Event Blog

Blog Post: Julia Marshall - Legally white: modern whitening techniques...where are we now?

gabriel_gonzalez — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:59:00 GMT

Stuart Johnston, who lead the BDA’s lobbying and work at EU level on changing the law on whitening in October last year, thanked Zaki Kanaan on behalf of the packed theatre, for sharing his experiences of whitening.

Zaki’s 45 minute interactive talk was practical and pragmatic. He ran through the benefits of whitening as opposed to more invasive options, suggesting that in some cases, people see it as a scalpel-free facelift.

So, why should you offer whitening in your practice? Well, the strongest argument was ‘if you don’t, someone else will’. Zaki told the audience that 85% of people would like a whiter smile, so there’s another reason to make this part of your portfolio.

But now dentists are using no more than 6% hydrogen peroxide can we still expect the same effects?

Zaki’s shared his wealth of experience and personal perspectives on the science. Before, when the HP mix was much higher (25%), it was an arbitrary number. Zaki’s patients are enjoying the results on the lower amount because it still works.

While running through the benefits of home whitening versus in-office whitening, Zaki gave some useful tips like ‘never agree to whiten the teeth of a professional wine taster’ because they may suffer some taste loss, and whiten your team’s teeth because they’ll help market the treatment for you.

Something simple but thought-provoking was to encourage home-whitening patients to do one arch at a time so they can compare the results.

Whitening has been around for 4000 years. This isn’t a modern celebrity-induced phenomenon so don’t be the last to get on the bandwagon.

For up-to-date information please check here

For a copy of the BDA teeth whitening poster click here

Blog Post: Gareth Arnold - Hot tips focus on patient involvement

gabriel_gonzalez — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:07:00 GMT

Delegates were treated to more hot tips in part two of the popular series of mini lectures.

Hypersensitivity, dry mouth and dentures were the subjects explained by speakers in light of the new dental contract, with much focus on preventive care and communication with patients.

Dr Christopher Lynch, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at Cardiff University, started with a talk on hypersensitivity, including cause, diagnosis and treatment.

A fairly common condition affecting between four and 35 per cent of the population, hypersensitivity can have a marked impact on patient behaviour as suffers may avoid very hot or cold foods, chew in a certain part of the mouth or even avoid brushing the sensitive area.

Dr Lynch said patients sometimes don't tell their dentist about sensitivity, fearing additional costly or painful treatment.

But often, simply choosing the right toothpaste will be enough to control the condition, with several brands offering desensitising products.

The surprisingly profound impact xerostomia, or dry mouth, can have on patients was explained by Dental Hygienist and lecturer Rhiannon Jones. The condition can have a number of causes, and often medication is to blame. Apart from losing the beneficial effects of saliva in the mouth, patients suffering from dry mouth can have difficulty chewing food, swallowing medication or speaking clearly. The embarrassment of not being able to eat normally is sometimes enough to prevent people going out to restaurants or friends' houses and can even lead to fear of choking.

Ms Jones pointed put that the first question in the current pilots is currently 'can you eat and speak comfortably?' This makes diagnosing and treating dry mouth even more of a priority given the emphasis on patient feedback under the new contract.

A range of saliva replacement products exist to help manage the condition and some simple lifestyle changes such as drinking more water can have beneficial effects.

Tim Friel, Clinical Senior Lecturer at Bart's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry ended the session with a lecture on dentures and the importance of consulting with patients to achieve the best possible outcome.

As well as the technical quality of dentures, Dr Friel underlined the importance of communication in assessing what problems patients may have and what they are looking for in cosmetic terms to make the often traumatic experience of tooth loss more bearable.

This consultative process is obviously another important part of the new contract, and all the speakers made it clear that involving the patient in their treatment will soon be of utmost importance.

Blog Post: Anna Muir - Motivating patients to improve oral health

Site Admin — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 12:41:00 GMT

Earlier today I attended Eva Castro Perea’s session “Motivating patients to improve oral health” in the Training Essentials Theatre at the British Dental Conference and Exhibition. I feel it’s only fair that I should mention at this point that I am not dental professional, therefore my perception of her presentation is given from the patient point of view.

