College of General Dentistry Blog

How to get the most out of Foundation Training and make the right investments

CGDent NextGen Ambassador and Associate Member of the College, Dr Choudhury Rahman, graduated from the University of Manchester in 2023 before moving into Dental Foundation Training. Here he offers tips to this year’s Foundation Dentists on how to get the most out of their training.

As I sat down waiting for my first patient as a qualified dentist, I debated how to introduce myself. Dr Rahman, or just Choudhury? I felt the same nerves I did when I saw my first patient as an undergrad, a sense of imposter syndrome. Am I really a dentist now?

When I think back to last year, having just graduated, I never thought I would have learnt as much as I have now, after just one year of FD training. Nothing quite prepares you for general practice.

The pace at which you learn and develop is unbelievable. From seeing three patients a day in the undergrad clinic to 20-30 in general practices, along with vast quantities of treatment. When people tell you that you’ll do more treatment in a month of FD vs the whole of undergrad, they aren’t joking.

Of course, the experience you get will depend on where you work. If you’re fortunate enough to work in an area of high needs like mine in Rochdale, you will get bags of treatment – lots of caries, restorations, extractions, and root canals. However, you may also work in an area where you can do more aesthetic work, or somewhere with great oral surgery experience.

Here are my tips on how to make the transition smoother and get the most out of your FD year:

  1. Spend time making good treatment plans

    Sit down with your Educational Supervisor (ES), discuss cases with them, and get help with deciding what treatment to do. This will be your biggest learning curve, deciding independently what treatment to do and when. The more experience you get doing this, the better you will be at planning by yourself over time. Remember, you don’t have to make it at your initial appointment, you can always bring the patient back for this.

  2. Don’t worry about how long you need for treatments

    Want to spend three hours doing a molar endo? Or two hours on some posterior composites? Do it. FD year is when you get the chance to spend as long as you want on the treatments you want to do. You aren’t paid by Units of Dental Activity (UDAs), you’re paid a fixed salary. Use the time you have to provide good, high-quality treatment, and then you can focus on building speed towards the later stages.

  3. Push yourself with complex treatments

    You will have the support of an Educational Supervisor by your side throughout the year. They are there to help you and guide you. Take on that difficult molar endo, and plan for that surgical extraction. It’s your one year where you have help at every step of the way if you need it.

  4. Build a good relationship with everyone at your practice

    From the receptionist, the practice principal, and of course, your nurses. If you build a good bond with your team, and look after them, they will look after you!

To make the best of your Foundation Training, I think it’s also important to plan some specific investments during the year. After five years of grafting in dental school, you can’t beat the feeling you get when you receive your first pay cheque as a dentist – you are finally being remunerated for your hard work. Not only that, if you haven’t earned any money during the current tax year, you won’t have tax deducted from your pay cheque for the first month or two! I’m sure many of you reading will be thinking of the holidays you want to plan or the new car you want to buy for yourself, but there are some key things that I recommend you invest in early which will set you up for the rest of your career in dentistry!

  1. Loupes

    If you haven’t already got a pair of loupes, I cannot stress enough the importance of buying some. The initial investment may seem steep, costing upwards of £2,000 for a good quality pair, but the return on investments is enormous. I got my loupes during 5th year of undergrad, and they have transformed the way I practice dentistry. I used to dread doing certain treatments because I just couldn’t see the fine details in certain procedures such as root canal treatments or crown preparations, however after getting loupes, these are now treatments I actually enjoy, and am able to do at a higher quality. Not only that, I have found my posture has greatly improved, especially since my loupes are refractive. To summarise, getting loupes will make your general dentistry more enjoyable, better quality, and potentially elongate your career by looking after your neck, shoulders, and back! I personally use the Bryant dental 3.8x Refractive loupes.

  2. Camera

    One of the first things I put money aside for was my own camera. Many of the training practices will have a camera lying about somewhere, but having your own is much better. You can set it up and leave it so you can easily and quickly take pictures whenever you need to. Photography is mega important in dentistry for several reasons. Firstly, it supports patient consent. By showing the patient what their teeth look like, and exactly the issues you are seeing, they are better informed in their decision-making, thus ensuring the consent you have obtained is valid. In addition to this, having before and after pictures for treatments is very useful medico-legally if you find yourself in some hot water (make sure your camera’s date and time settings are correct). Lastly, and most importantly, by taking pictures of your work, you can reflect on the good and bad things, finding ways to improve your work and develop as you go along. A bonus of having pictures of your work is that it enables you to compile a portfolio that you can use to show patients and future employers what you are capable of.

    It may seem daunting at first when trying to figure out exactly which photography equipment to buy, as I found out for myself. To break it down, most camera set-ups will require a body, lens, and flash. My own build consists of the Canon 2000D body, 105mm Sigma lens with a Sigma ring flash (Pictured below). This is by no means the best set-up, however it’s a good place to start if you want to get into dental photography!
  1. Income protection

    I’m sure many of you guys reading will remember the Wesleyan finance lectures from undergrad – I think most of us will have attended just for the free food and goodies. At the start of your career, you will think and feel like you are invincible, but you never know what life will throw at you which could cause you to put your tools down. I recently sprained my wrist and didn’t anticipate how much impact this would have on my work. Thankfully I recovered quickly and fully, but imagine if you had a serious injury, accident, or decline in health. If dentistry was your only source of income, and you had dependents/bills to pay, you would be under immense stress trying to stop the ship from sinking. By having income protection, if life throws a curve ball at you, you will be in a better position to manage financially, allowing you to focus on yourself and getting back to work. As a Foundation Trainee, the NHS will provide some form of sick pay for a limited period, but by having an additional income protection, if for whatever reason you had an extended period off work, you could be paid a certain % of your earnings until retirement age. It is one of those things to have, which you hope don’t need to use it, but is there if you do!

