College of General Dentistry Student Advice

Managing holidays from dental school

Third year BDS student at the University of Birmingham and CGDent NextGen Ambassador, Christy Ng, offers advice on getting the most out of your holidays whilst at university.

Although dental school is fun and exciting, it is no secret that there are many challenges too – compared to other university courses, we often have longer terms and shorter holidays. When we finally approach the end of term, whilst tempting not to do anything during the break, it is best to plan in advance and make the most of the few weeks off. I have put together some tips to help you make full use of the holidays, ensure you relax and have fun whilst also using the time to support your university studies.

  1. Plan ahead with fun activities

    Thinking ahead and organising things to look forward to, can act as great motivation to work hard through the last weeks of term. With busy timetables, it can be easy to fall out of touch with your friends and family. Whether planning simple activities such as going for a walk or coffee, or even exploring another country together, these can be good ways to catch up and reconnect. Without a rough plan, the days can easily merge into each other, and the holiday passes more quickly than you think!
  1. Keep up good habits

    Whilst relaxing during the holiday, it is beneficial to maintain any healthy habits you develop at university – whether it be weekly runs, yoga classes or even daily meditation. As Dentistry can be a stressful degree, having methods to destress and unwind can be invaluable, and keeping these up, can provide structure to your day and will not seem like a chore once term begins again.
  1. Try something new

    With extra free time, the holidays can be a great time to try something different. Being in a different environment outside the ‘dentistry bubble’ can be refreshing, and enables you to strengthen essential skills such as communication and teamwork. You could join a local sports club, pick up a new hobby or find a holiday volunteer/job role.
  1. Review and reflect

    Reviewing does not mean having to revise every lecture and clinical term, as it is important to take a break! With high-paced learning and constant absorption of information, taking some time during the holiday to reflect on what you have learned and how much you have progressed can be a fulfilling experience. It is also a useful opportunity for you to make a ‘to-do list’ identifying any new targets (academic or social) and things you want to look over. This helps to streamline focus and separate into manageable targets, which you can gradually make a start on in the holiday if you would like to.
  1. And if you have upcoming exams

    Aside from on clinic, effective time management is a valuable quality especially if exams are nearby. Creating a revision timetable which splits the modules into chunks can be an effective way to ensure you maintain a healthy work-life balance. Split the day into rough segments, write daily manageable goals, and plan time to wind down and rest in between – for example, simply going out for lunch with your friends or learning to cook a nutritious meal. Remember, you will work more productively if you take breaks throughout the day.

There are so many possible things to do during the holidays – use this time to boost your energy and motivation during term. That’s why it is important to try planning ahead to utilise your free time, but remember no matter what you do during the break, make sure to prioritise your well-being and have a well-deserved rest!

Author bio

“I am currently in my third year studying Dentistry at the University of Birmingham. Now having started the clinical years, I have particularly enjoyed seeing my own patients and look forward to exploring new specialties – so far, I find restorative dentistry and oral surgery most interesting. In my spare time, I enjoy sewing and playing badminton.”

Christy Ng

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College of General Dentistry News

New PDJ online: General dentistry (part one)

The latest issue of the Primary Dental Journal, ‘General dentistry (part one)’, is now live online.

The issue features articles on a wide range of topics of relevance to the whole dental team, selected by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief, Prof Igor Blum (Clinical Professor of Primary Care Dentistry and Advanced General Dental Practice at King’s College London).

Topics covered include, among others, an exploration of the Delivering Better Oral Health version 4 toolkit; an examination of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction among dentists and dental care professionals; a review of current trends in digital implant planning and rehabilitation; and an update on dental transpositions. This issue also includes the final update on College developments by Dr Abhi Pal, whose term as President ends in June 2024. (The full list of contents is below.)

