Welcome to the British Association of Clinical Dental Technology. Serving clinical dental technicians.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is urging dental care professionals (DCPs) to keep track of their continuing professional development (CPD) and to ensure they keep hold of any attendance certificates they’ve received.

On 31 July 2013 more than 40-thousand DCPs will reach the end of their first five year CPD cycle. By this date they must have completed 150 hours of CPD. They will then have until 28 August 2013 to declare the hours that they have completed or risk losing their GDC registration.

There are two types of CPD – verifiable and non-verifiable. All DCPs must complete at least 50 hours of verifiable CPD, and a combined total of at least 150 hours, in each cycle.

For CPD to be counted as verifiable it must meet four conditions:

1. You must get and keep a certificate (or other documentary proof)

The activity itself must have:

2. Concise educational aims and objectives
3. Clear anticipated outcomes
4. Quality controls – you should have the chance to give feedback.

Why is CPD so important?

CPD is study, training, courses, seminars, reading and other activities which advance the professional development of dental professionals.

The purpose of CPD is to provide high-quality care. It’s very important that the CPD registrants do takes into account the needs of their patients and is relevant to their practice.

As part of the GDC’s on-going review of its CPD requirements a consultation will be launched in late October. It will be asking for views on the proposals for an enhanced scheme of mandatory CPD - anyone wishing to take part should keep an eye on www.gdc-uk.org for more details or sign up to our monthly newsletter via the website.

Full details of the types of CPD the GDC expects registrants to complete can be found online at www.gdc-uk.org

Who’s declared what so far?

• 13,700 (35%) DCPs have logged more than the minimum hours (including 50 verifiable);
• 4,500 (11%) DCPs have logged no hours;
• Dental Technicians are currently the least likely to have logged their hours - 23% having not yet declared any.*

*Source – GDC database 28 August 2012

Following research from the University of California* on the links between poor dental health and the risks of developing dementia, the British Dental Health Foundation, is reminding people about the importance of maintaining a good oral hygiene routine.

The California research that followed nearly 5,500 elderly people over an 18-year-period, found that those who reported brushing their teeth less than once a day were up to 65% more likely to develop dementia than those who brushed twice daily.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation said: “Following a good oral health routine is pivotal in the prevention of gum disease, which has been found to be associated with a number of other life changing illnesses including, heart attack, stroke and diabetes.

“Unfortunately, gum disease progresses painlessly on the whole so that you do notice the damage it is doing.  If the disease is left for a long time, it can be more difficult to treat.  If you suspect you have gum disease you should speak to your dentist. The warning signs are, blood on the toothbrush or in the rinsing water when you clean your teeth. Your gums may also bleed when you are eating, leaving a bad taste inyour mouth.  
“The Californian research shows that only brushing once a day or less could lead to a greater risk of developing dementia. Who would think that something as easy as brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes could potentially save yourlife.”

The British Dental Health Foundation recommends a simple routine of brushing twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between the teeth with interdental brushes or floss, practising good eating habits, having sugary foods and drinks less often and regular dental check-ups as often as your dentist recommends.

*Research Published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

We’re very excited to introduce the first ever BDTA Dental Showcase interactive app, specially designed to help you plan your visit to the exhibition, from 4^th-6^th October at London ExCeL.

Bringing you the latest innovations has always been a key motto of the BDTA Dental Showcase, and once again the exhibition is at the forefront of technology. The BDTA Dental Showcase is the first dental exhibition in the UK to offer a free app to help you along with your visit. So don’t miss out on planning your day in advance and accessing all the information you’ll need in one place

Use the built-in functions to view exhibitors you would like to visit, plan which live theatre demos you’ll be attending and see what key speakers will be at the event. The app also allows you to access social media sites, to help you connect with other dental professionals at the event and share your Dental Showcase experience together. So now you only need your phone to network and navigate your way around the show.

Downloading the mobile app is easy! For iPhone (plus, iPod Touch and iPad) and Android phones: visit your iTunes App Store or Google Play on your phone and search for ‘Showcase 2012’ to download the app. For All Other Phone Types (including BlackBerry and all other web browser-enabled phones):  While on your smartphone, point your mobile browser to http://m.core-apps.com/showcase12.  From there you will be directed to download the full version of the app for your particular device, or on some phones, bookmark this page for future reference. 

The interactive app is just another reason to attend BDTA Dental Showcase 2012, the biggest and most important exhibition on the UK dental calendar. Of course, all the other features which make this the number one dental event of 2012 will also be present – over 300 exhibitors and more than 10,000 delegates make Dental Showcase the premier event for those who want to experience the latest innovations in the industry, make contacts and earn CPD.

Don’t miss out on this unique interactive app, download today to start planning your trip to the BDTA Dental Showcase!

 

 

 

The British Dental Health Foundation has partnered up with The Ben Walton Trust for Mouth Cancer Action Month 2012, which takes place in November.
The Ben Walton Trust, established in 1996, commemorates Ben Walton and his year-long fight against mouth cancer. Although mouth cancer traditionally affects those over the age of 40, Ben was only 22 when he lost his battle with the disease.
Ben was born at Kittleyknowe, near Carlops, and attended West Linton Primary School and Peebles High School. Ben was at Aberdeen University where he was studying Honours Psychology; in his final year, at the time of his death on 9 December 1995.
Founder and chairman of The Ben Walton Trust Michael Walton welcomed the move. He said: “I am delighted to support the work of the Foundation during Mouth Cancer Action Month. Too few people have heard about mouth cancer, even though 6,236 new cases were diagnosed in the UK last year alone and over 400 of those were in the under 45s.
“It is our aim to raise awareness of the disease among the general public and healthcare professionals, to fund research into the disease and to encourage people to care for their mouths. Since I formed the Trust in Ben’s honour we have set up and funded several projects that have helped to educate people about mouth cancer, particularly those under 45. However, research has proved mouth cancer does not discriminate. Almost anyone at any age of either sex can contract the disease.”
The campaign, supported by Denplan, takes place throughout November under the strapline ‘If in doubt, get checked out’. Tobacco use and drinking alcohol to excess are still the main causes of the disease, while poor diet, the human papilloma virus (HPV) transmitted via oral sex and forms of smokeless tobacco are also risk factors.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE said: “I would like to thank Mike and all those at the Ben Walton Trust for supporting this year’s campaign.
“Mouth cancer can affect anyone, a fact highlighted by Ben’s case. What makes this disease worse is that too many people are diagnosed late. The five year survival rate of mouth cancer is just 50 per cent, yet early diagnosis can give patients a 90 per cent survival chance.
“During this campaign we are urging as many people as possible to visit their dentist and ask for a mouth cancer check-up. We should all be vigilant about problems with our oral health that could be more serious than we think
“Make sure you regularly check for ulcers that do not heal within three weeks; red and white patches in the mouth and unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth. The Foundation’s message to everyone is ‘If in doubt, get checked out’”.
For further information about The Ben Walton Trust please visit www.benwaltontrust.org. To find out more about Mouth Cancer Action Month please visit www.mouthcancer.org.