Annual Dento-legal study day - 'Risky' business

Please note - programme timings are subject to change

09:15 Chair’s introduction

Len D’Cruz, Head of Indemnity, BDA

09:20 The lifetime patient versus the cosmetic patient

Tif Qureshi, Private dentist, London/ South East

10:10 Risky behaviour – on the fringes of dentistry

Jane Lang, Partner, Clyde & Co LLP

10:55 Morning break and refreshments

11:20 Fear, failure, and risk – how to avoid and manage failure

Raj Rattan MBE, Dental Director, Dental Protection

12:20  Lunch and networking

13:30 “Their future in your hands”

Are you practising safely and responsibly? And what happens if you don’t?

Yvonne Dailey, Consultant Dental Public Health, Public Health England NW

14:05 How to stay out of trouble and ensure you don’t hear from the Health Service Ombudsman

Anna Neill, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

14:40 Afternoon break and refreshments

15:00 PRACTICAL SECTION - Explore and discuss scenarios and work interactively with peers.

Clare Lawrence, Dento-legal Advisor, BDA

15.35 Risky business and why crime doesn’t pay

Speaker to be confirmed, Weightmans LLP

16:10 Interactive questions and discussion 

Round up the day's highlights with our expert speakers

16.40 Close of event

Len is Head of BDA Indemnity, a general dental practitioner, foundation trainer and practice owner. He has 21 years’ experience as a dento-legal advisor supporting dentists with complaints, clinical and regulatory issues, and clinical negligence claims. He is lead lecturer at the University of Bedfordshire teaching on the MA in Dental Law and Ethics. He has authored and co-authored two books: “Understanding NHS dentistry” and “Dental Law and Ethics” and has contributed legal and ethical content to a number of text books, journals and websites. He regularly shares his wisdom on NHS regulations and contract reform and has both dental and legal qualifications. 

Yvonne qualified as a dentist from Liverpool in 1991 then undertook rotation hospital positions, followed by part-time practice and salaried service. After gaining her PhD, which was undertaken in general dental practice, she entered specialist dental public health training. She has held a university position as a senior lecturer, worked for Public Health England and now NHS England, as the North West Lead Consultant.

Yvonne has a specific interest in frail vulnerable adults, oral cancer and antimicrobial resistance. Throughout her career she has undertaken various national roles: at the BDA; Chair of BASCD Consultant & Specialist Dental Public Health Group; and currently Co-Chair for dental subgroup ESPAUR (English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance). Her spare time is spent supporting Wales on the side line of hockey pitches and dabbling in trail running.

Simon is a Partner in Weightmans health sector team, leading their Indemnifiers client grouping which covers providers of indemnity to professionals working in the health and social care sector.

Simon represents dentists, doctors and other healthcare professionals in disciplinary proceedings before their regulators arising from conduct, performance and health issues. His practice also includes inquests, NHS Performers List investigations and hospital disciplinary investigations. Simon is instructed by defence organisations, insurers, healthcare providers and companies, NHS bodies and individual healthcare professionals.

Simon is ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, which recommends him as a lawyer who “One of the most effortless and cool lawyers. Clients love him and he oozes confidence. A class act.”.

Clare has more than 20 years of experience as a dentist, working in both primary and secondary care. She became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and gained her diploma in Conscious Sedation from Guys before joining the Oral Surgery specialist list in 2008.

Having worked in the dento‐legal field for the last eight years, she has continued her interest in the law and became a member of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine, going on to complete the diploma in forensic medical science. Clare is committed to pursuing proper and fair outcomes for her dental colleagues in all manner of dental complaints, claims, regulatory and disciplinary processes and advice cases.

Anna has been working for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman since 2009. She has lead responsibility for the Complaint Standards and engagement with NHS services and UK government departments.  She has previously worked at the General Medical Council and the Legal Aid Agency.

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman was set up by Parliament to provide an independent complaint handling service for complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments.

Dr Tif Qureshi qualified from Kings College London in 1992. He is a Past President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Tif is founder and a clinical director of IAS Academy, an international faculty that provides mentored education for general dentists on a pathway from appropriate simple to comprehensive orthodontics.

Tif has a special interest in simple orthodontics and truly minimally invasive dentistry. He has committed his life’s work to empowering dentists to provide important alternative techniques. He offers a wide variety of treatments to many more patients, while always respecting the fundamental precepts of orthodontics.

Tif also pioneered the concept of Progressive Smile Design through Alignment, Bleaching, Bonding – a course that combines tooth alignment, composite bonding and teeth whitening to produce superior smiles using techniques with the absolute minimum of invasiveness available today.

An experienced teacher in the Dahl concept, Tif shows how this technique is used to plan tooth alignment and minimise invasive dentistry in the development of a beautiful smile.

Tif now lectures and published scientific articles internationally.

Raj Rattan’s portfolio career includes over 30 years’ clinical experience in general dental practice. He owned and operated a small practice group and was involved in dental foundation training for over 20 years, first as a programme director and then Strategic Association Dean at the London Deanery.  He has been an examiner for the FGDP and currently for the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine.

He has provided consultancy services to various public and private sector organisations including the NHS, Denplan, dental corporates and the Department of Health where he has previously served as a Policy Adviser.

He is the author/co-author of a number of textbooks including a textbook on Law and Ethics and has contributed articles to dental publications for more than 25 years. He has lectured extensively throughout the UK and internationally for many years.  He was a part-time dento-legal consultant for many years at Dental Protection before taking up his current role as Dental Director in 2016.