Parking a Problem?

Many of you will have seen the piece about parking in the town centre in this week's Leamington version of the Courier and I have been quite staggered by the reaction. I believe Augusta Place is an excellent location for our dental centre as we are close to the enough to the centre of town to ensure that our patients to combine a visit to the dentist with a visit to the shops. One is probably more enjoyable than the other, and I am not a fan of shopping!

We are reliant on people being able to get into town ands we are fortunate to have on-street parking just outside the door, a street-level car park between Augusta Place and Bedford Street, as well as the St Peter's multi-storey car park at the end of the road. However, there have been discussions about the possible redevelopment of the street-level car park, but it is the recent decision to dramatically increase the car park charges that has really caused people to comment. In isolation the charges are probably not a barrier to people coming into town, but as part of "it all adds up", they simply increase the burden on everyone.

It will be interesting to see how our little campaign develops, but if we can ease an ever-increasing load on our patients just a little, then it has been a success.

Would You Tell A Friend?

Halitosis, or ‘oral malodour’ or simply ‘bad breath’ is a remarkably common condition and surveys indicate that it affects between 22% and 50% of the population worldwide – that is millions of people. Even so, it is the elephant in the room and no-one wants to talk about it, but it is the third most common reason for going to see a dentist, after tooth decay and gum disease. It does have a significant impact both personally and socially on those who suffer from it, or believe they suffer from it.

In the majority of cases (85-90%), the ‘bad breath’ originates from the mouth, partly a result of the presence of certain bacteria in the mouth and partly from their reaction with certain foodstuffs. The bacteria in the mouth have a role at the start of the digestive process, but on occasions these bacteria can react with certain foodstuffs to produce volatile sulphur compounds and it is these compounds that produce the characteristic odour. Often the malodour is worse in the morning as the saliva in the mouth dries out and the bacteria and proteins have longer to interact – remember only 53% of the population brush their teeth morning and night

The first stage of treatment is the most difficult and that is coming in to see the dentist and ask the question about halitosis. Once you are over that hurdle, treatment can be extremely simple; the first step is to minimise the amount of bacteria present, this may involve a professional cleaning with the dentist or hygienist to remove all of the calculus or tartar. Most importantly it is refining your tooth brushing technique to reach that gold standard; here electric toothbrushes are excellent as they usually have a built-in 2 minute timer to ensure the teeth are cleaned properly. For some people a simple tongue scraper is really good to minimise the reservoir of bacteria that are present on top of the tongue.

Mouthwashes are often advocated as a way of overcoming halitosis, but in reality most do little more that mask the smell and they are no substitute for brushing your teeth. However, there are now some new and exciting products emerging and CB12 works by actually neutralising and preventing the formation of the volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs).

The ingredients in CB12, zinc and chlorhexidine, eliminate VSCs from exhaled air, thus preventing bad breath. CB12 uses zinc acetate to neutralise and prevent the production of VSCs. Zinc ions bind to the VSCs, and in this way prevent and reduce bad breath. Zinc has a particular affinity for binding to hydrogen sulphide. Zinc ions in a solution interact with sulphur to form insoluble sulphides that do not smell.

Now you have got something to tell your friend.......

Useful Website:
www.cb12.co.uk

4 minutes a day

At the start of every year, a lot of resolutions are made and then rapidly broken. The majority of these resolutions will relate to improving the body image, so there is an increase in gym membership (although not attendance past January), adoption of the latest diet and attempts to cut back, or more ambitiously, eliminate smoking and alcohol. However, the simplest thing we can resolve to do and make the world a better place is just smile a bit more. We can all improve on our smile by brushing the teeth twice a day for two minutes each time – just 4 minutes a day.

