The Scottish Conference of Local Dental Committees held their 19^th annual Conference on Friday 20 April 2018 at the Stirling Court Hotel, University of Stirling.  Conference had invited Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport to speak to delegates on the political matters relevant to GDPs in Scotland and in particular about the Scottish Government’s Oral Health Improvement Plan (OHIP).  At Conference S Robison made the following announcements:

Community Challenge Fund

Action 7 in the OHIP states that ‘Scottish Government will intend to introduce a new three-year Community Challenge Fund for Oral Health Improvement.  We will host an event with our partners to help develop key components of the fund’.  The fund will allow organisations to bid for funding to work in deprived communities and support people to change their oral health behaviours.  Ms Robison stated that an initiative would be launched later this year.

New Domiciliary Care Provision

Action 11 in the OHIP states that ‘the Scottish Government will introduce arrangements to enable accredited GDPs to provide care in care homes.  These practitioners will also work with care home staff and the PDS to ensure the maintenance of good oral health and hygiene.’  Ms Robison made an announcement that by the end of this financial year, Scottish Government plan to implement a joint working group for GDPs and the PDS to address the shared care arrangements which will initially focus on care in care homes and will eventually move to address the needs of those living in their own homes.

Occupational Health

Action 34 in the OHIP states that ‘the Scottish Government will introduce an occupational health service for GDPs, members of the dental team and other practice staff’.  Ms Robison announced that the Scottish Government will introduce this service for GDPs, members of the dental team and other practice staff.  It will be implemented on 1 June 2018. The Chair of SDPC has written to the Cabinet Secretary seeking more detail about how funding will be made.

Workstreams
Action 38 states that ‘the Scottish Government will establish a number of short-life working groups to take forward the actions set out within this plan’.  Ms Robison announced that an overarching steering group would be set up in May 2018 by the CDO, and that input from key stakeholders would play a central part. She also said that there would be regular updates to the profession on the work of the groups.

Contributed by Elaine Bruce, Policy Adviser at the British Dental Association

Scottish Dental Practice Committee
21 February 2018
REPORT
Phil Grigor, newly appointed National Director BDA Scotland welcomed everyone to the first SDPC meeting of the new triennium, held on Wednesday 21 February 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Dunblane
1. Elections
1.1 Chair
David McColl was elected unopposed as the Chair of SDPC.
1.2 Vice-Chair
Gerard Boyle was elected unopposed as Vice-Chair.
1.3 SDPC Executive Sub-Committee
Jeff Ellis, John Glen and Kenneth McDonald were successfully re-elected as members of the Executive and Gordon Stewart was newly elected as the fourth member.
1.4 Vacant Seats
A further BDA nationwide election was ongoing for the two vacant Grampian, Highland, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland seats, with results to be announced in due course.
The Young Dentists Committee was to meet in London the following day when it was expected that a young dentist would be nominated to SDPC. The BMA has promised to select a representative from their Scottish General Practice Committee in due course.
1.5 Representatives to Other Committees
Members of SDPC self-nominated themselves as representatives to attend a number of other BDA committees and internal and external working groups.
2. Scottish Government Oral Health Improvement Plan
The committee discussed the content of the Scottish Government plan, with the majority believing it to be an aspirational document, but lacking in detail. Members were disappointed that there were no proposals to implement water fluoridation, and concerns were raised at the proposals to move away from regular scale and polish treatments and extend regular six monthly dental check-ups for those patients not at risk from oral disease to an interval of 24 months. There was additional concern that these proposals could lead to a change to the GDS terms of service and that it was imperative BDA Scotland and SDPC meet with the Chief Dental Officer (CDO) and her team soon. Adrian Hart, Chair of Scottish Council had written to the CDO on 5 February 2018 raising concerns and seeking an early meeting.
3. DDRB Expenses Exercise
It was noted that Scottish Government was in the process of devising an online accounts template to be forwarded to SDPC ahead of publication for comment. During meetings held in November and December 2017, it was agreed that a joint Scottish Government – BDA Scotland communication would be issued with the template to encourage general dental practitioners (GDPs) to take part in this further expenses exercise. GDPs 95%+ NHS committed would be targeted, and the timescale was expected to run from the end of February until the end of March 2018.
Post Minute Note: the timescale has been delayed until the end of March with the deadline for completion April 2018.
4. Paediatric Extractions by General Anaesthetic – Extended Waiting Times
It was reported that this matter had been raised with Scottish Government in December 2017 and the matter had been directed to Frances McLinden, General Manager, Oral Health Directorate, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, who had been asked to respond directly to BDA Scotland. A response was awaited.
5. Quality Improvement – Clinical Audit
The committee discussed the lack of standardised guidance in relation to penalties imposed on GDPs who had not completed their clinical audit hours for the previous cycle, 2013-16. Scottish Government had deemed that this was the responsibility of the individual NHS Boards to decide on them, if any. It was agreed that a national ‘steer’ was needed from Scottish Government to the NHS Boards on how non-compliance would be managed, especially since the current cycle was due to end in 18 months’ time.
There was also a debate about the e-Significant Event Analysis (e-SEA) and reports from members that a number of dentists in Scotland had found that they had been awarded fewer hours than actually spent on clinical dental audit during the e-SEA process. SDPC was concerned that the system was not working effectively, and lacked a transparent appeals process with demonstrable timeframes.
6. Ongoing and Future Items of Discussion
DDRB
Stress in the Dental Workplace
Decontamination equipment and maintenance costs
Emergency Drugs
7. Arrangements for the next meeting The next meeting will take place on Wednesday 23 May 2018 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Dunblane at 13:30hrs.
David McColl
Chair SDPC
March 2018

