The Spicer Road Dental Practice is looking for the right person to join their team!

The Spicer Road dental practice is looking for the right person to join their team. Could that person be you?

We require a qualified dental nurse to join our team in January 2015.

The person we want must fulfil the following criteria. Could it be you?

"We need a qualified dental nurse to work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 20th January 2015 at this independently run, private, traditional family practice within the heart of Exeter.

You must be caring, a great communicator, customer focused and an active team player.

The practice is fully computerised with digital x -rays. Our brilliant team look forward to welcoming someone to join the the practice for a long term position at a happy practice where we offer high quality dentistry and put patients first.

Applicants MUST be GDC registered with and up to date CPD file, DBS check and vaccinations.

Contact Practice Manager Jo Anderson at the Spicer Road Dental Practice on 01392 272937"

We look forward to hearing from you.

November is Mouth Cancer Awareness Month

What is mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer is cancer that affects the lips, cheek, tongue and throat. 

Who can be affected by mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer can affect anyone, it is most common in people over 40, particularly men.

However, research has shown that mouth cancer is becoming more common in younger patients and women.

Do people die of mouth cancer?

Yes, on average over 1800 people die of mouth cancer in the UK each year. That’s about 6 people each day! Many of these deaths could be prevented if the cancer was caught at an early stage.

What are the signs of mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer can appear in different forms and can affect all parts of the mouth, tongue and lips.

Mouth cancer can appear as a painless mouth ulcer that does not heal normally. A white or red patch in the mouth can also develop into a cancer. It is really important to visit your dentist if these areas do not heal within three weeks.

What causes mouth cancer?

Most cases of mouth cancer are linked to alcohol and tobacco consumption. Regular smoking and drinking greatly increases your risk of getting mouth cancer. Over-exposure to sunlight can also increase the risk of cancer of the lips.

Many recent reports have linked mouth cancer to the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the major cause of cervical cancer and affects the skin that lines the moist areas of the body.

HPV can be spread through oral sex, and research now suggests that it could soon rival smoking and drinking as one of the main causes of mouth cancer.

For more information visit the mouth cancer action website

You can also get involved with the blue lip selfie campaign.

At every dental health check at the Spicer Road Dental Practice we carry a mouth cancer check. To book your dental health check visit our website here or contact our reception team on 01392 272408.

Spicer Road Dental Practice has a new tooth whitening offer!

Now the evenings are drawing in and the clocks have gone back, we can now say winter is coming, and with that Christmas too.

With Christmas coming you may be looking forward to a special occasion. You may have an event coming up where a brighter, whiter smile would be just the thing to make a statement. Not only would your new outfit make you stand out from the crowd but your friends and family could be dazzled by the confidence given to you by your brighter, whiter smile!

So as a special offer for the coming holiday season we are pleased to annouce our Winter Whitening offer at the Spicer Road Dental Practice. 

For an investment of £260, a brighter, whiter smile could be yours in time for the holiday season.

For more information and terms and conditions please visit our website here.

The Spicer Road Dental Practice's New Look Website is launched!

Today, the Spicer Road Dental Practice has launched our new website.

We happy to say we love our new look and are immensely proud of our new website.

Why not take a look? You can find us here.

Did you know that the Spicer Road Dental Practice has a Facebook page?

The Spicer Road Dental Practice has a Facebook page and you can find us here.

We try to keep you updated with news from the world of dentistry and with offers and events at the practice.

Please come on over and like our page.

Some Dental Reading and websites you may find interesting

It's been a while since I have written on anything dental. In keeping up with my commitments to lifelong learning I'd like to share some books. websites and even podcasts that I have found interesting the last few months.

First up, I'd like to share two blogs by dental business coach Chris Barrow, Chris describes himself as a marmite character either loved or hated by the dental profession. I fall into the former category, I find his writings and presentations to be both thought provoking and challenging. His two blogs can be found on the 7connections website and his personal blog "letters from an imperfectionist" here.

Second, I would like to recommend a book by Ashley Latter. The book is called "You are Worth It." I read this book earlier in the year, it is an easy read and packed with tips and knowledge to help dentists become more confident and to achieve the fees their skill reflects.

This is how Ashley describes his book:-

"Do you sometimes reduce the price of your treatments in your head because you feel your patients cannot afford them? Does talking of money in your surgery make you feel uncomfortable? Are you worried about quoting a price due to the fear you might get a negative response from your patient? Do you feel your services are worth more than you get paid for them? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then I promise you will enjoy reading this book."

You kind find a link to Ashley's site here. 

Now two other websites I recommend, first Mark Oborn, Mark offers Dental Marketing, website and SEO consulting for dental practices, he also blogs on this too. His blog can be found here. Also I would like to take the time to recommend Kevin Rose. He is a business coach and writes about business leadership in dentistry, his blog can be found here.

