DT UK 1709

GDC issues swine flu advice / News / GDPUK round-up / News & Opinions / Dental team tackles fear factor / Green light case presentation: Get a yes every time! / Dancing with your patient (part one) / Are your profits receding? / Raising your practice profile / Is it worth getting it right? / Retirement income options / Following the rules / To graft or not to graft? And what to graft with / Customer satisfaction / Growing your practice in a recession / Industry News / BDTA Annual Conference 2009

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DENTAL TRIBUNE
The World’s Dental Newspaper · United Kingdom Edition
PUBLISHED IN LONDON
News in brief

JULY 6–12, 2009
News & Opinions

Practice Management

VOL. 3 NO. 17
Money Matters

Clinical

New appointment
The British Dental Association
has welcomed the appointment
of Andy Burnham as the new
Secretary of State for Health. Mr
Burnham replaces Alan Johnson, who has accepted the role
of Home Secretary.
John Milne, chair of the British
Dental Association’s (BDA’s)
General Dental Practice Committee said: ‘The BDA offers its
congratulations to Mr Burnham on his appointment and
looks forward to working with
him and his team.
Professor Jimmy Steele’s Review of Dentistry, which has
just been published, provides
an opportunity for real improvements in dentistry. We
look forward to considering its
proposals and looking at how
the delivery of NHS dentistry
can be improved for patients
and practitioners.’

Dental honours
The British Dental Association’s director of policy and professional services, Linda Wallace has been awarded an MBE
and Eric Stanley Nash, formerly
postgraduate dean at the dental
school at University Hospital of
Wales, Cardiff, has been
awarded an OBE. Both awards
were for services to healthcare
and were announced in the
Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Access research
Nine out of 10 people who tried
to see an NHS dentist in the last
two years were successful, according to the consumer organisation Which?
Helen McCallum, Which?’s director of policy and communications said: ‘The common belief is that NHS dentists are as
rare as hens’ teeth, but it's not
nearly as difficult to find one as
most people think.’
In its survey, 68 per cent of people had tried to make an appointment with an NHS dentist
in the past two years. Of these,
88 per cent were successful.
The British Dental Association
(BDA) claims the research
which shows three million people could not get an appointment, highlights the well-publicised problems some patients
face accessing NHS dental care.
John Milne, chair of the BDA’s
General Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘Many patients still
face problems attempting to access NHS dental care and this
research highlights inequalities in access, a problem that
must be tackled imaginatively.
That means thinking beyond
numerical measures of access
to consider the kind of care patients receive.’

www.dental-tribune.co.uk

More emergencies?

Future planning

Retirement funds

Hard graft

The number of people seeking
emergency NHS dental treatment
has risen in the last year, but ‘these
figures should be put into perspective’, says Health Minister Ann Keen.

If you want to attract new patients
to your practice or let your business achievements be known,
you really need to implement a
public relations plan.

Now is the perfect time to consider your financial options if you
want to reap the benefits from
your pension fund in the next five
years from now.

As the bone-augmentation debate
continues, Ali Abdellatif highlights
the arguments for and against
grafting, and looks at some of the
different types of grafting systems.

page6

page12

page15

page19

GDC issues swine flu advice

he General Dental Council
has issued advice to dental
professionals, after the
World Health Organisation declared a global flu pandemic following an emergency meeting.
The UK’s Health Departments
have also issued detailed advice
and guidelines.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) director general, Dr
Margaret Chan said: ‘We have evidence to suggest we are seeing
the first pandemic of the 21st century. However, she added: ‘Moving to pandemic phase six does not
imply we will see increased in
deaths or serious cases.’
A pandemic is declared on geographical terms as the virus
spreads.
The swine flu (H1N1) virus
first emerged in Mexico in April
and has since spread to 74 countries.
Official reports say there have
been nearly 30,000 cases globally
and 141 deaths, with figures rising
daily.
There have been more than
1,500 cases in the UK and Britain
recently saw its first death from
the virus, after a 38-year-old
mother who had given birth prematurely, died in Glasgow. She
was said to have underlying
health problems.
The Government has been
stockpiling antivirals such as
Tamiflu and has ordered vaccine,
some doses of which could be
available by October.
There is some concern that the
virus may mutate and become
more virulent during the colder
months of winter.
In a statement, the General
Dental Council (GDC) said: ‘You
may be asked to provide treatment

at specialist centres, to continue
providing treatment to non-symptomatic patients in your practice
and/or to take part in other forms
of healthcare delivery.
As a healthcare professional,
you should act ethically in this difficult situation. GDC guidance emphasises your professional duty to
put patients’ interests first, taking
account of your health and safety
commitments to your teams.
If you are asked to do something which is outside your normal area of practice, you need to
be sure that you are competent to
do it and check that you are covered by indemnity.’
However, it also warned: ‘As
health professionals, you should
not let your own state of health put
patients at risk. If you become unwell you should follow appropriate advice including any local
measures which may be in place.’
The Department of Health
(DH) has also issued its own guidance and has advised dental professionals that all patients should
be screened for symptoms of flu
before attending the practice by
telephone and again on arrival at
the practice.

Standard infection-control
procedures must be adopted for all
patients (infected and well) and
should include hand hygiene, PPE
(with FFP3 respirators for patients
with flu), decontamination of
equipment and environment, and
the safe disposal of waste.
Uniforms should not be worn
outside of the practice and be taken
home in a tied plastic bag for laundering.
Protective plastic aprons are
recommended to limit contamination of clothes.

‘Good general
hygiene measures
are of prime
importance in
containing the
infection.’
The DH also warns that in England and Wales, dentists may fail to
deliver their contracted number of
Units of Dental Activity.
The guidance recommends
that contractual payments continue with no penalties if providers
have done everything within their
powers to comply. DT

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Treatment of infected patients
should be limited to pain relief and
should avoid aerosol-generating
procedures where possible and
infected patients should be segregated from well patients.
Where infected and well patients are seen at the same practice, a separation by space and/or
time is essential.
Good general hygiene measures are of prime importance in
containing the infection.
The DH recommends that an
adequate supply of tissues, waste
bins and hand-cleaning facilities
is readily available.

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[2] => DTUK1709_01_Title

2

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

News

‘Take risks’ urges entrepreneur

M

illionaire and entrepreneur Charon Gill advised
dentists to ‘throw caution
to the wind’ at this year’s British
Dental Association conference.

Smile-on showcases
training for nurses

S

mile-on, a leader in healthcare education, showcased its
new training package in dental nursing education to delegates
at the British Dental Association
conference.
DNNET ll is designed to help
train dental nurses studying for the
National Certificate or NVQ level 3
in Oral Health Care Dental Nursing
and as an update for established
nurses.
The complete training package
offers important information for
nurses to gain a General Dental
Council-recognised qualification,
which is crucial since the introduction of the statutory register for dental care professionals.
The 15-module programme
uses a blend of media (audio, video,
animations and interaction) to engage, encourage and increase retention of the material and explores

subjects such as anatomy, oral
medicine and pharmacology, oral
health, dental disease and treatment support for endodontic,
restorative, prosthetic, periodontal, orthodontic cases and extractions and minor oral surgery.
A spokeswoman for Smile-on
said: ‘Delegates agreed the benefits
of the programme were impressive,
offering a flexible educational update for established nurses and the
best curriculum, by leading experts
with real life scenarios, preparation
advice for examination and registration and all the tools to make a
fulfilling and successful career for
training dental nurses.’

For more information on
DNNET ll, call 020 7400 8989 or
email info@smile-on.com. DT

The guest speaker admitted
that ‘going to see a dentist is scary
enough, but opening my mouth to
1,000 dentists is traumatic!’
He added: ‘Are entrepreneurs
born or bred? I don’t know, but all
I wanted was to be successful to

make my grandfather proud of
me.
‘I needed £6,000 to start my own
business so I went to the Bank of
Scotland – they gave me £3,000, but
I needed £3,000 more; I got it eventually and the deal was done. My advice is to do the deal first and you’ll
find the money later – it’s out there
somewhere.
‘If you want success you have to
throw caution to the wind one day,

and never be shy – talk about your
business because if you don’t, no
one else will.’
When asked how to ‘mitigate
the risks’ in the recession, Gill said:
‘Now is a challenging time with the
credit crunch, but every situation
creates opportunity. If you’re not
sure about it do a business plan so
you know where you want to be – it’s
like a road map. Evaluate it on a
weekly basis and make sure you
stay on the right track.’ DT

Paralympian offers inspiration

F

ive times Paralympian and
medallist Marc Woods gave
dental professionals the ‘insight to achieve beyond their expectations’ at the conference held
by the British Dental Association.
As a gold sponsor of the British
Dental Association conference,
the dental manufacturer, Philips,
hosted a seminar by the Paralympian Marc Woods.

ference – a toothbrush aimed at
children aged four to 10 years of
age.
The new brush is based on the
core Sonicare technology but incorporates a number of innovative new elements.
A spokeswoman for Philips
said: ‘Validating studies conducted amongst children aged
between four and 10 years of age,

significantly longer than a manual brush so improving their
brushing compliance along with
their plaque removal.’
Past Hygienist of the Year
Mhari Coxon said: ‘In my practice, I often see paediatric patients who have caries because
they simply are not removing
enough plaque from their teeth,
and parents are surprised and
frustrated because they’ve tried

Diagnosed with cancer at 17,
Mr Wood had his leg amputated.
He became an international
swimming champion and has
represented Great Britain in five
Paralympic Games.
He now works as a leadership
coach and motivational speaker.

Global network
links dentists

A

n ‘innovative global network, aiming to unite dentists of Indian origin from all
over the world, was launched at the
British Dental Association conference.
Dentalghar, which means the
‘home of dentistry’, was created by
the visionary Professor Raman Bedi
who joined forces with the market
leader in healthcare education
Smile-on and Henry Schein Minerva to bring Dentalghar to life.
Professor Bedi was
the Chief Dental Officer
of England from 1 October 2002 to 1 October
2005.

our medical colleagues, and so this
factor gave rise to the momentum
for starting Dentalghar. Dentalghar
is not only an arena to meet and discuss issues, but also to create opportunities whereby many of us outside
India can think about how we can
give something back to our country
of origin.’
A spokeswoman for Smile-on
said: ‘Dentalghar offers an invaluable opportunity for dental professionals to join a global
network and explore
the latest news, case
studies, interviews, special offers and charitable events.

Professionals looking to study abroad will
also find outstanding inDentalghar aims to
formation on work perlink thousands of dentists who share com- Professor Raman Bedi mits, visas and qualifications and there is also
mon values.
an excellent opportunity to win
bursaries and to contribute to volAll members are able to conunteering in the UK and all around
tribute to polls, surveys and articles
the world. Delegates at the conferand professionals will have 24 hour
ence agreed that this innovative onaccess to new perspectives, fasciline community would give profesnating insights and the chance to
sionals from all walks of life a voice
discuss their experiences and rethat would be heard by thousands.’
ceive advice.
Professor Raman Bedi, whohopes that Dentalghar will become
a ‘major force in the industry’ said:
‘In dentistry, proportionately speaking, we have more worldwide dentists of BIPS (Bangladeshi, Indian,
Pakistani, Sri Lankan) origin than

For more information on Dentalghar, visit www.dentalghar.
com or to discuss the range of
flexible
educational
programmes available from Smileon call 020 7400 8989 or email
info@smile-on.com DT

During the seminar he talked
about the importance of taking
personal responsibility and how
everyone in the team (from principle to the cleaner) has a part to
play.
He also emphasised the importance of involving each person
in the practice and developing
smaller and broader teams.
Mr Woods’ seminar was preceded by a Philips-hosted seminar
and interactive quiz by Mike
Lewis, professor of oral medicine
entitled ‘The mouth is the window
of the body. What can you see?’
This looked at the important
role, dental professionals can play
in the early diagnosis of systemic
disease, and how this can impact
on patient outcomes.
Philips also launched its first
ever Sonicare for Kids at the con-

Philips’ first-ever Sonicare for Kids put to the test

found that Sonicare for Kids removes more plaque than a children's manual toothbrush, and
this was found to be up to 75 per
cent more in hard-to-reach areas.
Thanks to the in-built timer
and quadpacer with its musical
tones indicator, the children trialling the brush also used it for

to teach their children how to
brush effectively.
With Sonicare for Kids, parents can provide their children
with a fun way to start achieving
exceptional results now and as
they develop, providing effective
brushing habits for a lifetime of
good oral care.’ DT

International Imprint
Executive Vice President
Marketing & Sales

Peter Witteczek
p.witteczek@dental-tribune.com

DENTAL TRIBUNE
The World’s Dental Newspaper · United Kingdom Edition

Published by Dental Tribune UK Ltd
© 2009, Dental Tribune UK Ltd. All rights reserved.
Dental Tribune UK Ltd makes every effort to report clinical
information and manufacturer’s product news accurately, but
cannot assume responsibility for the validity of product claims,
or for typographical errors. The publishers also do not assume
responsibility for product names or claims, or statements made
by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and
may not reflect those of Dental Tribune International.

Chairman
Torsten Oemus
t.oemus@dental-tribune.com
Managing Director
Mash Seriki
Mash@dentaltribuneuk.com
Editor
Penny Palmer
Tel.: 0207 4008979
penny@dentaltribuneuk.com
Director
Noam Tamir
Noam@dentaltribuneuk.com

Advertising Director
Joe Aspis
Tel.: 020 7400 8969
Joe@dentaltribuneuk.com
Marketing Manager
Laura McKenzie
Lauram@dentaltribuneuk.com

Dental Tribune UK Ltd
4th Floor, Treasure House
19–21 Hatton Garden
London, EC1N 8BA

[3] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

GDPUK round-up
Tony Jacobs shares the most recent snippets of conversation from his ever-growing GDPUK online community

DPUK members have
been busy turning their
attention to a clinical
topic: one colleague was auditing his radiographs and wanted
to define the term ‘coned off’
when examining a film. Other
colleagues joined in, commenting on the criteria for examining radiographs written for general radiography. They talked
about what happens when examining say, a leg, suggesting
that it is difficult to miss the limb
with the beam, whereas taking a
periapical to show all of a lower
third molar in a gagging patient
with a large tongue is another
matter. Perhaps the guidelines
and requirements for an audit
should be rewritten for dentistry and not based on other
parts of the body that are easier
to access?

How the forthcoming Steele
report may be read and used by
the politicians was talked about.
The report might or might not be
published around the time of the
LDC conference in mid June. If

the report wishes to keep UDAs,
this will be a vindication for the
politicians. If the report advises
scrapping the system, this will
be delayed until after the next
election.

News
Other matters concerned the
forum. How does a dentist dispose of an old s-ray head unit?
Normal waste? Landfill? Scrap
metal dealer? They can leak oil,
and have a hefty lead lining – the
answer was that most firms supplying a new article will dispose
of the old one.

headline reading ‘Dennis the
Dentist’.

Some original research
caught the interest of GDPUK
posters when it was reported that
the most common name for a
dentist in the USA is Dennis – the

And on a final note, the forum
saw a topic titled: Yorkshire dentist injecting patients with Ecstasy… it’s called Eee bah
gum. DT

The newspaper reporting this
story found it to be hilarious, but
this did not raise a laugh here in
Britain, probably due to the fact
that we pronounce every letter in
the word ‘dentist’.

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Professor Jimmy Steele’s
around-the-country road-show
has been followed in some detail
on GDPUK. GDPUK members
have been present at each meeting and have written personal reports of the events. The general
gist of each meeting is the same,
but the nuances and what is said
are different each time. Attendance overall seemed to be quite
low, considering the great malcontent, and this being a well advertised way to have one’s say to
someone writing a major report.
There was some criticism of the
location and timings of the meetings, but most dentists remain
busy working to reach those UDA
targets.

Take the lead in periodontology!
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Tony Jacobs,
52 is a GDP in the suburbs of Manchester, in practice with partner
Steve Lazarus at 406Dental
(www.406dental.com). He has
had roles in his LDC, local BDA and
with the annual conference of
LDCs, and is a local dental adviser
for Dental Protection. Nowadays,
he concentrates on GDPUK, the
web group for UK dentists to discuss their profession online,
www.gdpuk.com. Tony founded
this group in 1997 which now has
around 7,000 unique visitors per
month, who make 35,000 visits and
generate more than a million pages
on the site per month. Tony is sure
GDPUK.com is the liveliest and
most topical UK dental website.