Eva focused on how traditional methods of patient motivation were not working as effectively as they could. I felt for her.....and all you other dental professionals out there.

Every time I visit the dentist I am asked what feel like age-old questions about my oral health – how often do I floss? Do I grind my teeth? Often we give the answer we think the dentist wants to hear, rather than the actual truth. Of course we all have good intentions and mine mostly last a few weeks after a dental appointment and miraculously re-appear a week before my next appointment. However, as a patient, I do feel that the same old tactics could be improved.

Nobody likes to be told what to do or to be scolded like a naughty child. The idea of motivational interviewing seems like a fresh approach that encourages interaction and perhaps more honesty between the patient and the dentist.

Former procedures for encouraging oral hygiene do not enforce the patient to take responsibility for the oral care, as Eva said the patients have been “spoilt” and have not taken responsibility for their actions...or lack of them.

However, Eva highlighted that change will only happen if the patient is ready to change. Asking closed questions will not encourage the patient to open up to the possibility of change. Offering patient advice when it is not requested will, again, not encourage change. Yet, when the patient asks for advice, having the open ended questions discussion and presenting advice as pros and cons has proven to be far more effective.

I guess as a patient, getting me to think and take responsibility for my oral health care is the only way to affect change. When I am at that stage, then I am ready to hear all the advice and listen properly to all that my dentist has to offer.

by Anna Muir (a patient’s perspective)

Blog Post: Aimee Quinquenel - FD/VDP/Newly qualified dentist question and answer discussion session

Site Admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:47:00 GMT

Direct access and dental contract pilots were the hot topics discussed in the full to capacity question and answer session for FDs/VDPs/newly qualified dentists.

Andrew Corke, Associate Dean West Midlands accompanied by Laura Kwasnicki an Associate and Ravi Singh, Practice Owner and DFT Trainer hosted the session, taking a mixture of questions from the audience which heavily focussed on the changes taking place in the world of dentistry at present. The panel asked the floor if they were concerned about direct access and offered reassurance to the group about the future and suggested that if you have the opportunity, explore further education to increase your skills mix.

When asked which courses should be undertaken to increase ones skill mix, the panel recommended not to rush in choosing. Laura and Ravi recommended spending 4-5 years in general practice, mastering the basics and pick something that you really enjoy to specialise in. Andrew suggested that a part time certificate course (some are only once a month) is a great way of learning new skills whilst continuing to work in general practice and then you can progress to diplomas, MSc’s and other qualifications.

The session ended with a brief discussion about whistle-blowing and that if you are concerned about the work of someone in your workplace that the GDC website offers guidelines on how to deal with this.

Blog Post: Gareth Arnold - Changes afoot at GDC

gabriel_gonzalez — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:34:00 GMT

The GDC's Annual Retention Fee will be reviewed this year with the findings due in Autumn according to Chief Executive Evelynne Gilvarry.

In the question and answer session that followed GDC Chair Professor Kevin O'Brien was unapologetic, asserting that ARF is set as it is because that's what it costs to regulate the profession. He also made it clear that if complaints increase, the GDC will consider raising fees.

When challenged over whether dentists or the public should pay for the GDC, Professor O'Brien said it was up to dentists to bankroll the regulator which "ensures the public has confidence in the dental health professionals that treat them," a position many dentists are increasingly questioning.

Earlier in the session, the Francis Report loomed large as Ms Gilvarry outlined the impact the report's findings would have on the future direction of the GDC and regulation as a whole.

With a focus on openness, data sharing and making it easier for patients and relatives groups to flag up problems, the effect of the report is already being felt in a hospital setting with a new 'duty of candour'.

But what impact will this have on dental health professionals? For a start, it places more responsibility on members of the dental team to speak up 'promptly and frankly' when something is amiss, particularly dentists who offer domiciliary care.

Ms Gilvarry also stressed the importance of local complaint resolution, stating practitioners should aim to head off smaller concerns before they spiral out of control and land on a desk at the GDC. But to many delegates the practicalities of this remained something of a mystery.

Contrary to expectations Direct Access received surprisingly little attention both in the GDC's presentation and the following Q&A session, with a feeling both sides were skirting around the issues at hand.