Finally I'd like to write about a podcast, I discovered at the end of last year. The Thriving Dentist Show is broadcast weekly and can be downloaded to your MP3 device. It is presented by American Dental Coach Gary Takacs. It's usual format is that Gary will have an interview with someone who is an expert or respected opinion in a particular area of dentistry. Despite being slightly biased to an American audience, he often has British contributors on the podcast. It's worth a listen and is available here.

New Opening Hours at The Spicer Road Dental Practice

Starting on 3rd  February 2014 our opening times are changing, we will be opening for longer hours on a Monday and Thursday.

These are our new hours:

• Monday        08:30-17:00
• Tuesday       08:30-17:00
• Wednesday  08:30-17:00
• Thursday     08:30-18:30
• Friday         08:30-16:30

We changed our opening times in response to you our patients to make more surgery time available outside normal office hours. We hope that these changes will be useful for  you.

If you are a new or existing patient, contact our reception team on 01392 272408 to schedule an appointment.

To find out more about us, visit our website here.

Or alternatively you can like us on Facebook here.

How the Health of your gums could impact on your general health!

The state of your teeth and gums can impact on your general health. Brushing and flossing your teeth can have a positive impact on the health of your body.

Gum disease increases your risk of many diseases but links have been found to an increased risk of strokes, diabetes and heart disease.

The good news is that brushing your teeth properly and looking after your gums can prevent and treat gum disease, improve your overall health and help reduce your risk of health problems, such as heart disease.
Follow a routine of brushing your teeth for a full two minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, plus cleaning between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes.
Visit your dentist and dental hygienist regularly for cleaning and check-ups. It’s especially important to look after your teeth and gums if you’re pregnant.

I've also included couple of videos, one is an interview with actress Whoopi Goldberg describing her experience of a severe gum infection, the second is a news clip fro ABC news (a bit more detailed and scientific but still an interesting watch).

November is mouth cancer action month. Reading this post could save your life!

What is mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer is cancer that affects the lips, cheek, tongue and throat. 

Who can be affected by mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer can affect anyone, it is most common in people over 40, particularly men.

However, research has shown that mouth cancer is becoming more common in younger patients and women.

Do people die of mouth cancer?

Yes, on average over 1800 people die of mouth cancer in the UK each year. That’s about 6 people each day! Many of these deaths could be prevented if the cancer was caught at an early stage.

What are the signs of mouth cancer?

Mouth cancer can appear in different forms and can affect all parts of the mouth, tongue and lips.

Mouth cancer can appear as a painless mouth ulcer that does not heal normally. A white or red patch in the mouth can also develop into a cancer. It is really important to visit your dentist if these areas do not heal within three weeks.

What causes mouth cancer?

Most cases of mouth cancer are linked to alcohol and tobacco consumption. Regular smoking and drinking greatly increases your risk of getting mouth cancer. Over-exposure to sunlight can also increase the risk of cancer of the lips.

Many recent reports have linked mouth cancer to the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the major cause of cervical cancer and affects the skin that lines the moist areas of the body.

HPV can be spread through oral sex, and research now suggests that it could soon rival smoking and drinking as one of the main causes of mouth cancer.

For more information visit the mouth cancer action website

Something dental for a change!

So did you know that having poor gum health and periodontal disease can have a serious affect on your general health?

Recent studies have shown that there is evidence linking periodontal disease (gum disease) to heart disease and other chronic diseases. The common link in all these conditions is inflammation.

The presence of active gum disease may be linked to heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.

So what steps can you take to prevent periodontal disease? First brush your teeth twice daily for at least two minutes using a manual or electric toothbrush. Second, floss your teeth or use tepe brushes to clean those difficult to get at areas between the teeth, these areas can often be inflamed. Finally, see your dentist regularly for dental health checks and if your dentist recommends seeing a hygienist take their advice. The dental hygienist can give you the best advice on cleaning and looking after your teeth and gums, remove those stubborn deposits that get stuck to your teeth and restore your smile to its sparkling best.

It is a small investment by you in keeping your teeth, gums and mouth healthy. Also a healthy mouth can have plenty of other benefits to your general health too!

Denplan Excel

In January, we were once again inspected by Denplan to make sure we met the standards to continue to be a member of the Denplan Excel scheme.

We are one of the few dental practices in Exeter to achieve Denplan Excel Accreditation. 

What does this mean for you?

This means that as a practice, the team at Spicer Road Dental Practice have achieved the high standards required to join the Denplan Excel Accreditation Programme, developed by Denplan. The programme helps dentists to develop better relationships with you, our patients, through good communication and improving your experience of coming to the dentist.