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[4] => DTUK1709_01_Title

News & Opinions

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Focus must shift when treating children

clinical lecturer from
Dundee Dental School has
challenged the traditional
way of managing dental caries
through prevention and described a new way of looking at
children’s dentistry, in a presentation to the British Dental Association conference and exhibition.

dren, needs to shift from invasive
treatment of the deciduous teeth
to limiting experiences that
could lead to dental-induced
anxiety in the future. Too often
intervention in childhood, she
said, can result in the development of poor attitudes to dentistry in adulthood.

fession should aim to allow children to reach adulthood with an intact dentition, free from caries and
restorations with the individual
having the motivation and skills to
care for their own oral health with
a positive attitude to dental care.
She described this approach as rational and evidence-based.

minimise the risk of pain and sepsis, Dr Innes said, and instead of
using a drill or extract approach,
preformed stainless steel crowns
could be used. She described
what was involved in the socalled “Hall” technique, details of
which can be found at: www.
scottishdental.org/?o=1404

Dr Nicola Innes said the focus
when it comes to treating chil-

To mitigate against this, Dr
Innes argued that the dental pro-

Managing caries in deciduous
molars should therefore aim to

Managing the primary dentition in this radical way needs to

take parents, the child and the dental team on board. The threepronged approach to affect change
for the dental team involves changing attitudes and priorities, maximising prevention as well as biological caries management.
Commenting on the views expressed, Andrew Lamb, BDA
Scotland Director said: ‘This was a
fascinating presentation and will
challenge the preconceptions and
attitudes of those who heard it.’ DT

Vintage
posters
promote
oral health

he British Dental Association has unveiled a series of
vintage posters and postcards promoting oral health at its
conference in Glasgow.
The posters and postcards feature designs produced by the Ministry of Health between the 1930s
and 1960s.
A spokeswoman for the British
Dental Association (BDA) said:
‘This exclusive series, uses a combination of eye-catching vintage illustrations and photographs to
emphasise the value of good oral
health and nutrition in a fun and
novel way.’
Divided into two groups, the
first set of images combines vibrant, iconic graphics to add impact to taglines such as ‘Teeth matter!’ and ‘First teeth are important’.

The second group is made up of
a collection of photos depicting a variety of domestic ‘vignettes’ in black
and white, which highlight dental
health tips and link healthy teeth to
good looks and better living.
The 12 images in the series
were selected from the BDA museum archives and are available
either individually or as a set.
Prices range from £5 for a set of
12 postcards, to £195 for a full set of
12 posters. Framing options are
also available.
Further details are available via:
http://www.bda.org/shop/mus/
a4indiv.aspx. DT

[5] => DTUK1709_01_Title

News & Opinions

Talking is key to success

ommunicating with patients is essential for the
wellbeing of dental practices, business coach and psychologist Sheila Scott advised delegates at the British Dental Association conference and exhibition.

Ms Scot who runs a consultancy service for dental practices
described the types of questions
that can elicit useful information
and get patients to reveal more
about what they want from their
dentist.

Ms Scott’s entertaining presentation concentrated on good
communication with patients,
recognising it as one of the most
important activities in dental
practice.

From a recent survey of 1,745
patients, she identified the following attributes as the most important issues for patients: trusting a
dentist (90%); ensuring healthy
teeth and gums (77%); being seen
quickly/emergency care (77%);
sterilisation/patient protection
(76%); general cleanliness/hygiene; skills of the dentist.

‘The power of patient questionnaires should not be underestimated,’ she said. ‘They can be
really powerful when used to find
out what patients want from the
practice and their dentists. Too
often they are used only to find
out about what patients think
about the practice.’

If the above are in place, the
least important factors are: convenient appointment times; cost; skills
of the hygienis; treatments for appearance; being seen on time.

The dental health examination is vital for the patient – and
is the main reason for attending a practice in the first place.
However, this activity is often
viewed by the dentist as the
most boring or least interesting.
Sheila Scott urges dentists
to make more of the examination and to involve the patient
at every stage – using language
that the patient understands,
helping them to assume responsibility for their dental
health more easily.
She also pointed out the importance of discussing the cost
of treatment early. Patients,
she said, only get worried
about how much it costs when
they don’t know. Once they
have been advised of the cost,
they can concentrate on what
the treatment involves. DT

Denplan gets a makeover

ental payment plan specialist, Denplan, unveiled
its new, refreshed brand
at this year’s British Dental Association conference.
The Denplan apple that has become so familiar among the profession and patients alike remains,
but there is now a new strapline –
‘at the heart of dental care’.

than payment plans and our new
strapline clearly demonstrates the
value-added services we offer.’
As a platinum sponsor of this
year’s British Dental Association
(BDA) conference and exhibition
in Glasgow, Denplan chose the
conference as the platform to introduce the updated look.

Managing director, Steve
Gates, added: ‘Denplan has been
at the heart of dental care for over
22 years and our brand identity
now clearly reflects this.
As an organisation, we understand the need to be innovative
and to continually review how
we are portrayed to the outside

Denplan hopes that the new
look and feel will be clearer and
easier to understand and has
been designed to work harder for
practices.

Along with the refreshed brand,
visitors to the Denplan stand were
also refreshed with a choice of ice
creams in celebration of the launch.

he professional indemnity
organisation, Dental Protection
Limited,
has
launched a new practice programme at the British Dental Association conference in Glasgow.

nity for all dental nurses (or dental
technicians) working within the
practice – not only for negligence
claims, but also for General Dental
Council investigations and other
professional challenges.

The DPLXtra programme is
designed to encourage good practice, and a team approach to risk
management.

There is also automatic indemnity for all reception, management and administrative staff
employed by the practice, in respect of professional matters (including data protection).

Benefits of the programme include reduced subscriptions for individual Dental Protection Limited
(DPL) dentists, hygienists and other
dental care professionals working
in the practice, and free DPL indem-

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which have been coated with titanium nitride. This
coating gives the instruments non-stick properties to
enable easy placement and sculpting of composite
restorations in the mouth. The round solid handles
have been perfectly weighted to reduce risk of
developing carpal tunnel syndrome and enable
easier sculpting of the material in the mouth. The
silicone handles provide a soft comfortable grip and
are designed to reduce risk of developing carpal
tunnel syndrome. The tips come in a variety of
different shapes.

• Ceramic-tipped Soft tissue trimmer:
Ideal for trimming free gingivae.
Haemostasis achieved immediately.
Available in 2 different tip sizes for
different procedures.

world. I see this as a wholly positive exercise for Denplan, our
member practices and their
patients.’ DT

Dental Protection launches DPLXtra

Practices of any size can join
the DPLXtra programme by paying an annual registration fee
which reduces in cost according to
the number of Dental Protection
members in the practice.

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Commenting at the launch,
Sarah Bradbury, Denplan marketing communications and
brand manager said: ‘The Denplan brand has come to symbolise ethical, professional and
quality dental care.
Patients recognise and expect
these values of Denplan practices.
The Denplan portfolio of business
services has expanded greatly
over the years offering far more

Precision Hand
Instruments

Practices will also receive a
practice-management resource
created by Dental Protection in conjunction with Croner Consulting.
The free subscription to this
web-based service provides updated guidance for the practice
team on the various employment,
legal and regulatory matters affecting them.

Kevin Lewis, dental director at
DPL said: ‘The enormous response to DPLXtra and to Dental
Protection’s greater presence in
Scotland was overwhelming. The
enthusiasm displayed at the BDA
conference directly after the official opening of Dental Protection’s new offices in Edinburgh,
left me wondering why we
haven’t had a permanent base in
Scotland earlier.’
Hugh Harvie, head of Dental
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many additional benefits available to the practice team.
He added: ‘The web-based
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make it popular with practice
owners and managers throughout the UK.’ DT

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[6] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

News & Opinions

6

Taxpayer foots £13m emergency bill

M

ore than 22,000 people
in Britain were admitted to hospital for
emergency dental treatment
last year, according to the NHS
Information Centre.
The statistics, obtained by
the Conservatives from the NHS
Information Centre, show a total of 22,058 people had to be admitted to hospital for emergency dental treatment in
2007/08 – an increase of one per
cent on the 21,801 admitted in
the previous year.
Another 1,101 people were
admitted to hospital after being

referred by their GP – a rise of
five per cent on the previous
year.
The data also revealed that
in some parts of England, people were more likely to be admitted for emergency dental
treatment than in others.
Those residing in Liverpool
were 14 times more likely to do
so than those on the Isle of
Wight.
The Conservatives estimate
the cost of emergency admissions to the NHS is around £13
million a year.

KaVo – Dental Excellence

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley called the figures
‘further evidence of Labour’s
appalling failure on NHS dentistry’.
He added: ‘For years now,
many people have been simply
unable to see an NHS dentist and
almost a million more have lost
access to their dentist since
Labour’s new contract was introduced in 2006.’
However, Health Minister Ann
Keen said: ‘While we want to see
emergency admissions kept to a
minimum, these figures should
be put into perspective.

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of treatment that dentists delivered in the same year, an increase
of 937,000 courses of treatment
over the previous year.’ DT

Recession hits dentists
T
he number of dentists
seeking financial help has
risen as the credit crunch
takes hold, according to the
British Dental Association’s
Benevolent Fund.

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‘Data shows an increase of
just 257 patients in a year (one per
cent) admitted to hospital, compared with the 36 million courses

Last year, the Fund saw a 50
per cent increase in applications
for financial assistance over the
previous year, and this rise continued in the first three months of
2009.

More than half of regular beneficiaries live on means-tested
benefits, and following a particularly cold winter that required
the provision of extra fuel grants,
the Fund is appealing for extra
donations.

The Fund, which is wholly dependent on contributions, provides grants to help supplement
incomes, cover basic expenses
and even replace vital household
goods including beds and cookers.

The Fund’s expenditure exceeded income by £44,000 last
year, and all indications are that
the number of applications will
keep on rising.

For more information or to donate to the Benevolent Fund,
call Sally Atkinson on 020 7486
4994 or email dentistshelp@btconnect.com. DT

GDC welcomes law change

T

he General Dental Council
has welcomed a change in
the law that allows dentists to request an emergency
supply of a prescription-only
medicine.
The issue arose after a practising dentist was asked by a patient for a prescription of antibiotics from their local pharmacist
over the telephone.
The dentist was told by the
pharmacist that they were not allowed to issue a prescription via
a telephone request from a dentist under any circumstances.

After being alerted to the incident, the General Dental
Council (GDC) contacted the
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of
Great Britain (RPSGB) which
said it understood dentists have
never been legally able to request an emergency supply of
medicine.
UK registered dentists were
excluded from an amendment
made to the relevant legislation
in November 2008 (Medicines for
Human Use (Prescribing EEA
Practitioners) Regulations 2008),
allowing practitioners in many
other EU countries to do this.

A spokeswoman for the
GDC said: ‘This anomaly
prompted us to contact the Department of Health. It told us
the legislation was amended in
May this year and is now active
in the UK. This means UK registered dentists can now
arrange for the emergency
supply of prescription-only
medicines.
‘The GDC would like to remind dentists however that
they shouldn’t request an emergency supply of a prescriptiononly medicine without examining the patient first.’ DT

Calling BRONJ patients

A

two-year national study on
patients with avascular
necrosis of the jaws is to be
carried out by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) in partnership with the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgeons.
The UK-wide new patient
registration study for patients
with avascular necrosis of the
jaws, including bisphosphonaterelated osteonecrosis (BRONJ),

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or your preferred Gendex supplier

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is relevant to all who diagnose
and treat patients with avascular
necrosis of the jaws/BRONJ.
The study will look at patients
referred to oral and maxillofacial
departments and dental hospitals in England, Wales, Scotland
and Northern Ireland during the
period from 1 June 2009 until 31
May 2011.
The clinical leads for the study
are Professor Simon Rogers for
British Association of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS)
and Dr Nikolaus Palmer for the
Faculty of General Dental Practice (FGDP UK).
The project is web-based and
data will be recorded via the following link and all documents,

including the protocol, patient
consent and patient information
forms, can be viewed and downloaded from: http://web.rcseng.
ac.uk/bijn-research-project/
All those who would like to participate in the study, please
contact the BRONJ Project
Manager, Amrita Narain on 020
7869 6750 or email bronj@rcseng.ac.uk DT

[7] => DTUK1709_01_Title

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8

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

News & Opinions

Dental team tackles fear factor

A

dentist in Sunderland has
been offering children
special visits to reduce the
fear factor and help break down
the barriers that stop many from
visiting the dentist.

Millfield Community Nursery with dental hygienist, Kay Pounder (left), cluster manager for Extended Services, Kris Heskett (centre) and dental nurse, Kelly Lloyd (right)

As part of National Smile
Month and to celebrate the
surgery’s 25th anniversary, David
Vaughan Dental Care opened its

doors to two Sunderland schools
with the aim of improving the
children’s oral health.
The visits, which were organised by Sunderland Extended Services and David
Vaughan Dental Care, gave the
children from Millfield Community Nursery and Diamond Hall
Infants the opportunity to learn

PracticeWorks

Councillor Pat Smith, cabinet
member for Children’s Services
within Sunderland City Council,
said: ‘Many people who are frightened to visit the dentist can trace
their phobias back to perhaps an
unpleasant experience as a child.

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Through trips like these, it allows the children to become
more familiar with the process
involved with visiting the dentist
in a relaxed and informal environment. By walking the children through a visit to the dentist
and getting the children involved
in fun role-plays, helps to make it
easier when it comes to future
appointments, while also showing them the dentist isn’t a scary
experience.’

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A special role-play session
with the dental nurse explained
what happens during a visit to
the dentist and showed the children what each member of the
surgery’s team does.

The surgery’s hygienist talked
to the children about how different foods can affect teeth, which
are the best to eat and when to
avoid certain foods.

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After arriving at the dental
practice in Pallion, the children
were able to meet the surgery’s
team, including its dentist, hygienist, dental nurse and reception team.

David Vaughan, the practice’s
dentist then showed the children
how to care for their teeth properly, including how long to brush
for, how much toothpaste to use
and when to visit the dentist.

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Sheryn Vaughan, practice
manager at David Vaughan Dental Care, hopes to organise other
visits with Sunderland Extended
Services so more children can
benefit.
She said: ‘Good oral health is
extremely important to your
overall health whatever your
age and regular visits to the
dentist are an essential part of
this process. We decided to help
host these visits as part of National Smile Month so the children could come into the surgery and have fun and hopefully
will be more comfortable when
their next appointment comes
around.’
Following the trip, each child
received a special oral health
goody bag, which included a suitable toothbrush, toothpaste, a
two-minute timer, a tooth brushing chart and dental-care literature for parents as well as a special certificate.
To help support the trips,
Pauline Wright, oral health promoter for South of Tyne & Wear
Teaching Primary Care Trust,
will also visit each of the schools
to further promote the importance of dental care and healthy
eating. DT

[9] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Green light case presentation:
Get a yes every time!
municators understand this phenomenon and break down resistance by using education, compelling stories
and testimonials to help
patients understand
the benefits of treatment within their
unique frame of reference. Customising information to
meet each specific
patient’s viewpoint
is the foundation of
the finest case presentations.

Introduction
Every practice can tap into
the power of what I call Green
Light Case Presentation. Persuading patients to say ‘yes’ to
recommended treatment is perhaps the greatest challenge faced
by dentists. You can explain, discuss and inform all you want, but
if you don’t motivate, you won’t
be successful, especially when
presenting cosmetic and elective
treatment.

True to their dental
school training, dentists tend
to focus more on the dispassionate technical and clinical features of cases. Patients, on the
other hand, are far more concerned with lifestyle benefits.
Therein lies the problem. When a
presentation is heavily geared toward clinical aspects of treatment, patients will often lose interest. So don’t get detoured by
the technical details — stay focused on the patient benefi ts and
let Green Light Case Presentation work for you!

