DT Pakistan No. 5, 2022

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PDA SPEARHEADS
SUCCESSFUL SALES TAX
NEGOTIATIONS
The Sindh Revenue Board has
responded positively to the
meetings held with the Pakistan
Dental Association (PDA).
Page 02

SEP-OCT 2022 - Issue No. 05 Vol.9

PM NOMINATES
DR NOSHAD SHEIKH
The Prime Minister has appointed
Dr Noshad Sheik as President of
the Pakistan Medical and Dental
Council.

PLANMECA LAUNCHES
HEYSMILE CLEAR ALIGNER
SYSTEM
Finnish dental company Planmeca
has announced its move into
invisible orthodontics with the
launch of HeySmile.

Page 02

Page 11

PMC elucidates matters in recent
council meeting
DT Pakistan Report
ISLAMABAD: The Pakis tan
Medical Commission council
meeting was held at PMC office
on 28 September . The council
discussed several matters related
to different issues.
The meeting was attended by
the following members presided
by the President PMC Dr Noushad
Ahmad Shaikh, Dr Khurshid
Ahmad Nasim (V.P), Lt.General
Nigar Johar, Dr Muhammad
Fakhr-e-Alam, Mr Jawad Amin
Khan, Barrister Ch. Sultan
Mansoor, M. Shabbir Kasbati,
Professor Dr Naqibullah Achakzai,
Professor Dr Muhammad Zubair
Khan.
Upcoming MDCAT exam
The schedule of the upcoming
MDCAT test was decided by
council members unanimously.
In lieu of the decision, the MDCAT
exam will be held on 13 or 20
November 2022. The exam will
be conducted by PMC through
the provincial public university in
all the provinces, ICT on one day
at the same time.
The centers for the MDCAT
examination for Pakistani students
will be established in the major
universities in Pakistan including,
. Bolan University of Medical &
Health Sciences (Baluchistan)
. University of Health Sciences
Lahore (Punjab)

Photo:
DT Pakistan

. Khyber Medical University
Peshawar (KPK)
. Dow University of Health
sciences Karachi (Sindh)
. Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
Medical University Islamabad
(ICT, A JK, Gilgit Baltistan).
The passing percentage for
the MBBS and BDS students has
also been revised declining
further to 55% and 45% for MBBS
and BDS candidates respectively.
The decision was taken in
response to the huge financial
loss Pakistan had to face since
almost 20,000 students enrolled
in foreign universities as of last
year.
MDCAT exam
According to the reports the
MDCAT Exam will be conducted

by PMC through NUMS
separately. The students who
intend to get admission to
NUMS-affiliated colleges will only
be allowed to sit in the exam.
The MDCAT exam is planned
to be conducted manually i.e
paper-based. Meanwhile, the
answer sheets will be uploaded
to the exam-holding universities
and the PMC website on the same
day.
The registration date for the
MDCAT exam has been extended
for a further ten days. The
students can also use the PMC
portal for registration purposes.
MDCAT for foreign students
According to PMC the MDCAT
exam for foreign students will be
conducted in Saudi Arabia and

UAE. Since the maximum number
of students who travel to Pakistan
for studies reside in these
countries. A major time difference
as well as the lack of adequate
student numbers made it
impossible to establish centres in
other countries.
PMC will further update the
details of these centres on its
website. The foreign students who
intend to appear in MDCAT can
travel to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
or UAE for the exam.
NLE decision
The Council deliberated on
the NLE examination and
unanimously decided to hold the
NLE step 1 exam in the last week
of October 2022 and NLE step 2
Continued on Page 4

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NEWS

2

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

PDA spearheads successful
sales tax negotiations with
SRB for the services rendered
by dental practitioners
DT Pakistan Report
KARACHI: The Sindh Revenue
Board has responded positively
to the meetings held with
Pakistan Dental Association
(PDA) on behalf of the entire
dental fraternity in Sindh.
During their previous
meeting, it was discussed that
dentists shall be liable to charge
and collect Sindh sales tax on
t h e p ro c e d u re s of te e t h
whitening, teeth polishing,
dental veneering, smile design
procedures and any other such
cosmetic or aesthetic
procedures taken to enhance
physical beauty or appearance.
Earlier, SRB had imposed sales
tax on Teeth Whitening, Veneers,
I n v i s a l i g n , P l a c e m e n t of
Diamonds or Dental Jewellery,
G o l d Te e t h , S m i l e
Enhancement Procedures/
Hollywood Smile and any other
Cosmetic/ Aesthetic Treatment
falling under grade 1 'No Need'
according to IOTN Index.
After a round of meetings
SRB agreed that these
procedures are to be on a selfassessment basis by the
individual dental practitioners/
surgeons.
PDA had also proposed the
submission of Bi-annual tax

returns instead of a monthly
submission as the latter would
be difficult to track and account
for, on a monthly basis. On this
particular matter, SRB states that
it is not possible as it does not
fall under the Sindh Sales Tax
on Services Act 2011, however,
the request for quarterly return
filing and sales tax payments is

as per their notification no.
SRB-3-4/7/2013 dated 18 June,
2013, the procedures
under taken to restore or
reconstruct anatomy or
functions of body affected due
to congenital defects,
developmental abnormalities,
degenerative disease, injury or

Photo: freepik

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under consideration and the
proposal shall be forwarded to
the Government of Sindh, after
approval from SRB's senior
management.
Furthermore, bleaching of
teeth and dental veneers for
smile designing are to be
considered cosmetic treatments,
chargeable to SST at 13%.
Regarding imperative oral
surgeries, SRB has agreed, that

trauma of individual persons,
including acid or burn victims,
are exempt from Sindh sales tax.
PDA shall act as a facilitator
in terms of enhancing sales tax
compliance within the
profession and ensure that
maximum number of dental
practitioners/ surgeons,
providing the aforesaid
services, obtain registration with
SRB.

