I have a crush

Editor’s Note: Dr. Elizabeth Mueller, a pediatric dentist in Cincinnati, is the ODA Annual Session 2018 general chairman. Throughout the year, she will be sharing details on some of her favorite CE programs being offered during the ODA’s 152nd Annual Session, Sept. 13-16, 2018 in Columbus. Here is her fourth installment.

He is much older than I, much smarter than I, more savvy, more educated and more sophisticated than I will ever be. But he’s married and, salt in my wounds, she is also lovely and accomplished. Thus, I admire him from afar. He lives in Provo, Utah; the mecca, the holy place of dental knowledge. But he regularly ventures out to top-rated dental meetings, and I see him every chance I get. With the power of my scouting credentials, I stalk him in Chicago, Atlanta and top ADA locations. Even when I am supposed to be vetting new emerging “Key Opinion Leaders,” I am drawn like a moth to the flame to this prophet in the religion of dentistry. Hanging on to his “bottom lines,” “clinician’s reports” and identifiable trends in dentistry, I feel informed about my profession. I get excited when he referees the interaction between various dental experts, in a roundtable forum.

Yes, I’ll admit it, I’m in love with Gordon Christensen! And I want you to experience seeing Gordon live on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the ODA Annual Session in Columbus. Just to refresh your memory, Dr. Christensen is a practicing prosthodontist and founder of Clinician’s Report (formally CRA) in 1976, along with his wife Dr. Rella Christensen, for non-profit evaluation of dental products. He has been an elite dental educator since then and he is presenting his “Christensen Bottom Line 2018” on the WEEKEND of our Annual Session. Yes!! He is speaking on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. He is also hosting a luncheon for new dentists on Saturday, giving those lucky enough to attend a special update on trends in employment from young dentists. Do you want to know which corporate dental groups are considered superior? Come ask Gordon.

What are the best new products? What is the best way to buy dental supplies? Are we going to buying everything online? What is the best kind of restorative material for different clinical situations? What is going on with digital impressioning? Is everyone getting a milling machine or just the labs? What about cone beam? Do I need to get one? Is solo private practice dying? What’s with all this over treatment? Why is there so much under AND over treatment of periodontal disease? How long is it taking other people to get out of debt? Should I buy a practice or just work for a group? Will I be able to find a buyer for my practice? Are there too many dentists? What’s with these new dental schools? How do you tell if information in some journals and from some speakers is biased? Is the average dentist’s income going up or down? What is average overhead expense? Is dental spending overall flat? Are dentists being ethical or are they increasingly driven by their personal finances? Do you want a data driven informed opinion on any of these questions?

If you are at all interested in knowing the state of our profession, come see my boyfriend. SATURDAY, SEPT. 15, 2018. Register online by clicking here.