Outlining the purposes of the general dentistry issues, Prof Blum said:

“As part of our ongoing effort to support the journey of continued learning and development of the primary dental care team, the articles in these issues address topics likely to be informative and relevant to your practice, and which I trust readers will find stimulating, interesting and valuable.”

Full online access to the majority of articles is reserved for College of General Dentistry members and Primary Dental Journal subscribers, who can also expect their printed copies to arrive in the next 2–3 weeks.

For non-members / non-subscribers, at least one paper in each issue is made available online free of charge, with all other articles available to purchase via the links below.

An annual print subscription, normally costing £130, is included with membership of the College, which also includes online access to the current issue, access to the PDJ Archive of over 1,400 past articles, and a range of other benefits. College membership, which is tax deductible, is available from £125 for dentists, £83 for other dental professionals, and £42 for Dental Nurses, new registrants and concessions.

On behalf of the College, the PDJ editorial team would like to express its gratitude to all the authors and peer reviewers who have contributed to the publication of this issue.

CGDent members can view full articles by logging in via the yellow button below, then clicking ‘Access the PDJ Archive’:

PDJ MEMBER ACCESS

Issue contents:

The next issue of the journal, General dentistry (part two), is due out in Summer 2024.

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College of General Dentistry News

Dental leaders discuss workforce challenges

Senior College members took part in a recent panel discussion on the question of ‘How do we support and retain our workforce and ensure that they have the right skills to meet future challenges?’.

The discussion covered skills development both for the individual and across the profession, the importance of teamwork to staff retention, making great places to work, supporting team members to manage stress, and preventing career burn out. Speaking on behalf of the College, Dr Abhi Pal FCGDent, then President, and Dr Debbie Reed FCGDent, Board Chair of the CGDent Faculty of Dental Nursing and Orthodontic Therapy, also pressed home the need for recognised Career Pathways for all members of the dental team, and the vital role of mentoring as part of the solution for addressing workforce retention issues. The other panel members were Dr Catherine Tannahill MCGDent, Director of Clinician Engagement of Portman Dental, and Dr Dhru Shah, CEO of Dentinal Tubules.

The session was part of a meeting of dental leaders from across the UK, which was held in London on 14 March on the theme of ‘Maintaining an effective workforce fit for the future’. The day also included a panel discussion on the government’s ‘Recovery Plan’ for NHS dentistry in England, and presentations from Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, on role, values and culture; from Ashley Byrne FCGDent, Board Member of the Dental Laboratories Association, on the challenges facing dental technology; from Theresa Thorp, GDC Executive Director for Regulation, who provided insights from the GDC’s work pattern data exercise; and from Stefan Czerniawski, GDC Executive Director for Strategy, on provisional registration.  

The ‘Dental Leadership Network’ is convened quarterly by the General Dental Council to facilitate shared ownership in addressing key challenges facing the profession.

Dr Pal commented:

“The formation of the Dental Leadership Network is a positive step in bringing together key stakeholders and leaders within the profession to discuss current issues.”

Stefan Czerniawski said:  

“It’s really valuable for leaders across the dental sector to invest time in discussing the shared issues that affect us all and, most importantly, patients. Collaboration and ownership only works if the whole of the dental world is engaged.”

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College of General Dentistry News

Council elections 2024 – call for candidates

Nominations are now open for elections to twelve regional and role-based seats on the College Council, and all eligible members are invited to put themselves forward.

To stand for one of the eight regional seats being elected, you must be a Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College (in any team role) and must live or work within that region, and be registered to that region with the College. The regional seats being elected in 2024 are:

  • Central London
  • Mersey and North West
  • North East and North West Thames
  • South West
  • Trent and East Anglia
  • Wales
  • West Midlands
  • Yorkshire and Northern

To stand for one of the four role-based (Faculty) seats being elected, you must be an Associate Member, Full Member, Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College, and must be registered with the GDC (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant role for the seat. The role-based seats being elected in 2024 are:

  • Faculty of Dental Hygiene & Dental Therapy
  • Faculty of Dental Nursing & Orthodontic Therapy
  • Faculty of Dental Technology & Clinical Dental Technology
  • Faculty of Dentists

Please note that for electoral purposes, all members have been automatically assigned to one of the College’s four faculties based on the team role in which they have registered their College membership.

