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Leading the pack

Yet another star name has joined the party at the 2008 Dentistry Awards, firmly setting it up as the dental event of the year. Athlete-turned-television-personality Kriss Akabusi will take the stage on 12 December to compere the event, adding his exuberant personality and brand of infectious laughter to proceedings. The World Championship gold medallist will … Continued

Virtual patients help dental students

Dental students at Case Western Reserve University are to be part of a new research project, enabling them to develop their communication skills with live actors and virtual patients. The students will meet Masha, a dental patient in Second Life’s virtual dental office, whose oral health problems will continually change. The middle-aged avatar is an … Continued

Study catches dentists dirty-handed

A US survey reveals that many dentists are failing to follow the rules when it comes to hand hygiene. The study, of New York practitioners, discovered that recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – including washing hands between patients and using alcohol sanitisers with each glove change – are not being … Continued

Could pulling a tooth help make sperm?

Could sacrificing a tooth enable some infertile men to father children? That’s the goal of researchers in Brazil, who suggest that stem cells from human teeth can be coaxed into becoming sperm by injecting them into the testes of mice. The report is published at www.newscientist.com. Researcher Irina Kerkis of the Butantan Institute, São Paulo, … Continued

Leading by example

The well-oiled wheels of the Dentistry Awards machine are now firmly in motion, and with all eyes fixed on the 12 December ceremony, now is the time for Northern Irish practices to stand up and be counted. The Dentistry Awards celebrate success on both a regional and national scale, and have gone from strength to … Continued

Communication key to improving patient care in Northern Ireland

Dr Melissa McCullough, a lecturer in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen’s University Belfast, is behind the new MSc in Interprofessional Health and Social Studies, which will bring together a range of health and social care professionals who can learn from and about each other to improve the communication and quality of care … Continued