dental practice July 2009
www.dental-practice.org
Seated four handed dentistry
Nick Unsworth BDS LDS MFGDP attended Ellis and Jennifer Paul’s popular course in May
E
LLIS and Jennifer Paul have reduced quality of life when it matters height of the dental couch
been presenting this course for most – in our leisure time! and maintaining correct
approximately 30 years. It is Ellis was in general practice in focal distance; the position
one of those courses that every dentist Manchester and London for many of the patient’s head in
working with patients should go on years, accompanied by his wife terms of forward/backward
shortly after qualification and possibly Jennifer. She trained as a dental nurse tilt, and side to side rotation;
repeat every year or two, rather like we at the Royal London Hospital. They and the position of the
do with resuscitation training. have established an international mouth itself.
This is because the nature of our job reputation as leaders in the field of The dentists carried out a
predisposes to bad postural habits working posture and team dentistry series of exercises on the
leading to neck, shoulder and back and continue to tour the UK to the phantom heads in order to
pain. At its worst it can lead to benefit of dentists and their teams. familiarise themselves with
Ellis Paul supervises the dentists
premature retirement; but more often The course works best in small the five variables and to get
than not periods of discomfort and groups and the morning began used to using the mouth mirror in the sequence of four-handed dentistry.
demonstrating what “dry zone”. Another useful tip was to have the
constitutes natural perfect Meanwhile Jennifer was showing the dental couch ready in the horizontal
posture. From that point we nurses the art of aspiration, soft tissue position before the patient enters the
can devise ways of working retraction and working in harmony treatment area.
on patients comfortably by with the dentist so that their backs can They are then helped to lie down on
not straying far from that withstand the vigours of a busy day. the couch by the nurse. Patients
ideal. Both members of the team need to complain about being laid back in the
These were referred to as see clearly and work comfortably, and chair, not about lying down per se.
the five variables and at the same time ensure that the patient Once in that position, effective
include the operator experience is an acceptable one. This is aspiration negates the need for the
position in relation to the no easy matter but it can be done with patient to sit up and rinse and this is
patient and confines of the a little discipline. essential if we are to maintain the
Jennifer teaches retraction and aspiration surgery and equipment; the During the afternoon session, dentist patient in that ideal supine position.
and nurse worked together trying out This totally hands-on course is one
the techniques. Having the right of very few where dentists and nurses
operator and nurses’ stools set to the can and should participate together
correct height is a good start, and it is because it does help reduce stress and
surprising how many stools are still prevent neck and back pain.
Ellis and Jennifer Paul
poorly designed. The only way this course could
Present
The nurse must be allowed to go possibly be improved would be to hold
into the mouth first in order for it in a surgery environment with
optimal retraction and effective volunteer patients accompanying
Seated Four-Handed Dentistry 2009
aspiration to be achieved. dentist and nurse, and logistically that
“The original hands-on course for the dental team
Instrument transfer is then just may not be feasible except on a one-to-
by the UK’s leading experts”
another natural procedure in the one consultancy basis.
No More Neck Or Back Pain
Student of the Year Award
Perfect Vision
ZOE Clarke, who has just
qualified from Cardiff
Perfect Posture
Dental School, is the first
Perfect Teamwork
winner of the St David’s
Student of the Year
Award.
This award was for the
DATE LOCATION
best all-round student
July 8 Amersham who displayed the highest
(Bucks - NW London)
level of professionalism,
Sept 9 Manchester
clinical competence and
teamwork. The award, which was voted on by all of the St David’s staff,
took the form of an engraved Alegra LED hand piece, provided by the
6 hours of
sponsor, W&H.
verifiable CPD Cardiff fourth and fifth year dental students get a large proportion of
their outreach clinical experience at the St David’s Primary Dental Care
Unit, which is a joint venture between Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and
Tel: 020 8958 6547
Cardiff University School of Dentistry.
Zoe Clarke is shown receiving her prize from Peter Ash, director of the
Email: ellispauluk@gmail.com
Circle 117 on enquiry card
St David’s Unit; Mark Beckwith, institutional territory manager for W&H;
John Llewelyn, clinical lecturer; and other staff members.
30
ellis den 155hx112w.indd 1 5/6/09 16:27:54
DP July 09 28-33,37.indd 30 24/6/09 14:16:12
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