Dentists sought for DHSV Board

Applications have been invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons for positions as part-time directors on the board of Dental Health Services Victoria.

Those interested must have a commitment to excellence in public health care and the skills and expertise to make a significant contribution to the governance of a complex major health care organisation.

Further information is provided in the position description. The advertisement will be published in The Age and Herald Sun on 3 and 10 February 2007, and applications are due by 5.00 pm on Friday 16 February.

OHS Regulations released for Public Comment

The Victorian WorkCover Authority is conducting a review of OHS Regulations in line with the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004.

The draft Regulations were made available on Saturday, 20 January 2007, with the deadline for public comment being 5.00 pm on 28 February 2007.

The draft Regulations, Regulatory Impact Statement and Information Sheets can be downloaded from the WorkCover website.

According to an Information Sheet published by the VWA, the proposed regulation will have the following effects:
Lead - Translation of existing laws and continued alignment with the National Standard.
Prevention of falls - Translation of existing laws. Redefinition of ‘emergency services employees’ to clarify the position of employees and volunteers.
Manual handling - Translation of existing laws. No new obligations.
Confined spaces - Translation of existing laws. No new obligations.
Plant - Minor changes relating to maintenance of lifts and duties of auctioneers.
Noise - Translation of existing laws. Reducing red tape regarding noise exposure in excess of the standard.
Issue resolution - Translation of existing laws. Clarification of the procedure for temporary measures to be put in place while an OHS issue is being discussed.
Major hazard facilities - Continued alignment with National Standards and clarification of point of review of Safety Management System.
Mines - Translation of existing laws. Maintaining licensing requirements for winder operators.
Hazardous substances - Further alignment with the National Model Regulations and standardisation of licensing requirements for use of carcinogenic substances.
Construction - Combining disparate regulations to develop a streamlined single regulation which is consistent with the Commonwealth led National Standard. Incorporates nationally recognised model for safety induction training, coordination plans and safe work method statements.
Asbestos - Maintaining current regime which provides the best protection for workers and community of all the states. There will be no change to what licensed and unlicensed removalists can do. Reducing the administrative burden in relation to notification of asbestos removal, and making requirements for unlicensed removalists clearer. Removing overlapping laws, clarifying definitions.
High Risk Work Licences - Adoption of national standard licensing system including photo identification and introducing 5-year renewal periods to strengthen protection against fraud.

Pandemic preparations

The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has published resource materials to assist health professionals to prepare contingency plans in the event of a pandemic such as may be occasioned by an outbreak of avian flu.

While most of the impact of such a pandemic would be experienced by medical practitioners and hospitals, there will clearly be implications for dental practices, in terms of both patient interactions and staffing arrangements.

If your dental practice has not yet considered what it would do in the event of a pandemic, add the issue to your next staff meeting agenda, and perhaps assign a staff member responsibility for drafting a practice strategy on the issue - for review and adoption by all staff.

Other useful resources can be found at:

The World Health Organization (WHO) - WHO - Avian Influenza
The World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) - OIE Update on avian influenza H5N1
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - CDC - Avian Influenza

Dental scholarships

The Victorian Healthcare Association is currently seeking applications for the 2007 round of funding for the following scholarships and subsidy programs. They are for: Rural Allied Health Postgraduate Scholarship, Rural Allied Health Undergraduate Scholarship, Rural Bachelor of Dental Science Undergraduate Scholarship, Bachelor of Oral Health/Science Undergraduate Scholarship, and CPD for Rural Allied Health Practitioners Subsidy Program. These programs are funded by the Department of Human Services and are aimed at addressing specific workforce issues within Allied Health and Dental Services.Guidelines and application forms can be found on the VHA website. Applications close on 15 February.

Australia Day Honours

Members of the dental profession featured in the Australia Day honours’ lists. Recipients with a connection to dentistry were:
BARNARD, Peter Deane - NSW
Medal of the Order of Australia - For service to the community in the areas of preventive and public health dentistry in Australia and the Pacific Rim, through dental epidemiological studies, and to education.
DUCKMANTON, Norton Archie - NSW
Medal of the Order of Australia - For service to veterans and their families and to dentistry as a practitioner and educator in the area of prosthodontics.
DUNN, Martin Robertson - NSW
Medal of the Order of Australia - For service to the profession of dental prosthetics, particularly as a contributor in the area of skills development.
LAZAR, Peter Frederick - NSW
Member of the Order of Australia - For service to business, particularly in the field of public relations, to communication and dental health education, and to the community through aged care, health, cultural and social welfare organisations.
OLIVE, Richard John - Queensland
Member of the Order of Australia - For service to dentistry, particularly through a range of professional organisations and the Royal Australian Army Dental Corps, and to dental education.
WELLS, Marie WA
Medal of the Order of Australia - For service to the dental profession, particularly through the Dental Assistants' Association of Australia.
WALKER, Donald Murray

Medal of the Order of Australia - For service to oral pathology and oral medicine as an academic and clinician, and to public health through research and diagnostic services relating to oral and maxillofacial pathology.

Sounds that make people sick

The Age today published something of an odd spot story about research into sounds that make people sick.

Dental drills were well down the list behind microphone feedback, train screeches, babies crying and a number of noises associated with revulsion e.g. vomiting.

The study is being conducted by engineers who want to understand better what makes people react negatively to certain sounds, and to then design products or environments that wherever possible cancel these factors out.

School leavers go for dentistry

Dentistry and medicine are amongst the most popular university courses for school leavers this year. An analysis of Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre applications shows Medicine and Dentistry at The University of Melbourne being the second most popular courses. Medicine at Monash University was ranked fourth with physiotherapy at La Trobe University was the tenth most popular course.

Appointment of Sessional Members to VCAT

The Department of Justice has advertised for health professionals, including dentists, to serve as sessional members of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) from 1 July 2007. From that date, formal hearings related to alleged professional misconduct by dental care providers will be referred to VCAT by the new registration board.

Expressions of interest, including a comprehensive resume, and marked 'Confidential' need to be forwarded in duplicate by 29 January 2007, to:

Ms Gabrielle Levine

Director, Court Services

Department of Justice

Level 1/436 Lonsdale St

Melbourne VIC 3000

The Department of Justice advises that "VCAT members require a high level of integrity, sound judgment, professional skills and experience, people skills, the ability to conduct hearings and a capacity to make fair decisions quickly. Excellent communication skills are essential. Skills in mediation may also be valuable".

A duty statement and expression of interest form may be obtained by phoning Court Services, Department of Justice on (03) 9603 9461.