Date posted: September 16, 2013
DAMAS Registrations increase since September 2012
DAMAS has continued to go from strength to strength over the previous 12 months. The number of DAMAS registered laboratories since September 2012 has increased over 120%, with 294 laboratories now being DAMAS registered.
Congratulations go to the following dental laboratories that achieved DAMAS registration during August 2013:
South Western Dental Laboratories – South London
Andrew Stockdale – Leeds
Precedental Ltd – West Midlands
Furze Dental Laboratory – Billingham
Barry Hewitson Dental Laboratory – Darlington
Cardiff Orthodontic Laboratory – Cardiff
Wilson Dental Laboratory – Lincolnshire
The Natural Denture Clinic – Hampshire
Vale Prosthetics – Vale of Glamorgan
Date posted: August 15, 2013
Have you implemented DAMAS during 2012 or 2013? If you have used the DLA system to implement DAMAS and have completed your first external audit of the system you will be able to claim verifiable CPD.
If you are already DAMAS registered, any new staff will also be eligible to claim verifiable CPD, once trained in the DAMAS system – for further information on this process contact the DLA office on 0115 9254888.
In order to claim DAMAS CPD once you have become DAMAS registered all you need to do is contact the DAMAS office at the DLA who will supply the relevant documents for you to complete so you can obtain your CPD certificate.
For an example of the hours that can be earned, please view the table below.
Continual professional development hours for persons involved with a project to establish and maintain a DAMAS Compliance System
For further information on becoming a DAMAS laboratory or for help on obtaining CPD for your DAMAS system please contact the DLA on 0115 9254888.
Date posted: August 15, 2013
About the DAMAS Scheme:
The Dental Appliance Manufacturers Audit Scheme (DAMAS) is the most commonly used quality system within the dental laboratory industry that provides a framework for an effective quality management system.
DAMAS provides laboratories with a set of processes that ensure a common sense approach to the management of the organisation. The system ensures consistency and improvement of working practices, which in turn should provide products and services that meet customer’s requirements.
The purpose of the Medical Devices Directive (MDD) is to protect the patient by ensuring that all materials that go into the oral cavity have been verified for use in the laboratory and are suitable for use, including also that manufacturers (laboratories) show that they work under controlled conditions i.e. processes and traceability. DAMAS provides all this within its system, which is then verified by yearly external auditing.
DAMAS Implementation:
The DLA is often aware that many laboratories although wanting to implement the DAMAS system often struggle to put the basics of the system in place. The DLA has therefore designed a DAMAS Implementation system which is much easier and less time consuming in the initial stages to implement.
As with all quality systems there will still be work to do to meet the DAMAS requirements but the main bulk of the system will be set up for you in advance as the DAMAS Procedures Manual which is the main area of the system will be compiled for you – all you need to do is fine tune it to ensure it describes what happens in your business – which saves you time!
What does the system consist off?
The DLA has designed the system based around the popular DAMAS distance learning system and the DLA MDD systems.
The new ‘DAMAS Implementation System’ will consist of:
As well as having all the information you need to hand, included as part of the package is unlimited telephone/email support from the DLA office.
For further information on the DAMAS implementation system or with general queries telephone 0115 9254888 or email info@damas.co.uk
Date posted: August 15, 2013
Are you still thinking of implementing DAMAS but are still not quite sure? This article aims to look at one aspect of the DAMAS system and the benefits it brings to the already existing DAMAS laboratories by ensuring they are operating within the law and that the materials they select are fit for their intended purpose.
Selecting suitable patient contact materials is an intrinsic part of the DAMAS Specification as well as being a requirement of the Medical Devices Directive (MDD).
This essentially means that whilst all DAMAS labs are audited yearly to prove that they are controlling the selecting and purchasing of materials, all dental laboratories should be adhering to the MDD by having suitable records in place.
The DAMAS system insists laboratories prove that they select and record suppliers and their materials and also adopt a purchasing policy and procedure to ensure that the materials that enter the laboratory for use in the oral cavity are suitable for their intended purpose and are all verified prior to being processed.
Many DAMAS laboratories choose their suppliers and the materials they sell based on a number of different requirements. These requirements can be the history and reliability of the product within the marketplace, the fact that the product is CE Marked or through evaluation of the product by the laboratory itself.
It is imperative that such procedures on purchasing exist not only to prove the correct materials will be processed but for traceability of the material and patient safety.
Implementing a purchasing procedure is relatively easy. For DAMAS labs it is essential that materials are only purchased from suppliers that the laboratory has approved and is therefore on the laboratories list of approved suppliers and sub contractors.
So how easy is it?
Once the materials and suppliers list has been adopted the DAMAS laboratory then orders materials via a purchase order system. Orders are simply recorded by detailing who ordered the item, the date, details of the supplier and any other pertinent information to ensure that the order can be processed by the supplier. The method of communicating the order is usually recoded i.e. fax or telephone and the order is then signed by the person responsible for purchasing and filed away until the material arrives.
Upon receipt of the order all materials are verified against the associated purchase order, whereupon it is signed off and dated if the order is accepted within the laboratory.
If the material is incorrect and not what was ordered or only part of the order has arrived, it should be referenced on the purchase order form detailing the outcome i.e. was the material sent back, did you accept the alternative material or for part orders, details of when the remainder of the order arrived.
As stated previously this is a simple procedure and can be processed on a basic form, but the benefits are great, allowing you to control your purchasing and more importantly allowing traceability of a product should a recall of any type be necessary.
It should be stated that the recalling of products would be extremely rare and would only happen in the event of compromising patient safety but having comprehensive procedures in place would essentially cover you in such an event.
In a nutshell DAMAS labs can prove that they are operating within the law but the system is also there to protect their businesses and the patients they supply.
Maybe its time to take at look at your own laboratories procedures!
For more information on DAMAS including help in implementing the system call the DLA office on 0115 9254888.
