Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

PUBLISHED IN LONDON Recruitment, Education, Classi�ieds & dentalBuy SOURCE1uk is a fully interactive ‘one stop shop’ for the entire Dental Profession. We are a communication tool to help Dentists �ind you, and utilise your services. Recruitment FREE Dental Jobs Board • Recruitment Consultancy Education Training Organisations • Membership Organisations Journals • Study Clubs Classi�ieds Service Providers • Practices for Sale / Rent Referrals • dentalBuy For Patients – Find... Cosmetic Dentists • Facial Aesthetic Practices 24hr Emergency Clinics • Specialists General Dentists • Sedation Practices Implant Providers • Insurance Providers Free Article / Forum Section Please visit our website www.source1uk.com call 020 8546 2935 or email enquiries@source1uk.com for more information! November 26- December 03, 2012 VOL. 6 NO. 28 Fake dentist kisses patient A fake dentist from Florida has been arrested for kiss- ing his female patient’s buttock. John Collazos had been practising dentistry without a licence, direct- ing his sevices towards im- migrants. A woman com- plained to police about Collazos after attending an appointment with him for toothache. According to the patient, Collazos gave her an injection in her but- tock to relieve the pain, and subsequently kissed the wound. Collazos has been charged with four counts of practising without a li- cence, another four for us- ing equipment without a licence, and one count of battery. Dallas star dies of mouth cancer TV star Larry Hagman, best known for his role as JR Ewing in the hit series Dallas, died of tongue can- cer on Friday 23rd Novem- ber, having been diagnosed with the disease in Octo- ber last year. Chief Execu- tive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Ni- gel Carter OBE, hopes this latest high-profile case will help to spread the message and raise awareness about mouth cancer. Dr Carter said: “Larry’s passing is a reminder of how deadly mouth cancer can be. Lat- est figures show more than 6,000 cases have been di- agnosed in the UK. With- out early detection, half of those will die. Oral HIV test According to Time maga- zine, OraQuick, the first in-home HIV test kit that received FDA approval for over-the-counter sale di- rectly to U.S. consumers in July, is one of the best in- ventions of 2012. “With just a swab of saliva, OraQuick can identify the antibod- ies that signal HIV infec- tion within 20 minutes. It’s the first do-it-yourself test for HIV—the same one that health professionals use but without the trip to a doctor’s office or the need to wait days for results,” the magazine reported. Doug- las Michels, president and CEO of OraSure Technolo- gies, manufacturer of the kit, said “The OraQuick In-Home HIV Test is a breakthrough product in the fight against HIV and AIDS because it empowers more people to learn their HIV status in the comfort and privacy of their own homes,” he said. www.dental-tribune.co.uk Africa Erik Ahlbom recollects Ugandan trip Hand hygiene Study looks at behavioural trial Risk management Shaun Howe looks at the Pre- mier Symposium News in Brief Infection Control Tribune Event ReviewFeatureNews GDC suspension Council member suspended from office page 2 pages 10-11 page 16 page 21 T he Office of Fair Trading has launched a new cam- paign to help patients un- derstand more about their rights when visiting the dentist. The Right to Smile campaign has come off the back of the re- port from the OFT earlier in the year, where it was claimed that patients do not always have the in- formation to allow them to make informed decisions about their choice of dentist and treatments. As part of the campaign the OFT is advising NHS patients: • They are entitled to a wide range of treatment that is needed to get their mouth, teeth and gums as healthy and pain free as possible. • If the dentist discusses a par- ticular type of treatment, patients shouldn’t be required to pay for it privately. Private options may be discussed, such as cosmetic al- ternatives or specialist treatments such as dental implants – which is up to the patient to decide if they want them. • Even if treatment involves a number of visits, patients will only pay one charge for each complete course of NHS treatment, unless there was an emergency visit to the dentist first. • Should NHS treatment fail within 12 months, the dentist should re- pair or redo most treatment free of harge, unless the patient was ad- vised that treatment was unlikely to be a long-term solution. Advice for private patients includes: • Ask what guarantees the dentist provides. In addition to any rights patients may have under guaran- tee, they will also have rights un- der the Supply of Goods and Ser- vices Act 1982. The Right to Smile campaign is supported by organisations such as the BDA, Oasis, IDH, Which?, NHS Choices, the Department of Health, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and Citi- zens Advice. Judith Frame, OFT Head of Campaigns, said: “While the UK has one of the highest standards of oral health in the world, and satisfaction levels among patients are high, our report found that people are often confused about what they’re expected to pay, and don’t always have the information they need. This campaign aims to help patients be clearer about what to expect, and more engaged when making decisions about their choice of dentist and treatments.” Barry Cockcroft, Chief Dental Officer for England, said: “Giving patients good information is key to a high quality service. We are delighted to support the Office of Fair Trading’s campaign. This material will help patients make informed choices about their den- tal care.” Dr Martin Fallowfield, Chair of the BDA’s Principal Executive Committee, said: “As the OFT ac- knowledges, and research by the BDA and other organisations con- firms, patients’ satisfaction with dental care in the UK is high. “Effective communication between dentists and patients is vital in improving oral health and the BDA is pleased to lend its support to this campaign which seeks to ensure patients have a full understanding of what to ex- pect when receiving dental care.” A Which? spokesperson said: “We support the ‘Right to Smile’ campaign to help consumers understand their rights when visiting the den- tist. It’s vital patients are given clear, timely and transparent information on the proposed treatment and the costs and how to complain if something goes wrong.” DT OFT campaign gives patients ‘Right to Smile’ Consumer and competition authority initiates drive to encourage patients to know their rights before visiting their dentist