SHAPING YOUNG MINDS - Malaysian Dental Association
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A publication of Malaysian Dental Association
NEWS
Oct-Dec
Oct Dec 2020
SHAPING YOUNG
MINDS
Prof Emeritus Dato’ Dr Wan
Mohd Nasir Wan Othman
founded the dental faculty at USIM
2ȫFLDO$QQRXQFHPHQWRQWKH'LJLWDO9HUVLRQRI
28th MDA SCATE 2021
09
MDA Private Practitioners Section (MDAPPS) Report
21
SCODOS Activity Report
24
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31
Editor:
Assoc Prof Dr Mas Suryalis Ahmad
Contributing authors:
Dr Leong Kei Joe
Dr Sylvia Lim Sze Wei
Dr Cindy Chong Ei Yen
Dr Jeannette Wong
Dr Neoh Ein Yau
Dr Nurul Izzati Mohamad Ali
Dr Nurul Izzani Zulkifle
Capt (R) Dr Hayati Ishak
Ex-officio
Dr Ng Woan Tyng
Treasurer
Dr Wong Chin Mee, Angie
Advertisement Liaison
Dr Wong Chin Mee, Angie
Dr Ng Su Chin, Janice
Puan Razana Abdul Karim
Message Malaysian Dental Association
D-5-1, Pusat Komersial Parklane,
Jalan SS7/26, Kelana Jaya,
from the Honorary Publication Secretary
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 603-7887 6760
603-7887 6762
Fax: 603-7887 6764
E-mail: mdaassoca@mda.org.my
Dear MDA members, Website:
mdentalassoc@gmail.com
www.mda.org.my
Conceptualised & Produced by
W
e have come to the end of the year… again! I cannot believe Paul & Marigold (DeCalais Sdn Bhd)
that 2020 just passed by. As the world witnessed how a
virus can change our lives, I personally found 2020 to be a Email: arvind@paulandmarigold.com
Website: www.paulandmarigold.com
year of self-reflection, gratitude and warmth. I was able to
ponder on the true meaning of life-as a human being and a servant of God.
Note:
I developed the sense of appreciation for my family and friends. I realised Views expressed are not necessarily those
how important it is to spend quality time with my loved ones, as we would of The Malaysian Dental Association. The
Malaysian Dental Association takes no
never know how much time we have left with them. responsibility for the consequences of any
action taken based on any information
I was often overwhelmed with emotions every time I read stories of people published in MDA News and neither shall
it be held liable for any product or service
losing their ‘someone’ for whatever reason. How life can be so fragile
advertised in the same. No part of this
and unpredictable. Indeed, 2020 has been a year of love and hope, as publication may be reproduced without the
everyone unites to combat the spread of the deadly virus. permission of the publisher.
I believe that everyone hopes for the better in 2021. Let’s continue our
effort in curbing the disease. Surely, we can make the world a better place,
as long as we stay safe, vigilant and responsible for each other’s health
and wellbeing.
Till we meet again in 2021.
Regards,
Associate Professor Dr Mas Suryalis Ahmad
Honorary Publication Secretary & MDA News Editor-in-Chief
Malaysian Dental Association 2019/2021.
October-December 2020
Inside
Features
27 Shaping Young
Minds
31 Composite Veneers:
Tips and Tricks
Activities
09 Official Announcement on the Digital Version of
28th MDA SCATE 2021
11 Oral Hygiene Kit Donation to MERCY Malaysia
Headquarters
12 Oral Hygiene Kit Donation to ElShaddai Refugee
Learning Centre
17 ' An Interview with Dr Lim Chiew Wooi,’ by
Dr Jeannette Wong
21 MDA Private Practitioners Section (MDAPPS)
Report
24 SCODOS Activity Report
Dear beloved members and colleagues,
5
Message from
G
reetings from the Malaysian Dental Association. At this
President of
point of time, I suppose many of us, just like myself are
waiting and hoping. We are all eagerly awaiting on the
MDA 2019/21
announcement of the current Conditional – Movement
Control Order, what will be announced, what are the amendments
in the Standard Operating Procedures, a term that we now hear so
often that even the lay person knows what is SOPs. As eager as
most of us in wanting to return back to our “ old normal” lives, we
need to be patient and adapt ourselves to this “new normal” as a
way of living. Scanning through the social media to keep ourselves
updated on the figures related to COVID-19, news on new clusters
and so on, has now been a “new “routine for most of us. At the
dental fraternity, we can still safely say that there has not been any
reported cases of COVID-19 transmission from our dental patients.
I suppose, it boils down to the fact that dental practitioners
practices good universal precaution way back, a long, long time
ago, even before we were faced with SARS. Our knowledge on
aerosol generating procedures in the dental setting is not new, and
the need to put on PPEs is not new either. With the heightened
and tightened measures in our SOPs, I trust we will all be able to
continue to practice dentistry safely. In fact, the latest guideline
released by Oral Health Program, Ministry of Health Malaysia
on the 18 November 2020, clearly states that, there should be
no restriction of dental services based on COVID-19 zoning but
rather based on the risk status of the patient. In a nutshell, only Dr Leong Kei Joe
emergency dental care at designated facilities is to be provided for President
Malaysian Dental Association
individuals who are at “high risk” status, such those categorised
as “suspected case”, “probable case”, “person under surveillance”
and “positive case”. For this matter, it is important that those
at the reception do request patients show their risk status via
the mySejahtera app. Of course, it is still important for them to
honestly enter the usual health declaration as what has been the
practice since the start of the pandemic. The need to have all our
dental patients to undergo COVID-19 swab test is still debatable,
although it has indeed come to my knowledge that some clinics are
actually adopting this move. Anyway, even if the COVID-19 vaccine
is made available, I strongly believe that we, as dental practitioners,
need to continue to always be on our guard, just as how we have
been doing all these while, for we will never know, when the world
will be hit with another “new bug”.
