06Jul 2011 1 Comment

And Implants For All

Guy Hiscott talks to dentist turned implant entreprenuer Jason Buglass about breaking down barriers and bringing treatment to the masses

It’s often said that the most successful dentists have something of the entrepreneur about them. After all, clinical excellence is all well and good –but it’s your business nous that lets you put it into practice. Jason Buglass is no stranger to this concept. A successful private dentist with a string of general and referral practices around Telford, his entrepreneurial streak is perhaps a little wider than most. He also happens to be the head of Implantium, an implant import and supply company, and the brains behind Dentale, a rapidly expanding training business with a difference. Jason has big plans – plans that include becoming the biggest implant company in the UK in the next five years. No mean feat, considering that the majority of practitioners in this country are unlikely to have heard of Implantium.

Brits having dental work abroad fail to spot “hidden” costs

Around 259,000 Britons between 16 and 64 have dental treatment abroad every year because they believe it is cheaper, according to research issued by Dentale, a dental implant training clinic.

Although many people think that they can save money by doing this, Dentale warns, depending on the dental treatment required, it could end up being more expensive due to the costs of hotels and flights for multiple visits. Dentale’s research shows that between 2004 and 2008, 779,000 men and 514,000 women aged between 16 and 64 had dental treatment abroad because they believe they would save money.

A Whole World of Endeavour Awaits

So, why do an implant course? Jason Buglass, managing director of Dentale and Implantium, takes you through the options.

In October 2007 the General Dental Council, after grappling with the issue of specialist lists, concluded that anyone involved in the delivery of dental implantology to the general public must demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of competence. As the undergraduate educational experience is polarised to preparing graduates to survive in the generality of primary care dentistry, the only option for the general practitioner to acquire the necessary skills is to attend an appropriate course.