in 2014. The first was in a marquee on Bristo Square, the second at the Edinburgh Canal Festival and the third on the Meadows during the Edinburgh Festival. Free lectures to local dental professionals on the importance of the prevention and early detection of mouth cancer were also provided.” 

“Let’s Talk About Mouth Cancer has recently registered as a charity (SC045100) in order to build on and continue the good work. There are plans for further screening and educational events in the March 2015, which will be largely funded from the bursary award. It's great to see the Association of Dental Groups helping young dentists all over the UK to build awareness of oral cancers at a local level.”

Undergraduate Awards

Applicants for the two undergraduate awards were required to submit their entry detailing a voluntary project that relates to either professionalism or leadership and management in dentistry, with the winning entry for each awarded a prize of £1,000.

For the professionalism award there were four main competencies to cover, these were: ethics, professionalism with regard to patients, professionalism with regards to self, and professionalism with regards to clinical team and peers. The management and leadership award also included four main competencies: personal and practice organisation, legislative, financial and leadership management.

The undergraduate bursaries were open to all undergraduate dentistry students and applications were required to be supported by a reference from a tutor and college.

The ADG would like to congratulate all the winners, and in particular Rosie Pritchett, Corwin Hine, Mark Franks and Luke Fisher-Brown, the Undergraduate (Management) Gold Award Winners, and Amardeep Singh Dhadwal, the Undergraduate (Professionalism) Gold Award Winner.

On winning the bursary for their project Oral health education for the homeless community of East London Rosie Pritchett said: “It’s great to have won; we’ve been working on this project for the last two and a half years, so it’s really nice to see some recognition for ourselves and for the project. 

“Our focus was on delivering oral health education for homeless people, covering four main topics: diet and oral health, oral cancer, periodontal health and alcohol, and access to NHS dentistry. As undergraduates we found that we were in a really good position to spread simple but essential messages about oral health, and this was very well received.”

Amardeep Singh Dhadwal is a student at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, (Queen Mary, University of London), he says:

“This the first time I’ve entered anything like this and it came as a big surprise to be chosen as the winner. I feel very blessed and I am thankful to everyone who took the time to read my entry. I would definitely recommend other students to enter the competition next year; it is a great opportunity to discuss and consider what professionalism means to you and what you aspire to as a dental professional."

Each undergraduate category also included a Silver winner who received £750 and a Bronze winner who received £250. The ADG would like to congratulate Deborah Evans (Undergraduate Management Silver Award); Kirun Ray (Undergraduate Management Bronze Award); Lewis Olsson (Undergraduate Professionalism Silver Award); and Gemma Wheeler (Undergraduate Professionalism Bronze Award).  

The ADG remains committed to supporting innovation and development across the dental industry and next year will be announcing details of this year’s awards scheme later in the Spring.. 

For more information about the ADG visit www.dentalgroups.co.uk.

Brand new course dates have been released for the popular and in-depth Implant Restorative Course run by the experts at Ten Dental.

Learn from top-class implant mentors and trainers – Dr Martin Wanendeya and Dr Nik Sisodia. With many years of experience, they can guide you through the complete process offering you the insight and knowledge to confidently and competently restore implants in your practice.

Covering a combination of lectures, demonstrations and hands-on components, the four in-depth modules will take you right through getting started with dental implant restorations to managing more complex cases.

Courses start on Friday the 8^th of May

Module one – 8^th May

Module two – 26^th June

Module three – 6^th November

Module four – TBC

Further courses start on the 20^th of November

Module one – 20^th November

Modules two, three and four – TBC

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and develop the skills needed to offer your patients first-class restorations.

For more information about Ten Dental and The Implant Restoration Course visit www.implant-restoration.com , or Facebook page: Implant Restoration Course-IRC, or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 020 7622 7610

Geneva, 19 January 2015 – As World Oral Health Day (WOHD) 2015 approaches, FDI World Dental Federation is advising people to consider the impact of frequent sugar consumption on their ‘Smile for Life’.

Dental caries is the most common non-communicable disease in the world. Research has demonstrated that sugars are the main cause of tooth decay (holes in your teeth).

When you eat or drink something sugary, the bacteria in the plaque (the sticky film that keeps forming on your teeth) feeds on the sugar and releases acid that attacks teeth for about one hour. Frequent consumption of sugar allows prolonged acid ‘attacks’, weakening the protective outer layer of the teeth.

Speaking about this process, Dr Jaime Edelson, Chair of the FDI World Oral Health Day Task team, commented: ‘Sugar reacts with bacteria in the mouth, which together form an acid that damages the enamel. When this keeps happening, a hole is formed in the tooth, which then requires filling and may over time lead to an extraction. By paying close attention to how often we are consuming sugary foods and drinks, the number of acid attacks on our teeth can be reduced.’

WOHD is an opportunity for FDI to draw attention to proven oral care behaviours that people can adopt to protect their teeth –for life. These include brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, cutting down consumption of sugary¹ foods and drinks between meals and chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks when on-the-go and brushing is not feasible.

FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong commented: ‘World Oral Health Day 2015, “Smile for life!” and has a double meaning - lifelong smile and celebrating life. Smiling implies self-confidence and having fun, as people only smile if they are happy and have a healthy life. Please take the time to consider your oral health and bring a smile to everyone around you.’

FDI supports the World Health Organization’s guidelines on reducing sugar consumption, based on evidence of its association with dental caries and obesity.

WOHD is celebrated throughout the world on 20 March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organized by dentists, dental students and National Dental Associations (NDAs).

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. FDI is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organized under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

Patient Plan Direct is proud to be hosting a free evening seminar for Dentists and Practice Managers with drinks and canapés, held at the impressive and prestigious Drummonds Bank in central London on 19^th February 2015.

The seminar, kindly sponsored by Natwest, provides the opportunity to listen in to expert advice on some of 2015’s hottest topics in the world of dentistry, developing the skills of practice management and staying ahead of the game, whilst providing the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals.

The seminar has limited places, so book early to avoid disappointment. Regardless of the type of practice you work in or the stage of your career, there is something for everyone at this must attend seminar.

For more details and to book your place visit this page.

Topics to be covered include; Patients views on Dentists using Email and Social Media Marketing, Converting a telephone enquiry with 3 simple questions, How your accountant should tailor services to you and your needs, Why 80% of incorporations which have been carried out to date are flawed, and so much more.

All speakers are experts in their respective fields with years of experience specifically within the dental industry; Tracy Stuart (NBS Training), Bernard Danquah (Patient Plan Direct), Rob Walsh & Dee Gerrish (Clear Vision Dental Accountants), and John Grant (Goodman Grant Dental Solicitors). 

For your chance to win an iPad, simply visit http://www.futurehealthpartnership.co.uk/survey/ to fill in Future Health Partnership’s (FHP) survey and share your opinions on the business of dentistry.

FHP community interest company (CIC) is a not-for-profit healthcare organisation.  It is similar to a ‘John Lewis’ style of business, offering a viable, ethical future for healthcare. Each practice becomes part of the group, and will be held for the benefit of all staff – not just the practice owner.

Simon Gallier, the Managing Partner of FHP, commented: ‘I’m a dentist. I believe in dentistry. I believe in the future of healthcare, and I think the best people to run it and deliver it for patients are the staff themselves.

‘I feel this is the logical step in running the business of dentistry.  What would be the ideal model for dentistry in the future? I think FHP is it. If people do care and believe in better, they will ultimately thrive. Please let us know what you think by filling in our survey and, who knows, you might even be the iPad winner.’

The iPad winner will be chosen on 27^th February 2015.

For more information on Future Health Partnership, please call 08000 789 402.

We all use euphemisms for many different reasons. We may choose to simplify our language when talking to adults, so that we don’t come across as arrogant and full of technological jargon, or when talking to children to not appear too scientific and intimidating. We therefore use euphemistic language that our patients are more likely to understand as a way of overcoming communication barriers.

Euphemisms are also used within the industry to put a positive shine or spin on something. You may be familiar with the term ‘technique sensitive’. When we first began using composites for instance, we were told by the manufacturers that these materials were very good, but ‘technique sensitive’. What this implied was that if not used exactly as instructed, the material was likely to fail and it would be the dentist’s fault.

‘Technique sensitive’ can therefore be seen as an excuse that shifts the blame to the practitioner rather than the product. It is a euphemism that glosses over the fact that the materials didn't always do the job they were meant to do.

These examples begin to highlight the use of euphemisms from two distinct perspectives. Firstly as a way of communicating and being kind to our patients, limiting anxiety and stress; and secondly highlighting how poor or insufficient our materials and treatments can be.

The major use of euphemisms in dentistry covers both of these viewpoints and significantly relates to discussions of pain. 9 times out of 10 this is in reference to injections.

We rarely say to our patients ‘I’m now going to give you an injection”, instead we’re more likely to say, “I’m just going to numb you up”, or “you’re going to feel a little pinch”, and this is really a way of avoiding the truth. What we need to say is “this will hurt”; but we don't want to induce fear.

Ideally we should be using injections that don’t sting, or rather anaesthetics without the needle. Some kinder ways of providing anaesthetics to patients do exist, but these still tend to be needle techniques, and there are also some needle-free options, but these are by no means perfected. Ultimately it seems that we are in the dark ages with our local anaesthetics and still thrusting surgical steel through human tissue.

Naturally for our patients dentistry can be particularly unpleasant, and our job should be to negate this as much as possible. So we avoid the words ‘pain’, ‘injection’ and ‘discomfort’, and we gloss over them with our euphemisms. The problem is that we shouldn‘t have to do this. We shouldn’t need to gloss over such aspects; we should be striving to improve them.

The point of a euphemism is to make people less fearful or anxious, or to replace the offensive terms making things seem innocuous, but really what it does is mark our failure to do better. We are all too happy to hide behind these euphemisms, but at the end of the day all this does is gloss over the fact that we are doing something unpleasant, and our research should be geared towards not having to come out with a euphemism, and being able to tell the truth when we say, “this wont hurt a bit”.