  2. Membership of the College of General Dentistry

    As I spent my time going through Foundation Training, I felt more and more unsure of what I wanted to do with my career. I applied for Dental Core Training (DCT) but felt as though I enjoyed working in general practice. However, I knew that I wanted to continue expanding my skills through postgraduate training. That’s where the College of General Dentistry is really helpful. They provide an excellent framework to help you navigate the world of being an associate in general practice, helping you develop the knowledge and skills you require to progress your career in dentistry and foster a commitment to lifelong learning.

These are only some of the things which I recommend you invest in for yourself. There are many more investments you will make over your career such as your own equipment, materials and postgraduate training. You don’t have to do them all at once, or at the beginning. Don’t make yourself feel like you are behind if you see your colleagues or friends having invested in more of these things than you. Dentistry is not a race; you should learn, improve, invest and develop at your own pace. At the centre of this all is providing the best care possible for your patients, whilst also looking after yourself.

Overall, Foundation Training for me has been a tremendous experience. I was very fortunate to have an amazing practice and a supportive ES. FD training is a unique and enjoyable experience. You can practice all the things in dentistry you love, not worry about UDA targets or lab bills, and push yourself with challenging cases knowing someone has your back. But one thing is for sure, you will get out what you put in, and if you put in 100%, you will get so much out of your FD year.

I’ve been told by many colleagues that at this stage of your career, the world is your oyster. Yet it can be difficult to navigate and work out exactly what you want to do. Personally, having completed my year, I’m now working on becoming a well-rounded GDP, and with clinical interests including oral surgery and prosthodontics, I aspire to be able to provide full-mouth rehabilitation including placement and restoration of implants. Membership of the College reflects my commitment to becoming the best dentist I can be for my patients.

Our Student Advice and Careers blogs are written by members of the College and offer advice and tips, and share experiences with dental students and early career professionals.

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College of General Dentistry Student Advice

An insider’s guide to making key investments during your Foundation Training

CGDent NextGen Ambassador, Dr Choudhury Rahman, made some important investments during Foundation Training and shares his advice about investing wisely.

Ahhhh… the feeling of getting your first pay cheque as a dentist. Nothing quite beats that feeling! After five years of grafting in dental school, you are finally being remunerated for your hard work. Not only that, if you haven’t earned any money during the current tax year, you won’t have tax deducted from your pay cheque for the first month or two! I’m sure many of you reading will be thinking of the holidays you want to plan or the new car you want to buy for yourself, but there are some key things that I recommend you invest in early to help you get the most out of your Dental Foundation Training (DFT), and set you up for the rest of your career in dentistry!

  1. Loupes

    If you haven’t already got a pair of loupes, I cannot stress enough the importance of buying some. The initial investment may seem steep, costing upwards of £2,000 for a good quality pair, but the return on investments is enormous. I got my loupes during 5th year of undergrad, and they have transformed the way I practice dentistry. I used to dread doing certain treatments because I just couldn’t see the fine details in certain procedures such as root canal treatments or crown preparations, however after getting loupes, these are now treatments I actually enjoy, and am able to do at a higher quality. Not only that, I have found my posture has greatly improved, especially since my loupes are refractive. To summarise, getting loupes will make your general dentistry more enjoyable, better quality, and potentially elongate your career by looking after your neck, shoulders, and back! I personally use the Bryant dental 3.8x Refractive loupes.
  1. Camera

    One of the first things I put money aside for was my own camera. Many of the training practices will have a camera lying about somewhere, but having your own is much better. You can set it up, and leave it so you can easily and quickly take pictures whenever you need to. Photography is mega important in dentistry for several reasons. Firstly, it supports patient consent. By showing the patient what their teeth look like, and exactly the issues you are seeing, they are better informed in their decision-making, thus ensuring the consent you have obtained is valid. In addition to this, having before and after pictures for treatments is very useful medico-legally if you find yourself in some hot water (make sure your camera’s date and time settings are correct). Lastly, and most importantly, by taking pictures of your work, you can reflect on the good and bad things, finding ways to improve your work and develop as you go along. A bonus of having pictures of your work is that it enables you to compile a portfolio that you can use to show patients and future employers what you are capable of.

    It may seem daunting at first when trying to figure out exactly which photography equipment to buy, as I found out for myself. To break it down, most camera set-ups will require a body, lens, and flash. My own build consists of the Canon 2000D body, 105mm Sigma lens with a Sigma ring flash (Pictured below). This is by no means the best set-up, however it’s a good place to start if you want to get into dental photography!
  1. Income protection

    I’m sure many of you guys reading will remember the Wesleyan finance lectures from undergrad – I think most of us will have attended just for the free food and goodies. At the start of your career, you will think and feel like you are invincible, but you never know what life will throw at you which could cause you to put your tools down. I recently sprained my wrist and didn’t anticipate how much impact this would have on my work. Thankfully I recovered quickly and fully, but imagine if you had a serious injury, accident, or decline in health. If dentistry was your only source of income, and you had dependents/bills to pay, you would be under immense stress trying to stop the ship from sinking. By having income protection, if life throws a curve ball at you, you will be in a better position to manage financially, allowing you to focus on yourself and getting back to work. As a Foundation Trainee, the NHS will provide some form of sick pay for a limited period, but by having an additional income protection, if for whatever reason you had an extended period off work, you could be paid a certain % of your earnings until retirement age. It is one of those things to have, which you hope don’t need to use it, but is there if you do!

  2. Membership of the College of General Dentistry

    As I spent my time going through Foundation Training, I felt more and more unsure of what I want to do with my career. I applied for Dental Core Training (DCT), but felt as though I enjoyed working in general practice. However, I knew that I wanted to continue expanding my skills through postgraduate training. That’s where the College of General Dentistry is really helpful. They provide an excellent framework to help you navigate the world of being an associate in general practice, helping you develop the knowledge and skills you require to progress your career in dentistry and foster a commitment to lifelong learning.