PM nominates Dr Noshad Sheikh
as President of the PMDC
DT Pakistan Report
KARACHI: Health Minister, Mr Abdul Qadir Patel
announced during a press conference on
7 September, declaring the selection of Prof Dr
Noshad A. Sheikh, as President of the PMDC.
Prof Dr Noshad A. Sheikh is a renowned
surgeon. He has previously served as secretary of
health, Sindh and is also the Vice Chancellor of
Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences,
Jamshoro.

The Prime Minister has appointed
Dr Sheikh as President of the Pakistan
Medical and Dental Council. The
press conference also revealed that
the MDCAT exams 2022, shall be
delayed due to the severe consequences of floods
in interior Sindh and Balochistan.
Furthermore, Mr Patel, also stated that the
admission criteria for MBBS students has now
been set to 55%, while BDS students now require
a 45%, to secure seat.

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Syed Hashim A. Hasan
hashim@dental-tribune.com.pk
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Editors Research & Public Health
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Editor - Online
Haseeb Uddin
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Dental Tribune Pakistan
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Dental Tribune Pakistan cannot assume
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or for typographical errors. The publisher also
does not assume responsibility for product names
or statements made by advertisers. Opinions
expressed by authors are their own and may not
reflect of Dental Tribune Pakistan.

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NEWS

4

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

PADS Annual congress 2022
comes to an outstanding close
DT Pakistan Report
KARACHI: The PADS Annual
Congress 2022 was a three-day
engaging and highly educational
dental event that took place at
the Jinnah Sindh Medical
University from 30 September to
2 October.
The three-day event kicks ta r t e d w i t h a n o p e n i n g
ceremony at the Jinnah Sindh
Medical University Campus
followed by captivating lecturers
on "Shared Decision Making" and
"Essential Leadership Skills for a
Successful Dental Practice".
The latter was a riveting
lecture on developing a strong
Emotional Quotient (EQ),
improving sof t skills, and
maintaining a meaningful
interaction with patients at a
dental practice. This
lecture, delivered by
the much loved Dr
Syed M Faizan
focused on the
aspects of being a
dental practitioner
that are not spoken
of as often as they
should.
Students were given
a chance to learn
teamwork, compromise, and
compassion as dentists and
owners of a dental practice.
The event was then followed
by the Dental Olympics, which
garnered the spirit of healthy
competition, and the opportunity
to showcase talent. Winners were
awarded with vouchers and cash

Photos:
DT Pakistan

prizes to encourage the students
to g o t h e e x t r a m i l e i n
professional education and skills
development, outside of the
dental curriculum.
The third day started with the
Dental Startup Competition which

The audience remained
transfixed by the presentations
as students pitched ideas like
"Dental VR" and a "Smiles Bike"
to the judges. The core objective,
being the improvement in
pathological diagnosis, and

w as a n e xc e l l e n t a c t i v i t y
organised by the Pakistan
Association of Dental Students.
Graduates, as well as
undergraduate students,
participated in the competition
by pitching their idea of a
successful business startup in the
dental field.

making dental health accessible
in the rural areas of Pakistan, the
activity was an accurate depiction
of the passion and determination
of the students, to achieve
optimum quality dental health.
After the competition, Dr Noor
ul Wahab conducted his lecture
on the "Challenges in Dental

PMC elucidates matters ...
Continued from front page

exam in the last week of November for foreign
graduates.
The council also decided that the NLE
examination for local Students shall be
conducted through their degree awarding
Universities under the umbrella of PMC.
The passing percentage for the NLE 1 &
NLE 2 has been reduced from 70% to 50%
but it will not be used as retrospective.
The council decided that the basic
postgraduate degrees of the doctors shall be
registered with the PMC. Meanwhile, foreign
medical dental postgraduate qualifications
shall be scrutinized and registered with

PMC after due examination.
PMC president Professor Dr Noushad A.
Shaikh apprised the council regarding the
WFME accreditation progress. He prised that
PMC has been accepted as eligible for WFME
accreditation. According to him, a task force
committee has been constituted to look after
the WFME's further development of
accreditation.
The council appraised the efforts made by
the task force and advised that necessary
steps shall be taken within a few months to
secure the future of students and doctors.
The council also decided that the inspections
of medical dental colleges will be carried out
by the PMC in due time.