And although the auditorium was full to capacity, the session broke up with a feeling much had gone unsaid.

Blog Post: Julia Marshall - An ultra-inspiring start to day two

Site Admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:00 GMT

“Believe in yourself - your steps to success”, Andy McMenemy, World class endurance athlete.

Redundancy from the fast-paced corporate treadmill inspired Andy McMenemy to embark on a life-changing mission running ultra-marathons, and one resigned to pain and discomfort but eclipsed by drive, passion and self-belief.

Asked what his wife thought about his new commitment to running the toughest foot race in the world, he explained that communication is the key to progress. His wife supported his decision (and the £3500 fee) to enter and he embarked on the five and a half marathon race across the Sahara.

The runners who finished the gruelling race pushed themselves because they were determined. Persistence, passion and pushing through the pain meant success, which was not only about crossing the finish line to receive a medal but for what that success would do for their self-esteem.

Andy then went on to run 66 marathons in 66 days in 66 cities in the UK. Overcoming a severe tear in his tendon, his team helped him through to success. Andy recruited the best support staff he could. One of that effective team was a new graduate physiotherapist with very little experience which she made up for with an unequivocal belief in what he was setting out to achieve. The Army Benevolent Fund came out to thank Andy along the way for raising money for their cause.

Although Andy is clearly part of an elite minority, his enthusiasm for ‘change’ resonated with delegates. If we don’t see problems and problems but as challenges, we can all make positive changes. Andy suggested that it’s not about what you face, it’s how you deal with it.

Demonstrating this, he celebrated a blind lady’s triumph in completing the 251 km Marathon Des Sables race. While we can’t all join Andy’s club, he certainly gave us food for thought about the way we play out our lives. As he says “it’s about what you can do, not what you can’t.

We all have our comfort zones based on our experiences, whether professional or personal. How do we change for the better and accomplish things (great or small) if we don’t step outside that zone?

Blog Post: Gareth Arnold - Hot tips for prevention

gabriel_gonzalez — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:45:00 GMT

As we know, prevention is the key focus of the new contract, but how will this translate into day to day practice?

Delegates keen to find out were treated to three mini-lectures on Friday morning which offered hot tips informed by the new traffic light approach to treatment and prevention.

Fiona Heffron, Tutor Hygienist at the University of Leeds, started with a brief talk on the increased importance of a thorough Basic Periodontal Examination coupled with good record keeping. Of course, record keeping has always been important, but with the preventative focus of the new contract it will become even more so as a patient's risk status must be assessed and monitored to determine their progress from red to green.

Fiona finished her talk with a few BPE basics, then Dr Rupert Austin, Clinical Lecturer and Speciality Registrar in Prosthodontics at King's College London, took the stage.

Dr Austin talked to delegates about tooth surface loss, a growing problem in the UK particularly among younger patients. In fact 76 per cent of patients in the UK show some sign of tooth surface loss so it's a problem many dental professionals will come across on a regular basis. Diet seems mainly to blame for the increase according to Dr Austin, with the easy availability and high consumption of acidic food and drink such as fruit, wine and salad dressings the main culprit.

Within the traffic light framework, these habits are best counteracted with advice, asking patients to consider when and how often these foods are consumed.

In the last of the mini lectures Dr Amit Rai, General Dental Practitioner and Dental Foundation Training Programme Director and Advisor, took delegates through the basics relating to caries, reminding the audience that caries is an infectious, transmissible disease that should be treated before carrying out work such as filling, contrary to previous teaching at dental schools.

Dr Rai compared filling teeth while a caries infection was still ongoing to re-carpeting a burning house, stressing that filling simply deals with the symptoms, not the cause of the problem.

It's easy to see how this fits with the treatment gateways triggered by different traffic lights under the new contract. If a patient's oral health is poor, certain treatments will be out of bounds until they are in a better position for a particular procedure to be fully effective.

Part II of the Hot Tips for the new dental contract lecture series will be held on Saturday at 11.15 in Lecture Theatre 4.

Blog Post: Amit R Vora - supporting Branches and Sections on the BDA Local stand

Site Admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:01:00 GMT

"Give a man a new toy for a day...."