For further information please call EndoCare on 020 7224 0999

Or visit www.endocare.co.uk

Dr Michael Sultan BDS MSc DFO FICD is a Specialist in Endodontics and the Clinical Director of EndoCare. Michael qualified at Bristol University in 1986. He worked as a general dental practitioner for 5 years before commencing specialist studies at Guy’s hospital, London. He completed his MSc in Endodontics in 1993 and worked as an in-house Endodontist in various practices before setting up in Harley St, London in 2000. He was admitted onto the specialist register in Endodontics in 1999 and has lectured extensively to postgraduate dental groups as well as lecturing on Endodontic courses at Eastman CPD, University of London. He has been involved with numerous dental groups

Illegal whitening continues to remain a serious problem for the dental profession and uneducated public.

Many home whitening kits or those offered by beauty salons do not contain enough whitening product to be effective, or if they do, the mouthguard provided is typically a bad fit, therefore some of the bleaching gel is likely to leak out onto the gums and mouth causing blistering and sensitivity[i].

Not only can teeth whitening carried out by non-dental professionals carry oral health risks for patients, it is also highly illegal. The General Dental Council (GDC) is continually bringing forward new cases for prosecution, including company directors, beauticians and other non-registered people unlawfully practicing dentistry in the form of tooth whitening[ii]. The charges related to illegal tooth whitening are increasing; in a recent case the offender was fined fifteen thousand pounds for breaking the law.

But is enough being done? A company scandal has highlighted loopholes in the law that make it possible for companies to sell teeth whitening training courses and products to non-dentists. The defendant was found guilty and ordered to pay the plaintiff back for the licence to provide teeth whitening under the pretence of not having to be a dentist to carry out the treatment. However, in a statement, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, was quoted as saying: “It is embarrassing that it has taken an individual to do what the GDC is failing to do and protect the public. The regulatory body should be far more robust in their investigation process and protect the public from illegal tooth whiteners[iii].”

Regardless of the laws and regulations, certain companies continue to misinterpret the system and maintain that since the products used for tooth whitening are covered by the European Council Directive on Cosmetic Products 2011/84 EU, their agents are carrying out a cosmetic procedure and not practicing dentistry[iv].

The EU regulations clearly state that products containing or releasing between 0.1%-6% HP should not be made directly available to the consumer, other than through treatment by a registered dentist, or a dental hygienist, dental therapist or clinical dental technician working to a dentist’s prescription⁴. It is also illegal to for anyone who is not a dentist to give “treatment, advice or attendance” that would usually be given by a dentist⁴.

Educating patients on how to achieve safe and effective tooth whitening by dental professionals remains essential. Offering top quality whitening products in your practice can also help to reduce illegal tooth whitening and keep patients protected. Sparkle Dental Labs now offers Professional Tooth Whitening Kits that are safe, reliable and affordable. The custom-made whitening trays are made directly by Sparkle Dental Labs so there is no need for you to keep excess stock, and with UK manufacturing every product is traceable and of an outstanding quality.

Only time will tell if the GDC will start taking firmer action on those continuing to commit criminal offences, however in the meantime educating the public remains crucial. Working with a top quality dental lab to offer effective treatment in your practice can also reduce illegal tooth whitening and keep patients safe.

For more details about Sparkle Dental Labs, please call 0800 138 6255, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit:

www.sparkledentallabs.com

Geneva, 17 December 2014 - As World Oral Health Day (WOHD) 2015 approaches, FDI World Dental Federation wants people to make a healthy New Year’s resolution and reduce their use of tobacco – or give it up completely - as part of the 2015 World Oral Health Day ‘Smile for life’ campaign.

There are many types of tobacco available worldwide, including manufactured cigarettes, roll-your own cigarettes, snuff and chewing tobacco, and all are addictive and detrimental to health. The use of tobacco can significantly increase the risk of many serious oral health problems, including:

•         Oral cancer

•         Gum disease

•         Premature tooth loss

•         Tooth discolouration

•         Bad breath

•         Reduced ability to taste and smell

Oral cancer is amongst the most prevalent cancers worldwide and incidence rates are higher in men than women[1]. The use of tobacco, including smokeless tobacco and excessive consumption of alcohol, are the key risk factors in oral cancer and together are estimated to account for 90% of oral cancers worldwide. This percentage could be significantly lowered through a reduction in the use of tobacco and alcohol intake[2].

Speaking about the severe risks of tobacco use, Dr Patrick Hescot, FDI President-Elect, said: “To help tackle the increased risk of oral cancer, tooth loss and antisocial effects such as bad breath, it's time to reduce or, ideally, give up tobacco use. Tobacco use in all forms is dangerous for health and oral health; what better reason could you have for giving up tobacco as a New Year’s resolution?”

The FDI would also like to encourage health professionals to participate in tobacco prevention activities. Dentists and their teams can help communicate important messages to patients about the threats posed by tobacco use and help them to identify the key risk factors and the early signs of oral cancer, as well as gum disease and other oral health problems, in their early stages. Patients may not always recognise early symptoms, so the FDI and its partners encourage people of all ages to schedule regular check-ups with their dentists.

Dr Tin Chun Wong, FDI President, said: “Prevention is key and most common oral diseases, including those linked to tobacco use, are largely preventable. Alongside personal effort, oral healthcare providers can play a role in promoting healthy lifestyles by incorporating tobacco cessation programmes into their practices. This January, it’s time to give up smoking and have something new to smile about.”

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. FDI is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organised under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

World Oral Health Day 2015 partners

LISTERINE® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

As the world’s number one daily mouth rinse, LISTERINE® Mouthwash has been used by more than one billion people in more than 85 countries. Professional dental organizations around the world have awarded LISTERINE® Mouthwash with their seals of acceptance.

LISTERINE® is distributed by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., a part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Unilever 

Unilever is a leading global manufacturer of oral care products, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash, represented by brands including Signal, Pepsodent, Mentadent, Aim, P/S, Zhong Hua and Close Up. Unilever believes that good oral health is a vital element for people to look good, feel good and get more out of life and uses its oral care brands to encourage children and their parents to brush in the morning and at night using fluoride toothpaste. Through its science, products, partnerships and international network, Unilever is privileged with the power to make a sustainable and measurable improvement to oral health around the world.

Henry Schein

Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.  A Fortune 500®[3] Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100®[4] Index (NASDAQ Ticker: HSIC), Henry Schein employs more than 17,000 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 customers. Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries.  Through Henry Schein Cares, the Company’s global corporate social responsibility program, Henry Schein helps expand access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. For more information, visit the Henry Schein Web site at www.henryschein.com.

Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP)

WOHP partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one extra simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugar-free gum after eating and drinking on-the-go. WOHP supports independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening. For more information, visit: www.wrigleyoralcare.com

You are invited to the Botox Training Club at www.botoxtrainingclub.co.uk, following its recent launch.

Created by aesthetician and dentist Dr Harry Singh, the Botox Training Club offers dentists the opportunity to attend accredited clinical workshops. In addition, one free team member is allowed to attend per delegate as an observer, to help further your pursuit of facial aesthetics success.

Worth 6.5 hours of verifiable CPD, delegates can expect to learn how to treat the three areas most commonly requested by patients – the forehead (frontalis), frown lines (glabellar) and eyes (lateral canthal lines).

Offering support before, during and after the workshop, you can be sure that everything will be in place to allow you to concentrate on treating facial aesthetic patients.

For further information on the Botox Training Club and to download the video ‘Getting Started In Facial Aesthetics’ free of charge, please visit www.botoxtrainingclub.co.uk. Alternatively, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 07711 731173.

With 2014 coming to an end it’s a great time to assess where you are in terms of your business goals. Analysing your productivity, profitability and cost efficiency is vital if you want to succeed in the year to come.

Productivity

One of the first areas to look at is your productivity. This time of year provides the perfect opportunity to conduct staff appraisals, which will allow you to assess where any weak links may lie but to also understand the aspirations of each individual. You may have a member of staff who would like to expand their skills to reach a higher level of job satisfaction. By talking to individuals you will be able to work together to find the perfect balance of skill mix that works well for your team but also for your practice moving forward. This may involve an initial outlay through paying for courses but in the long term you will reap the rewards that come from having a well-trained team who appreciate your investment in them and will repay you through loyalty.

Profitability

Understanding your finances is the key to pushing your business forward in the year to come. Without a detailed understanding of your profits and losses, you cannot start contemplating whether to spend on staff training or promotions. You need to know where your business is financially before you begin the appraisal process, this will give you a benchmark for pay rises and bonuses as well as other costs that may need consideration.

Cost efficiency

Productivity is not solely dependent on people, the surroundings also come into play. For example, if your workspace doesn’t have the right flow it can have a negative impact on your staff and patients. The set up of the practice is vital, if it isn’t quite right it can make working practices clumsy and awkward and will affect the efficiency of your work. Aesthetics should also be considered, too. Does your surgery impress throughout? Spending money on new furniture and cabinetry may feel excessive but balancing the initial outlay with the benefits of an efficient workflow and a beautiful practice that patients and staff will appreciate, can be a clever move for a long-term investment.

Tavom UK has supplied dental cabinets and medical furniture to the medical and dental industry for more than 35 years and has extensive experience in dental surgery design. The company understands the dental profession and provides beautiful and functional workspaces using high quality products.

The time is right to take stock of your positioning, in terms of finances and business aims, in order to ensure you’re on the right track towards reaching your goals. Investing in key areas of your business now can help you push forward and achieve success in the year ahead.

To see how Tavom UK can transform your dental practice, please call 0870 752 1121 or visit the Tavom UK website www.tavomuk.com

Dental professionals with links to Rotary International are being urged to encourage their club to support the dental charity Bridge2Aid in its mission to ease dental pain and suffering in East Africa.

