Category: Opinion & Editorial

As I sit in my office surrounded by textbooks that will soon seem quaint and technology that’s evolving faster than our curriculum committees can keep pace, I’m struck by a fundamental question facing our profession: Are we writing the script for dentistry’s future, or are we simply casting the familiar actors in a play we’ve been ... [continue reading]

Close to 50 years ago, I had my first run in with the dental CE police as a young licensee in Iowa. The Iowa Dental Board had instituted a CE requirement, very rudimentary and reasonable in quantity, but new to dentistry in those days. They gave new graduates a two-year reprieve based on the freshness of their education. I tried to make the logic ... [continue reading]

There’s a curious thing about currents: we rarely notice them when they’re in our favor. But when we’re paddling upstream – against resistance, against entropy, against inertia – they become impossible to ignore. For today’s dental professionals, every day often feels like we’re paddling upstream. But that shouldn’t be a complaint ... [continue reading]

My daughter is getting married! So my five hours of daily screen time (please don’t judge me) is now less Insta and less Facebook, but more Whatsapp communications with international wedding vendors and logging into the Zola wedding portal to check on the latest RSVPs. Despite the bustle fervor that goes with planning a wedding, I️ am thrilled ... [continue reading]

There’s a morning I remember vividly from dental school. After weeks of practice, I successfully completed my first perfect Class II restoration on a typodont. What had seemed impossibly complex just months before was now achievable through my own hands. I felt a rush of accomplishment that reminded me why I chose this profession. And why I ... [continue reading]

Ten years ago, I contributed a piece to “ODA Today” entitled “Dear Granola Mom.” I’m sure you read it. Ha! In that article, I treaded lightly those (fluoridated?) waters where we attempt to encourage patients to pursue preventative and screening interventions for the evidence-based benefit of oral health. Things like, say, fluoride and ... [continue reading]

Few things carry the power to transcend cultural barriers quite like a smile. As dental professionals, we don’t just work on smiles – we create them, restore them, and witness daily how they connect humans across the vast divides of language and culture. My journey to understanding the universal nature of smiles began unexpectedly. ... [continue reading]

The world around us seldom leaves a void of topics, Whether through professional or plebian optics, Today, there’s a buffet too tempting to ignore, So, put on your cat’s hat and let’s explore …* *March 2025 is the 121st birthday of Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss! A weary ODA advocacy lobby team hopes for a break. The ... [continue reading]

As dental professionals, we often focus on clinical precision – the perfect margin, the ideal occlusion, the flawless crown. Yet precision extends beyond our handpieces and into our professional communications and practice management. Understanding the nuanced differences between “ensure,” “insure” and “assure” offers an interesting ... [continue reading]

As an endodontist, I️ really enjoy taking my time during my consultations. I️ take this time to really connect with the patient since many patients are new to the office and the idea of having a potentially painful procedure performed by someone they do not know can create tremendous anxiety. Believe it or not, it is easier to treat a patient ... [continue reading]