Denplan Excel is the first accreditation scheme to be approved by the Patient’s Association and was developed as a result of studies showing that patients who enjoy a good relationship and effective communication with their dentists are less anxious about examinations and treatment.

As a member of this groundbreaking scheme we are regularly monitored to see that we maintain these high standards. We first achieved Excel accreditation four years ago and  have been re-accredited three times since, most recently in January 2013.

We are delighted to achieve these high standards of patient care and see our Denplan Excel Accreditation as a badge to be worn with pride.

Winter Whitening. Spicer Road Dental Practice's Christmas offer for you!

Would you like a whiter, brighter smile for Christmas? Everybody wants a brighter smile. Your smile is one of the first things others notice about you, it says more about you than any other feature. Every smile is unique, we will prescribe the perfect treatment for you to achieve the bright smile you desire.' Offer price £260.00 usual price £360.00 Offer open to existing patients AND non patients. 

Contact the Practice Reception on 01392 308 265 to arrange an appointment. 

Tooth whitening is a simple procedure the most commonly requested cosmetic treatment. Short free assessment with dentist to discuss suitability. Tooth impressions taken to provide the patient with custom made whitening trays along with the whitening solution.

Terms and Conditions. 1. Offer runs from 19th Nov to 31st Dec 2012. Appointments can be booked into Jan 2013 as long as booked within the offer period. 2. Whitening is not suitable for every patients. Short assessment with dentist is included in offer price. 3. Offer includes custom made whitening trays and 12 tubes of whitening gel. 4. Offer open to non-patients.

We have more information on our website here.

21 years qualified as a dentist, how things have changed!

I was thinking back on my years as a dentist and I realised in December of this year I have been qualified for 21 years. This led me to reflect on what has changed since I was a student and on what techniques and materials the profession has adopted. Ask any dentist what has been the biggest change in dentistry in the last two decades and I will bet you will a massive variety of answers. 

Whether it be the replacement of missing teeth with dental implants, the development of tooth coloured filling materials that can reliably bond to teeth, the increased and almost routine use of magnification by dentist for carrying out operative procedures, the development and improvement in dental ceramics that help us to beautiful and lifelike crowns, bridges and veneers or the systems that help us reliably and predictably carry out root canal treatments.

For me advances that have had the biggest impact on my everyday practice are the improvements made to tooth coloured fillings and nickel titanium files that are used to carry out root canal treatments.

I would like to right about some the kit and gadgets that I like to use to enable me to carry out root canal treatments. About five years ago I decided to invest in a set of loupes, I own a set of nuview loupes with 3.5x magnification and also a LED light that mounts on the frame of the loupes.

The improvement in vision I get with these is amazing. One tip if any dentists read this, if you get a set of loupes, invest in a light too, until I purchased a light I couldn't see why everybody was so enthused about loupes and extra magnification, purchasing a light vastly improved my experience with loupes. 

The other pieces of kit that have dramatically changed my experience in providing root canal treatments are the use of an electronic apex locator and the use of rotary endodontic files. I specifically use a Raypex 4 apex locator and the Dentsply X Smart with protaper files. 

Using the electronic apex locator I can accurately confirm the length of a patients tooth and reduce the number of radiographs (x-rays) that I take and using the X Smart motor with rotary files I can easily prepare the tooth to receive a root filling.

Using this kit I can produce results like this.

The radiograph (x-ray) shown is from a real patient of mine, he present with severe pain from one of his molar teeth, using the equipment I have talked about and my skills as a dentist we have managed to save and preserve his tooth.

Our Customer satisfaction Survey

The Spicer Road Dental Practice is a member of Denplan Excel.



What does this mean for you?

This means that as a practice, the team at Spicer Road Dental Practice have achieved the high standards required to join the Denplan Excel Accreditation Programme, developed by Denplan. The programme helps dentists to develop better relationships with you, our patients, through good communication and improving your experience of coming to the dentist.

Denplan Excel is the first accreditation scheme to be approved by the Patient’s Association and was developed as a result of studies showing that patients who enjoy a good relationship and effective communication with their dentists are less anxious about examinations and treatment.

As a member of this groundbreaking scheme we are regularly monitored to see that we maintain these high standards. We first achieved Excel accreditation three years ago and  have been re-accredited twice since, most recently in July 2011.

We are delighted to achieve these high standards of patient care and see our Denplan Excel Accreditation as a badge to be worn with pride.


We recently undertook a patient survey and had the results returned to us in July. I thought I should show you some of the great feedback we've had from our patients. these comments have been transcribed exactly as written by patients. Only obvious spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected.