These are only some of the things which I recommend you invest in for yourself. There are many more investments you will make over your career such as your own equipment, materials and postgraduate training. You don’t have to do them all at once, or at the beginning. Don’t make yourself feel like you are behind if you see your colleagues or friends having invested in more of these things than you. Dentistry is not a race; you should learn, improve, invest and develop at your own pace. At the centre of this all is providing the best care possible for your patients, whilst also looking after yourself.

Author bio

“I Graduated from University of Manchester in 2023 and am just completing my FD Training in the Greater Manchester North Scheme. I’m also a NextGen Ambassador for the College of General Dentistry. My clinical interests include Oral Surgery and Prosthodontics. I aspire to become a well rounded GDP, able to provide full mouth rehabilitation including placement and restoration of implants. Outside of work, I enjoy running and 5-a-side football.”

Dr Choudhury Rahman

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College of General Dentistry News

Retiring this year?

If you are planning to discontinue your GDC registration at the end of the year, you can maintain a link with dentistry by staying a member of the College.

Retired members enjoy the same benefits, rights and privileges of the College as practising members, but enjoy a fee discount of up to 66% from their next renewal.

If you retire as an Associate Fellow or Fellow of the College, or are eligible to upgrade to one of these statuses, you will be eligible to attend our biannual Fellows’ Receptions.

If a Fellow and 65 years of age or older, you will also be eligible to become a Life Fellow of the College for a one-off payment, which the College can treat as a donation (and, with your approval, add to it with Gift Aid).

It is also anticipated that retired members will provide a rich resource of mentors for early career colleagues.

Retired Fellows of CGDent or the former FGDP are also eligible to join the 1992 Circle, which is named to commemorate the formation of the FGDP and gathers informally twice a year before Fellows’ Receptions, at no further cost. This provides the opportunity to maintain some professional standing and status throughout your retirement, and to support the further growth and development of the College – for example, Circle members have recorded the history of the FGDP and spearheaded fundraising to support the College’s application for a Coat of Arms. Circle members also receive information on the events and activities of the Lindsay Society for the History of Dentistry.

Retiring and retired members are invited to contact Sir Nairn Wilson CBE ([email protected]), for further information.

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College of General Dentistry News

Education partnership with Dentistry Show London

The College will once again be an education partner at the upcoming Dentistry Show London 2024.

CGDent speakers at Dentistry Show London 2024: Helen Kaney (bottom left), Kaushik Paul (top left), Andrew Gulson (top right) and Sukhvinder Singh Atthi (bottom right). Top centre: representatives at the College exhibition stand

The College will be a partner for the Enhanced CPD Theatre, which will feature 11 lectures over the two-day conference, with experts in their fields sharing their extensive knowledge, and offering practical advice, on an array of important CPD areas. All lectures will be free of charge for both members and non-members of the College. Four of these lectures will be delivered by College representatives:

Medical emergencies

Friday 4 October, 9.15am – 10.00am

Dr Kaushik Paul BDS, MFDS, MJDF, Cert (MOS), Cert (Dental Practice Appraisal), PgCert (Leadership and Management), PgCert (Education), Dip (Con. Sed.), MSc (Oral Surgery), FCGDent, FHEA; accredited Tier 2 Oral Surgery provider and sedation trainer, Clinical Director for MyDentist in the North West.

The Dental Guidance Notes, 2nd edition – what you need to know 

Friday 4 October, 1.15pm – 2.00pm

Andrew Gulson, Principal Radiation Protection Specialist and Dental X-ray Protection Services Technical Manager at the UK Health Security Agency; Specialist Radiation Protection Scientist; certified Radiation Protection Adviser; editor of Guidance Notes for Dental Practitioners on the Safe Use of X-Ray Equipment

Obtaining patient consent: how to protect yourself 

Friday 4 October, 2.15pm – 3.00pm

Dr Helen Kaney BDS, LLB, MBA, FCGDent, FFFLM; dually qualified dentist and solicitor; Dento-Legal Advisor with the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland

Intravenous sedation governance: update for the dental team

Saturday 5 October, 2.15pm – 3.00pm

Dr Sukhvinder Singh Atthi BDS, MFDS, Cert (MOS), Cert (Dental Practice Appraisal), PgCert (Conscious Sedation), PgCert (Leadership and Management), PgCert (Learning & Teaching in Higher Education), Dip. FFGDP(UK), MSc Oral Surgery, MSc Orthodontics, FCGDent, FHEA, ILM; Lecturer in oral surgery, University of Birmingham; Tier II-accredited oral surgeon 

Full details of all the College lectures are available via the above links, and details of the full programme for the Enhanced CPD Theatre and other theatres are available here.

College representatives will also be available throughout the conference at Stand F61 to talk to attendees about all aspects of membership, fellowship and the College’s vision for the profession.

It is not possible to register for any specific lecture in advance, however those wishing to attend will need to register for Dentistry Show London 2024, which is free for all dental professionals. Conference attendees will have access to up to 100 CPD lectures, as well as 180 exhibiting suppliers, and the opportunity to network with 4,000 dentists, practice managers, hygienists and therapists, dental nurses, technicians and laboratory owners.

REGISTER FOR FREE HERE

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College of General Dentistry News

College supports water fluoridation in the North East

The College is supporting government proposals to extend community water fluoridation in north east England.

Around half of the North East either has naturally fluoridated water or has had its water artificially fluoridated for around half a century, including Newcastle, Gateshead, North Shields, Wallsend, Whitley Bay and parts of County Durham. The Department of Health and Social Care, supported by the relevant local authorities, is proposing to extend this to a further 1.6 million people in Cleveland, Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Northumberland, Redcar, Stockton, Sunderland and Tyneside, as well as neighbouring parts of Westmorland, Furness and North Yorkshire.[i]

The College has submitted a positive response to the proposals, in which Simon Hearnshaw FCGDent, the College’s lead on community water fluoridation, highlights epidemiological data demonstrating significant differences in the prevalence of tooth decay, and rates of extraction, between fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas in the region which otherwise have similar indicators of deprivation.