October-December 2020
6
In this message too, I wish to update some of the There will be another webinar coming up under this
activities the Association in these last two calendar collaboration and we hope that all of you will mark this in
months of 2020. As you are all aware, when the your calendar:
Conditional – Movement Control Order was implemented
back in Selangor recently, our secretariat staffs do work Not forgetting the “budding” dental practitioners to be,
from home and only return to Wisma MDA when there is MDA was indeed honoured to be invited to speak at one
a need. Nevertheless, the daily operating business of the of the Weekend Online Webinar (“WOW”) series organised
Association remains and our staff are still contactable by Asia Pacific Dental Students Association (APDSA)
(please kindly refer to our Homepage for further details). on the 28 November 2020. It was a motivational talk to
dental students in Malaysia and around this region. It was
In line with the need for Continuous Professional truly an exciting opportunity to share comments with this
Development activities, MDA, in collaboration with Ivoclar younger generation and to listen to their “concerns” about
Vivadent, has successfully organised a series of webinars. what the future may have installed for them.
Prof. Dr Danimir Jevremovic spoke on the following topics
recently: 13 November 2020. As one of the Global Supporters of
World Oral Heath Day, 3M (Malaysia) has already started
(i) Preparation Technique for Metal Free Crowns engaging MDA to plan for activities leading up to World
and Veneers Oral Health Day celebration in Malaysia for 2021. As with
Thursday, 22 October 2020 the year 2020, MDA plans to have activities throughout
the year of 2021 keeping the message and the spirit of
(ii) Adhesive Cementation – From A to Z WOHD constant in the community. The theme for next
Wednesday, 4 November 2020 year’s celebration is “Be Proud of Your Mouth”.
(iii) Welcome To Digital Dentistry
Wednesday, 25 November 2020
MDA News
7
In the month of November 2020, MDA participated in
2 very important meetings which were policy making
matters and will ultimately determine the future of dental
service in Malaysia:
1. Executive Committee of National Oral Health Plan
2021 – 2030. This virtual meeting, part of a series of
meetings held earlier, was held on the 19 November
2020 and was attended by Dr Sharon Tay Hui Wen,
council member of MDA from Northern Zone. Among
some of the pertinent matters that required views and
comments from MDA included:
a. Increasing the level of awareness of dento-legal
matters among practitioners.
b. Digitalisation of oral health data through
Electronic Medical Record.
c. Utilisation of services for children to be visited by
both public and private sectors
2. Workshop on development of White Paper for
National Oral Health Policy. This was attended by Dr
Neoh Ein Yau and Dr Dennis Lee Chin Sze from MDA
Private Practitioners Section (MDA PPS).
Henceforth, dental services in the next decade to come
will very much be determined by the efforts put in by
the various stakeholders. It is the planning of today to
determine the model of dental health care of the future.
I urge all dental practitioners to be constantly updated,
“stay awake”, to share your views, comments and ideas
with us. It is not only for us now, but also for our “to-be”
colleagues and most of all, for our Rakyat!
In the meantime, stay healthy, stay on-guard and stay
safe. Last but not least, as we all approach the end of the
year 2020, on behalf of the Council Members of MDA, I
wish all of you “Blessed Christmas” and a “Happy New
Year 2021”.
Thank you.
Yours in MDA,
Dr Leong Kei Joe
President
Malaysian Dental Association
October-December 2020
9
W
armest greetings from MDA. The outbreak of the COVID-19
pandemic has indeed shook the whole world and has
brought about great changes to the societal norms. As
we all approach the closing of the year 2020 with much
anticipation of resuming our normal lives and the end of the pandemic, 2ȫFLDO
Announcement
unfortunately this is still not the case. The recent development shows
extension of Conditional – Movement Control Order in a few states in
Malaysia till next year. The fluidity in outbreaks, often unpredictable, has
forced the organising committee of 28th MDA SCATE 2021 to take an
unprecedented and decisive step to change the strategy of running this RQWKH'LJLWDO
Version of
important Dental conference which traditionally starts at the beginning of
the calendar year.
The organising committee would like to take this opportunity inform all of
you that the upcoming 28th MDA SCATE 2021 will now be fully digital. It 28th MDA
SCATE 2021
will be the first of its kind in Malaysia, bridging both scientific program and
trade exhibition on a truly virtual platform, and with its almost borderless
experience we strongly trust that it will further enhance our international
identity. In preparation for this mega digital version of the event, the dates
for the live version are now rescheduled to 5 – 9 March 2021. For those,
who can’t make it on these dates, the whole digital experience will still be
available for 30 days following the conference. The organising committee Reported by:
are dedicated and will do their level best, albeit a big learning curve for Dr Leong Kei Joe
President
all, to ensure a seamless experience. On this note, we wish to reach out
Malaysian Dental Association
to you for your support and to patronise our all new MDA SCATE 2021.
The registration fees has also been revised to be more competitive and
realistic. We will have virtual interaction not only at the scientific program
but also at the virtual trade exhibition. In the meantime, we wish all of you
a Happy New Year 2021.
