Smiles All Round
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NEWS The BDJ News section accepts items that include general news, latest research and diary events that interest our readers. Press releases or articles may be edited, and should include a colour photograph if possible. Please direct your correspondence to the News Editor, Arveen Bajaj at the BDJ, The Macmillan Building, 4 Crinan Street, London N1 9XW or by email to [email protected] DCP health checks Smiles all round Dental care professionals (DCPs) registering with the General Den- tal Council (GDC) will be able to ask either their employing or supervising dentist or a doctor to sign their health certifi cate, following changes made by the Council. Dental technicians and dental nurses who do not work in a clinical environment will need to make a self- declaration about their health and confi rm they do not have any clinical contact with patients. The GDC says the registration appli- cation process enables it to assess an applicant’s fitness to carry out their professional duties - DCPs applying for registration need to provide cer- tain information about their profes- sional training, character and health. The changes are in recognition of the Dunmurry Dental Practice has won an award at the prestigious Belfast Business Gala Awards fact that some roles are more exposure- ceremony which took place in the City Hall recently. The award was given to the company that ‘displayed a strategic approach to business, successful implementation and has good prospects for prone than others and therefore carry the future’. different degrees of risk for patients. Philip McLorinan, Prinicipal Dentist and Owner said, “I was surprised but delighted to win the Applicants who may have already award, however the team have worked exceptionally hard to deliver a high quality service and to paid for medical examinations as part of build the new business”. the application process, who would not Since Dunmurry Dental Practice opened two years ago, the emphasis on patient satisfaction require them under the new guidance, has been evident throughout the service, and has resulted in the practice winning three other awards since opening: fi nalist in Lisburn City Business Awards 2004, New Business Marketing will be eligible to apply to the GDC for Award (CIM-All Ireland) 2005 and Highly Commended in the Dental Awards – Practice Marketing a refund. For more information visit 2006. The Practice has also been nominated as Best Practice in the UK Dentistry Awards to be www.gdc-uk.org/Potential+registrant/ held later this year. or call 020 7887 3800. Pictured above, Philip McLorinan, with Debbie McLorinan, Paula McCarthy, Tracey Campbell, Debbie McKinney, Sharon Boyle, Denise Campbell, Cathy Smith, Maria Nolan and Joanne Jenkins. GDC prosecutes non-dentist over tooth whitening The General Dental Council (GDC) has The case was heard at Norwich Mag- whitening can be dangerous, particu- challenged in court for the fi rst time the istrates Court on 26 October. The GDC is larly in the hands of unregistered pro- practice of non-dentists offering tooth- seeking a landmark ruling so that it can fessionals. We believe that, for public whitening treatments. The GDC brought stamp out the practice by non-dentists. safety, only registered dentists should a case of alleged “illegal practice of den- Dental professionals have contacted the be permitted to carry out tooth whit- tistry” against Ben Nahab, who pleaded GDC expressing concerns about the safety ening procedures or provide clinical guilty. He had performed a tooth whit- of non-dentists offering such a service. advice about such treatments. If we ening procedure in May 2006. Mr Nahab GDC President Hew Mathewson receive information that suggests an was convicted, and ordered to pay a fi ne said, “The General Dental Council’s unregistered person may be practising plus costs and compensation. priority is to protect the public. Tooth dentistry illegally, we will investigate.” BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL VOLUME 201 NO. 11 DEC 9 2006 691 NEWS New target for treating Correction In a previous issue of the BDJ (BDJ 2006; 201: 555) we incorrectly printed craniofacial pain that Mouth Cancer Awareness Week A new study, published in the Journal of citonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), was run by the Mouth Cancer Founda- Neurochemistry, identifi es a key interac- and brain-derived neurotrophic factor tion. Mouth Cancer Awareness Week tion between head and neck nerve cell (BDNF). Previous studies found that dur- is co-ordinated by the British Dental proteins that may help shed light on ing a migraine attack, the stimulation of Health Foundation and is supported migraines and temporomandibular joint trigeminal nerve cells releases CGRP at by a number of organisations, includ- disorders the peripheral end of the cells, widen- ing the Mouth Cancer Foundation. Researchers at Oregon Health & Sci- ing blood vessels in the brain coverings See story ‘If in doubt, get