Bite September 2015

Australias leading dental magazine

SEPTEMBER 2015 $5.95 INC. GST

THINK ABOUT ITOur guide to dental education

On the goPrepare your business

for the mobile era

Dr Who? Google is changing

the way patients seek medical advice

Bright ideaWays to reduce energy in your dental practice

To deal with an increasingly ageing population, Dr Janet Wallace is revolutionising oral health care for seniors

The age issue

CONTENTS

Weve got your back.

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ChairsDelivery SystemsLightsMonitor MountsCabinetsHandpiecesMaintenanceSterilisationImaging

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COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR TOOLS YOUR LIFECONTENTS

ContentsNEWS & EVENTSThe dentistry profession unlocked 5The ADA and AMA take on Medibank, a decline in public patients, over-the-counter mouthguards prove risky, and more.

YOUR WORLDThe new doctor 16Patients are increasingly consulting Google over their dentist as a means of diagnosis.

YOUR BUSINESSPart of the furniture 20Innovative interior design can change the way your practice is perceived.

Mobile makeover 24As we take to our phones more and more, its important your website is mobile-ready.

Bright idea 34Dental practices are inherently energy-consuming, but there are ways to limit your electricity usage.

YOUR TOOLSNew products 12All the latest and greatest gear for your dental practice.

Product guide 39Bite presents the latest educational initiatives and courses in dentistry.

Tools of the trade 55The best and brightest professional equipment, as reviewed by your peers.

YOUR LIFEOn the ball 58With a job thats taken him around the world, Dr Stephen Tangney signs up for soccer as a way of making friends and keeping fit.

September 2015

custom content

9,502 - CAB Audited as at March 2015

For all editorial or advertising enquiries:Phone (02) 9660 6995 Fax (02) 9518 5600 [email protected]

Bite magazine is published 11 times a year by Engage Media, Suite 4.17, 55 Miller Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009. ABN 50 115 977 421. Views expressed in Bite magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or Engage Media. Printed by Webstar.

Editorial Director Rob Johnson

Sub-editor Kerryn Ramsey

Editor Mitchell Oakley Smith

Art Director Lucy Glover

Commercial Director Mark Brown

Sales Director Andrew Gray

Digital Director Ann Gordon

2016

3424

ON THE COVERAgeing issue

As Australias population ages, we must change the way we

administer dental health care to the elderly. Dr Janet Wallace

is leading the charge.

28

Weve got your back.

Not to mention everything else.The ability to perform your job comfortably is essential. And the new feature-rich A-dec 500 stools have you covered. Based on a unique dynamic seating system design, individual performance zones work in unison to conform and move with your body. With an ultimate ergonomic solution like this, you can focus on whats really importantyour patients.

Discover your ultimate comfort at a-dec.com/500stools

The A-dec Dynamic Seating System

2015 A-dec Inc. All rights reserved. INK2286-40


For more information Email: [email protected] Phone: 1800 225 010 Visit: www.a-dec.com.au Follow us on Twitter: @A_decAust

BOOK A VISIT TO AN

A-DEC SHOWROOM TO VIEW AN EXTENSIVE

RANGE OF INTERACTIVE SURGERY

CONFIGURATIONS 1800 225 010

Sydney Unit 8, 5-9 Ricketty St MASCOTNEW Melbourne Suite 1, 260 Auburn Rd HAWTHORN NEW Brisbane 298 Gilchrist Ave HERSTON

Showroom locations:

2286-40_AA_Stools_Got your back_1A.indd 1 3/08/2015 3:25 pm

NEWS & EVENTS

KEEP THINGS FRESH with polident denture cleansers Specifi cally formulated to clean and care for your patients dentures Kills 99.9% of odour-causing bacteria Unlike ordinary toothpaste, Polident Denture Cleansers are non-abrasive,

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Helps prevent bacterial growth35

References: 1. GSK Data on File, L2630368, October 2006. 2. Kiesow A et al. The potential damage from denture cleansing methods. Presented at IADR General Session and Exhibition. June 2528, 2014; Cape Town, South Africa. 3. GSK Data on File, Lux R. 2012. 4. Charman KL et al. Lett Appl Microbiol 2009;48:472477. 5. Bradshaw D. Microbiological effects of household remedies vs toothpastes and denture cleansers. Presented at the IADR General Session and Exhibition. June 2528, 2014; Cape Town, South Africa. Polident is a registered trade mark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, 82 Hughes Avenue, Ermington, NSW 2115. GSK1560/UC March 2015 CHANZ/CHPOLD/0003/15.

Recommend Polident Denture Cleansersto your patients today

COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR TOOLS YOUR LIFENEWS & EVENTS

Bite magazine 5

An abnormal immune response or feedback loop could very well be the underlying

cause of metastases in oral cancers, according to Dr Marco Magalhaes, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and lead researcher in a study published in the journal, Cancer Immunology Research.

A/Prof Magalhaes has unearthed a significant connection between the inflammatory response of a very specific form of immune cells, neutrophils, and the spread of this deadly disease.

Theres a unique inflammatory response with oral cancers, he explains, citing the growing body of evidence between cellular inflammation and cancer, because the oral cavity is quite unique in the body. A great many things are happening at the same time.

A/Prof Magalhaes focused attention

on neutrophils, immune cells commonly found in saliva and the oral cavity but not widely researched in relation to oral cancer. Like other immune cells, neutrophils secrete a group of molecules, including TNFa that regulates how the body responds to inflammation.

The study noted that oral cancer cells secreted IL8, another inflammatory mediator, which activates neutrophils, effectively establishing a massive immune-response build-up.

Ultimately, the researchers found, the immune-response loop resulted in increased invasive structures known as invadapodia, used by the cancer cells to invade and metastasise.

If we understand how the immune system interacts with the cancer, we can modulate the immune response to acquire an anti-cancer response, A/Prof Magalhaes said.

While the study points to the possibility of one day creating

targeted, personalised immunotherapies for patients with oral cancer that could effectively shut down the abnormal immune response, the team is currently expanding upon their study of inflammation and oral cancer.

Approximately 3600 cases of oral cancer are diagnosed in Canada every year, yet the survival ratesapproximately 5060 per cent over five yearshas remained stagnant for decades.

The Australian Medical Association [AMA] has publicly criticised Medibank Private for

dismissing established safety and quality guidelines for their own standards. The criticism comes within a dispute between Medibank and Calvarys private hospitals.

Back in July, Medibank Private announced it would end its contract with private hospitals operated by Calvary after the two parties were unable to agree on rates and quality.

Now the Australian Dental Association [ADA] has come out in support of the AMA, with president Dr Rick Olive applauding colleagues for sounding the alarm about profit-driven private health insurers [PHI] increasing interference in the practice of dental care for patients; warning that such practices will spread into and impact on the hospital sector.

The dispute stems from a request from Calvary to Medibank for an increase in rates for services which the insurer said was unsustainable.