Tooth decay is the most prevalent disease in the UK, and the College supports localised water fluoridation as one means to help reduce its incidence and severity, and the consequent need for invasive oral health interventions, particularly in areas of high need.

There is evidence that the provision of water which is either naturally or artificially fluoridated to around 1 milligram per litre is both safe [ii] [iii] and effective [iv] [v] [vi] in reducing dental caries in a given population. A Cochrane Review in 2015 estimated that water fluoridation resulted in children with no other sources of fluoride having 35% fewer decayed, missing and filled baby teeth and 26% fewer decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth. It also led to a 15% increase in children with no decay in their baby teeth and a 14% increase in children with no decay in their permanent teeth.[vii]

Tooth extraction due to preventable decay remains the most common cause of hospital admission in England for five- to nine-year-old children [viii], and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID, formerly Public Health England) estimates that if all five-year-olds currently drinking water with 0.2mg/l of fluoride instead received fluoridated water of at least 0.7mg/l, then the number experiencing decay would fall by 28% in the most deprived areas, and the number of hospital admissions for tooth extractions due to decay would reduce by up to 68%. An analysis by OHID also found that water fluoridation is the most cost-effective intervention to prevent tooth decay, offering a return on investment of over £12 after 5 years, and £22 after 10 years, for every £1 spent.[ix]

While the four UK Chief Medical Officers have published a statement describing water fluoridation as an effective public health intervention in reducing both tooth decay and oral health inequalities [x], only around one in ten households in England currently receives tap water containing fluoride at the recommended level [xi], and since 1985 over 60 local health authorities have consulted on initiating water fluoridation without success.[xii] But the government now has the power to directly introduce or vary water fluoridation schemes [xiii], and the proposals for the North East will test whether this will lead to new community water fluoridation schemes in England for the first time in 40 years.[xiv]

References

[i] Department of Health and Social Care. Community water fluoridation expansion in the north east of England. June 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england

[ii] Public Health England. 2022. Water fluoridation Health monitoring report for England 2022. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attach ment_data/file/1060471/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-2022.pdf

[iii] National Health and Medical Research Council. 2017. Information paper—water fluoridation: dental and other human health outcomes. Available at: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/water-fluoridation-dental-and-other-human-health-outcomes

[iv] Griffin SO, Regnier E, Griffin PM and Huntley V, 2007. Effectiveness of fluoride in preventing caries in adults. Journal of Dental Research, 86(5), pp.410-415

[v] Slade GD, Grider WB, Maas WR, Sanders AE. Water Fluoridation and Dental Caries in U.S. Children and Adolescents. J Dent Res. 2018 Sep;97(10):1122-1128

[vi] Touyz LZG, Nassani LM. Affirmation: Fluoridated Water Reduces Caries in Children. J Pediatr Dent Hyg. 2019; 1(1): 1003

[vii] Iheozor-Ejiofor Z, Worthington HV, Walsh T, O’Malley L, Clarkson JE, Macey R, Alam R, Tugwell P, Welch V, Glenny AM. Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. Cochrane Database Systematic Review. 2015 Jun 18;2015(6):CD010856. Available at: https://www.cochrane.org/CD010856/ORAL_water-fluoridation-prevent-tooth-decay

[viii] Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds: short statistical commentary 2023. 8 February 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-2023/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-short-statistical-commentary-2023

[ix] Public Health England. 2016. Return on investment of oral health improvement programmes for 0–5-year-olds. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80ee0bed915d74e6231403/ROI_oral_health_interventions.pdf

[x] Department of Health and Social Care. Statement on water fluoridation from the UK Chief Medical officers. 23 September 2021. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-statement-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers/statement-on-water-fluoridation-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers

[xi] Department of Health and Social Care. Community water fluoridation expansion in the north east of England. June 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england

[xii] Goodwin M, Emsley R, Kelly MP, et al. Evaluation of water fluoridation scheme in Cumbria: the CATFISH prospective longitudinal cohort study [Internet]. Southampton (UK): National Institute for Health and Care Research; 2022 Nov. (Public Health Research, No. 10.11.) Chapter 3, History and implementation of water fluoridation as a public health intervention. Available at: https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/phr/SHMX1584/

[xiii] Morris AJ, Lowry R. Community water fluoridation: legislation and evidence base. Dental Update 2024 50:6, 707-709. Available at https://www.dental-update.co.uk/content/guest-editorial/community-water-fluoridation-legislation-and-evidence-base/

[xiv] Department of Health and Social Care. Community water fluoridation expansion in the north east of England. June 2024. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england/community-water-fluoridation-expansion-in-the-north-east-of-england

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College of General Dentistry Student Advice

Communication with patients – what can it do for you as a dental student?

2024 BDS graduate from the University of Liverpool, Zaira Cantara explains why it’s important to develop good communication skills at university and provides her tips on effective patient communication.

“The dentists who get the most complaints are the ones who lack communication skills”, is a quote I remember hearing from a tutor during second year. It’s something that stuck with me because one of the reasons I decided to embark on a journey into dentistry in my late 20s was my own negative experience with a dentist.

It’s true, quite often when I’m reminded why a patient “hates going to the dentist”, the key word being “hates”, it’s usually one of two reasons: that time they felt they were being butchered; or the dentist simply lacked one of the fundamental skills in this profession – good communication. We hear now and then the importance of communication for clinicians, but I think as students we need to focus on this skill more to realise its benefits before we head out into the real world.

Reading feedback patients had left me recently, I assumed comments would be made on the procedures themselves, but I was surprised by how many focused on my communication skills. Thankfully this was seen as a positive and congenial experience during the appointment as they highlighted what I said, rather than what I did. I didn’t realise how much a patient would appreciate and value me doing something I saw as routine.

