OUR DENTAL BLOG

Twenty-five individuals from across the UK are being recognised in the latest round of the prestigious BDA Honours and Awards , for their outstanding achievements, their commitment to the BDA and their work for the dental profession. They include Whitehouse dentist, Dr Philip Martin who is awarded life membership of the BDA in recognition of his work supporting the profession and patients over many years. Acting BDA Chief Executive Martin Woodrow said: "We are delighted to announce these 25 Honours and Awards recipients. It's great to see the breadth of recipients from across the profession, and those supporting the profession, reflecting the excellent range of nominations we received. Congratulations to everyone. "Once again, in 2020, we want to find dentists who have shown a commitment to advancing dentistry. We strongly encourage nominations from all areas of the profession. Please consider nominating any colleague/s you think deserves recognition for what they do." The recipients will formally receive their Honours and Awards at a ceremony at the BDA in London later this spring.

The Whitehouse has become an accredited as a member of Leicester City Council's "Healthy Teeth, Happy Smiles" scheme. Healthy Teeth, Happy Smiles aims to improve the oral health of children and adults in Leicester, and reduce tooth decay and associated health issues. The accreditation is awarded to family-friendly dental practices and demonstrates our commitment to improving children’s oral health in the city.

Whitehouse dentists Dr Philip Martin & Dr Rubina Khan, accompanied by dental nurses Sangita Odedra & Kulsum Ibrahim aspent two weeks in Cambodia volunteering with international dental charity Dentaid. and Cambodian based charity One2One. The Whitehouse Dental team were providing basic dental care in prisons, schools, slum areas and poor communities. Sadly, events of the last century are still taking their toll in Cambodia and many people live without affordable access to basic services including dental care. Many of the patients have not been able to obtain dental care previously and have been living with long term pain Our teams were able to provide pain relieving treatments as well as supporting oral health education projects and fluoride varnish programmes. Conditions in the clinics are basic but effective. In some places we use portable dental equipment and chairs and in other clinics we’ll use school desks and plastic chairs with broom handles as headrests! We worked with local dental professionals who are supported by Dentaid to help them reach patients who would have no other acess to dental care. These are busy clinics and the caries rate among children is very high. Oral health education is critical to our work in Cambodia and the team will help to establish toothbrushing programmes and promote oral health. We were also able to assist with a feeding programme for children living in slum areas and even had a bit of time visit memorials and Cambodia’s famous temples.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,1 adopted in 2015, established 17 goals to stimulate efforts over the coming years in areas of critical importance for both humans and the planet. This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. Oral health is an essential part of human life. Dentistry as a profession should integrate sustainable development goals into daily practice and support a shift to a green economy2 in the pursuit of healthy lives and well-being for all through all stages of life. Oral health professionals recognize the importance of collaborating in the interests of sustainability. They take responsibility for meeting the demands of society to reduce their impact on natural resources at the same time as promoting optimal oral health for all people and maintaining patient safety. The concept of sustainable development3 is based on three main pillars: the environment, the economy and society. The promotion of good oral health habits combined with the access of all people to health services together make a significant contribution to the welfare of populations around the world and could also contribute to achieving environmental goals as well as enhancing inclusive, productive and healthy lives. In addition to the oral health team, Sustainability in Dentistry involves many stakeholders who all have a role to play, including national governments, scientists, educators, manufacturers, distributors, dental equipment technicians, waste collectors and processors. The FDI and the National Dental Associations (NDAs) are important channels for coordinating work and interacting with local authorities to advocate and facilitate activities related to sustainable development. Definitions Sustainable development Development which meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.3 Green economy Green economy is one that results in improved human well-being, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.2 Sustainability The property of being environmentally sustainable; the degree to which a process or enterprise can be maintained or continued while avoiding the long-term depletion of natural resources.1 Principles Dentistry must be practised ethically, with high levels of quality and safety, in the pursuit of optimal oral health. Sustainability integrates a broader commitment of the oral health professional to social and environmental responsibility. The right of future generations to a world with adequate natural resources must be respected. Policy The prevention of oral diseases and the promotion of health should be recognized as the most sustainable way to ensure optimal, accessible and affordable oral health with minimal impact on the environment. The dentist as leader of the dental team should take steps to educate all of the dental team on sustainability practices and simultaneously reinforce that the safety of the patient and the quality of care provided should always be the team’s primary concern. Whenever possible, dentistry should reduce the consumption of energy, water, paper and any materials which could be harmful to the environment, as well as emissions to air and releases to water. Dentists should consider the environment when deciding whether to use a single-use, disposable or reusable product, without compromising patient safety and quality of care, in consultation with regulatory bodies and government health policies. The dental industry should apply principles of sustainability to dental product lifecycles. Dental manufacturers should be encouraged to develop more sustainable dental materials and technologies and use materials that are biodegradable and/or recyclable whenever possible. National authorities should stimulate research on improvement and assessment of sustainability and on the environmental impact of dental practice so that oral health professionals can understand, monitor and report the impact of their actions. The use of low-power and low-pollution technologies should be promoted. NDAs and other related dental organizations (e.g. FDI regional organizations and NDA branches) should ensure their activities and operations are based on principles of sustainability. They are encouraged to formulate best practice documents for their dentists FDI and NDAs should be encouraged to integrate the concept of sustainable development into their continuing education activities. Keywords Sustainability, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Dentistry, Green Dentistry Disclaimer The information in this Policy Statement was based on the best scientific evidence available at the time. It may be interpreted to reflect prevailing cultural sensitivities and socio-economic constraints. References United Nations. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Resolution adopted by the 80 General Assembly on 25 September 2015. A/RES/70/1. General Assembly, Agenda items 15 and 116, 81 2015.

It is with great regret we have to announce the sad death of Dr Raj Pancholi, which occurred on 20th August following a short illness. He will be greatly missed by all of his colleagues, practice staff and patients.

The Care Quality Commission carried out an inspection on 28 June 2018 under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of their regulatory functions. The inspection checked whether the registered provider was meeting the legal requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations. The inspection was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a specialist dental adviser. CQC's findings were: Are services safe? CQC found that the practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations. Are services effective? CQC found that the practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations. Are services caring? CQC found that the practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations. Are services responsive? CQC found that the practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations. Are services well-led? CQC found that the practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations. For the full practice report go to CQC's website at https://www.cqc.org.uk/search/services/dentists?location=le5%205hh&latitude=&longitude=&sort=default&la=&distance=15&mode=html

As part of National Smile week, the Whitehouse and Winchester Avenue practices held an open day to promote the "Starting Well" scheme and Leicester City Council's "Healthy Teeth, Happy Smiles". Staff were on hand with face painting, balloons, games and events for our younger patients whilst providing a serious message about tooth brushing, the importance of a good diet and how to look after your teeth. Hajra shows some young patients how to look after their teeth.

As part of National Smile week, the Whitehouse and Winchester Avenue practices held an open day to promote the "Starting Well" scheme and Leicester City Council's "Healthy Teeth, Happy Smiles". Staff were on hand with face painting, balloons, games and events for our younger patients whilst providing a serious message about tooth brushing, the importance of a good diet and how to look after your teeth. The staff seem to be having more fun with the face paint than the patients