Why Newport? As you may know, I hail originally from Low Fell in Gateshead. To cut a very long story short, I have worked just a stone’s throw from the venue, in Ringland, for the past 13 years. Given the level of support my colleagues in Wales have offered it seemed fitting that I should chair Conference here in the Land of Song.
Newport is a city with a proud industrial past in steelmaking and coal, now finding its way in a very different world. It is perhaps best known in history for being the setting of a violent night in the history of the development of British democracy. In 1839 thousands of Chartists, whose demands included extension of the voting franchise beyond the landed gentry, descended upon Newport after the imprisonment of some of their number in the Westgate Hotel; a bloody battle ensued.
I am so pleased and proud that we were able to keep Conference going in virtual form during the pandemic. It was imperative that the profession did not lose its voice at such a critical time and that those holding the purse strings could be challenged and held to account, whilst LDC representatives could direct GDPC to the issues that mattered most.
I wish I could say that the pandemic had finally illustrated to the governments of the UK the crisis that had already set in prior to 2020. Whilst there have been some rays of hope, the shadows of despair that have held our profession back for so long show no sign of abating. The recruitment crisis is deepening and funding in real terms has reduced over and over again, whilst unrealistic targets and metrics are applied. There is still much talk of ‘incentivising’ dentists to do the right thing, where merely avoiding penalties and clawback by the state are often the reality. The added expectation by some patients that they can buy the ‘perfect smile’, the resulting impact of dental tourism and the aggressive marketing of direct-to-patient dentistry creates the recipe for a perfect storm.
We have some very talented, caring and committed people in our profession and there is always hope so long as that remains true. I am asking those of you who are old hands at Conference to reach out to those attending in person for the first time, whoever they may be. Having new faces with fresh ideas is essential to the evolution of any movement and we have tried to make this one of the key themes of Conference this year.
Please find following some specific information to help with preparations ahead of the event.
Motions
Please read the list of motions contained in the conference papers ahead of the event and submit any requests for changes to the wording of motions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Tuesday 31 May. In line with Standing Orders and of course to ensure an efficient use of the limited time available on the day, requests for changes to motions will not be accepted on the day of the event.
LDC Representatives – voting
LDC Representatives are required to bring a smartphone or tablet along to the event this year to participate in the voting. Further details will be provided in due course to those eligible to vote during motions.
Conference Dinner – Thursday 9 June
The Conference Dinner will this year take place the evening before the Conference, also in the Woodland Suite at the ICC Wales. The evening begins with a drinks reception at 19:15 with dinner service commencing at 20:00. Dress code is black tie. If you have not booked but would now like to attend, please contact Fiona to ensure you can be accommodated (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 020 7563 6876).
Travel and expenses
Information about travel arrangements and expense claiming (including the appropriate claim forms for LDC Reps and GDPC members) is all available on the website.
To help you with your travel plans it may be useful to highlight that Conference on the Friday will commence at 09:00 (join us for networking breakfast from 08:00) and conclude at 17:00.
Sponsors and exhibitors
We are delighted to have BDA Indemnity sponsoring the event this year and thank them for their support. We will be joined by an array of exhibitors too and their support is also valued and please do take the time to visit the exhibition during the breaks.
Conference papers at the event
Please use this link to download the Conference papers. Hard copies will not be provided on the day, but you are encouraged to bring your own device if you would like to view the information electronically during the event or print beforehand if you prefer paper copies.
I look forward to welcoming you to Wales!
Warmest wishes
Dan Cook
Chair of LDC Conference 2022
www.ldcuk.org #LDCConf2022