Speakers from Bridge2Aid would welcome the opportunity to talk about the charity’s work of providing emergency dental training for health workers in remote communities. Dental pain in rural Tanzania doesn’t just hurt – it’s destructive and is a threat to lives and livelihoods.

Bridge2Aid is very excited to be working on a Rotary Global Grant with one of its advisors, Dr Iain Corran, a member of Bakewell Rotary Club in Derbyshire.

B2A’s operations director, Shaenna Loughnane, said: “We hope to encourage Rotary Clubs to support us with a commitment to fundraising around £500 in the 2015-2016 Rotary financial year. Our grant is being sponsored by Bakewell Rotary Club and is being supported in Tanzania by Bahari Rotary Club.

“We already have a number of Rotary Clubs on board, which is fantastic. The grant will fund the extension of our Emergency Dental Programmes to Lindi, in the south east of Tanzania, one of the poorest areas of the country. In July 2016, we will train six Health Professionals and provide sustainable access to vital emergency dental treatment for more than 60,000 people.”

To introduce B2A to your local Rotary group or to arrange a talk, please contact Andie Wilson on 07970 633230 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

As a small business, setting your key performance indicators (KPIs) can be a great way to understand business strengths and weaknesses in order to help drive your practice forward. Once you have this and your data collection has begun, the next step is to analyse and understand it.

However, simply working out a set of averages and using them as a guide point is dangerous territory. Take the current concerns with regards to children’s oral health in the UK. According the long-term statistics, dental health among children has, on average, been improving over the last 30 years,[1] which is great. However, a huge 27% of five-year-olds[2] and 12% of three-year-olds[3] (that’s hundreds and thousands of children) still have tooth decay. This shows that you will only get the insights you need to make informed decisions by correctly interpreting the information you have collected.

Keep your integrity

The integrity of your data is vital. According to Experian Data Quality, 9% of revenue is wasted as a result of poor quality information.[4]’Cleaning’ your information is worthwhile in order to ensure that what you have is always the most up to date facts. When you consider that every day in the UK, 1,600 people sadly die and 18,000 move house,1 it goes to show how easily the information you have on file can quickly become out-dated.

It is also important that you ask the right questions in order to collect the relevant data. If, for example, you want to assess how well your marketing is working then you need to know exactly how that patient found you. Did a friend or family member refer them? Did they find you on the internet? If so, you need to know what they were searching for and why in order to ensure the integrity of the data you record. If they went online looking for ‘a dental practice in London’, then it was your listing in Google perhaps that brought them to your page. If however they had seen your practice advertised elsewhere, and then proceeded to search specifically for you, then it is noteworthy that your initial advertising worked.

Analyse this

Without employing the expensive services of a business data analyst it can be tricky to know where to begin. This is where having the right technology can be of huge benefit. The CS R4+ practice management software from Carestream Dental, for example, has built in features such as R4 Springboard which will not only help to gather the data you need, but also correctly analyse it in real-time for an accurate overall picture.

Having the right tools at your fingertips can make data collection and interpretation easier and less time consuming, allowing you to focus your attention on the things that matter.

For more information on from Carestream Dental,

please call 0800 169 9692 or visit www.carestreamdental.co.uk

This November, Patient Plan Direct showed their support for Mouth Cancer Action Month by getting involved and making Wednesday 19th November 'Blue Wednesday' with the aim to get more mouth cancers diagnosed at an early stage by raising awareness of the risk factors, signs and symptoms, whilst encouraging people to discuss them with their dental professional.

Patient Plan Direct raised over £1,000 in aid of the campaign; donations flooded in from across the UK dental industry, with staff, partners and dental practices all donating to the cause.

The day involved the Patient Plan Direct team dressing up in all shades of blue as well as jumping on the blue lipstick selfie Twitter craze! Commercial Director, Simon Reynolds fulfilled his promise to be painted in blue body paint when donations hit the £1,000 mark; the results of which made for lots of laughs in the office.

Simon commented: ‘This was a great and fun way for us to support a very worthy cause within dentistry. It’s so important to raise awareness of a cancer that kills more people every year than both testicular and cervical cancer combined.’

Dr Nilesh R. Parmar’s ever-popular Ice White Charity Xmas Party came back with a twist in December, when over 300 guests arrived in RED at the Mint Leaf Lounge in Bank, London, to raise over £7,000 for the Children’s Trust!

Now in its third year, this spectacular event was a complete sell-out and guests from the dental profession were treated to live entertainment from BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra DJ Marcel Lawson, whilst sipping champagne, enjoying the fun-filled photo-booth and admiring the impressive dental implant ice sculpture courtesy of sponsors Straumann UK.

Thanks to kind donations from Henry Schein Dental, Shen Products and BDS Laboratories to name just a few, the charity raffle featured must-have prizes including a corporate box at the New Year’s Day Tottenham vs. Chelsea match, an Apple iPad Mini, personal training session with Musclemania World Pro Ulisses Jr. and a sensual Spa Day.

Host Nilesh took to social media to express his gratitude for everyone returning for a third year, whilst guests posted supportive comments:

·         What a fantastic night we had!!! (Sic)

·         Thanks for the awesome party Nilesh R Parmar, I hope to be coming back next year. (Sic)

·         Cheers Nilesh - outstanding effort, execution and delivery from you. That DJ played some wicked tunes. (Sic)

·         Thank you for organising it again Nilesh - your hard work greatly appreciated! I had an amazing time! (Sic)

The Children’s Trust is committed to providing rehabilitation, education, therapy and care at their specialist centre in Surrey for children suffering from brain injury. Tracey Poulton, Fundraising – Special Events Co-ordinator commented: “All proceeds raised will go towards making a difference to not only children suffering from life-changing injuries, but also their family and friends.”

For more information, please visit www.drnileshparmar.com, or call 01702 467133.

Twitter: @NileshRParmar

Facebook: DR NILESH R. PARMAR

http://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk The Children's Trust Charity Registration 288018

Dentist Kirkwood recently paid a visit to Pulpdent’s HQ in Boston. Here, he shares his experience with readers….

Kirkwood Young qualified from the University of Dundee in 1978. Following graduation, he worked as an associate in Doncaster before starting Young’s Dental Practice in Yorkshire in 1981. The size of the practice has increased over the years and now focuses on providing private treatment. Young’s Dental Practice won the title Preventive Practice of the Year in 2009. Kirkwood gained the MFGDP in 1996, was a VDP trainer between 1997 and 2004, and lectures on the topic of minimal intervention dentistry (MID).  

ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE products combine all the benefits of composites and glass ionomers without the disadvantages, delivering strong, aesthetic, bioactive products that mimic the physical and chemical properties of teeth. Bioactive materials are moisture friendly, interact with saliva and tooth structure, release and uptake calcium, phosphate and more fluoride than glass ionomers, and react to changes in the oral environment.

ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE products are available in the UK through Prestige Dental. For further information, please call 01274 721 567 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Kirk Young is an advocate of minimal intervention dentistry. On this he says: ‘It is something we strive to achieve in our practice, and I am always on the lookout for new products that may help us achieve our clinical aims. Not too long ago, I read in the dental press about a new bioactive restorative product that really piqued my interest.

‘I contacted Prestige Dental about the advertised product, ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE (Pulpdent USA), to find out more. Having benefited greatly in the past from seeing other dental companies’ manufacturing centres, not only was I interested in seeing ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE’s evidence base but also hoped one day to visit Pulpdent in the States.’

As it happened, Kirk was due to visit his daughter in Boston in the autumn of 2014 and, having put the idea of a visit to Pulpdent via Prestige, an invitation was extended to him and his wife Sheena, also a dentist.

On the day

It was a bright and early start for Kirk – just one day after flying over! Picked up by Larry Clark, Pulpdent’s Director of Marketing and Clinical Affairs, it wasn’t long before Kirk was touring the factory and discussing ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE at length with the people who researched and developed it.

Kirk says: ‘Something like that really reinforces what we had read about. It also gave them a chance to ask my wife and me what we thought of it. We now have a thorough knowledge of what it’s been tested for, the evidence behind it and the studies. We learned the uses for it and shared how we use it on a day-to-day basis for various things. I think it would be fair to say we all learned something new that day!’

More than meets the eye

One of the things that struck Kirk was how happy the staff appeared to be. From manufacture to shipping, everywhere he went he felt very welcome and got the impression that everyone was very proud be part of Pulpdent.

‘That’s always really interesting,’ comments Kirk. ‘When the people at the heart of the process seem happy with what they are doing, it really boosts my confidence in what’s on offer.’

Kirk was also impressed by the extent of Pulpdent’s range of products. From a fluoride varnish that is awaiting a licence to disposable mirrors, etching gels and calcium hydroxide, he and his team are now looking to use more of Pulpdent’s products than they had previously. In fact, armed with samples they’re off to a flying start at the practice in Yorkshire.

Says Kirk: ‘We were treated wonderfully by the people at Pulpdent and what I’ve learned is invaluable. Having materials like ACTIVA™ BioACTIVE – used as part of a total preventive, restorative and minimally invasive treatment plan – is a real step forward and, having seen how everything works over there in Boston, I couldn’t be more confident to take that journey with Pulpdent.’

http://www.prestigedental.co.uk/

@prestige_dental

Dentists’ Provident, the income protection specialist, has introduced a new flexible plan option, which allows its members to easily increase their cover to mirror important changes in their lives and careers.

Dentists’ Provident prides itself on the flexibility of its plans, which gives its members the ability to tailor their income protection to suit their lifestyle.

A new year can signify plans for many big events, such as getting married, having children, moving house or even accepting that new role with a substantial increase in pay. Each of these exciting new changes can have a significant impact on your monthly outgoings.

This change allows its members, who have had this option for six years, to easily increase their cover by up to 30%, in response to any such life changing events. Many insurers place restrictions on when and under what circumstances these increases in cover can take place. With Dentists’ Provident its members can choose to increase their cover at a time that best suits them. Normally, its members would have to go through an assessment of their health, in order to increase their cover, but with this option they don’t have to.