Stay safe and thank you.
October-December 2020
Distributed by: Komedic Sdn. Bhd. | No 4 Jalan PJS 11/14, Bandar Sunway 46150 Petaling Jaya Selangor. | Tel:03-56344866
Beneficiary
Date of collection
: MERCY Malaysia Headquarters, Kuala Lumpur
: 4 November 2020
11
Time : 1pm
Representative from MDAEZ : Pn Razana Abdul Karim
2UDO+\JLHQH
Items donated : 7 cartons Colgate toothbrush
7 cartons Palmolive shampoo
Kit Donation
3 cartons Colgate toothpaste
3 cartons Children oral hygiene kit to MERCY
Representative from
Beneficiary
: Ms Ain
0DOD\VLD
+HDGTXDUWHUV
E
arly this year, Colgate-Palmolive Malaysia donated oral hygiene
kits and shampoo to the Malaysian Dental Association (MDA)
Headquarters for CSR programmes. The items were distributed to all
the Zones. MDA Eastern Zone received 6 cartons of toothpaste, 13
cartons of toothbrushes, 13 cartons of Palmolive shampoo, and 3 cartons of
children oral hygiene kits. Reported by:
Dr Sylvia Lim Sze Wei,
MDAEZ EXCO 2019/2021
As shipping for all these items to East Malaysia was not cost-effective, the
MDA Eastern Zone donated 7 cartons of toothbrushes, 7 cartons of Palmolive
shampoo, 3 cartons of toothpaste, and 3 cartons of children oral hygiene
kits to MERCY Malaysia Headquarter in Kuala Lumpur on 4 November 2020.
Mercy Malaysia will distribute these items in their humanitarian programmes
around Malaysia.
Oral hygiene kits and shampoo donated by Colgate-Palmolive Malaysia to the Oral Hygiene Kit Donation to MERCY Malaysia Headquarters.
Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) Headquarters.
October-December 202012
M
DA Eastern Zone donated the remaining oral hygiene kits and
shampoos sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive Malaysia to ElShaddai
Refugee Learning Centre on 28 October 2020. The donated items
2UDO+\JLHQH consist of 3 cartons of toothpaste, 6 cartons of toothbrushes and
6 cartons of Palmolive Shampoo. ElShaddai Refugee Learning Centre is a
Kit Donation
registered NGO working in partnership with United Nations High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR) to help refugees, stateless people and immigrants
in Malaysia. These donated items have blessed many of the children and
WR(O6KDGGDL communities around Klang region, Selangor.
Refugee
Learning
Centre
Reported by:
Dr Cindy Chong Ei Yen
MDAEZ Honorary Secretary 2019/2021
Oral Hygiene Kit Donation to ElShaddai Refugee Learning Centre.
MDA News17
I
n what has been a year of uncertainties and unprecedented challenges,
MDANZ takes this time to reflect and reminisce on how far we’ve come.
Take this 3-part journey down memory lane with us as MDANZ’s past
chairman share his thoughts, experiences and what keeps him going.
‘An Interview
with Dr
1. You’ve had an illustrious track record as MDANZ past chairman and now
MDA president elect, among other positions in the MDA Council as well
as various standing committees in the past and present. Let’s go back to
when it all started. How did you first join the MDANZ committee?
I joined MDA in 1987 with the expectation to meet more fellow dentists
Lim Chiew
at seminars and meetings. Dentistry to me is a lonely profession if a solo
private practitioner does not go out to meet colleagues. As dentists, we :RRLȇE\'U
Jeannette
face a variety of challenges and have to know some information in order to
practise dentistry smoothly. For example, as specialists we need to refer
to, rules and regulations from the authorities, the dental materials that we
use and getting to know good dental technicians. I felt even more so when
I graduated and came back from Australia in December 1985 because Wong
I hardly knew any dentists then. So I was very active in MDA, eager to
meet and learn from fellow dentists. I voiced out certain opinions about
our profession and its related issues too. Then, I was approached to join
the MDANZ committee. I could not remember the exact year that I was
elected into MDANZ committee. But it was somewhere in the 2000s.
2. How did you juggle your time between staying engaged and contributing
positively as a committee member in MDANZ while also maintaining
professional growth as a dental practitioner? Not to mention the many
other obligations of ones personal life.
I am still learning about time management. Along the way, I have learned
that matters or activities can be:
• important and urgent,
• important but not urgent,
• not important but urgent, and
• not important and not urgent
Important matter is the thing /activity that leads you to achieve your
personal and/or professional goal.
Urgent matters are the things that you have to answer or address now, but
have nothing to do with your personal and/or professional goals.
In short, set the priority right.
October-December 202018
3. Touching on the aspects of personal life, how has 5. When you first got involved in MDANZ and
your experience in MDANZ and MDA contributed to subsequently MDA, did you have goals you wanted
your personal growth? Do you think it has played a to achieve or hope to see through in order to
part in shaping who you are today? improve a certain aspect of the association or the
dental profession?
Yes, definitely. It provides me with the problem-
based learning experience. As I plod along, I have Initially, I was more concerned about setting up a
to solve problems which require critical thinking, resource centre containing materials that could be
communication (be it oral or written) and friendship- used to educate the public, raising the public’s level
building skills. All these requirements of problem of dental knowledge and oral health awareness.
solving means that I have to learn, unlearn and Thirty years ago it was so difficult to get good slides
relearn all the time. More importantly, I learned from to show the public when you wanted to deliver a
and with a group of very capable and efficient fellow dental talk to school children or the public, unless
colleagues. It is always a pleasure to learn and work you were in academia or government. Now dental
with them. information is readily available on the net, although
some of it is not accurate.
