Royal London Dental Hospital’s outstanding approach to innovation
Over 35 areas of outstanding practice at Barts Health were recognised by the CQC in its latest report. One was The Royal London Dental Hospital...
Congratulations to the Royal London Dental Hospital and Queen Mary University London for receiving three outstanding ratings and one good rating in the latest CQC report, released today. The CQC has also highlighted seven areas of outstanding practice at the dental hospital. Well done to the entire team!
Professor Phil Taylor, Consultant Dentist is extremely proud of the team and the work they do stating, “we have an excellent team culture where people feel supported and work collaboratively. We have several multi-functional teams working between areas of the dental hospital, as well as teams who are working with other departments across the hospital”.
The dental hospital saw a record 110,000 patients last year and is one of the largest outpatient departments in the Trust. They have a particular focus on patients who need secondary and tertiary care and there are thirteen dental specialties.
From the world renowned trauma team led by Professor Simon Holmes, to reconstruction of mouths and faces after cancer, or in adults still needing care after being born with cleft lips and palates, or severe facial abnormalities.
The dental hospital has been internationally recognised for dental implants and under the watchful eyes of Professors Shahdad and Donos, postgraduate specialty trainees learn the most advanced and predictable surgical techniques.
The paediatric dentistry department sees the most patients of any of the four dental hospitals in London and the range of care includes the extraction of teeth under general anaesthesia, which is the likliest reason a child is admitted to hospital anywhere in the UK, to children with special needs who cannot be managed anywhere in the community.
Our adult special care team, though only two consultant strong, has brought several Barts Health Hero awards into the service because of their amazing levels of integrated care and ability to think outside the box in tending to the individual needs of a varied patient base who may need a GA or intravenous sedation, which is a good income generator yet helps reduce dependency on theatres.
The Dental School was rated as the number one dental hospital for research in the last REF (Research Exercise Framework). The team here truly is setting standards. Undergraduate dental students see patients from their second year of a five year course. There are about seventy students a year training to be the next generation of dentists. The state of the art facility which opened in 2014 has a clinical skills training area where students practice on dummy patients before they can operate on patients – reassuring to you all!
Teaching facilities at the Queen Mary University London
The postgraduate clinical training is attracting applicants from all over the world and at any one time there are over 50 students in residence. The number of applications outweighs the places by ten to one.
To support this level of work there is an exciting and innovative team of dental technicians.
Here we see working under a colour-correcting light, Jose Cano and Tony Knight from the prosthodontics team who are meticulous about the detail of their work – after all, these are the details that will be a permanent fixture of a person’s face.
Tony Knight and Jose Cano-Ruiz, Dental Technicians
This team has been exceptionally innovative to rebuild dental components for patients who have suffered extreme trauma or are recovering from a cancer of the mouth or jaw.
Mike Williams, Maxillo Facial Technician
Nearby, Mike Williams uses 3D imaging and metal printing to build sections of the dental framework as well as dentures. “The metal printing is so accurate it even prints hinges for implants where these are required,” says Hristina Cvetanovska.
Hristina Cvetanovska, Senior Prosthetics Technician
Furthermore, the team is also working on a Dental Transformation Project, which will see huge innovation in this area.
“The CQC’s acknowledgment is a result of the hard-work and commitment from all our staff and gives us an opportunity to showcase some of this great work. Thank you to all staff and a big congratulations!”
Professor Phil Taylor, Consultant Restorative Dentist and Professor of Prosthodontics