I would like to think that this is ‘old news’ and everyone knows this, but surveys tell us that the average time spent brushing the teeth is just 40 seconds and only 52% of the population brush their teeth twice a day. I am now a fan of electric toothbrushes as they have a built in timer and you feel really guilty if don’t complete the full 2 minutes. I used to think that electric brushes were a bit of an indulgence but there is now evidence to suggest that everyone will brush their teeth more effectively with an electric brush as opposed to a manual brush. Everyone using the conventional manual brush will improve their brushing by timing their brushing and bringing in an egg timer into the bath room – just 4 minutes a day.

Enquiries about tooth whitening always increase in January and people are always keen to explore all the options. Traditionally the choices have been limited to home whitening with trays or surgery with the stronger whitening gel. Home whitening can be very effective as a gentle gel is applied to the teeth over a prolonged period of time. However, many patients don’t like the impressions, using the trays or the requirement for repeated applications. Surgery whitening uses a stronger gel and the appointments usually last about 90 minutes; however, even though the results can be unpredictable, it is not possible to use the stronger gel for prolonged applications because possible sensitivity problems.

We are now pleased to offer the new Wy10 Get2SmileTM ‘Laser’ Home Whitening Kit. The Get2Smile Kit is designed for patients who prefer to carry out whitening at a time and place best suited to them. This is an alternative to the tray system with a nice twist. It is a complete whitening solution that does not require taking impressions. It can be prescribed by a dentist straight after a consultation. It eliminates the need for impressions and a tray-fitting second appointment, saving dentists’ and patients’ time. It is simple to use and comes with clear instructions and illustrations. The Get2Smile is a lower power and simpler version of a chairside system – surgery whitening at home. A new whiter smile for the New Year.

Progress and Changes

We are fast approaching out first anniversary at Augusta Dental Centre and what a fantastic year it has been. However, the pursuit of excellence continues and we are going to introduce a couple of changes.

I am particularly pleased to welcome Dr Sheila Glaze to the practice, who is a trained, general and cosmetic dental surgeon, with over 20 year’s experience, Sheila is expert in the physiology of the head. As a consequence facial aesthetics has been a very natural professional progression. Over a number of years and following extensive training in Harley Street, she has been accredited and has undertaken many procedures including Botox, Restylane Perlane, Sculptra, Isolagen and Chemical Peels.

The second change will see the introduction of the Denplan Scheme to our practice. Denplan is an award winning payment plan specialist; it is a preventive programme, with a special emphasis on prevention through advice, therapy, counselling and regular attendance. Membership covers a range of options and plans, which are listed on our website (www.augustadental.co.uk). Denplan offers numerous advantages but one of the key features is the Supplemental Insurance that includes out of hours cover, 24 hour emergency helpline when away from home and worldwide emergency cover. I should stress that there has not been an increase in the fees and we now have a Membership option that includes the Supplemental Insurance from only £3.69.

As we approach our first anniversary, it would be easy to sit back and reflect on what we have achieved so far. I would rather continue to strive for excellence and look forward to what we can to improve our services. Roll on 2011.

A Whiter X Factor

I must confess that I am not a regular follower of the ups and downs of the X-Factor television programme, but I was fascinated to read that as the show enters the final stages, some of the contestants are rushing out to get their teeth whitened. Clearly a white, confident smile is an essential part of the all-important image package, but why is this the case? Image and how you see yourself in front of others is crucial to your self-confidence, which has to be paramount for any performer. You can’t go up on stage and try and hide your smile, as your smile is an essential way of expressing yourself, and how you feel, and you can’t perform without that emotion. At one extreme you have the at least one of the X Factor judges who has had extensive dental work done; the net result is a brilliantly white smile, which looks a bit false. At the other end there are aged rockers who are infamous for their lack of teeth. In between are the rest of us, who want a natural-looking and lovely smile for those all-important first impressions.

Research has shown that colour is the most important factor in determining the attractiveness of a smile. Tooth whitening is a quick, safe, painless procedure that restores the natural colour of the teeth with no structural change to the teeth.

Smile and give yourself your very own X Factor boost.