4. What do you see as your first contribution to
MDANZ, and which contribution left a meaningful Later, with the implementation of Private Healthcare
impact on you ? Facilities and Services Act (PHFSA) ,I can see
the PHFSA has impacted significantly on private
I don’t remember my first contribution to MDANZ, practitioners. I believe that certain parts of this
after all, it has been so many years ago. And PHFSA can be fine-tuned to facilitate the smooth
as I move on, activities that I once thought very delivery of dental care to the public. MDA and
significant have become less and less significant. MDANZ were and are still playing very important
Having said that, I have the satisfaction of roles in getting feedback from private practitioners
organising small events like a treasure hunt or hiking and other stakeholders and holding meetings with
trip that can promote camaraderie. the relevant authorities to try to achieve optimal
result. With MDA getting bigger and more complex,
there are more issues that MDA has to deal with,
such as running the secretariat, liaising with FDI
and national dental associations and meeting with
various government departments and authorities.
These are some examples only. And I think we have
to do well in all these aspects. I am so thankful that
there are indefatigable MDA council members, sub-
committee members and secretariat staff to share
the work.
6. Penang Dental Congress has been the biggest
annual event for MDANZ for more than 15 years.
What were the challenges faced in the earlier years
of organising an event of this scale? The committee
members of today are very privileged to have the
ease of technology, instant connectivity, manpower
and a wide database of speakers to search from.
The scanty experience that we had from organising
seminars before helped us to start this major event
in Penang. But we did not have any standard of
operation (SOP) to follow. We had to slowly build
up the organising method. I remember the MDANZ
chairman the late Datuk Dr Loh Heng Thye gave his
blessing to us to freely organise this major event.
He said he felt young to work with youngsters. From
Dr Lim always enjoyed a good hike outdoors. This was back in January 2019 there we started to find dental traders and sponsors
at Gunung Jerai, as part of MDA NZ’s Mini Extraoral Exploration series. from scratch. Luckily most of us were private
MDA News19
Dr Lim Chiew Wooi giving a speech as then MDANZ Chairman at the 15th Penang Dental
Congress held on 14-16 October 2016.
practitioners and did purchase sizeable goods
from them, and they duly replied and accepted our
invitations. At the same time we had to source good
speakers to attract good attendance. Lucky star
was on our side again. The late Datuk Dr. Loh had
a very good relationship with National University of
Singapore. Speakers like Prof. Dr Chew Chong Lin,
Asso. Prof. Dr Jennifer Neoh, and a few more from
Singapore became our regular speakers at PDC,
upon Datuk Dr Loh’s invitations. In addition, we had
local speakers from Universiti Malaya, hospitals,
other institutions and private practice. We would
also invite renowned speakers from overseas such
as Australia, Hong Kong if our budgets permitted.
We could only use e-mails to liaise with the speakers
most of the time. Each email had to be written
carefully to suit that particular situation. I still can
remember vividly the exchanges of email and
negotiation of honorarium with Prof. Dr Ian Meyers
from Australia in 2002 when we started our early
edition of PDC. And our programme ‘booklet’ was
As mentioned in the interview, the programme ‘booklets’ back in the day were
made up of only two sheets of A4 paper, crude and fairly simple. Dr Lim managed to save this programme booklet from 2002.
elementary. The organising committee members had
to pay their own registration fees because of tight
budget and worked overnight to rectify last minute
changes. From there, we built up our template and
experiences and passed them on to our successors.
October-December 202020
As I said before, we can join MDA to make new
friends and meet colleagues. I believe young
dentists have a lot of ideas to improve our working
environment and conditions. That is the common
goal. If you go a step further to join the committee,
you are provided with an opportunity to develop
yourself, speak more confidently and look at issue
more objectively. Yes, it is hard work but you gain a
lot as well. Learn and contribute and ultimately you
become more competent, and are surrounded by a
group of good friends.
8. Tell us a funny story/an unforgettable experience you
had during your time in the MDANZ committee.
I was in my second term as MDANZ chairman in
2014, MDA was deregistered. Registry of Society
(ROS) sent a letter dated June 6, 2014 to inform MDA
that MDA was suspended with immediate effect. Dr
Teh Tat Beng was the president then. I have to salute
Dr Teh and his dedicated committee for running up
and down tirelessly to meet officers and ministers
to get back the registration. To cut the story short,
about a month later, we got back our registration.
This was a very difficult time. During this time our
bank account was suspended and there was no
fund to pay any bills (electrical bill, water bill etc) and
staff salaries. MDA was in a crisis just because a
The cover of a 2004 edition of MDA NZ magazine. At the time, the name Scientific member or members complained to ROS. We learn
Seminar was used, as the term ‘Penang Dental Congress (PDC)’ was yet to be coined a painful lesson. We learn to be more careful with
for the coming years. our procedure. We strengthen our financial policy.
We make our constitution clearer. More importantly,
MDA members should address his or her grievances
internally and not resort to complaining to ROS.
7. What were/still are the challenges and fulfilling
aspects of being a part of the MDA and MDANZ 9. What do you hope for the future of MDANZ and MDA
committee? How would you encourage the younger as a whole?
dental practitioners of today to join the committee?