"Convenient, competent and comfortable"

"Very helpful, friendly all round good guys"

"In spite of my age(86) I am always treated with friendliness and respect"

"Accessibility and availability: feeling of confidence and trust"

"Friendly reception,spacious clean waiting area.Competent dentist, appointments on time. relaxing environment"

"Friendly dentist, nurse and hygienist. Cleanliness is wonderful"

"I like my dentist, very skilled. Appreciate the text reminders"

"My dentist is fantastic. He takes time with me and talks with me about dental problems no other practice dentist does this"

"Very local and always able to get an appointment at short notice. Friendly staff"

"Prompt on time appointments. Friendliness of reception staff"

Its great for the team at Spicer Road Dental Practice to be shown such great appreciation by our patients and we would like to thank those that replied to the survey for their comments.

If you would like to join the practice, why not contact our reception team on 01392 272408 or visit or practice website for more information about us.

Tooth Whitening. A simple way to transform your smile!

There are many reasons why you may want to get your teeth whitened. Everyone’s teeth are different; and just as our skin and hair colour vary, so does the colour of our teeth. Very few people have brilliant white teeth, and our teeth can also become more stained and discoloured as we get older.

Your teeth may also become stained on the surface from eating certain food and drinks. Also smoking may stain your teeth.

Tooth whitening is a highly effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing or damaging the tooth surface. It cannot make a complete colour change, but it will lighten the existing colour of your teeth.

Tooth whitening has now become one of the most common and safest cosmetic procedures in the world. There are many studies in the dental literature that confirm the safety and success of tooth whitening.Your dentist will be able to tell you if you are suitable for tooth whitening treatment, and supervise it if you are. Your dentist will provide you with custom made mouth-guards that fits on your teeth like a gum shield, and a gel to place in the tray and on your teeth. You whiten your teeth at home and results are usually visible within a few weeks. 

The results of tooth whitening usually last around three years but you can easily “top this up” using tooth whitening gel at home.

Is this some thing that may interest you? Why don't you contact our team at Spicer Road Dental Practice and arrange a consultation, to see what we can do to transform your smile.

Winter Whitening!

How would you like a brighter, whiter smile? 


The Spicer Road Dental Practice has an amazing offer on tooth whitening this December. 


We are offering tooth whitening at the amazing price of £260, a seasonal reduction of £100 on our usual price!


Interested?


Contact or reception team for an appointment and a brighter smile could be yours! Our telephone number is 01392 272408.

Mouthguards, Why we dentists think they are important.

Half term is here and it possible that many of our patient's have taken up a new sport at school.


Protect your smile, it is the only one you have, and to damage it would be devastating. It will also mean you may need many years of work to repair your smile.


Here's a poster that we are displaying at our dental practice.

Prices for a custom fitted mouthuard start from £59.

For appointments contact our reception team on 01392 272408, or visit our website.

Spring Clean Your Smile.

To celebrate the arrival of spring we have an amazing offer at the Spicer Road Dental Practice, Spring Clean Your Smile.


To celebrate the arrival of Spring we are offering tooth whitening at one third our usual price. For an investment of £260, we can transform your smile with tooth whitening. 


This offer is available for a limited time and ends on 16th June 2011.


See our flyer below.

A new day and new crowns for a patient.

I had seen this patient for several years, he recently told me that he was unhappy with the appearance of his smile. He was concerned that his existing crowns were not in an ideal position, the crowns showed black lines adjacent to his gums and that the colour wasn't ideal.


After much discussion we decided to replace the patient's existing crowns with two new all ceramic (porcelain) crowns. We would also alter the position of one of his incisor teeth and alter the teeth so that the black lines would no longer be seen adjacent to the gums.


Here is a picture of the patient before his treatment.

We decided to fabricate this patients crowns from Emax, a ceramic made by Ivoclar Vivadent. Emax is a great material that combines amazing aethetics with great strength, and is ideal for use in situations where a great aesthetic result is needed for example when replacing incisor teeth.

Here is my patient after treatment. 

The patient and I were really happy with the appearance of his new crowns and his new smile.


Does this sort of dentistry interest you? If it does visit our website or contact our reception team to make an appointment for a dental health check and a chat on how we can help you gain the amazing smile you have always wanted.

Let's talk about tooth whitening.

How would you like to wear your smile with style?


Everybody wants whiter teeth, and why not? Your smile is the first thing that most people notice about you, it can say more about you than any other feature. 


Tooth whitening is the simplest, kindest and probably the most affordable way you can change your smile. Most people look and feel years younger after the treatment, having removed the stains caused by tobacco, food, drinks and internal pigments which can make your teeth look darker with age.


Do you have a special occasion or family event in the near future? Tooth whitening could be the way of achieving the dazzling smile you have always wanted.


At the Spicer Road Dental Practice we offer tooth whitening treatments. If you would like more information about tooth whitening or about us, visit our website  or contact our reception team to make an appointment on 01392 272408. We look forward to hearing from you soon.