Farrukh Mirza, Dentists’ Provident’s CEO, said “We continually review our products and look at ways to be innovative in how we support our members throughout their lives and careers.”

To find out more about this, and the other plan options, please go to www.dentistsprovident.co.uk

For further information on this course, please get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Want to break free from convention this Christmas? Come and spoil your dental team in the Winter Boogie Wonderland. Our resident DJ will take centre stage so you can end your party on the dance floor. During the evening you will also have access onto the balcony so that you can experience the -2degree temperatures if you wish! Alternatively, if you prefer to stay warm, you can just watch it snow around Midnight!

Package includes:

• Traditional three course dinner
• DJ and Disco
• Christmas crackers and novelties
• Themed room
• Security

All for £25.00 per person.

Available on Saturday 13th and 20th December 2014. Arrivals from 7pm, dinner at 8pm. Last orders at 1am. 

Further information available here.

We would also like to offer a complementary arrival drink for all parties booked using the discount code GDPUKXMAS

Please contact Jenni on 0161 749 2249 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Diploma in Advanced dental Implantology has been designed for clinicians looking to work at the very forefront of the field.

The two-year training will be held by the prestigious Faculty of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons England (RCS) and supported by leading dental product supplier Nobel Biocare.

Having been involved with the course from inception, Professor StJohn Crean says:

“The RCS Faculty of Dental Surgery’s foundation in recognising excellence was the obvious vehicle for this advanced course; it will be an appropriate arbiter to provide judgement on the level of skill achieved. Those who receive the award would be acknowledged within the industry as having significantly advanced knowledge and skills within the ever-expanding arena of clinical care.”

Further demonstrating the calibre of the course, Professor Paulo Malo says:

“The key to success in every field is quality and excellence. It is not enough to be good. To be good is a concept already embedded in our society. The challenge is to be great, to exceed ourselves and constantly look for the right means to achieve that. Instilling the urge for continuous and progressive growth is the way to do this and this course has that stamp.”

For enquiries or applications, please contact the FDS Education department at the RCS on 020 7869 6815/6814/6813 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more information on Nobel Biocare please call 0208 756 3300 or visit www.nobelbiocare.com

Sadly, today we hear about cases of cancer more and more frequently but amidst all of this there is one type of cancer that still does not have the level of awareness that it needs: mouth cancer. Figures from Cancer Research UK show that oral cancer is the fifteenth most common type of cancer to be diagnosed in the UK and accounts for 2% of all new cancer diagnoses, it just goes to show that oral cancer is something that we should be paying attention to. Confirmation on the causes of oral cancer is still unavailable but evidence is emerging to suggest that oral sex may have a part to play in its development.

Like any other cancer those who smoke, drink regularly or have a genetic history of cancer are statistically more likely to develop oral cancer but the effects of oral sex may be just as important. It has been shown that oral cancer and oral sex are linked through viral infections, namely the human papilloma virus (HPV). Most of us know what HPV is, or have at least heard of it. Teenage girls are regularly vaccinated against it in schools to help prevent the development of cervical cancer. So how does a virus that is associated with cervical cancer come to be linked with mouth cancer?

Scientists have found that the mechanisms behind HPV and mouth cancer work in the same way as HPV and cervical cancer as both the mouth and the cervix provide the same conditions in which the virus can live. It is believed that around 25% of oral cancers and 35% of throat cancers are due to the HPV virus which is transmitted almost entirely through oral sexual contact. Most sexually active people will have been exposed to this virus but only about 2-3% will actually develop any symptoms.

Currently there is little evidence to determine whether men or women are more likely to develop oral cancer from contracting the HPV virus but it is known that oropharyngeal cancer is twice as common in men as it is in women and is most common in heterosexual men aged between 40 and 50. This relationship between the higher diagnoses of HVP in men suggests that sexual activity performed by a man on a woman increases the likelihood of contracting HVP over a woman performing sexual favours for a man. It is therefore likely that the HPV vaccination would also be effective in helping with the prevention of oral cancer and would benefit boys as well as girls.

A study conducted in America in 2009-2010 found that approximately 10% of men and 3.6% of women had an oral HPV infection and many of us (around 90%) will have been infected by the virus by the time we are 25 but, the good news is, our bodies will naturally be clear of it within a couple of years.

Even though HPV vaccinations are available and are seemingly having an effect on the rates of HPV infection, it is still recommended to see your dentist on a regular basis. Early diagnosis is the best way to beat any type of cancer and your dentist is best placed to spot the early warning signs of oral cancer.

If you seem to be getting unexplained lumps or ulcers more frequently than normal or there are odd red or white patches then a visit to your dentist may just save your life. Symptoms can easily be mistaken for other minor oral ailments and quite often go unnoticed. Your dentist is the health professional best placed to give you the advice and treatment needed to deal with the onset of mouth cancer. If caught early enough the prognosis for oral cancer is very good as the survival rate is one of the highest of all cancers.

So now you know that your dentist isn’t only there to tell you off for not flossing, they could be the one to save your life!

Written by Dr Daniel Winston BDS MSc, principal dentist at Mossley Dental Care

Dr Kate Winstone, co-owner of New Ash Green Dental Care in Kent, commented on 3M ESPE Filtek Posterior Bulk Fill:

“The real issue for me and I suspect for many others, is the difficult restoration or the challenging patient, or a combination of the two.

“The product has been brilliant. I have been able to place a large MOD with a cusp missing in an UL6 for a patient who was going on holiday and in pain, in only 15 minutes.

“I later placed a large MOD in an UR7 for a patient who has a brain tumour and cannot keep her mouth open for long enough to do anything in normal composite, take impressions easily, or feel the occlusion when she bites down hard on an amalgam restoration.

“I also used the material in a five-year-old who needed a DO in a lower D and was very difficult to treat because she could not sit still. In all these cases, and more, the material has been fantastic.”

Kate was also impressed with the handling and aesthetics:

“I thought the polished restoration with the Filtek Posterior Bulk Fill was aesthetically excellent and confess to being surprised at how effectively it did polish to a real translucent finish.

“The material was good to handle – viscous enough to stay in position when it was inserted into the cavity and to manipulate to an acceptable state. It did not seem to stick to instruments in the way that other products do.

“The single placement is fantastic; it is quick and you don’t worry about voids or packing between layers, or whether you have light cured properly. None of the patients I used it on have complained of any problems, including sensitivity. I would absolutely recommend Filtek Posterior Bulk Fill to others.”

For more information, call 0845 602 5094 or visit www.3Mespe.co.uk

3M, ESPE and Filtek are trademarks of the 3M Company. 

Genix Healthcare Limited has been identified as one of the City & Guilds Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2014.

The company received the prestigious accolade at the annual National Apprenticeship Awards held on the 13^th of November.

Now in its 11^th year, to showcase the most influential and inspirational apprenticeship employers, this was the first time a dental company has received the award. Genix Healthcare attributed the success to the fantastic work of their apprentices.

The Genix Healthcare Apprenticeship Programme, run in partnership with the National Apprenticeship Service, provides comprehensive training support to over 100 candidates each year to achieve an industry recognised Dental Nurse qualification.

With around 24 practices across England and further plans for expansion, Genix Healthcare is able to offer talented and dedicated apprentices the chance to develop the necessary practical skills to advance within the profession.

Owner and founder of both Genix Healthcare and Sparkle Dental Labs, and Chair of the Dental Trailblazers sector, Mustafa Mohamed commented, “we are delighted that our company has been recognised as one of the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2014. Looking forward, I am very excited to be part of the new dental apprenticeships that have the potential to benefit businesses, the British dental industry and UK economy.”

Find out today how your company can benefit from the brand new dental apprenticeships that will soon become available to businesses.

Follow Mustafa on Twitter @Mustafa_T_M or Facebook www.facebook.com/MustafaMohammed0

For additional information from the National Apprenticeship Service, please visit www.apprenticeship.org.uk.

For additional information please call 0845 838 1122, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.genixhealthcare.com

The ACC Liverpool played host to this year’s exciting BACD Annual Conference, and the heart of the Albert Docks offered a perfect backdrop. This year really provided for all attendance, with world-class professionals sharing their extensive knowledge and experience in various disciplines and motivating delegates to raise the standard of their dentistry.

Inspiring change

This was an all-encompassing event for all things related to aesthetic and cosmetic dentistry, and delegates took away some truly valuable hints and tips. As was emphasised throughout the conference, modern cosmetic treatments are not just about creating the perfect smile through aggressive and destructive preparations. In fact, ideal aesthetic outcomes can be achieved through minimally invasive techniques simply by taking a new approach and enhancing patient communication and education.

Dr Zaki Kanaan, President of the BACD, highlighted the importance of this change in attitude towards cosmetic dentistry, when he officially opened the conference on Friday morning. He also encouraged delegates to teach patients and colleagues in a positive way, focusing on teamwork and smooth collaboration in order to improve clinical outcomes for patients.

Zaki went on to update delegates on the BACD’s progress and contribution to the on-going debates in the industry, including those regarding the GDC, CQC, NHS contracts, UDAs and tooth whitening protocols, before encouraging all present to donate to Bridge2Aid with a simple text, raising a fantastic £1,360! After thanking all sponsors, exhibitors and BACD members for their dedication and time in making the annual conference the huge success that it is, Zaki then welcomed Miles Hilton-Barber to the podium, who shared his personal story in the hope that he might inspire others to follow their dreams.

Miles went blind in his early twenties, and has since achieved some truly remarkable feats. Combining personal anecdotes, famous quotes and much humour, Miles encouraged delegates to push their limits and really see what they could do.

Educational opportunities

For those who wished to advance their clinical skills, several first-class, hands-on workshops were held on the Thursday, allowing those interested to really focus on their practical skills before the conference gained full momentum.

