Digital technology does not make better dentists
Much has been said and written about the last decade and how it has changed the way we live. Take the iPod for example. Back in 2000, who would have thought that in only ten years, you would be able to carry a little touch screen device that allows you to check your electronic mail, measure your heart rate or tell you where you can find the closest Italian restaurant?
Given all of the recent hype, it is easy to think that the future of dentistry also lies in digital technology. According to industry experts, the advantages seem to be at hand. Tooth restorations and replacements, for example, will be less time consuming for the patient, saver and much more reliable.
However, while digital technology is a welcome advancement in most fields of dentistry, it is far from being a revolutionary paradigm shift. It may improve office efficiency or be useful for practice marketing, but it is not likely to make better dentists. The fundamentals of the profession basically remain the same. Whether these technologies will become a must-have for dental practices in the years to come will depend on their affordability and whether insurance companies are willing to reimburse treatment concepts based on them.
As a dental news company, we cannot turn a blind eye to these developments. With a new specialist title called CAD/CAM the international magazine of digital dentistry to be released this spring, we aim to inform you about the latest trends in all fields of digital dentistry. Therefore, the range of topics will include not only CAD/CAM, but also digital imaging or software processing.
If you are interested in receiving a sample copy, we invite you to check our website or visit our booths at all major dental trade shows this year.
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5 Responses to “Digital technology does not make better dentists”
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Interesting that you don’t think technology will make better dentists. Things like digital radiography and caries detection give clinicians the opportunity to see and diagnose things more quickly than they could before. 3D Cone Beam imaging integrated with Cerec technology allows a dentist to plan, design and deliver restored implants like never before. And let’s not forget that the word “better” is very subjective, especially from a patients perspective. I would assume that most patients would consider faster treatment and longer lasting restorations that can be delivered with technology “better.”
I am not in a position to tell you about all dentists. But I can say that I am a better dentist with the technology we use than I am without the technology. I do not use every technology because I do not believe that every technology is the best thing for us or our patients. I do believe that the digital photography, radiography and the lasers we use all significantly increase our ability to deliver care to our patients. We use a number of other technologies and if you would like to learn more you can visit our web site. I do not believe that any insurance benefits paid or not paid should ever enter into the decision to use a technology or not. http://www.SanDentistry.com
James L Sanderson Jr DMD
The capacity to apply the medical act together with professional behaviour decides on the quality of a dentist. The article has rightly focused on the fundamentals of the profession which will be basicly the same. The principles of basic sciences did not change since the formulation of the Hippocratic Oath. What has changed is our understanding and therefore the application of these principles.
Technology and its genius gave a tremendous contribution to better healthcare, but did not substitute the medical (dental) genius. Shortly, a better professional will behave as a conqueror of the latest technology, select carefully the advantages of it and compare to consolidated methods in order to perform better. Technology will not change to the better a non responsable professional; it will worsen professional behaviour and outcome.
It’s too easy to miss the point of the article, which is to inquire what the definition of a “better dentist” is. To that point, there are a few cogent questions to be asked:
Does taking cone beam CT’s in one’s office for routine diagnosis (some have even opined that CT will be the new dental “standard of care”) make one a better dentist than taking a conventional film-emulsion full intraoral series at a small fraction of the cost?
Does diagnosing tooth decay with a costly DIAGNOdent make one a better dentist than the economical, time-honored use of the eyes, the hands, the explorer, and the intellect?
Does performing surgery with an extravagance like a laser make one a better dentist than the surgery with a periosteal elevator and a #15 blade?
Does making a full-arch implant-supported fixed prosthesis for one patient make one a better dentist than another that provides removable dentures for fifteen indigent patients at the same cost?
In today’s economic climate, the price of high technology is not only its price tag. It is indeed gratifying to have a “Cadillac practice” (a term I’ve heard not a few times over the years), and it is gratifying to have a sophisticated clientele. But there are growing problems of access to dental care in this country, and something will be done about it– if not by the dental profession, then by mid-level provider non-dentists.
Yes– it is nice to indulge in one’s yen for gadgetry, flash, and style, and it may even occasionally lend a modicum of advantage over more traditional methodologies. Just don’t think it allows one to hold the moral high ground or make one a better dentist. For that, all one needs is a soul.
Better dentist improves with technology. For example in dentistry orange, the way they bring back the patients smile depends on how good they are and the at the same time the reliability of technology that they are using.