I hope the MDA members are united, even though
If you are in the MDA or MDANZ committee, you are we can be of different opinions. If we are united,
expected to carry out the duties and responsibilities our voice is louder, well recognised and easier to
that are placed on you. And the members may or may make better decisions. I also hope that more young
not be aware that sometimes it is not up to us (MDA dentists join and serve MDA. Let us uphold our
or MDANZ) to decide the final outcome, especially, objectives of our constitution together especially the
matters related to rules and regulations. MDA could first one: To promote the art and science of dentistry
seek to have dialogue or meeting with the relevant for the benefit of the public.
authorities with the hope that some amendments
could be made to iron out some irregularities or Lastly, if I have a magic wand that can make wishes
lessen the burden of the stakeholders. Sometimes come true, I would like to wave it and… ting … !!!
the meeting just becomes ‘empty participation’,
• unnecessary rules and regulations that hamper
having no real power to influence the outcome, a
the growth of dental profession are disappearing,
situation that puts MDA into a very difficult position.
Conversely, if you can overcome the difficulties and • the public dental literacy and oral heath
improve the situation to bring joy to all stakeholders, awareness are rising, and
it is very fulfilling.
• the dentists are delivering oral health care
competently with integrity and professionalism,
aiming to safeguard the health of the public.
MDA News21
Private Healthcare Facilities and Services
Regulation MDA Private
The MDAPPS committee has met in 2 occasions to
identify grievances affecting private practitioners and has Practitioners
Section
written to Cawangan Kawalan Amalan Perubatan Swasta
(CKAPS) to seek a meeting to discuss issues relating to
(MDAPPS)
Private Healthcare, Facilities and Services ACT (PHFSA)
Regulation 2006. There are too much red tape with
different guidelines and interpretation from the various
Report
states. It may take up to 18 months to get the authority to
agree on the floorplan. The committee’s opinion is that the
guidelines should be streamlined across the country and
this guidelines should be made available to the Malaysian
Dental Association website.
One of the biggest challenges our profession currently Reported by:
faces is the practice of illegal dentistry. Many of these Dr Neoh Ein Yau,
MDAPPS Chairman
illegal practices advertise cosmetic and orthodontic
treatment openly via social media. The MDAPPS is
extremely concerned that these illegal practices will put
public safety in jeopardy. The section is glad that CKAPS
has agreed to the meeting but a definite date is yet to be
fixed due to on going various phases of MCO.
Meeting with Principal Director, Oral Health
Program
On 1 September 2020, MDA Council made a courtesy
visit to Principal Director, Oral Health Program. MDAPPS
was represented at the meeting. MDAPPS brought up
issues related to PHFSA (setting up of private dental clinic,
building structural dimension), BKRP (long lead time for
radiograph installation), and illegal dentistry. The MDA
expressed concerns of the above development, to which
the Principal Director suggested a town hall meeting with
relevant government agencies to resolve issues affecting
the practice of dentistry in this country.
The PPS section will assist MDA to organise the town hall
meeting, hopefully for the first quarter of year 2021.
October-December 202022
SARS-CoV-2 National Oral Health Policy White Paper
The SARS-CoV-2 has brought many sectors to a Committee
complete standstill. The private dental clinics are very The Oral Health Program is drafting the National Oral
much affected have seen a drastic drop in patient Health Plan for the year 2021-2030 and MDA was
flow, ultimately seeing a much reduced revenue. The again invited to be part of the committee to give input
MDAPPS through MDA has also written to all easing and especially on policy and framework that concerns
hire purchase companies to allow a more flexible loan the private sector. The committee looks forward to
repayment option to MDA members. These companies gathering more views from the private practitioners.
encourage affected members to contact them to The MDA PPS therefore invites private practitioners
arrange. We also appealed to the Ministry of Finance to who can contribute their invaluable time to sit in the
extend loan moratorium taken from these leasing and committee. Your contribution will ensure the interests
hire purchase companies to soften the impact from this and voices of the private sector is being taken care of
unprecedented public health crisis. Suggestion of tax and heard. Please email pps@mda.org.my if you wish
relief to private dental clinics has also been forwarded to to offer your services to be part of the committee.
the Finance Minister for due consideration.
At the early stage of the pandemic, practitioners
2nd Annual General Meeting of the
were scrambling to get PPE supplies and most of the
practitioners were paying 10 -15 times the usual price for Malaysian Dental Association Private
surgical masks and surgical gowns. I would like to thank Practioners’ Section
the MDA Southern Zone for taking the lead in rationing
The Private Practitioners’ Section concluded the
surgical masks to private practitioners that are facing an
virtual 2nd AGM on 20 December 2020. The AGM
acute shortage of masks, ensuring the practitioners a safe
started at 2.15pm when quorum had been achieved
practice of dentistry during the pandemic.
(total delatages = 37 pax). Issues that are affect the
The Private Practitioner’s Section appreciate all dental practice of dentistry were discussed at great length
practitioners efforts to help break the SARS-CoV-2 with many constructive suggestions being put forth
chain and to serve the public relentlessly during this to the committee for consideration. On behalf of the
unprecedented public health crisis. Together we shall MDA PPS, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude and
emerge stronger. appreciation to all members for a smooth and fruitful
meeting.
Stay safe and stay healthy.