All members eligible to stand in one or more seats as at 15 March 2024 have been emailed a link to the nominations website by the College’s election services provider, Mi-Voice. If you are interested in standing for election, you will need to complete the nomination process via that link, where you will be asked for further information, the names of two supporting members, and to submit an election statement. Further information on the role, nomination requirements and the election timetable can be found in the Notice of Elections.

Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows in the regions listed above may stand simultaneously for both the regional and role-based seats for which they are eligible, and to do so must submit a separate nomination form for each seat.

If you think you might like to put yourself forward as a candidate and would like further information before deciding, we would be pleased to have a confidential discussion and answer any questions you have. Please get in touch via [email protected]

The deadline for receipt of nominations is Monday 15 April.

FURTHER INFORMATION

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College of General Dentistry News

College to elect Council members from across the dental team

The College is expanding its elected national representation to encompass the whole dental team.

Elections are held each year for a number of seats on the College’s Council, and this year, for the first time, four role-based seats will be elected: one each representing dentists; dental hygienists and dental therapists; dental nurses and orthodontic therapists; and dental technicians and clinical dental technicians.

Those elected will serve three-year terms starting in June 2024, during which they will help to shape the College’s development, have the opportunity to be involved in areas such as careers, policy and standards, and be eligible to vote and stand in the annual election of two Vice Presidents of the College.

The elections, which are the latest step in a journey to build a Royal College for the general dental team, are taking place twenty years after the College’s predecessor organisation, the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP), began admitting Dental Care Professionals (DCPs) into Affiliate Membership.

However Affiliate Members – a category distinct from the Associate Membership and higher grades of membership then available only to dentists – could not progress in membership, nor stand for elected office or vote in elections, and their board representative did not carry a vote.

When the FGDP transferred into the College, CGDent became the first organisation of its type to allow all qualifying dental professionals into substantive membership, with Full Membership and Associate Fellowship opened to all team roles in 2021, followed by Fellowship in 2022.

For those without postgraduate qualifications, Associate Membership of the College is also now available equally to all registered dental professionals, with Affiliate Membership open to non-clinical team members such as practice managers.

At the same time as these changes were made, three additional seats were created on the College Council, all with voting rights, to ensure fuller representation of all registrant roles. These seats have been appointed during the early years of the College’s existence, but in becoming elected will further improve the standing of DCPs.

The franchise for the role-based seats has also been expanded to include Associate Members, enabling a greater number of DCPs and younger dentists to participate in Council elections, many for the first time.

And in addition to the role-based seats, dental professionals from across the clinical team who are Full Members may stand in any of the eight regional seats for which elections are also being held this year: Central London; Mersey and North West; North East and North West Thames; South West; Trent and East Anglia; Wales; West Midlands; and Yorkshire and Northern.

Nominations open on Friday 15 March and close on Monday 15 April, and dental professionals wishing to stand for election will need to be a member of the College to submit their nomination. Those not already a member are advised to apply for membership by the end of March in order to allow the process to complete in time.

Further information on the role and nominations process is available via the button below.

FIND OUT MORE

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College of General Dentistry Blog

Navigating the chaos of managing medical dental crises

Lecturer and Tier II-accredited Oral Surgeon, Dr Sukhvinder Atthi FCGDent, discusses some of the common medical emergencies that can occur in dental practice.

“Help… call 999 and tell them to get here quickly!” – the dreaded words you might find yourself exclaiming, when you realise something is not right, and you find your patient unconscious before you!

As dental professionals not only are we responsible for maintaining the oral health of our patients, but we also have a duty to be appropriately trained to deal with medical emergencies that may arise in the dental practice setting. It is an essential skill that the GDC recommends is maintained annually.

