The two-day event began with spirited presentations by Dr. Janice Conrad and Dr. Flavio Rasetto.
As its core, Dr. Conrad’s lecture provided an overview of expectations created by the various influences upon the disparate generations in the U.S. today and the responsibilities of the dental practitioner-provider to address these expectations with a fair degree of practicality and reason.
“What America wants is white ‘n bright, straight ‘n white with full lips,” she quipped at the outset of her presentation.
She took her audience decade-by-decade to understand the features distinguishing each generation from the next: Graying of America (60 – 80 y.o.), the Fluoride Generation (40-60 y.o.), Generation X (aka “High Techies” 25-40 y.o.), Gen Next (18-25 y.o. influenced by “American Idol”) and the pierced, tattooed, acrylic nail set of those 13-20 years of age.
She identified forces driving the increased demands for service made on those in the dental industry: ever-improving technology, advertising, media hype, proliferation of dental profession literature (including web access), and dental professional continuing education spotlighting up-to-the-minute advances in the dental industry.
Each generation raises the bar of expectation. Technology has taught us to expect the best, expect it now and “accept no excuses, take no prisoners” when the outcome falls short of the patient’s goal. Notes Dr. Conrad, “`function without aesthetics’ was okay for years, but not so anymore.”
What are typical risky behaviors to which dentists have become accustomed? Dentists allow materials used in the mouth to remain for too long; dental professionals’ education is by-and-large “insufficient or outdated” to keep pace with the public’s and dental industry’s demands; and today’s dental services require more referrals for specialty consults.
How can a dentist reduce risky behaviors?
Use the best materials available; employ the best labs (find an “artist” who understands your work, shares your work ethic and aesthetic goals and who doesn’t mind reworking a device until it fits your patient perfectly); allow time in your schedule for exactness; go the distance in securing patient buy-in with and commitment to dental care necessary in order to maintain the work performed; and finally, be an aesthetician.
Don’t allow patient exuberance and demand to influence unduly your professional judgment. With a nod to shows like Extreme Makeover, porcelain laminate facings are in vogue and definitely the rage. You know, however, that industry demands for laminate over-sizing need to be tempered, since these cosmetic interventions have the potential to negatively impact speech, proper lip support, and naturalness of smiles, among other considerations.
Standards of care (SOC) sometimes collide with third party reimbursement and individual patient wishes and finances. Take as an example, the SOC for porcelain which is fusion to metal. Porcelain fused to non-precious metal provides a durability of some 6-25 years while porcelain fused to gold – with a current market value of $600+/oz. – affords a durability of some 40 years. What insurer is willing to pop for gold? But the option may appeal to some patients because of the durability factor, especially for those who are squeamish about dental procedures in general.