Raising awareness and monitoring trends

Taking place over Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May at the NEC in Birmingham, the Dentistry Show 2017 will present an educational programme tailored to each member of the team, which will help them to keep in touch with the latest trends.

Teamwork has never been as important in dentistry as it is today. In order to deliver the best possible patient care while still running an efficient and financially viable business, the full skill mix of the dental team must be utilised.

Deborah Lyle, director of Professional and Clinical Affairs at Waterpik International, Inc will be among the outstanding speaker line-up, demonstrating the key contributions of dental nurses and hygienists/therapists.

‘I am always impressed by this event,’ Deborah comments. ‘There is a huge range of CPD with so many choices of lectures that delegates can tailor their experience according to their own needs and interests.

‘The trade exhibition is also a great place to discover what’s new in the market. In addition, delegates can find out more about the products available and the research behind them, liaising one-on-one with the experts who know those products best.’

Wrong assumptions

Deborah will be speaking in the Dental Nurses Forum on both Friday and Saturday. While delivering two different sessions, she will be looking at areas where assumptions can be (sometimes wrongly) made and hoping to help dental nurses avoid the same mistakes in the future.

About her lecture entitled ‘How to separate fact from fiction’ on Friday afternoon, Deborah says: ‘All dental professionals become accustomed to the daily routine and as certain techniques and materials become standard, most will assume they are the best way of doing something. However, many professionals are not aware when there are better, easier, faster or less expensive alternatives out there, which could be an ethical issue if they are not up-to-date enough to provide the very best care for every patient.

‘As such, I hope to bring this to delegates’ attention during my lecture so they can make sure they are well-versed in the latest solutions and concepts. Dental nurses come into a lot of contact with patients, and while initiating or reinforcing conversations about treatment, they need to know the facts that support the clinical team’s decision. In order to separate fact from fiction, I think we all need to be more open-minded, inquisitive and to ask more questions – we need to make fewer assumptions about the care we currently provide and always be looking out for new methods or products that could improve the service offered.’

Oral health in sports

In the Dental Nurses Forum on Saturday, Deborah will be exploring another widely-shared assumption, regarding the oral health of sports people. She continues: ‘The lecture is entitled “Do fit people have worse oral health?” and it will look at the links between exercise and oral health.

‘It is human nature to make assumptions and I believe most people would assume that someone who is physically fit takes care of every aspect of their health, including their dental wellbeing. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and I hope to make delegates more aware of the risks associated with this patient group and to motivate them to ask more questions.’

 Smoking trends

Also on Saturday, Deborah will be speaking in the Hygienist & Therapist Symposium, taking on the subject of smoking and oral health. Her session – ‘Impact of smoking trends on oral health’ – will look at the latest developments in smoking and tobacco products.

‘The number of people smoking cigarettes in the UK is decreasing, but it is still too high and we have a long way to go,’ adds Deborah. ‘Smoking remains one of the top risk factors for poor oral health and dental hygienists and therapists are key to maintaining the downward trend in use. They are in the ideal position to educate patients and ensure they understand the links between smoking and health conditions such as oral cancer, cardiovascular problems and periodontal disease, as well as the consequences and potential impact on patients’ lives.

‘It is not simply a case of ticking the “yes” box for smokers on the patient questionnaire – it is a process. Hygienists and therapists need to assess how willing a patient is to quit smoking, ensure they have all the information and then repeat it all again at the next appointment.

‘Additional tobacco products like e-cigarettes and shishas now also need to be addressed and their risks evaluated. I hope to motivate delegates to drive change in their own practices and implement protocols for the whole team to follow when approaching patients about their smoking habits.’

Added extras

Dental nurses, hygienists and therapists will have the chance to hear from a huge selection of renowned speakers, with access to additional features such as the Core CPD Theatre, Periolounge, Endolounge, Short-term Ortho Lounge and Compliance Clinic.

Further still, the event is completely free to attend – register for your place online today at www.thedentistryshow.co.uk.

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