Bite covered the story at the time. In that story, Medibank spokesperson

Andrew Wilson explained, We believe it is essential, as a private health insurer, to encourage hospitals to maintain a focus on quality health outcomes for our members.

Dr Rick Olive said: We applaud the Australian Medical Associations take up of our warnings about the increasing threat to quality health care that for-profit private health insurers pose to the Australian community. The president of the AMA, Professor Brian Owlers recent protests over Medibank Privates attempts to impose penalty provisions as part of its contract negotiations with Calvary hospitals reflect that the health professions are coming to realise the gravity of the situation.

Australian Government policy effectively provides a permanent revenue stream and subsidies for Australias private health insurance industry to the tune of more than $6 billion through the Private Health Insurance Rebate, the Medicare Levy Surcharge and Lifetime Health Cover loading. However, the ADA has consistently called out a private health insurance industry that provides

policies that do not deliver value for money for consumers. The private health insurance industrys policies in the dental sector impose lifetime limits, annual limits and exclusions that have no clinical basis. In fact, policy holders each year on average pay higher premium increases yet the rebate for dental care under these policies has not been revised to reflect the increased health CPI.

In other words, PHIs have been gradually skimping on their obligations to assist patients with accessing the care that they need. We can see these practices transfer over to Medibank Privates recent contract terms they are seeking to impose on Calvary hospitals.

Although couched in the language of quality, these proposals are not based on evidence-based clinical best practice. If Calvary hospitals and medical practitioner groups are saying these provisions are not going to maintain safety and quality of healthcare of patients, one must question why Medibank Private continues to insist that these provisions be included."

ADA and AMA take on Medibank

What underlies oral cancer metastasis?

Microscopic image of squamous cell carcinoma (oral mucosa).


6 Bite magazine

Dental care operator Pacific Smiles Group has announced a three-year partnership with the

charitable organisation, National Dental Foundation, which provides free dental care to disadvantaged people.

To date, more than 5000 patients have benefited from the National Dental Foundations care through the sponsorship of various foundations and companies and the support of volunteers. With the support of Pacific Smiles Group, the foundation will continue its work through alignments with charities including Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and Anglicare.

Our approach is to be both broad and localised at the same time, so we actively work to connect with organisations like Pacific Smiles Group and the Australian Dental Association to provide ongoing support at the macro level and allow us to connect with as many people as possible right around Australia, said National Dental Foundation board chair David Digges.

This is complemented by our localised approach, where our State coordinators work together with individual dentists, practices and referring charities to deliver much-needed dental services to some of our communitys most disadvantaged.

As a major sponsor, Pacific Smiles Groups portfolio of dental centres numbering nearly 50 throughout NSW, Victoria, Queensland and ACT will help in the ongoing delivery of pro bono dental care.

Many of our people already give their time willingly and freely to support and provide dental services on Dental Rescue Days, while our organisation also provides facilities and consumables at no cost, said Pacific Smiles Group chief executive officer John Gibbs.

This next step in formalising our support is one I am very proud of and which I look forward to developing over the next three years.

Pacific Smiles Group formalises partnership with National Dental FoundationI

n dentistry, it is common practice to remove impacted wisdom teeth, but a paper in British Dental Journal argues that dentists shouldnt

remove wisdom teeth unless the patient is reporting symptoms, such as inflammation or pain. The researchers stated that the typical impulse to remove wisdom teeth is financially driven rather than whats best for the patient.

Professor Marc Tennant of the University of Western Australia notes that in the United Kingdom, where evidence-based criteria was applied to wisdom tooth extraction, the number dropped dramatically. The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines state that only patients with symptoms should undergo wisdom tooth extraction, with unnecessary surgery potentially

leading to complications such as nerve damage and infection.

In the paper, Professor Tennant calculated savings of up to $513 million per year in Australiawhich includes indirect costsif admission criteria to wisdom tooth extraction was applied. These guidelines would include steps such as X-rays every two years. At the time of writing, a number of research initiatives into wisdom tooth extraction was underway, with dentists on both sides of the argument.

Are we removing too many wisdom teeth?

Dental health care by the Royal Flying Doctor Service for remote communities in western New South Wales and Queensland is set to continue.

The QCoal Foundation and the Queensland section of the Royal Flying Doctor Service announced that its QCoal Community Dental Service will remain in place, marking a successful conclusion to this years Dental Health Week.

Having provided more than $2 million worth of free dental services to thousands in rural and remote communities across central and western Queensland since 2013, the coal mining companys initiative is a positive step in bettering the dental health of those traditionally without the access afforded to those in metropolitan areas.

Thanks to this service, those living and working in rural and remote communities can now get the quality care they need on their doorstep, free of charge, said QCoal Foundation chief executive officer Nino Di Marco. Delivered by two dental surgeries in a purpose-

built semi-trailer, the service can provide everything from a simple check-up and clean through to an extraction or an X-ray. The service is due to visit communities in Blackall, Sapphire, Theodore, Collinsville and Monto before the end of the year.

Meanwhile in western New South Wales, the Royal Flying Doctor Service has announced the expansion of The Outback Oral Treatment & Health [TOOTH] Program, which similarly offers patients in rural communitiesincluding Bourke, Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri and Goodoogafly-in, fly-out services. The organisation is set to employ an additional dentist and dental assistant following private financial donations from the western region, providing funding for a full year.

Rural dental services to continue

A QCoal Community Dental Service purpose-built mobile surgery.

NEWS & EVENTS

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Sleep disorders are one of the fastest growing areas of medicine. For the last 12 months Medicare has been experiencing an explosion in the numbers of people seeking treatment for snoring and sleep apnoea. This is down to a number of factors, including changing attitudes towards snoring, a greater appreciation for the need to get good quality sleep, and an increasingly overweight population. Despite the overwhelming demand for treatments the general public still does not know they can get treatment from their local dental practitioners.

This mini residency works with leaders in the field of sleep medicine, and highlights the latest developments in dental sleep medicine. This mini residency emphasizes the multidisciplinary approach to sleep disorders on dentistry.

This residency is designed to help clinicians

to meet the standards, for the scope of dental practice, in sleep medicine, and to further the education, training and experience of dentists in this growing field.

Participating clinicians will gain a comprehensive knowledge on the use of oral appliances in the management of snoring and sleep disordered breathing.

Attendees will learn how to integrate dental sleep medicine into daily practice. They will also learn the latest clinical protocols to help clinicians optimize treatment success. Finally the emerging role of Orthodontics, in the management of sleep disordered breathing will be reviewed.

MINI RESIDENCY IN SNORING, SLEEP APNOEA, BRUXISM AND TMD

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Few Australians are aware of the dental health risks inherent in the consumption of sports drinks, new research indicates.

In a study by the Australian Dental Association [ADA], the findings showed that half of active Australians are unaware of the damage sports drinks can do to their teeth, with one-third of parents admitting to allowing their children to consume sports drinks at least once per week, unaware of the dangers.

