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Inside Dentistry
September 2009
Volume 5, Issue 8

From the Editor

By Gerard Kugel, DMD, MS, PhD

Dear Readers,

Since its inception, Inside Dentistry has been dedicated to delivering content that enables you to enrich your knowledge of dentistry and enhance your effectiveness. We are proud of what we have accomplished over the last 4 years, and to celebrate, we are giving Inside Dentistry a complete makeover. Our new look will be even more reader-friendly, and presents the outstanding clinical editorial you've come to rely on in a more organized and systematic approach. It is with much excitement that we unveil our new look in next month's issue, which marks the fourth anniversary of our premiere issue.

This month Inside Dentistry examines the role that dental laboratories play as a gatekeeper of product knowledge between product manufacturers and dentists, as well as in assisting in the development and testing of restorative materials. Additionally, to strengthen the dynamics of the dentist/laboratory relationship, we offer some suggestions for optimizing the interactions between them. We also examine the new paradigm resulting from the increasing popularity of CAD/CAM processing and its affect on interactions between manufacturers, laboratories, and dentists. Finally, we also provide an interesting look at some of the differences between dental laboratory technicians here in the United States and those in Europe.

Theirs Is Experience In the Trenches (I Mean, At the Benches). When it comes to knowing the ins and outs of which indirect restorative materials work well and which do not, dental laboratory technicians are often the first to know. After all, when restorations do not perform in the mouth as anticipated, they’ll hear about it from their customers—dentists whose patients return with a dental emergency, a chipped or cracked crown or veneer or a bridge that has broken. Therefore, what better resource is there to turn to than your laboratory technician when seeking to evaluate the feasibility of a new product or material in the absence of long-term data? Dental technicians often know where and how restorations fail, and under what circumstances. They’re also likely to know the indications in which they’re most likely to be successful in the real world, under real conditions, as well as what accessory materials to use (eg, cements, curing lights, etc). They have the hands-on experience (literally) to help guide dentists through the material and restoration selection process when treatment planning cases.

Respect for Our Colleagues. Dentists and laboratory technicians each have valuable contributions to make to the oral healthcare profession. It is incumbent upon each to take the other’s perspective into account when working toward the ultimate objective—exceptional patient care. Dentists could not provide accurate and predictable treatments without the knowledge, skills, and artistry that dental technicians bring to the process. Likewise, dentists have ideas and information about clinical and esthetic parameters that must be incorporated into final restorations. The individual we must collectively respect the most is, of course, the patient.

Communicate Clearly, and Often. It is important to remember that communication requires action and transfer. When it comes to collaborating with our dental laboratory colleagues to treatment plan and follow-up on cases, this must occur frequently. What’s more, in order to be successful, the communication must be clear. This means clear writing, clear labeling, clean and detail-captured impressions, and clarity in all other aspects of the information—physical, visual, verbal, etc—that is shared with the laboratory. Collaboration and communication are and should continue taking place between dentists and their laboratories as the basis for quality, consistent patient care.

We hope you enjoy this issue and find that it reawakens your enthusiasm for working more closely with your dental laboratory in a partnership capacity in order to provide your patients with the optimum level of restorative care. We also hope that it inspires you to investigate new and innovative materials and techniques that might expand the treatment options you offer in your practice. Please send us your feedback to letters@insidedentistry.net. As I emphasize each month, your thoughts, opinions, and reactions motivate us to continually improve our clinical content and coverage of the topics impacting our profession. Thank you for reading and for your continued support.

With warm regards,

Gerard Kugel, DMD, MS, PhD

Associate Dean for Research
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts
gkugel@aegiscomm.com



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