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The Smoking Issue: A Stoptober diary

SMOKING CESSATION

KCL CHARITY DIWALI SHOW 2014

DENTAL SHOWCASE

HIRRA ATTENDS THE CCR EXPO AND THE

BDIA DENTAL SHOWCASE- HER

REPORT

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 ISSUE

October has passed, and with it Stoptober, the smoking cessation campaign that even the KCL Dental Institute got involved with, but whilst the month and campaign may have ended, the struggle to quit smoking is still very real for many. Danielle Kelly (BDS3) shares a very honest and personal experience of smoking cessation that helps us better understand those struggling with quitting.

‘Addiction is not something you can reason with'

I am a smoker. I started ten years ago, the same way every other smoker does – with friends behind the sheds at school, passing one between a few of us, giggling at each other’s inexperience.

Addiction grows slowly. It creeps up on you so quietly that you're the last to notice it's arrived.

I enjoyed the freedom of university when it began, but I also had never felt so overwhelmed. Smoking helps to make friends when you most need them. You’re probably thinking, 'I don’t smoke and I’ve got lots of friends’ - don’t get me wrong, I am strongly in favour of the indoor smoking ban. And who can stand the stale smell of smoke on their clothes? But for myself and many others, smoking and socialising go hand-in-hand.

Continued on page 3

PUBLIC DISINCENTIVES- A FUTILE EFFORT?

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Note from the Editors

THE KING’S CROWN NEWSLETTER TEAM

Hello KCL dentists!

Well that went quick didn’t it? Did anyone else start the academic year thinking, “this year I am going to be on top of my lectures and be organised with booking in patients, all whilst enjoying myself”…. 3 months later, you have a pile of lectures you haven’t been through and a list of patient DNA’s that could be confused for Santa’s naughty/nice list. Admittedly, the Christmas holidays couldn’t have come any sooner.

We imagine that many of you can’t wait to go home for Christmas. Two blissful weeks during which you don’t have to worry about being crammed in a lift, where you can finally paint your nails again (yes ladies, bring out the nail varnish!) and where you can be cosy and warm in your Christmas pyjamas as your tunic finally goes in the wash! It’s been truly deserved. While this term, and 2014 now that we think about it, has flown by, we worked hard and can leave the year with fond memories of all of the KCL Dental Society events and talks, Smilesoc events, the Pub Quiz, The Great Dental Bake Off, the football tournament and the fun we have on our team floors, including for the inter-team competition for Stoptober (the winner of which is revealed on page 8).

While October seems so distant to us now, the Stoptober campaign hopes to encourage smoking cessation that may be sustained beyond October, and fellow dental student, Danielle Kelly, shares her honest experiences with this for our November/December smoking issue. She left us with an appreciation for the true struggle behind smoking cessation. We applaud you, Danielle.

On a final note, we’re holding our first competition: send in your written submissions for the newsletter by Christmas Day, and the best three article will make it into BDJ Student, Dental Practice Journal and IADS magazine. We will also consider any articles that have previously been submitted. So, get writing this Christmas for a chance to get published.

Happy holidays everyone, we look forward to seeing you in 2015!

With dental love to our dental friends,

The King’s Crown Editorial Team

Akta Prabhakar, Chief Editor

Nick Byfield, Special Features

Editor

James Campbell, News Editor

Niki Keyhani, Social Editor

PROOFREADERS Sahar-Tara Aghababaie

Jassan Aujla Priya Champaneri Suneeta Dhokia Danielle Kelly

Vibishan Venukumar

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SPECIAL FEATURE

A Smoking Cessation Diary

Continued from Page 1

Yet ten years on, I'm left without reasons or excuses. I don’t even have much of a say in it. I hate that I need cigarettes but much as you might come home from a long day spent wrestling with your handpiece, without a lunch break, impatiently pacing in front of your oven because it won't warm fast enough, before finally sitting down to an overdue dinner - I love lighting up and pulling in the first deep drag.

The Stoptober campaign was my perfect challenge. I have attempted to quit several times (my record is four months) so I know that the first two weeks are the hardest. After that, all I worry about is holding out through exam season (haven’t managed that part yet!). BDS 3 is a year in which most students delight in some hard-won free time, after having worn thin their poor little academic minds, so I had high hopes. The first of October arrived and with a head full of optimistic determination I tried to keep a healthy-PDL-like hold of myself.