One in three active Australian adults consume sports drinks, which contain a high level of teeth-eroding acid, at least once per week when exercising. While saliva is a powerful natural defence

mechanism against erosion, if teeth are exposed to the acids in sports drinks, too often saliva doesnt have enough time to repair the damage.

The ADA study suggested that greater educational initiatives are needed to combat the high rate of tooth decay from sports drinks. Over the last few decades, the oral health of Australians has started to deteriorate and, in particular, we are seeing higher levels of dental disease, said Dr Peter Alldritt, chair of the ADAs Oral Health Committee.

In Australia, three in 10 adults have untreated tooth

Australians unaware of dental risks posed by sports drinks

decay and one in two children under the age of 12 have experienced untreated tooth decay in their permanent teeth. Alarmingly, one in five participants in the study admitted that they would not change their behaviour upon learning of the potential damage of sports drinks.

In response to the research, the ADA has suggested the following steps [left] to help ensure greater oral health.

ADA suggests the following steps to help ensure greater dental health: Drink water where possible,

which not only has no acid or sugar, but its fluoride protects teeth.

Avoid sipping sports and intra-workout drinks for a long duration.

Use a straw so teeth are less exposed to sugar and acid.

Brush teeth twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste

Chew a sugar-free gum to help stimulate saliva flow to help protect teeth.

NEWS & EVENTS

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COVER STORYNEWS & EVENTS

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Thinking of building or renovating your practice?Be inspired by this collection of some of Australias best

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The Australian Dental Association has issued a warning against the potential dangers of over-the-counter mouthguards. Following a horrific dental injury, the Australian Dental

Association [ADA] has reaffirmed its stance on the importance of customised mouthguards.

Struck in the mouth with a hockey stick during a game in Tasmania last month, veterinary graduate Christina Johnson suffered severe trauma to the mouth, with one of her front teeth being knocked out, the fracture of another, the displacement and pushing back of multiple teeth, and lacerations to her lips and gums.

I hadnt thought about getting a custom-fitted mouthguard from a dentist to wear when I play sport, Johnson said. I though the mouthguard I was wearing in the game was good enough. One girl on my hockey team wears a dentist-fitted mouthguard but the rest of us use the ones you buy in stores. I really want to get the word out about how important it is to use a custom-fitted mouthguard when playing sport.

Now facing extensive dental reconstructive surgery, Johnson is an example of ADAs recent research, which found that three in four active Australians use an over-the-counter mouthguard rather than one custom-fitted, a detail highlighted during its recent Dental Health Week. The figure for children is one in two.

The ADA emphasises once again to active Australians, schools, sporting clubs and associations that as much thought needs to be given to the type of mouthguard worn as any other piece of sporting equipment, said Dr Peter Alldritt, chair of the ADAs Oral Health Committee.

Over-the-counter mouthguards are often difficult to wear and dont provide the same level of protection as custom-fitted mouthguards.

Over-the-counter mouthguards pose risks

Patient Christina Johnson following a sports injury involving an over-the-counter mouthguard.

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NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFE NEW PRODUCTS

New products

Tetric EvoFlow Bulk Fill is a flowable 4mm bulk-fill composite for direct restorative procedures in the posterior region. Tetric EvoFlow Bulk Fill is used as a basic volume replacement in the restoration of Class I and Class II

cavities. Due to its dentin-like translucency, Tetric EvoFlow Bulk Fill is suitable for masking tooth discolouration.

Utilising the unique, highly reactive, patented light initiator, Ivocerin allows for bulk placement up to 4mm.

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12 Bite magazine

TePe has developed another high quality interdental stick. The new TePe EasyPick is simple and intuitive to use, so its natural

to recommend it to people who are not used to cleaning interdentally, or who want a flexible alternative to their regular cleaning method. Its also suitable on the go.

What makes TePe EasyPick unique?The secret lies in the combination of materials. The core is both stable and flexible, and the silicone coating cleans efficiently between the teeth and feels comfortable on the gums. The comfortable, non-slip grip ensures a steady cleaning. EasyPick is made in Sweden and developed in close collaboration with dental experts.

For more information, contact TrollDental on 1800 064 645 or visit trolldental.com.

TePe introduces new interdental cleaning product: EasyPick

Dental Corporation has provided our practice with the necessary support to realise our full potential whilst still allowing us to operate independently.

Their experienced teams are just a phone call away and have provided us services which have allowed us to streamline our business operations and increase our productivity.

Dr Gordon McLeanPractice Principal at Southern Dental Centre

Interested to know more about how a partnership with Dental Corporation can reward you?

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BEING PROGRESSIVE AND REALISING MY DREAMS

Dental Corporation has provided our practice with the necessary support

to realise our full potential whilst still allowing us to operate independently.

Their experienced teams are just a phone call away and have provided us services

which have allowed us to streamline our business operations and increase our

productivity.

Dr Gordon McLeanPractice Principal at

Southern Dental Centre



BEING PROGRESSIVE

AND REALISING MY DREAMS

Dental Corporation has provided our practice with the necessary support to realise our full potential whilst still allowing us to operate independently.

Their experienced teams are just a phone call away and have provided us services which have allowed us to streamline our business operations and increase our productivity.

Dr Gordon McLeanPractice Principal at Southern Dental Centre



BEING PROGRESSIVE AND REALISING MY DREAMS

NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR TOOLS YOUR LIFEYOUR WORLD

Stories traded between dentists of the extreme cases of patients diagnosing themselves by Dr Google are surprising, unusual and in some cases, hilarious.

Run a Google search on the topic of Dr Google and watch the horror stories roll in, such as the patients who diagnosed cancer from symptoms associated with infected toenails and acne on the arm.

The dental cases about Dr Google are not much better, with claims including that root canal therapy will cause cancer, rubbing teeth with strawberries will whiten them, and that pregnant women should avoid the dentists chair.

About a decade ago, a British newspaper dubbed the phenomenon cyberchondriaa term that has now

The new do ctor

16 Bite magazine

Patients are increasingly turning first to the internet when dealing with health issues, but as John Burfitt writes, Dr Google can confuse truth with conspiracy.

entered the medical lexicon. But rather than providing just funny tales to trade, it has become a point of serious concern for practitioners. Patients are accessing more information than ever about health conditions from a wide range of sourcesfrom the Australian Dental Associations website through to random conspiracy blogs.

The information age that arrived with the digital revolution means that patients can make their own conclusions about all the possible reasons behind those sore gums or discoloured teeth. And in doing so, they can often misdiagnose common ailments or feel empowered to challenge well-researched clinical trials or medically based opinion.

The process adds weight to the adage of British poet Alexander Pope that

The new do ctor

are misinformed about the safety of dental procedures during pregnancy. Then there was the patient who informed Dr Alldritt that implants dont work and he should not consider them.