Implant Surgery" which showed
fascinating and complicated
patient cases. These included
patients that suffered the aftereffects of road traffic accidents,
bomb blasts etc.
A lecture on "How to start a
Clinical Research" was also
conducted by Dr Nabeel Baig,
who provided adequate
knowledge during his wellarticulated lecture. The lecture
allowed and encouraged students
to immerse themselves in the field
of clinical research as an
opportunity to excel in their
dental careers.
After a lunch/namaaz break a
Panel Discussion took place which
discussed "Developing the New
Generation of Dentist; Coexistence
in workplace and the Future of
Dentistry". This intriguing topic
focused on the future
and the outlook of
the upcoming
generation's dental
professionals. The
discussion was one
of inclusion and
openness and
allowed for existing
and future dentists to
come together for a
mutually beneficial
outcome for the dental fraternity.
The event came to an apt close
with a Gala Dinner on behalf of
the Pakistan Association of Dental
Students for the participants,
students, and renowned dentists
that were all an integral part of
constructing one of this year's
most remarkable dental events.

Registration of working license
The council has decided to extend the
renewal of the working license for doctors
from 2 years to 5 years. Previously, both
dentists and doctors have to get their licenses
renewed every two years.
Meanwhile, PMC has also provided relief
to doctors who are 60 years and above with
a waiver of 50% on the registration fee.
The council will be updating the list of
registered /approved medical and dental
colleges on the PMC website soon.
Furthermore, PMC has decided to establish
regional offices in Karachi, Muzaffarabad and
Gilgit at its earliest to facilitate the general
public and doctors.

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NEWS

6

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

Dow becomes first public
sector health facility in
Sindh to achieve a milestone
KARACHI: Dow Dental College was
awarded the prestigious Sindh
Healthcare Commission regular
license at a ceremony hosted at the
Vice Chancellor Secretariat at Dow
University of Health Sciences on
Thursday, 29 September, 2022.
The regular license was awarded
in recognition of Dow Dental College
compliance with stringent quality
standards & following a thorough
inspection process set by the Sindh
Healthcare Commission. It is the first

people of Sindh and Pakistan.
Dr Arshad Hassan added that Dow
Dental College is a fully functional
Dental Hospital equipped with the
most modern equipment and
instruments, e.g., CBCT, Operating
Microscopes, Dental Lasers, and
Digital radiography are available for
quality dental care. The college has
recently got recognition for FCPS in
OMFS and Operative Dentistry while
recognition for more departments
and PhD program is in pipeline. The

Stress Management and
Positivity workshop at
Hamdard Dental College
KARACHI: Stress Management and
Positivity in Life workshop session
was conducted at Hamdard Dental
College by Professor Dr Abrar. The
workshop was basically conducted
to create a positive attitude amongst
Photo:
the participants and to provide relief
DT Pakistan
from the stressful lifestyle.
The workshop was attended by the faculty members
of Hamdard Dental College.
The interactive workshop was very much appreciated
by all the faculty members.
Dr Imran, Principal Hamdard Dental College appreciated
Professor Dr Abrar for his efforts in inculcating positivity
in the students of Hamdard Dental College. -PR

Clinico-Pathological Conference
held in Akhtar Saeed Medical
and Dental College, Lahore
LAHORE: Akhtar Saeed Medical and Dental College
organise clinico-pathological conferences (case
presentation session) every Friday by House officers as
part of their clinical rotation under the supervision of
concerned senior faculty members.

Photos:
DT Pakistan

Photos:
DT Pakistan

public sector health facility in Sindh
that was awarded a regular license.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sindh
Healthcare Commission CEO Dr
Ahson Qavi Siddiqi shared that the
license is based on several service
quality standards and a rigorous
inspection process of different service
standards. He further added that
"quality is an ongoing process, which
entails exceeding the patient
expectations by constantly raising
the bar, and improving upon existing
operations".
Speaking with the audience at the
ceremony, Vice Chancellor Dow
University of Health Sciences Prof
Mohammed Saeed Quraishi shared,
"we have always prioritized patient
safety and quality in all our practices".
The license signifies Dow Dental
College's commitment to constantly
enhancing and improving the quality
and standard of care provided to the

college continues to improve its
clinical services via procurement of
advanced equipment and faculty
development projects to achieve the
mission of the University and offer
excellence in dental care.
Dr Arshad Hassan further shared,
"I am proud of my entire Dow Dental
College team members for
demonstrating compliance via
e v i d e n c e d u r i n g a u d i ts a n d
maintaining the standards of care
round the clock". It was an honor to
welcome the Sindh Healthcare
Commission's CEO and accreditation
team. I am especially grateful to Vice
Chancellor Dow University of Health
Sciences Prof Mohammed Saeed
Quraishi for honoring us with his
presence.
T h e a w a rd c e re m o n y w as
attended by the Head of
Departments and senior faculty of
Dow Dental College. -PR