I treat a lot of nervous minor oral surgery patients and am sharing key advice in a CGDent lecture on managing medical emergencies at the British Dental Conference and Dentistry Show 2024 on Saturday 18 May (4.15-5pm).

Numerous studies have shown that rehearsing medical emergency training within a dental practice can increase the team’s confidence to manage and treat medical emergency scenarios. Keeping up to date with the required knowledge and undertaking skilled CPR and AED training is crucial in the successful outcomes of managing such patients.

The most common medical emergency is the vasovagal syncope, also known as the simple faint. There are many causes of fainting, however, within a dental practice it is mostly related to pain, emotional stress, fear and anxiety. Some patients may suffer from fainting spells due to other neurological or heart conditions too. 

Early recognition of medical emergencies can improve patient outcomes and often avoid further deterioration.  We have all heard it before; a patient enters the surgery and you’re there smiling and greeting them whilst they mumble, ”I don’t like the dentist!” or ”Last time I had an injection it made me go all funny and ill”.  At this moment, take a minute to think about their anxiety and the apprehension which has led them to feel like this.

Usually, these patients have been kept awake all night worrying about their upcoming appointment. They have often only had a light meal or skipped eating all together because their stomach can’t manage any food.

If patients have not eaten prior to attending, their appointment can worsen their condition hence this can be combated with something as simple as a glucose high energy sweet or glucose-based drink, which helps to maintain the patient’s blood glucose so they can cope with their body undergoing stresses that they are going through prior and during their appointment.

There is also an increased likelihood of encountering medical emergencies during treatment involving intravenous sedation. As an IV sedation provider, implementing the necessary Immediate Life Support (ILS) training is essential, and if you are thinking of applying sedation through your clinical practice workforce, you will need to make sure your training is up-to-date.

Sepsis from dental infections has become increasingly frequent in my referral clinics based on patients that have encountered failed extractions or are still unwell from being on antibiotics for dentoalveolar infections or pericoronitis, alongside other medical factors that the patient has been diagnosed with. When infection spreads within the head and neck region, there is a risk that the airway can be compromised. Patients can present with noisy breathing, stridor, trismus, breathing rapidly with a fast heart rate, alongside dysphagia. Initial management should include ensuring the patient is in an upright position, administering 15 litres per minute of oxygen, and calling for the ambulance.

Join me in the Enhanced CPD Theatre at BDCDS24, where I will discuss these topics as well as my own journey and experiences, and will talk through essential practice to help you deal with the most common medical emergencies.

The College is a key education partner for the British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show (BDCDS), hosting four lectures in the Enhanced CPD Theatre – register for your free place.

Managing medical emergencies in the dental practice
Dr Sukhvinder Atthi FCGDent
Saturday 18 May, 4.15pm, Enhanced CPD Theatre

Dr Atthi’s lecture will update your knowledge of managing medical emergencies within dental practice, including a review of the mandatory audit process for drugs to use in medical emergencies, how to deal with an unconscious patient and how to recognise and manage suspected sepsis.

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College of General Dentistry News

Tax relief now available on membership fees

College members who are UK taxpayers can now claim income tax relief on their membership subscription fees.

The College began enrolling founding members in 2020, and qualifying professional bodies can apply after three years to have their subscriptions allowed as a tax deduction. The College has now been added to HMRC’s List of approved professional organisations and learned societies (List 3), where it is listed under ‘G’ with the title ‘General Dentistry College of (with effect from 6 April 2023)‘.

Both employed and self-employed members of the College can therefore now claim tax relief on their full annual fee, and the size of the saving made will vary from £8 to £228 according to the individual’s team role, membership grade, tax position and jurisdiction.

Those who are self-employed can claim the fee as an expense against their relevant self-employment income, and those who are employed can claim tax relief as an employment expense under section 344 ITEPA 2003.