I have piles of medical research that proves implants can be very successful and root canals are a great treatment option, but if you are dealing with a pessimistic patient who has spent a little too much time online, then you

Dr Peter Alldritt, Australian Dental Association

In our parents era, it was always a case of doctor knows best and it would never cross a patients mind to go anywhere but a doctor for medical advice.

Quote

Bite magazine 17

have to be ready for that, he says. Then you need to explain what

they are saying is not evidence-based at all and that you can only make recommendations based on scientific fact. There is a level of educating the patients that needs to be adopted.

One of the main concerns stemming from random online research by patients that Dr Michael Foley, director of the Brisbane Dental Hospital and member of the Australian Dental Associations Oral Health Committee, encounters is about the safety of water fluoridation.

There are myriad easily-found online reports linking fluoridation in drinking water and cancer, with some of the more extreme theories including the claim that the process originated with Nazi Germanys attempt to control society.

I shake my head in disbelief at that one, but it is a theory I have heard again and again, Dr Foley says. Often, patients who come out with that have an agenda and have spent a lot of time looking for those particular outcomes, but I just say to them there is simply no real evidence to support those claims.

Dr Foley says one of the best ways to combat misinformation is to instead direct patients to reliable online resources containing accurate and up-to-date research, such as the websites

a little learning is a dangerous thing.What we are seeing with all of

this is a complete generational shift, says Adelaide practitioner Dr Peter Alldritt, chair of the Australian Dental Associations Oral Health Committee. In our parents era, it was always a case of doctor knows best and it would never cross a patients mind to go anywhere but a doctor for medical advice.

But with so much information now available, we are in a world where people no longer assume what they are told is best and will do their own research, either before or after an appointment.

Among the more extreme scenarios presented to Dr Alldritt by some well-read patients is that root canal therapy is linked to pathology in the body and must be avoided, and often pregnant women

YOUR WORLD

18 Bite magazine

off the mark, I spend time on the camera and show them what is actually happening in their mouth and let them see the reality of what they are dealing with rather than letting their imagination run wild, he says.

I find if they can see the difference between something that is healthy and something that is not, then that makes the point. I will always encourage people to take an interest and be informed about their dental wellbeing, but directing them to the best place to get real information can solve some problems for yourself later on.

Its this point that Melbourne dental management consultant Julie Parker says makes up the core of her philosophy about dentists adopting a process that goes beyond maintenance and includes a more active role in

educating patients.My theory is to embrace a

more educated and more health-responsible public and play an active role in guiding them to better care for themselves, she says. Dental providers treat patients for the maintenance of their oral health, and part of this care is to educate patientsit always has been. In fact, it has been a challenge in days past to motivate dental patients to care more about their oral health. A more educated society has better chances of thriving.

Dr Michael Foley, Brisbane Dental Hospital

I find if they can see the difference between something that is healthy and something that is not, then that makes the point.

Quote

for the Australian Dental Association, Australian Medical Association and American Dental Association.

Having all that information out there is by and large a great thing, and I do encourage my patients to read up on their conditions, but there is also a lot of rubbish out there, he says. Issues arise as health professionals know how to sort the wheat from the chaff with misinformation, but patients have not had that kind of training and can be easily convinced of what they find.

I just try to add a dose of reality and common sense to those situations.

Common sense is the first tool Dr Nick Sheptooha says he reaches for when dealing with some patients in his Brisbane practice who arrive having already spent too long with Dr Google. He cites the case of the patient certain they had a problem with gum disease, when the reality was they had a piece of popcorn stuck between their teeth and had not flossed properly.

If their diagnosis is wrong or way

As clients increasingly turn

to Google for medical diagnosis,

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Making business easier to swallow

NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFEYOUR TOOLSYOUR BUSINESS

20 Bite magazine

The design of your practice speaks volumes about who you are as a professional and the nature of your business ethos. While it can be tempting to play it

safe in regard to designwhite walls, neutral furniture, maybe an aquarium or framed pastel artworksthere can be a distinct advantage in pushing the design envelope. Memorable design adds impact and acts as a point of difference to other dental practices. It becomes the memory that sticks in the minds of clients.

When Drs Paul and Jacqueline Hanks purchased a dilapidated old house to set up Hanks Orthodontics in Mt Eliza, Victoria, they knew there was a lot of work to do. The seaside location made them think of flowing curves, natural light and interesting materialsand all these ideas appeared in the brief given to Sam Russell, director of Create Dental.

Individualising the interior design of your dental practice sets you apart from the pack while creating a memorable experience for clients, writes Frank Leggett.

They had a beautiful, but run-down, old house that they wanted to convert into something modern and filled with light, says Russell. So, we proposed gutting the house, adding an enormous skylight and transforming the heart of the building into a huge light well.

The minute we saw Sams idea of a central atrium, we loved it, says Dr Jacqueline Hanks. It was just the creative touch we were searching for and it adds so much light to the interior space. Its an uplifting place to work.

And that was just the start. A sinuous spiral staircase is at the centre of the space around which is a treatment room with three chairs, a consult room, staff room, office and sterilisation room. All these spaces are open plan and exposedeven the sterilisation room looks like a display piece.

Double-height glass goes all the way through the light well and all the rooms

Part of the

front onto this area. It bathes the practice in natural light that transforms it into a stylish, contemporary space.

Some of the walls have a rippled effect. They are three-dimension panels inspired by sand dunes, says Russell. The downlights create interesting shadows on these feature walls, the curved glass walkways and joinery add to the fluidity of the design, and the wood grained tiles bring warmth to the practice.

Dr Hanks decided to leave the unassuming exterior of the building in its original state. When people walk in, they really get a shock. Theres a sense of walking into something very special, says Russell. Utilising exciting design was a very good business decision. Hanks Orthodontics has been open for less than 12 months but I understand they are going flat out.

Dr David Cowhig owns Dental Wellness,

furniture

YOUR BUSINESS

Bite magazine 21

greens and browns. While most practices strive for a look thats efficient and clinical, this space is warm and relaxing.

To complete the look, a wall-sized panel that shows a cool, green forest of bamboo was added to the waiting area. The space is so Zen that its hard to imagine any client feeling nervous or apprehensive.

Individualised practices stick in the memory of new clients, says Shapland. Its important that the balance is just right and clients feel comfortable when they walk in. At present we are designing another practice in Sydney where the owner wants absolute glam. While both of these practices are very different in their approach to the interior, they are each honest in the reflection of their respective characters.

Sometimes, one simple element of a design can characterise an entire

a holistic practice at The Gap, a leafy suburb in Brisbane. This surgery integrates evidence-based anti-ageing medicine with up-to-the-minute dental technologies and techniques. During set-up, it was important to Dr Cowhig that the repurposing of his premises created an environment that reflected the philosophy of the practice.