Dentists are often seen as specialists of the mouth, but a holistic approach is something students benefit from greatly. Good communication leads to appointment slots being filled, the patient leaving with more motivation to engage in the advice you gave and a better undergraduate portfolio. Taking this into practice will lead to fewer complaints, better staff morale and of course a broader depth of success.

Furthermore, great communication skills are essential when it comes to patient consent, which links in with ethics and law. We are taught to obtain ‘valid consent’ at each appointment, every single time we see a patient using effective communication skills.  This involves ensuring the patient has capacity to make a decision, that they are well informed by clearly explaining planned treatment and finally that they are not coerced into any treatment. 

From my experience, here are five suggestions to help you improve patient communication:

1. Don’t just treat the mouth

Ask about your patient’s general health, how are they getting on with ‘x’ they disclosed to you in their medical, is it all under control, how was the holiday they were looking forward to after your last session? It’s important to ask about other medical conditions as it might affect the patient’s oral health or the treatment that you are planning.

2. Empower the patient

Any time your patient wants you to stop for a break or feel uncomfortable, ask them to raise a hand, so you can follow their lead and resume once it’s okay for them.

3. Explain what the treatment is and why you are doing it

Explain how the treatment will benefit them, why it is important to follow advice at home and what to expect at the next appointment.

4. Show organisation

Be attentive and have all the clinic set up with what you need; this demonstrates efficiency and reduces the patient’s anxiety.

5. Finally, thank them for showing up

I often thank my patients as soon as we have greeted each other in the waiting room. Their time is playing a significant part in our journey to becoming clinicians, without them things would be very different.

Author bio

“I studied the BDS at the University of Liverpool and graduated in July 2024. What I most enjoyed about my course was the early exposure to patients as well as the variation of different clinics this included one being urgent care for those patients without access to a dentist. During this clinic I enjoyed the history taking, coming up with a diagnosis and then treating to relieve the patient out of pain within the same appointment whilst having an holistic approach.

I will be doing my DFT within North Yorkshire and am currently focusing on improving my skills as a general dentist. My hobbies include reading, travelling and getting together with friends.”

Zaira Cantara

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College of General Dentistry Student Advice

Brush off the stress: 5 tips for success at dental school

Fifth year BDS students at the University of Plymouth, James Oakley and Dilan Patel, share their advice on getting the most out of dental school.

Studying dentistry poses all sorts of challenges daily. These must be approached with thought and consideration to ensure a fruitful and enjoyable experience at university. Each person will have their own methods or strategies to get the most out of their time at university, but these are some of the tips we have found useful as we come to the end of our time as undergraduates.

  1. Effective note-taking

Find a method of taking notes that works for you and try to commit to it. Taking notes should be a valuable exercise that adds value and structure to your learning. In the past, we have been guilty of writing long, laborious notes, often copied word for word from textbooks or lectures, only to never look at them again. For lectures, instead of frantically noting every word that the lecturer has said, try noting key points and summaries. Mind maps allow your learning process to be visualised, and the inclusion of areas for further reading or research in the form of questions may also be included. By not focusing on writing an essay that you may not use again, you can limit your notes, better listen to the lecture, take in and process the information. This, we believe, allows for better learning, understanding, and can guide extra reading.

  1. Make use of technology

When not being used to scroll through TikTok or Instagram, technology has the potential to make a dental student’s life much easier if implemented correctly. With most lectures either being recorded or the slides being available to download online, students can take their time with the content instead of feeling rushed in the lecture hall. We have also found downloading the slides and inserting them into a PDF app can be useful during lectures. This allows you to annotate or highlight useful material on the slides. By doing this during or ideally prior to the lecture, you can pay more attention to what is being said while also having a written copy to refer to afterward. The use of flashcard apps has also provided great value throughout our time at university. Many apps use studied and recognised techniques like spaced repetition to retain information. These can be stored on the cloud and studied anywhere across multiple devices.

  1. Preparation

Preparation is key to making the most out of any session. Where possible, we have found that observing and planning the coming week ahead of time has helped us stay prepared and on schedule with our course. Dental school requires us to keep up with deadlines, learn new procedures, revise, yet still have time to socialise and partake in extra-curricular activities. To achieve this, a degree of planning and preparation is key to ensure all these aspects of university life get the time they deserve. We have found the use of planners and calendars useful; by doing this, we can better ensure that content is covered, deadlines are met, and social lives are upheld. We also found it useful to be realistic with our planning by not planning too much in one day, which can lead to a sense of demotivation.

  1. Motivation

Motivation is the driving force behind success in dental school. Staying motivated can be challenging amidst the demanding coursework and clinical obligations, but it is essential for achieving your goals and maintaining a positive outlook. One way to stay motivated is to set clear, achievable goals for yourself. Break down your long-term objectives into smaller, manageable tasks that can be completed within a shorter timeframe. Celebrating these small victories can provide a sense of accomplishment and keep you moving forward. Additionally, surrounding yourself with a supportive network of peers can provide encouragement and a sense of camaraderie. Regularly remind yourself of the reasons you chose dentistry and visualise the achievements you aspire to. Balancing your studies with enjoyable activities and ensuring you take time for self-care can prevent burnout and keep your passion for the field alive. Remember, staying motivated is about finding what inspires you and continuously striving towards your aspirations.

  1. Repetition

Repetition is crucial for mastering the extensive material covered in dental school. Employing techniques such as spaced repetition and active recall can significantly enhance your retention and understanding of complex topics. Spaced repetition involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time, which helps reinforce memory. Using flashcard apps, such as Anki, that incorporate this technique can be particularly effective. Active recall, on the other hand, requires actively stimulating your memory during the learning process by testing yourself on the material rather than passively rereading notes. This method forces you to retrieve information from memory, reinforcing your understanding and making it easier to recall the information in the future. Combining these techniques can create a powerful study routine that solidifies your knowledge and prepares you for exams and practical applications.

