PUBLISHED IN LONDON News in Brief Speed flossing A 36-year-old woman was fined after she was caught by police flossing her teeth while driving 70mph on the motorway. A police spokeswoman said: “We’ve caught women applying make-up in the mirror. But this is the first time we’ve seen someone flossing their teeth. It is very dangerous as you need both hands, which should be on the wheel.” The unnamed woman, who was caught on the M4 at Newport, Gwent, had to pay a £60 fine. GDC facts At present the total number of registered dentists stands at 36,215 and the total number of dental care professionals is 57,656. In January, the General Dental Council’s customer advice and information team dealt with nearly 7,300 phone calls and 617 emails. A large number of the phone calls were from registrants requesting an Annual Practicing Certificate for 2010 and the team issued 409 duplicates. There were more than 530 enquiries asking for guidance on how to apply for dental care professional registration. Infant oral mutilation A dental hygienist is travelling to Uganda to help educate people about the dangers of ‘Ebiino’ or infant oral mutilation. Lindsay Webb, from Warrington, is going out with the charity Christian Relief Uganda, and will also be giving much needed dental treatment. She is raising funds for her trip by running in the Stanley Park 10km race. East End doctor A doctor claims he has witnessed widespread malnutrition in children at his surgery in Bromley by Bow. Dr Sam Everington has found that dental care is also worsening in the under-fives. Dr Everington, who has worked in the area for 20 years, said: “It’s utterly shocking — we see children with their teeth pulled out by the time they are seven. Fluoridation is the only way forward.” Hampshire tooth fairies Patients at the Trafalgar dental clinics in Hampshire this month have been greeted by the Tooth Fairy. Dental nurses, receptionists and dentists dressed up and held a ‘name the teddy bear’ competition to raise money for new equipment for people with dementia. They raised £431, which will go towards activity and sports equipment for dementia patients visiting the Fenwick2 Health and Well-being Centre in Lyndhurst. www.dental-tribune.co.uk March 15-21, 2010 News Clinical Innovations Practice Management Tribune VOL. 4 NO. 7 Education Magic Number Practice Plan begins the year with three stars and a top fifty placing for 2010 Putting something back DT profiles Seema Sharma; dentist, entrepreneur and speaker at Clinical Innovations Being equal Gift of the gag A detailed look at how the soon to be introduced Equality Act will affect employers Justin Stewart gives hints and tips for dealing with a patient’s gag reflex page 4 page 8 pages 11-20 page 22 Dentists join campaign against fluoridation in Southampton Open letter of opposition published, marking one year anniversary of South Central Strategic Health Authority landmark decision host of signatories, including dental professionals, have signed an open letter of opposition against the deci-sion to fluoridate drinking water in Southampton. It is a year since the South Central Strategic Health Authority (SCSHA) took the decision to add fluoride to water in Southampton and parts of Hampshire. Much of the antipathy to the scheme is because the people in the area feel their views have been ignored as the SCSHA is going ahead despite 72 per cent of public consultation respondents rejecting the proposal. Local opposition The letter states that during the past year, local opposition to the scheme has grown, a 15,300-signature petition has been handed in to Downing Street and every local MP has since written to the Strategic Health Authority to express concern at your continuing determination to impose fluoridation on an unwilling community. The letter adds: We urge you to ensure that the local NHS places greater emphasis on the implementation of targeted community-based oral health strategies as an alternative to water fluoridation. It points to a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association that confirms previous research showing that babies fed A formula milk in areas where the water is fluoridated at 1.0ppm may receive excess fluoride, putting them at risk of fluorosis. Exceed the limit The authors conclude that when powdered or liquid concentrate infant formulas are the primary source of nutrition, some babies are likely to exceed the recommended fluoride upper limit if the formula is reconstituted with water containing 1.0ppm fluoride. The plan for fluoridation is currently on hold as the SHA is facing a legal challenge to its decision. The High Court has confirmed that the earliest the judicial review can be heard by a senior judge is July or August The SHA has set aside £400,000 for the legal fight. The legal challenge has been lodged by Leigh Day & Co on behalf of Geraldine Milner, a life long resident of Southampton. In a statement, Leigh Day & Co said: “Ms Milner is opposed to the proposals to fluoridate the water supply on account of the continuing uncertainties with regard to the long term health risks associated with fluoridation, as well as concerns with regard to the possible adverse environmental effects. She also considers that more targeted and less intrusive measures should be used to deal with problems of tooth decay in the Southampton area.” Majority favour The legal challenge argues that the SCSHA failed to have regard to the British Government’s policy that mass fluoridation of drinking water should only go ahead in any particular area if a majority of the local people are in favour of it. The open letter, which was submitted by the campaign group Hampshire Against Fluoridation said: Given the financial constraints currently faced by the NHS, we are concerned that precious NHS funds are being used to force through a scheme that the local community does not want. These funds could be better used to develop alternative, more effective oral health schemes. ‘Waste of money’ The SHA’s decision to continue with water fluoridation and to fight a legal challenge is seen as a waste of Health Service money and we are concerned that this will damage the reputation of the local NHS. DT