Green light essentials
Good case presentation skills
require understanding the patient’s point of view while articulating your own treatment philosophy. Without the willingness
to take this empathetic view, it is
nearly impossible to positively
infl uence patient behaviour and
treatment choices. Once dentists
understand the point of view of
people in the chair, doctors have
a far better chance of relating to
each patient. When this happens,
chances are far greater of having
an infl uence on choices that patients make. This is what Green
Light Case Presentation is all
about.
Keep in mind that patients interpret each new experience
through their past experiences,
beliefs and values. The best com-

Based on more than 23 years’
experience consulting to the
dental industry, Levin Group has
found that practices observing
the following guidelines experience superior levels of case acceptance:

Educate the patient. Patients should be educated
about all of the practice’s services, preferably during a hygiene
visit. Typically viewed as nothing
more than ‘cleaning’ by patients,
the hygiene visit needs to be perceived as far more than that.
Levin Group recommends calling this the ‘periodontal maintenance and oral cancer exam appointment.’ Typically, the hygienist has more time than the
dentist does to educate patients
who may need treatment.

Emphasise benefits. Patients will always want to
know what the procedure will do
for them. Remember that saying
‘yes’ to treatment is largely an
emotional decision, particularly
in elective treatment cases.

Be prepared for questions
and objections. If patients
are going to agree to spend time
and money on services you recommend, they will understandably want to know more about
certain aspects of treatment.
Questions and objections should
be anticipated, calmly answered
and thoroughly explained. Many
patients will share similar questions. Be sure to have well-prepared answers.

Use targeted support materials. Educational materials, such as brochures, should be
available to reinforce services
discussed with the dental hygienist and/or the doctor. Along
with being educational, this material should be developed with
the target audience in mind.

Present financial options.
Many cases are lost during
the discussion of fees and payment methods. Offices that understand how to guide patients
through several financial options
have a much higher case acceptance rate than others. Levin
Group recommends these options: 10 per cent reduction for
full payment, half at the beginning and half before completion,
credit cards and third-party financing.

Always follow up. Any patient who has been presented a case and does not
schedule for treatment should
receive a follow-up phone call
from the front desk staff the next
morning. Many patients are extremely interested in having
treatment and just need a slight
additional prompt. By having a
front desk staff member call, you
have a much greater opportu-

Practice Management

Provide a new patient orientation pack
Provide patients with excellent customer service by creating a New Patient
Orientation Pack. This pack should include:
1. Office polices/services: Describe your policies about appointments, emergencies and patient referrals. Provide a list of services offered.
2. Office philosophy: Outline your practice’s mission and vision.
3. Payment options: Describe fi nancial alternatives and how your financial
co-ordinator works with patients to provide a better understanding of their
payment options.
4. Staff biographies: Highlight the doctors’ and staff’s educational and professional backgrounds.
5. Welcome letter: Patients will appreciate a letter welcoming them to the
practice.
— Roger P Levin, DDS

nity of the patient following
through on a decision to have
treatment.

The Goal: trust
All of the preceding guidelines must serve one goal — gaining the trust of the patient. Without trust, getting the green light
from patients is unlikely. Many
dentists believe that all their patients have high levels of trust for
the doctor and practice. Unfortunately, that confidence is conditional. Patients may find it easy to
be confident in the restoration of
a broken or decayed tooth, but
that confidence does not necessarily extend to a larger case or
elective treatment.
Keep in mind that patients
have a specific vision of dentists.
Many patients think of dentists
as taking care of basic dental
needs, not realising doctors are
fully capable of providing larger
or more comprehensive treatment as well. Since elective procedures still constitute only a
small percentage of practice
production, patients still view
dentistry mainly as a needbased activity. Consequently,
dentists must develop different
styles of case presentation depending on the type of case being presented.
One recommendation is to
schedule consultations during
specific times of the day. Levin
Group teaches scheduling as a
system where consultations are
placed in the mid-afternoon after
most of the high-level treatment
has already been completed for

the day. This allows the doctor to
focus completely on the patient
in an atmosphere relaxed
enough to spend the necessary
time to present the case, answer
questions and work through objections.

Summary
Green Light Case Presentation can help you get the case acceptance results you need to take
your practice to the next level.
Turn on the green light and transform your practice today! DT

About the author

Dr Roger P Levin
is founder and chief executive officer of Levin Group, Inc., a leading
dental practice management consulting firm that provides a comprehensive suite of lifetime services to
its clients and partners. Since 1985,
Levin Group has embraced one single mission — to improve the lives of
dentists. For more than 20 years,
Levin Group has helped thousands
of general dentists and specialists
increase their satisfaction with practicing dentistry. Levin Group may be
reached at (888) 973-0000 and customerservice@levingroup.com.

[10] => DTUK1709_01_Title

Practice Management

The 10th Dimension… the power of 10

Dancing with your patient
Part one: patients – or customers?

hould the people who attend our dental practices
be considered simply as
patients, or are they, like everyone else who uses any other
business, customers as well?
The answer to this question is
fundamental to your chances of
long-term survival as a dentist
in practice.

Setting the standards
I am sitting in the lounge of a
hotel in South Africa writing this
article. It is 6:15am, the time
when my mind is clear and there
are no disturbances. Then the
hotel manager walks in. At
6:15am. He comes up to me and
greets me by name (there are 200
people staying at the hotel). He
asks what I am doing awake so
early, and after a brief explanation, I ask the same of him. He
replies: ‘If things don’t start right
they don’t go right. My job is to
see they start right – and then
when my deputy arrives at 9am,
I hand over and go out for a round
of golf.’ The boss sets the standards, and everyone else delivers – this is why I come back here
every year.
Setting aside for the moment
the current recession, think of
your high-street bank and consider what happens when you go
at lunchtime to deposit your
weekly takings. Think of the 10 to
20 minutes you stand in line,
watching and listening as a

Supreme customer service is about attracting the customer to your business

‘Keeping patients happy while
waiting in your waitingroom.’
Suggestions ranged from providing daily newspapers and current magazines to playpens for
kids to serving coffee and doughnuts. Then I put my hand up and
asked: ‘Wouldn’t it be better not
to keep them waiting at all?’ Two
hundred pairs of eyes burned me
for even considering such a
ridiculous concept. The question
went unanswered. It still does.
Yet there is an answer, and the
answer is: “Think beyond the excellency of what you do.”

‘There is only one boss.
The customer. And he can fire
everybody in the company, from the
chairman down, simply by spending
his money somewhere else.’
Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart

but aftercare. It includes dealing with complaints, or better
still, pre-empting them. In
short, it is the whole story of
keeping your patients/customers satisfied. It is now about
supreme customer service.
Supreme customer service
is essential in attaining market
supremacy over your colleagues, and is achieved by redefining the role of service
within your practice using cutting-edge service thinking. It is
about attracting, courting and
marrying the customer to your
business, establishing a mutually beneficial relationship, and
most important, keeping the
customer and avoiding a divorce which is costlyin terms of
lost revenue and goodwill. The
desired outcome is to have as
many patients/customers as
you can manage comfortably
who will become loyal, lifelong
advocates of your practice and
your personal excellence.
My next article will deal with
how this can be achieved. DT

cashier sits counting a mountain
of coins from someone else’s deposit or phoning head office to
deal with a customer’s query or,
more likely, complaint. Then
think of your feelings when just a
few short months ago you picked
up your Sunday newspaper and
read that the bank had made billions of pounds in profit that
quarter. Then think about the
huge bonuses being earned by
banking executives. Then think
how you felt when you read that
the same bank was pleading for
Government bale-out money.
Then think of your dental practice and those patients sitting in
the waiting room while the
phone rings incessantly and
unanswered at the desk. Then
think about the notion of service.
I attended a medical symposium in the late 80s entitled:

Patient service
Dentistry has never been
noted as a truly service-orientated profession. It, like its medical counterpart, took its lead
from central Government. Until
a few years ago the notion of patient service wasn’t even a twinkle in the eye of a medical professional. Then it was born but
was rooted in the idea that if you
delivered quality in what you
did (excellent diagnosis, excellent treatment) you were delivering patient service. Today,
however, the bouncing ball has
moved on, and service encompasses not just excellence in
what you do, but a more holistic
brief encompassing everything
that happens in your practice
from the time they make the
first phone call through their
visit to post-treatment followup. It embraces not only service

About the author
Ed Bonner
has owned many practices, and
now consults with and coaches
dentists and their staff to achieve
their potential. Adrianne Morris is
a highly-trained success coach
whose aim is to get people from
where they are now to where they
want to be in clear measured steps.
For an expanded version of this article, or to subscribe to The Power
of 10 e-zine, contact Ed Bonner
at bonner.edwin@gmail.com or
phone 07766 601338. If you would
like to discuss anything about this
article, feel free to phone or drop
an email to Ed or Adrianne
(alplifecoach@yahoo.com).

[11] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Practice Management 11

Are your profits receding?
Simon Hocken of Breathe Business
offers some tips to fireproof your
practice in tough financial times

he gypsy’s crystal ball is
fractured, and no one is
prepared to forecast the
economic future, as famous
names in finance tumble almost

‘Always aim to
smash your patients’ expectations with the
quality of care
they receive.
This will set you
apart from the
competition.’
daily from their once impregnable City fortresses. Those of us
charged with taking care of our
own businesses must take what
steps we can to survive, and
hopefully prosper, as the threat of
recession comes closer.
Breathe Business has learned
a trick or two about responding to
the challenge of hard times, and
the experience of our own client
practices has proved the benefits
of implementing 10 practical, affordable strategies to maximise
revenue and keep the practice
flag flying.
1. Be confident and inspire your team with
your own enthusiasm.
People still have teeth
(or not!), and most will
still have jobs and a
wage packet whatever
happens. And they’ll
still care about their appearance. The work will
always be out there – just be
sure that your share comes to
your practice. Be relentlessly
positive.
2. Add worthwhile value to every
treatment you offer. When
money is tight, everybody
wants to negotiate a deal. Suggestions from our own clients

include
“Whitening
for
Lovers,” (buy one, get one
free), “Free Whitening for
Life,” (or a designated number
of treatments over a specific
time); offer patients incentives
to introduce a friend – a free
iPod, perhaps, or an electric
toothbrush and free replacement heads for life as a reward
for joining a membership
scheme or committing to a major course of treatment. Your
own imagination will furnish
suggestions appropriate for
your own clientele.
3. Membership schemes retain
patients’ loyalty and ensure the
practice a steady income.
Some practices have even
found it beneficial to become
members-only. Without the incentive of a standing order,
when cash is short, it’s tempting to forgo a check-up or a hygiene appointment, and membership also exploits a natural

disinclination to change
a familiar system.
4. ‘All the money that you
need for the rest of your career is in the pockets of the
patients that you know and
the people that they can introduce you to,’ says my coach,
Don Sullivan. Reactivating
lapsed patients and dormant
treatment plans is far more
cost effective than pursuing
new ones. Make them an offer
they can’t refuse, and invite
them to bring a friend.
5. Improve your patients’ experience, their “journey” through
their treatment at your practice. Always impress them with
their welcome and the overall
quality of their care and surroundings. This will set you
apart from the competition and
ensure your practice is talked
about and recommended.
6. Create a niche and then diversify. Focus the care you offer on
the needs of your patient demographic, and then add complementary services which
will also appeal for example,
some of our more progressive
cosmetic client practices have
introduced other aesthetic
services such as laser skin
resurfacing, laser
Pat
usinients ar
the s g the ine incre
a
ervi
t
ces t ernet tosingly
hey
needfind
.

Be confident and
inspire your
team.

hair removal or facial aesthetics including skin peels, even
life coaching and hypnotherapy for smoking cessation and
weight loss.
7. Make your services affordable.
Interest-free or interest-bearing credit is easy to arrange
through providers such as
Medenta. Offer discounts to
clients who pay in advance.
Train a dedicated staff member to discuss the payment options with the patients in private; this allows your own relationship with the patient to
concentrate on purely clinical
matters, saves you time, and is
more likely to result in agreement.

for new memberships or
when new patients book their
first consultation.
We don’t yet know whether
the keen wind of recession will
rise to become a gale, or just how
damaging the impact of the financial sector turmoil will be on
the wider economy. We do know
that now is the time for responsible practice principals to put in
place whatever measures they
can to protect their own businesses. DT

About the author

8. An attractive, professionally
designed and frequently updated website is still a relative
rarity for dental practices, but
patients are increasingly using
the net to locate the services
they require. Be sure that yours
is search-engine optimised to
achieve prominence when
surfers tap in their desired
treatment.
9. Be flexible. Do your patients
really need to see a senior implant clinician when all they
require is a filling? If an experienced associate can deliver
the treatment for £75 instead
of £120, this is more cost effective for both the patient and the
practice.
10. Finally, incentivise your
team. Encourage them to sell
their practice and its services
wherever they go. Create a
bonus scheme, with rewards

Dr Simon Hocken,
founding partner of Breathe Business has a wealth of experience as a
successful private dentist, practice
owner and business coach, helping
clients recognise developing
trends, increase turnover and find
the perfect balance between their
personal and professional lives. To
contact him, call 0845 299 7209,
email info@nowbreathe.co.uk or
visit him at The Granary, Gerston,
West Alvington, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 3BN.

[12] => DTUK1709_01_Title

Practice Management

Raising your practice profile
Want to attract new patients or get your practice
achievements in the news? Denplan shows you
how to gain positive media coverage

n the current financial climate, retaining your private
patients and attracting new
ones has never been tougher and
you can’t afford to sit back and be
complacent.
Dentists need to recognise
that they are not just oral health
practitioners, but small-business owners and managers as
well. Like any commercial business, the dental practice needs
to communicate its messages,
achievements or services, and
to do this, it needs to develop
good press relations with its local media.
Learning how to do this effectively can make a huge difference on the quality of coverage
you can obtain and help you retain and attract new patients.
Here are a few tips to get your PR
plan started.

Be proactive
The key to gaining positive
press coverage is to keep a constant lookout for opportunities to
raise the profile of your practice.
If you have had a bad encounter
with the media in the past, try not
to take it to heart. Persistence
pays off.
Finding out what your target
audience reads, watches or listens to will really pay dividends
and will make the relationship
with your target media more
successful. One of the easiest
ways to find out this type of information is to speak directly to regular patients or ask them to complete a short, simple questionnaire to find out about their
favourite newspapers, magazines and radio stations. Consider entering respondents’
names into a prize draw to maximise the response rate.
By finding out exactly what
your current patients read, you
are far more likely to attract likeminded people through targeted
press releases and articles.

National versus local
It’s a common mistake to
think that the national media is
the most effective way to reach
your target audience. It is however far easier to secure coverage in regional and local papers,
and these will play a more prominent role in the local community
and subsequently your target audience.
Having identified publications you would like to appear in,
educate yourself about the types
of articles they feature. This will
tell you what stories are most
likely to be picked up these publications, saving you from sending a story which is unlikely to be
of interest.

A public relations plan will help you retain and attract new patients

Develop a strong story
Topics most likely to gain coverage are usually about people.
Before-and-after case studies
and practice news that link up
with the national campaigns
such as Mouth Cancer Awareness Week are an effective way to
catch journalists’ attention.
Holding events such as open
evenings or encouraging your
practice team to become involved in charity fundraising activities can also be a good basis
for a story.
Practice news is also of interest to your local publications, especially if you have expanded
your offering in some way. The
appointment of a new dentist, relocation of your practice, refurbishment of your premises or an
award or accreditation will all remind local people you are there,
giving them a reason to contact
you, book an overdue appointment or sign up as a new patient.

Use the right tools
Here is a summary of some of
the most effective PR tools and
how each of them can help your
practice:
• Press releases: are short announcements about any news
your practice may have. The
key points should cover: who,
what, when, where and why. If
you can embed these in your
first paragraph you have immediately told journalists exactly
what they want to know.
• Photographs: local press find it
more difficult to find pictures
than text, so by supplying a good
photograph, you are more
likely to have your copy included.
• Competitions: are a great way
of getting coverage and attracting new patients. You could
make the competition available
only to people registering as a
new patient, but the prize will
have to be worth it.
• Case studies: by producing an
article about how you helped a
patient, with plenty of before
and after pictures, you are
showcasing your clinical expertise and people considering
a similar treatment will be
more likely to call you.

• Events: promoting an open day
or community event will not
only get your practice in print,
but will encourage people to
visit the surgery. By inviting key
members of the press, you are
also likely to have the event followed up in a later article.
• Research: local papers love regional statistics and they can be
used as a story in their own or
act as support material for another story. It is also fairly easy
to produce, but collating information from your patient questionnaires.
• Spokesperson: journalists like
to quote someone who can
speak with authority on a particular issue or story. Decide in
advance what you want to get
across and anything you don’t
want to say, as nothing is ever
‘off the record’.
However you decide to promote your practice to the media,
always ask yourself, ‘What’s in it
for the reader’? Editors will not
print anything which simply
talks about how great you are. By
asking yourself if what you are
presenting is of interest to their
readership, you can create more
valuable and informative copy,
which is far more likely to be published.