I didn’t even last forty-eight hours. Pathetic, I know. I was furious with myself. Considering how irritable the withdrawal symptoms had already made me, I can’t imagine I was a pleasure to be around that week. Somehow I need to put this failure in perspective for those of you who didn’t grow up around smokers, or who have never had an addiction, because it’s very hard to comprehend how difficult quitting is when you haven’t learned through experience.

Smoking is a mentality. It’s a habit with associative, unconscious triggers (how hard was it to stop biting your nails or sucking your thumb?). It’s a personality trait and a calming mechanism.

There are very few other accepted social norms that allow you ten minutes of solitude. It’s almost meditative, sheltering in a secluded corner - just you, your ciggie and your thoughts, separated from whatever craziness is going on indoors. At exam time this is perfect. You feel like you

may as well pitch a tent in the library, but you can’t buy a coffee every time you need a break - you’d be shaking with the caffeine overdose…. and you’d be broke.

Addiction is not something you can reason with either. Nothing annoys me more than the person (and there’s always one) who leans over to say ‘‘you know, those are bad for you?’’. I’m not an idiot. Even if I was, it’s printed in bold on the front of the packet I’m holding. There are plenty of other things I do that are bad for me, such as never getting eight hours of sleep at night and wearing high-heels that make my feet go completely numb, but strangers don’t seem to feel obliged to comment on those. Stating a fact doesn’t make it easy to break a lifetime of adapted neurological reward cycles.

Here I may have painted a grim picture of myself, but I’m soldiering on. I continue to battle with the cancer-sticks and am constantly inspired by people I meet who have quit themselves, including my own patients. I have managed to significantly cut down (except on weekends - still working on that) and overall, it has proven to be a valuable exercise for me – the less tar in my lungs, the better - and I have an extra £34.60 in my pocket since Stoptober began!

It is in challenging yourself that you discover yourself.

Danielle Kelly

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It has been ten years since Ireland pioneered the monumental workplace smoking ban. This was a brave piece of legislation put forward by, then Health Minister, Mícheál Martin. Its surprising overnight success inspired previously cynical governments around the world to follow suit (England being the last in the UK to introduce the ban in July 2007). The Irish Heart Foundation reported a 12% annual reduction in hospital admissions for acute coronary syndrome following the ban, with a further 13% drop in the subsequent year. Though a concurrent marketing campaign for weight loss by the Heath Service is likely to have contributed, a decrease in other tobacco-related illnesses is expected in the coming decades. Moreover, a study across Europe showed that smoking ban implementation encouraged a 25% increase in self-imposed ‘home smoking bans’ in Ireland, 17% in France, 38% in Germany and 28% in the Netherlands.

Young people have not, however, been discouraged from taking up smoking. A study in 2009 recorded that 33% of the Irish population smoked, with 45% of those aged between 16 and 30 years. By December 2010, there had been a 2% increase in the number of regular smokers in Ireland despite implementation of the indoor smoking ban, abolition of packs of fewer than 20 cigarettes, a ban on all display or advertising of tobacco, raising the price of a pack to what was ‘the highest in the world’ (€8.55/£7.26) and permitting the printing of pictorial warnings on packets.

Excise revenue from tobacco has steadily increased since the smoking ban was

implemented in Ireland in 2004, cigarette sales alone contributing over €1 billion to the state. Meanwhile, a major tobacco manufacturer, JTI, estimates that 25% of cigarettes smoked in the country are from the black market.

These often conflicting statistics could be viewed negatively, or they could be used to produce a better-targeted campaign. Focusing on cost and aesthetic concerns, for eample, is more likely to affect a young person’s decision than listing diseases which may not present for another forty years. Alternatively, October's Stoptober campaign played on the current popularity of personal, physical challenges (including fun-runs, Movember and the ALS ice-bucket) as a means of engaging the internet-native generation and encouraging proactive efforts to make a change. Could such social media-savvy campaigns prove to be more effective as catalysts of social change than traditional economic or regulatory levers? Only time will tell.

"Addiction is not something you can reason with"

NEWS

Smoking cessation Public disincentives - a futile effort?

