It’s summertime and the living is easy… isn’t that how the song goes? I’m not so sure it’s right. In the good old days there was a combined July/August issue of The Dentist, however this year we decided to continue working right on through the summer… as Del Boy might say “holidays are for wimps”. I don’t mind admitting I’m a wimp and would like a holiday… I was particularly keen when I saw the prices of some last minute deals to Egypt!
Ah Egypt, a land of such history, such beauty, such… an interesting take on the idea of parliamentary democracy. If the recent events took place anywhere else they would be described as a coup d’etat but it seems that’s a term that is too pejorative for US and British foreign offices. The ‘removal’ of the president so clearly celebrated in the streets has been seen as some sort of victory for the ‘will of the people’. Forget the millions who voted just over 12 months earlier to place the president in power, and the abandonment of the rule of law, the protestors in the streets apparently represent the real will. Should people accept the elected leader or are they right to challenge and overthrow them if they don’t like some of the rules imposed?
Stress
I’ll move away from the subject of Egyptian politics before this comment turns into a rant… I’m sure that would do nothing for my blood pressure and remember I’m not getting a summer holiday to de-stress this year!
On a serious note, stress is an issue which dental professionals should be cognisant of. Dealing with patients, performing clinical dentistry, managing CPD, keeping up to date with regulations, undergoing inspections, running a business, all in all there are quite a lot of pressures surrounding dentists. How well do you think you cope with the demands of the profession? Would you recognise the early signs of stress? On page 30-31 there is an article from Mel Clarke, a psychotherapist who now specialises in stress prevention. Dentists spend a fair proportion of their time discussion prevention with patients, and explaining the benefits it holds over cure – it is something that is true in all forms of healthcare. The serious problems of alcohol dependence or full nervous breakdowns could well be prevented if some of the early signs of stress, for example trouble sleeping, were recognised and acted upon.
Protest
Perhaps one subject that has created a few sleepless nights for dentists around the country is the Care Quality Commission.
Following the publishing of his letter in the Daily Telegraph Quentin Skinner, chairman of DPAS, wrote to The Dentist, his letter is featured on page 12. He reminds readers he had some 400 co-signatories to a letter in 2010 complaining about the Care Quality Commission in dentistry. Does he speak on behalf of the dental profession? Quentin calls for vociferous lobbying; is this the right and most effective way to get results?
It is clearly a something that Quentin is passionate about, but what are your views on the subject? As always The Dentist is keen to hear from you – to contact me you can email emackenzie@georgewarman.co.uk or through Twitter at @EddieMacKenzie