Avoid sending text
attachments
Journalists are busy people
who receive many press releases
and story ideas every day. If you
decide to send your press releases
by email, avoid attachments.
When journalists open an email,
they will quickly scan through it to
see if it is relevant and attachments often make them inclined
to ‘go back to it later’, when it
might be too late to be of interest,
or worse still, hit the delete button
instead. Images submitted as an
attachment are useful too, but ensure that they are not more then
two megabytes in size, each.
If you still feel uncertain about
the best way to raise your practice’s profile, the Denplan press
office is more than happy to
provide assistance and support
with your public relations activity. Call the press team on
01962 827931. DT

[13] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Money Matters 13

Is it worth getting it right?

About the author
Frank Pons

If you want to avoid paying extra tax, not to mention
expensive accountants’ fees, there is something you
can do. Frank Pons offers some advice

ith HM Revenue & Customs selecting cases at
random, you might be
forgiven for feelings of fatalism. After all, if the tax inspector can still
target you even if your self-assessment tax return is in impeccable order, why bother to get it right at all?

class dental treatment and care – after all, that’s what you trained for,
and that’s what you want to be doing
with your time.

A qualified chartered accountant and
tax expert, Frank Pons founded PFP in
1984, the first company to recognise
the need for and provide dentists with
tax investigation insurance. For more
information, contact PFP on 0845 307
1177, email info@pfp.uk.com or visit
www.pfponline.com. PFP also offers unlimited human resources and
employment advice with the HR Plus
service.

This article does not constitute financial advice from Dental
Tribune, they are the views of the
author. DT

The Clearstep System

The problem is that if you do not
pay attention while completing
your tax return, you can give the tax
authorities an excuse to investigate
you. They may simply focus on
those areas that were incorrectly
completed, but they could just as
easily extend the enquiry to cover
your books and accounts in their
entirety… subjecting you to weeks,
or even months, of stress and panic.
You’d much rather be focusing
on your business, giving your patients the best possible treatment
and keeping your team positive and
motivated, but you’re having sleepless nights and having to trawl
through all those old documents to
provide the information requested
by the tax inspector. A voice in your
head says, ‘Just give them what they
want and they’ll go away.’ Another
voice says, ‘I don’t owe them anything, and I want to prove it.’

Swallow your pride
If you can afford to pay what the
tax inspector demands, it could be a
good idea just to swallow your
pride. It might seem like a terrible
injustice, but the cost of hiring an
experienced accountant or investigation specialist to deal with the enquiry could well run into several
thousand pounds more than the
original cost of just paying up. So, in
a very real sense, it could be wise to
admit culpability even when none
exists, just to get the investigation
over with, and even save yourself a
little money – sad, but true.
However, there is an alternative. Dentists have realised the
importance of having some form
of tax investigation cost protection, which in the case of the market leader covers the policyholder
for up to £75,000 towards accountants’ fees in the event of a
tax investigation.
With a portfolio of policies available to cover Full Enquiries, VAT
Disputes, PAYE Disputes, NIV Disputes and Aspect Enquiries, cost
protection gives you the chance to
defend yourself during an investigation. You can let your accountant or
investigation specialist deal with the
case without having to wonder
whether it might be more cost-effective and practical just to surrender.
With cost protection in place,
you don’t need to live in fear of the
tax authorities either picking up on
an innocent mistake on your tax return or picking your name out of a
hat. Instead, you can hand the
whole thing over to a specialist and
get on with the job of providing top

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fixed skills and other methods to reduce your costs and
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contact us today.

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info@clearstep.co.uk
www.clearstep.co.uk

[14] => DTUK1709_01_Title

[15] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Money Matters 15

Retirement income options
In the second of this two-part series, Ray Prince sheds some light
on annuity alternatives when it comes to generating money for
your retirement

I

f you really hate the idea of
buying an annuity, there are
ways of delaying purchase in
the hope rates will improve or, in
the event of you suffering ill
health, that you will get enhanced rates later on.

Unsecured pensions
Unsecured pensions (also
known as income drawdown or
pension fund withdrawal) are a
popular alternative to buying annuities. They allow you to draw
an income directly from your
pension fund while the fund remains invested.
The maximum level of income you can draw is about 120
per cent of the level lifetime annuity payable to a single person
of your age and sex; the mini-

Staggered vesting

‘Unsecured
pensions allow
you to draw
income from
your fund while
it remains
invested’
mum is zero. You can use your remaining fund to buy a lifetime
annuity at any time.

Similar to an unsecured pension, staggered vesting (also
known as phased retirement) is a
way of drawing an income from
your pension fund while delaying the purchase of an annuity.
With this, most personal pensions are set up as 1,000 segments. Staggered vesting allows
you to take benefits from segments in stages over a number of
years. Each time you draw on a
segment, a tax-free lump sum of
25 per cent can be taken and the
balance used to buy an annuity. The remaining
funds stay

invested, and hopefully will grow
to beat inflation.
This can be a useful financial
planning tool if, for example,
you want to ease back gradually
on work and start to replace
your earnings with pension income. The danger is that taking
withdrawals may erode the

 DT page 16

Anyone in a stakeholder or
personal pension scheme can
use an unsecured pension, apart
from those with very small funds.

Postgraduate
Dental Education
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is one of the UK’s leading dental education centres
offering an established portfolio of courses for qualiﬁed
dentists who wish to develop their knowledge of
the latest methods, equipment and techniques in
implant dentistry and orthodontics. The wide range
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Now could be
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financial options.

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This course is designed for specialist
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This course is aimed at Dental Care
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MSc in Implant Dentistry
The implant dentistry programme at
The University of Warwick is designed
with the busy GDP in mind and
recognises that implant dentistry will
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environment. For this reason we have
based the clinical teaching in selected
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To ﬁnd out more about our portfolio
of high quality courses visit
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[16] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

16 Money Matters
DT page 15

One investment company, Fidelity, recently launched a retirement income fund that defies the
conventional wisdom that a retired person should hold fixed income and cash, maintaining a
solid exposure to shares, property securities and commodities,
typically at 30 per cent. Fidelity
believes this continued investment in equities is necessary to
combat the corrosive effect of inflation over the far longer retirement periods enjoyed by people
today.

You need a careful investment strategy

capital value of your fund and result in a lower income in the future.
With both these routes you
need to pick a careful investment
strategy for the underlying pension fund. Those who are overcautious might not achieve
enough growth to maintain their
income. Equities probably need to
play some part in your portfolio.

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Taking the middle way
A new concept in retirement
income has recently arrived in
the UK from the US. Guaranteed
drawdown plans from the Hartford are now available to UK pensioners. While annuities offer
protected income with little
growth potential, and full drawdown offers opportunity for investment growth with no protection, the Hartford’s ‘third way’
product combines growth potential with the security of guaranteed income.
The Hartford’s Guaranteed
Retirement Plan allows you to secure and ‘lock in’ an ongoing
level of retirement income. This
guaranteed income has the potential to increase if the underlying pension fund investments
perform well. The level of each
step-up is determined by how
much the fund increases over its
previous highest anniversary
level, up to a maximum of 10 per
cent a year. If the underlying
funds fall, the level of your guaranteed income is not reduced.

When I’m 74…
Under current Government
rules, you are compelled to buy an
annuity or transfer to an alternatively secured pension at age 75.
It might not be the right time
for you, but you have to make a
decision even if annuity rates are
not good or you still don’t need
the income. At 74, then, you
should be consulting a financial
adviser in preparation.

design and the 2.4mm MAX thread for softer bone.

2.1mm Collared O-Ball

Fidelity’s research indicates
that by keeping nearly a third of
the portfolio invested in shares,
property securities and commodities, with the balance in
fixed income and cash, a fund
can produce a reasonable, stable
income while still allowing the
underlying assets to keep pace
with inflation in the long run.

Course that you want to book onto:

An alternatively secured pension is similar to an unsecured
pension, but the maximum income allowed is lower, being 90
per cent of the annuity you can buy
at age 75. The minimum income is
65 per cent of the same annuity.
But if you think this will be a
handy way to pass on your pension wealth to your heirs, you are
wrong.
The Government has backtracked on its original plans for
alternatively secured pensions
and slapped a huge penalty tax of
70 per cent of the fund on anyone
trying to do this.
As a result, alternatively secured pensions have lost their attractions.

Surname:

Please simply send me through Invoice & Confirmation:

Key points

Practice name:

Phone no:

Practice address:

GDC Number:

• Shop around the open market
• Take advantage of enhanced
rates if you qualify
• Use tax-free cash to generate
extra income
• Ignore inflation at your peril
• If comfortable with risk, try investment-linked options or
drawdown/phased retirement

email:

Cost of Course: £
Postcode:

Signed:

Fax Back Now On: 07813 911 372

Date:

[17] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009
• Try and defer taking your NHS
pension to age 60, otherwise
there will be an early retirement to pay (consider using
other assets / funds to generate
an income between retirement
and age 60).
• Seriously consider if you need
to take the pension income
now, as deferring the decision
to purchase an annuity, for example, could mean you will get
a higher income in the future
(and the whole fund will remain in your estate to pass on to
your beneficiaries).

pected. They utilise some of
this mortality profit to enhance
current annuity rates. By delaying the purchase of your annuity, the benefit of this potential
profit, which can be significant,
may be lost. This is especially
true the longer you defer the
purchase of an annuity.
• Your fund will be subject to a further charge against the lifetime
allowance when you eventually
move to either secured or alternatively secured pension. This
will effectively add the growth

Money Matters 17

in your fund to the amount you
have already crystallised, with a
possible tax charge as a result.

About the author
Ray Prince
is a fee-based certified financial planner with Rutherford Wilkinson Ltd and
helps dentists plan towards their ideal
retirement, as well as getting them the
best deals on mortgages, protection
and investments. You can contact him
by calling 0191 217 3340 or emailing
ray.prince@ rwpfg.co.uk. Also, to register for the free twice-monthly email
newsletter full of financial tips, visit
www.medicaldentalfs.com.

Free audio CD
To learn more about your retirement planning options, you can
request a free copy of one of Rutherford Wilkinson’s Audio CDs: ‘How
To Avoid The 3 Most Common Retirement Planning Mistakes’. Just
call Catherine Lowes on 0191 217
3340 and a copy will be posted to
you (please quote ref: DT). DT

Take action
As you have read in parts 1
and 2, the ‘at retirement’ pensions landscape can be quite
complex. While we have discussed the options that you
have, bear in mind that there
are a number of pension
providers within each option. So
not only do you have to choose
the right pension route, but you
also need to make sure you research who the best provider is
at that time.

‘Deferring
your decision
to purchase an
annuity now
could mean a
higher income
in the future’

Introducing A-dec 300
stylish functional innovative

While many feel comfortable
buying certain financial products on their own, you’ll no doubt
agree that this is one area that
should not be left to chance.
If you are within five years of
thinking about taking the benefits from a personal pension fund,
now could be a good time to consider what options are available
to you and to start educating
yourself so that when the time
does arrive you’ll be in a position
to act with greater confidence.
Please note:
• There is no guarantee that your
income will be as high as that
offered under an annuity.
• Your fund may not achieve the
required level of growth to
maintain income levels at the
same level as those which could
be achieved under an annuity.
This is because income payments are technically withdrawals of pension fund capital
and will erode the value of your
fund if investment returns are
not sufficient to make up both
the income withdrawals and
the charges under the plan.
This could result in a lower income at future 5-yearly reviews
or when an annuity is eventually taken. This is particularly
true if a high level of income is
taken.
• Annuity rates may be at a worse
level when annuity purchase
takes place.
• Annuity providers make a profit
from the fact that some individuals die sooner than is ex-

A healthy new choice for dentistry
Find out why the A-dec 300 is a great choice for your practice.
For details contact your local authorised A-dec dealer or A-dec on 0800 233 285 or visit www.a-dec300.com

[18] => DTUK1709_01_Title

18 Money Matters

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Following the rules
Those who have yet to implement written disciplinary or grievance procedures
should use the new Code of Practice as a starting point. Stephen Knowles explains

the number of employers who
skip over these details, or miss
them completely.

n one respect, employment law
and fashion trends have something in common: if you wait
long enough, things turn full circle.

It is recommended that all
dentists and employers read the
new Code and review their current procedures to ensure compatibility and compliance. Those
who have yet to implement written disciplinary or grievance
procedures should use the new
Code as a starting point.

In the heady days of 2004
(when the credit crunch was yet
to register), the new trend in employment law was Statutory Dispute Resolution Procedures.
Much heralded, these were designed to lay down certain minimum disciplinary and grievance
procedures to be used by employers and employees prior to the
launch of a Tribunal claim.
The intention of these procedures was to promote the resolution of more disputes in-house. A
three-step process was established, broadly incorporating an
initial letter, the first hearing and
the appeal hearing. The idea was
that, if one party did not comply
with the binding procedures laid
out, this would lead to the imposition of sanctions. This would often
produce an automatic finding of
unfair dismissal against employers unaware of the procedures, or
careless in their operation.

Problematic procedures
After just three years, these
procedures had proved so problematic in practice that the Government commissioned a formal
review of their effects. The resulting Gibbons Review noted
that while the procedures had
some benefits, these were outweighed by the negative consequences, which included:
• Formalising disputes too early
• Causing both parties to take advice earlier than they might
otherwise have done
• Providing a ‘one size fits all’
generic solution that was expected to suit every different
situation (in particular, the procedures were deemed applicable in cases of redundancy and
fixed term contract expiration)
• Excessive attention to procedure as opposed to the substance of the dispute.

It is hoped that the new rules
will be straightforward in practice and will lead to less emphasis on rigid procedure, and more
of a focus on resolving an underlying dispute. DT

About the author
It is recommended that all dentists and employers read the new Code and review their current procedures

It was no great surprise when
the review recommended the repeal of the statutory dispute procedures.

The new code
With effect from April 6 2009,
the Government repealed these
procedures. So, has this been
good news for dentistry?
The procedural nightmare of
the three-step approach has
come to a welcome end. However, employers cannot simply
discard procedure and carry on
regardless. For instance, disciplinary and/or grievance cases that
began before that date must still
comply with these procedures.
Also, the Government has continued to focus on resolving disputes
by requesting that ACAS produce
a revised Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. While a failure to comply
with the revised code will not
make a person liable to proceedings in itself, an Employment Tribunal would certainly take this
failure into account in other proceedings such as unfair dismissal

applications. In such cases, a Tribunal will be able to adjust an
award by up to 25 per cent for an
unreasonable failure to comply
with the revised Code of Practice.
Therefore, an employer failing to comply could expect to pay
out more, while a non-compliant
employee could see compensation reduced by up to the same
amount (as an aside, the code
makes it clear that this is not applicable to dismissals due to redundancy or the non-renewal of
fixed-term contracts).
Employers are advised to review the new ACAS Code, which
can be found at: http://www.
acas.org.uk/CHttpHandler.as
hx?id=880&p=0.

Some essential reading
A huge number of things jostle for the dentist’s attention
these days, but a large number of
cases that end up on the solicitor’s desk stem from improper
conduct of discipline and grievances by the employer. Dentists
need to take the time to establish

proper procedure and ensure
that they keep their procedures
up to date.
At just 10 or so pages and
written in an accessible style, it
should not take long for dentists
to familiarise themselves with
it. It essentially outlines the basic principles of good employment practice, many of which
were already outlined in the old
statutory procedures. For example, in the section that deals
with disciplinary matters, the
Code concerns:
• Establishing the facts of a case
• Informing the employee of the
problem
• Holding a meeting with the
employee to discuss the problem (and allowing the employee to be accompanied at
the meeting)
• Deciding on appropriate action
• Providing employees with the
opportunity to appeal
Although there is no reason
why these stages should be unfamiliar to the dentist, many solicitors never cease to be amazed at

Stephen Knowles
is a partner in the commercial
team of Burn & Company, solicitors, in North Yorkshire who are
members of the Association of
Specialist Providers to Dentists
(ASPD). ASPD members offer professional, objective and practical
advice and services, based on experience within the industry, to
dental practices and other businesses within the dental sector. To
contact Stephen Knowles, call
Burn & Company Solicitors on
01904 655442 or email enquiries@
burn-company.co.uk. For more
information on the ASPD, please
call 0800 458 6773 or visit
www.aspd.co.uk.