checked ence University’s School of Dentistry called meninges. out’ on page 694. have uncovered an interaction between Widening the blood vessels increases two proteins in the nerve cells that carry the fl ow of blood through the menin- pain information from the head and neck ges and initiates an infl ammatory proc- to the brain. ess that likely contributes to the pain They claim that the fi nding could play experience. Recent clinical studies show Volunteers wanted a signifi cant role in the development of that blocking CGRP helps alleviate therapies to cure migraines and other migraine pain. for new contract craniofacial pain conditions like TMJ The discovery by Dr Balkowiec and (temporomandibular joint) disorder. her team points to BDNF being a likely research “Our discovery reveals the complexi- culprit behind head pain - a previ- The BDA is inviting dentists from ties of pain signalling mechanisms from ously unknown fi nding. The OHSU team England and Wales to get involved the head and neck to the brain,” said Dr found that the stimulation of trigemi- and tell the Association what they Agnieszka Balkowiec, principal investi- nal nerve cells, as experienced during a think about the changes that have gator, OHSU School of Dentistry. migraine attack, leads to release of not occurred to NHS primary dental care She explained that head pain is sig- only CGRP, but also BDNF. The study services. nalled to the brain by the trigeminal also found that BDNF is released by It is seeking volunteers for focus nerve. The trigeminal nerve also con- CGRP when trigeminal nerve cells are groups to be held during January and veys other types of sensation, such as not stimulated. In fact, said Dr Balkow- February 2007 at various locations. touch and temperature, from numerous iec, CGRP’s role at the central end of the All the meetings will be held in the structures of the face, including the trigeminal nerve cells is likely to be the early evening and refreshments and a skin, ears, cornea, temporomandibular facilitation of BDNF release. BDNF has buffet supper will be provided. Every- joints and teeth. Studies suggest that the previously been shown to play an impor- one who puts themselves forward will trigeminal nerve provides the signal- tant role in pain signalling from other get entered into a draw to win £50 ling pathway for pain associated with parts of the body, but this is the fi rst time worth of BDA shop products. migraines, TMJ disorder, periodontal it has been considered to be a factor in According to the Association, the pain, dental surgical pain, trigeminal head pain. focus groups are a major part of its neuralgia, head and neck cancer pain, “What we now need to better under- programme of research which is look- and other neuropathic and infl ammatory stand is how the interaction between ing into the impacts of the reform to pain conditions. CGRP and BDNF affects pain signalling NHS dentistry. The OHSU study focused on two to the brain in various disorders,” said The purpose of the focus group will trigeminal nerve cell proteins: cal- Dr Balkowiec. be to share experiences with each other with the aim of preparing a detailed S-W-O-T analysis (Strengths- Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) of the reforms. The fi ndings will also feed into the BDA’s broader policy development work, so will directly affect the policy position being made by the organi- sation. It is looking for a broad, and representative, range of participants from across England and Wales. If you are interested in helping, send an email to bdafocusgroup@bda. org by Friday 15 December stating your name, address, contact email or phone number and the focus group meeting location you prefer – London, Cardiff, Leeds, Manches- ter, or Birmingham. If you have fur- ther questions please contact Dan Berry (Acting Head of Secretariat) at [email protected]. 692 BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL VOLUME 201 NO. 11 DEC 9 2006 NEWS Laser dentistry and prehistoric teeth Laser dentistry has helped researchers discover more about the diets of our early human relatives. University of Utah sci- entists improved a method of testing fos- sil teeth, and showed that early human relatives varied their diets with the sea- sons 1.8 million years ago, eating leaves and fruit when available in addition to seeds, roots, tubers and perhaps grazing animals. Study co-author and geochemist Dr Thure Cerling says the study of the now-extinct, ape-like species known as Paranthropus robustus is important because it “shows that the variability in human diet has been ‘in the family’ for a very long time. It is this variability that allows modern humans to utilise foods from all over the world.” The researchers used a laser to remove tiny samples from four 1.8-million- year-old fossilised Paranthropus teeth, Early human relatives varied their diets and then tested the samples to deter- mine the ratios of two isotopes or forms for relatively large teeth and a strong, the way in which they use photosyn- of carbon.