Danielle Kelly

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NEWS

Litigation Culture

With increasingly tight regulation by the GDC and a rising number of law firms specialising in dental claims, we are subject to a litigation culture like never before. In 2013 the GDC reported a 31% annual increase in complaints which led to fitness-to-practice cases, while Dental Protection Ltd. have had to negotiate settlements in excess of £100,000. In an era where patient expectations are escalating, legal claims can arise due to almost any discrepancy.

This may be in the form of issues associated with informed consent, misleading advertising, poor quality of clinical care or a lack of transparent communication. Undiagnosed periodontal disease and mouth cancer are also some of the fastest growing areas of dental litigation. Does this not underscore the importance of integrated care?

Whilst there are advantages to a well-regulated profession that's open to scrutiny, such as the encouragement of clinical discipline and universally high standards of care, there are also many threats associated with litigation and the resulting practice of defensive dentistry.

Dental professionals fear the prospective sanctions they may face as a result of alleged misconduct, which may actually impact negatively upon the holistic patient-centered care which underpins the service we provide. An environment where clinicians are more anxious about receiving complaints or legal action can in fact influence the provision of care that is in a patient's best interest.

Developing successful habits at dental school has never before been so significant an influence on the path of our future careers. Establishing a good rapport with patients, coupled with impeccable record keeping, is imperative to

prevent any misunderstandings and protect us in future.

This is especially the case when patients may present with even greater expectations, as in the practice of cosmetic dentistry. Fully assessing the anticipated outcome of aesthetic veneers or implant-retained restorations is becoming as significant as providing high quality in clinical care.

Equally important is your choice and use of an indemnifying organisation- it is essential to understand which is most suited to your individual needs.

There have been various changes within the dental sector, many of which have been met with pessimism and doubt. All professions are subject to such cycles of change; acclimatising is the key. Moving forward it remains important to embrace the changing culture, because possibilities to succeed are still there – albeit along unexpected paths!

Anish Patel

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With its renowned reputation for unprecedented levels of talent, flair and culture, this year, once again, the KCL Diwali Show took London by storm.

With all the preparations, sponsorship and organisation done in a mere six weeks, the unimaginable amount of hard work put in by the KCL dedicated committee was truly commendable. Back to back late night rehearsals, with the act’s music ringing in everyone’s ears, led to a night of pure perfection on the 16th October. We saw a number of dental students take to the stage: Vice President Ankush Vij (BDS3), Head of Charities Amisha Patel (BDS3), Eastern Catwalk choreos Amarinder Sehda (BDS4), Harshini Pindolia (BDS5) and Bhavika Kotecha (iBSc), Fusion catwalk choreo Ravi Morjaria (BDS3), Bhangra choreo Pavan Kaur Hunjan (BDS4), Garba choreo Bhavina Bhudia (iBSc), BollyFusion choreos Nimit Patel (BDS4) and Mariyam Khan (BDS4), as well as a multitude of dental student dancers and models.

Backstage was a military-style operation. Timetables followed to the ‘T’, filled with a bustle of last minute rehearsals. Boys and girls alike were running in and out of hair and makeup. Hundreds of pins strapped up their extravagant costumes and chants and screams were echoed through the curtains as the crowd began to take their seats. From lost contact lenses to rhinestones popping off, fake nails flying here and there to last minute make-up patch ups, nerves escalated resulting in a few panda eyes from the running mascara. Adrenaline pulsed as the last minute count downs for the show began and all the tremendous preparation was all coming down to this one performance... and nothing but precision would be acceptable.

As the curtains opened, the crowd came alive as new exciting acts and some not so PG content graced the stage of the Novello Theatre and it really was a show that knocked the straight

probes and sickle scalers right out of the audience’s hands! The stage was alive with glorious vocals, an array of high energy genres of dance, creative don’t-try-these-at-home lifts and attitude-filled catwalks, all collectively displaying the talents of our students and raising funds for our chosen charities. It's the place where friendships were made, relationships blossomed and as with anything of its nature, some controversies along the way!

The epic journey was truly an unforgettable experience, the recollections of which will last with all the dedicated students throughout their university memories. On behalf of all the performers, organisers and sponsors we would like to extend a massive thank you to all of our fabulous friends and family who came to support us. Without them, the show would not have been as successful as it was.

If you would like to get involved next year, we fully encourage everyone to participate- there is something for everyone!

