Dealing with teething in children
It is commonly believed that teething in infants can cause various signs and symptoms. This article reviews the evidence for the various suggested signs and symptoms as well as suggested remedies
All Dental essentials
Dental treatment for patients with bleeding disorders
Patients with bleeding disorders present particular challenges to the dental team in providing dental treatment. This article aims to describe the common causes of bleeding problems and discuss the role of the dental team in planning and delivering safe and effective dental care
Take a seat: choosing an operator chair
Several types of dental operator chair are available, and the correct choice not only makes work more comfortable but also can prevent musculoskeletal problems. When a practice decides to buy new chairs for surgery staff, dental nurses need to be involved in the discussions
This train has already departed
It's January and everyone is thinking about the upcoming year and what opportunities this year may bring. So what's in store for dental nurses in 2013 and how can you get involved more in supporting your profession?
Advancing practice in dental nursing. Part 3: feedback
This series of articles is designed to help you explore and develop your dental nursing practice. This article, the third in the series, explores the ‘dos and don'ts of giving and receiving feedback
Looking back and looking forward
Over the last 5 years there have been a considerable number of changes in dentistry that have irreversibly altered the course of the profession. Sam Ball looks at these changes, and predicts their impact on the future of the industry
Ulcers: causes, identification and management
What are mouth ulcers? How are they identified and what advice should patients be given? Ulcers are uncomfortable, have a number of causes and may be a sign of an underlying condition. They also give dental teams opportunities to build relationships with patients
Managing the risk of sensitisation to latex
Healthcare staff with a high occupational exposure to latex gloves, such as dental care professionals, have a higher than average incidence of latex allergies. Aleks Kinay outlines the types of allergic sensitization to natural rubber latex and measures to reduce the risk of exposure in health servi
Key players in prevention encounters
This article describes how preventive encounters in dental practice can be most effective if each of the characters involved play their part. It describes the attitudes, knowledge and skills that an optimally effective clinical team need to have and what patients may bring to preventive encounters
How to deal with conflict in the dental practice
We all work in a dental organisation of some sort, some big and some small, and it is a fact of life that when people work together, there will be conflict from time to time. This article explains how to manage conflict, improve communication skills and develop conflict resolution skills
Eye protection for patients and professionals
Dental care professionals and patients need their eyes protected against body fluids, chemicals, fragments of objects and other substances. Different types of eye protection are available, and practitioners can have complex requirements when it comes to safety glasses
Children’s oral health: in practice and at home
Dental decay is the most common preventable childhood disease. Oral health educator for the British Dental Health Foundation, Karen Coates, discusses the importance of establishing good oral health routines for children and why encouraging parents should be top of the priority list
Dental nurses: fit for practise?
Do dental nurses really understand what it means to be on the Register of Dental Care Professionals?
Electric toothbrushes: what’s on the market?
The sale of electric toothbrushes is increasing. With such a wide range on the market, how do dental care professionals advise patients which product to purchase? This article looks at the factors that might influence your advice concerning electric toothbrush selection
Oral discomfort in palliative care: results of an exploratory study
An exploratory qualitative study was undertaken with the aim of examining oral discomfort from the perspective of terminally ill patients. Interviews focusing on the experiences and perceptions of oral discomfort and effects on day-to-day functioning among 14 palliative care patients were conducted
