Emerging techniques and technologies in dentistry were explored at the successful 12th Annual Rural Dental Conference in Mid Wales last Friday.
Organised by the Welsh Rural Postgraduate Unit under the auspices of the Institute of Rural Health, the conference, themed 'Cutting edge', was held at the magnificent setting of Gregynog Hall, near Newtown.
“All in all it was a great day,” said Charles Vaughan-Jones, post-graduate dental tutor for Rural Wales. “One of the most important things about a good study day, outside Continuing Professional Development, is the opportunity for members of the same profession to rub shoulders and feel part of something worthwhile. From that perspective the day was a most satisfying one and very rewarding for all concerned.”
“Having as its theme emerging techniques, the conference aimed to explore, in four broad areas, how recent advances in technique or technology had changed, or had the potential to change, our future practice in the world of dentistry and oral health.
“In addition to this and in parallel, two sessions were available to Dental Care Professionals, as an option, to cover core CPD topics while the General Dental Council was invited to talk about the GDC Standards Review and how the profession had the opportunity to contribute.”
Starting the day, Ian Sharp, consultant maxillofacial surgeon at University Hospital Birmingham, gave a presentation on the use of 3D visualisation techniques in treatment planning, the use of virtual reality in training together with augmented reality and its use in surgery. He followed up with an update on osteogenic distraction, supplementing it with relevant case histories.
After lunch, Oliver Harman, Fellow of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and author of an authoritative series in Dental Update on the use of lasers in dentistry, discussed their use and misuse.
The final talk of the day was by Paul Franklin, Senior Teaching Fellow of Leeds Dental School, who explained the aspects of his work that had won Leeds a well-deserved reputation in the world of research.
With a very amusing presentation, he outlined, among other advances, the use of qualitative light induced fluorescence and the potential to grow replacement lost dental tissue with the help of peptide chains.
Break out sessions for Dental Care Practitioners, led by Andrea Wraith of ASA Medcare, drew widespread approval.
The remaining talk of the day was by Mike Browne, Director of Policy and Communications for the General Dental Council who stood in, at short notice, for Alison Lockyer, recently resigned chair.
Dr Vaughan-Jones thanked Katie Pritchard, education and training officer at the Institute of Rural Health, for organising the conference.
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For more information please contact Katie Pritchard at the Institute for Rural Health on 01686 650800 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations adviser, on 01686 650818.