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O ne of the first general dental practitioners to become a six-month smile provider will be giving a presentation on Short Term Or- thodontics in Birmingham. Dr Anoop Maini will be giv- ing the lecture in September to British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Study Club members in Birmingham. In line with the current trend for conservative cos- metic dentistry, Dr Maini will be explaining how GDPs can realistically utilise STO within their practice, outlining its strengths and limitations, as well as how it differs from the objectives of Comprehensive Orthodontics. Dr Maini will also advise GDPs on how to identify patients within their practice who might benefit from STO treatment, as well as how to inform candidate patients about the different components of the six-month smile system. The presentation, entitled Re- alistic, Fast, Fixed Cosmetic Or- thodontics for GDPs, will take place on 16 September at James Hull & Associates in Birming- ham at 7pm and will be fol- lowed by a question and answer session. Tickets for members cost £25. Non-members are also welcome. DT A new website has been set up to recruit 50 new Fitness to Practise panel members to the General Dental Council (GDC). The GDC wants dental pro- fessionals to get involved and play a key role in their work in protecting patients. The panel members will sit in pub- lic hearings and consider cases where a registrant’s fitness to practise may be impaired due to their health, conduct or per- formance, as well as appli- cations for restoration to the registers and appeals against registration decisions. Chair of the GDC, Alison Lockyer called it an ‘opportunity to make a real difference’. She said: “We welcome applicants from all walks of life. We’ll pro- vide induction and regular train- ing for successful candidates. “So please take a moment to consider whether you – or someone you know – could be the sort of person we’re looking for. “Weknowthatdentalcarepro- fessionals traditionally haven’t put themselves forward for these roles and we’re trying to reverse that trend in particu- lar. The competencies required may look daunting, but includ- ing simple examples from your daily life at home, at work or any voluntary or community groups in your application is of- ten enough to demonstrate that you meet them. “I also hope that people will be encouraged by reading about the experiences of our current FtP panel members.” Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following competencies: working within a legislative framework, ana- lytical and decision-making skills, collaborative and profes- sional communication skills, in- tegrity and valuing diversity and team work. The Fitness to Practise Com- mittee is currently made up of 75 panel members. There are 38 dentists, 22 lay people and 15 dental care professionals on the Committee. They are paid £353 a day and are reimbursed their expenses. It is a part-time role, with members sitting for around 20 days a year and members are al- located to a particular hearing well in advance. DT New GDC panel website launched P atients can now see through computer imag- ing how cosmetic dent- istry can transform their teeth, before they undergo the procedure. Many people are self-con- scious about their teeth and their smile, but are hesitant to agree to cosmetic dentistry because they’re unsure of the results. A new computer system called Smilevision allows the dentist to use a digital video camera to capture an image of the patient’s teeth. That image is then sent electronically to the Smilevision Laboratories. The inventor, Dr Lawrence Brooks, and his team of experts alter the image and reconstruct the teeth via computer, taking into account the patient’s con- cerns, yellowing, uneven teeth, for example, or teeth that are too far apart or too small. In about a week, the patient receives before and after photo- graphs at home showing what his or her teeth could look like after cosmetic procedures. Smilevision is different from other kinds of computer imaging in that it uses the patient’s own teeth in the after images. Surrey dentist, Dr Eben van der Walt, from Portmore Dental Office in Weybridge, is among the first to have the new system. He said: “For years we spent hours explaining what the op- tions were and how a patient’s teeth could look, but it was hard for them to visualise. Now, we can show them definitively what the results will be. “The patients are able to re- ally know how they’ll look, and they get excited.” DT Computer imaging shows patient new smile A new NHS dental practice opening in Hampshire is to take on more than 8,000 new patients. The new practice is opening in the Fareham area at the end of July. Julia Bagshaw, associate director for primary care com- missioning for NHS Hamp- shire, said: “We are committed to increasing the number of NHS dental places for Hamp- shire residents and are re- ally pleased that this practice is opening in Fareham. The new practice means we now have 189 contracts for NHS dental services in place across Hampshire and currently 44 of these are taking on new NHS patients.” Appointments will be avail- able in batches over the next few months. People are be- ing told not to turn up at the dental practice without an appointment. “The practice will not be able to accept patients who go directly to them, either in per- son or on the phone,” added Ms Bagshaw. DT Practice to take 8,000 patients Short-term Ortho lecture New practice to open in Fareham, Hampshire June 28-July 4, 20104 News United Kingdom Edition