MDA News24
T
he current pandemic is very challenging, but it does not break
the spirit SCODOS’s committees to continue the agendas that
have been planned in allowed capacity, especially during the
SCODOS implementation period of the Movement Control Order (PKP)
followed by Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) nationwide.
$FWLYLW\
A few programs were still carried out, i.e:
1) Meeting for Executive Committee of SCODOS 2019/2021
Report This internal meeting was held on Sunday, 4 October 2020 in Sunway
Putra Mall, discussing SCODOS involvement in Majlis Bersama
Kebangsaan (MBK). As of October 2020, Dr Lee Chee Wei, Chairman
Elect of SCODOS was appointed as Jawatankuasa Tauliah for
Persidangan Perwakilan Dwitahunan Kali Ke – 15 Pihak Pekerja
Reported by: Majlis Bersama Kebangsaan Bagi Pekerja – Pekerja Pengurusan &
Dr Nurul Izzati Mohamad Ali
Profesional. The forthcoming SCODOS Annual General Meeting (AGM)
SCODOS Assistant Secretary 2019/2021
2020 was also addressed in this internal meeting.
Meeting for Executive Committee of SCODOS 2019/2021.
MDA News25
2) Persidangan Perwakilan
Dwitahunan Kali Ke – 15
Pihak Pekerja Majlis Bersama
Kebangsaan Bagi Pekerja
– Pekerja Pengurusan &
Profesional Tahun 2020
This meeting was held on
Monday, 5 October 2020 and
was attended by Dr Rasidah
Ayob, Dr Muhammad Farid
Nurdin & Dr Lee Chee Wei. We
were sad to announce that this
meeting was the last meeting
attended by Dr Rasidah Ayob
as she was promoted to JUSA
C. For this meeting, SCODOS
Persidangan Perwakilan Dwitahunan Kali Ke – 15 Pihak Pekerja Majlis Bersama Kebangsaan Bagi Pekerja –
was pleased to present
Pekerja Pengurusan & Profesional Tahun 2020. souvenirs to all MBK delegates
at the conference, and we
got a very positive response
from the recipients. New MBK
representative is Dr Lee Chee
Wei (Chairman Elect).
3) Meeting with Principal Director
of Oral Health Program, Ministry
of Health
This year, SCODOS continued
its efforts to highlight various
issues faced by dental officers
in the civil service. Some of
the issues highlighted were
medical facilities & equipment,
human resources, i.e contract
appointment for new dental
offices (NDO) and patient
management of fake braces in
government dental clinics. This
session received good feedback
from the Oral Health Program
with some suggestions such
as holding Frequent Asked
Questions (FAQ) on the MDA
SCODOS website regarding
the explanations often given by
dental officers in the civil service.
The initiative has been agreed by
both parties and in the process
of improving the contents.
Meeting with Principal Director of Oral Health Program, Ministry of Health.
October-December 202026
4) Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) MDA The following is a brief summary of the meeting
SCODOS, Year 2020 (virtual meeting via ZOOM agenda and what was covered.
application)
• Chairman’s message
In line with the Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP) during the implementation of the Conditional • Presentation on activities throughout 2020 by
Movement Control Order, for the first time the Secretary
MDA SCODOS Annual Meeting was held via tele -
• Presentation of financial statements by Tresurer
conferencing /online conference using the ZOOM
application. The meeting was held on Friday, 19 • Presentation of MBK by Chairman
November 2020 at 2:45pm – 4:30pm. The AGM
received a warm response as it was attended by • Presentation of state’s issues by Chairman
92 MDA SCODOS members from all over Malaysia.
The members consisted of the executive committee • Closing
members, state SCODOS representatives and
SCODOS hopes that more activities that have been
selected SCODOS members.
planned will be implemented in the future.
Virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) MDA – SCODOS, Year 2020 (virtual meeting via ZOOM application).
MDA News27
Shaping Young
Minds
Prof Emeritus Dato’ Dr Wan Mohd
Nasir Wan Othman has dedicated his
life to public health and education,
ensuring those he taught share his
ethos and approach to dental care.
Interviewee:
Prof Emeritus Dato’ Dr Wan Mohd Nasir
Wan Othman
By:
Khaw Chia Hui
October-December 202028 Since you joined the dentistry
29
You have to see your How about education in times of
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patient as a person, Initially universities were faced with a handful of teething
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problems relating to teaching platforms, student housing
and access to information. I feel that many universities,
private or public, have ironed out most of these issues.
Over the months, they have managed to establish
How about Continuing Professional platforms for teaching, students have the option to stay
in hostels or continue at home.
Development (CPD) programmes in In my faculty, we use Microsoft Teams which has
WLPHVRIDSDQGHPLF" been able to ensure that online teaching is done in an
effective manner.
Despite Covid-19, there are still a lot of webinars for
dental professionals to obtain their CPD points as well Of course, hands-on classes and training are still
as participate in educational activities. needed and can be carried out later.
October-December 202030
I got great feedback and made tweaks accordingly.
You founded the Dentistry Faculty Once the teaching, management and support staff are
at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
in order, we had our first intake in July, the same year.
(USIM). How was that experience
Another challenge was recruiting the teaching staff.
It was hard to lure those from other universities as
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USIM’s faculty just started. So, I recruited more fresh
faces and later sent them for postgraduation degrees.
Just before I retired from the Health Ministry in 2006,
Many of them remained with USIM until today.
I was approached by USIM to set up a dental faculty.
