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Updates from week commencing 30 January 2023

Read all the updates that took place throughout this week.

Friday 3 February 2023

15:28


Safefood talk promoting a healthier life


Safefood are hosting a talk with experts Dr Colman Noctor and Dr Aileen McGloin about how small daily changes can result in improved health.


This free event for parents, livestreamed from Tallaght Library, Dublin will be shown online via Zoom and will cover how to start making changes, dealing with challenges and how to stick to changes.


Healthier eating and reducing the amount of sugar in your family's diet promotes improvements in oral health. We are calling for radical action to lower the nation's sugar intake to help prevent tooth decay.




12:03


Scotland: The clock is ticking to 1 April 


In just two months the 'bridging payments' to NHS practices in Scotland will cease. There is no clarity on what support will take its place. 

 

We've told the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care that failure to act here risks destabilising the whole dental sector. NHS dental practices must be supported to remain financially viable at this critical time. 

 

We need our members' perspective from the frontline. Please complete this 5-minute survey  so we can show what this uncertainty means for dentistry in Scotland.




10:02


Northern Ireland: Philip McLorinan appointed new Branch President


On Friday 27 of January, The BDA Northern Ireland Branch welcomed the new 2023 President Philip McLorinan. The ceremony took place exactly 100 years from the formation of the Branch in 1923, in the Great Hall of the Queens University in Belfast.


Philip has been a General Dental Practitioner for almost 25 years. He is the principal dentist and owner of Dunmurry Dental Practice and a part-time undergraduate clinical tutor at Queens University Belfast.


As an active member of the BDA since his student days, he has served in the Northern Ireland Branch Council as Young Dentists Convenor and Social Secretary, receiving a Certificate of Merit in 2021 for his work with the association.


Along with the 2023 educational and social programme, the BDA Northern Ireland supports all dentists in Northern Ireland on terms and conditions, pay and contracts. Join us, together we are stronger.




Thursday 2 February 2023

14:31


Time to Talk Day and your mental wellbeing


Today is Time to Talk Day, an opportunity to encourage conversations around mental health to try and help end the stigma and discrimination surrounding the topic.


The nation's biggest mental health conversation is organised by the partnership of the mental health organisations Mind and Rethink Mental Illness aiming to create a supportive environment where we can openly seek help without embarrassment.


If you want to take part in Time to Talk Day, here are some useful materials:


We encourage all members who want to work on improving their mental health to access our Health Assured service designed to help you deal with personal and professional problems.




10:42


England: DDRB concerns over government evidence delay


The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) has written to Health Secretary Steve Barclay expressing deep concerns with the delay in submission of written evidence that is preventing the DDRB from submitting its own reports and recommendations on time.


Three weeks after the deadline, the DDRB are still waiting to receive written evidence from the Government or a clear indication of when this evidence may arrive. This may result in the evidence-led process concluding later than usual, leading to potential delays to the 2023/24 uplift.


These delays do not benefit anyone, and evidence must be submitted as soon as possible so that the process can move forward. We will continue to speak up on your behalf and urge the Government to submit evidence to the DDRB imminently.




Wednesday 1 February 2023

16:09


Northern Ireland: Ensuring dentistry remains financially viable

A year after being appointed Chair of the Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee (NIDPC), Ciara Gallagher discusses the financial challenges facing dentistry in her latest blog.

The agenda for the first NIDPC meeting of 2023 focuses on NHS contract reform, the inadequate GDS pay uplifts and retention of underspent NHS dental budget, while supporting the expansion of private dentistry. 

As part of our three-year strategy we provide resources such as our private practice portal to give an insight into private and mixed practice, offering detailed advice to help Northern Ireland members navigate statutory obligations when changing the balance of their practices.




15:21


Event: Buying a dental practice
 
If you are considering buying your own practice in the near or medium-term future, you may want to join our event on Friday 3 March, offering you a comprehensive guide to buying a dental practice.

The event will take place at 64 Wimpole Street, London from 09:00 - 17:00 and will cover:

  • The financials of buying a practice and writing your business plan
  • The legal process of buying a practice
  • Understanding your obligations as an employer
  • The regulations and compliance issues involved in running a dental practice.  
Preparing yourself in advance can help to reduce the stress and strain placed on you during the practice purchase process. Register now to join our interactive workshop, providing you with the tools needed to successfully navigate practice ownership.




Tuesday 31 January 2023

10:27


New patient leaflets available


The British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry has published a series of useful patient information leaflets, designed by early career group members.


The leaflets are free to download and provide helpful information for patients on oral hygiene, perio-systemic links, perio surgery, receding gums and gaps, hypersensitivity and caring for your implants.


Log in to our website for further leaflets on everything from bad breath to wisdom teeth and X-rays.




Monday 30 January 2023

16:09


Lift Someone Out of Loneliness campaign


Loneliness can have a detrimental impact on our mental wellbeing, but there are many simple ways we can lift ourselves and others out of loneliness.


Thanks to the success of last year's national campaign, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is launching their six week loneliness campaign activity starting on 30 January as part of the Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign.


They provide a range of resources intended to help you take positive steps towards diminishing feelings of loneliness, including:

If you're ever feeling lonely and in need of support or advice you can access our Health Assured service designed to help you deal with personal and professional problems.




13:15


BDJ Jobs: Working to help you 

 

Sustaining a successful practice, recruiting new staff and providing the highest level of care to your patients may feel like a challenge.

 

We want to better understand how we can support you, whether you're recruiting or looking for employment, we are undertaking a survey for our members to share your views and experiences. 

 

The BDJ Jobs Survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, please share the link with any colleagues who can also provide feedback. Your responses will directly help BDJ Jobs update and improve the services that are provided to you. The survey closes tomorrow.




09:44


Northern Ireland: pay uplift timescales for salaried dentists


The Department of Health has confirmed they are working to have the recently approved 4.5% pay uplift, backdated to April 22, paid into March salaries for salaried dentists. 



 

Friday 27 January 2023

15:35


Video: Monthly round-up


In our latest video CEO Martin Woodrow highlights the ways we've been supporting you as we enter the New Year.

You can read the full stories outlined in the video here:


We will keep you updated as we continue to push for progress on these areas and for meaningful, long-term contract reform.