Top 10 Secrets of Excellent Dentistry

1. Magnification: Through the use of magnification, 3X wide field, I am able to have a better view of details and placement of materials.

2. Lighting (Fiber Optics): By using high intensity lighting or fiber optics, I am better equipped to see where I am working. The old fashion dental light over the chair is no match.

3. Rubber Dam: I use a rubber dam whenever possible. It is both better for the patient, myself and the staff. Rubber dams prevent anything from falling down the patient's throat, protects the cheeks, tongue and lips and it isolates the tooth/teeth that we are working on. It makes a clean surgical area and the procedure can be completed more efficiently. Hence, the patient is in the chair less time.

4. Details: Paying attention to details helps me better treat a patient's case. It is through magnification and lighting that greatly improves my ability to pay attention to details. "The devil is in the details."

5. High quality laboratories: Whether it is a crown, bridge, denture, partial, or splint it is imperative that a high quality laboratory is used. Most of our cases are sent in digital format over the internet. Turn around time is much quicker, and it gives me the ability to keep in close communication with the lab to ensure everything is running smoothly.

6. The staff understands these high standards. Everyone in the office must also share in my desire for high standards, so that when treating a patient's case everyone is striving for a great final outcome.

7. Best dental materials: By using the best dental material available, I know that I am giving it my all for a successful outcome. I never use generic substitutes in my dentistry. When completing a crown or bridge I only use precious metals, such as gold, and I never use non-precious metals.

8. No rushing: If a dentist rushes through a procedure, the likelihood of him or her missing something or performing the procedure improperly greatly increases. Therefore, the procedure is likely to fail in the future. I believe that you do something right the first time around. I take my time with procedures, and afterwards I can feel confident that I have preformed the procedure properly and to the best of my ability.

9. A Written Treatment Plan: A treatment plan is written for each individual patient based on diagnostic procedures such as radiographs or x-rays. It also considers each patient wishes or desires. It is a map to successfully, step by step, restoring the patient's dentition to health and stability. The treatment plan avoids the pit falls of treating one problem or tooth at a time. It also organizes procedures so that they can be performed in phases or over a period of time and more efficiently. I have found that a treatment plan is a great tool to communicate between myself and the patient.

10. Always looking for a better way to practice dentistry Dentistry is constantly changing and new and better methods to providing dentistry are being discovered. Therefore, I am always paying attention to the new discoveries and seeing if they are worth implementing into my office.