News
Dentist banks stem cells from daughter
STEM CELL RESEARCH
A dentist from East Kilbride has become the first prac- titioner in Scotland to bank stem cells from his own daughter’s baby teeth. Callum Graham, who owns Queen’s Park Dental Practice in the south side of Glasgow as well as the Tooth Doctor practice in Carluke, took the unusual
decision to freeze and store his daughter Becca’s milk teeth so the seven year old can take advantage of future medical advances in stem cell research. Speaking to the Daily
Record, Callum said: “There’s been an awful lot of research lately regarding stem cells and how to deliver them and use them to cure diseases, leukaemia, diabetes and
cancers. We had been looking for a way to store stem cells when Rebecca was born. We’d heard all about it and thought it was a good idea. “Although there’s not a lot of treatments just now,
we knew there was a future in it, in personalised bio- technology, where everybody cures themselves. It’s a fabulous service to be able to offer your children. “Becca was brilliant. We explained the relevance of it, why we were going to take her tooth and she was a bril- liant wee patient. “It’s always a little bit nerve-wracking treating members of your family or your friends. You feel a great deal of empathy with them, as you do with all your patients, but more so with people you know.”
Dentists launch online protest over latest cuts
DENTAL REMUNERATION
A disgruntled group of Scot- tish dentists has launched an e-petition to protest about the recent cuts to the Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR). Revisions announced on 26
November include: the end of payments for free repairs or replacements of restora- tions, with the exception of trauma and denture repairs or replacements; the end of payments for repairs to fixed orthodontic appliances, with the exception of repairs under- taken by dentists on behalf of orthodontists in remote areas;
e-Petition. Anger boils to the surface over the latest amendment to the SDR
the abolition of the VT recruit- ment allowance; and significant changes to the VT practice improvement grant. The organisers said: “In
addition to other health professionals, general dental practitioners have been integral in the delivery of oral healthcare for the people of Scotland. Year upon year, the fees assigned for work in general dental services by means of the SDR have not increased in accordance with inflation and/or similar
indexes, even though the cost of providing such work has increased significantly. “Furthermore, the constant
‘cuts’ have challenged our ability to provide adequate care within our means. The latest amend- ment (No. 122) has further compounded such concerns to a degree which has infuriated GDS dentists across the country. “As independent contractors
in our thousands, we feel that proper consultation in relation to these changes has NOT been
BDA response to latest SDR cuts
Dr Robert Donald, chairman of the SDPC, said: “SDPC opposes any cut to the funding of dental services. But where changes have to be made, it is important they be implemented in the least damaging way possible, in consultation with the profession and with the best outcome for patients as their end goal. The BDA has consist- ently stressed the importance of the General Dental Practice Allowance and its retention was
8 Scottish Dental magazine
highlighted in the BDA’s manifesto for the Scot- tish Government elections last year as a key commitment that the new government should make. We are pleased to see that appears to have been taken on board.”
® To read Amendment No 122, see
www.sehd.
scot.nhs.uk/pca/PCA2012(D)04.pdf
conducted by conventional means before implementation and are now making a stand in protest.” The petition encourages
people to sign their names to the following statement: “We, the undersigned, call on the Scottish Government and health boards within Scot- land to reverse the decisions taken within Amendment No. 122 to the SDR, under- take proper consultations and obtain consents for this and any future amendments to the SDR before implementation OR any changes in policies affecting dentists by practi- tioner services and/or local health boards. “Failure to do so may result in
thousands of dentists across the country choosing to strike in protest. Such action, although regrettable, will dramatically affect primary healthcare services across Scotland.”
® To view and sign the petition, go to
www.gopetition.com/ petitions/
stop-sdr-cuts.html
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