Category Archives: Clinical

Oral Cancer Rates Up – but is the real truth hard to swallow?

There have been a lot of mentions in the media over the past 10 days that the rates of Oral Cancer have risen in individuals in their 40s. When I was a student & during my hospital career we were told that Oral & Lip Cancers were related to the “5Ss”: Smoking, Spirits, Sepsis, SunshineContinue reading “Oral Cancer Rates Up – but is the real truth hard to swallow?”

Why Bother Having Expert Advisors?

A report in today’s Guardian concerning the free availability of anti-virals to treat the symptoms of swine ‘flu. Before I left for my holiday in Ireland in mid July it seemed that the population was going to succumb to this dread plague but in the nick of time Gordon and his chums had come toContinue reading “Why Bother Having Expert Advisors?”

The Celtic Tiger loses its bite

19.07.2009 Irish dentists ‘shocked’ over report’s recommendations The Irish dental community is “shocked” at the changes recommended in a report released this week by the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, according to the Irish Dental Association (IDA). Overall, “The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure ProgrammesContinue reading “The Celtic Tiger loses its bite”

“Brits borrow millions for dental work”

From Dr Bicuspid’s Blog – Now please don’t tell again me that people won’t pay for Dentistry. Britons have taken out personal loans worth an estimated 60.2 million pounds ($97.6 million) to fund private dental treatment, according to a Press Association story. An analysis by Sainsbury’s Finance showed that nearly 7,000 loans have been takenContinue reading ““Brits borrow millions for dental work””

“The mouth is the mirror of the body”

I don’t remember who first told me that but it’s something that I said to patients regularly through my clinical career. We knew that it was unusual to find unhealthy gums in a healthy individual, to add to that, anyone who couldn’t get the enthusiasm and motivation to look after their mouth was unlikely toContinue reading ““The mouth is the mirror of the body””

Jimmy Steele’s Report 1) It’s out

The report has been released today (all 88 pages of it) and will be available from the DoH website & here ASAP. Download from here. Some comments: BBC HSJ I’m afraid that this will make very little difference to the provision of NHS care. The fact remains that the provision of dentistry is expensive and the repeatedContinue reading “Jimmy Steele’s Report 1) It’s out”

The Weekend Read – The Scientific Basis of Oral Health Education

Now in its sixth edition this slim volume by Ronnie Levine and Catherine Stillman-Lowe was released during the last couple of months. Described as “an essential document for all those involved in providing oral health education to the public” I cannot praise it enough. During my visits to dental practices and conversations with teams IContinue reading “The Weekend Read – The Scientific Basis of Oral Health Education”

Swine Flu Pandemic – The GDC issues guidelines

Lifted from Tony Kilcoyne‘s posting on GDPUK “Information for registrants in the event of an influenza pandemic This statement explains your responsibilities as a registered dental professional in the event of an influenza pandemic Dental and other health services The Departments of Health and local organisations which commission health services have made arrangements for theContinue reading “Swine Flu Pandemic – The GDC issues guidelines”

Long Distance Traveller – no one does it closer, really?

This is from Richard Charon via Facebook. Subject: Long distance traveller Just getting in gear for next Saturday’s RA course Teams and individuals will travel from Durham, Woking & Sheffield to my Newbury practice. But they are not the long distance travellers I refer to. Yesterday ( yes that is dentistry for busy people 8-)) Continue reading “Long Distance Traveller – no one does it closer, really?”