In conclusion, navigating dental school successfully requires a combination of effective note-taking, strategic use of technology, thorough preparation, sustained motivation, and robust repetition techniques. By adopting and personalising these strategies, you can enhance your learning experience, retain critical information, and manage the demands of both academic and social life. Remember that consistency and adaptability are key; what works for one person might need adjustment for another. Stay engaged, keep refining your methods, and maintain a balance that keeps you motivated and passionate about your future career in dentistry. We hope these tips will have you well on your way to making the most out of your lectures, practicals, and clinics.

Authors’ bio

“I am currently going into my 5th year at the Peninsula Dental school, which has offered us lots of clinical exposure. I have found getting to know my patients, building rapport and fulfilling their needs, to be an extremely rewarding opportunity. Looking to the future after graduation I am hoping to gain more experience where I can, and further develop my personal interests in Oral Surgery and Restorative Dentistry. I have been really enjoying my time in the Southwest region, making the most of the Golf and Surf at our doorstep.”

James Oakley

“I am also going in to my 5th year at Peninsula Dental School. Since we began seeing patients in our first year I have had the opportunity to see a variety of cases and learnt a great deal throughout this time. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the patient satisfaction that can be achieved through treatment and have developed a great interest in Oral Surgery which I would like to pursue in the future.

Outside of dental school I spend my time travelling, playing golf and playing the saxophone which helps me find a balance between university and my own time.”

Dilan Patel

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College of General Dentistry Blog

Oral healthcare and the environment – how do we make sustainable attainable?

Dr Steven Mulligan MCGDent, a founding member of the FDI World Dental Federation Sustainability in Dentistry Task Team, discusses the work they have undertaken and shares practical steps to foster a more environmentally conscious practice.

I am a practicing general dentist in South Yorkshire, and I work within the University of Sheffield as a clinical teacher. For the last few years, I have been involved in research around sustainable oral healthcare. Upon starting my dental career, I recognised that the science behind dental materials and its role in rehabilitating oral disease fascinated me as understanding what is in the dental materials we use is key to understanding their successful implementation. I have often considered that we would not cook and present someone a meal without knowing the ingredients, or the consequences of their use!

I have recently completed a PhD which primarily looked at the environmental impact of resin-based composite (RBC). The premise of the research was that as amalgam is being phased-out based on environmental pollution issues, with RBC consequently acting as the major direct-placement dental material in dentistry, what are the environmental pollution impacts with the use of RBC? Like any research, once you start looking, the more you see. Regarding RBC, the simple answer is yes, RBC has negative environmental pollution impacts. RBC can never be fully polymerised through normal use, and monomers elute for months and years from restorations into the environment.1 When RBC restorations are replaced, polished or adjusted, microparticulate waste, akin to microplastics are released into the environment.2 Manufacturing, distributing, using and disposing of RBC generates a significant carbon footprint. The sundry items required to use RBC, such as applicator brushes, dental dam, sleeves for light curing units are all single-use plastics (SUPs), contributing to dentistry’s waste burden. Comparing the environmental impact of RBC and amalgam is easy, RBC is less bad for the environment.

It was an easy link when considering the environmentally sustainable use of dental materials to consider other aspects of sustainable oral healthcare. But what does sustainability in this respect mean? Sustainable oral healthcare is basically providing care that does not jeopardise the equivalent care of future generations, and ensuring we are acting ethically, not just to our current patients but also to subsequent generations of patients. Global warming, climate change and environmental pollution is a reality and as healthcare professionals we contribute to it. Can we provide optimal care that is also environmentally sustainable?

To answer this, multiple research opportunities arose, and generated publications with interesting insights. Did you know we generate around 2 billion items of SUP annually in the UK dental sector, weighing around 14 tonnes?3 Or that the average UK 50-year old’s dentistry has a carbon footprint of around 1.2 tonnes CO2e, which would need over 130 trees planted to off-set it?4 Or that patients are willing to pay more for more environmentally sustainable oral healthcare?5

A few years ago, the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI WDF) contacted me as they were interested in establishing the FDI WDF Sustainability in Oral Healthcare Task Team. My colleague at the University of Sheffield, Professor Nicolas Martin, took the reins as Chair and we co-founded the team, which currently comprises of Asst. Prof Donna Hackley (Harvard Dental School, USA), Assist. Prof Duygu Ilhan (Istanbul Medipol University, Turkey), Dr Hasan Jamal (Saudi Arabia) and Dr Mick Armstrong (UK).

The FDI WDF acts as the global voice of the dental profession, representing over one million dentists worldwide, working with 191 Member Associations in over 130 countries. The Sustainability Project aims to increase awareness and guide the profession towards environmentally sustainable outcomes, working alongside industry partners such as Colgate-Palmolive, P & G, Kulzer Mitsui Chemicals Group, Haleon, SDI, Dentsply Sirona and Sunstar.

The FDI Sustainability project has delivered multiple resources, including the first Consensus Statement on Sustainable Oral Healthcare which was an evidence-based perspective of the current status quo, with suggested opportunities for implementing sustainable actions.6

In addition, the FDI developed a Toolkit, based around 18 topics and 150 actions that range in how impactful they are and how easy they are to implement. There are things that you can do in practice that are easy to carry out and have a significant impact on improving environmental sustainability, it is a simple process to enrol on and is a great starting point for anyone interested in the topic. The Toolkit aims to help oral healthcare professionals start (or continue) providing more environmentally sustainable care provision, via a structured approach.

