Peace for Our Time?
When Anthony Eden proclaimed that he had negotiated a peace agreement after his ill-fated trip to Geneva in 1938, he was convinced he had prevented the World War that was to follow. The consequence of that horrific loss of life was that there was hope at the end the conflict of everlasting peace. This never happened and although we have avoided another world war, no one has proclaimed they can solve the problems we face across the world today.
There is a level of uncertainly over the safety of our colleagues in both Myanmar and Hong Kong that we can no longer ignore. Though very different in each of those countries, recent events have suppressed democracy and free speech and in the case of Myanmar, surgical colleagues have we think been arrested for opposing the military regime. We, as a College, and more specifically a Faculty, are not able to make a real difference on the ground but we can support our Dental family there with a concerted voice declaring our outrage and with our profound good wishes comforting them in the sure and certain knowledge that we are here for them as a point of constant stability in turbulent times.
Whilst international politics disturbs our membership in one part of the world then the COVID pandemic is still ravaging in other countries and in particular our thoughts move to India and South America where the pandemic has reached new heights and our friends in these countries face the threat of deadly disease. Here we can support by encouraging each of our own government’s efforts to support foreign aid and vaccine sharing projects. It benefits everyone and specifically in the aim of achieving global safety, that all countries should be able to achieve the vaccination levels of the UK and Israel and prevent further spread of infection.
Now more than ever we need to be supporting each other and I am proud to say that we are moving ahead with more formalised agreements across several continents to cement relationships with important strategic bodies in many countries across the world and as we engage with local dentists we are emphasising how the RCSEd can specifically work with them in a symbiotic relationship to improve patient care.
The Faculty has not forgotten our younger colleagues and we are getting ready to open up the College again for face-to-face meetings. The hotel at 10 Hill Place is ready to welcome back guests and with that there is the opportunity to begin setting up our diploma ceremonies which form such an important part of celebrating your success and cementing your first steps on which we hope will be a long journey with the College during your career in Dentistry.
In the last of these updates, I confirmed the dates of our first ever RCS Edinburgh World Dental Conference which will be held online on September 2nd, 3rd and 4th this year, if you can’t make those dates, it will be available to watch for up to three months after the event. We have a very exciting programme of world class speakers and their presentations will address the whole range of dental care and be relevant to every member of the Dental family wherever and in whatever sphere of practice you work in. We have set the fee structure to be very attractive for everyone, wherever they practice in the world.
The conference covers five different aspects of contemporaneous clinical practice including ‘Dental Imaging’, ‘Medical Complications in Practice’, Periodontal Considerations’, ‘Dental Aesthetics’ and ‘Patient and Teams Working Together’.
- Imaging will cover radiology, digital impression making and managing dental photography.
- Medical complications will cover managing the elderly patient, safe management of patients with bleeding disorders in your practice and safe management of patients taking bisphosphonates in your practice or when to refer appropriately.
- Periodontal Considerations will cover the new periodontal classification and how it should be used in practice, how to diagnose and manage failing dental implants and periodontal plastic surgery when and why.
- Aesthetics will cover orthodontic aligners and their use and misuse and then move on the conservative management of tooth surface loss with clinical tips for effective treatment that can be carried out by therapists and dentists alike.
- The patient and teams working together focuses on my manifesto promise around patient safety and covers issues faced, motivation of patient compliance and how clinical life will change forever after the worldwide COVID19 pandemic.
The speakers are all experts in their field and more details are on the Conference Website. Don’t forget to reserve the date in your diary now and check out the advertisement for this exciting event.
- Prof Philip Taylor, Dean