DTUK1210

A big hello from Tan- zania! (or as my new Swahili goes ‘Karibuni Tanzania!’) As I write this, it has been our first full day in Mwanza, the city where we are based for the next two weeks on our trip to the Bukumbi Care Centre to reno- vate a community centre in the village there. Today has been a day of com- plete contrast, where we began the day at one of the nicer hotels in the area to have an orientation meeting, and then got a taste of the poorer side of life for resident Tanzanians. In the meeting, we discussed the history of the cen- tre, which has been in existence since the seventies, but has seen a resurgence since Bridge2Aid began to build relationships there. The orientation meeting really served to fire our already high en- thusiasm, and you can feel in the group that we just want to get go- ing in our project here. This was not lessened by the afternoon’s visit to Bukumbi, where we got to see just what we will be doing in the next two weeks (we will be extremely busy!). It also gave us a chance to see firsthand the life the people of Bukumbi lead, and prac- tise our swiftly learnt Swahili with the locals! Our arrival sparked much excitement amongst the children, who were fighting over who got to hold hands with a par- ticular team member! The visit really hit home how little this community had, which in turn was much more than many other com- munities here. Walking around and meeting people who were genuinely pleased to see us and were grateful for what we had come out to do was very moving, and a little saddening too, but it’ll take more than this comment to ex- plain that... DT Do you have an opinion or some- thing to say on any Dental Tribune UK article? Or would you like to write your own opinion for our guest comment page? If so don’t hesitate to write to: The Editor, Dental Tribune UK Ltd, 4th Floor, Treasure House, 19-21 Hatton Garden, London, EC1 8BA Or email: lisa@dentaltribuneuk.com Editorial comment Karibuni Tanzania ‘ ‘ www.colgateprofessional.co.uk Colgate® Sensitive Pro-Relief™ with Pro-Argin™ Technology is the first tooth- paste that is clinically proven to provide instant & lasting sensitivity relief1-6 : • Instant relief when applied directly to the sensitive tooth with the fingertip and gently massaged for one minute1 • Clinical studies demonstrated significantly greater sensitivity reduction with twice daily brushing compared to control toothpaste with potassium ions4 • 1450 ppm fluoride for caries prevention • Contains the Pro-Argin™ Technology as in the Colgate® Sensitive Pro-Relief™ Desensitising Polishing Paste NEW Instant & lasting sensitivity relief with Pro-Argin™ Technology Pro-Argin™ Technology, comprised of arginine and an insoluble calcium compound in the form of calcium carbonate, is based on a natural process of tubule occlusion. It plugs open tubules to help block the pain sensations. Colgate® Sensitive Pro-Relief™ Toothpaste for the daily oral care of sensitive teeth 1 Nathoo S et al J Clin Dent 2009; 20 (Spec Iss): 123-130 2 Ayad F et al J Clin Dent 2009; 20 (Spec Iss): 115-122 3 Schiff T et al J Clin Dent 2009; 20 (Spec Iss): 131-136 Colgate Customer Care Team: 01483 401 901 4 Docimo R et al J Clin Dent 2009; 20 (Spec Iss): 17-22 5 Ayad F et al J Clin Dent 2009; 20 (Spec Iss): 10-16 6 Docimo R et al J Clin Dent 2009; 20 (Spec Iss): 137-143 C M Y CM MY CY CMY K ProRelief A4 ad_Sept 09.pdf 1 11/09/2009 13:05 A general dental practition- er from Lichtenstein will be exploring the limits of material and techniques at this year’s British Dental Conference. Gary Unterbrink, who has more than 15 years’ experience in research and product develop- ment, will be arguing that there are quite often striking conflicts between practitioners’ clinical experiences and the conclusions of evidence-based dentistry, and that there are many areas of den- tistry where additional knowl- edge is still required. Dr Unterbrink headlines two sessions on the first day of the 2010 British Dental Conference and Exhibition, which takes place at Liverpool’s Arena and Convention Centre between 20- 22 May. The first, Direct composites – exploring the limits of mater- ials and techniques, will help attendees develop their knowl- edge of the ideal preparations for composite restorations, the se- lection of adhesives and compos- ites and application techniques that combine efficiency, function and aesthetics. His second session, Effective indirect adhesive restorations, will consider diagnosis and treat- ment planning, the critical role of preparation technique for suc- cess with instant adhesive resto- rations and the co-ordination of practice and laboratory factors. For more information on the 2010 British Dental Conference and Exhibition, or to register, visit www.bda.org/conference or call 0870 166 6625. DT BDA Con- ference 3NewsMay 3-9, 2010united Kingdom Edition