The Toolkit is the direct result of two peer-reviewed scoping review publications that explored the awareness, barriers, drivers, opportunities and best practice for the delivery of sustainable oral healthcare. These key publications identified over 250 actions that can be carried out by dental professionals.7 8

The content within the toolkit is arranged in a way that reflects three aspirational challenge levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The criteria considers two parameters for each environmental sustainability (ES) activity: (i) The importance of the task as an ES measure and (ii) the level of implementation difficulty that the implementation of the task presents. Some examples of tasks include:

  • Putting recycling bins in staff areas.
  • Education of colleagues regarding appropriate recycling is an easily achieved, important task and compliance using the Toolkit can be demonstrated by uploading the minutes from a staff meeting that highlighted this. An example and a suggested task within the Toolkit is the separation and recycling of plastic and paper from sterilisation packets.
  • Rethinking the use of resources is another aspect of sustainability and is highlighted in the Toolkit via the use of paperless meetings, double sided printed when necessary, cancelling junk and unsolicited mail that the practice receives and the use of adjunctive technology in the practice such as tablets to record and update medical forms and intraoral scanners/ digital radiography to rethink the need for other disposable resources.
  • Reviewing how we provide care daily by carefully planning procedures before carrying them out and deciding what equipment is required to prevent waste and unnecessary reprocessing of instruments is another example of smart sustainability.
  • Selecting products with minimal packaging that is easy to recycle, selecting eco-friendly alternative sundries, products or equipment and choosing durable office equipment that has been sustainably manufactured.
  • Transport between dental clinics and dental laboratories can be optimised in order to reduce journeys and improve sustainability. The use of digital scanners and CAD CAM allows improved efficiency of transport between dental clinics and laboratories is one example.
  • Communicating with patients the importance of good oral health that not only benefits them directly but also the planet.

The Toolkit integrates not only sustainability messages but also other important issues within dentistry. An example is the requirement to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics, not just for the vitally important prevention of antimicrobial resistance. This has a sustainability impact as there is a significant carbon footprint attached to the manufacturing, distribution and disposal of waste medicines.

The FDI WDF has also developed a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on Sustainability in Dentistry which consists of three hours of interactive learning modules that helps users understand the impacts of oral healthcare on the planet and how to use evidence-based dentistry to improve the oral health of patients in an environmentally conscious way. A final assessment at the end of the course provides certification of its completion, module one is currently available with future modules to follow.

All the above FDI WDF resources, including infographic posters on the importance of good oral health and its links to environmental sustainability (for use in patient waiting areas), are free to access and another patient-focused poster that highlights your practice’s involvement in this important facet of oral healthcare provision will soon be available to display.

As a practicing dentist, I believe the best way we can be environmentally sustainable is by implementing high-quality preventive and operative care that gives patients ownership of their oral health and an understanding that by having a healthy mouth, they can also improve their impact on the environment. This results in fewer interventions, less travel and less lab-work with reduced overall carbon emissions. It’s a win-win situation.

Dental professionals, patients and other non-clinical members of the dental team are often surprised that dentistry has a significant environmental impact as it may never have occurred to them previously. To that end, increasing awareness around this topic by communicating and engaging with others is a brilliant first step in improving the environmental sustainability of oral healthcare.

Everyone can do something, and even if it seems like something small (like promoting patients to use public transport or booking family appointments to cut down patient journeys or even turning off unused electric items or lights), cumulatively these small measures have a big impact on making dentistry more environmentally sustainable.

1 Mulligan S, Hatton PV, Martin N. Resin-based composite materials: elution and pollution. Br Dent J. 2022 May;232(9):644-652. doi: 10.1038/s41415-022-4241-7. Epub 2022 May 13. PMID: 35562466; PMCID: PMC9106581.

2 Mulligan S, Ojeda JJ, Kakonyi G, Thornton SF, Moharamzadeh K, Martin N. Characterisation of Microparticle Waste from Dental Resin-Based Composites. Materials (Basel). 2021 Aug 8;14(16):4440. doi: 10.3390/ma14164440. PMID: 34442963; PMCID: PMC8402022.

3 Martin N, Mulligan S, Fuzesi P, Hatton PV. Quantification of single use plastics waste generated in clinical dental practice and hospital settings. J Dent. 2022 Mar;118:103948. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2022.103948. Epub 2022 Jan 10. PMID: 35026356.

4 Martin N, Hunter A, Constantine Z, Mulligan S. The environmental consequences of oral healthcare provision by the dental team. J Dent. 2024 Mar;142:104842. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104842. Epub 2024 Jan 17. PMID: 38237717.

5 Baird HM, Mulligan S, Webb TL, Baker SR, Martin N. Exploring attitudes towards more sustainable dentistry among adults living in the UK. Br Dent J. 2022 Aug;233(4):333-342. doi: 10.1038/s41415-022-4910-6. Epub 2022 Aug 26. PMID: 36028699; PMCID: PMC9412765.

6 Martin N, England R, Mulligan S. Sustainable Oral Healthcare: A Joint Stakeholder Approach. Int Dent J. 2022 Jun;72(3):261-265. doi: 10.1016/j.identj.2022.02.008. Epub 2022 Mar 29. PMID: 35365320; PMCID: PMC9275086.

7 Martin N, Sheppard M, Gorasia G, Arora P, Cooper M, Mulligan S. Awareness and barriers to sustainability in dentistry: A scoping review. J Dent. 2021 Sep;112:103735. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103735. Epub 2021 Jun 25. PMID: 34182058.

8 Martin N, Sheppard M, Gorasia G, Arora P, Cooper M, Mulligan S. Drivers, opportunities and best practice for sustainability in dentistry: A scoping review. J Dent. 2021 Sep;112:103737. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103737. Epub 2021 Jun 26. PMID: 34182061.

Visit our sustainable dentistry page for further free resources to help dental practices understand and reduce their impact on the environment.

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College of General Dentistry News

Avijit Banerjee appointed Chair of Faculty of Dentists

Professor Avijit Banerjee FCGDent has been appointed as the first Chair of the Board of the College’s Faculty of Dentists.