Useful Websites
http://www.augustadental.co.uk/dental-treatments-warwickshire-dentist/tooth-whitening-leamington-spa-dentistry.html

http://wy10.com/

Crooked Teeth and Newspapers

It is always interesting when dentistry hits the news, well as a dentist it is sometimes interesting how stories are portrayed. This weekend I had a 'features' article pushed under my nose about using clear braces to straighten crooked teeth and the newspaper made mention of the television series 'Ugly Betty'. I am told that the title partly refers to her ugly metal braces. Orthodontics, which is the movement of teeth to the correct position, has made some tremendous advances over the past few years. As a student, admitedly a little while ago, I only saw one adult patient, but now I am seeing people in their 60s for treatment with clear braces. The more conventional metal braces are still important, but in certain cases we are able to move the teeth using clear braces such as Invisalign, which has even been mentioned in 'Ugly Betty'.

Invisalign can be used to treat upper and lower arches to close spaces between teeth and to help overcome crowding of the teeth. The key features of Invisalign are:

Invisible, no-one will know that you are in treatment
Removable, eating drinking and cleaning don’t present any problems
Comfortable, no brackets or wires.
Convenient, shorter and less frequent appointments.
Teeth remain intact and natural

We do offer a free consultation to assess suitability for treatment with clear braces and answer any questions you may have about the treatment.

The next bit of news was BBC Radio's Chris Evans' newspaper review that included a pievce on the importance of good toothbrushing for a healthy body. As we enter 'National Smile Month' we tend to focus on importance of a confident smile, but the start point always has to be a healthy smile.

Keep smiling

Denture Problems

This week's hot topic seems to be dentures and problems with dentures. The loss of teeth can create all sorts of difficult functional, aesthetic and emotional problems, so it is probably no coincidence the one of the common recurring nightmares is teeth falling out. One of the great driving forces to seek dental treatment is the desire to avoid dentures - teeth in a jar by the bed is the stuff of nightmares for most people. But I gather that there has been an increase in the number of acrylic dentures under the NHS contract.

I am amazed by the resilience of people and how they will struggle on with dentures that don't fit and and don't stay in place. There seems to be a perception that dentures are a thing of the past but it is estimated that by 2038, 6% of the UK population will have no teeth at all, that will be millions of people. People are living longer and whilst at my age this incredibly good news, it does mean that denture wearers will also have complex medical issues.

What does all this mean? Dentures are going to be around for a long time and we going to need to our utmost to help these patients. Fortunately we now have modern techniques such as mini implants which are design to help stabilise and retain dentures at a fraction of of the cost of more conventional implants. More importantly it is a huge leap in the quality of life for the denture-wearer. This week someone told me they had not be able to bite into an apple for over 20 years since they lost their teeth. I can't wait to get started and I will have a Cox's Orange Pippin all lined up.

Night Shift

It has been an excellent month of progress at Augusta Dental Centre; however, I am not suggesting we need to work all night! Night Shift is a new orthodontic system that means you can straighten your teeth by simply wearing something at night. We are just starting our first cases so it is all jolly exciting and I will let you know how we get on.

It is one of the many treatment options now available to us and there are so many things we can do to improve someone's smile and make them feel better about themslves. It is a great time to be a dentist; we have a nice set-up in Leamington, a great team and I really enjoy going into work each day.

We have now been open for a couple of months, although the holidays and the weather have had an impact. I am keen to say “now the frost and snow has gone”, but every time I get close it starts to sleet once again. Anyway it has been quite a brisk start; Vickie and Clare have been getting to grips with our clinical protocols, whilst Elaine and Kathy are sorting out all the administration. It is really refreshing to work with such a keen and enthusiastic team.

Even though we have only been open for a short while, we are already expanding and next month Dr Sven Steinborn will be joining us. Sven and I have been chatting away for a few months and he really is a lovely chap who truly believes and supports the practice ethos and vision. He is registered with the General Dental Council as a ‘Specialist in Oral Surgery’, he has also completed his MSc in Periodontology (gum disease), and I am delighted that he will be bringing his considerable skill and experience to Augusta Dental Centre.