Presented by Dr Didier Dietschi, Dr Lee Ann Brady, Dr Rahul Doshi, and Dr Ken Harris, these sessions covered metal-free posterior restorations, anterior composites, functional aesthetics and the Kois dento-facial analyser. Each session offered the perfect opportunity for delegates to hone in on their skills and learn new techniques with leaders in each respective field.

After Zaki’s official welcome on Friday morning, the conference then hosted an array of lectures, offering an insight into a multitude of topics from clinical photography to minimally invasive techniques and digital solutions. Particular highlights of the day included Dr Christian Coachman speaking about digital smile design, who suggested that videos of the patient were important in addition to photographs, enhancing compliance enabling the whole team to better understand the full facial aesthetics for improved outcomes. He also highlighted that the ideal smile design is the first stage of treatment planning, and biology and function came next in order to ascertain whether the desired design is achievable.

Dr Didier Dietschi also attracted a full crowd, discussing direct composite application in a variety of different clinical situations. Using case presentations to illustrate his points, Dr Dietschi looked at full smile corrections in young people, minimally invasive rehabilitations and the future of composite in treating aesthetic deficiencies.

Saturday of the conference then held several more sessions, covering a wide array of topics such as preventing tooth wear, vacuum forming, accurate shade taking and the All-on-4^® treatment concept, as well as online marketing, website conversions, and practice growth. Key speakers included Dr Tif Qureshi, Mark Oborn, Tracy Stuart, Kevin Rose, Rob Whittaker, Peter Nutkins, Steve Cartin and Andy Denny, to name a few.

In addition, the BACD AGM was held, where members had the chance to offer their own ideas and opinions regarding the current and future Academy.

Recognition

For practitioners interested in achieving BACD accreditation, a dedicated workshop ran by Dr Christopher Orr and Dr Don Sloss provided the perfect platform from which to better understand the process. Delegates were able to bring along prospective cases for the group to discuss, highlighting where any pitfalls might lie when selecting cases for accreditation. The recent changes to the accreditation process involving new criteria for case 1, type 1, were also discussed in more detail.

Even more

Alongside the inspirational lectures and seven hours of vCPD available each day, the BACD Annual Conference also offered delegates the chance to source innovative products, technologies and materials from the trade exhibition. What’s more the fantastic social programme included a party held by Enlighten on the Thursday night, as well as the sell-out BACD Gala Dinner on Friday. Following the biggest turnout ever, the fun-packed evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all, with exquisite food, entertainment and dancing until the early hours.

Make sure you don’t miss out

Being a member of the BACD offers a wealth of benefits including opportunities to learn from the best international speakers, as well as regular local training and first-class education. It also provides full members direct referrals from its website, boosting your profits by increasing the numbers of patients through your door. Cosmetic dentistry is no longer about aggressive preparations for veneers and crowns – it’s about restoring natural beauty and function in a as minimally invasive way as possible. As Miles Hilton-barber said, you have to “dream big to achieve big”. Realise your dreams and those of your patients by raising the standard of your dentistry – join the BACD today.

For further information on membership of the BACD, call 0207 612 4166 or visit www.bacd.com

Bobby’s Walk is one man’s five-month, 2,600-mile trek across India, which aims to raise £1,500,000 for Save the Children and other deserving charities.

India Association Chairman, 79-year-old Balwant (Bobby) Grewal will undertake this epic journey, which will take him from Kanyakumari on the southernmost tip of India all along the east coast to Delhi via Chennai and Calcutta, accompanied by only a single support vehicle.

In 2005 Bobby completed a 2,556 mile walk from Amristar in North India down the west coast to Kanyakumari. Now he hopes to complete the ‘Full Circle’ raising money and awareness along the way.

The Sterling Dental Foundation invites UK and Indian dentists and hygienists to walk alongside Bobby for this very worthwhile cause. Join the charity in supporting underprivileged children by raising Oral Health awareness in the various states in India. You can join at various legs of the walk, adding smiles, lighting up beautiful faces and having lots of fun along the way!

The Sterling Dental Foundation, the charitable arm of the Sterling Dental Group, provides practices and clinicians across the profession with support, advice and networking opportunities. The Sterling Dental Group is fully supportive of Mr Modhi, the Prime Minister of India’s initiative to raise awareness levels of Oral Hygiene and Dental Education amongst people, especially children living in rural areas.

To find out more, to sponsor Bobby and to book tickets for the Sterling Charity Ball logon to www.sterlingdentalgroup.co.uk

The Sterling Dental Foundation is linked to the Sterling Dental College.

For details of the hands-on courses, seminars and CPD events that the college provides visit the website, www.sterlingdentalcollege.co.uk

Sterling Dental Foundation, registered charity: VB/5042656/RTN

Prestige Dental is delighted to announce the launch of its new website at www.prestigedental.co.uk.

Offering an easy way to find out more and to purchase Prestige’s range of products it is well worth a visit – time and again!

Products from brand-leading companies have been carefully selected and undergone rigorous investigation to ensure they conform to the highest standards.

Lucy Gabbitas and Paul Martin, the two directors of Prestige Dental, commented: ‘We’re delighted to present this up-to-the-minute internet offering, combining innovative new products with tried and tested old favourites. Alongside CE marking and safety and quality of products, it is our policy to ensure that all customers’ requirements are fulfilled in terms fitness for purpose, timeliness of delivery and subsequent customer service – an ethos that we have incorporated into the website.’

Whether you’re looking for materials and equipment for the surgery or laboratory, www.prestigedental.co.uk has it all.

New from The Dental Directory: Doctor’s^® BrushPicks^® are toothpicks for a healthy smile.

Using Doctor’s^® BrushPicks^® everyday will produce a notable improvement in your patient’s oral health in only two weeks.

Each BrushPick offers seven discrete ways to clean teeth better:

1. Improved Plyalene^® for longer lasting bristles
2. Extends between teeth gently and easily
3. Brushes away debris
4. Stimulates the gums
5. Will not harm dental and bridge work
6. Manoeuvres and is easy to hold
7. Safely scrapes away plaque.

BrushPicks^® promote periodontal health, help in the fight against gingivitis and are available in four convenient varieties. Available now in The Dental Directory’s BigBite flyer – your patients will quickly see the benefits.

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586 or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk

Fast Growing Healthcare Finance Company Strengthens Resources with New Business Development Manager

Snowbird Finance Ltd - (snowbirdfinance.co.uk) announced today that Bill Carr is joining the business to further develop their practice finance offering to new and existing clients.  Bill Carr comes with a wealth of experience within the healthcare sector, having spent 24 years working closely with Dentists, Doctors, Pharmacists and Veterinarians.

Bill started his career at the renowned NatWest St James’ Dental Unit where he was one of the founding members of The Association of Service Providers for Dentists and Trustee of The Eastman Foundation for Oral Research and Training. Bill has helped numerous clients in Dentistry with financing for squats, practice purchases and repurchasing agreements.

Bill joins Snowbird on December 8^th 2014 as Business Development Manager to continue Snowbird’s growth and continued excellence in providing bespoke funding packages and practice finance to healthcare professionals around the UK looking to acquire practices. Bill comments “I am excited to start my new role at Snowbird and look forward to working with the team to further develop the specialised finance they provide. I am fortunate to be joining such a respected company that has an unrivalled reputation for top quality expertise, service and integrity.”

Simon Freeman, Managing Director, added “Bill brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of practice finance and will be a key addition to the Snowbird team. We view his appointment as a sign of our commitment to being one of the leading providers of specialised finance to the healthcare sector. We are very fortunate that we were able to find someone of Bill’s calibre to help us to build on the equipment finance and business and personal loan services we already offer and thus develop more opportunities for our clients to acquire practices.”

About Snowbird Finance Ltd

Snowbird Finance specialise in bespoke financial solutions for practices and professionals in the dental, optical, veterinary and medical sectors. Snowbird's understanding and experience in the industry is unique and we take the time to get to know all our clients so we can provide tailored solutions to meet their individual needs and requirements.  More information on the company’s services provided, team members’ experience and latest news and events can be found on our website www.snowbirdfinance.co.uk

About Bill Carr

Bill is a lecturer at UCL Eastman Dental Institute and also carries out lectures for the London Deanery, DFI Groups, BDA and the Whips Cross Hospital. He has lectured on practice purchasing with law and accountancy firms and specialist surveyors on GP Surgeries & Dentists.

Bill holds Chartered Institute of Bankers Scotland & IFS School of Finance qualifications in Healthcare Credit and is a Chartered Banker under the Business and Commercial Accreditation Program.

Contact

Simon Freeman, Managing Director

Snowbird Finance Ltd

Tel: 01932 874674

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For PR and marketing enquiries, contact Sophie-Louise Cook This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 01932 450542.

‘This practice has been working with The Dental Directory for many years,’ says Andrew Webber, Practice Manager at Pinhoe Dental Centre in Exeter. ‘We have found them to be helpful in reducing costs, maintaining or improving quality and continuing an ongoing dialogue to look at products and pricing structures.

‘We use The Dental Directory as our main supplier for a number of products, including UnoDent. ‘It is vital to the directors that we have access to cost-efficient lines, where quality is the overriding priority and The Dental Directory offers this.

One of the main advantages has been a professional attitude and our dedicated representative. It is a partnership, rather than a depersonalised buyer-supplier relationship.

‘We have a tremendous working relationship with our representative. They are able to suggest ideas and take our own thoughts into consideration. Customer service is great, with simple accounting to save time and effort. 

‘We would recommend The Dental Directory. We want a simple supply chain with quality products and The Dental Directory provides this for us every time.’

The Dental Directory can enhance your services. Call today to find out more…

Contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586
or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk

Even we health professionals enjoy a little extra food and drink over the festive period, but we would be remiss not to warn our patients of the potential for tooth damage.

Tooth erosion caused by alcohol, snacking between meals and increased consumption of sugary foods has the potential to escalate over Christmas.