The Faculty of Dentists comprises all dentist members of the College, and the Faculty Board advances the interests of dentists as a discrete professional group. The Chair is appointed for a three-year term, advises and reports to the College Council, and works closely with the President and other Faculty Board Chairs in realising College priorities.

Professor Banerjee is Professor of Cariology and Operative Dentistry, Clinical Lead for Undergraduate Education, and Honorary Consultant and Clinical Lead for Restorative Dentistry at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences at King’s College London (KCL) and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals Trust. 

He is also KCL’s Head of Conservative & Minimum Intervention (MI) Dentistry, Programme Director of its distance-learning MSc in Advanced MI Dentistry, leads its Cariology & Operative Dentistry research programme, and continues to work in private practice in north London as a specialist in restorative dentistry, prosthodontics and periodontics.

Born in Kuala Lumpur and raised in Bolton, after graduating in 1993 from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals (UMDS, now part of KCL), he became a House Officer in oral surgery and orthodontics at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, then a Senior House Officer in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Mount Vernon, Hillingdon and Watford General Hospitals.

With thirty years’ experience as a researcher, teacher and examiner, he has worked at KCL since returning to the then-UMDS as a Clinical Training Fellow in 1995, becoming a Clinical Lecturer in 1998, Senior Clinical Lecturer in 2005, and Reader, then Professor, in 2011. He holds an MSc in Mineralised Tissue Biology and a PhD in Cariology, and in 2022 received the International Association of Dental Research’s William H Bowen Distinguished Scientist Award for Research in Dental Caries.

Editor-in-Chief of the journal Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry, he is an Associate Editor of the British Dental Journal, an editorial board member of the International Journal of Adhesion & Adhesives and of Dental Update, and a peer reviewer for thirteen dental journals. He is also the author of 158 published peer-reviewed papers covering cariology and MI operative dentistry, microscopy, dental biomaterials science and dental education research, and author or editor of seven books (and a number of book chapters), most recently A Clinical Guide to Advanced Minimum Intervention Restorative Dentistry.

A Fellow of CGDent and Chair of its Career Pathways Programme Board, he is a reviewer of the forthcoming third edition of Standards in Dentistry, and has previously served on the editorial board of the Primary Dental Journal and as a subject matter expert for the Diploma in Restorative Dentistry of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice UK (FGDP).

He has also gained Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, of the Higher Education Academy, of the International College of Dentists and of the former FGDP.

He is Deputy Lead of the NIHR Clinical Research Network Oral & Dental Specialty, a Council Member of the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry, and a member of the BDA Health and Science Committee and BDA Indemnity Advisory Panel. He has previously served as a Council Member of the British Society of Restorative Dentistry and of the British Society of Oral & Dental Research, and as President of the BDA Metropolitan Branch.

A member of the European Organisation for Caries Research and of the British Association for Teachers of Conservative Dentistry, he is also an Honorary Member of the Association of Consultants and Specialists in Restorative Dentistry and of the British Association of Dental Therapists, and an Honorary Fellow of the Society of British Dental Nurses.

He is an Honorary Consultant Advisor to the Office of the Chief Dental Officer for England, Visiting Professor at CEU Cardinal Herrera University in Valencia, and Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University in Bhubaneswar and at Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals in Chennai. He was previously a Visiting Professor at Oman Dental College, and an Honorary Professor at Hong Kong University.

At 7pm on Monday 22 July 2024, Professor Banerjee will be presenting a live CGDent webinar entitled Minimum intervention oral care (MIOC): making caries prevention pay in primary care, which will be free to view all dental professionals. College members will also have free access to the recording of the webinar and can claim CPD hours for free.


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College of General Dentistry News

MSc fast-track for Associate Fellows and Fellows

Fellows and Associate Fellows of the College are now eligible to enrol on a ‘top-up’ Master’s degree, which can be completed during a single year of part-time distance learning.

Holders of ‘FCGDent’ and ‘AssocFCGDent’ status can enter via advanced standing into Stage 3 of the MSc in General Dental Practice offered by Aston University, with their attainment recognised as equivalent to 90 credits of relevant prior learning at level 7.

The arrangement applies regardless of dental team role or location, so long as the applicant meets the university’s standard postgraduate admissions criteria.

The course consists of a 30-credit taught module in advanced research methods followed by a 60-credit individual research project pertaining to clinical dental practice.

The programme develops competence in research skills including development of hypotheses, research design, execution, data analysis and interpretation, critical evaluation of literature, understanding of ethical issues and reporting of an empirically-based project.

On completion of the taught component, students will be able to select and implement appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques for different research questions and designs, and will know how to manage their time and resources when undertaking research independently. They will then develop a suitable research question for their topic of choice within the field of general dental practice and plan a programme of research.

Delivered by the Cambridge Academy of Postgraduate Dentistry, learning methods include online lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group activity, independent study, assignments and reflections on assignment feedback. Assessment will be through a combination of continuous assessment, logbook, research proposal, presentations and a dissertation.

Fellowship of the College requires a breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and experience fulfilling the requirements of at least three of five fellowship domains (clinical; teaching, learning & assessment; leadership & management; publications & research; and law & ethics). 

Associate Fellowship of the College acts as a stepping stone to Fellowship, and is open to any dental professional holding the MGDS, DPDS, a relevant and accredited Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma providing 120 UK credits, a Specialty Membership of a UK Faculty or certain CGDent/FGDP(UK)/RCS Edinburgh-issued diplomas. The majority of Associate Fellows will find that their qualifying award already fulfils the requirements of the clinical domain of Fellowship, and successful completion of the MSc in General Dental Practice would also satisfy the requirements of the research domain.

Aston University is the only provider in the UK offering students the opportunity to top up their existing dentistry qualification and convert it into a fully approved Master’s qualification. The next cohort of the MSc in General Dental Practice starts in September 2024.

For further information, or to register your interest, email [email protected], call 0121 204 3200, or click the button below.

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