House officers decided their topic of case presentation
and after approval from the supervising teacher, presented
in front of the principal, Vice principal, dean, all faculty
members, and their colleagues.
House Off icer's presented cases from clinical
departments like oral and maxillofacial surgery,
prosthodontics, periodontology, operative, and
orthodontics with a key aspects like history, clinical
examination, diagnosis, and treatment plan appropriate
for their cases.
The key purpose of these CPC's was to enhance HO's
communication, and research skills, patient experience,
and correlative subject knowledge with treatment planning.
The certificate was awarded to each CPC participant.
. Dr Fazila Zahid: Generalized aggressive periodontitis.
Each of the main treatment modalities was discussed along
with clinical cases as examples. These cases are being
treated at Akhtar Saeed Dental Clinics under the supervision
of Dr Ahmad Ch in the department of Periodontology.
. Dr Hania Irfan Haider: Tooth and implant Supported
Overdenture. She presented few of the cases she herself
had done under the supervision of Dr Irfan Head of
Department, Prosthodontics.
. Dr Mehroz Ahmad Khan: Zygomatic and mandibular
fractures in RTA. He discussed no. cases in Pakistan reported
related to RTA. Treatment options in kids and adults
. Dr Romessa Anis: Odontogenic infections in which She
discussed buccal space infection & Ludwig's angina.
Principles of management & protocols for antibiotic
administration. -PR

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NEWS

8

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

New recommendations from FDI
on the cracked tooth syndrome
Dr Amna Bilal
SWITZERLAND: The FDI has issued new
guidelines for Cracked Tooth Syndrome, which
is both a temporary and progressive condition.
The condition of CTS can be difficult to detect,
require adequate treatment, and failing to do
so could lead to eventual tooth loss.
In dental surgery, cracked teeth are
frequently observed. A crack's severity can
range from minor enamel chips to severe
fractures that lead to tooth loss. Most fractures
are referred to as "complete" fractures when a
cusp entirely separates from a tooth. However,
the minority are referred to as "incomplete"
fractures when the fractured piece of the tooth
is still connected to the remainder of the tooth
by a bridge of healthy tissue. Patients may
suffer unpleasant symptoms known as Cracked
tooth syndrome when these incomplete
fractures are present.
Causes of Cracked tooth syndrome
Teeth fracture for a variety of reasons, which
can be further broken down into:
Anatomical risk factors: Characteristics of
your teeth's structure or anatomy that increase
their susceptibility to fracture.
External risk factors: Because we typically
consume a combination of cold and hot meals,
sometimes in the same meal, temperature
change causes the enamel to expand and
contract in the teeth. These variances help one
or more cracks to form and spread by
combining them with the numerous lowfrequency loads brought on by chewing.
Contrarily, risk factors for cracked tooth
syndrome (CTS) include prior cavity preparation,
restorative material compaction or bonding
techniques, cervical tooth surface loss, tooth
morphology, function, parafunction, and
trauma, all of which can cause a crack to start
or spread. Cracked teeth can result from teeth
grinding or clenching, which can be brought

Complex
Crack

Extraction

Simple
Crack

Photo:
firstbite

on by psychological stress, like that brought
on by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Diagnosis & Prevention
The history of the discomfort is all that is
needed to make the diagnosis of a cracked
tooth. What time did you first feel it? What
causes the discomfort? What causes it to halt?
During the examination, the dentist will ask
you a number of questions. The problem with
these incomplete cracks is that they frequently
don't show up as obviously on X-rays or in
clinical examinations. Therefore, the patient
must provide the dentist with a comprehensive
description of the symptoms for the dentist
to provide the most accurate diagnosis
possible.
To find the source of your pain, your dentist
may tap on some of your teeth or have you
bite down on a particular tool.
Transillumination, or simply shining a bright
beam of light through a subject and analysing
the pattern of light transmission to diagnose,
is one method for identifying a cracked tooth.
Light does not pass over and illuminate the
side of the tooth beyond a cracked tooth
because it is scattered when it strikes the crack.
The best restorative prognosis has
frequently been linked to the significance of
early diagnosis. This indicates that the sooner
you visit the dentist after experiencing
symptoms, the greater the likelihood you will

require more conservative treatments.
Not every tooth fracture is avoidable. But
with proper dental habits, you can lower your
chance of fractured tooth syndrome. Do not
chew ice or hard objects. Maintain optimum
oral and gum health. If you engage in physical
activity or grind your teeth at night, use a
mouth guard made by your dentist. Visit the
dentist frequently.
Treatment
A cracked tooth will suffer less permanent
harm if it is addressed quickly. This is because
it may be possible to determine the size of the
crack before it expands and damages tooth
tissues or perhaps even reaches the nerve.
Root canal therapy and a crown might be
used to treat the tooth if the crackline has
spread to the pulp. However, restoring if
the break extends below the gum line may
be more challenging. If a cracked tooth is not
fixed, it will gradually worsen and cause tooth
loss. A cracked tooth will frequently develop
into a split tooth over time. However, whether
any part of the tooth can be preserved will
depend on where the break is and how big it
is.
Cracks that begin at the tooth's root and
progress to the occlusal surface are vertical
root fractures. They frequently exhibit few
symptoms and indicators, making them
susceptible to going undiscovered for a while.
Localized gingivae that are inflamed or infected
may indicate a vertical root fracture, periodontal
pockets, or related bone loss. Some fissures
may continue to develop and separate after
therapy, leading to tooth loss.
Although placing a crown on a broken
tooth offers the greatest protection, it is not
always successful. Treating a cracked tooth is
crucial because doing so will make it less
painful and less likely for the crack to worsen.
Most cracked teeth continue to function and
offer years of easy chewing after treatment.
The patient should be told about the tooth's
uncertain prognosis.

