DTUK1510

Well, anyone who reads my missives at all will know how rubbish I am at pre- dicting things! Last time I confidently predicted that Paul Burstow would be the minister responsible for dentistry, and no sooner had the ink dried on the pages, then Earl Howe was named minister! Of course, there had had to be a modification to this respon- sibility, with Ann Milton being tasked with fluoridation issues. DT hopes to speak to Earl Howe soon and find out his views on the issues facing dentistry, so watch this space. As I write this, dentists up and down the country will be di- gesting the article in this morn- ing’s Times, claiming that a ris- ing number of dentists in the UK are more interested in extraction and artificial restoration than using techniques such as endo- dontics to save natural dentition. Shame on that reporter, I hear you cry, but the claims are be- ing made by fellow clinician and endodontist Dr Julian Web- ber. According to the article, Dr Webber states that “Good old-fashioned dentistry stand- ards seem to be disappearing, with some dentists removing teeth that could be root treated and rebuilt. Preserving a tooth is technical and demanding. The alternatives, such as put- ting in an implant, can also be tricky, but some dentists prefer them because they are more lucrative.” If you get the chance, read the article (http://www. timesonline.co.uk/tol/ life_and_style/health/ article7141227.ece) and let me know your thoughts on it. 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 Something to smile about? ‘ ‘ msc_ad_source_uk.pdf 1 03/08/2009 15:21:59 T housands of dental busi- nesses could benefit from many of the measures in the coalition agreement between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, according to the Forum of Private Business. The Forum believes moves to cut red tape, impose ‘sunset clauses’ on regulations and re- view employment law will all be welcomed by small to medium- sized dental enterprises (SMEs). Forum head of policy, Mat- thew Goodman said: “I’m sure this document will come as a breath of fresh air to many small business owners. In many ways, it reads like a ‘wish list’ of things the Forum has been demanding for several years. We’re also encouraged by the coalition’s pledge to evaluate the fairness of employment legisla- tion, and its impact on Britain’s competitiveness. Many small business owners believe employ- ment law is grossly skewed in fa- vour of the employee – the need for a more fair and balanced ap- proach is something the Forum has repeatedly highlighted.’ However, he added, “The challenge now is for the Govern- ment to translate these inten- tions into real, practical changes to the business environment, without simply creating more state bureaucracy and unneces- sary compliance costs at a time when many small businesses are still struggling.” DT Business benefits 3NewsJune 7-13, 2010United Kingdom Edition