Christopher Holden

2000

Dr Christopher Holden

During the Presidency of Dr Christopher Holden (2000-2003), SAAD continued to develop organisationally, and, for the first time, job descriptions were introduced for all Council members as the formalised structure of the charity was developed. 

Along with other SAAD Council members Christopher had a background of council and committee membership of The Association of Dental Anaesthetists, Dental Sedation Teachers Group, and subsequently Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and multiple groups providing professional guidance for sedation.

As a member of the Advisory Board of Dental Protection the dental arm of The Medical Protection Society his interest was reflected in a period promoting demonstration of safe and justifiable sedation practice. After a series of experiences as an expert witness Christopher Holden persuaded SAAD Council the need for national standards in conscious sedation for dentistry. Subsequently SAAD published a comprehensive guidance document that was effectively the first “steps to take” direction to SAAD members providing dental sedation.

This was swiftly seen by the Department of Health as a useful tool for patient safety. It then commissioned its own standards document. That in turn led to a series of contemporaneous standards documents over the following decades. SAAD became a respected stakeholder in these.

Christopher Holden said “The diverse professional background of SAAD Council members dedicated to patient safety and leading the standards setting continuum belied any view that SAAD members were simply enthusiasts” 

A number of regional ad hoc courses contributed to the centralised teaching including ‘First Response', a course on management of medical emergencies using advanced simulation techniques, led by Dr Diana Terry of the Resuscitation Council UK.  

The “First Response” course introduced in 2000 was particularly significant– and it could not have been timelier.  In July 2000 a Department of Health Review Group concluded that:

“All dental practices must have the appropriate equipment and drugs to deal with emergencies or the collapse of patients.  The staff must be trained in coping with such emergencies.  All members of the dental team must practice resuscitation together at regular intervals.”