British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show Day 1

Posted on May 19, 2018 by Alun Rees

Firstly let me get this comment out of the way, it is not and probably will never be a substitute for the BDA conference. Done.

The numbers were high. When I arrived from the airport at 9.05 the queue to print tickets looked daunting but the stewards kept it organised and the ticket machines were straightforward to use so the wait was minimal.

Every year brings a glut of new businesses to shows and, unsurprisingly, this year’s were those selling GDPR compliance packages. On May 25th the sky will not fall in in the same way that the “Millennium bug” did not bring civilisation crashing down. Last GDPR mention, I promise.

At first glance the lecture theatres were well placed and isolated from the main exhibition hall. There was little or no sound leakage to distract from the content. Less ideal were the theatres situated within the hall, it was clear that anyone doing three or four presentations over the two days would be left with a sore larynx by Saturday afternoon.

One of the justified complaints from the people who pay to make these events happen, the dental industry, is that delegates who come to attend the academic elements don’t visit their stands – with this set up it would be impossible to ignore the goods and services on display.

It was good to see the numbers of Foundation Dentists and Students in attendance something that Closer Still hadn’t welcomed in the past apparently because they weren’t responsible for making or influencing purchases.

No hordes of freebie hunters either.

A very good first day.

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Specialist subjects?

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Alun Rees

I tried, I really did, I blocked my ears, turned my phone and other distractions off, reduced the sceptic factor setting as low as it would go and concentrated. The I came to some of the language used and the “mummy knows best” tone. 

  • HEE (NHS Leadership Academy) to develop and pilot a self-help, team building pack, specifically designed to help dental teams assess their current level of efficient and effective working practices and support the design of development plans for further strengthening team performance.
  • HEE (NHS Leadership Academy) to develop system leadership from within primary care, identifying and supporting high-calibre individuals to maximise their potential.
  • The causes of oral diseases are well understood, they are almost entirely preventable and many people now experience good oral health.

  • To reduce health inequalities, it will be important to take an approach of “proportionate universalism”,

By page 8 was floundering, tutting, shaking my head and then it dawned on me, these are the same people or rather people with the same backgrounds in academia, the armed forces and educationalists whose predecessors got us into this position, whose thinking is decades behind where it ought to be. They live their lives through reports, committees, papers and meetings and rarely, if ever, immerse themselves in the existence that the 80-90% of their profession actually live.

Thirty years ago their predecessors were similarly out of date, I was castigated and warned off for allowing my “team members”, a dental hygienist and two dental nurses, to visit a couple of primary schools that had never had any formal (or informal) dental health education. Apparently that was the role of the “community” dentists who rarely, if ever, visited and then to “do” things.

During National Smile Week I held a regular open house and (thanks to the BDHF) attracted a lot of media interest, the result a public put down in the letters page of the city newspaper from the LDC chairman.

The fact that I employed a full time hygienist in a one dentist practice provoked suspicion and comments from FPC/PCTs and the RDO. (ask your favourite ageing dentist to explain the acronyms)

Yes, everyone knows things must change but why does change have to be so far behind the curve? 

Please do take the time and read the report, HERE, it could be that as I have decided that life is too short for this stuff I am missing something, but after 40 years with a BDS I really don’t have the time to invest. 

  • It is clear that the DCP cadre is an essential element in the delivery of care and prevention. 

 

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The Monday Morning Quote #482

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Alun Rees

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

Thanks to my neighbour in Fahoura, Walt, for reminding me of this, (PSyou can find good optometry people in West Cork too).

Filed under: 7 Pillars of Successful Dental Business, Blog, People, Quote | Leave a comment »

The Monday Morning Quote #481

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Alun Rees

“Note that this journey is uniquely yours, no one else’s.

So the path has to be your own.

You cannot imitate somebody else’s journey and still be true to yourself.

Are you prepared to honour your uniqueness in this way?” 

— Jon Kabat-Zinn

 

 

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Roy Lilley speaks…sense.

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Alun Rees

I often disagree with Roy Lilley (especially when he discusses dentistry) but his newsletter today makes a few points well, particularly these.

…the only way to achieve that is to de-pompous the GMC and NMC, strip them back to maintaining a register and stop hounding clinicians with all the masonic, legal palaver of hearings…

Clinicians are rarely criminals but they are always human beings and we make mistakes, get confused, get tired, get screwed up by poor systems, bad designs and pressure.

If people think owning up to a mistake could end their career, they’ll hide it and hope.  That is hopeless and serves no purpose.  We have to put a purpose into honesty.  The purpose is to keep us safe and that is all that matters…

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The Product Is Not Enough

Posted on May 1, 2018 by Alun Rees

From the always stimulating Bob Lefsetz – his main thing is music but the lessons apply to most businesses (including my own!)

If you build it they will not come.

Your challenge is getting noticed.

So you may be sitting at home, in your beautiful house, with your beautiful wife, asking me…DIDN’T YOU SAY JUST THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE?

Yes, in the last decade. Things changed. Bob Dylan sang about that, but no one seems to realize the puck keeps moving, and media ain’t hockey, the rules change too.

In a world where people are overwhelmed by content, they don’t want to hear about yours. And the problem is great content gets cast aside as well as horrible content. You did the work and nothing is happening, what’s up?

It’s not your fault. You just have to find a way to run the gauntlet…..

…..Sure, the work is most important.

But that’s when the job is just beginning….

…..Building success is a job and a science unto itself.

Think about it…..

….PS Social networking is for satiating your fans, it’s not where you break your career.

As for promotional stunts, rarely do they succeed, it’s more about hard work.

Link to the full article HERE

 

Filed under: 7 Pillars of Successful Dental Business, Blog, Coaching, Marketing | Leave a comment »

The Monday Morning Quote #480

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Alun Rees

“The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression”.

Sir John Harvey Jones

Filed under: 7 Pillars of Successful Dental Business, Blog, Business, Quote, Vision | 1 Comment »

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