With the buzz still palpable in the air, and the music and screams from the supportive audience still ringing in our ears, we warmly welcome you to follow us on our crazy journey next year.

Much love,

KCL Diwali Show Participants

The KCL Charity Diwali Show 2014Harshini Pindolia

SOCIAL

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SOCIAL

Hirra Kirmani

What’s on show at a Dental Showcase?

As a dental student, I find my personal time being increasingly eaten up by all things dental- even during the weekend! On Saturday 11th October, the CCR Expo and the BDIA Dental Showcase took place in London.

The Expo is an event aimed at anyone involved in the clinical, cosmetic or reconstructive industries and this year it was held at the Olympia National. As dental aesthetics is an interest of mine, I jumped at the chance to hear from some great clinicians in the field at an aesthetics workshop held in the morning. Dr Andrew Chandrapal and Dr James Russell (the one from Embarrassing Bodies!) delivered mini-lectures on minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry and progressive smile design. It was really inspiring to see the results they achieved through short- term orthodontics, tooth whitening and simple resin-bonded restorations.

The other speakers at the workshop were Dr Brian Franks and Dr Olha Vorodyukhina, who discussed the role of facial aesthetic treatments within the dental practice e.g. botox, dermal fillers and facial peels. At first I was sceptical about the idea that dentists should deliver such treatments, but by the end of the session I began to see why more dentists are choosing to head down this path. The best example given was a patient suffering from severe bruxism that

had botox treatment to combat the masseteric hypertrophy and the results were incredible. When the workshop was over I had time to wander around the

exhibition, viewing some live procedures and seeing other

famous faces like Dr Leah from The Apprentice.

After a quick dash to the other side of London, I arrived at the ExCel Centre for the Showcase, where I found a few other King’s students stocking up on freebies! In the afternoon, I attended three of the mini-lectures including one from Dr Ash Parmar (recent speaker at KCL DentSoc talks) who discussed soft tissue management in smile makeover cases.

Following a costume change, I took on another role of volunteering for my favourite dental charity – Heart Your Smile (HYS). This charity aims to improve the public’s perception of dentistry by helping dental teams to engage with their local communities. By building trust in the profession, it also hopes to increase patient attendance. Not only aimed at qualified dental professionals, HYS runs various projects where dental students can get involved. One such project is their mentoring programme and there was even a speed mentoring session at the showcase – a bit like speed dating, but all dental! Mentees had 10 minutes with each mentor to discuss the areas where they want advice and encouragement, and at the end were paired up with the most compatible mentor for them.

In the end I didn’t actually take away any freebies with me from the Showcase, but I think I gained a lot more than I had expected. These events are a great way to enhance your knowledge, learn from other dental professionals and network with people from all areas of dentistry – and that’s the best freebie!

What’s on show at a Dental Showcase? By Hirra Kirmani

As a BDS student, I find my personal time being increasingly eaten up by all things dental – even weekends! On Saturday 11th October, the CCR Expo and the BDIA Dental Showcase took place in London. The Expo is an event aimed at anyone involved in the clinical, cosmetic or reconstructive industries and this year it was held at the Olympia National. As dental aesthetics is an area of great interest to me, I jumped at the chance to hear from some great clinicians in the field at an aesthetics workshop held in the morning. Dr Andrew Chandrapal and Dr James Russell (the one from Embarrassing Bodies!) delivered mini-lectures on minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry and progressive smile design. It was really inspiring to see the results they achieved through short-term orthodontics, tooth whitening and simple resin-bonded restorations. The other speakers at the workshop were Dr Brian Franks and Dr Olha Vorodyukhina, who discussed the role of facial aesthetic treatments within the dental practice e.g. botox, dermal fillers and facial peels. At first I was sceptical about the idea that dentists should deliver such treatments, but by the end of the session I began to see why more dentists are choosing to head down this path. The best example given was a patient suffering from severe bruxism that had botox treatment to combat the masseteric hypertrophy and the results were incredible. When the workshop was over I had time to wander around the

exhibition, viewing some live procedures and seeing other famous faces like Dr Leah from The Apprentice.