[19] => DTUK1709_01_Title

Clinical

To graft or not to graft?
And what to graft with
Ali Abdellatif discusses the raging debate
between the two schools of thought when
it comes to bone augmentation
good reason to ensure that an adequate radius of bone sufficiently
surrounds the implant especially
at its most coronal aspect.The location of the defect makes a difference though.

Dehiscences

Fig. 1a

ost of us who are involved in dental implantology, from surgical
placement to just the restorative
aspect, are aware of the raging debate between the two schools of
thought with regards to bone augmentation. On the one side, the
use of bone substitutes such as
anorganic freeze dried bone and
its derivatives, is at best no more
than a loose filling material and at
worst damaging, while on the
other side it is a commonly employed, highly effective method to
replace missing bone, provide
better anchorage for implants and
allow for better positioning, without having to obtain bone from
other sites in the patient and thus
reducing patient discomfort.
Having been trained by proponents of the former school of
thought, I entered implant practice with an almost pathological
fear of using well-known materials such as Bio-Oss and Bone Ceramic. The basic statement put
forward by the former school is
that ‘the patient’s own bone is
best. The ‘gold standard’. The
questions we need to ask ourselves though are:
• Why is the patient’s own bone
best? Is it best in all situations?
• How important is it that we fill
bone defects?
• What kinds of bone defects
need filling and what kinds
don’t?
• How do bone substitutes compare to autologous bone when
comparing longevity, osseointegration and implant stability?
• What kinds of bone substitute
exist and which of them fulfil
the necessary criteria?
• What are the criteria – why are
we filling defects – do we need
to – what does it do for the implant/patient?

Bone defects defined
From the implantologist’s
point of view, a bone defect could

be defined as a situation where
an implant’s osseointegrative
surface would not be completely
surrounded by bone. This would
result in part of the implant surface being in direct contact with
soft tissue such as the Schneiderian membrane, peri-implant
mucosa or unattached oral mucosa or none of these, in which
case there would be ‘exposure’ of
the implant surface to the external environment (oral or nasal).
General wisdom would suggest that this is at best an unfavourable situation because
mucosae tend to adapt better to
smooth surfaces (most implant
surfaces today being roughened
by some method) and at worst
disastrous with potentially poor
aesthetics and poor peri-implant
health due to constant colonisation of these rough surfaces by
oral or nasal micro-organisms.
See Figures 1a, b.

Dehiscences are defects involving the bone crest. These are
very common on the labial aspect
of the maxilla in the aesthetic
zone where it is least desired.
They often result from chronic
periodontal/endodontic infections of the original teeth prior to
their extraction. It has also been
shown that a thin labial plate of
bone (1mm or less) will resorb
following implant placement,
probably due to reduced blood
supply. This will create a ‘postimplantation’ labial defect.
Ignoring the labial bone defect can result in ‘recession’ of
the peri-implant mucosa based
upon the need to establish a ‘biologic’ width of about 3mm. This
can be unsightly and difficult to
keep clean. If the peri-implant
mucosa is of a good biotype and
morphotype (thick, fibrous,
wide), this mucosa can be resilient enough to remain firmly
attached to the implant surface
and to mask the grey colour. Thin
gingival biotypes are much less
resilient and the result may be
undesired. Some form of augmentation, sometimes with a
membrane is often recommended. See Figure 2.

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Fenestrations
The other reason why more
bone-to-implant contact is required, and probably the more
important one from the longterm viewpoint, is the distribution of masticatory forces along
the implant and its absorption by
the surrounding bone. It has
been shown that bone density
around implants in function increases with time in function.
This could be referred to as ‘osseostimulation’. This would
clearly lead to better long-term
stability of the implant and avoid
the concentration of forces at
‘break-points’, leading to further
resorption at these points. This
phenomenon has been shown
whereby masticatory forces tend
to be concentrated at the most
coronal point of contact with the
implant and gradually lessen to a
distance of 9-11mm, depending
on the width, thread diameter
and distribution, the shape of the
implant and its abutment connection, and the surface treatment. This would be another

These are defects further apically where the crest remains intact. A window to exposed implant surface is seen on implant
placement. Usually as long as the
crest remains intact, this crestal
bone will maintain the biologic
width at its desired position at the
implant shoulder and the implant can fully osseointegrate.
The question then posed is
whether or not to do anything
about the fenestration. This
would depend on whether or not
it was effectively reparable and
whether or not the mucosa is so
thin that it is likely to cause future
problems. A repairable defect is
usually a volumetric defect, one
surrounded by bone on all sides.
Successful attempts have been
made with the use of bone/bone
substitute and membranes to
‘build out’ areas of bone that are
non-volumetric. This is sometimes referred to as tenting.

DT page 20

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[20] => DTUK1709_01_Title

Clinical

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Fig. 1b

DT page 19

The Master’s
Choice

Circumferential defects in
extraction sockets
Implants are commonly
placed nowadays into fresh extraction sockets. The benefits of
doing so are quoted as: shorter
treatment time, preservation of
ridge dimensions and maintenance of bone height. Certainly
difficulties that arise include:
precise positioning of the implant, as it has been shown that
implants should normally be
placed within the palatal wall of
upper extraction sockets; ensuring adequate primary stability to
avoid fibrous encapsulation often requiring drilling beyond the
apex of the extracted tooth; and
circumferential defects between
the walls of the socket and the implant shoulder.
Again the debate continues
on whether to do nothing with a
circumferential defect and to allow the blood clot to go through
its natural process of bone formation (assuming adequate primary stability) or whether to
place bone or a bone substitute.
This often depends on the width
of the defect and the position of
the bone crest. Gaps of 1mm or
less have been shown to be
bridged by normal bone forming
from the blot clot. Larger gaps
can result in the bone crest dropping and it is thought that they
should be augmented in some
way. One study shows very little
difference whether the defect is
filled with autologous bone, say
taken from a bone trap, or biooss. The use of a membrane was
proven to be useful and resulted
in a higher crest position.1

Concavities

LEADING REGENERATION

Buccal concavities are often
found apical to the bone crest in
maxillary anterior and premolar
sites. Again we need to ask ourselves the benefit of investing
time and money into restoring
these concavities. Is it going to affect treatment outcome if an implant is placed at an angle avoiding the concavity or do we have to
place the implant in a precise desired position? Figures 3a–e
shows a case involving a large
buccal concavity that was managed simply by placing the implants at angle. The outcome was
acceptable. With today’s well-designed implants there is ample
evidence to suggest that the bone
level will be maintained at the
implant shoulder (bearing in
mind biologic width require-

ments). Figure 4a–c shows the
use of a ramus block plus Bio-Oss
to rebuild a ridge where it would
be difficult to place an implant.

Maxillary sinus defects
Augmentation of the maxillary sinus when the available
ridge height is 5mm or less is a
common procedure. This is a
very large subject, impossible to
cover in this article alone. Studies have described the use of autologous bone taken from intraoral and extra-oral sites, using
the bone in a particulate form or
in block form, or the use of
xenograft material such as BioOss or synthetic material such as
hyroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate or both. All sorts of possible
combinations and permutations
have been used including iliac
crest bone in particulate form, iliac crest bone blocks with the
compact lamellar bone, iliac
crest blocks with simultaneous
implant fixation, bone from oral
sites such as the ramus or the
chin, all these possibilities mixed
with PRP, Bio-Oss, beta tricalcium phosphate and so on.
One the non-grafting side of
the argument could be the positioning of implants at an angle,
running along the anterior-inferior border of the maxillary sinus. A long implant is placed and
extends to a fairly distal location
at the ridge. Good, sound bone is
used. No grafting was necessary
and most descriptions of this
method show good long-term
restorative success.2

Requirements of
a graft material
Whatever material being
used (bone or other material), it
would be useful to us to know
what the ideal requirements are.
We would probably agree on the
following:
• A material that is non-antigenic
• A material that is at least osseoconductive and preferably also
osseoinductive
• Sterile
• Easy to use
• Has long-term stability
• ‘Integrates’ with the implant
surface or promotes bone formation that will integrate with
the implant surface
• Low cost to the patient
• Low morbidity to the patient.
Knowing whether a material is
osseoinductive or osseoconductive or both allows one to make a
better informed choice about the
method they wish to use.

Osseoconduction is when a
material acts as a scaffold, attracting bone-forming cells
from surrounding bone. Effectively it acts as a bridge between
bone and a non-ossified site.
New bone forms as a result and,
in theory, the material should
resorb. Often, studies will show
new bone formation around
particles of the material and
some will even show evidence
of resorption of this material.
We tend to accept that some of
this material itself will remain
in situ for an extended period at
least, which is why we ask, with
reference to synthetic and
xenograft materials, if the bone
will have the same quality as
bone that is purely of the patient’s own. Here we need to
also ask ‘how good is good?’ or
‘good enough’ to ensure longterm (15 years or more) stability and integration of a dental
implant.
Osseoinduction is when a
material can induce new bone
formation even at a distance
from bone. It can attract (or provide) mesenchymal osteoprogenitor cells and induce their differentiation into osteoblasts and
osteoclasts. Patient’s own bone
naturally has both osseoinductive and osseoconductive properties. Bone morphogenetic proteins have been found to be instrumental in this osseoinductive nature and studies into
plasma rich protein, containing
osseoinductive agents such as
BMPs have been shown to have
some benefit.

Types of material
Autologous bone:
Taken from the patient and
placed in the same patient. Osseoconductive and osseoinductive. No antigenicity. Sterile (if
maintained). Varying degrees of
mineralisation and long-term
stability.
Allograft:
Decalcified freeze-dried bone eg
Bone from human cadavers. A
good source of BMP. Quality can
be poor due to freeze drying and
decalcifying. Possible cross-infection risk.
Xenograft:
Anorganic calcium bone matrix
(eg Bio-Oss, Gen-Oss)
Anorganic calcium bone matrix
blended with collagen (eg MP3)
Alloplasts:
Tricalcium phosphate
Hydroxyapatite
Blends of tricalcium phosphate
and hydroxyapatite (eg Straumann Bone Ceramic)
Bio-active glasses (eg Perioglass)
Calcium Carbonate.
Only the die-hard researchers and the MSc students
really have the time to trawl
through the endless literature
available. Certainly, some publications make it easier to obtain
the necessary information by
publishing synopses of relevant
literature. Without doubt, for
those who want to know the most
reliable research findings would
do worse than look up the

[21] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Clinical 21

Fig. 2

Fig. 3a

Fig. 3b

Fig. 3c

Fig. 3d

Fig. 3e

Cochrane reports on implant related subjects. These are very
thorough systematic reviews of
reliable randomised controlled
trials. Interestingly, it is often reported in these reports on how
poorly conducted most research
is. Often too few subjects, bias or
just poor planning make the research unreliable. It is notable to
infer from this that the numerous
lists of research that manufacturers provide when trying to sell
new products may not be as reliable as they seem.

The Esposito paper
The conclusions of the Esposito paper suggest several important factors to take into consideration when deciding on the
best treatment option for your
patient. Firstly, pain. Is it going
to hurt more? I often find when
presenting the case for taking
bone from another area of the
mouth to place in implant site
that the patient balks at the suggestion of another area that’s going to hurt as much as the main
site we’re treating. If you then
tell your patient that you could
use a material out of a bottle, a
sterile material that has been
found to have comparable results the patients will often opt
for the easier way.
The Cochrane report suggests that autogenous bone collected in bone traps, even in dedicated lines, may still contain a
large amount of bacteria. One
study quoted in this paper reported a significant number of in-

fections associated with collected autogenous bone, compared with the use of Bio-Oss
alone.1
Furthermore, it has been
shown in one study that although
iliac crest bone is highly osteogenic and contains a very
large percentage of osteoprogenitor cells, its degree of mineralisation (and assumedly its resilience in function) is rather
poor in comparison to bone harvested from intra-oral sites such
as the chin and the ramus of the
mandible. The chin and ramus of
the mandible are (as anyone who
performs these procedures will
confirm) rather tricky to get to
and take chunks of bone from.
There is no doubt they do provide
bone of good quality that can be
used for block grafting, but a degree of morbidity is has to be expected (especially at the chin)
and certainly the patient has to be
informed of this. There is a risk of
soft tissue damage, damage to
teeth etc.
Histological sections of BioOss and other similar materials
such as Gen-Oss show new bone
formation in direct contact with
implant surfaces with fragments of the original graft material either latently present or resorbing. The quality of this bone
is thus probably comparable to
normal bone and with much less
hassle. Studies have shown very
little difference between the use
of autogenous bone and Bio-Oss
in extraction sites, especially
when membranes are used.

Further research
Other studies show that
there is no statistically significant difference between the
uses of autogenous bone and
bio-oss in the augmentation of
maxillary sinuses with regards
to graft volume. Both seem to
shrink by the same amount and
both seem to keep the implants
in function, at least for the period of the study. So why would
we take bone from the ramus,
break or grind it, place it by itself
or (more commonly) in combination with a graft material,
cause the patient quite a bit of
pain in another site, risk nerve
damage and risk infection when
transporting the bone from one
site to the other when it seems to
work just as well or marginally
better than using graft materials alone. Is the quality of the
bone in contact with the implant
in the autogenous bone augmentation case better? So what?
Is it going to last longer? Is it going to keep the implants in function for longer? Perhaps these
questions are still unanswered.

Animal-derived materials
Another point of contention is
the question of the use of bovine,
porcine or equine materials.
Some authorities disagree with
the idea of putting animal derived materials in their patients.
My question is ‘are most of us not
completely made of animals
anyway?’ We eat all sorts of animals. Their protein is broken
down by our bodies and used to
build our own bodies. We drink

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milk containing calcium from
cows. We eat chicken skin contributing to our waistlines. Ultimately what is the difference between a piece of cow on our plate
and a piece of cow that has been
very thoroughly sterilised and
deproteinised and placed directly at the point of need without the necessity of sending it
past our digestive system.
Common wisdom would
agree that bone chips and bone
blocks taken from the patient
and placed in the patient seem to
be a better idea than rebuilding
an entire ridge with Bio-Oss
alone. On the other hand, one
paper shows them doing just
that.3
The use of membranes in
guided bone regeneration has
been shown to be an effective
adjunct to treatment. The membranes tend to keep whatever
you’ve put there stable while the
bone cells are forming new
bone. Periosteum alone seems
to be unpredictable. At times,
there is no difference, while at
times, quite rapid resorption of
the graft can happen if a membrane is not used. This is based
on my personal experience and
that of colleagues.

Areas of confusion
An investigation of the literature on bone-graft materials can
often lead the investigator into a
state of perplexity. Most studies
will show very little difference
between the use of bone and

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bone substitutes. It all seems to
‘work’. But ‘most studies’ are
usually performed on dogs and
rabbits, as it would be difficult to
‘sacrifice’ a human with an overdose of GA to obtain a histological section of the grafted area.
Dogs and rabbits heal more
quickly and efficiently than humans. Their diets are often well
controlled and a rabbit’s leg is a
very different site to a human’s
mouth.
Certainly, all clinical cases require a high degree of attention
when placing implants in compromised sites. Some amount of
augmentation should be planned
and considered well when placing in the aesthetic zone or directly into extraction sockets.
The cost of the additional materials versus the use of the patient’s
own bone but with the possible
complications resulting from
this should be considered. For
example, a small bone defect
could be easily managed by taking shavings from a neighbouring site rather than using a bone
substitute. This would be effectively cheaper and potentially
‘better’ for the patient.