BDA Scotland is currently seeking views of our members and non-members on the Scottish Government’s recently published Oral Health Improvement Plan. We are inviting general dental practitioners and dentists working in the hospital dental services or in the public dental services in Scotland to take part in the survey.

Our survey aims to ascertain how dentists in Scotland feel about the proposed changes outlined in the plan, and whether there are any concerns. It will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete the whole survey, however if you cannot spend that long, there is a shorter option (which should take 5 minutes to complete) covering some key aspects of the plan.

Take the Survey

The survey will be taken anonymously, we will not be able to identify individuals from their responses. The data may be written up in reports, but will be aggregated for analysis.

The information gathered from the survey will be used to inform on-going discussions that BDA Scotland has with the Scottish Government about proposed changes to dentistry in Scotland.

Kind Regards

Nicola Kaya

Policy Adviser/Secretary to SDPC and Secretary to Conference of Scottish LDCs

The Scottish Dental Practice Committee met on Wednesday 6 September 2017 at the BDA Scotland office. Here is a report of the meeting.

1. Guest Invitation to a Young Associate Dentist
SDPC welcomed Caroline Pryce, a dental Associate, from Lanarkshire LDC who had been invited as a guest of SDPC in an attempt to encourage younger dentists to become involved with dental politics, BDA committees, and also to seek their views on the current topics.

2. DDRB Recommendations and Scottish Government Pay Award
It was noted that Scottish Government had accepted the DDRB recommendations for general dental practitioners (GDPs) in 2017/18 of 1% on pay, net of expenses. Following an earlier meeting between SDPC and the Chief Dental Officer (CDO) and the provision of a paper with a breakdown of dental expenses totalling £23.1m, Scottish Government announced a 2.25% increase in item of service fees, up from 1.61% in 2016/17. It was understood payment would be made in October 2017 backdated to April 2017. A further announcement had been made the previous day by Scottish Government to that the 1% cap on public sector pay rises in Scotland would be scrapped next year, although future pay rises would be based on the cost of living.

3. Scottish Government Consultation – The Future of Oral Health
It was reported that Scottish Government published an Analysis of Responses in June 2017 to their Consultation Exercise on the Future of Oral Health, and that they aim to publish an Oral Health Improvement Plan by the end of 2017.

4. Occupational Health Service Funding
The matter of OHS funding for GDPs was raised again by the SDPC Executive Sub-Committee at a meeting with the CDO on 23 August 2017. The Chair had written a second letter to the CDO with less clinical detail as requested in July. The CDO was unaware of receipt of the letter. Post Meeting Note: The CDO apologised that this letter had be mislaid by Scottish Government and she confirmed the matter would be addressed.

5. Information Services Division Registration Data
BDA Scotland and SDPC representatives met with Practitioner Services Division (PSD) in August 2017. It was noted that the e-dental programme was progressing, with the deadline for paper submissions and payment for prior approval being set for 31 December 2017. It would become unlawful to submit paper documents after this date. It was also reported that the PSD data to be included in the Scottish Dental Practice Board annual report was ready and prepared. The report was due for publication in September, however, this was to be delayed until January 2018 to allow Information Services Division to amend some of their registration data. SDPC reviewed a number of Parliamentary Questions on the matter and agreed to seek further information on 149,261 ‘unknown’ registrations listed in a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.

6. Meeting with Alan Whittet, Senior Dental Adviser, Practitioner Services Division
The Chair reported that BDA Scotland and SDPC representatives had held a very useful and worthwhile introductory meeting with A Whittet, Senior Dental Adviser in August. It was agreed that it would be beneficial to all parties to have a good working relationship with A Whittet and his team and that it should be a close and transparent one working towards eliminating the ‘Them and Us Environment’. A Whittet explained that whilst the statutory role of PSD was to ensure that the dental care and treatment provided, or to be provided if prior approval is required: is appropriate: and is necessary to secure and maintain the patient’s oral health; is in the patient’s best interests; and has or will be carried out with proper skill and attention, he sees his role as a more educational one.