It's not every day that I get the opportunity to get suited and booted. Usually, I am in my NHS regulation blue polyester uniform trousers and dental tunic working as a special care dentist in the community in Sheffield. Today, however, was spent was Sue Jones and Andrea Greatrex from BDA Local on their stand in the exhibition area on the first day of the 2013 BDA Conference and Exhibition at London ExCel. BDA Local helps support the branches, sections and divisions throughout the country in providing regional continuing professional development (CPD), political, networking and social activity.

Being on the stand today gave me the opportunity to meet and talk to the delegates, some of whom were just browsing while others came with questions about the activities of their local branch/section/division. By asking where dentists lived or worked, and in which field of dentistry, we could advise them of upcoming events of interest to them and guide them to points of contact to their local branch/section/division. Some informal career advice was also given out to several DF1s who stopped by, who seemed grateful to be able to have the chance to have an open and impartial chat. The LED keyrings on the stand, together with the afternoon tea and muffins available between 3.30-4.30pm went down a treat!!

I also became a bit possessive, and slightly obsessive to be honest, once I had got my hands on a new gadget - the barcode scanner!! All visitors to the stand have the opportunity to enter a draw to win £350 worth of John Lewis vouchers on scanning of their delegate badge. By the end of the day, 158 people were "zapped"; with many husbands saying how happy their wives would be with the prospect of spending that money!

So if you want a chance of winning £350 of John Lewis vouchers, but more importantly want to find out how to meet other dentists in your area, attend CPD courses, or find out what your local branch/section/division are doing in your area, then visit the BDA Local stand during the conference in the exhibition hall.

On Friday, representatives from Essex and East Midlands Branches will be available, with afternoon tea and cake being served from 3.30pm.

On Saturday, you can meet representatives from East Lancashire and Burnley Sections, and have a sip of a cocktail between 1.30-2.30pm.

So pop over to Stand K14 - say hello, see what's going on and get involved!!

Blog Post: Gareth Arnold - Get a grip on the grumbles

gabriel_gonzalez — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:29:00 GMT

Are complaints good for your business? Well, that depends. For a large multinational company that can regard them as free feedback, it's a fairly clear cut yes.

But it's not so simple for dentists as General Dental Practitioner Dr Len D'Cruz explained to delegates who attended the afternoon session entitled 'Can complaints be good for your business?'

First of all, dentists unsurprisingly have a tendency to take complaints personally, often seeing them as an affront to their clinical competence. This wounding of professional pride can have damaging effects, even so far as seeing dentists leave the profession. It's down to trust. Dentistry is of course a trust-based profession, and losing the trust of patients or the dental team can have serious consequences.

Dentists however are generally held in quite high regard, coming 16th in a recent scale of trustworthy professions, below nurses, paramedics, doctors and oddly, farmers.

Retaining this position is paramount to a successful practice, so how can this be achieved? Dr D'Cruz told delegates they must be proactive. This translates into various actions including dealing with low level grumbles that could escalate into full-blown complaints, actively requesting feedback through questionnaires and taking control of online forums such as NHS Choices, encouraging satisfied patients to share their opinion with the world and drown out the grumblers.

From a clinical point of view, Dr D'Cruz said effective systems are vital for mistake-free practice, underlining the importance of preparation and planning and, most importantly, learning from your mistakes, as well as other people's.

Paying attention to the small things - and acting on them - could also have real benefits to your practice says Dr D'Cruz, who at the end of each working day asks his receptionists for any grumbles encountered at the front desk. One such remark led to Dr D'Cruz having a new bannister installed at his practice at the behest of an elderly patient, a move that proved popular with many other patients. A small, easy, but significant change.

Taking an active approach also heads off reputation-damaging rumours sparked by disgruntled patients who might not tell you what they think, but will certainly tell their friends, who will tell their friends, and so on and so forth. You get the idea.

Another sure-fire tactic is topping up your bucket of good will. Courteous staff, punctuality, and a friendly approach to patient interaction across the dental team all aids you in improving relations to the point where a potential complaint may be forgiven and forgotten, instead of landing on the desk of the GDC.

