Announcing “The Dental Landscape”!

Here at StockdaleMartin we’ve got a bit of a reputation for knowing our way around the world of dentistry, and our clients come to us for our insight into the dental landscape – the facts and figures.

Well – drum roll – we’d like to announce The Dental Landscape, a booklet packed full of handy facts you’ve always wanted to know but just didn’t know who to ask! It’s short but sweet and it could make your life easier.

So if you need a quick summary of the state of the nation’s teeth, if you want info on the various UK dental associations and conferences, or if a roundup of dental publications i.e. readership figures, circulation and publication frequency sounds useful to you, drop Ed an email at ed@stockdalemartin.co.uk and we’ll make sure you get a copy.

Here’s a link to a PDF of The Dental Landscape (you’ll need a PDF viewer like Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this file).

And get in touch if you have any ideas for the next edition!

Does NHS dentistry cost too much – or not enough?

As mentioned in a previous post, dentists’ charges in the UK are to be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). At first glance, though, the focus of this study seems to be less on cost and more on simplification – the idea being that given the disparity between NHS and private treatment options, and pricing differences between practices, choosing the right care is too confusing for patients.  The OFT’s market survey will look at quality, choice and clarity in dental treatment in the UK, and if cost is assessed at all it may well be private dentistry which comes under scrutiny.

But should NHS treatment be cheaper? In March an NHS Information Centre poll found that one in 5 had put off treatment due to cost. A previous survey put this figure at over 25%, placing financial concerns above extreme anxiety as a reason to avoid the dentist’s chair.  Exemptions exist for certain groups, and prices are certainly lower than private treatment – but if you were to have crowns fitted, for example, you should expect to be about £200 out of pocket. Surely this is too expensive?

Quite the opposite, said Professor Jimmy Steele of Newcastle University in a 2009 editorial on the BBC news website. His argument is that some of these procedures – crowns included – are not ‘necessary’ in that one could continue to function without them, even if it meant the extraction of a tooth. His suggestion, therefore, is that such procedures should in fact cost more – though still, ideally, less than the equivalent private treatment – in order to make the limited pot of NHS gold go further. The funds this freed up could perhaps be used to progress towards universal access to NHS dentistry.

But ‘necessary’ is a relative and a subjective term – would you be happy for a procedure to be considered optional if you would lose a tooth without it?

BBC announcement of OFT survey: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14934039

An overview of the recent NHS IC report: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8404920/One-in-five-delays-dental-treatment-because-of-cost.html

And details of the older ADH survey: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/news-and-events/news/around-one-in-four-adults-say-that-cost-influences-their-choice-of-dental-treatment-shows-new-survey

Professor Steele’s viewpoint: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8254058.stm

OFT launch review of dental industry

Last week, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) began a market research study on whether the private and NHS dentistry markets are working well for patients. The review has been commissioned as there have been increasing concerns amongst consumer bodies such as Which?, due to patients becoming confused by treatments and prices.

Sonya Branch, OFT senior director for services, infrastructure and public markets, comments: ‘Patients appear to be confused about the prices they are being charged and concerns have been raised that they may not be getting sufficient information or adequate choice over the dental treatments they receive.

‘We also note that the costs of private dental treatment in England are among the highest in Europe. Given the current strains on people’s finances, we think it is a good time to examine whether competition is working effectively to drive up the quality of private and NHS dental services and deliver better value for money for consumers.’

The OFT have observed the current climate of the industry and will focus on the following:

• How dentistry services are sold and explained to patients
• The types of treatments on offer and price variations
• Whether it is easy to change dentists
• Whether patients are given appropriate information to help them make informed choices in regards to dental practices

Dr John Milne, chair of the British Dental Association’s general dental practice committee also supports the review, particularly due to the NHS reforms and contract trials currently taking place. He comments that patient-dentist communication is of high importance and the OFT’s 2003 review reminded the industry of this.

The OFT will work with the General Dental Council, the Department of Health, the Care Quality Commission and others during the course of its study. It will also seek representations from dentistry providers and trade bodies. Parties interested in contributing can contact the OFT at dentistry@oft.gsi.gov.uk.