7. Scottish Government Rent Revaluation Exercise
Nicola Kaya reported that Scottish Government were currently tendering for a Valuer to undertake a practice premises revaluation exercise wef 1 April 2018. This includes a desk top exercise for all qualifying practices: should there have been a substantial change to the premises following the 2015 exercise, any inconsistencies between information provided by participating practice and the information held by the NHS Board. It was noted that during the previous exercise, it had come to light that some dental practices were not using all of their premises for dentistry.

8. Worldwide Shortage of the Hepatitis B Vaccine
It was noted that there was currently a worldwide shortage of Hepatitis B vaccine, and that inconsistent advice was being provided to dentists in Scotland by NHS Highland and in England by Public Health England. NHS Highland was advising that ‘priority should be given to vaccinate those staff partly way through a course to ensure its completion and staff who made needed a booster following e.g. a sharps injury, and that being unvaccinated should not stop staff working with patients. Advice from Public Health England was for dentists coming from non-UK universities, if not already vaccinated, who are trying to get on the Performers List, and other members of the wider dental team e.g. dental nurses and hygienists may need to restrict certain activities until the vaccine becomes available. BDA advice to members noted that the defence unions would not be able to provide cover for dental staff, e.g. nurses and hygienists if not fully vaccinated. The Executive Sub-Committee had raised this issue with the CDO in August and were informed that the Deputy CDO would provide written guidance to all dental practitioners shortly.

9. Ongoing Items for Future Discussion
Minamata Convention on Amalgam
Development Programme for Adult Dental Services Working Group
Decontamination Allowance

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday 21 February 2018 at 13.30hrs at the BDA Scotland office.
Robert Donald
Chair SDPC
September 2017

BDA North of Scotland will be hosting one of the UK’s leading business coaches, Ashley Latter at their event in Aberdeen on 13 October. His full-day seminar will be followed by a social evening and BDA members can benefit from reduced rates at both.

Ashley Latter’s presentation ‘Discover the Secrets to Perfect Communication, in your Dental Practice—It’s Team Effect’ at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Aberdeen Treetops aims to help your team develop world-class communication skills and create a world-class patient journey.
This event will be followed by a social dinner which can be booked separately or in conjunction with this event.

This includes a welcome drink on arrival followed by a fabulous 3 course Indian buffet dinner, courtesy of Shree Bheemas, Aberdeen. Into the evening there will be a charity raffle with proceeds going to Smileawi. A DJ will be playing till late to offer an enjoyable end to the night.

Download the Flyer

• Discover the importance of communication skills in dentistry today whether you work in the NHS, Private Practice or in the hospitals
• Discover the 5 key biggest communication mistakes made by dentists and their teams every day in their communication. Understand why patients don’t take up our advice
• Discover the language that will help infuence patients whether you are presenting a treatment plan or you want them to change a health behaviour
• Learn how to build instant rapport with patients and get them to like and trust you instantly
• Develop more self- confdence and develop a more positive attitude of success and accomplishment
• Discover the one major secret on why some Dentists are more successful than others
• Understand what the 8 proven steps of the Ethical Sales Approach, so that more patients say yes to your treatment plans
• Discover the most important communication skill of them all; learn Ashley’s unique questioning flow, so that you can create new opportunities both with new and existing patients. Great material for the whole team.
• Develop new skills and behaviours that will enable you to increase your treatment plan acceptance rate, in an ethical way
• Create a World Class Patient Journey in your Practice. Stand out from all other Practices
  Become an outstanding listener, listen to understand rather than listening to respond
• Understand the main reason why some dentists are not great listeners
• Understand patients diferent personality styles, there are four and how to adopt to your behaviours with them

About our speaker
Ashley has delivered over 25,000 hours of business coaching to the dental industry all over the world. Simply, he is the best at empowering dentists and their teams to communicate with their
patients, which results in a world class patient journey, more patients saying YES to treatment plans and increased profits for their practices. During the last 20 years, working with his clients
and by tracking their results, he has helped them communicate and sell over £500m worth of extra dental treatment in an ethical way world-wide.

Fees
BDA member £30, Non-member £60, DCP/Hygienist/Therapist £30
Dinner: £30 pp
Early bird offer: £10 reduction if Educational meeting and Dinner booked by 15 September.
Final date for booking 6 October.

How to book
Email or post the BDANOS 13 October booking form to branchsectionevents@bda.org

Preferential Hotel Accommodation rates are available as below:

Bed and breakfast £70 double occupancy; Bed and breakfast £60 single occupancy

Guests to call hotel reservations team directly and quote the reference: GVEEC

Telephone: 01224498394 / 01224498390; Email: Reservations@doubletreeaberdeentreetops.com

WoS Branch Council are seeking a dynamic and highly organised individual to serve as Branch Secretary.