Frenectomy and Tissue Grafting taught in new
Advanced Surgery workshop at Dental Cafe
KARACHI: An Advanced Oral
Surgery workshop was conducted
at the Dental Cafe by Irfans (DCBI)
on 11 September 2022. Workshop
facilitator and speaker was Dr
Arafat Bashir, who is currently
working as an Assistant Professor
in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
Department, at JSMU.
Purpose of the workshop
was to familiarise participants
with the Advance Oral Surgery

proceduresand
techniques. Dr Arafat
shed light on advanced
topics of oral surgery like
Labial & Lingual
frenectomies, Palatal
Connective Tissue Graft,
Buccal Advancement
and Palatal Rotational
Flaps and Hollywood Checks.
The workshop was attended by
handsome number of participants

from several dental
colleges in the city who
appreciated Dr Arafat's
knowledge and
dedication towards
teaching. Hands on
exercise was carried out
Photo:
on goat's heads by the
DT Pakistan
participants.
Wo r k s h o p c o n c l u d e d w i t h
certificate distribution among the
participants by Dr Arafat, Dr Umer

Bin Irfan (CEO Dental Cafe by
Irfans) and Dr Adil Bin Irfan (MD
Dental Cafe by Ir fans).
The dental practice plan to
conduct more of such
workshops in the future. Their
upcoming workshop, set to
take place in October, shall be
on the "Fundamentals of
Implantology" with worldrenowned speaker
and Implantologist Dr Irfan

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NEWS

9

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

Renowned academicians from private and public dental
colleges urge MDCAT criteria to be made at par
DT Pakistan Report
KARACHI: Currently, Pakistan has 72 private
and 42 public sector medical colleges as well
as 42 private and 17 public sector dental
colleges. Majority of the private dental colleges
are owned or governed by medical
professionals as CEO or Directors.
Therefore, the professional, academic and
service priorities, being different, remain
neglected and unaddressed.
The appeal relates to a recent decision
taken by the Federal Health Minister and the
new PMDC President whereby MDCAT pass
percentage for admission to the dental
programme for 2022 has been lowered to 45%.
The dental professionals, thus, share their
concerns about the unsuitable admission
criteria along with a few other important
academic matters.

Photo:
incpak

The appeal is a consideration to improve
education standards. The appeal requests that
quality, be given preference over quantity, and
commercial interests be given a backseat. That
dentistry is a manually dexterous oral health
care profession and should not be treated as
a second grade health care profession.
It also states the existing 4-year BDS
programme needs to be upgraded to a new
5-year DDS programme in line with the global
trends. Mandatory 7 new dental specialties
need to be taught as teaching and examination

subjects. The current 4-year BDS programme
can continue at dental colleges that are not
i n te re s te d i n u p g r ad i n g t h e m s e l v e s .
There is also an imperative need to set up a
separate Pakistan Dental Council, consisting only
of dental academics. Such a council must have
a status equivalent to PMDC/ PMC to address
our dental professional academic and licensing
policy and other matters. This PDC should consist
of representation from all provinces and serve
as an independent national regulatory body.
According to reports, our current 4-year BDS
graduates are facing recognition issues in Saudi
Arabia and other countries regarding job
opportunities. This appeal denotes that the
remedy lies in upgrading the programme to a
5-year DDS programme.
The fraternity expects a positive response
from the relevant authorities in resolving the
aforementioned matters and concerns.

Hands-on session on histology
slide preparation organised
by department of oral biology

Oral Cancer campaign video
competition by Ziauddin
College of Dentistry

KARACHI: On 29 September, 2022,
Department of Oral Biology and
Tooth Morphology of BUDC
organised a "Hands-on session on
Histology Slide Preparation" for
1st year BDS students in
collaboration with Department of
Oral Pathology.

KARACHI: On 5 October, 2022, the Department of Oral Medicine
and Diagnosis under the supervision of Dr Afifa Razi Head of
Department with team, along with the BDS student council
conducted an Oral Cancer Awareness Video Competition:
"Better than too late". In this competition, students of third
year along with house officers created short videos to raise
awareness regarding oral cancer.

helped students in grasping the
knowledge. The lecture was
proceeded by hands-on session
where students were briefed and
demonstrated regarding the
different steps of slides preparation.
The students were shown different
apparatus, chemicals and stains.

Photos: DT Pakistan

Photos:
DT Pakistan

The session was facilitated by
Prof Dr Daud Mirza, Head of
Department and Dr Afsheen
Maqsood Associate Professor,
Department of Oral Pathology.
Prof Daud Mirza, introduced the
step required for histological slide
preparation. The session was very
interactive and he captivated the
audience by using simple terms
about the procedure of Histological
Slide preparation.
Second part of the session was
conducted by Dr Afsheen Maqsood.
She introduced different types of
microscopes and different staining
techniques. Pictorial presentation

They were fascinated and
thoroughly enjoyed the activity. The
students expressed their excitement
in witnessing the process of
histological slides preparation for
the first time and were amazed at
the efforts exerted by the team.
The facilitators of the events were
presented with certif icates of
appreciation by Prof Dr Wahab
Buksh Kadri, Principal BUDC. He
acknowledged the efforts of the
department and facilitators and
emphasized that such healthy
sessions should be executed
regularly to enhance students'
interest in studies. -PR