For further information on the study, http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2011/99-11

 

Interesting Facts about Dentistry

Dentistry isn’t always the most interesting topic but believe it or not there are some weird and wonderful facts about all things toothy. Here are just a few:

• A couple of hundred years ago bad teeth were considered to be a rich man’s disease. It was only the rich people who could afford to eat sweet things like Queen Elizabeth I, who had very bad teeth.
• Before toothbrushes were invented people used twigs or their fingers to brush their teeth.

• In the dark ages, superstitious people believed they could cure toothache or re-grow a lost tooth by obtaining a tooth from someone else. This tooth would have preferably come from a hanged criminal. It was believed that just the mere possession of such a tooth would work.
• In the 18th century people would sell their teeth to the rich people, who would then make false teeth with them.
• The biggest shark species, the whale shark, has the smallest teeth. The 12 metre long whale shark has more than 4,000 teeth, each only 3mm long!

‘Love Doll’ improves University life

Showa Hanako 2 is the new and improved robot that’s aimed at training dental students in Japan. Hanako 2 can do almost everything we can from facial movements to sneezing, creating a life-like doll for students to practise on. The robot can even represent a moving tongue and choking!

The ‘love doll’ aspect of the robot comes from the adult entertainment firm Orient Industry who are responsible for the silicone skin and mouth lining, creating a more realistic robot. The doll can also analyse each student’s performance and report back to them, further enhancing the dentistry training.

The link below is a video of the doll in action, it’s quite scary but interesting to watch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhzbFaNueKU

FIDE Releases 2011 Dental Market Trends Report!

The Federation of the European Dental Industry (FIDE) recently released its 2011 Survey on the European Dental Trade (Market Trends). Co-designed by ADDE, the Association of Dental Dealers in Europe, the survey gives an insight into dental industry demographics, manufacturing and marketing behaviour across 12 European countries, including France, Germany, Russia and the UK. Among other things, it revealed that:

 • 263,756 dentists currently practise across Europe, of whom 29,294 practise in the UK

 • There are 12,200 active dental offices across the UK, as well as 2,370 dental laboratories

• 5,776 dental hygienists and 7,044 dental technicians are also currently active in the UK

• 1,301 new dentists graduated from UK training institutions in 2010

 • The sales value of all dental products across Europe (excluding metal implants) is worth an estimated €5,897 million (approximately £5,134 million), while the UK market is worth some €427 million (£372 million)

 • 59 dental dealers operate in the UK, 7 of which sell exclusively via mail order, telesales and catalogue

• 19% of UK dental manufacturers supply directly to dentists

 • 46% of dental retail purchasing by dentists in the UK is conducted online

 • 82% of dental offices use computers in-surgery.

Stockdale Martin is currently undertaking the first SMi-Dent survey, which will be delving into some of the issues raised in this and previous dental industry reports. For further information or to obtain copies of either report, email ed@stockdalemartin.co.uk or give our offices a call on 0870 7355385.

Of fish, nuts and gum disease

We were intrigued to learn last week of a study which posited a connection between fish consumption and the prevention of gum disease.

The research, published in the November Journal of the American Dietetic Association, examined the diets of 182 people over a 5 year period, and found that those who consumed large amounts of fish, nuts and other foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were up to 30% less likely to develop gingivitis and periodontitis than those who did not.

Fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, and if consumed regularly and in sufficient quantities can help prevent the inflammation of the gums which characterises gingivitis and periodontitis. Current advice regarding care of the gums focuses on the role of mechanical cleaning and antibiotics in preventing and treating gum disease. The results of the study however suggest that dietary modifications might also play a part.

Commenting on the possible implications of the research, Dr Nigel Carter of the British Dental Health Foundation observed: “Most people suffer from gum disease at some point in their life. What people tend not to realise is that it can actually lead to tooth loss if left untreated, and in this day and age, most people should be able to keep all their teeth for life.

“This study shows that a small and relatively easy change in people’s diet can massively improve the condition of their teeth and gums, which in turn can improve their overall wellbeing.”

So throw a few sardines under the grill- it could make all the difference.