According to the charity Addaction, Britons consume more than 600 million units of alcohol during December and 14% drink more than they intend to over Christmas. Meanwhile, Mars has historically reported that 65% of boxed chocolates are sold in the run up to Christmas.

If advice is to be focused on limiting the damage of a lifestyle harmful to the dentition, the following can be recommended:

• Drink erosive drinks through a straw to direct liquid to the back of the mouth and avoiding swishing drinks around the mouth

• Avoid carbonated and fruit juice mixers (which may be difficult as there is little else available and wine also has a low pH at around 3.5)

• Drink water between alcoholic beverages helps buffer their acidic potential

• Chewing sugar-free, xylitol- or sorbitol-sweetened gum to help neutralise acid in the mouth

• Never brush teeth immediately after acidic exposure, but waiting at least an hour. If this is not possible, rinsing with a fluoride mouth rinse and then applying a paste containing high fluoride or calcium phosphate to the teeth without rinsing before bed is worthwhile

• Use a fluoride mouthrinse throughout the day

• Use of a toothpaste low in abrasivity and a soft toothbrush.

If you are concerned that any of your patients are showing signs tooth wear, simply visit www.toothwear.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 020 7486 7180.

The journey of a practice sale or purchase starts with the crucial step of due diligence. It is here that your solicitor will ensure that the practice has everything in order, guaranteeing transparency of all available information.

A potential buyer has an increasingly larger task when investigating the practice he or she is about to purchase; likewise sellers are burdened with documenting every element of their practice to facilitate a sale.

It is the due diligence process that provides the buyer with the information required to make the right decision, making the process a necessity.

Due diligence, often perceived as being rather complex, is the obtaining and reviewing of the legal and financial information by the buyer, to ensure that they fully understand the practice and are aware of any issues that may affect the price or their decision to buy.

The initial process requires the seller to answer a form of detailed due diligence questions and provide supporting information and documentation. Once we are in receipt of this material we are able to advise on the structure, performance and operating of the business.

At Goodman Grant we have identified this as an area of the transaction, which can be daunting for both the buyer and the seller. When our clients are buying a practice we support them by going through the replies and supporting documentation in detail, providing a comprehensive report and identifying areas where we believe further enquiries should be made to find out more information about the business. As this exercise unfolds we can identify areas where you may need protecting. Additionally, this will allow you to understand the performance of the practice, whether it be the private income or the UDA performance under an NHS contract, as well as the everyday functioning of the practice. This also allows you to start to plan with a clear view for when you take over at the practice.

Where our client is selling their practice we aim to offer guidance – we can help you provide the answers to the questions raised by the buyer’s solicitors and deliver the information they are seeking. Having such assistance can speed up the transaction and also take the headache away during what is a busy and sometimes stressful time for both the seller and the practice. We are on hand to ensure you provide the correct information in a timely manner. We have recently introduced the use of a data sharing facility on our website, docSAFE which permits the easy transfer of documents online.

We have a detailed understanding of the whole process, which means we can help our clients with the due diligence and in particular the areas that are often difficult for clients. This usually involves providing the correct documents that the buyer is asking for, from commercial contracts that the practice is engaged in, to information about employees or evidence on the maintenance and quality of the assets which are being sold. Typically, experienced dental lawyers will enquire about all aspects of the practice, reviewing accounts, maintenance arrangements, patient information, compliance licenses and NHS contract performance levels if applicable. An effective and comprehensive due diligence process is therefore essential, to protect both parties and ensure that if there are any issues these are identified before the buyer is legally bound to proceed with the purchase.

From our experience at Goodman Grant we have seen the potential pitfalls of not instructing dentally aware solicitors. This can lead to a purchase or sale being delayed for a number of months, and sometimes even falling through altogether.

We understand the challenges for both buyer and seller during the due diligence process, from the legal obligation on the seller to provide accurate information, and also for the buyer to fully understand the practice they are inheriting. Buying or selling a practice is one of the biggest decisions a dentist can make in their career. With our wealth of knowledge and experience we are well suited to make it a positive experience, whether it is the beginning of your career or the last step towards retirement.

For more information call Ben Williams on 0113 834 3705 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

Author Ben Williams, joined Goodman Grant in May 2013 and works as a Paralegal in the Leeds Office assisting fee earners on Dental Employment Matters and Dental Practice Sale and Purchases’

Look out for The Dental Directory’s InsideOrtho flyer coming this January.

Whether your patient requires major orthodontic treatment to fix serious malocclusion or is interested in more aesthetically focused results, The Dental Directory can provide everything you need to deliver first-class treatment.

As well as great discounts on well-known and recognisable brands, the InsideOrtho flyer has excellent deals on Pink Line, The Dental Directory’s own range of exceptional quality orthodontic products.

From Buccal Tubes to Molar Bands and Self-Litigating Bracket Systems to Archwires, Pink Line covers all your orthodontic needs and offers remarkable value for money.

So for your everyday orthodontic essentials, turn to The Dental Directory, and make sure you pick up your copy of InsideOrtho this January.

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586 or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk

This tooth coloured, fluorescent and radiopaque bulk composite provides a perfect amalgam replacement and alternative to glassionomer cements, compomers as well as conventional filling therapy. Fill-Up!  combines the advantages of resin-based composites with simplified and efficient handling. Owing to its dual curing properties, fillings with Fill-Up! can be administered in arbitrary filling depth without the need of an additional covering layer.

Welcome to the safe side!

Conventional light curing bulk filling materials are limited in their curing depth, questioning whether the restoration fully cures. But with the dual curing properties of Fill-Up! There is a guarantee of thorough curing down to the bottom of any cavity.

Also, chemical curing minimises shrinkage stress dramatically, preventing micro fractures and postoperative sensitivities. As supported by studies, the bonding partner ParaBond caters for a perfect marginal seal comparable to the one of conventional composite - before and after thermo cycling and chewing abrasion – ensuring a secure long-term restorative solution.

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Fill-Up! Deep. Fast. Perfect. 

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Follow Coltene on Twitter - @COLTENEUKLTD

It’s great to see the bigger picture but you mustn’t miss the wood for the trees. A rolling stone gathers no moss so rushing headlong into procedures may lead to problems growing like Topsy.

OK, enough of the metaphors, even though I love them so! How many more could you have read before becoming seriously irritated? Literary style like anything else needs attention to detail; try not to repeat words, don’t make sentences too long and attempt to keep the reader engaged.

Our practices are full of areas where detail is paramount. These extend from the clinical treatments we provide to the overall patient experience. I don’t just mean the details imposed by our regulators, of course we have to attend to them but in order to be successful we need to go much further. A good place to start is to put ourselves in the position of our patient and see the practice in a different way. Notice the little things; the things that well-known dentist Paddy Lund who practices in Australia terms ‘the essential non-essentials.’ (Not awkward prose but attention to detail; he’s actually British even though it’s tempting to say ‘Australian Dentist Paddy Lund!’) Is Reception accessible or are there barriers in the way? Can the patient comfortably sign forms on a work surface of convenient height? Is there a hook behind the loo door to hang coats or bags? At the very least, is there a mirror to adjust make-up after the appointment?

In the treatment room itself has as much scary equipment as possible been concealed? Has the head-rest been adjusted properly? Have team members removed all traces of alginate before the patient leaves?

Clinical detail is much more complex but also includes simple things. If Bayer or Ivoclar say a certain impression material needs 4 minutes to set they don’t mean 3 minutes and 58 seconds you know! Reading instruction leaflets on materials can be an eye-opener and can constitute the difference between excellence and failure.

You can’t attend to detail if you can’t see it. Use magnification. Always. Photograph as many of your procedures as possible and review them afterwards to identify potential areas of improvement. The BACD offers regular courses in clinical photography if instruction is needed.

Look at the details provided for you on medical and social histories. This information can enable you to tailor individual treatment plans more precisely. Above all listen. Listen to what the patient says; their concerns, symptoms and desires. Don’t pre-judge but really hear the detail that is being presented.

Attention to detail is essential and can avoid a plethora of clinical and medico-legal problems as well as increasing the success of the practice. Detail encompasses everything; patient well-being, diagnosis, clinical treatment and record-keeping. We’re all highly-trained professionals. We’re good but looking after the minutiae can make us even better!

As for me, I’ll continue to work on the writing style. I’ll try to avoid the metaphors as much as I can but I’m not promising anything; after all, we all know a leopard can’t change its spots, don’t we?!

For further information about the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, call 0207 612 4166, fax 0207 182 7123, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.bacd.com

Geneva, 5 November 2014: FDI World Dental Federation is today launching the World Oral Health Day 2015 (WOHD 2015) ‘Smile for life’ campaign to remind people everywhere about the importance of looking after their teeth and gums.

World Oral Health Day is celebrated throughout the world on 20th March each year with a wide range of awareness-raising activities organized by dentists, dental students, National Dental Associations (NDAs) and corporate partners.

Over 90% of the world’s population will suffer some form of dental disease in their lifetime but many of these can easily be treated or prevented with a good oral care routine. The WOHD 2015 ‘Smile for life’ is supplemented by the call to action ‘It’s time to…’, which campaigners can adapt to their local needs and circumstances.

Dentists at the FDI Annual World Dental Congress in New Delhi last September endorsed the ‘Smile for life’ campaign both literally and figuratively when they took turns to ‘Smile for life’ in front of WOHD 2015 campaign poster.

FDI President Dr Tin Chun Wong commented: “The ‘Smile for life’ campaign reminds us that oral disease can be prevented by practising good oral hygiene throughout life, from childhood to mature adulthood.

After tripling the number of countries celebrating World Oral Health Day between and 2013 and 2014, we are now looking to reach an even larger audience in even more countries as well as online.”

FDI’s Executive Director Jean-Luc Eiselé added: “We want to encourage everyone to celebrate this important day. Participants can download materials such as logos, posters and toolkits to plan their activities from the ‘Smile for life’ campaign website – where they can also read inspiring stories from last year’s campaign to help them plan their World Oral Health Day 2015.”