And make no mistake, it's a real risk.

You may want to sit down before you read the following: According to Dr D'Cruz, dentists in the UK are more likely to get sued than in any other country except Israel. In addition the GDC takes more action against its registrants than any other regulator in the world, and more than any other profession in UK.

If that's not enough to get those feedback forms on the front desk, I don't know what is.

Blog Post: Gareth Arnold - Questions and assurances

Site Admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:09:00 GMT

In a full-to-capacity session on the new pilot contracts GDPC Chair John Milne gave assurances to delegates that the BDA would negotiate the best result for both dentists and patients alike.

The inequalities and perverse incentives thrown up under the UDA system are well known and everyone has their own stories to tell about the inequities they have uncovered, problems that affect both patients and practitioners alike.

John offered the example of two practices near him, one of which gets the princely sum of £30 per UDA while another just 400 yards down the road gets £21 per UDA to treat the same population with the same needs.

The problems are clear, but does the new contract offer a solution that suits everyone?

John outlined the story so far regarding the new pilots, and in a lively q&a session delegates raised the spectre of the 2006 negotiations which led to the current system, which many regard as a failure.

John was adamant there would be no repeat of the 2006 situation, and said he was pleased at the responsiveness the DH has shown so far in its assessments of the pilots.

But John assured delegates the BDA was leaving nothing to chance, having set up its own evaluation team to draw conclusions independent from Government. In addition both he and GDPC Vice Chair Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen sit on the pilot steering group.

This close involvement is vital as there are many questions that remain to be answered. Of particular concern is the treatment of elderly patients, with current budgets decidedly inadequate to deal with the increasing and expensive needs of the so-called heavy metal generation.

Associates at the session questioned how they will be paid under a new capitation-based contract, which may endanger their self-employed status.

And with the new traffic light based-system, focused on moving patients from red to green to open up treatment options, how will patients know what they can have on the NHS?

John told the assembled delegates the BDA needed to seek clarity on what the NHS is going to provide, and if there was to be a rationing of certain treatment, that would be a decision for politicians, not dentists, to take.

John drew the session to a close promising to look out for the interests of all dentists as the new contract is ironed out, and we can be certain that all dentists will be watching developments with interest.

Blog Post: Gareth Arnold - Smoking cessation in 30 seconds

Site Admin — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:56:00 GMT

How do you get people to stop smoking? By not telling them to stop smoking. This counter-intuitive approach was explained by two speakers at the morning session entitled Helping smokers stop: The role of the dental team in smoking cessation.

You would have thought the slides presented by professor Mike Lewis, Dean of the School of Dentistry at Cardiff University, would have been enough to make anyone consider kicking the habit. Black hairy tongue was just one of the charming conditions that met delegates but unfortunately, it's just not that simple.

The session was split between two speakers with Professor Lewis guiding delegates through the signs and symptoms dental professionals may come across. GP Dr Alex Bobak, Senior Partner of a practice in Wandsworth where he has run smoking cessation clinics for a number of years, explained how to actually get people to stop.

The numbers are stark. Smokers trying to quit on their own have a depressingly low success rate of between just 2 and 3 per cent. What's more, smoking will kill more than 50 per cent of them, and the five year survival rate for oral cancer is also just 50 per cent - the toss of a coin. Heads you win, tails you lose.

With dental health professionals ideally placed to spot potentially dangerous conditions such as hyper plastic candidosis and leukoplakia, it follows the dental team could offer the lifeline so many smokers need.

But the approach is all important according to Dr Bobak. The key thing to remember is smokers are addicts. Smoking is a chronic relapsing brain disease, based on a fast dopamine reward for each cigarette smoked; it's not a lifestyle choice for the bast majority of smokers. Therefore a rational approach - telling people not to smoke or they risk black hairy tongue or worse - will not necessarily work, eliciting excuses and evasion and simply frustrating both practitioner and patient. As Dr Bobak said, a hardened smoker will always believe they are in the 50 per cent who flip heads and survive the habit.

