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T V presenter Kelly Osbourne has revealed her dental phobia on her Twitter page. The daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne tweet- ed: ‘I have to go get my filling today and the fear is re- ally really kicking in. I need to get over this fear of the dentist but I can’t!’ Kelly is not alone in her phobia, as other celebrities such as Robert De Niro are known to be frightened of the dentist chair. A recent survey conducted by the British Dental Health Foundation discovered that one in four people do not visit a dentist due to dental phobia. Chief Executive of the Foundation, Dr Nigel Cart- er, said: “Dentists recognise that many patients have this phobia, and therefore try to cater to that person’s needs. Our aim is to make regular dental check-ups an acceptable part of everyday life for everyone.” DT A research summit for oral and dental researchers has called for changes in the way dental research is car- ried out. Delegates from institutions across the United Kingdom highlighted a number of steps that must be taken to build on current successes, including closer collaboration with other researchers such as chemists and materials scientists, better engagement with funding bod- ies and the public, and refocus- ing research activity on quality rather than quantity. The research summit, which was organised by Prof Paul Speight, president of the British Society for Oral and Dental Re- search (BSODR), was held at Sheffield University. It attracted 60 leading fig- ures from dental research across the United Kingdom in- cluding representatives of every United Kingdom dental school, the Faculty of General Den- tal Practice, the Cochrane Oral Health Group and the Depart- ment of Health. The speakers were Prof Stephen Holgate from the Medical Research Council, Prof David Williams, presi- dent of the International As- socia-tion of Dental Research, Prof Mike Curtis, immediate past president of BSODR, and Prof Jimmy Steele from New- castle University. The event was sponsored by the British Dental Association (BDA), BSDOR and the National Institute for Health Research. A full strategy with detailed proposals for next steps will now be developed by the BSDOR. DT New strategy is required for dental research T heGeneralDentalCouncil (GDC) is looking for fifty new Fitness to Practise panel members. The GDC is hoping to attract applications from den- tists, dental care professionals and lay people. Fitness to Practise panel members play a vital role in the GDC’s work to protect patients. The GDC has the power to take action by either removing or restricting a dental professional’s registration if they fall short of the high standards expected. The panel members will sit in public hearings and can consider cases where a reg- istrant’s fitness to practise may be impaired due to their health, conduct or performance, as well as applications for res- toration to the registers and ap- peals against registration deci- sions. Most hearings take place in London. The recruitment process is being led by the GDC’s Appoint- ments Committee. Chair Bronwen Curtis called it an ‘exciting opportunity’ and said: “We want to give people as much time as possible to think about whether this is the right role for them. All applicants will be considered on their in- dividual skills and experience. We especially hope to hear from dental care professionals who traditionally have been less like- ly to apply for this kind of role with the GDC.” The Fitness to Practise Com- mittee is currently made up of 75 panel members: 38 dentists, 22 lay people and 15 Dental Care Professionals (DCPs). It is a part-time role, with members sitting for around 20 days a year. They are paid £353 a day and are reimbursed their expenses. Interest can be registered by emailing csecretary@gdc-uk. org. Information will also be published on www.gdc-uk.org once the recruitment period of- ficially opens in June. DT GDC seeking Fitness to Practise panel members Celebrities with dental phobia Kelly Osbourne: “Fear is really kicking in” Poster advertising the new film I n case you haven’t heard, the Tooth Fairy has had a Hol- lywood makeover! Denplan is delighted to be a promotional partner of the latest children’s blockbuster starring Dwayne Johnson (formerly known as The Rock) and Julie Andrews. The movie launched in cinemas on 28 May and you can see a preview at www.toothfairymovie.co.uk “As a national consumer fac- ing brand with a network of around 6,500 member dentists treating approximately 1.8 million patients, Twentieth Century Fox recognised the benefit of Denplan being a promotional partner to the movie,” said Sarah Bradbury, Denplan’s Marketing Communi- cations and Brand Manager. “Our nationwide campaign has been designed to support the launch of the movie and to high- light the benefits of good oral health for children in a fun and engaging way, as well as sup- porting dentists and private den- tistry and the Denplan brand.” Family competitions in as- sociation with Twentieth Cen- tury Fox are currently featuring across key regional press. Prizes include a weekend break for four with tickets to see an Elite Ice Hockey League game plus fam- ily movie tickets, private movie screenings and movie-themed goodie bags. “We’ve also teamed up with Philips and Colgate to create free and valuable dental kits as reader offers that will appear in selected regional press nation- wide. The aim is to raise aware- ness of good oral healthcare, as well as creating opportunities for practice teams to promote their products and services by driving patients directly into their prac- tices,” added Sarah. At a regional level, this con- sumer campaign also provides Denplan members with an ex- clusive opportunity to promote their practices and their Tooth Fairy events in the local press. The media love an excuse to feature Hollywood news and celebrity imagery, making any release relating to the movie ex- tremely appealing. “To ensure our member den- tists and their teams get the most from this campaign, we’ve pre- pared a host of themed materials exclusively for Denplan mem- bers. These include our Tooth Fairy Movie PR Toolkit, com- plete with dual branded posters, stickers and activity sheets plus sample press releases. By par- ticipating, our members can highlight to patients the added value of being associated with their practice as well as educat- ing younger patients and their parents on the benefits of looking after their teeth.” DT Tooth Fairy boosts oral health message June 7-13, 20104 News United Kingdom Edition