I wanted to attract the wellness community to a boutique-style experience so as they entered the space, they knew they had found the dental choice for themselves, their friends and their families, says Dr Cowhig. I believe its important to have a clear picture of the clients you want to attract. Their first visit should be a visual, tactile and calm sensory experience.

Dr Cowhig used fit-out specialist company Elite to turn his holistic vision into reality. The design of your practice reflects who you are as a person and what you are trying to achieve, says Elites Ian Shapland. Dental Wellness embraces its natural instincts by using dark timber tones and a simple palette of

furniture

Left and above: An elegant spiral staircase anchors the light-filled atrium of Hanks Orthodontics, which features double-height glass for natural light.

A wall-sized rendering of a bamboo forest creates a relaxing atmosphere

in the waiting room of Dental Wellness.

Dental Wellnesss

soothing tones.

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practice. Carrum Downs Dental Care in Melbournes south-east is a modern, contemporary surgery that features televisions on the ceiling and has embraced the latest in digital cameras, X-ray units and animations programs. It was important to us that the aesthetics of our clinic matched our state-of-the-art technology and equipment, says practice manager, Nicole Brown.

They also turned to Create Dental to bring their design vision to life. They wanted a warm and friendly environment with a modern edge to complement their dental technology, says Russell. We achieved a contemporary and streamlined look but felt it needed something else to lift the space out of the ordinary. The addition of a green floral wallpaper was the final piece of the puzzle.

This simple pop of colourso different to the usual four white wallsis featured throughout the practice. It runs from the reception area all the way through the building, creating a feature wall in each room throughout the practice. They even mounted the X-ray units on it.

The green tone of the wallpaper is repeated in the upholstery of the dental chairs and it all ties together beautifully, says Russell. The bright green colour appears in their logo and the wallpaper pattern features on their website. When people walk in, they feel comfortable and relaxed, but their interest is engaged at the same time.

Individualising the design of a dental practice takes a deft hand. It needs to engage clients quietly without being too over the top.

A dental practice should be sleek, uncluttered and modern with a point of interest, says Russell. If you can get the balance just right then people will remember you, return to you and talk about youand word of mouth is the strongest point of referral for your business.

Sam Russell, Create Dental

We achieved a contemporary and streamlined look but felt it needed something else to lift the space out of the ordinary.

Quote

22 Bite magazine

A pop of coloured wallpaper runs throughout the practice of Carrum Downs Dental Care.

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NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFEYOUR TOOLS

24 Bite magazine

Six months ago, a mobilegeddon took place, all thanks to Googles new formula. The search engine had tweaked its search algorithm. While that may

not sound like a life-changing event, think again. Websites are now viewed on different devices, be it a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop screen. Despite this, many websites arent mobile-friendlythe text is tiny, sites take a long time to load, with too many graphics. So, its essential that your dental practice website can be displayed effectively on multiple screen sizes or it will quickly drop to the bottom of Googles rankings.

Google recently changed its ranking system for mobile searches, so its now essential that

your practices website is mobile-friendly, writes Kerryn Ramsey.

makeoverMobile

Bite magazine 25

Over the past five years, theres been a shift in the way consumersincluding patientssearch for information online. These days, people are surfing the web from mobile devices rather than desktop computers. In fact, mobile web traffic overtook desktop usage in 2014, with around 60 per cent of online traffic now generated by mobile devices, according to research firm ComScores report mid-last year

Embracing this change, Googles new algorithm changes the mobile search results, giving preference to mobile-ready websites. In other words, if your practices site isnt fully optimised for mobile, its likely to dip in user

numbersnot to mention a dip in sales.So, to make sure your patients can

view and navigate your content, find your phone number and location and book an appointment, its time to give your tired website a facelift.

Responsive web design is now a necessity for businesses, says Michael Marler of Advisori, making the features and functions on your site accessible on a patients mobile device. The beauty of this is that each time your practice manager changes an opening time, or adds some cosmetic before-and-after images, it will fit the screen perfectly on any computer or device.

This appealed to one of Marlers clients, Dr Steven Slowgrovea dentist who has run his own practice in the Sydney suburb of Miranda for the past 20 years but had never had a website.

Basically, our practice is 85 per cent word-of-mouth, but my wife suggested it was time for a modern approach, he explains. We realised that a lot of younger people were searching for dentists online, so setting up a website wasnt a bad idea.

Launched just over six months ago, Slowgrove Dentals website had a responsive web design from the outset. For Dr Slowgrove, the website needed to show the businesss family feel. Thats the basis of the practice, says the dentist, who selected images of the practices interior, its staff, and even some fun artworks by young patients. Thats why we took our own photos, and luckily, Michael was happy to turn this into a professional website.

When it comes to managing

images and graphics, they need to be responsivein other words, they need to be resized to work on each device. In fact, if a practice has a website thats more than three- or four years old, according to Marler, its probably easier to start from scratch. For older websites, it takes a lot of time to make all of the content work responsively across different screen sizes. Most of the time, a brand new website will save time and deliver better results.

This was a case for Rosebery Dental, which is located in one of Sydneys fastest growing suburbs. The practice turned to web designer Chris Harold to make its website more dynamic and to improve its presence online.

They realised that search engine optimisation and having a ranking within Google is imperative these

days, said Harold, who revitalised the site and provides the practice with a monthly report. Ive implemented a premium site for the practice but it still has a relatively simple layout. The websites responsive design went live more than a year ago and, according to Harold, the traffic continues to rise.

So, if your dental practice has a website that doesnt meet Googles mobile standard, its time to turn to your nearest web consultant or your website host.

Responsive design involves creating one website that dynamically changes how the information is displayed according to the screen size of the user, Marler explains. You will normally start with the full version of the website and then decide what the most important

Michael Marler, Advisori

If your website doesnt pass Googles official mobile-friendly test, youll likely be pushed below other, more mobile-friendly sites.

Quote

makeoverMobile

YOUR BUSINESS

26 Bite magazine

elements are for viewing on different devices. This is also a great time to ensure that potential customers can find all of the information they need quickly and easily on your website.

An example of this would be making the phone number more prominent when a customer views your site from a phone. It makes the customers life easier and makes it more likely they will convert by removing friction from the process.

In terms of maintenance, a responsive design is more cost effective as your practice only needs to work on one platform. I was amazed at how swift and simple it is to run, says Dr Slowgrove, who is happy for his staff to maintain the site.

According to Harold, its worth refreshing your website every two or three years. The Rosebery Dental website is on a content management system [known as a CMS] that makes content and images easy to update. Making quick changes to copy takes virtually no time at all, he says.

If youre wondering if your practices website is mobile-friendly, Google offers a free 30-second test. Visit https://google.com.au/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/, then enter the URL of your website (for example, slowgrovedental.com.au).

It will instantly return whether that website passes all of Googles tests. This is the factor that affects how sites are ranked in Googles search from mobile phones. Common problems include texts that are too small to read, content is wider than the screen, and mobile viewport is not set (that makes sure viewers dont have to scroll horizontally on your website to see everything).