Instead, he suggested giving VBA, or Very Brief Advice. VBA offers maximum reward for minimum effort, and takes just 30 seconds. Sounds too good to be true? Well, brevity is half the point. Instead of telling smokers to stop, the practitioner offers them advice and support, and tells them where to get it. Yes, that's it.

Crucially, the practitioner doesn't tell them to stop smoking, ask them how much they smoke, or even ask them if they want to stop. Just casually mentions where advice and support can be found.

Nudging instead of nagging. It's a subtle but vital difference and just angles the smoker in the direction of help, with which they'll enjoy a much greater chance of success.

Blog: Live at Conference 2013

Aimee Quinquenel — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:31:00 GMT

Blog Post: Welcome to the British Dental Conference and Exhibition website

Site Admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Sign up to the British Dental Conference and Exhibition website here.

You can either create a specific login and password for this site, or join using either your Twitter or Facebook accounts. To do this just click on their logos here. (Don't worry nothing gets posted to your time-lines unless you choose to do so via the like and tweet buttons found across the site)

Please note that by registering with this site, you are not registering to attend the conference and exhibition. To do this Click here

Blog Post: BDA bids to raise 20K for charity

Site Admin — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:24:00 GMT

The British Dental Association (BDA) is encouraging the dental family to bid generously in an auction it is organising to raise money for two leading dental charities. The auction, which will be taking place at the 2013 British Dental Conference and Exhibition, is aiming to raise £20,000 to be split evenly between the BDA Benevolent Fund and the Bridge2Aid charities.

An array of prizes, including a Champagne City experience trip to France, a break at Raymond Blanc’s Cookery School at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, dental equipment including an intra-oral camera and an operating light and sufficient places at dental courses to obtain a full quota of CPD for a year, will be on offer.

The auction will be held as part of the Exhibition Hall drinks reception at 6pm on Thursday 25 April at the 2013 British Dental Conference and Exhibition at ExCeL London. It will be hosted in the Demonstration theatre area.

Click here for further information

Blog Post: FREE place to BDA2013 for BDA student members

Site Admin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:04:00 GMT

The three day event at ExCel London is the ideal mix of specially selected seminars, socialising and networking opportunities, with the added bonus that it’s FREE to BDA student members.

Connect with your profession, meet your peers and be inspired by the dynamism of the dental profession.

Find our more information and booking details here.

Blog Post: The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) hosts a series of seminars at the British Dental Conference and Exhibition 2013

Site Admin — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:46:00 GMT

Leading dental professionals, including Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging at Manchester University, Keith Horner, and FGDP(UK) Course Director Paula McHenry will be speaking on a variety of topics from minor oral surgery to new radiology guidelines. Each session will last between an hour and ninety minutes.

All four seminars in the FGDP Series will be taking place over Thursday 25 and Friday 26April and give delegates the opportunity to investigate some of the new developments within dentistry and recognise how to implement best practice within their own work environment.

Blog Post: Book by 4 February 17:30 to receive an early bird discount

Site Admin — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:55:00 GMT

Blog Post: Don't forget to book your Spring Ball tickets

Site Admin — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:59:00 GMT

This year’s ball for newly qualified dentists will be held at The Brewery in the heart of the City of London. The former Whitbread brewery will be completely transformed with a fire and ice theme. Enjoy a glass of bubbly in the King George III room (named after his visit in 1787) before heading to the Porter Tun for a three course dinner and entertainment.

Tickets cost £72 and will include travel to the venue by coach from designated hotels and ExCeL. To book your place please contact Jyoti Parmar at the BDA on 020 7563 4590 or email springball@bda.org. Alternatively you can download and complete the booking form and return to the Events Office.

Blog Post: Competition winner announced

Site Admin — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:48:00 GMT

Congratulations to Lianne from 'The Village Dental Practice' for winning the Facebook competition! A big thank you for those who took part.

Blog Post: Win a three-day ticket to the British Dental Conference & Exhibition 2013!

Site Admin — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:44:00 GMT

Members can win a three-day ticket to the British Dental Conference & Exhibition by submitting a photograph of themselves and their teams in front of the poster inserted into the January bdanews.

Upload the photograph on Facebook by going to http://www.bda.org/photocomp. The winner will be chosen at random and announced in the February issue of bdanews.