In addition, FDI confirmed that the four key global partners of World Oral Health Day – LISTERINE®, Unilever, Henry Schein and Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program – have renewed their commitment to support the campaign in 2015.

“The continued support from our partners is essential in ensuring that World Oral Health Day keeps on having a global impact, and that our message can reach as wide an audience as possible”, emphasized FDI President Dr. Tin Chun Wong.

About FDI

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for more than one million dentists worldwide, developing health policy and continuing education programmes, speaking as a unified voice for dentistry in international advocacy, and supporting member associations in global oral health promotion activities. Over the years, it has developed programmes, initiatives, campaigns, policies and congresses, always with a view to occupying a space that no other not-for-profit group can claim.

FDI works at national and international level through its own activities and those of its member dental associations. It is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and a member of the World Health Professionals Alliance (WHPA).

For more information, visit: www.fdiworldental.org

About World Oral Health Day

World Oral Health Day is celebrated every year on 20th March. The theme of World Oral Health Day 2015 is ‘Smile for life’. It reflects the major contribution oral health makes to our lives. Around the world, FDI member dental associations, schools, companies and other groups will celebrate the day with events organized under this single, unifying and simple message.

For more information, visit: www.worldoralhealthday.org

World Oral Health Day 2015 partners

LISTERINE® brand Mouthwash, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies

LISTERINE® Mouthwash is the world’s number one daily mouthwash with antibacterial properties to clean the mouth, freshen breath and fight plaque.   Over 50 clinical studies support the plaque reduction efficacy of LISTERINE® Mouthwash when used routinely as an adjunct to mechanical plaque removal. LISTERINE® Mouthwash has been used by more than one billion people in more than 85 countries.  Professional dental organizations around the world have awarded LISTERINE® Mouthwash with their seals of acceptance.

LISTERINE® is distributed by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., a part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies, which is the world’s sixth-largest consumer health company and is a segment of Johnson & Johnson, the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products.

Unilever

Unilever Oral Care is a leading global manufacturer of oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash, represented by brands including Signal, Pepsodent, Close Up, Mentadent, Aim, P/S and Zhong Hua. Unilever recognizes that good oral health and the sense of well-being and confidence it brings, is a vital element to making people look good, feel good and get more out of life and that small every day actions, such as twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, add up to make a big difference for the world. Through its science, products, partnerships and international network, Unilever Oral Care is privileged with the power to make a sustainable and measurable improvement to oral health around the world.

Henry Schein

Henry Schein, Inc. is the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners.  The Company also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics, and other alternate care sites.  A Fortune 500® Company and a member of the NASDAQ 100® Index, Henry Schein more than 17,000 Team Schein Members and serves more than 800,000 customers.

The Company offers a comprehensive selection of products and services, including value-added solutions for operating efficient practices and delivering high-quality care.  Henry Schein operates through a centralized and automated distribution network, with a selection of more than 96,000 branded products and Henry Schein private-brand products in stock, as well as more than 110,000 additional products available as special-order items. The Company also offers its customers exclusive, innovative technology solutions, including practice management software and e-commerce solutions, as well as a broad range of financial services.

Headquartered in Melville, N.Y., Henry Schein has operations or affiliates in 28 countries.  The Company's sales reached a record $9.6 billion in 2013, and have grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 16 percent since Henry Schein became a public company in 1995.  For more information, visit the Henry Schein website at www.henryschein.com.

Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP)

The Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP) partners with dental professionals worldwide, helping them improve their patients’ oral health through one extra simple and enjoyable step in their daily routine: chewing sugarfree gum after eating and drinking on-the-go. For more than 25 years, WOHP has supported independent clinical research into the benefits of chewing gum, including saliva stimulation, plaque acid neutralization and tooth strengthening to help dental professionals and their patients understand the role of sugarfree gum as a convenient tool for everyday oral care. Today, Wrigley operates oral healthcare programs in 47 countries worldwide. WOHP is one example of how we make a difference to people and the planet through performance, and how we incorporate our principles based approach to business into all that we do.

For more information, visit: www.wrigleyoralcare.com

Once more The Dental Directory is helping practices plan the year ahead with the 2015 annual wall planner.

The Dental Directory has everything you require to get set for 2015, from restorative materials and x-rays to everyday sundries. As the UK’s foremost dental dealer, The Dental Directory provides a phenomenal range of innovative and essential products – all at unbeatable prices.

With an outstanding reputation for excellent customer care, The Dental Directory offers free next day delivery on all orders no matter how big or small and has a team of experts on hand to answer any queries or questions.

Make sure 2015 gets off to a winning start with the fantastic wall planner, available to all practices on request. To receive your free planner, contact The Dental Directory today.

For more information, contact The Dental Directory on 0800 585 586 or visit www.dental-directory.co.uk

Committed to expanding the quality treatment provision available for patients around the country, Rodericks Ltd Head Office has moved.

Now located at Grange Park in Northampton, the new premises affords the group with more space as well as enhanced meeting rooms and training facilities for all its team.

Shalin Mehra, Managing Director of Rodericks Ltd, says:

“As a group we are growing. The move to a larger Head Office premises is just one step we have taken in a bid to enable further growth and development of Rodericks Ltd. Not only do we have more space for our Operations, HR and Finance Teams to work more closely together, but we are also able to offer improved training opportunities to our professionals.

“With a shared passion for education and career progression amongst the group, our dedicated training team are now better equipped than ever to help our members further broaden their skills and reach their full potential.”

Built on a vision to deliver highly quality patient care through loyal and motivated professionals, Rodericks Ltd could offer an array of benefits to you and your team. To find out more about joining the group, contact the friendly team at their new offices today.

For more information please visit www.rodericksdental.co.uk, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01604 602491.

Is intellectual property just an abstract concept for entertainers and corporate giants seemingly living in a different world to the rest of us?

When you consider recent high profile news stories you may be forgiven for thinking so, but the reality is far from it – and it can have serious repercussions for a dental practice. 

Goodwill, the lifeblood of any business, is defined as the attractive force that brings in custom. But the question is: Where is it manifested? As a dental practice your goodwill is founded on your reputation, either via word of mouth or through marketing, branding and advertising. This is what encourages your existing patients to return to you and new patients to try out your service, and is all underpinned by intellectual property.

Any small business, such as a dental practice, can spend a considerable amount of money on creating a strong, positive image, enhancing its goodwill. This can be through designing a new logo, having a sign put up outside the premises, investing in a new website, or having office stationary printed. However, issues can arise if the proper precautions are not taken first. 

Much of the legal work undertaken in the field of intellectual property relates to those who either did not know they had any intellectual property, or did not consider whether their marketing activity would step on the toes of those who do. The questions any business should therefore be asking themselves are:

1. Will you be infringing someone else’s intellectual property rights when you launch your brand, website or business identity?
2. How do you stop others from infringing your intellectual property rights?
3. What will you do if you are accused of infringement?

These questions relate to the main causes of action around intellectual property and there are some simple steps that can be taken to prevent legal action:

1. Carry out thorough searches to avoid accusations of infringement.
2. Protect your ideas from the offset.
3. Deal with any disputes in a timely manner, as this is the best way to avoid litigation.  Whether you are accused of infringement or feel that someone has infringed your IP, always seek specialist guidance and advice first.

So, before you even begin developing your new name and brand, it is essential to make sure that you’re not going to be stopped from using your name. Furthermore you will also need to ensure that someone else isn’t going to take advantage and use the same name, or image, effectively hijacking your goodwill.

If you do fall into the intellectual property trap, contact us immediately at Goodman Grant Solicitors for honest, expert guidance and pragmatic advice.

© 2014 Goodman Grant Solicitors Ltd

Paul Edels of Goodman Grant Lawyers for Dentists

For more information call Paul Edels on 0151 707 0090 or email

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

www.goodmangrant.co.uk

There can be no doubt that the demand for cosmetic procedures has seen unprecedented growth over the last two decades. This is partly facilitated not only by the enhanced focus on celebrity culture and on achieving the ‘Hollywood’ aesthetic look, but also because people just want to feel better about themselves. This has certainly been accelerated due to the rise in the technology and the variety of procedures available.

Practitioners looking to provide such treatments first have to make the decision between surgical or non-surgical solutions and in recent times the pendulum tends to have swung towards the non-surgical procedures, especially for facial aesthetics. The popularity of these procedures compared to that of surgical treatments stems from their relative affordability and their perceived safety and less-invasive nature.

In the UK in 2010 the number of non-surgical cosmetic procedures exceeded the one million mark for the first time[i] and that figure has been rising yearly alongside other forms of cosmetic treatment ever since. In 2011 it was reported that the previous year saw three million injections of botulinum toxin (type A) administered worldwide[ii].

Indeed, both botulinum toxin and dermal fillers are arguably the most popular forms of non-surgical facial aesthetics (NSFA) and strong consumer awareness for these treatments has helped to maintain this demand.

However, as a clinician you may at times find yourself faced with a client who is concerned about their appearance, who wants to do something about it and would like a non-surgical treatment, but is nervous around needles and injections. They may present with a sagging neck or jowl area under the chin and without needles or injections a non-surgical procedure may seem like an unlikely solution. Radio Frequency Treatment would be an ideal resolution in this scenario.

Radio Frequency (RF energy treatment) is a non-surgical, non-invasive aesthetic procedure for improving skin tightness and reducing wrinkles and loose or sagging skin (Touma and Gilchrist 2003). Radio Frequency treatment initiates a process of dermal tissue remodelling by stimulating fibroblasts to proliferate and produce more collagen.

An appropriate analogy is that if you take an empty crisp packet and put it in a cold oven, nothing happens. If you were to put it in an oven at full temperature it will quickly shrivel up. But, if you carefully put it in an oven at an exact specified temperature it will shrink, but retain its exact proportional dimensions and structure. This exemplifies the effect achieved by Radio Frequency. The procedure is the perfect non-invasive solution, ideal for treating sagging around the jaw-lines, chin and the neck, and stimulates and encourages the body’s natural process to restore youth.  