However, tax relief can only be claimed by those who pay the fee themselves. It cannot be claimed by those whose employer pays their membership fee, nor by those who claim the cost of membership back from their employer, nor in most cases by retired practitioners, and claims for tax relief cannot be made in relation to fees paid in tax years prior to 2023/24.

The tables below illustrate the effective cost of current membership fees for each team role and membership grade after relief at the basic and higher rates of income tax currently applicable in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. These are also now shown on the College’s membership fees page. (Please note that the effective costs will differ for additional rate taxpayers and those living in Scotland.)

Dentists

MembershipAnnual feeEffective cost (20% tax relief)Effective cost (40% tax relief)
Fellow£485£388£291
Associate Fellow£395£316£237
Full Member£316£253£190
Associate Member£125£100£75
New registrant£42£34£25
Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists, Dental Technicians, Clinical Dental Technicians, Orthodontic Therapists

MembershipAnnual feeEffective cost (20% tax relief)Effective cost (40% tax relief)
Fellow£323£259£194
Associate Fellow£263£210£158
Full Member£211£169£127
Associate Member£83£66£50
New registrant£42£34£25
Dental Nurses, plus concessionary fees for all groups

MembershipAnnual feeEffective cost (20% tax relief)Effective cost (40% tax relief)
Fellow£162£130£97
Associate Fellow£132£106£79
Full Member£106£85£64
Associate Member£42£34£25
New registrant£42£34£25
Other members

MembershipAnnual feeEffective cost (20% tax relief)Effective cost (40% tax relief)
Affiliate Member£60£48£36
Student Member£11––
Student AffiliateFREE––

For further information or advice, please contact the HMRC or an accountant. 

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College of General Dentistry News

Dentistry Show lectures

The College has confirmed its programme of CPD lectures for the British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show (BDCDS), which is taking place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 May 2024.

The College is the headline education partner for the Enhanced CPD Theatre, where it is hosting four lectures:

Friday 17 May:

Saturday 18 May:

Other lectures in the theatre include:

Friday 17 May

10.15am- 11.00am: An update from the Interim Chief Dental Officer for England – Jason Wong FCGDent
11.15am-12.00pm: Sleep to live: an introduction to dental sleep medicine – Dr Aditi Desai
12.15pm-1.00pm: Both sides of the fence: the reality of head and neck cancer treatments for patients and professionals – Jocelyn Harding FCGDent
1.15pm-2.00pm: Consent and medico-legal update – Simon Thackeray 

Saturday 18 May

9:15am-10.00am: An update on mouth cancer – Tripat Mahajan
12.15pm-1.00pm: Why is dentistry stressful? A toolkit for survival – Jeremy Cooper FCGDent
2.15pm-3.00pm: Oral health and the menopause: supporting patients throughout the menopause and beyond – Juliette Reeves
3.15pm-4.00pm: A practical guide to endodontic access – Rachel Derby 

Staff and senior members of the College are also looking forward to meeting members and prospective members at Stand Q01, and to answering any queries you may have about the College and membership.

BDCDS is the UK’s largest dental event, attracting 9,000 dental professionals with its offer of 11 CPD theatres, 200 lectures and access to over 400 exhibiting suppliers.

Attendance is free for all registered dental professionals – register now via the link below.

REGISTER HERE

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College of General Dentistry News

In memory of John Brookman, 1931-2024

John Brookman FCGDent, FFGDP(UK)(Hon.), one of the founding board members of the Faculty of General Dental Practice, and an instrumental founder of Vocational Training for GDPs, passed away peacefully on 27 January, aged 92.

John at the teaching laboratory bearing his name at the Guildford Education Centre

Born David John Brookman in Watford in 1931, he pursued a desire to be a dentist from childhood, and in 1954 qualified from the Royal Dental Hospital, London, with both the LDS and BDS.