The latest research
In today’s climate where
everything we do has to be justifiable and evidence based, it is
important that we pay attention
to the latest research findings in
our field. It would be highly ben-

DT page 22

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[22] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

22 Clinical

Fig. 4a

Fig. 4b

DT page 21

eficial if we all also performed
some form of audit of our cases
and from time to time submitted
this in some commonly accepted
format to authorities that would
be able to make use of our own
experience and present to the
society as a whole.
The majority of implants
dentists or dentists placing implants were introduced to a certain method of grafting and to
certain techniques during their

Fig. 4c

not even make the assumption
that I have the answer! DT

initial training and introduction
to the discipline. As time goes by
and we get better at what we do
and get better at using the materials and implants we use, we
tend to get stuck in our ways,
finding it difficult to justify the
seismic shifts necessary to jump
from one implant system to another or from one grafting (or
non-grafting) technique to another. I hope with this article
that I have been able to present
some arguments for and against
grafting and some scientific evidence supporting the different
types of grafting systems. I dare

References

1. Esposito et al. (2006) The efficacy
of various bone augmentation procedures for dental implants: A
Cochrane Systematic Review of
Randomised Controlled Clinical
Trials, Int J Oral Maxillofaciacl Implants 21: 696,710
2. Palmer, Smith, Howe, Palmer
(2002) Implants in Clinical Dentistry, UK, Taylor and Francis
3. Hammerle et al. (2008) Ridge augmentation with biomaterials, Clin.
Oral. Impl. Res. 19: 19-25

About the author
Ali Abdellatif
completed a Master’s Degree in Implant Dentistry at King’s College
(Guy’s Campus) in 2007. He has
since set up a general and implants
referral practice in Devonshire
Place. He enjoys treating difficult
cases and helping colleagues to offer dental implants to their patients.
His practice is based at 2 Devonshire Place, London WIG 6HJ. You
can contact him on 020 7486 2723,
07965 999 875 or by emailing
ali@dentalimplantslondon.com.

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[23] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Education 23

Customer satisfaction
With over 4,500 new cases every year, we can all learn
something with Dental Protection. In this issue’s
Learning Curve feature, Dental Protection suggests
that by dealing with complaints in an honest way, it
can lead to long-lasting relationships with patients

was unnecessary to assume that
such an honest and caring approach would not be valued by the
patient.

Look out for another Learning Curve from Dental Protection
in future editions of Dental Tribune UK. DT

hen patients return to
the surgery after treatment because they are
not comfortable it can be all too
easy to make assumptions that
may not necessarily be correct;
particularly when the patient
has just been fitted with full/full
dentures.

3D Cone Beam Technology

Consider the case of the
young dentist who had just made
a set of complete dentures for an
elderly patient. The patient
thought they were unsatisfactory
and wrote a strong letter of complaint demanding a refund.

‘The patient
was grateful for
the time and effort
the dentist spent
trying to get a
satisfactory
result’
The dentist who had done his
best work was somewhat frustrated. This had been a particularly
difficult case because the patient
had an atrophic lower ridge and so
it had been less than easy to get a
good impression and to create a
good fit. The dentist personally
telephoned the patient and offered
to see him again for a review. He adjusted the new set of dentures and
offered to remake the lower denture or to refer the patient for a specialist opinion if preferred.
The patient was satisfied with
the upper but the lower denture
was still uncomfortable and so he
opted to have it remade. After the
new lower denture was fitted,
there was silence from the patient. Although he had been
given a review appointment the
patient did not return and so the
dentist telephoned to ask how he
was getting on with the new
lower denture. The patient said
he was still unable to wear it.

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The dentist offered a full refund, which the patient did not immediately accept. He received a
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unable to wear the denture, he did
not want a refund. The patient
was grateful for the time and effort
the dentist had spent trying to get
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[24] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

24 Industry Report

Growing your practice in a recession
Gary Bettis highlights five reasons why now is a good time to refurbish,
expand or relocate your practice
capital, there has never been a better time to invest in a property.

Before refurbishment: The exterior of this building looked
more like a house rather than a dental practice.

Before refurbishment: The Waiting Area looks dull and uninviting.

e are experiencing a recession, but growth is
important during all
types of economic cycles. Those
dental practices that continue
with their efforts to generate new
business during difficult times will
be more adequately poised for
growth when opportunity arises.
With all of the discussion in the
media today, many dental practices are bracing themselves for
the economic downturn. Most
people would equate a downturn
in the economy with bad timing
for anything business-related.
This is a dangerous approach considering your practice thrives on
growth to succeed. It’s not the
economy that determines how
well your practice performs – it’s
how you react to it. If you want to
stay out of economic turmoil, you
need to keep your dental marketing momentum.
Continue with your efforts to
communicate with your patients
via newsletters, advertising and
treatment offers but do not forget
the importance of creating the right
environment. This is true whether
NHS or Private. Your patient’s needs

After refurbishment: The practice gives a positive first impression is much more eye-catching.

After refurbishment: The Waiting Area is bright and comfortable.

must be a priority. Having a welldesigned practice will deliver a
positive experience and encourage
patients to return and recommend
your services to others.
From a functional point of
view, you must constantly review
how your practice is operating.
Do you have an efficient workflow? Is there enough storage?
Are you running out of space? Are
you able to incorporate a separate decontamination area
within your current set up?
Whether you choose to refurbish, relocate or expand, we look
at the reasons why it is important
to maintain your position within
the dental marketplace, maximise efficiency and keep abreast
of current legislation, even during an economic downturn.

Refurbishing,
extending or expanding
Most dental practitioners dread
the day when they will need to refurbish their practice, yet a refurbishment should be seen as an ideal opportunity to improve the efficiency
and productivity of your practice.

If you find yourself outgrowing your current premises but do
not want to move you could consider the option of extending or
expanding before looking for an
alternative property. There may
be opportunities to take on additional space such as a flat upstairs, or in the instance of a
semi-detached house, the neighbouring property, particularly at
a time when rental/purchase
prices are low. There may also be
the possibility of a rear or side extension, subject to the boundaries of the existing site and planning permission being granted.

In the wake of the credit crunch,
there is the situation where:
• The supply of office space
within certain areas outweighs
demand. Prospective tenants
and buyers are able to negotiate
favourable terms.
• Landlords and vendors are now
more likely than ever to cut
their rentals and vendors are
anticipating selling commercial office space at much less
than its previous worth.
• There are many office developments under construction, but
the waiting lists for tenants
have evaporated over recent
months. The leak of more office
space into the market will continue to force rental and investment prices down.
• There will be rising vacancy
rates across the capital for the
next year and a half.
• While dentists looking to buy
can expect to snap up office
space for much less than its previous market value, dentists
looking to rent can look forward
to a series of incentives to accompany low rentals, such as
'grace' periods.

1. Creating the right image
Highly successful practices today are realising that patient service
is no longer simply about being
nice. Patients expect clean, modern
practice design and associate it with
the highest standards in healthcare.
After about 10 years, the furnishings and fittings in most dental practices become worn. Visual styles also change – so much
so that even the most brilliant design in 1997 can simply highlight
the age of your practice.

Major refurbishment or relocation gives you an opportunity to
completely overhaul the image of
your practice, which can help you
attract potential patients and retain existing patients. This includes aspects such as the interior
design of your practice, graphics,
visibility, staff image and the facilities in your practice.

2. Updating old equipment
Dental technology has evolved
dramatically over the last 10 years.
The use of digital radiography,
lasers, and advanced aesthetic
products can offer value added
services. An advantage of relocation or a major refurbishment is the
opportunity to upgrade equipment
and introduce new systems that
will aid efficiency, patient comfort,
and promote your practice. In the
current economy, these strategies
to redesign your systems are more
important now than ever.

3. Streamlining the business
In a tight economy, it is essential
that your practice operates as efficiently as possible. Moving into
new premises or refurbishing your
current practice gives you the opportunity to design the perfect layout and make best use of the space
available.
A well-designed workplace is
more streamlined, productive and
motivating – which maximises the
output of your practice.

4. Conforming to legislation
You must ensure your practice
conforms to all the necessary legal
and statutory requirements, including the newly published HTM
01-05 documents and the Disability Discrimination Act.

Relocation
You may find that you are unable to meet the demands of your
patient base within your current
premises or comply with new
guidelines. Continuing success in
many cases requires relocation to
new premises. This gives you a
fresh start, and allows you to
choose a location that suits your
business. But in the current economic climate dentists are reluctant to take on such a large financial commitment. However, if an
expanding dental practice has the

Up to date equipment aids efficiency, and patient comfort.

The Dental Defence Union – The only dental defence organisation
†

in the UK to offer dental professionals access to both discretionary assistance and the
reassurance of insured* indemnity for claims for clinical negligence.

Helplines: Membership enquiries: 0800 085 0614 / 24-hour dento-legal advice: 0800 374 626

Website: www.the-ddu.com

*Policy arranged through MDU Services Limited (MDUSL) and underwritten by SCOR UK Company Limited and by International Insurance Company of Hannover Limited.
† The Dental Defence Union (the DDU) is the specialist dental division of The Medical Defence Union Limited (the MDU) and references to the DDU and DDU membership mean the MDU and membership of the MDU. MDU Services Limited (MDUSL) is authorised and regulated by
the Financial Services Authority in respect of insurance mediation activities only. MDUSL is an agent for the MDU. The MDU is not an insurance company. The benefits of membership of the MDU are all discretionary and are subject to the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
MDU Services Limited is registered in England 3957086. Registered Office: 230 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8PJ. VDP/044v/0309

[25] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Industry Report 25

The Reception Area of this practice is simple, clean and efficient.

Before refurbishment: The WC of this practice looks old
and drabby.

Refurbishing or moving into
new premises provides you with
the ideal opportunity to incorporate these facilities and prepare
for the future.

achieve high standards of infection
control with streamlined surfaces
and correct workflow.

forms to the requirements of the
DDA well before builders commence work on site.

The Disability Discrimination Act
The Disabled Discrimination
Act 1995 is applicable to every dental practice in England and Wales.

5. Negotiating a good price
for building works

HTM 01-05
Dental practices must incorporate a Decontamination facility to carry out procedures in accordance with the Department of
Health document HTM 01-05.

industry and an understanding of
HTM 01-05 to incorporate a Decontamination Area within your practice you will be adequately prepared for 2010. This is when all
practices in the UK, both NHS & Private, will have to register with the
‘Care Quality Commission’. The
HTM 01-05 gives the ‘CQC’ the
right to inspect all practices and to
see that they attain two standards:
‘essential’ and ‘best practice’.

By allowing a skilled designer,
with experience within the dental

Adhering to this document will
mean that your practice will

If you don’t provide access to
your practice for people with disabilities, you risk prosecution.
Your designer will guide you
through the process of making
sure that your design proposal con-

After refurbishment: New sanitary-ware, better lighting
and finishes improve the patient experience.

In a recession building companies look at way of saving costs.
How can you ensure that your project is not compromised in any way
by builders cutting corners, re-designing the design scheme to their
benefit or ‘down-specifying’ with
inferior quality products?
‘Competitive tendering’ is the
answer! It offers a financial transparency that ensures you receive
the best value for money. Your designer will send your design
scheme (in the form of drawings
and written schedules) to a small
number of experienced building
companies inviting them to quote
for the work. This is a formal
process and is the best way to create
competition between the tendering
builders. It ensures you receive the
most competitive bids without
compromise.
We have recently noticed that
builders are finding themselves
short of work and the prices of
building materials are falling too.
As a result builders will be more
willing to negotiate a price for the
building works.

Moving into the future

This practice was re-organised and extended. The new layout (on the right) has a better workflow. It incorporates new
facilities; an external ramp, disabled WC, consultation room and separate sterilisation room.

The recession should not be
seen as an obstacle for growth.
Instead it should be welcomed as
an opportunity for you to create
the ultimate working environ-

ment for long term profitability.
Taking advantages of the opportunities and continuing to move
forward will give your current
patients a feeling of stability. It
will demonstrate to your community that you are stable, and
still want to be a part of it. DT

About the author

Gary Bettis
is the Architectural Director of
DDPC Limited. Since 1970 his company has provided architectural and
interior design services to the dental
profession. He has a wealth of experience in designing dental practices, with expertise in resolving
planning and building issues. He
helps dentists set up from scratch,
expand or relocate their premises.
He provides advice on choosing the
right property and ensures that your
practice meets current legislation,
including Health & Safety and the
Disability Discrimination Act.
DDPC is not affliated with any construction company and can therefore provide a totally competetive
tender service enabling dentists to
obtain the best value for money.
You can contact him on 0208 446
9946 and gbettis@ddpc.co.uk

ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR
DESIGN FOR DENTISTS
DENTAL DESIGN AND PLANNING CONSULTANTS

Delivering award winning design solutions
Practical designs to suit all budgets
Experts in planning and building control

T: 020 8446 9946 E: info@ddpc.co.uk
www.ddpc.co.uk

[26] => DTUK1709_01_Title

26 BDA review
First National
Orthodontic
Commissioning
Education Day
announced
The British Orthodontic Society has announced today that
it is organising the first National
Orthodontic Commissioning
Education Day in September
2009. The day is aimed at individuals or organisations who
are directly or indirectly involved in commissioning NHS
orthodontic services.

The BOS want this day to be
as inclusive as possible and,
with that in mind, has announced today that presentations will be given by representatives from PCTs, the BSA, the
DoH, as well as the British Orthodontic Society. The topics to
be covered during the day include:
• Justification and scope of orthodontics
• Background and principles of
the PDS contract
• Orthodontic monitoring and
BSA reports
• Handling practice sales and
retirements
• Referral management
• Benefits of local managed
clinical networks
• Dealing with orthodontic tenders and re-commissioning
Registration for the meeting is
free but places must be booked
in advance. Lunch and refreshments will also be provided free by the British Orthodontic Society. More information and a booking is available from www.bos.org.uk.

Inspirational
Education at
the British
Dental Conference 2009

The team from Smile-on
were on hand at this year’s
British Dental Conference 2009
to showcase the groundbreaking learning solutions that has
made them the market leader
and trusted name in healthcare
education.
Delegates were impressed
with the much talked about
courses including:

• Clinical Photography: the art to
taking perfect clinical shots, advice on correct equipment and
accessible ways to keep patients
better informed whilst enjoying
robust medico-legal protection
• Communication In Dentistry:
Stories From The Practice. A
programme that provides
everything necessary to open
effective lines of communication with patients and colleagues whilst promoting success across the board
• Clinical Governance: Designed to enable total compliance with Healthcare Commission standards
Smile-on also launched a
brand new programme that
caused waves at the BDA.
DNNET ll offers flexible,
expert training to dental nurses
studying for the National Certificate or NVQ level 3 in Oral
Health Care and is also an invaluable update programme for
established nurses.
For more information call 020
7400 8989 or email info@smileon.com

Supreme Consumables From
DENTSPLY at
the BDA Conference 2009

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009
• Discounted laboratory fees
• Access to a groundbreaking
aesthetic smile solution
• Free marketing and promotion

BDA success
for Kemdent
Staff at Kemdent were delighted to receive orders from
many new customers on their
stand at the British Dental Conference 2009, Glasgow. Many
visitors to the stand were also
pleased to take advantage of the
trial offer on Diamond Carve
GIC restorative.
Diamond
Carve and 90 GIC are becoming
increasingly popular. Diamond
GIC’s use a unique moisture resistant chemistry making them
easier and less messy to use.
Product samples given out
by Kemdent were also appreciated. The samples gave new and
existing customers the chance
to appreciate the quality and variety of Kemdent products, including the range of Kemdent
Cross-Infection control products, Bite Registration, Prophylaxis Paste and other materials.
For further information on
Kemdent products or to place
orders call Jackie or Helen on
01793 770256 or visit our website www.kemdent.co.uk.

The New Patient
Solution Unveiled at the
BDA Conference
Dentists committed to the
highest standards of care ensured that they remained at the
forefront of clinical excellence
by visiting the DENTSPLY stand
at the BDA Conference 2009.
Eager delegates discussed
all aspects of DENTSPLY’s
renowned product range and
their benefits:
• Hi-Di Diamond Burs: long
lasting, facilitating excellent
margins – ‘diamonds are a
burs best friend’
• Artio: cutting-edge restorative
and periodontal hand instruments – ‘tools for a true artist’
• SmartCem2 – permanent cementation – ‘strength in simplicity’
• Impression taking with Aquasil Ultra – ‘always makes a
good impression’
Any member of the dental
team can win big, by simply filling out a short 5 minute questionnaire on the DENTSPLY
website. The world renowned
and respected supplier will select 10 finalists in October ready
for the final draw in November.
To find out more about the how
you could have the chance to
win £1M with DENTSPLY go to
www.dentsply.co.uk

Dentists looking for a way of
reaching out to new patients
and increasing their profitability were excited by the possibilities offered by Munroe Sutton
at the British Dental Association
Conference.

