DTUK13

May 17-23, 20108 News & Opinions United Kingdom Edition PracticeWorks KODAK R4 Practice Management Software PEARL is the new iPhone or Blackberry application for R4. No longer are you restricted to viewing your appointments, patient records and images on a computer screen. Now you can view them wherever you want, whenever it’s most convenient for you. Access your practice data on your iPhone or Blackberry with PEARL Another breakthrough from PracticeWorks For more information or to place an order please call 0800 169 9692 or visit www2.practiceworks.co.uk/links/pearl.asp PracticeWorks © PracticeWorks Limited 2010www.practiceworks.co.uk O ne of the most interest- ing points raised on the forum at the time the first lot of Icelandic volcanic ash was hitting the headlines, was made as almost a throwa- way comment. Forum members had been dis- cussing the initial prolonged no- fly period, with tales of colleagues from the dental team stranded around the globe, and the effect it was having on the flying industry byhavingairtrafficcontrollerssup- ervising. It was concluded and agr- eed that NATS, in light of the situ- ation, was making sure it was cov- ered and that its jobs were safe in the name of theoretical problems, while test flights seemed to be showing no effect on jet engines. The comparison was made with the pilot of the BA777 at Heathrow who saved the lives of passengers and people of Houns- low by lowering flaps in an un- orthodox method, and dropping the plane onto the grass verge of Heathrow. The moral drawn by Chas Lister was: “If you let an external agency make draconian rules and let that agency employ non-dentists to enforce them, don’t complain when they act in THEIR interest, not yours.” For the airline industry, vol- canic dust threatens life. For dentistry, it’s HTM-0105. Our profession will not be grounded by this document though, but it will be hamstrung by an unsci- entific political document, writ- ten at the Department of Health by people who are covering the- oretical possibilities. The cost of implementing the changes along with ongoing costs will be enor- mous, yet the profession cannot regain control. Volcanic ash and infection co- ntrolaside,therehavebeenso-me more gripes from the forum. We haveacceptedthefactthereis“co- re CPD”, subjects we must visit during each cycle of CPD. The BDA makes a meal of this re- quirement as part of its Good Pra- ctice Scheme. However, in prac- tice, this means we have to listen to the same information time af- ter time, and perhaps ignore oth- er more interesting parts of the educational world, subjects that are more practical, and more everyday (although cross-infec- tion, resuscitation and radiogra- phy are important in daily life). The same theme arose from this discussion – our profession (without being prompted) has allowed the hurdles to be set by other people, and this is what oc- curs. But the GDC has covered its corporate self, and the good guys go and sit through the bor- ing repetitive re-education. The General Election has received coverage on GDPUK, as on all other forms of social networking. A poll of colleagues shows an unsurprising tendency towards the Tories, and the tel- evised debates raised a frisson of excitement. Perhaps when you read this we will all have an idea of how our lives will be shaped over the next few years, or may- be a balanced Parliament with a period of hammered compro- mise will be the outcome. Have a great month… DT The GDPUK online community this month likens the aviation industry to dentistry. Tony Jacobs explains GDPUK round-up About the author Tony Jacobs, 52 is a GDP in the suburbs of Manchester, in prac- tice with partner Steve Lazarus at 406Den- tal (www.406dental. com). He has had roles in his LDC, local BDA and with the annual conference of LDCs, and is a local dental adviser for Dental Protection. Nowadays, he concentrates on GDPUK, the web group for UK dentists to discuss their profession online, www.gdpuk.com. Tony founded this group in 1997 which now has around 7,000 unique visitors per month, who make 35,000 visits and generate more than a million pages on the site per month. Tony is sure GD- PUK.com is the liveliest and most topi- cal UK dental website.