In line with our ‘New Year, New Smile’ plans we have reduced the fees for the Wy10 surgery whitening from £450 to £250; similarly home whitening is reduced from £199 to £99, although this is free for everyone on the Privilege Plan scheme. The response to our competition in the Courier has been fantastic and the lucky winner will be featured in the paper early next month. Those who have been working hard in the gym at LA Fitness in Warwick will have seen our new advert, which will soon be added to the website.

It has been a brilliant start and on those rare occasions when the sun has been shining, the building and everyone in it really lights up. There is still plenty of work to be done, but it is wonderful to be able to get up and smile because “I am going the dentist’s today!”

We Are Open

It has finally happened and we are actually open, yes the doors are open and we are now treating patients. Strangely enough, after such a long lead time, the first day was a relatively quiet affair; I think we were all just glad to finally start caring for real people. Of course, this is just phase one and the upper floors still have the feel of an unfinished building site, but it is a significant start.

As expected the first day did present a few minor technical issues; this is hardly surprising as a modern dental surgery is a pretty high tech environment and that is without all the supporting digital IT equipment, both telephones and computers. This also means that there is quite a lot of information and technology for the new team to grasp, but Kathy and Elaine have made a great start.

It was a long and difficult journey, not helped by the ongoing financial situation, but with tremendous help from my friends and family the dream has become a reality.We have a great team in place and it all feels just right and I can now focus on delivering the highest standards of dental care. Excellent.

At long last we have a planned opening date - 15 December 2009 and the appointment book is now open. The telephone number (0844 375 6505) has been activated and the email address (info@augustadental.co.uk) is now live. We are going through the training for the new (well everything is new) dental management software and the first appointment is in the book.

It has taken a while, far, far longer than I could have ever imagined, but the practice is starting to look really good, but goodness me it has been a frustrating few weeks. This is purely because I can physically see the realisation of my dreams and vision, so I am desperately keen to start. One of the sheer joys of working with people like Adam Brian, the builder, and Jenny and Lou from New Spaces is their attention to detail and perfectionists take a bit more time.

There is so much going on at the moment that it is almost impossible to stop my head spinning, but we are nearly there. I have really enjoyed going through all the treatment options we will be offering, from mini implant to Invisalign, all exciting stuff. Only days to go – can’t wait!

The Builders Are In!

It really is happening, the builders have started work and we are making real progress. It is an unusual blend of excitement and fear at the moment. I find it difficult to envisage the final result as everywhere has been knocked about and everything is covered in a fine film of dust.

I still plan to be open on 09 November but there seems to be an awful lot of work to do before then. I have been quite surprised by the number of people involved in the whole process. Even before the building works started I had to deal with architects, surgery designers, equipment suppliers, building control officers, as well as delving into an absolute myriad of regulations. Having completed that lot, it doesn't get any less complex when we get down to actually putting all the plans into effect. It requires an amazing amount of coordination, but it has been made so much easier by having some excellent chaps to work with, so thanks to Adam, John, Steve and Rob.

Brilliant, only 32 days to go and counting!

Opening Day - 9 Nov 09

At last the most important date for the past year is in the diary - we will be open on Monday 9th November. Absolutely fantastic news and a huge sense of relief, but, quite obviously we are not there yet and there is a tremendous amount of hardwork to be done yet, but we have a start date.

Hopefully I have done enough preparatory work to ensure there are no more surprises; I have certainly had to wait long enough. The light at the end of the tunnel is switched on and burning brightly.

Holiday Time

I am delighted to report that we have made a physical start on the refurbishment and have had a busy couple of weekends scraping wallpaper. I say "we" because Elaine, Alice, Guy, Mum and Dad have been absolutely brilliant and particular thanks to Mum and Dad who have taken to the project with real enthusiasm.

I am looking forward to a family week in Cornwall, which culminates in the Lusty Glaze Beach Rugby Tournament for Alice and her Comets team. Guy and I will also be running around, but it is all about some quality time together.