After a quick dash to the other side of London, I arrived at the ExCel Centre for the Showcase, where I found a few other King’s students stocking up on freebies! In the afternoon, I attended three of the mini-lectures including one from Dr Ash Parmar (recent speaker at KCL DentSoc talks) who discussed soft tissue management in smile makeover cases. Following a costume change, I took on another role of volunteering for my favourite dental charity – Heart Your Smile (HYS). This charity aims to improve the public’s perception of dentistry by helping dental teams to engage with their local communities. By building trust in the profession, it also hopes to increase patient attendance. Not only aimed at qualified dental professionals, HYS runs various projects where dental students can get involved. One such project is their mentoring programme and there was even a speed mentoring session at the showcase – a bit like speed dating, but all dental! Mentees had 10 minutes with each mentor to discuss the areas where they want advice and encouragement, and at the end were paired up with the most compatible mentor for them. In the end I didn’t actually take away any freebies with me from the Showcase, but I think I gained a lot more than I had expected. These events are a great way to enhance your knowledge, learn from other dental professionals and network with people from all areas of dentistry – and that’s the best freebie!

What’s on show at a Dental Showcase? By Hirra Kirmani

As a BDS student, I find my personal time being increasingly eaten up by all things dental – even weekends! On Saturday 11th October, the CCR Expo and the BDIA Dental Showcase took place in London. The Expo is an event aimed at anyone involved in the clinical, cosmetic or reconstructive industries and this year it was held at the Olympia National. As dental aesthetics is an area of great interest to me, I jumped at the chance to hear from some great clinicians in the field at an aesthetics workshop held in the morning. Dr Andrew Chandrapal and Dr James Russell (the one from Embarrassing Bodies!) delivered mini-lectures on minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry and progressive smile design. It was really inspiring to see the results they achieved through short-term orthodontics, tooth whitening and simple resin-bonded restorations. The other speakers at the workshop were Dr Brian Franks and Dr Olha Vorodyukhina, who discussed the role of facial aesthetic treatments within the dental practice e.g. botox, dermal fillers and facial peels. At first I was sceptical about the idea that dentists should deliver such treatments, but by the end of the session I began to see why more dentists are choosing to head down this path. The best example given was a patient suffering from severe bruxism that had botox treatment to combat the masseteric hypertrophy and the results were incredible. When the workshop was over I had time to wander around the

exhibition, viewing some live procedures and seeing other famous faces like Dr Leah from The Apprentice.

After a quick dash to the other side of London, I arrived at the ExCel Centre for the Showcase, where I found a few other King’s students stocking up on freebies! In the afternoon, I attended three of the mini-lectures including one from Dr Ash Parmar (recent speaker at KCL DentSoc talks) who discussed soft tissue management in smile makeover cases. Following a costume change, I took on another role of volunteering for my favourite dental charity – Heart Your Smile (HYS). This charity aims to improve the public’s perception of dentistry by helping dental teams to engage with their local communities. By building trust in the profession, it also hopes to increase patient attendance. Not only aimed at qualified dental professionals, HYS runs various projects where dental students can get involved. One such project is their mentoring programme and there was even a speed mentoring session at the showcase – a bit like speed dating, but all dental! Mentees had 10 minutes with each mentor to discuss the areas where they want advice and encouragement, and at the end were paired up with the most compatible mentor for them. In the end I didn’t actually take away any freebies with me from the Showcase, but I think I gained a lot more than I had expected. These events are a great way to enhance your knowledge, learn from other dental professionals and network with people from all areas of dentistry – and that’s the best freebie!

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STOPTOBERWINNER

STOPTOBERWINNER

Congratulations Team Thames for the most smoking cessation

referrals during the Stoptober campaign-enjoy celebrating your

victory at the Christmas Party, funded by a cash prize!

Congratulations Team Thames for the most smoking cessation

referrals during the Stoptober campaign-enjoy celebrating your

victory at the Christmas Party, funded by a cash prize!

After years of hibernation, The Dental Society Football Annual Tournament is back! . Well done to Team Borussia Teeth for winning the tournament!

They were presented with the annual trophy and a bottle of champagne.

The Great Dental Bake Off!

£416.14 was raised for EDSA’s Volunteer Work Month, with Andrew Lake (BDS4) winning a £50 voucher

as the Star Baker of 2014.

The editors will judge all submissions sent in from the start of term until Christmas day. Our top 3 picks will get published in BDJ student, Dental Practice Journal &

IADS magazine.

Good luck!

The King’s Crown Christmas Competition