Stanley Gelbier

Barriers to the use of dental services by individuals from minority ethnic communities living in the United Kingdom: findings from focus groups.

Objective To describe the barriers identified by individuals from minority ethnic communities resident in the United Kingdom to their use of dental services. Method Focus group discussions were held with individuals from minority ethnic groups. Data were analysed using the technique of content analysis on the basis of categories defined by the researchers. Findings Barriers to regular attendance identified by participants included: language, a mistrust of dentists, cost, anxiety, cultural misunderstandings, concern about standards of hygiene. The type of barrier identified differed between ethnic groups, though mistrust of dentists was common to all groups. Conclusions The findings confirm previous research identifying barriers to the use of dental services. However, for the first time in the United Kingdom, it has been suggested that the nature of the perceived barriers varies across ethnic groups. These findings have implications for attempts to increase use of dental services among individuals from minority ethnic communities.

Tooth Decay in Alcohol Abusers Compared to Alcohol and Drug Abusers

Alcohol and drug abuse are detrimental to general and oral health. Though we know the effects of these harmful habits on oral mucosa, their independent and combined effect on the dental caries experience is unknown and worthy of investigation. We compared 363 “alcohol only” abusers to 300 “alcohol and drug” abusers to test the hypothesis that various components of their dental caries experience are significantly different due to plausible sociobiological explanations. After controlling for the potential confounders, we observe that the “alcohol and drug” group had a 38% higher risk of having decayed teeth compared to the “alcohol only” group (P < .05). As expected, those who belonged to a higher social class (OR = 1.98; 95%  CI = 1.43–2.75) and drank wine (OR = 1.85; 95%  CI = 1.16–2.96) had a higher risk of having more filled teeth. We conclude that the risk of tooth decay among “alcohol only” abusers is significantly lower compared to “alcohol and drug” abusers.

Fluoride content of alcoholic beverages.

BACKGROUND In view of the conflicting reports of the extent and severity of dental caries in alcohol misusing subjects, a systematic survey of the fluoride content of alcoholic beverages was undertaken. RESULTS The fluoride content of beverages varied widely particularly if non-UK European products were considered. CONCLUSIONS Beers brewed in locations with high fluoride water levels may contribute significantly to the daily fluoride intake, particularly in alcohol misusing subjects and this may contribute to alcohol-associated bone disease.

Oral and dental health in the alcohol misuser.

This review explores the relationship between oral and dental health and disease in substance misusers. Although it focuses on oral cancer, we also examine the relationship of misuse with dental caries and periodontal diseases. It is difficult to separate out the inter‐related aetiological factors such as the use of alcohol and tobacco (smoked and chewed). They probably act in a synergistic manner.

Dental witness seminars: dentistry in the UK since 1948

Witness seminars attempt to get behind the scenes of advances and developments to find out what really happened at certain times; they are not intended to provide a detailed history of events. This paper presents highlights from the five John McLean Archive witness seminars, providing an instructional collection of memories and insights into the world of dentistry in the UK since the late 1940s. It is concluded that future change will be seen as a welcome constant to be used for the benefit of the profession and the patients and communities it serves.

Enid Muriel Spencer

came to London at the age of four. She attended the Mary Datchelor Girls School in Camberwell before progressing to London University’s Westfield College in Hampstead to study classics. In her final year Muriel decided on librarianship as a career. After gaining her Bachelor of Arts degree with honours she worked for 15 months at the National Central Library, later part of the British Library. There followed a year’s postgraduate study at University College London’s School of Librarianship and Archives. Next came a month spent at the library of St Mary’s Medical School followed by nine years the Royal Society of Medicine. At the end of 1965 Muriel joined the BDA at its old headquarters in Hill Street. She immediately put her mark on the library. It was just in time to prepare for the move to Wimpole Street, badly needed as much of the library stock was stored in boxes in cupboards and in the cellar. Her vision and drive brought the BDA’s library into the twentieth century, vastly increasing the stock of books and special packages while developing new services for members. Muriel served on a number of committees. An important one was the British Library’s Advisory Group for the Provision and Use of Medical Literature and the Board of the International Endodontic Journal. She contributed a chapter on dental literature to Lesley Morton’s The Use of Medical Literature. In 1972 Muriel became secretary of the Lindsay Club (forerunner of the Lindsay Society), a post she occupied until 1980. Even then she stayed on the committee for a further year while Ronald Alban Cohen, the eminent dental historian, was still the chairman. During this time she became secretary of a working group chaired by Ronald which drew together the wellrespected centenary history of the BDA.1 In 1981 Muriel married Ronald Cohen, retired from the BDA and went to live in Leamington Spa. In doing so she gained three stepchildren. In 1984 Muriel Cohen became the first female and first non-dentist chairman of the Lindsay Club, remaining until 1986. In 1977 Muriel was awarded a welldeserved MBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to the BDA library. It was received on 23 March from Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at an investiture at Buckingham Palace. Muriel had many non-dental interests. Her Christian faith meant a lot to her and she was a committed Anglican. Music was also important and she sang in the City of London Choir. She was a member of the National Trust and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and enjoyed visiting museums and art galleries. Muriel was predeceased by Ronald, who died in November 2001. She is survived by John Cohen and his sisters, Margaret Ann Cohen and Jennifer Susan Tallamy. Stanley Gelbier

John Herbert Hovell (1910-1988), TD, MRCS, LRCP, FRCS, FDSRCS (Eng), FFD (Ire), DOrth.

When the author studied at the Royal Dental Hospital from 1957 to 1961, John Hovell was a highly respected teacher and consultant, very popular with both patients and undergraduates. Hovell uniquely practised two widely different specialties at consultant level: oral surgery and orthodontics. Moreover, his story is one of a great dental clinician, a dental politician and a charismatic and caring man.

Sydney William Garne LDS RCS FRGS (1875-1946): founding president of the Ceylon Dental Association.

This paper follows the life of Sydney Garne, from qualification as a dentist in London through a short visit to South Africa, to a lifetime of professional service in Ceylon. There he was the first non-medically qualified dentist to enrol on the Dentists Register. Then he became the founder-President of the Ceylon Dental Association which he ensured was based on the British association. The responsibilities of that post remained on his shoulders for 10 years; all the time he ran a thriving practice and had a happy family life, including a stepson of whom he was proud.