As part of this campaign, the students also visited Shireen
Jinnah colony and ZU Kemari hospital where they took histories
and performed examinations on participants. Not only were
the participants counselled regarding the harmful effects of
carcinoma-causing agents but also advised against the use of
such agents.
To target the masses and the society the videos were shot
and edited by the students who competed for a cash prize of
10,000 PKR, while runner-ups were eligible to receive 5000
PKR. The panel of judges, which included Dr Nabeel Baig
(Consultant Epidemiologist CPSP), Prof Imran Alam,
(Postgraduate Coordinator ZCD) and Prof Nuzhat Hassan
(Principal ZMC), based their decision based on the quality of
the content, relevance, creativity, and impact of the videos.
Through this first digital-based competition, an immense
amount of talent was brought forward and students were able
to amplify the impact of the awareness they were trying to
achieve. Towards the end of the competition, winners were
announced and awarded a cash prize. While the remaining
participants were distributed certificates of participation and
Shields of Honour were awarded to the judges. -PR

[10] => DTI-PDF Sep-Oct 22.FH10

NEWS

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

Conference on Literacy
and Youth Skills at FJDC
KARACHI: FJDC held a
Conference on Literacy
and Youth Skills on
7 September, 2022 at
their Pre-Clinical
Campus. For the event,
eminent speakers were
invited from various
fields
of Education,
IT, Manufacturing and
E-Commerce industries.

also mentioned Mission
E s s a r, a f o o d a n d
medicine drive that FJDC
is a part of, appealing to
everyone to donate and
help in whatever way
they can.
All presenters spoke
about their areas of their
expertise. Mr Jibran
talked about the impact

and advised on the skills
and mindset required to
excel in any field.
Finally, the chief
guest Ms. Nadia Hussain
stepped gave a very
inspirational speech
about her journey that
made her the woman
she is today. She talked
about the difficulties and
Photos:
DT Pakistan

The
speakers
included Mr Jibran
Jamshad, Education
Sector Lead, Microsoft
(Pakistan, Jordan,
Lebanon); Mr Mehdi
Hasnain COO- Loads
Limited; Mr Adeel
Durvesh, Co-Founder &
Principal-PACE College
of Advanced Studies and
Dr Nadia Hussain who is
a Dentist, Entrepreneur,
Cosmetologist, Model,
Actress and Host.
The event took off
with Dr Hussain Askary,
welcoming all the guests
and giving a very
informative presentation
about the college, its
achievements and its
stance on 'Literacy &
Youth Skills'. He ended
his speech by talking
about the unfortunate
circumstances that have
hit interior Sindh due to
the recent floods. He

of the technological
revolution in today's
world and listed the
endless potential it had
in the field of healthcare.
Then Mr Mehdi talked
about his journey which
led him to become who
he is today. He said that
life can also be
unexpected, but with
hard work and
determination, the
possibilities of achieving
one's dreams and goals
are endless. He also
talked about the
importance of teaching
entrepreneurship at an
early stage, as that is the
time the mind is the
most receptive to
absorbing information
and the creation of new
ideas. Mr Adeel gave an
intellectual talk on the
importance of staying
positive even in the most
unfortunate situations

hardships she faced as a
young dental graduate.
However, with sheer
commitment, she was
able to force her way
through every obstacle
and excelled not only in
the enter tainment
industry but also in the
f ield of aes thetics.
This was followed by
the dis tribution of
certif icates to the
students and house
officers who volunteered
in the Blood Donation
Drive for The Indus
Hospital
and
participated in the No
Tobacco Day Oral Health
Screening Camp held at
The Hunar Foundation.
Overall, the event was
a major success. It was
attended by lots of
students and faculty and
proved to be a great
learning experience for
everyone. -PR

Dental Checkup & Oral
Health Awareness Session
at ABSA School & College for
Deaf by BUDC
Photos: DT Pakistan
KARACHI: In the light of free
dental checkup, an interactive
oral health awareness session was
arranged at ABSA School &
college for Deaf on 21s t
September, 2022. The BUDC,
Health Care Professional (HCP)
team participated in the activity.
The team comprised of Prof
Kulsoom Fatima Rizvi (VicePrincipal & Head of Community
Dentistry Department), Dr Maria
Moin as Assistant Professor, Dr
Mohsin Haider as Senior Lecturer
and Dr Hajra Asghar as Lecturer
in Department of Community and
Preventive Dentistry. Dr Zoha Haque, Dr Anmol Zaman,
Dr Maryam Gichki, Dr Areeba Aurangzeb, Dr Hania as
House Officers along with students of 2nd year BDS.
Oral health promotion is for upliftment of oral health
of community rather than an individual and has longterm impact; it is advocated for disadvantaged and
especially abled population where resources and
manpower is limited. A handicapped individual may be
defined as a person who has been prevented, because
of his handicap from full participation in usual activities
of daily life which in turns affects his oral health and oral
health is an integral part of an individual's general health.
The BUDC, HCP team reached the school at 9:30 am.
The BUDC team was cordially greeted by the school
principal and showed them around the campus. The
target audience consists of 350 Deaf children and adults,
with age range of 04 to 20 years; the activity was
performed on 3 floors with separate supervisors on each
floor. The Dental checkup was carried out by students
of 2nd Year BDS supervised by faculty members and
house officers. The children with hearing impairment
were accompanied by their teachers who communicated
the questions to them via sign language. The children
were taught about brushing technique and information
related to healthy and unhealthy food through video
and play cards prepared by the students of 2nd year
BDS. The lively interaction was filled with fun and
entertainment keeping in view the concern of especially
abled population and age of the recipients.
Dental checkup was provided to all children with
hearing impairment and the oral health condition was
recorded on validated WHO forms. The dental team was
well dressed professionally and used proper sterilization
and cross infection protocols. Children were also provided
oral hygiene kits at the end of the program as an incentive
sponsored by Colgate Pakistan.
The overall oral condition of these especially abled
children was considered fair. The School Principal
and staff members were very pleased with the oral health
activity at their school and had their queries and problems
addressed. The BUDC team looks forwards to
conduct more of such oral health education and
promotional awareness sessions. It was a good learning
experience for both the school and the dental team at
both ends. -PR