Meanwhile the builders are all primed and will start work next week and we are still on course for opening in October.

Lights Switched On

It has finally happened and I have started on the refurbishment of the building. I have simplified the plan to minimise the disruption and comply with the Building Control Regulations. Even so, the plans to open in September have drifted slightly to October; however, after such a long year of frustration and delays, I can live with a small shift.

So this is it; the lights at the end of the tunnel have been switched on - it is official!

Building Blocks

It has been an interesting couple of weeks and some progress has been made. I have submitted my latest plans to the Building Control Officers at Warwick District Council and I have to say they have been very helpful, so I don't anticipate any major problems on that front.

However, getting quotes for the revised plans from builders has proved to be a lot trickier - one builder cannot offer anything until March 2010. This would suggest that things are picking up on a local level, irrespective of the doom and gloom we are hearing on the national news.

September is slowly becoming more and more ambitious but I am going to keep pushing hard - we need those doors open.

Phone Number - 0844 375 6505

It has been an exciting couple of weeks as I am now actually planning to be open in September; as always there are a few hurdles to be overcome, but that is nothing new. I seem to have round this buoy several times over the past few months; however this time funding has been secured and at long last I will be realising my vision.

I have set up our telephone number - 0844 375 6505. I know these numbers have had a bad press recently, so I have asked the provider to put the record straight:

"There is a common misconception that 0844 numbers cost the same to call as 0870 numbers or premium rate numbers. This is not true. Premium rate calls cost between 10p to £1.50 a minute, whilst national call rate numbers (usually known as 0870) cost about 8p a minute to call. 0844 numbers cost 4.2p per minute to call, which is equivalent to the BT standard daytime rate for the first minute of a call. Whilst tariffs do vary widely, for most patients there is little or no difference in the cost of calling their dentist on a low call rate 0844 number. In fact, some patients may find it cheaper because unlike a BT call there is no 3p connection charge. Those patients who pay more because of their telecom provider’s rate package will only find themselves paying on a few pennies extra for the call. We do not make a ‘profit’ out of the 0844 calls - this is written into our contact. The money generated partially funds the new equipment in order to provide a better service for patients."

At the end of the day it is all about providing a better service to our patients. It is going to be a busy summer - fantastic.

Website Launch

You will all be aware that not a lot has happened lately - I am wading through the application process to seek funding through the Government backed Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. I am confident of success, but time is really dragging and I want to get on and get the practice open.

However, some progress has been made and the new practice website is up and running, please have a look and let me know your thoughts.

www.augustadental.co.uk

I have tried to capture the ethos of the new practice on the website, with a particular emphasis on 'excellence in dentistry'. I enjoy what I do and I am keen to create an environment that everyone else really enjoys, both in and out of the surgery. I have got the plans ready, so I have just got to convince the bankers.

Small Steps

Goodness, I hadn't realised it had been so long since I posted any news; a couple of emails from friends made me realise that I need to keep everything up to date. The main reason for the lack of news has been the lack of progress and it has been so frustrating. Timing is everything and I seem to have got it slightly wrong and despite all the efforts of the Government, the banks are not keen to support a new business.

However, I am taking small steps, making a little bit of progress and pursuing several exciting possibilities. Most importantly the vision remains intact, I know Augusta Dental Centre is an excellent concept, it is a good plan and I am very confident we will succeed.

New Year, New Start

This year has ended with some real positive news.  I have been in successful negotiations to significantly reduce the refurbishment costs and I have finally managed to secure some funding for the project.  It has been extremely difficult to overcome the current paralysis and lack of decision-making in the current financial market.  I know I have a good plan and I can't wait to get started.

As always nothing is set in stone and I am sure that I will have many twists and turns on the way.  However, I now feel that this big boulder I have been trying to push up a hill is reaching the summit and I will soon been racing down the other side.  Until we actually start, it is impossible to predict when we shall finish, but Easter will be in April 2009 and who knows.