Working as a general dental practitioner in Surrey, in 1957 he married Penny, with whom he had four children, Mark, Lucy, James and Claire.

In the early 1960s, he suffered a mental health breakdown and had to suspend his dental career. With support from friends and family he made a full recovery, during which he re-trained as a teacher. This proved to be a pivotal experience in his return to dentistry.

In 1970, he purchased a practice in Banstead, expanding it to five full-time dentists with part-time associates and hygienists, serving a mix of NHS and private patients.

In 1973, he became an assistant dental tutor for the British Postgraduate Medical Federation. Recognising the gap between the degree of competence required for daily dental practice and the level acquired at dental school, from 1975 he established the UK’s first Vocational Training scheme for general dental practitioners in Guildford. This laid the foundation for nationwide vocational training, which was later organised on a voluntary basis for some years by the Committee for Vocational Training (of which he was a member) before it became a statutory requirement in 1993. He also set up educational programmes for dental tutors and teachers, introducing clinical audit and peer review and emphasising problem-solving through practical application.

He had university links including being a research lecturer at the Eastman Dental Hospital  and was Senior Dental Advisor to Surrey Health Services and the Thames Post Graduate Regions. It was a particular pleasure for him to be present for the naming after him of the skills room at the Guildford Education Centre in 2013 to commemorate his achievements.

He passed the Membership in General Dental Surgery examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, achieved Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) and was Chairman of the UK Conference of Dental Advisors. He was also President of the British Dental Association’s Southern Counties branch, a founder advisor to the editorial board of The Dentist, and co-produced three educational films with the editor of the British Dental Journal on techniques for fissure sealing, impressions and endodontics.

A founder of the College of General Dental Practitioners of the United Kingdom (CGDP) – one of several organisations established at the time to pursue the postgraduate educational interests of general practice dentists – he was among those involved in discussions which ultimately united like-minded GDPs behind the formation of the Faculty of General Dental Practitioners at the RCS, and in 1992 he became one of the Faculty’s founding board members.

John and Penny retired to Keswick in 1993, and he embraced life, enjoying fell walking and wood turning. They were both active members of the village church and his Christian faith was hugely important to him, shaping how he lived and worked.

He received Honorary Life Membership of the BDA in 1999, and in 2012 was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the FGDP in recognition of his significant contributions both to postgraduate dental education and to the Faculty’s history. He joined the College of General Dentistry at its launch in 2021, later becoming a Life Fellow.

Alongside his many professional accomplishments and community commitments, he was regarded by those who knew him as a true gentleman.

Sadly, Penny died from cancer in 2007. John continued to walk the fells well into his eighties, and it would have meant the world to him that he was able to live out his life in the home he loved so much.

Please note this obituary was amended in March 2024 in light of further biographical information

College of General Dentistry News

College endorses updated guidance on periodontal diseases

The College of General Dentistry has endorsed newly updated guidance on periodontal diseases from the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme.

The second edition of Prevention and Treatment of Periodontal Diseases in Primary Care, published this week, aims to help dental teams recognise patients at risk of developing periodontal diseases early, and provide them with preventative care and treatment to improve their oral and general health.

The guidance has been updated following a thorough review of the evidence, and after consultation with dental organisations including the College of General Dentistry.

The changes in the new edition include: 

  • new advice on the assessment of risk
  • updated information on diagnosis of periodontal diseases to reflect the 2018 Classification of Periodontal Diseases
  • information on planning treatment that reflects the stepwise approach to periodontal therapyand consideration of tooth prognosis
  • expanded advice on the management of risk factors and assessing the response to periodontal treatment
  • advice on the specific management of patients with furcation involvement and the management of patients with systemic conditions linked to periodontal disease
  • expanded advice on the management of patients considering dental implants
  • updates to the evidence and basis for the key recommendations
  • updates to the supporting tools

The full guidance and supporting tools are available at https://www.periodontalcare.sdcep.org.uk/

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