[11] => DTI-PDF Sep-Oct 22.FH10

NEWS

11

DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

By Dental Tribune International
HELSINKI, Finland/MALAGA,
Spain: Finnish dental company
Planmeca has announced its
move into invisible orthodontics
with the launch of HeySmile, a
dentist-led clear aligner system
that is already expanding its
services in European countries.
HeySmile is headquartered in
Spain and offers dental clinics a
full digital workflow that integrates
seamlessly with Planmeca
products and software. According
to Planmeca, HeySmile puts
dentists back in charge of clear
aligner therapy.
The company said in
a press release that the digital
HeySmile Studio platform allows
dentists to make a diagnosis and
treatment plan "with just a few
clicks" and that it accepts
3D image files from almost any
intra-oral scanning device. During
the course of treatment, clinicians
are in direct contact with HeySmile
dental technicians, who ensure
that the treatment progresses in
line with the treatment plan and
the clinician's treatment goals.

Planmeca launches
HeySmile clear
aligner system

Planmecas new clear aligner system, HeySmile, is made from a unique three-layer Timanti
material, which helps the trays to maintain their shape while guiding teeth into the desired
position. (Image: Crevis/Shutterstock)

HeySmile clear aligner trays are
made from a unique three-layer
Timanti material, which helps
them to maintain their shape
while guiding teeth into the
desired position. Planmeca said
that this results in more
predictable tooth movement and

decreases patient discomfort.
HeySmile aligners are designed
and manufactured in-house,
meaning that they can be shipped
to the dental clinic in as little as
one week.
Jukka Kanerva, senior vice
president at Planmeca,

commented in the press release
that the company is always
seeking to solve the everyday
challenges that dentists face. He
said: "HeySmile solves three-an
effective clear aligner treatment
solution that is truly doctordriven, predictable, and open to
everyone. We are proud to be
able to say that it is unlike any
other aligner system out there."
Heikki Kyöstilä, founder and
president of Planmeca,
mentioned HeySmile in
an interview with Dental Tribune
International at the International
Dental Show in Cologne last year,
saying that the upcoming clear
aligner solution would be part of
a sharpening of the company's
portfolio.
A major manufacturer of
dental technology, Planmeca's
portfolio includes digital dental
units, CAD/CAM solutions and 2D
and 3D imaging devices. Earlier
this year, the company acquired
a 51% stake in the KaVo treatment
unit and instrument business from
Envista Holdings, and Kyöstilä
acquired the remaining 49% share
as a private individual.

Global healthcare systems unprepared
for another pandemic, research shows
By Dental Tribune International
DOHA, Qatar: A survey commissioned by the
World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH)
has found that healthcare systems in both
developed and developing countries would
not be prepared for another pandemic, should
one emerge in the next five years. As well as
reporting this lack of preparedness, the
healthcare workers surveyed cited a shortage
of financial support and qualified staff as factors
that could expose healthcare systems to the
danger of collapsing in the event of another
global health emergency.
The survey asked healthcare professionals
in Brazil, India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the UK
and the US about their workplace and
profession and sought to gain an insight into
the impact that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has
had on their lives. Nearly half (49%) of all
respondents said that a lack of preparedness
is one of the greatest threats facing their
national health system. When respondents
were asked about the factors that may leave
health systems vulnerable to collapse in the
event of a new pandemic, 60% identified a lack
of financial support and 55% pointed to a
shortage of trained professionals. An inability
to provide sufficient support to patients was
identified by 44% of respondents as posing a
significant threat to national health systems.

In a press release, WISH CEO Sultana Afdhal
commented: Our findings spotlight some of
the critical challenges that the COVID-19
pandemic has forced upon us over the last two
years, and which those that care for us are still
trying to mitigate today. As an advocate for a
healthier world through global collaboration,
we urge governments, industry leaders, and
policymakers to take these insights and work
towards building next-generation health
systems that are better equipped to meet
similar challenges in the future, in order to
improve the standard of care and, crucially, to
ease the burden felt by our healthcare
workforce.

Our findings spotlight some of
the critical challenges that the
COVID-19 pandemic has forced
upon us over the last two years

Afdhal continued: The current pandemic
has strained health systems to create urgent
response measures such as increasing capacity,
enhancing infection control, moving to remote
models of care, and enabling mass vaccination,
among others. There is a need to take stock
of the challenges and for enablers to respond
at a national level, as well as create
opportunities for accelerating the sharing of
strategies internationally.