The Munroe Sutton team
talked with delegates about the
features and benefits of the
Munroe Sutton Patient Referral
Plan. Proven in the competitive
US dental market, the plan
helps UK dentists to offer attractive and cost-effective treatment, growing their patient
base and filling their appointment books. Features that impressed dentists included:
• No charge to the dentist
• Payment at time of service for
increased cashflow
• Suitable for all practices,
whether general or specialist
• 24/7 automated telephone
system for quick and convenient patient verification

Delegates came away from
the Conference with a great option in mind for progressing
their business. For superior income flow and patient base,
Munroe Sutton has the answer.
For more information please
call 020 7887 6084 or visit www.
munroesutton.co.uk/dentist

Innovative,
invisible
orthodontics
at BDA 2009

Attendees at the 2009 British
Dental Association Conference
at the Scottish Exhibition and
Conference Centre in Glasgow
were fascinated to discover how
General Dental Practitioners
can provide quality, effective
orthodontic care to their patients in their own surgery.
Clearstep’s groundbreaking
system of invisible approaches
to orthodontics has been specifically designed to correct malocclusions through precisely
planned incremental steps.
The clear positioners are
wafer thin and made of transparent medical grade plastic.
For the patient, they are comfortable to wear, easily removable and don’t impact on
speech. Most importantly, they
are practically invisible.
The Clearstep system offers
excellent results and full convenience to the patient within
their own dentist’s practice,
without the need for referral.
With a wide distribution network and backed up by access to
experts, Clearstep is revolutionising orthodontic care - in
clear, easy steps.
For more information call the
OPT Laboratory & Diagnostic
Facility on 01342 337910 or
email info@clearstep.co.uk,
www.clearstep.co.uk

BDA Scotland

February 2009, was a lucky
month for one Scotish Dentist.
Dr Hazel Coventry, who previously had only ever won a bottle
of champagne, scooped the
FREE Aquacut Quattro in the
Velopex Competition of the February issue of Dentistry Scotland. The competition closed on
the first of June and later that
week, to coincide with the BDA
Conference and Exhibition in
Glasgow, a surprised and delighted Dr Coventry was presented with her prize.
This is all achieved using the
unique Velopex ‘water curtain’
bringing a new dimension to the
air abrasion concept. The clinicians and patients dislike of air
abrasion being principally the
mess associated with this technique. The Velopex Auquacut
Quattro delivers a vanilla
scented fluid along with the
stream of air and particles thus
allowing standard aspiration to
cope with the emissions from
the handpiece tip.
For more information or to
ask any questions, please contact: Mark Chapman
Medivance Instruments Ltd
Barretts Green Road
LONDON
NW10 7AP
Tel 07734 044877

Surgery Design

Re-covering
Your Seat!
The Bambach Saddle Seat
has proved to be incredibly popular over the past few years,
particularly as dentists are becoming more aware of the longterm health risks posed by conventional stools.
Bambach Europe Ltd is offering a re-covering service for
saddle seats that are more than
5 years old. You may find that the
colour scheme in your practice
has changed during this time or
that the cover is simply showing
signs of wear and tear.
The Bambach Saddle Seat
helps to align the spine whilst
maintaining the natural sshape thus preventing the discs
from being put under pressure.
The hips are kept at the optimum angle of 450 to the spine so
back and thigh muscles are at
their most relaxed. Each Bambach Saddle Seat is fully adjustable to create a bespoke
stool for each individual.

DT page 27

[27] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009
DT page 26

The company offer a 30-day
trial for new users so, call
Bambach on freephone 0800
581108 for further information
or to arrange your 30 day
trial.

CEREC ~
Coming to a
Town near You!

Sirona Dental Systems are
pleased to invite you to attend a
live demonstration of the revolutionary CEREC chairside system at a local practice near you.
This will give you the perfect
opportunity to see the CEREC
System in action, with a live
demonstration, carried out by a
local practitioner, without obligation.
The first CEREC System was
introduced over 20 years ago,
and is now accepted proven
technology. The CEREC system
is constantly evolving and progressing as the most innovative
chairside restoration system in
the market place today. services.
CEREC is clinically proven;
it offers superbly aesthetic, long
term and durable restorations
for your patients in a single visit
whilst also generating outstanding extra income for your
dental practice.
Take the plunge and call
Sirona Dental Systems on 0845
071 5040 for details of a live
demonstration close to you.

Support Chairs

The Perfect
Saddle Stool
The Art Of
Sitting

posture as when standing - the
back muscles relaxed and spine
following a soft, natural curve.

For further information contact
your regular Dental Dealer or
Support Chairs on 01296 581764,
fax
01296
586583,
email
sales@supportstool.co.uk or visit
www.supportstool.co.uk.

Designed
Around You!

put its expertise into action
when working with Mr Almir
Bajramovic to make Estetica
Dental Clinic, Camberley representative of cutting edge dentistry.
A true design marvel, the
surgery does not rely on natural light. Instead, a state-ofthe-art system allows variable
brightness. “We can create a
bespoke atmosphere,” says
Almir. Full glass frontage prevents patients from feeling enclosed yet also protects their
privacy. “Clark Dental’s experts helped us to shape the design in a way that was functional and aesthetic.”
“I can only praise Clark Dental. They supported us in our
unique concept, also taking
sterilisation and storage into
account in the design”

Instead of conventional
laser or infra-red light sources,
Bluecam features high-performance LEDs which deliver
optical impressions of unprecedented precision: this ensures
the final restoration’s excellent
accuracy of fit, speeds up the
bonding process and reduces
any excess luting cement to be
removed. Each exposure triggers a series of measurements
which are combined to generate the final image, which is virtually distortion-free even in
peripheral areas.

The style of your practice
says a lot about your overall approach to dentistry and there’s
no doubt that a modern, comfortable surgery can make a
lasting impression on your patients.
The key to putting your patients at ease whilst practicing
in comfort is efficient surgery
layout. The highly experienced
team at Henry Schein Minerva
have at their disposal the latest
CAD technology which they use
to achieve the best possible surgery design in the space available, delivering excellent clinical working areas and maximum patient comfort.
This revolutionary technology allows Henry Schein Minerva to produce scaled layouts,
plans and accurate service
drawings, ensuring the best
possible ergonomic design and
guaranteeing that your new
surgery will be fitted with the
minimum of practice disruption.

Unique Concepts from
Clark Dental
Clark Dental, the most
trusted specialist in surgery design and equipment in the UK,

Clark Dental also provides
comprehensive installation,
training and aftercare, to ensure that clients enjoy complete
peace of mind in their new environment, and offers solutions to
suit every budget.

For further information, contact
Ceramic Systems Limited on
01932 582930, e-mail j.colville@
ceramicsystems.co.uk or visit
www.ceramicsystems.co.uk

Ergonomically
designed for
optimum
comfort!

For more information contact
Clark Dental Wickford Essex
Office on 01268 733146 or
email enquiries@clarkdental.co.uk or Clark Dental
Nantwich Cheshire Office on
01270
613750
or
email
sales@clarkdental.co.uk

NEW CEREC®
AC from Ceramic Systems
(CEREC® )
makes impression free dental
practice a reality

the incumbent’s upper body a
comfortable and stable support.
For further information contact
your regular Dental Dealer or
Support Chairs on 01296 581764,
fax
01296
586583,
email
sales@supportstool.co.uk or visit
www.supportstool.co.uk.

Sident Dental Systems

Get over
£22,000 worth
of FREE Extras
with Sident’s
New Teneo
Treatment
Centre Offer

Bluecam delivers razorsharp images, its built-in shake
detection system enhancing
overall precision. Its automatic
exposure function and extensive depth of field means the entire impression-taking process
can now be delegated.

Support Chairs

For more information on the
surgery equipment and design services available from
Henry Schein Minerva simply
call 08700 10 20 41 today.

Regularly recommended by
Orthopaedic Specialists and
Physiotherapists,
Support
Chairs’ Perfect Saddle Stools
have solved lower back problems for thousands of people.
They enable incumbents to sit
straight and comfortably relaxed - hour after hour - enabling them to attain the same

The NEW CEREC® AC from
Ceramic Systems (CEREC®) enables Clinicians to capture
whole jaw arches – quickly and
conveniently - without the need
for impressions; generating virtual 3D models enabling Dentists to offer an even wider
range of restorations.

Compact, they allow incumbents to move around freely and
are available in Classic and Advanced versions. The latter featuring a front indentation and
groove across the seat for better
ventilation and to relieve pressure on the vertebrae.
When seated, occupants automatically assume the position
that produces least stress for
muscles, ligaments and joints.
Simultaneously the shoulders
are lowered and muscles relaxed. This improves posture,
allows deeper breathing, improves reach and hand control.

Surgery Design 27

Support Stools, from Support
Chairs, are the product of world
class Swedish furniture design
by Bruno Mathsson. They have
been developed for professionals working in sedentary positions, where both body support
and the ability to move freely
are essential.
Each seat is manufactured to
order so that they meet all the incumbent’s needs including specific requirements on colours
and materials. Support Chairs
also offer a wide range of accessories so that the Stool can be
customised to the operator’s
specific needs.
Easy to fit and convert for
both left and right handed operators, the Swing Armrest is easy
to use with a number of options
for varied seating positions and
is suitable for use with Support
Chairs’ complete range. It gives

To celebrate the launch of
Sirona’s NEW Teneo Treatment Centre, Sident Dental
Systems’ are offering over
£22,000 worth of Extras FREE.
The Extras include a FREE
Comfort Package, Innovations
Package, Clinical Package and
Sivision Package. For further
information contact Sident today!
In addition to all the above,
the NEW Teneo Treatment
Centre offers many exceptional innovations and is designed to reduce the operator’s
workload, leaving them free to
concentrate on the patient instead.
It offers patients easy access and new ergonomic mobility via its innovative chair elevation system, comfortable
positioning for patients with
restricted mobility, a new motor-driven headrest that facilitates optimised positioning of
their head, and other feel-good
factors
including
special
thermo upholstery, massage
and lumbar support functions.
For further information call
Sident Dental Systems on
01932 582900, email j.colville@
sident.co.uk or visit www.
sident.co.uk

Do you want
peace of mind
when updating
your surgery?
If you are planning to fit or
update your surgery, speak to
The Dental Directory first.

DT page 28

[28] => DTUK1709_01_Title

28 Industry News
DT page 27

The Dental Directory’s
highly-trained and experienced sales team will offer you
unbiased and impartial advice
on which solution is best for
your practice and guide you
through planning, installation
and commissioning - while all
the time ensuring that your
practice meets government
guidelines regarding HTM 0105 compliance.
The Dental Directory offers
a wide range of treatment centre packages from highly respected worldwide brands
such as Belmont, Anthos, Stern
Weber and, their newest range
to the equipment portfolio,
Kavo Dental.

ment, if required, or a glass
fronted lockable cupboard with
a height adjustable shelf.

teed to deliver a lifetime of bad
backs, sore necks and painful
shoulders.

When slotted under fixed
work surfaces, Highline offers a
very economical alternative to
traditional fixed cabinetry.
Dentists who have already
opted for this concept have been
delighted by its efficiency and
considerable savings on capital
outlay.

Over 9.5million working
days are lost annually in the UK
due to back problems and most
of these could be saved by sitting in a better position more of
the time.

For further information telephone Support Chairs on 01296
581764, fax 01296 586583, email
sales@supportstool.co.uk or visit
www.supportstool.co.uk

Get a FREE trip
to Copenhagen.
With Heka
Dental you’re
in safe hands!
Heka Dental invite Dentists
to visit Copenhagen to see their
design and production facilities, as well as their beautiful
city. There will be several trips a
year, normally running from

With competitive pricing,
attractive finance packages
and outstanding customer and
product support, they believe
its time you made the right
choice and invited The Dental
Directory to be part of your
winning team.

Bespoke Storage Solutions
Highline bespoke healthcare storage solutions, from
Support Chair, are the ultimate
answer in mobile storage systems.
Available in a choice of nine
formats they are extremely versatile and meet the exact storage requirements for each and
every individual. Probably the
reason why Highline cabinets
are becoming so widely used in
clinics, surgeries, laboratories
and treatment rooms.
Composed of modules,
which contain sets of 4 different
drawer sizes, they can be combined in one of nine models to
create units of the required
height, width and mixture of
drawer sizes to suit the individual. Some of the models feature
an open space for storing equip-

Sitting in comfort whilst
working is easy to achieve with
the ergonomically designed DynamoSeat and InCharge stools

pliment the occasion Dr Bhogal
invited the dental fraternity to a
wonderful reception where he
openly spoke of the advancement CEREC has made of the
years,
Dr Bhogal is already a firm
believer in CEREC. His original
CEREC, which he bought 3
years ago, will be moved into his
associates’ surgery where it will
continue to generate life-like
crowns and veneers.
Dr Bhogal has treated many
patients with CEREC. In the example he showed on the day the
patient arrived for their 9am appointment for a new crown and
left the practice at 10.15am with
a perfectly fitting, beautifully
aesthetic, functional permanent crown.

from Evident. These wonderful
stools automatically correct
your seating position, providing
the perfect balance, maximum
support and comfort, ensuring
you work in comfort all day
long.
The DynamoSeat and InCharge stools will also have an
impact on your practice as they
are available in a variety of
styles and colours, however
they won’t have an impact on
your bank balance as they are
remarkable value for money.

For further information please
call 0845 071 5040, e-mail info@
sironadental.co.uk or visit www.
sironacadcamsolutions.co.uk

Don’t let the
Budget hold
you back

To sit in comfort everyday,
please contact Evident on
FreeCall 0500 321111 or visit
www.evident.co.uk

For a free no-obligation consultation, or to receive our latest equipment and digital
Imaging brochure call 0800
585 585.

Highline

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Industry News
Thursday morning to Saturday
afternoon. During which guests
will have an opportunity to visit
their factory as well as Wonderful Copenhagen. For Dentists
ordering a Heka Dental package before or during the trip the
entire visit will be free. Otherwise, Dentists will only need to
pay for the flight and hotel.
Incorporating the latest
Treatment Centre Technology,
Heka Dental’s UNIC is the ultimate embodiment of feedback
from patients, dentists and service engineers etc. Combining
aesthetics with functionality, its
inviting appearance and carefully thought through functionality creating the perfect environment for a pleasant dental
visit.
For further information about
Heka Dental please email Bjorn
Friis on bf@heka-dental.dkor by
telephone on 0045 43 32 0990, by
fax on 0045 43 32 0980 or by visiting www.heka-dental.dk.

No Pain is your
gain!
Look across any practice or
reception area and the chances
are you'll see staff slouched on
their chair in a position guaran-

Dr Bhogal
Receives the
New CEREC
AC Bluecam
from Sirona
Dental Systems
As the first recipient in the
UK of the new Sirona CEREC
System the CEREC AC Bluecam,
Dr Bhogal was presented with a
certificate by Sirona Dental Systems acknowledging the inclusion of the new CEREC system
into his busy Bridge Dental
Practice in Isleworth. To com-

The recent release of the
2009 Budget means the uncertainties of the country’s finances are being held firmly
under the microscope. The contraction of the economy has
caused many businesses to fold,
and with more uncertain times
to come, dental professionals
need to have the best expert
guidance available to them.
The ASPD is dedicated to
providing the most up to date information and guidance to the
dental professional in need of
assistance. Relevant to the recent budget release ASPD members can provide help with pensions, insurance, accountancy,
sales and valuing and much
more.

