Caroline Holland

Dentistry requires teamwork for best results

Teamwork is essential to efficiency and excellent patient care. This article examines the growing emphasis on teamwork in dentistry and features the experiences of dental nurses from two practices which have won awards for their success in ensuring that every staff member has an evolving role.

Talking CODE: enabling progress

The CODE Association for Dental Practice provide management modules for dental teams to help practice managers guide their teams in a professional and efficient way.

Anaphylactic reactions and infective endocarditis

In the past, there has been discussion among the dental profession about the best way to handle patients at risk of infective endocarditis. Although guidance from NICE has made the situation clearer, each patient, and their medical history, must be dealt with on an individual basis.

The dental profession's response to swine flu

Although the numbers of people developing swine flu are now decreasing, there are fears that they will escalate again in the winter months. Caroline Holland reviews how the dental profession has responded to the pandemic and looks at its preparations for future outbreaks

The dental nurse as guardian angel

The routine responsibility for chaperoning clinicians and patients singles out the dental nurse from all other health care assistants. Caroline Holland investigates this role.

Piloting extended duties for dental nurses

Scotland and part of the North West of England are leading the way in identifying new roles for dental nurses in oral health promotion schemes. Dental nurses in Scotland are going to nursery schools to apply fluoride varnish to children’s teeth as part of the pioneering Childsmile programme. The scheme will shortly be extended to enable dental nurses to be trained to apply fluoride varnish in Childsmile dental practices.

The dental nurse's role: beyond definition

What exactly does a dental nurse do? I am sure most of you have a ready answer to this question and it will probably be a long list. I decided some while ago that I would answer the question in order to come up with a definition, and a neat summary of the role.

In times of trouble: professional indemnity

This feature has been written in response to reader requests, and in it Caroline Holland provides outline information on the confusing topic of professional indemnity.

Professional recognition is one thing, paid time off work is another...

The profile of dental nurses is improving, there is no doubt about it. Just consider that the General Dental Councils (GDC) communications team have been emailing regional newspapers with the news that a dental nurse from that papers area is among the first on the Dental Care Professional register. And news editors are publishing the information. All dental nurses benefit from the kind of awareness-raising the GDC is undertaking. Then there is the Dental Nursing ‘Value Dental Nurses More’ campaign. I have seen our stickers all over – from Harley Street in Londons West End to the wilds of North Norfolk when I was on holiday. Furthermore, a number of MPs have asked to be kept informed of the next steps in the campaign. The wind of change is definitely blowing.

Money = power and influence

I am going to tackle the puzzling subject of money and how it is spent in dental practices and hospital departments. I have to confess I feel like I am walking on eggshells. Why? Because there is a theory – or should I call it a myth? – that dental nurses have no influence at all on the buying decisions of the dentists or managers they work for. What is your reaction to this? Mine was complete amazement.