Scanning the future of dentistry?


Obviously digital scanners will eventually supplant elastomeric impressions as time goes by, but that's not what this post is about. Actually Dentistry in the United States is at crossroad about who will win the hearts and minds of our young dentists. As more and more dentists graduate from school with large debt many are coerced into performing inexpensive managed care dentistry. Given the time constraints involved with this care, it will be hard for them to maintain a high standard of care. Also "Insurance dentistry"  in my opinion tends to promote less than fully comprehensive care. Instead, it promotes dentists performing treatments that insurance companies will pay for at a rate that will not use up patients benefits.

I believe that it is the responsibility of more skillful older dentists to help younger dentists understand both the importance and the techniques involved with achieving a higher standard of care, one that can be easily taught in a study club format and high quality continuing education. It would help if discounted fees for membership could  be offered to recent graduates since they are invariably concerned about the amount of their debt.

In the Spear Study Clubs I personally participate with, I have met a number of young dentists who were enthusiastic about the study club environment, but really wouldn't commit to another monthly payment equal to a new car payment.  It is my belief that this environment, with a mix of different age practitioners participating is ideal for group learning. Our members have a broad range of skills and each brings something unique to the party. The clubs tend to foster cooperative sharing of information and techniques that can difficult to obtain solely by calling up a friend or two for advice.

In Dentistry , we dentists are all in it together and a "rising tide raises all ships!" Lets help dentistry improve and not become the race to the bottom that insurance dentistry can tend to foster. Harking back to another era, it could be said that we are in a struggle for the "hearts and minds" of young dentists; hopefully this time around the outcome will be better.

from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2018/03/scanning-future-of-dentistry.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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