Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

D irector of the University of Oxford’s health promo- tion research group, Dr Mike Rayner, is urging the gov- ernment to introduce a tax on un- healthyfoodsanddrinkstoencour- age people to eat more healthily. Dr Rayner believes that a “fat tax” (as it has been referred to), could help tackle obesity and help raise funds. He told the BBC that obesity costs the UK’s health ser- vices billions of pounds every year and that a 12p tax on soft drinks could prevent several thousand deaths each year. “There’s evidence to show that manipulating food prices can en- courage healthy eating. So why are we so reluctant to change the way we tax food?” Dr Rayner was quoted in one report. I don’t care whether it’s hot or cold, whether you got it from a takea- way or a shop - I’d like us to tax all unhealthy foods from butter to biscuits. And in doing so we can tackle a problem that will only keep expanding.” A film produced by Dr Rayner was shown to MPs Steve Webb and Angela Eagle to see what their thoughts were on the subject. Accordingtoareport,MrWebb said that the idea of a fat tax was “worthlookingat”,whileMsEagle claimed that although tax could have a role in tackling obesity, “education, assistance and regula- tion of some of the salt content in food is all equally important”. DT Expert calls for tax on unhealthy foods Experts call for a ‘fat tax’ May 7-13, 20124 News United Kingdom Edition C hildren as young as 10 say their parents are who they would turn to first for ad- vice about alcohol, and the most common source of alcohol itself, according to new research pub- lished by alcohol education char- ity Drinkaware. Unique research, which polled parents (who were social grades ABC1) of 10-17 year olds and their children, highlights that 72 per cent of the 10-17 year olds questioned say their parents are the first people they would approach with questions about alcohol, while half (50 per cent) of those who have had a drink re- port it was their parents who sup- plied them with the alcohol the last time they drank*. The publication of these find- ings coincides with the launch of Drinkaware’s new ‘Mumtank’ - a team of mums with exper- tise ranging from health and child psychology, to education and parenting. The Mumtank will provide parents with practi- cal advice on how to tackle the thorny issues around kids and alcohol. Members include Mum- snet co-founder Carrie Longton, TV’s Dr Sarah Jarvis and Super- intendent Julie Whitmarsh from Devon & Cornwall Police. The research also shows that while 83 per cent of parents agree it is important to talk to their kids about alcohol, a third (32 per cent) admit that there are many things they do not know about the effects of alcohol on children. Many parents allow their children to drink from an early age - with data showing that in those families where the child had drunk alcohol, the av- erage age at which parents first allowed their child to have a drink was 13.8 years old. Of the 10-17 year olds polled who had drunk an alcoholic drink, the majority (55 per cent) had been with their parents the last time they drank alcohol. Additional findings from the research include: • 43 per cent of parents worry that their child’s friends have a greater influence on their child’s drinking behaviour than they do • More than two thirds (67 per cent) of 10-17 year olds say they have never felt encouraged to drink alcohol. Based on the outcomes of this new research, and draw- ing on their collective expertise and experience, this summer the Mumtank will produce a practi- cal and thought-provoking set of resources for parents, which will seek to involve them in the de- bate and offer advice and guid- ance on children and alcohol. This resource will form the centrepiece of Drinkaware’s parenting campaign this year, which offers advice and tips to parents on how and when to talk to their children about alcohol, in an age appropriate way, be- tween the ages of 8 -17. Further advice can be found at drinka- ware.co.uk/parents Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, said: “These find- ings will help to reassure parents that their children are more likely to go to them for advice about al- cohol than their peers. So it’s re- ally important that they have the right advice, information and sup- port to talk to their kids. Evidence shows that the earlier children start drinking, the more likely they are to drink more and more frequently as they grow up. DT * When asked about the last time they were drinking, 50 per cent of 10-17 year olds who have had a drink say their parents gave them the alcohol. Parents are biggest providers of alcohol to kids, reveals Drinkaware B ADN is proud to announce that the Dental Awards 2012 Outstanding Achieve- ment Award was presented to Chief Executive Pam Swain at the black tie Dental Awards dinner held at the Lancaster London Ho- tel in 20 April, hosted by comedian Mitch Benn. The Dental Awards, now in its 14th year, is organised by Pur- ple Media Solutions Ltd and is sponsored by The Dental Web, Dentsply, Software of Excellence, Waterpik, Wrigley, Beverley Hills Formula and Practice Plan. Each of the winners of the 18 awards received a beautiful, specially de- signed glass trophy. Pam was born in Fleetwood in 1958 and later attended Fleetwood Grammar School and Blackpool & Fylde College. In 1976 she spent one year in Vienna, as an au pair and part time student at Vienna University studying “Deutsch für Ausländer”. She worked briefly for the Home Office Research Unit in London and moved to Brussels in 1979, working for CPC Europe Ltd and at Hilton International’s European Office, in Personnel and then in Marketing. From 1981 to 1987 she worked at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, both for the International Staff in the Elec- tronic Warfare section and for the International Military Staff in the Operations Division. Pam moved to Bermuda in 1987 where she worked in the Investment Department of the Bank of Bermuda, completing three quarters of the American Institute of Banking exams and evening courses in investment banking, effectiveness training and small business management. In 1990 she took a year’s sabbati- cal in the US, training as a holistic therapist at the Massage Institute of New England in Boston, and obtaining the American Massage Therapy Association’s qualifica- tion. Upon her return to the UK in 1991, Pam ran her own part time therapy business until her As- sociation workload made that no longer possible. More recently, she obtained a Master’s in Business Administra- tion (MBA) from the Open Uni- versity and a Licentiateship in Management from City & Guilds (LCGI). She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Association Manage- ment (FIAM) and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute (MCMI). As well as Chief Executive of BADN, Pam is Editor of the “Brit- ish Dental Nurses’ Journal” and was Registrar of the Voluntary National Register until it closed in 2005. She has worked for the As- sociation for 20 years this summer and has been instrumental in both raising the profile of dental nurses and the Association and in obtain- ing professional status for dental nurses and recognition of their vital role in the dental team. Pam became President of Blackpool & District Soroptimists in April 2012. “I am delighted and extreme- ly honoured to receive the Out- standing Achievement award” said Pam. “It has become some- thing of a cliché, at times like this, to accept an award on be- half of a team - but BADN is very much a team. Not just the head office staff, or Council, but also the dental nurses throughout the country who support their pro- fession through BADN member- ship. Twenty years ago, when I started working for ABDSA (as the Association was then called), dental surgery assistants were very much the Cinderellas of the dental team; today, dental nurses are registered dental profes- sionals and their vital role in the delivery of dental care is widely recognised. We may still have some way to go, but we’ve come a long way in the last 20 years and I’m looking forward to the next 20!” DT Outstanding achievement award for BADN Chief Exec Pam Swain with BADN President Nicola Docherty (right) and comedian Mitch Benn