Although they were young, but they worked very hard
While curriculum was not a problem, I had to start from
to get the programme accredited, initially for three
ground up.
years, and subsequently five years.
Since I started from scratch, the first thing I did was to
What other challenges in setting up
recruit administrative and teaching staff. I would have
to thank my work experience at the ministry as I knew
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how to run a department. Not to mention, the university
offered me a lot of support.
When our permanent faculty building was not ready,
By February 2007, I had invited my colleagues from
it was quite a challenge. But now, we are awaiting with
other faculties, private practitioners and members of
a permanent home in the Nilai campus, it is a purpose-
the dental council to present my proposed curriculum.
built facility, with advance dental examination rooms.
We also serve the community around us, providing
dental care to patients referred to us by government
clinics. This is a testament to the trust in our personnel
and service.
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I left my full-time position in 2014 but the university
was gracious to hire me on contract. Now I can say
I’m partially retired, only working about two days a
week.
What advice would you impart to
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To be an effective dentist, one has to love working
with people. One of the tenets is to provide patient-
centred care.
If one joins dentistry merely for economic gains, it
would not work. You have to see your patient as a
person, not just a case file.
A good dentist has to make decisions on treatment for
the benefit of the patients, not his or her own pockets.
We must always avoid harm, work safely and
independently as well as recognise our own
limitations. Seek help if the treatment need is outside
of your capabilities.
MDA News31
H
ave you ever had patients coming to you wanting “the perfect
smile”? Have you had requests for pearly whites like Tom Cruise,
The Kardashians, Zac Efron, George Clooney or as they call it “The
Hollywood Smile”? In 2007, the American Academy of Cosmetic
Dentistry reported that cosmetic dentistry revenue in the US climbed a Composite
Veneers: Tips
whooping 15% to US$2.75bil as compared to 2005. Not one to be left behind
in this handsome race, Malaysia is slowly picking up momentum in terms
of demands for a celebrity smile, especially with veneers - all thanks to the
world wide web and social media! These has led to a boom in the cosmetic
or aesthetic revolution in dentistry. Aesthetic dentistry can be described as and Tricks
the art and science of creating or enhancing the beauty of an individual within
functional and physiological limits. There are two primary goals to abide by:
(1) to create a pleasant proportion of the teeth in harmony with gingiva, lips,
and face and (2) to create a natural appearance with respect of its biological By:
and physiological function. However, everyone has their own perception of Dr Nurul Izzani Zulkifle
beauty which makes it impossible to meet certain demands or expectations Trainee Lecturer (Restorative)
of patients. It is imperative to be realistic and ethical when met with an Faculty of Dentistry, University Teknologi MARA.
outrageous request. Dental practitioners should have good knowledge,
Capt (R) Dr Hayati Ishak
appropriate skills to deliver aesthetically pleasing and acknowledge Specialist in Restorative Dentistry,
the limitation present. We definitely can’t make someone look like The Faculty of Dentistry, University Teknologi MARA.
Kardashians overnight or make promises we can’t keep!
The hype surrounding aesthetic veneers has seen an increase in demand
among patients. Composite veneers are becoming a popular choice as
compared to porcelain veneers due to its cost, and it is easily replaceable
upon failure. In providing composite veneers, some may find challenges in
handling the composite resin restorative material. However, a few simple
tips and tricks may go a long way in helping us achieve maximum aesthetic
without compromising patient’s satisfactions. We hope that the following
discussion would be helpful to everyone in delivering excellent results.
1. Patient’s Satisfaction
As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder”, your
perception of beauty might be totally different from your patient. What
you think would be a perfect smile for them might not necessarily be
their cup of tea. It is said that the patient’s satisfaction and quality of
life have always been a method to measure the performance of dental
practitioners. Thus, fulfilling the patient’s satisfaction is essential in daily
dental practices by:
• listening to the patient’s expectation. Are they realistic? Can we meet,
or is it beyond our capability?
• discuss with the patient what to expect, before any dental treatments.
• ensure the patient is comfortable by providing pain-free treatment
throughout the procedure.
• schedule post-operative visit to review patient’s acceptance towards
the treatment.
October-December 202032
When dealing with makeover cases or full
mouth rehabilitation, ensure that you have
models to work on and take photographs
throughout the treatment. Having working
models makes your treatment more
predictable. Moreover, patients would have
a better understanding of the treatment
that you intend to provide. Don’t ever
forget to get their consent before any
treatment. Bear in mind, composite resin
material would stain, chip, break and gets
discolored over time, thus kindly ensure
that your patients are aware of this. Once
they jump on the bandwagon of aesthetic
dentistry, there is no turning back, and
one has to be prepared for the lifetime
maintenance of these veneers.
2. Avoiding the Appearance of
White Lines Between the
Natural Tooth and Restorative
Material
“White lines”. If you have ever encountered
it while polishing your composite
restorative material, you are not alone, and
it sometimes haunts you in your sleep!
Visible line margin may be unpleasant to
the eyes, especially if it’s at the anterior
region. Furthermore, caries can quickly
develop at the marginal lines too. Tips to • always use a sharp bur
prevent this are:
• adjust the RPM of your handpiece before
• smoothen any sharp or rough enamel polishing so you have reasonable control of the
structure. final results.
• bevel and clean the enamel margin • I personally prefer polishing without water for
better visibility. Light touch or strokes is highly
• bevel in a wavy manner instead of a recommended. You do not want to overheat the
straight line to have a natural blend tooth and kill it!
of the composite resin with the tooth
structure.