A lack of preparedness, financial support and trained
professionals may leave health systems vulnerable to collapse
in the event of another global health emergency, according to
a survey commissioned by the World Innovation Summit for
Health. (Image: Southworks/Shutterstock)

A WISH report published this year sought
to identify the gaps in healthcare systems that
were exposed during the SARS-CoV-2
pandemic and proposed recommendations to
governments and policy makers in order to
shore up their healthcare systems. According
to the report, short-term actions that
governments should take include developing
multisectoral preparedness plans with key
objectives and responsibilities. In the medium
term, governments should identify weaknesses
that were exposed during the current pandemic,
adapt care models, improve information
systems and strengthen the workforce. In the
longer term, structural and regulatory changes
should be made in order to improve health
system resilience.

[12] => DTI-PDF Sep-Oct 22.FH10

NEWS
DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2022

Lagging inflation rate for US dental services
squeezing clinic profits and dentist incomes

The annual inflation rate for US dental services is trailing the overall inflation rate, meaning that increases in the cost of running a dental clinic are not being matched by increases in income.
(Image: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock)

By Jeremy Booth,
Dental Tribune International
CHICAGO, US: The annual inflation rate for
dental services has dipped well below the
rate of overall inflation in the US. This key
development reverses a 25-year trend and is
putting pressure on the profit margins of
dental clinics, according to industry insiders
and the American Dental Associations (ADA)
Health Policy Institute (HPI).
The trend was revealed in an October
webinar that provided a third-quarter update
on the state of the dental economy using
fresh data from HPI and the Bureau of
Economic Analysis (BEA).
BEA data sets concerning the dental and
health sectors from 2000 to 2022 showed
gradual climbs cut short by chasmic
pandemic-induced falls in early 2020. In most
cases, data values had not fully recovered
from the falls and remained below prepandemic levels.
Spending on US dental services in August
(adjusted for inflation and seasonally adjusted
to an annualised rate) showed an annual
spend of US$113.4 billion (PKR 25,000 billion),
which represented an increase of 6.4% from
last year and a decrease of 9.0% compared
with pre-pandemic levels. In early 2020, before
the pandemic affected western dental markets,
US dental spending peaked at US$124.2
billion.
Dental spending was also shown to be
lagging behind other healthcare spending.
In August, dental spending was equivalent to
91.4% of what it was in February 2020.
Spending on physician services, however,
stood at 97.8% and spending on overall
healthcare services had returned to 100% of

pre-pandemic levels. Spending on dental
services has been flat for the past six months,
Bradley Munson, senior research analyst at
HPI, pointed out.
Of greater concern to the panel, however,
were data concerning annual inflation rates.
Data from the Consumer Price Index for
August showed that the annual inflation rate
for dental services was 4.7%. This figure is
based on the price paid for dental services
by patients and insurers and is well below
the US inflation rate for all items, which stands
at 8.2%. In effect, this means that increases
in the cost of running dental clinics are not
being matched by increases in income. HPI
polling data confirmed that the majority of
US dentists who participate in insurance
n e t w o r k s re p o r t e d t h a t i n s u r a n c e
reimbursement rates have stayed roughly the
same for the past 12 months.
Munson explained that this represented
an unusual moment in how these trends
compare: For the past year, dental services
inflation has remained well below inflation
overall, whereas for the past 25 years prior
to 2021, dental services inflation was usually
higher than overall inflation.

We are not seeing an increase
in fees. It is a real challenge, and
we are definitely having massive
margin compression this year.
_ Stephen Thorne, CEO, Pacific
Dental Services
According to Munson, increases in
operating costs at dental clinics, combined
with stagnating reimbursement rates from
insurers, are likely to be putting pressure on

dental clinics profits and on the net income
of dentists.
On the panel was Stephen Thorne, founder
and CEO of major US dental support
organisation (DSO) Pacific Dental Services.
Thorne said that the DSO was experiencing
not only huge patient volumes but also
significant margin pressures. Citing factors
such as inflation, the war in Ukraine and spikes
in SARS-CoV-2 infection, he commented that
2022 had so far been more challenging than
2021. We are not seeing an increase in fees.
It is a real challenge, and we are definitely
having massive margin compression this year.
It is very difficult, Thorne acknowledged.
Panel member Dr Krishna Aravamudhan,
vice president of the ADA Practice Institute,
said that the trailing dental services inflation
rate was the biggest story currently in US
dental economics. Speaking about the lack
of adjustments made by insurance payers,
she said: Im sorry I am the bearer of bad
news, but I think this is going to be financially
challenging. I think [the insurance] industry,
they are well aware of the data but we are
not really seeing the market step up and say,
Lets raise rates. Dr Aravamudhan said there
had been increases of 1%2% in insurance
rates in certain parts of the US, as well as
related incentives and loyalty programme
initiatives from some providers.
According to Thorne, the problem may
not be endemic to dental care. He explained:
It is a challenge in healthcare, in all of
healthcare, because the cycle for pricing
changes in healthcare isnt weeks or months.
Sometimes it is not even years, it is multiple
years, because of the payer system and how
it works. The payers are the employers and
they have to be willing to invest some money.

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