02


• •


Welcome News


Welcome to your


WHEN I graduated from dental school many years ago, all the general practice vacancies were for NHS associates. These days many NHS dentists are choosing to work in the private sector, but this transition is not without risk. My article on page 10 looks at issues around consent, fees and the pitfalls of “upselling”. Most dentists will have had


that sinking feeling when a treatment has not gone to plan or a patient returns unhappy. It may be tempting to avoid “riskier” procedures, but this will likely only increase patient dissatisfaction and lead to deskilling. Early practitioner adviser Laura McCormack looks at the risks around defensive dentistry on page 5. Locum dentists provide a vital


service - but is your practice fully prepared for temporary staff? Risk adviser Alan Frame offers top tips on on page 7. A successful working relationship between partners/principals and


practice associates relies on having a comprehensive contract in place, yet many do not. Dentist-turned-business coach Alun Rees explains on page 6. Oral cancer is rare but can be


devastating when missed. Professor Stephen Porter considers the pitfalls in diagnosis on page 8. Providing care to a child whose parents are estranged can be a real challenge for practices. Our article on page 4 offers some advice. From the gruesome Middle


Ages to modern day Hollywood smiles, dentistry has come a long way over the past centuries. Check out some fascinating photos from a new Wellcome Collection exhibition on page 12. And the misdiagnosis of a


prolonged socket infection is the focus of our case study on page 14.


• Doug Hamilton Editor


COVER PHOTOGRAPH: WELLCOME COLLECTION. ABRAM GAMES POSTER DETAIL, COURTESY NAOMI GAMES


CALL FOR DENTISTS TO SEE


EXTRA 70,000 CHILDREN DENTISTS are being urged to see more pre-school children in a bid to tackle tooth decay.


NHS England is calling for an extra 70,000 under-fives to have check-ups as part of its Starting Well Core campaign which aims to raise awareness among 24,000 dentists across the country. Experts recommend children are taken for an NHS dental check-up


before their first birthday but currently only one in 10 children under two have seen a dentist. This is despite the fact that NHS dental treatment is free up to the age of 18, or 19 for those in full-time education. The latest figures show that more than 140 children a day – some


as young as one – are having decayed teeth removed at great cost to the NHS. Chief dental officer for England Sara Hurley said: “Regular visits to


your dentist from a very early age is key to developing habits that lead to a lifetime of good oral health. The NHS is providing additional support to dentists to help them see more children so that painful and distressing dental operations, later in life, can be reduced.” The Starting Well Core initiative will offer additional support to dentists including training materials and guidance.


EDITOR: Doug Hamilton BDS LLM MJDF RCS (Eng)


MANAGING EDITOR: Joanne Curran


ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Jim Killgore


DESIGN: Connect Communications www.connectmedia.cc


CORRESPONDENCE: SoundBite Editor MDDUS Mackintosh House 120 Blythswood Street Glasgow G2 4EA


t: e: 0333 043 4444 jcurran@mddus.com w: www.mddus.com


SoundBite is published by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, Registered in Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. The MDDUS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MDDUS are discretionary as set out in the Articles of Association. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in SoundBite are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland.


GPst is published by The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, Registered in Scotland No 5093 at Mackintosh House, 120 Blythswood Street, Glasgow G2 4EA. The MDDUS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MDDUS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16