Expanding skills and understanding at the OHC 2019
UncategorisedPosted by: Dental Design 4th February 2020
With hundreds of delegates heading to the ICC in Wales, this year’s Oral Health Conference from the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) was a highly enjoyable event that became the highlight of the annual calendar for many who attended.
On offer was a fantastically curated mix of educational seminars, hands-on workshops, a diverse trade exhibition and plenty of chances to mix and mingle with other professionals. As such, this year’s show somehow exceeded expectations and solidified the event as a must-visit occasion for dental hygienists, dental therapists and students looking to enter those professions.
The first day of the OHC opened with a breakfast session led by Joe Ingham. An update on direct access, this session helped define the initiative for those who were unsure and brought attendees up to date with the legalities surrounding the topic.
Jan Baxendale, a delegate who attended the session, said:
“Joe’s presentation was very funny and relevant. He presented the legalities very well. I enjoyed the session very much and it was a great introduction to the conference.”
It was then time for the BSDHT’s Annual General Meeting – a perfect chance for members of the Society to have their say in future decisions, as well as get up to date with the progress made by the organisation this year.
Following this, the conference was officially opened by current BSDHT President, Julie Deverick. Julie gave a warm Welsh welcome not only by teaching delegates some useful Welsh phrases, but also by welcoming to the stage a Welsh Male Voice Choir whose beautiful voices set a perfect precedent for the conference ahead.
The first clinical session of the programme took a look at systemic health and periodontal disease, presented by Mark Ide. An in-depth lecture that explored the needs of the ageing population, Mark highlighted new links between oral health and diabetes and heart disease, explaining the science behind the links and shedding light on C-reactive proteins and endotoxins.
Mel Mead who attended the session said:
“I found the lecture very informative and the links to heart disease and diabetes to be very real. This knowledge will help me inform patients in the future.”
After a chance to explore the exhibition and attend some of the demo zone sessions by leading companies such as J&S Davis and Wisdom Toothbrushes, delegates were given the choice between three parallel sessions so that they could better tailor their learning experience. These included a lecture on powder technology, a session exploring the wisdom behind good oral health habits and a session looking at work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
Following lunch and a further chance to see some special demonstrations by some of the brands in the exhibition hall, delegates then had another choice of parallel sessions to attend. These made up the structure for the majority of the afternoon on the first day, and included a diverse array of topics including using compassion as a tool for resilience, how to achieve better oral outcomes through a change in behaviour and cleft lip and palate care.
Adriana Gordon who attended a session hosted by Iain Chapple commented:
“Professor Iain Chapple shared his knowledge with us in a manner that kept me interested in the lecture throughout. He delivered the topic with seriousness but also with jokes and laughter so that it was easy to remember the very important information to take back to our practice and benefit our patients. He is truly funny, informative and a pleasure to listen to!”
Delegates returned to the exhibition hall to see demonstrations by companies such as BioMin and Trycare before heading to the auditorium to congratulate the winners of this year’s awards. The BSDHT Student of the Year award was granted to Carly Seely-Haines, who was chosen due to her dedication to the profession and aptitude in her field of study. The first prize in the poster presentation in the student category went to Mohammed Islam and first prize for the qualified category was awarded to Olivia Barrett.
The educational programme came to a close with a lecture on tooth erosion by David Bartlett. This seminar showed the causes by tooth erosion, encouraged professionals to recognise the damage by using a Basic Erosive Wear Examination (BEWE) and laid out ways to help patients avoid tooth erosion in the future, including dietary advice.
Drinks, dinner and dancing at the fabulous Coldra Court Hotel rounded off the first day of the OHC, giving delegates a chance to let their hair down and dance the night away with close friends and colleagues. This also set the stage for a surprise presentation for Heather Lewis who was celebrating 20 years as BSDHT publications editor!
An early breakfast session about maximising social media by the charismatic Annette Matthews set the tone for the second day, and delegates were again given the choice to attend a wide variety of parallel sessions, hands-on workshops and special demonstrations in the exhibition focusing on innovative products.
Nicola West hosted a particularly strong session about when to put periodontal examination into action and when to consider adjunctive chemotherapeutic support, while a later session by Helen Minnery, focusing on dental implants and peri-implantitis, gave those working in dental implant clinics food for thought. The afternoon saw hands-on parallel sessions such as how to achieve better aesthetics with composite alongside more clinical-based talks that focused on the interactions in the oral microbiome and practice-boosting topics such as how to maximise every appointment.
Overall, the OHC was a resounding success that encouraged professionals to consider the different generational needs of patients, get up to date with some of the leading scientific evidence and theories and discover all of the latest innovations in the field.
A truly Welsh welcome, a stunning venue and a rich programme meant that this year’s OHC was one to remember.
Yvonne Derbyshire, a 2019 delegate, summed it up when she said:
“As usual, a great OHC. It’s usually the highlight of my dental calendar and this year is no different!”
For more information about the BSDHT, please visit www.bsdht.org.uk
call 01788 575050 or email enquiries@bsdht.org.uk
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