If your customer is searching from a mobile device and your website doesnt pass Googles official mobile-friendly test, youll likely be pushed below other more mobile-friendly sites, explains Marler.

Even if youre a well respected site with positive reviews, your rankings will still take a significant hit.

For some websites, a few minutes of online tweaking may be all thats required, but be prepareda full redesign may be necessary. Before you contact your web specialist, take time to view your website on different devices, then figure out which elements should be prioritised. Once your site is responsive, it will be more appealing to both prospective clients and regular patients.

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NEWS & EVENTS YOUR BUSINESS YOUR TOOLS YOUR LIFECOVER STORY

28 Bite magazine

Bite magazine 29

studies that investigated and evaluated the student placement program over five years. She identified the challenges that the program faced and came up with some innovative solutions. An aged care facility is a challenging environment to be a student in, she points out. Imagine being a very young person, who possibly doesnt have any elderly relatives in their immediate family, walking into a facility where people have dementia and Alzheimers, where people are sick and dying. It can be very confronting and some students had huge issues, initially, with nervousness and feeling overwhelmed by it.

Dr Wallace realised that if the placement program was to succeed,

students needed to be better prepared not just for the technical aspects of work in these facilities, but for the emotional impact as well. In response, she developed a day-in-the-life training DVD to help them.

The DVD made a world of difference. Students who watched the DVD settled into the placement in half the time, felt comfortable with the work and valued the experience more than those who didnt. These placements are still part of our Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy degree here at Newcastle, she says,

Dr Janet Wallace, University of Newcastle

I tell my students ... that theres only one thing in life you cant fix and thats death. To every other problem, there is a solution.

Quote

Ageing issue

Dr Janet Wallace wants to revolutionise the way we provide oral health care to older Australians. There is a dire need for oral health services in residential aged

care facilities, particularly preventative oral health services, she explains.

Dr Wallace, a registered oral health therapist with qualifications in dental therapy, dental hygiene, business management, tertiary teaching and a PhD in oral health, acknowledges that many have tried and failed to deliver better oral health to Australias increasing population of elders. However, with the help of her students and colleagues at the University of Newcastle, she believes she has devised a system thats inexpensive, efficient and, most crucially, works.

Dr Wallace wasnt always a revolutionary. Born in Brighton, United Kingdom, she was the eldest of four children. She moved to Sydney with her parents at age 11 and was, she concedes, perhaps a little bossya kid who liked to take control but never one to overthrow a system.

Ive always liked to find a solution to things though, she admits. I dont like it when people say that something isnt possible. I tell my students and my family [of two children and three grandchildren] that theres only one thing in life you cant fix and thats death. To every other problem, there is a solution.

It was while she was working in a conjoint position at University of Newcastle, in 2008-09, that Dr Wallace first understood the immensity of the oral and dental health problem facing older Australiansparticularly those in residential careand she resolved to fix it.

Faced with an ageing population, Dr Janet Wallace is finding new ways of offering oral health care to the elderly, writes Samantha Trenoweth.

She was setting up a student placement program in aged care facilities on the New South Wales Central Coast and, she says, because of the feedback the students provided and because of what I saw myself in the facilities, I realised there was an enormous need for preventative oral health care with links and referral pathways to dentists, and I became passionate about trying to provide this.

Good oral care reduces the risk of aspirational pneumonia, it can reduce admissions to hospital, it makes residents more comfortable, it enables them to eat a wider variety of foods and enjoy their food more, she explains. Its about quality of life. It has the potential to create a lot of positive outcomes.

However, in spite of good intentions, there was not a lot of good oral care in evidence in the facilities she visited. The staff needed help and the student placement program was a start in assisting them. It rolled out to around 17 local facilities with the aim of addressing some of the significant issues that we knew existed in residential aged care and also giving the students an experiential learning opportunity to increase their knowledge and skills.

Determined to investigate the problem further, Dr Wallace undertook PhD

30 Bite magazine

and now all students watch the DVD.A number of her students have also

gone on to work in aged care facilities after graduation. Working in aged care is not for everyone, Dr Wallace admits, but if youve been on a student placement and youve had some first-hand experience, then I think youre more likely to pursue that after you graduate.

And that is crucial to Dr Wallaces revolution because she ultimately wants to see an oral health therapist or dental hygienist in every aged care facility in Australia. She has already made a start. In 2013, she received a grant from Medicare Local Erina to put a qualified hygienist into five facilities on the Central Coast and investigate the results.

That research project was very successful, she says. It showed us that we need someone in these facilities who has an oral health background with a preventative focusthat we need dental hygienists and oral health therapistsbecause, without them, oral health in a lot of facilities is still managed in an ad hoc fashion.

Out of that research, Dr Wallace has developed what she calls the Senior Smiles model. The linchpin of the model is the dental hygienist or oral health therapist who she describes

COVER STORY

public sector if the resident qualifies for public sector dentistry.

The Senior Smiles model is already up and running in a handful of Central Coast and Hunter Valley facilities, and negotiations are underway with health funds in the hope of introducing the model more widely.

Dr Adam Barrett at Seascape Dental at the Entrance, also on the Central Coast, has been working with the program. Dentists from his practice have travelled to the facility, with portable equipment, to see residents who couldnt be transported to the surgery. For those who could travel, Seascape Dental provided a transport service to and from the practice at no cost to the resident. He has been fantastic, she says.

Dr Wallace speaks highly of a previous model, Better Oral Health in Residential Aged Care, which provided training resources for carers, and Senior Smiles

as a boundary spanner and who becomes the link between centre staff and management, residents, their families and public and private dentists outside the facility.

In the Senior Smiles model, the hygienist or oral health therapist only needs to visit the facility perhaps once a week. They do oral health education, risk assessments and care plans. They look at what sort of toothpaste the residents need, check whether they need something for dry mouth, whether they are in pain, whether they need a referral to a dentist, and so on. Once theyre embedded in the facility, they can manage things like consent, medical history, appointments, even transportation, and that makes the dentists role so much smoother.

The oral health therapist will have a referral pathway set up to a private practitioner within the area and to the

Dr Janet Wallace, University of Newcastle

It showed us that we need someone in these facilities who has an oral health background with a preventative focus.

Quote

Dr Janet Wallace is revolutionising the way we provide oral health care to the elderly.

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still uses many of those resources today. However, she believes the train the trainer model was only partially successful because there are many, many demands on staff in residential aged care facilities and they do their best but they cant do everything.

My model goes one step on from that, she insists. Facilities have physiotherapists and podiatrists who go in. To manage oral health, we need oral health practitioners to go in too. We need professional people who are trained in that area.

