Diary dates p15 | Interview p20 | Product news p54 |


News IDA reissues amalgam advice


The Irish Dental Association (IDA) has moved to remind dental practices of their legal responsibilities surrounding amalgam separation after newspaper reports raised public health concerns. The Irish Examiner has claimed that


one in six dental practices seeking HSE contracts in the last three years did not have amalgam separators installed. Citing documents released under the Freedom of Information Act, the paper claimed that, out of ı94 practices that put themselves forward for a public contract since July 20ı3, 34 failed inspections as they were not using amalgam separators. However, IDA chief executive Fintan


Hourihan questioned whether the figures were up to date, saying: “I would have thought that the one-in-six figure would be considerably lower if the question was asked today. “I know from people in the trade who


supply amalgam separators that there has been a big uptake so I would expect that the overwhelming majority of dentists have separators in place.” The association has since published its


advice on dental amalgam on its website (www.dentist.ie), reiterating the Dental Council’s standards on the issue which were published in 20ı5 along with its own guidance that all practitioners fit amalgam separators to their suction units.


The IDA also moved to assure the


public about the safety of dental amalgam in the mouth saying: “Dental amalgam has been used on patients for over ı50 years. All available worldwide research indicates that amalgam is not harmful to health. This view is endorsed by the International Dental Federation, the International Association for Dental Research, the US Department of Health and Human Services, and many dental


New community contract agreed in Northern Ireland


The British Dental Association in Northern Ireland has heralded agreement for a new community dental contract as a major breakthrough for the service. The new contract, which comes after


nearly seven years of negotiations with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPSNI), will see pay backdated to April 20ı5. Grainne Quinn, Chair of the BDA’s


Northern Ireland Salaried Dentists Committee, said: “This deal represents a real victory for community dentists in Northern Ireland. “Our negotiating team succeeded in securing a proposed settlement which, if accepted by members, will be backdated to April 20ı5. This goes some way towards acknowledging the significant delays with


the process to date. The introduction of a £750 allowance recognises the importance of ongoing training and development for community dentists and would bring us into line with our colleagues in England and Wales. “I believe this proposal represents a


good outcome for community dentists in Northern Ireland and, on behalf of the Salaried Dental Committee, I would recommend acceptance of this offer.” The new modernised terms and


conditions will deliver an average uplift of 4.4 per cent and introduce a dedicated educational fund of £750 per dentist to be used on CPD, in line with the contracts in England and Wales. This marks the first time such funding will be available to community dentists in Northern Ireland.


associations, including the American, British and Canadian associations. “No government or reputable scientific, medical or dental body anywhere in the world accepts, on any published evidence, that dental amalgam is a hazard to health. Ireland is a signatory to the UN Minamata Convention which commits to reducing rather than abolishing the use of dental amalgam.”


Syrian dentist


killed in Lisburn A dentist killed when he was struck by a lorry while cycling to work in Lisburn in March was originally from Syria. Mohamed Mahfouz Bali, a 47-year-


old father-of-four, arrived in Northern Ireland a year ago after fleeing the war-torn city of Aleppo. He was working in a factory making


blinds to support his family and had recently been the subject of a fund- raising campaign to help him raise the £6,000 needed to sit his exams to qualify in order to work as a dentist in the UK. He had worked as a dentist in his


home country for 23 years before he and his family relocated to the province to escape the war.


Ireland’s Dental magazine 7


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