3. Color Selection
• you should shape or carve your
The tooth is a multilayered structure with different
composite restorative material close
shades in each layer, with the dentin providing
to its natural anatomy before light
the actual color of the tooth as enamel is more
curing. Do not overfill. You do not
translucent. A study conducted in Malaysia showed
want to spend the whole afternoon
that the most common factor influencing a patient’s
polishing your composite veneers or
satisfaction with dental appearance is their tooth
restorations.
color. Therefore, choosing the right shade of
• use a micro brush or even your finger composite restorative material is crucial to achieve
to smoothen the composite resin at the flawless blending with the natural tooth. To achieve
tooth and restoration interface aiming this, we should:
to create a natural blend.
MDA News33
4. Post-Operative Sensitivity
Hypersensitivity following direct composite
restoration is an unpleasant outcome for
patients. Other than good aesthetic results,
patients are more concern about going back
home pain-free. As we all know, post-operative
sensitivity occurs when we leave dentinal
tubules and collagen exposed during restorative
treatment. To overcome this problem, we must:
• use burs with minimal cutting pressure and
adequate coolant to prevent frictional heat.
• avoid repetitive and excessive drying of the
cavity, which may cause dentin dehydration.
• follow manufacturers instruction for the
adhesive system. Avoid prolonged acid-etch.
• place restoration in such a way only small
adjustment required during finishing and
polishing to prevent unnecessary heat to
the tooth.
5. Working Time and Effort
Working with composite restoration requires
plenty of time and effort due to its multi-step
procedures. Minimising the working time give
mutual advantages to both patient and dental
practitioner. It provides more comfort to the
• choose the shade before commencing in any patient while reducing the strain experienced by
treatment so the tooth does not get dehydrated. the practitioner. Study on occupational hazard
showed more than 2/3 of dental practitioners
• color selection is best using natural light,
experience work-related musculoskeletal
preferably next to your surgery window on a
disorder due to prolonged working time. To
sunny day-please avoid gloomy days!
improve this, it is advisable to:
• do a direct composite resin mock-up on the • to execute your treatment plan well - write
patient’s tooth to confirm the color or shade down or list down your treatment plan
selection for composite veneer cases. sequelae in the patient’s case note or dental
records/diary.
• at times, you might consider teeth whitening
before treatment to minimise the usage of • always have a waxed-up model when
restorative material. dealing with aesthetic cases so the outcome
of treatment is easier to control and more
• you should polish composite veneers at separate
predictable.
visits/appointments to prevent eye fatigue as
placement of composite veneers can take hours, • a putty index is useful as it helps you
and it is tiring. determine areas that need placement of
composite resin material and areas that
require removal of tooth structure for better
teeth alignment.
October-December 202034
• ensure all burs and instruments are ready before treatment with
optimum performance. No dull burs.
• avoid purposely placing excessive restorative material to
minimise finishing and polishing time.
• always use a rubber dam throughout the procedure. This
technique may reduce isolation time compared to cotton
roll, which requires multiple replacements once wet. Rubber
dam can also improve the accessibility and visibility of the
practitioners by preventing mirror fogging and interference from
Our advise to all the the patient’s cheeks and tongue.
dentists out there, who • polish your composite veneers on two separate visits to avoid
over-polishing and eye fatigue, as mentioned earlier.
are eager to practice Societal depiction of beauty has resulted in the quest to achieve
aesthetic dentistry
perfection in every facade. A perfect smile is said to complete one’s
appearance and boosts confidence. As dental practitioners, we are
looked upon with great expectations to deliver perfect pearly whites
to remember that to each and every patient of ours. Views and methods that we
shared today is just the tip of an iceberg called aesthetic dentistry.
achieving predictable Our advise to all the dentists out there, who are eager to practice
aesthetic dentistry to remember that achieving predictable results
results are feasible with are feasible with good clinical practice and competency, lifelong
learning, combined with lots of clinical experience and appropriate
good clinical
planning.
practice and References
1. Lee, J. (2019). Cashing in on pearly whites. Retrieved November 28, 2020, from https://www.
competency,
thestar.com.my/news/community/2012/12/20/cashing-in-on-pearly-whites.
2. Ahmad MS. (2017). The Future of Dentistry – Where is Malaysia Heading?. Malaysian Dental
lifelong learning,
Journal. 1.
3. Health-108, O. (2016). Ten Basic Principles to Successful Anterior Aesthetic Dentistry. Retrieved
combined with
November 29, 2020 from https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/features/ten-basic-principles-to-
successful-anterior-aesthetic-dentistry/
lots of clinical
4. Devoto W, Saracinelli M, Manauta J. (2010). Composite in everyday practice: how to choose
the right material and simplify application techniques in the anterior teeth. Eur J Esthet Dent
5(1):102-24.
experience and 5. Moodley, R., Naidoo, S., & Wyk, J. (2018). The prevalence of occupational health-related
problems in dentistry: A review of the literature. Journal of Occupational Health, 60(2), 111-125.
appropriate 6. Tin-Oo, M. M., Saddki, N., & Hassan, N. (2011). Factors influencing patient satisfaction with
dental appearance and treatments they desire to improve aesthetics. BMC Oral Health, 11(1).
planning. 7. Porto, Isabel. (2012). Post-operative sensitivity on direct resin composite restorations: clinical
practice guidelines. Indian Journal of Restorative Dentistry. 1. 1-12.
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