The Senior Smiles model is much needed now and, she points out, demand is going to escalate quickly in years to come. There is already a huge demand and we have an ageing population. That is something we need to look at and plan for on a long-term basis. Senior Smiles is a model that works and can be transported anywhere. Its just a matter of getting those key people involved, especially practitioners who are interested in oral health for the elderly.

Elderly people are in their most vulnerable stage of life and being able to provide them with a level of preventative oral health care in the facility is of great benefit because we know that oral health is linked to good general health.

By enabling that on a day-to-day basis, by getting the residential care facility staff trained up to sustain that, and giving oral health a higher profile within the facility because youve got someone in there regularly, and then by building that link with private and public sector dentists, it creates a complete model of care.

In the immediate future, Dr Wallace is negotiating with more centres and health funds to take on Senior Smiles, and has just expanded the student placement program to the geriatric rehabilitation ward at Woy Woy Hospital. I really am committed to getting oral health practitioners into all aged care facilities and hospital wards, she says.

Its my job but its also something Im passionate about. There are so many things I want to achieve that I cant imagine ever retiring. Ill probably be the oldest academic in history.

COVER STORY

32 Bite magazine

Dr Wallace intends to roll out her Senior

Smiles program nationally.

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NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFEYOUR TOOLS

34 Bite magazine

Bright idea

Electricity generates a significant cost to dental practices, but as Angela Tufvesson details, there are ways to reduce your spend.

Running a dental practice is implicitly energy intensive thanks to the lighting, air-conditioning and, of course, dental equipment required to operate a successful business. But as electricity bills and consumer awareness of

environmental issues continue to rise, reducing your carbon footprint is becoming greatly more important.

So, whats the best method for practice owners looking to curb electricity costs? Decreasing usage, installing energy saving equipment and investing in renewable energyin that orderwill help to reduce your bills by as much as one third.

In my business, I guarantee that if the property hasnt had an energy audit or any work done, I can reduce their energy bills by 20 per cent with no capital outlayor theres no fee, says River Bradshaw-Milnes, managing director of energy efficiency consultancy Thinq Tanque. Theres such a margin that I can say unequivocally that if the proper work is done on any property, they should be able to reduce their energy bills by at least 30 per cent.

Upgrading from fluorescent to LED lighting will help reduce energy consumption.

Bite magazine 35

Understand your usageIn order to cut back, its important to understand your electricity usage. Bradshaw-Milnes estimates that in a typical dental practice, about 30 per cent of the energy consumed powers heating and air-conditioning, 20 per cent goes towards lighting, 10 per cent keeps computers running and the remaining 40 per cent is chewed up by dental equipment and other miscellaneous uses.

Your electricity bill will detail the amount of kilowatt hours used by your practice, and many energy companies also offer nifty online tools that chart usage patterns. For a more accurate picture of your consumption, Bradshaw-Milnes recommends an energy audit, which typically costs about $1500.

An energy audit will tell the business how much energy is being consumed by which items, he says. So, if there are five computers in the practice, an energy audit will be able to tell you the amount of watts per day that theyre using over 365 day of the year. After that, its possible to calculate the monetary value as carbon emissions of the devices.

Upgrade equipmentNext, look at upgrading your equipment Sustainable Business Consulting including heating and air-conditioning units, lighting, computers and dental equipmentto energy-efficient models where possible. Surprisingly, making the switch now rather than waiting until equipment becomes faulty can lead to significant savings. If youre running a really old air-conditioner, throw it out

and get a new one as they run 30 to 40 per cent more efficiently, says Bradshaw-Milnes.

Albert agrees that upgrades that focus on the total cost of ownership the acquisition and running costs combinedwill lead to long-term savings. For example, upgrading from fluorescent tube lighting to LED tubes will reduce energy consumption. Its

more expensive to purchase

LED tubes but the running costs are so much better. They might also give you better output from the light as LEDs are brighter, meaning less lights are needed.

After completing the upgrade, establish a maintenance schedule to protect the efficiency of your equipment, and make sure its operated correctly. If you have five split-systems in the property and each is running at slightly different temperatures, each of those systems is fighting each other to maintain a specific temperature, says Bradshaw-Milnes. So, its recommended that each split-system is set to the same temperature. The recommendations are to have your air-conditioning set to 24 degrees during summer and your heater set to 18 degrees in winter.

And to make sure your air-conditioning units arent working too hard, consider passive design upgrades to your building to help it stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Shade windows during summer, and install ceiling insulation and draught-proof windows and doors. Ceiling insulation alone can reduce your electricity bill by 20 per cent.

Switch offAfter youve looked at usage patterns, the next step is to get practice staff into the habit of switching off lights, computers and equipment that is not being used. This includes equipment left on stand-by mode, especially overnight, which can amount to 10 per cent of your electricity bill.

Look around the practiceis there anything running that doesnt need to run? asks Barbara Albert, director of Sustainable Business Consulting. Anything that gives off light or heat probably consumes electricity. This is the easiest way to reduce your energy bills because you dont need to change anything. Its simply a matter of turning things off.

Look to your electricity bill to better understand the breakdown of your practices energy consumption.

Savings of up to 10 per cent can

be made simply by switching

off equipment.

YOUR BUSINESS

36 Bite magazine

Invest in renewablesOnce youve reduced your energy consumption to the smallest possible amount, consider generating your own electricity rather than buying off the grid. For most dental practices, this means installing solar panels, which Bradshaw-Milnes says can reduce electricity bills by 70 per cent and offer a three-year return on investment.

Solar panels are well suited to dental practices because peak harvest times coincide with the daytime opening hours of most practices. Solar panels are extremely beneficial for dental practices because production peaks around lunchtime and starts revving up at around 9am, says Albert. Theres not a lot of maintenance, eitherthe system gets installed, connected and just runs. Its very simple. If you have the option, the roof needs to be ideally north-facing and cant be obstructed by trees or other obstacles.

Due to low feed-in tariffsthe payment per kWh made to businesses and households generating their own electricityAlbert says theres little value in exporting excess electricity to the grid, which means practices will need to fork out for electricity outside of peak harvest times and on cloudy days.

But the good news is on-site storage systems are expected to come onto the market within the next two years, says Bradshaw-Milnes. This means dental practices will be able to go off grid, he says. The future is really bright. There is the potential for 100 per cent savings within the next three to four years.

Dental Relocation and Infrastructure Support Scheme is funded by the Australian Government and administered by Rural Health Workforce Australia.

To see if youre eligible:Visit: www.rhwa.org.au/DRISSEmail: [email protected]: 1800 475 433

Government grants are available for registered general dentists who want to work in private practice in a location more regional, rural or remote than their current location.

Look whats on offer:

Relocation grants of $15,000 to $120,000

Infrastructure grants up to $250,000 The 2015/16 funding rounds are: 7 September9 October 2015 22 February24 March 2016

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK.

Open to opportunities in rural Australia?

Solar panels are beneficial for dental practices because production peaks around lunchtime and starts revving up at around 9am.

