News
Latest News from Blackhills Clinic
We look forward to welcoming you (back) to Blackhills Specialist Dental Clinic.
This information will guide you through our new processes, so we can keep you safe and smiling!
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Gum Health Day 2020
The European Federation of Periodontology had scheduled 12th May 2020 to be Gum Health Day. This year’s slogan is: Say NO to bleeding gums.
Unfortunately, due to the current coronavirus pandemic, these activities have been postponed to a later date, however the importance of this message can, and should, still be highlighted.
The aim of having a gum health day is to raise public awareness of identifying bleeding gums as a sign of gum disease. Gum disease is a chronic inflammation of the gum margin initiated by bacteria at the tooth-gum or implant-gum junction. This superficial inflammation is known as gingivitis (around teeth) or peri-implant mucositis (around implants) which if not resolved, can progress to more advanced gum disease around teeth (periodontitis) or implants (peri-implantitis). Loss of teeth could undermine speaking, chewing function and appearance. Furthermore, inflammation from the gums can spread and affect general health.
The message Say NO to bleeding gums aims to increase public awareness that bleeding gums are not normal and that this indicates the presence of gum disease. Most people tend to brush their teeth and miss out on cleaning the tooth/gum margin i.e. the site whether gum inflammation starts and from where it can progress.
Important points: Say NO to bleeding gums.
1. Make sure that in addition to brushing your teeth, you also brush the tooth-gum / implant-gum margin junction. This message is even more important now that dental treatment is currently suspended.
2. Healthy gums do not bleed.
3. Get your gums routinely checked by your dentist /hygienist
4. Do not scrub the outer aspect of the gums – this will lead to sore gums and will not resolve the gum inflammation at the gum margin
If you have any concerns about your gum health, your dentist / hygienist should be your first port of call, but should you need to seek advice for gum disease at Blackhills clinic, you can either see Mrs Carol Clark (Senior Dental Hygienist) or Dr Marilou Ciantar (Specialist Periodontist and Oral Surgeon). Marilou can also give advice / treat advanced gum disease, address cosmetic concerns due to gum recession and / or drifted teeth, or possibly replace teeth if these are lost.
Blackhills Clinic and Your Safety
We would like to advise all our patients that we take patient safety very seriously. In the current climate of concern over possible disease transmission, we can confirm that Blackhills Clinic has a separate “Decontamination Unit” staffed by a dedicated technician who coordinates all the cleaning and sterilisation of the many hundreds of instruments used every week.
Nevertheless, the current Coronavirus situation has added concern for many and at Blackhills we are closely following government and NHS guidelines. Therefore for any patient who has returned from one of the countries or regions listed on the government website: (www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public) within the last 14 days, we would ask that you do NOT come to the clinic (or your GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital). Follow the instructions on the website regarding any flu-like symptoms (and for further information contact your GP or NHS 24 on 111)
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Great Honour for Blackhills Clinic
For the second time in 5 years, Blackhills Specialist Dental Clinic has been selected to appear in The Parliamentary Review. Initially in the Private Healthcare edition (2015) and this year in the Dentistry edition. The Parliamentary Review is a ‘State of the Nation’ document introducing the leading exponents in their fields and once again, Blackhills is the only Scottish representative.
The publication is chaired by Lord Pickles and Lord Blunkett with the “strategic aim of raising standards by highlighting best practice”. The Parliamentary Review is sent to over 500,000 leading business executives, policy makers and other relevant individuals.
Parliamentary Review Executive Director, Daniel Yossman said: “The key idea of the Review is to highlight best practice of outstanding leaders in their field – the contributors thus act as a template for reform.
“We don’t just pluck businesses out of the air for the Review,” he explained. “Experienced research staff work tirelessly to source the outstanding practitioners in each sector whose work and good practice set them apart as key influencers and leaders in their field.
“Blackhills Clinic is seen as an outstanding representative of dental care” said Mr Yossman, “and their example will help to raise standards and set agendas within their field in the years ahead.
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2nd Clinic Director for Blackhills
Graeme Lillywhite has now joined Paul Stone as Clinic Director at Blackhills Specialist Dental Clinic. Graeme has been working at Blackhills Clinic for several years as well as being a restorative consultant at Edinburgh University Dental Institute and Aberdeen University Dental School. He is a registered specialist in Restorative Dentistry and in Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics and has a wealth of experience in implant dentistry. Graeme will bring a high level of expertise to the prosthodontic aspects of advanced dentistry, adding another level of knowledge and skill to the clinic.
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CATH Hamper Raffle
Marilou raised £405 for CATH (Churches Action for The Homeless) by having a raffle for a hamper, which was won by one of our lovely patients. This is the second raffle held by Marilou, the first one raising £175.
CATH is a local charity which supports, encourages and promotes the development and delivery of projects to relieve homelessness and poor housing, improve the conditions of life and generally aid the development of persons who are homeless in the Perth & Kinross Council area.
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