As any professional would understand, there are times when dermal fillers and botulinum toxin will simply not be able to achieve the desired results, and so Radio Frequency and Fractional Radio Frequency Treatments can be advantageous additions to the procedural modalities available. This can be especially true in areas that may be difficult to treat with injectables or where the results might not have been as efficacious. Radio Frequency treatments are not a particularly new procedural option, and it may be one of the less well recognised, certainly among consumers, however in this instance it would represent the optimum choice for a non-surgical procedure.

Results are impressive as they are immediate, much to your client’s satisfaction. They may not have thought it possible to achieve such effects without resorting to more invasive or dramatic surgical procedures or lasers, and will be surprised at how quick and easy the treatments are.

As the demand for cosmetic treatments continues to rise and the pubic appetite for non-surgical procedures increases, any clinician will be wise to at least consider adding Radio Frequency treatments to their range of available procedures. Like botulinum toxin and dermal fillers, the popularity of Radio Frequency will only rise as it begins to be perceived by clients as a more efficacious, safe and cost-effective alternative to surgical cosmetic treatments. 

Whatever the treatment option chosen there is no doubt that non-surgical facial aesthetics can provide a welcome and reliable additional source of revenue for a practitioner. Moreover, it is essential that should you choose to offer such treatments you receive a high level of appropriate instruction beforehand. The training courses offered at the Dr Brian Franks Facial Aesthetics Training Faculty cover a range of treatment solutions from foundation, intermediate and advanced level botulinum toxin and dermal fillers to medical micro-needling (dermaroller) and radio frequency treatments, and ensure that you are fully prepared and confident to provide your clients with the highest quality NSFA available. Enhance your treatment modalities today and expand upon your provision of aesthetic treatments by contacting the Dr Brian Franks Facial Aesthetics Training Faculty or visiting the website.

For more information on training courses, and the next dates available, please visit www.drbrianfranks.com, call 020 8446 6518 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

By Ray Cox, owner of Medifinance, specialist finance brokers to the healthcare profession. Ray has worked alongside the dental industry for over 40 years and works very closely with a number of manufacturers and dealers, including Clark Dental, helping practitioners finance equipment and apparatus for their practices. 

As a dentist who is part of a modern and innovative dental practice it makes sense that you would want to use the latest, state-of-the-art equipment for treating your patients. However the initial cost involved for the outright acquisition can be prohibitive, and is often accompanied by an immediate and noticeable reduction in cash flow.

One potential solution is to consider leasing your equipment, in a similar way to which airlines lease their planes or you might lease your car.

Airlines choose to lease their planes because it provides improved flexibility, and reduced flight costs. You may lease your car as a more cost effective method than taking out a bank loan. So why not lease your dental equipment for very much the same reasons?

Like a car that has left the forecourt, a piece of dental equipment, once purchased, begins to depreciate in value almost instantly. Why spend all that money at the outset for something that, whilst vital, will certainly depreciate?

Almost all of the equipment in your practice is available via lease. This particularly applies to anything that has a high ‘wear out’ factor. Sterlisation devices and I.T. systems, for example, are items that you should never really consider owning outright because their ‘wear out’ factor is so high.

For example, after 5 years a steriliser will surely be out-dated and is also unlikely to be operating to its optimum efficiency. Not to mention that with the rate of technological innovation any I.T. system will also no doubt be obsolete after this length of time. Therefore to have the option of renting or leasing such products, where you have built-in possibilities for upgrading at the end the contract, whether it’s a 2, 3, 4 or 5 year deal, is a particularly attractive proposition.

Dynamic equipment on the other hand, such as dental units and x-ray devices, will probably last 15 years. However, during that time they would start to cost more in repair bills and maintenance than if they has been leased for 5 years and then updated. It would also arguably be in your best interests, from a competitive perspective at least, to be seen to update your practice equipment regularly, thus instilling confidence in your patients that yours is a practice that remains truly at the forefront of the profession.

The chances are this is already the way in which you finance your car, which after your house is likely to be your biggest single expenditure. So why not do it for your dental equipment too? It is a sure fire way to avoid depreciation, reduce maintenance costs and ensure that you stay ahead of your competition by regularly renewing your equipment and facilities.

For more information call Clark Dental on 01268 733 146, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clarkdental.co.uk

For many people buying their first house is a time fraught with worry and stress, the sheer number of choices and options available can confuse and confound even the most savvy potential home owners. But with the right help and guidance the dream of buying your first house needn’t be a nightmare.

I see a lot of dentists looking to buy property and not really knowing how to proceed. The obstacles seem endless. Indeed at any one time there may be more than 7,000 mortgages available, all with subtle yet consequential differences, and all potentially affected by national interest rates.

At the time of writing the Bank of England base rate remains at 0.5%, but the likelihood is that in the next six to nine months it will start to creep up. This will probably only be around a quarter of a per cent per increase.

Opinion is divided as to the precise outcome of an interest rate rise, even one as seemingly minor as 0.25%. While some believe that this will have little significant impact, some think it will cause mass crises and panic across the housing market. However, according to Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, any increase that does happen will be ‘limited and gradual’ and will only go as far as to settle at 2.5% (half of the 5% pre-crisis rate). So maybe we shouldn’t start to panic just yet.

Generally we find that at the moment most of the mortgage deals available are very competitive. Therefore if you are thinking about securing your outgoings this could be an ideal time to consider a Fixed Rate Mortgage. As regardless of what happens to interest rates over the coming months, with a Fixed Rate Mortgage your repayments will remain the same for the length of your agreement.   

Another positive for first time buyers is that you can now receive mortgage agreements with deposits as small as 5% and with a bit of creativity you can even get that 5% funded from elsewhere. In effect you can arrange 100% funding for a mortgage, meaning you don't need to find that initial five or ten per cent deposit, which can be the biggest stumbling block for first time buyers.

One final thing to consider here is the lenders themselves. Most will require associates, or any debtors, if they are self-employed to have three years accounts available before they will even consider offering a mortgage. A lot of dentists, when looking to purchase their first property are young associates, having just completed education and will therefore not have this length of accounts available.

Luckily, there are specific lenders who will now offer standard terms to dentists even if you haven’t got the three years’ accounts, and with the right IFA you can still arrange funding. An educated lender will be aware of how dentists get paid and will therefore know that lending to dentists without this arbitrary 3 years accounting information is still a viable option.

For more information please call 0845 345 5060, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.money4dentists.com

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Where is the “pain point” in dental practice marketing right now?

13 years ago you might have asked, “Where do I start?”

Many practice owners and managers weren’t convinced that they even needed a marketing strategy.

Up until 2001, there was a body of opinion suggesting that, provided you obtained your dental qualification, you stuck your brass plaque on the wall and the practice opened, there would be enough people coming through the door for you to make a reasonable living.

But then, in that year, a pivotal point in the timeline of dental marketing came about when the newly formed Boots Dentalcare invested heavily in advertising teeth whitening treatments in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

The ‘would you like a Whiter Christmas?’ campaign was a real game-changer for dentistry, as it went national and suddenly the public were on the receiving end of retail dental marketing for the first time. While it is commonly believed that Boots Dentalcare was a failure (although the real reasons for its sale were due to directional changes within the core business), the campaign proved to be a wake-up call for the dental profession as well as the public.

This was a singularity – it was an event, after which, things were not quite the same again.

Fast-forward to 2014, and where is the ‘pain point’ in dental marketing now?

We are approaching another singularity, another game changing episode.

In the last five years, dentists have accepted the need to build a good website and even more recently, they have realised the potential of social media engagement as part of their activity.

It has been clear for some time that practices need to create marketing systems that allow them to attract interest from strangers and searchers, gain recommendations and promote additional sales to their existing patients. The challenge now comes in knowing where and how to market for optimum results.

There are three main marketing methods for UK dental practices: internet-based, word of mouth and direct marketing, which is essentially advertising.

The market has become so complex with so many different ‘jigsaw pieces’, that a lot of dental practice owners or managers are once again lost and are asking ‘where do I start?’

It may be that you decide to throw money into online activities or at advertising, but how do you know if it is working or not? How do you measure your Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI)?

I am frequently asked three questions by practice principals and business or practice managers:

1. How much cash should I be investing in marketing?
2. How should that investment be divided between the different marketing activities that I could get involved in?
3. Which of these marketing avenues are likely to be the most successful?

One of the options I am probably most excited about at the moment is the area of internet-based marketing, which includes what should your website look like, which social media channels should you be visible on and how should you use them for success.

But there is the hot potato of Google, Pay per Click, Ad words and SEO – all of which are moving largely out of reach for the small independent practitioner.

I have seen this confusion of choices accumulate in recent years and have spent more and more time listening to your concerns. When enough people are asking you the same question – you know that you have identified a problem that needs a solution.

As such, at 7connections we questioned whether there was a more efficient way to get the message across and provide solutions. What if we created a 12-month programme, answering all the questions we have mentioned above in a literal, step-by-step guide?

Our answer is to create The Ultimate Marketing Academy, so that we can tell practices exactly what they should be doing and how they should allocate their resources.

It is a 12-month training programme designed to share marketing tactics that have worked for other businesses both in the UK and abroad, from within dentistry and outside, as well as to introduce some of the latest innovations in marketing. Quarterly Academy meetings will bring all the practices together in a workshop environment where we will “show and tell” the marketing tactics that are working, share the latest information and updates.

Between the meetings, we will follow up on those practices who join us to offer support and make sure the new strategies are implemented effectively.

If you are feeling the pain of marketing and need clear direction on what you should be doing to help grow your business, you are certainly not alone.

There are ways you can make the process easier and more successful, and a clearly defined 12-month plan might be just what you need.

For more information about 7connections and the Ultimate Marketing Academy, please call 01647 478145, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit www.7connections.com