Quote Barbara Albert, Sustainable Business Consulting

Solar panels offer great reductions in purchased electricity.

REVIEWERS WANTEDWe want you to write for Bite!

Every issue were asking dentists to review their toolstelling us in a couple of paragraphs what they love about them and what they dont like. Check out the reviews starting on page 51.

Theres only two rulesyou have to be a practicing dentist, and it has to be something you use. The whole idea is to start a conversation between our readers. We dont want to tell you what to buy. We want your peersthe people actually using the equipmentto guide you to whats good and what isnt.

If youd like to write a review, email the Editor at [email protected], and shell tell you whats involved.

A recent survey by the ADA shows 75% of active adults who wear mouthguards wear uncertified, over-the-counter products.Not all mouthguards provide adequate protection. Custom made mouthguards are the most effective way to avoid injury.

Custom made mouthguards. THE ONLY WAY.

Provide your patients with the right protection.

03 9650 9779 / proformaustralia.com.au

NEWS & EVENTS COVER STORY YOUR BUSINESS YOUR LIFEPRODUCT GUIDE

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Education is the underpinning of

the dental profession. Here, discover the best and brightest

courses and initiatives in Australia today.

Bite magazine 39


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Education guide

40 Bite magazine

During the latter part of the 20th century tooth decay among Australian children was in decline.

When dental graduates finished their education in the 1970s, dental caries was present in the majority of children and the adult population expected the same edentulous retirement as their parents. Dental education and the common perception teeth could last a lifetime did not exist. The decline in dental decay during the 1970s can only be attributed to better education. While fluoride played some part, improved dental care and hygiene along with diet modification, driven by the dental profession, must be given credit.

Unfortunately, once again the frequency of dental decay has started to increase, particularly in young children. However, while the prevalence of tooth decay has increased and is one of the main reasons children are admitted to hospital, the vast majority of dental disease is easily preventable. According to a study conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which analysed the effect of sugars on tooth decay, sugars are the sole cause of tooth decay in children as well as adults.

With their greater consumption of highly processed high sugar content foods as well as soft drinks, cordial and fruit juices coupled with lower consumption of whole foods such as fruit and vegetable and tap water it stands to reason that modern children will be experiencing increased dental disease. Unfortunately, this decline in the quality of diet and nutrition is not only responsible for oral health issues; it is also causing a wide range of other health problems.

These problems include diabetes, obesity, malocclusion and sleep disorder breathing. However, despite concern regarding this upwards trend in dental caries and malocclusion as well as sleep disorder breathing (SDB) and the challenges this presents to the

dental profession, there also exists an opportunity for dental professionals today to provide educationally focused and preventive solutions for these issues.

Myofunctional Research Co. (MRC) has recognised the vital role education must play in reducing dental decay as well as SDB and has integrated a significant diet and nutrition educational package into the Myobrace Pre-Orthodontic and myOSA myofunctional sleep treatment systems. By presenting a child focused digital video series in a format designed to be interactive, engaging and easily applied, the animated diet and nutrition program aims to help children and their parents recognise that the causes of tooth decay, which also directly impact growth and development of the jaws and face, are preventable.

Once a patients dietary and nutritional deficiencies have been addressed and they understand how a healthy diet provides a vital building block for their overall wellbeing, malocclusion and SDB can then be more effectively treated in growing children. MRCs patient educational media place a wealth of information regarding how to address then overcome the causes of malocclusion and SDB in the hands of the patient. In addition to helping overcome diet and nutritional factors limiting growth and

development, the apps, which work in conjunction with MRCs myofunctional appliance systems, educate patients about why it is necessary to correct any poor myofunctional habits. Through education these digital programs empower patients to play an active role in their own treatment and provide the potential for superior treatment outcomes.

When taking into account the well-publicised oversupply of dentists and corporatisation of the industry along with diminishing returns the possibility for modern dentists to offer preventive health solutions becomes particularly timely. In addition to maintaining a childs dental health, there exists an opportunity for dental professionals with a focus on education to enhance a young patients facial development as well as long-term general health and quality of life. Preventive paediatric dentistry along with preventive or pre-orthodontic treatment, with an emphasis on empowering the patient through education offers the industry a growing, potentially lucrative new treatment avenue.

To find out how to begin implementing these programs as well as the Myobrace and myOSA myofunctional treatment systems into your practice visit the courses section at myoresearch.com.

Educating for prevention


ADVERTORIAL

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Education guide

42 Bite magazine

Now that we are in the final year of the current three year CPD cycle, we recommend booking

courses well in advance to avoid missing out on your course of choice during the general rush to obtain the full 60 hour CPD quota by 30 June 2016. Dental practitioners must complete 60 hours of continuing professional development within three years, with 80% of CPD to be clinically and scientific-based.

At ADA NSW Centre for Professional Development we provide a range of clinical and non-scientific programs with constant additions throughout the year. Our calendar for 2016 is already action-packed with a variety of topics by a terrific line-up of expert local and international presenters. Our distinguished speakers provide up-to-date clinical tips and share their best methods they have acquired through their many years of dental practice. Our courses are followed up with a reading list of articles available through our ADA National Library for further study. The ADA National Library resides in the ADA NSW CPD building, so while you are attending one of our courses take the time to visit the library to see what other additional resources are available to you. Our friendly library staff will assist you in accessing all information relevant to your study.

ADA members throughout Australia can access the ADA National Library services for free as part of their member benefits. Email [email protected] for further information or visit the ADA National Library website at ada.org.au.

At CPD we like to keep our systems up-to-date to align with the fast changing technology; at the beginning of this year we launched the CPD Learn app. This app has many advanced features including notification alerts informing you of newly added courses and updated news and information, the ability to mark your favourite courses, set your own calendar reminders and retrieve directions to any course venue directly on your device. The app is available free from the Google Play and iTunes app stores.

In our Clinical Training Centre we have developed a new touch screen

system that provides x-ray images directly to your workstation, maximising your hands-on time and minimising wait periods for our endodontic programs.

When you register for one of our courses, a personal account will be set up on our website which gives your ability to keep track of your CPD hours completed with ADA NSW CPD. After each course a certificate will be available for download and your CPD transcript will be updated for all hours attained through us. This information will be available for you to access at any time and can be downloaded instantly.

To view a current list of upcoming programs for 2015 and 2016 visit adacpd.com.au. Dont forget to book in early and keep up to date with your professional dental development.

A plethora of new courses through ADA

CPD courses keep a step ahead, so you wont be left behind.

CPD. Whats next?www.adacpd.com.au

ADA NSW Centre for Professional Development delivers programs with the most up-to-date dental clinical skills, techniques and research.We help dental practitioners develop new skills, or improve existing skills, through high quality, engaging courses by leading practitioners.Our comprehensive range of courses will keep you informed of the latest materials, techniques and technologies.To see our current list of program visit www.adacpd.com.au

Dental clinic in the 1900s.


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