British Dental Journal Publishes England’s First Regional Adult Dental Health Survey

The British Dental Journal has this month published the first region-wide dental survey of adults ever undertaken in England.

A collaborative project featuring input from the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory and the region’s Strategic Health Authority, several local Primary Care Trusts and the Sheffield and Leeds Dental Schools, the survey targeted more than 25,000 adult subjects across Yorkshire and Humber in early 2008.

The survey, conducted via a multi-part questionnaire, was designed to

• Establish self-reported oral health status and the impact of the mouth on everyday life
• Elicit adults’ experience of using oral health services
• Estimate the demand for dental care
• Establish the prevalence of smoking and the proportion of subjects intending to quite

Almost half of those contacted responded, and the results revealed that

• 92% had one or more natural teeth, with older female subjects more likely to be edentate (without any remaining natural teeth)
• 21.1% of adults wore an upper denture, and 12.1% a lower denture, with the prevalence of denture wearing increasing with the age of the subject
• 25.3% of subjects described their oral health as fair, poor or very poor
• 28.8% reported experiencing tooth or mouth pain in the last 12 months, and 32.8% experienced discomfort when eating
• 80.3% of subjects had visited the dentist in the past two years, and 1.3% had never attended a dentist appointment
• 17.5% of subjects were self-described smokers at the time they were surveyed
• 7.9% of smokers intended to quit in the next month

These findings correlate broadly with national trends, and will ultimately enable PCTs operating in the region to better meet the oral health needs of their patients.

Copies of the complete survey report can be downloaded from the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory website here.

Study shows new link between gum disease and diabetes

Successful treatment of gum disease may help decrease the blood sugar levels of diabetics, a new study has suggested.

The study, conducted by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with University College London, Peninsula Dental School and the University of Ottawa, reviewed previous research into the link between gum disease and diabetes, and found that the inflammation resulting from oral bacterial infection can inhibit the efficacy of insulin in diabetics. Reducing the inflammation may help increase the effectiveness of insulin, and so may help reduce blood sugar levels.

UCL’s Professor Ian Needleman said: “This research is particularly timely as periodontal disease now affects at least 40% of the UK population and for people with diabetes the disease levels will be significantly higher. Furthermore, levels of diabetes in the UK are rising rapidly and with higher prevalence amongst disadvantaged groups, periodontal health is an important priority both for prevention and treatment.”

The results of the study, published earlier this year by the international Cochrane Oral Health Group, further demonstrate the importance of good oral hygiene and of attending regular dental checkups, especially for those with chronic medical conditions.

Read a more detailed summary of the study’s findings here >>

The BDTA shines a ‘Spotlight’ on the Dental Industry

As an affiliate member of the British Dental Trade Association, StockdaleMartin recently received a copy of Spotlight, the annual BDTA publication offering a statistical breakdown of the UK dental industry.

Among its other findings, Spotlight revealed that:

• There are now more than 37,000 registered dentists in Britain, and an additional 55,543 dental care professionals, including dental nurses and hygienists
• Collectively, these dental healthcare professionals (DHPs) spent almost £244 million last year on dental consumables, including surgical instruments, anaesthetics and oral hygiene equipment
• Loyalty to existing brands and suppliers most heavily influenced DHP decisions when investing in products and services.

This year’s issue focused on the growing importance of technology within the dental industry and the role of the internet in connecting DHPs and their patients. Of the thousands of DHPs surveyed:

• The majority routinely used computers when treating patients
• 80% had in-surgery access to the internet
• 54% had undertaken CPD training online, and only 8% stated that they had no intention of using online training in the next 12 months
• 59% regularly used social networking sites for both professional and personal reasons, with Facebook by far the most popular social networking destination.

This represents real change within the world of dentistry and throws open new opportunities for brands and companies wanting to communicate with DHPs. To find out more or to discuss how you could take advantage of these emerging trends contact Ed Martin by emailing ed@stockdalemartin.co.uk

If you would like a more detailed summary of Spotlight’s findings why not get in touch on 0870 735 5385, or email laura@stockdalemartin.co.uk.