The Clearstep
System:
state of the art
orthodontics
for GDPs
General Dental Practitioners can offer their patients a
complete smile solution thanks
to the Clearstep System. Incorporating a range of cutting edge
appliances, designed to achieve
excellent results whilst safeguarding patient wellbeing, the
Clearstep System lets dentists
treat mild to severe malocclusions in patients aged 7 to 107.
Because ease of use is vital to
facilitate efficient and cost-effective treatment, and to provide the most convenient and
affordable service to patients,
the Clearstep System is
arranged into 5 key elements,
each focusing on a particular
stage of treatment. These are:
• Pre-Alignment
• Space Closure
• Alignment
• Finishing and Detailing
• Extras
Appliances include the
Clearstep Closing Spring, the
CODA expansion device, the
Buccal Segment Settling Appliance, the FORD and clear medical grade polymer positioners
to align teeth incrementally.
For more information call the
OPT Laboratory & Diagnostic
Facility on 01342 337910 or
email info@clearstep.co.uk,
www.clearstep.co.uk

Bleaching
solutions
With Vita’s unique bleached
shade guide you can monitor
your bleaching process in a realistic and logical manner (spe-

ASPD’s website is constructed to provide a forum for
dental professionals looking for
a comprehensive guide on who
to contact for information.
There are up to date articles,
and a list of member’s contact
details for reference. When
contacting the ASPD for assistance, today’s dental professional can be assured they will
receive support from the most
experienced group of service
providers in the dental field.
For more information on the
ASPD please call 0800 4586773
or visit www.aspd.co.uk

DT page 29

[29] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009
DT page 28

cial offer price £52.60) and to
cure any cervical sensitivity INSTANTLY and for up to 9
months, use Hurriseal® Dentin
Desensitizer 5ml (special offer
price £30.28) without gluteraldehyde !
Extra value Special Offer
only £68.00 includes: 1x
bleached shade guide, 1x
Hurrsieal Dentin Desensitizer
5ml and 2 packs of Hurriview II
disclosing plaque swabs (worth
£12.76 each). Prices do not include VAT.
Call Panadent 01689 88 17 88

Curaprox
Cleans Up At
The British
Dental Conference 2009
Curaprox proudly displayed
its excellent selection of
Chlorhexidine products at the
British Dental Conference (4th6th June 2009 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow).
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a
potent antiseptic and disinfectant, and the outstanding Curaprox range includes:

• Curasept Gel
- targeted, direct application
of 0.5% CHX
- clinically proven efficacy
• ADS205 rinse
- non-staining, alcohol free
daily fluoride and CHX rinse
- 0.05% fluoride, 0.05% CHX
• ADS220 for short-term use
- 0.2% CHX
- non-staining, clinically proven
palatability
• ADS705 gel toothpaste for
daily use
- 0.05% fluoride, 0.05% CHX
- NO Sodium Lauryl Sulphate

slow speed handpieces on a 3year rental agreement, fully
guaranteed for 3 years with
maintenance thrown in absolutely free. This means that
over the rental period, you are
saving over £225 on the current
retail price and receiving free
handpiece maintenance over
3 years to protect your investment (*example based on
GENTLEsilence 8000B model).

At the end of the agreement
you will be given the option to
either keep the handpieces for a
nominal cost or upgrade to a
new model.
*terms and conditions apply
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity, contact KaVo today on 01494
733 000, email: sales@kavo.com
or visit www.kavo.com

SIROLaser
Advance sets
new standards
of user-friendliness and
flexibility
Today the SIROLaser Advance offers a fast and effective
way of treating your patients.
With a wide variety of treatments
such as Periodontics, Endodontics as well as Surgery applications the new diode laser, due to
its precise power setting offers

For more information call
01480 862084 or visit www.
curaprox.co.uk

KaVo 3 for Free!
With no maintenance bills or
unexpected repairs to pay for,
more UK dental professionals are
renting quality equipment from
trusted manufacturer KaVo. For
as little as £27.86* per month,
based on a 3-year rental plan, you
can work with the best and quietest handpieces available*.
KaVo is currently offering
the opportunity to purchase a
flexible range of handpieces including the GENTLEsilence
turbines and GENTLEpower

pathogens. High levels of moisture and the presence of mineral oil is a breeding ground for
bacteria, hazardous not only to
patients but practice staff as
well.

Upgrade to the
healthier side of
whitening and
stop Gingivitis
before it starts.
Beverly Hills Formula premium brand dental whitening
products have unique combinations of anti bacterial agents, low
abrasion and anti-stain polishers
to protect and whiten teeth. They
gently remove stains from teeth,
without harsh abrasives. Tests
conducted by the BBC Watchdog
programme revealed that Beverly Hills Formula Toothpaste removed over 90% of staining. Regular brushing with their latest
whitening toothpaste will help
nourish and strengthen gums,
fight plaque, re-mineralise and
harden tooth enamel for cavity
protection and leave your breath
smelling fresher. Permathol,
Panthenol, Vitamin E, Folic Acid
and Zinc Ions nourish and heal
the gums, whilst the Xylitol and
higher Fluoride level of 1450 ppm
F help to strengthen, remineralise and harden tooth enamel for
cavity protection. With regular
use the Potassium Citrate formula builds a protective layer on
the tooth’s nerve endings, providing long lasting protection
against tooth sensitivity. The result: teeth that appear whiter, feel
smoother and remain cleaner.
For
further
information
please visit: www.beverlyhillsformula.com

Protect your
practice with
DentalAir UK

The Curaprox team helped
dental professionals source the
best CHX products from this
trusted company.

even greater flexibility than ever
before. The SIROLaser Advance
also allows you to store information about individual users as
well as individual treatment sessions. Patient data can be easily
transferred to patient records via
a convenient USB flash drive.
The SIROLaser Advance
comes ready-to-use, with several preset programs for common laser applications and an intuitive user interface that allows
you to start taking advantage of
its convenient features and small
footprint right away.
For
further
information
please contact: Sirona Dental
Systems 0845 071 5040,
Info@sironadental.co.uk

Industry News 29

DentalAir UK is the only specialist organisation that focuses
on supplying clean compressed
air systems to NHS clinics and
private practices. Dentists
wishing to revolutionise their
compressed air systems will
benefit greatly from entering
into a relationship with DentalAir UK.
By not maintaining a compressed air system, dentists are
running the risk of having serious pathogens enter their air instruments. Mineral oil fuelled
compressor systems could be
harbouring potentially lethal

Enter into the most productive relationship of your career
with DentalAir UK, and provide
your patients with clean,
pathogen free air during procedures. Rely on the best customer and technical support
with regular updates to keep
you informed.

play an effective role in dentine
sensitivity protection regimes;
killing bacteria in the biofilm that
can cause soft tissue inflammation, which can lead to gingival
Listerine Total Care Sensitive
has a unique triple action. It contains potassium nitrate, an ingredient commonly used in ‘sensi-

Call Dental Air on FREEPHONE 0800 542 7575 and ask
for a FREE Practice Manager’s
Guide, or visit www.dentalair.co.uk

Tax Investigations: The
Right Support

HM Revenue & Customs has
changed its approach, and it has
become increasingly important
for sole traders, partnerships
and limited companies to consider tax investigation cost protection. Professional Fee Protection Ltd (PFP) offers complete
peace of mind with a range of
policies to suit every practice.
PFP is renowned as one of the
most reputable and experienced
fee protection providers in the
UK. With the TaxMaster and
PAYeMaster policies, dentists
can receive up to £75,000 towards accountant and specialists’ fees in the event of a tax investigation.
Tax investigations can be intimidating, time consuming and
ultimately very costly. The right
support can help you face the tax
inspector with confidence, ensuring the enquiry runs as
smoothly and swiftly as possible.
The policies provided by PFP can
cover the cost of fees, and give
you the freedom to focus on
treating your patients and running your practice. A 24-hour legal helpline is also provided.
For more information contact
PFP on 0845 307 1177 or email
info@pfp.uk.com, www.pfponline.com

Total Care Sensitive

A new adjunctive for dentine
sensitivity
Discomfort from dentine
sensitivity is very common
within the adult population. An
epidemiological study1 indicated that up to fifty seven per
cent of people questioned claim
to suffer from the condition.
New Listerine Total Care
Sensitive has been formulated to

tive’ toothpastes, which has a
soothing effect. It also contains
four essential oils which penetrate
deep into the biofilm to disrupt
bacteria, inhibit enzyme activity,
prevent bacterial absorption and
extract harmful endotoxins
For more information on protecting against dentine sensitivity with Listerine Total Care
Sensitive, for samples and a
copy of a Patient Information
Leaflet, please contact Listerine Clinical on 01245 454459.

The Source for
NEW Infection
Control
Solutions
To satisfy the latest industry
guidelines, trust Yoyo to deliver the
technology you need. Introduce
the SpectruM6 steriliser to your
practice and benefit from a range
of essential features including:
Cycle Validation: Dual temperature and pressure sensors with
independent processors ensure
reliability, accuracy and performance.
Sensors for safety: Sensors
watch over every process, including temperature and pressure,
water levels, overflow and immediately report any areas requiring
user attention.
Removable waste tank: Most
autoclaves require engineer assistance to clean the waste tank. With
the SpectruM6, the user can easily
remove the waste tank, with a water cooling system ensuring that
the waste is at a safe temperature.
Yoyo helps practices of every
size develop compliant infection
control solutions with complete
survey, design, installation, flooring and cabinetry support to help
dentists meet their obligations.
For more information, or for a
FREE compliance survey,
please call Yoyo on 0845 241 5776
or email info@yoyodental.com,
www.yoyodental.com

[30] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

30 Events

BDTA Annual Conference 2009
Informative discussion and presentations were on the agenda at this year's BDTA conference held in Bath

O

ver 120 people travelled to
the elegantly furnished
Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel
for the two-day event. Thursday
afternoon was dedicated to the
AGM and a debate on the frequency of Showcase. The debate

generated a number of new ideas
which will be considered further
by Council in relation to the event.
The main conference sessions
began on Friday and BDTA President Simon Gambold kicked

started the day’s programme with
an update on the Association’s performance in the past 12 months.
This was followed by a presentation on the importance of electronic and visual communication
by Malcolm Counihan and Hilton

Freund from the video strategy development company FooCo Ltd.

Purchasing patterns
One of the world’s leading
business forecasters, Professor

Richard Scase, quickly re-captured the attention of the audience after the break with his
real-life examples and humorous interpretations of society
and the everyday social habits,
which are impacting on the purchasing patterns of the general
public. He tailored his presentation to the dental industry superbly and highlighted the importance of reinvention in challenging business times and the
benefits of segmenting by relevant lifestyle trends, experiences and identities rather than
the non-representative demographic bases used in the past in
order to get the most out of marketing efforts and ensure relevance and high performance.
After lunch, Peter Ward provided an update on the developments taking place in the professional sphere particularly in
relation to the economic situation. He closed his presentation
with a popular caption competition, won by Janet Pickles of RA
Medical.

An engaging presentation
Kevin Lewis returned to the
conference this year by popular
demand and delivered another
engaging presentation on the
dental industry and the threats
and opportunities posed by the
recession. His speech generated
significant audience interest and
was a perfect way to end the Conference business sessions.



®

NDT syringe

OUR DEVELOPMENT –
YOUR ADVANTAGE

Non-Dripping-Technology

Dripping and leaking syringes, dragging and expensive loss of material are
things of the past now:
®

Our new non-dripping and non-leaking NDT syringe especially shows off highly
ƃQYCDNGOCVGTKCNUVQVJGKTDGUVCFXCPVCIG6JGPGY0&6® syringe ensures precise
CRRNKECVKQPCPFFQUCIGQHRTQFWEVUCEEQTFKPIVQTGSWKTGOGPVUCPFYKVJQWVCP[NQUU
QHOCVGTKCN6JWUKVOCMGUYQTMKPIPQVQPN[UCHGCPFJ[IKGPKEDWVCNUQGEQPQOKECN
0QYCXCKNCDNGHQT)TCPFKQ(NQY)TCPFKQ5GCNWPF+QPQUGCN

81%1)OD*21$QZ%WZJCXGP)GTOCP[6GN   (CZ   YYYXQEQEQO

As the evening drew near,
personalities from dental associations and institutions arrived
with their partners in time for the
drinks reception and black-tie
gala dinner. The busy guest list
included Gordon Watkins and
Amarjit Gill from the BDA, Anthony Laurie from the BAAD,
Pam Swain and Sue Bruckel from
the BADN, Marina Harris and
Sally Simpson from the BSDHT,
Edward Bannatyne from the
GDC, David Bowden from the
BOS, Christopher Allen from the
CDTA, Chris Potts from the
BDHF, Anoop Maini from BACD,
Mike Hughes from the ASPD,
Chief Dental Officer Paul Langmaid and more.

Inspiring support
Before dinner was served,
Bridge2Aid’s Ian Wilson gave a
short presentation explaining
how the money raised at the 2008
BDTA Annual Conference in Ireland had helped expand their
projects in Tanzania. Ian’s inspiring presentation evoked more
support from the audience, resulting in donations of over
£1,000 on the night.
If you missed the BDTA Annual
Conference in Bath, come
along to the Midwinter Meeting on Thursday December 10,
2009. More information available soon. DT

[31] => DTUK1709_01_Title

DENTAL TRIBUNE United Kingdom Edition · July 6–12, 2009

Classified 31
)LQDQFH

AYUB

ENDODONTICS

$O YOU NEED ADVICE ON
s 0RACTICE 3ALE0URCHASE
s 0RACTICE 6ALUATION
s &INANCIAL (EALTH #HECK

s 3TARTING A 0RACTICE
s &INANCING
s 0RACTICE !GREEMENTS

,OOKING TO BUY OR SELL 'IVE US A CLICK

www.ayub-endo.com
WIMBLEDON

#ONTACT -IKE (UGHES
Tel: 0161 652 3304
&AX   

MIKE DENTALCONSULTANCYCOUK
WWWDENTALCONSULTANCYCOUK

SPECIALIST DENTAL ACCOUNTANTS
- Assistance with Buying & Setting Up Practices
- New PDS/GDS Contract Advice
- Tax Saving Advice for Associates and Principals
- National Coverage

- Incorporation Advice
- Particular Help for New Associates
- Help for Dentists from Overseas
- We act for more than 550 Dentists

Please contact:
Nick Ledingham BSc, FCA
Tel: 01244 328301
Email: mail@moco.co.uk
Website: www.moco.co.uk/dentists

Implantology Mini Residency
One year Surgical & Restorative Implantology Course
with Dr Mark Hamburger, Specialist Prosthodontist
An implant course to provide you with the necessary knowledge
and skills to start a successful career in implants.
The course is aimed at general dental practitioners looking to
integrate implant dentistry into their patient care.

Something to
Smile about!...
SmileGuard is part of the OPRO Group, internationally renowned for revolutionising the
world of custom-fitting mouthguards. Our task is to support the dental professional with
the very latest and best oral protection and thermoformed products available today.

The course provides:
O All necessary education to comply with the GDC guidelines as
setout by the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners, UK and
the Royal Collage of Surgeons, England,
in the document entitled: Training Standards in Implant
Dentistry for GDP’s 2008 (download at GDC.gov.uk)
O Compliant with GDC guidelines for 185 verifiable CPD points.
O Benefit from over 20 years of clinical knowledge & experience.

Custom-fitting Mouthguards* – the best protection for teeth
against sporting oro-facial injuries and concussion.

OPROshield – a self-fit guard enabling patients
to play sport whilst awaiting their custom–fit guard.

The course:

NightGuards – the most comfortable and effective way
to protect teeth from bruxism.

O 18 full days spread over a 14 month period, located in Harley
Street, London.
O Maximum of eight candidates per course.
O Each candidate will place and restore at least two implant
cases under the direct supervision of Dr Mark Hamburger. In
addition: treatment planning, surgical and restorative
observation of all course patients.
O Guest speakers:
Dr Henri Thuau, Consultant Maxillo Facial & Oral Surgeon
Dr Jo Omar, Medical Emergencies and CPR

Bleaching Trays – the simplest and best method for
whitening teeth.

Snoreguards – snugly fitting appliances to
reduce or eradicate snoring.

OPROrefresh – mouthguard and tray
cleaning tablets.

O For further information and to request a
brochure/registration form, please contact:

Implant Courses

with Dr Mark Hamburger
42 Harley Street
London W1G 9PR
Tel: 020 7631 1488
Fax: 020 7631 1646
Mobile: 07944 970 140
marian-harley@hotmail.co.uk

In 2007, OPRO was granted the UK's most prestigious business award,
the Queen's Award in recognition of outstanding innovation.

CONTACT US NOW!
OPRO Ltd, A1(M) Business Centre, 151 Dixons Hill Road,
Welham Green, Hatfield, Herts. AL9 7JE

www.smileguard.co.uk
email info@smileguard.co.uk or call 01707 251252
* SmileGuard - the first to provide independent certification relating to
EC Directive 89/686/EEC and CE marking for mouthguards.

part of the oprogroup
7320_09_3

[32] => DTUK1709_01_Title

40%
of adults across the world
suffer from

gum disease
(Source: BBC News - Health)

STOPS GINGIVITIS BEFORE IT STARTS
www.beverlyhillsformula.com

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[cover] => DT UK 1709

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Table of contents

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