The Dawson Academy, provider of dental seminars, is proud to participate in the 2012 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s Annual Scientific Session in Washington, D.C this May.

Joan Forrest, President and CEO of The Dawson Academy, shares, “The AACD meeting is our favorite meeting to attend because all the attendees are focused on becoming better dentists.”

Drs. Peter Dawson, John Cranham, and Scott Finlay, three Dawson Academy Faculty members will be presenting on the “Timeless Principles in Cosmetic Dentistry”.

Each of the three presenters has received many accolades to their name. Dawson is recognized internationally as one of the contemporary iconic leaders in modern dentistry. Cranham, clinical director of The Dawson Academy, is an internationally recognized speaker on the esthetic principles of Dentistry. Finlay is not only a senior faculty member at The Dawson Academy, but is also a fellow of the AACD and an examiner and board member of the American Board of Cosmetic Dentistry.

“This will be the third time Dr. Dawson has presented at the AACD. He rarely presents at outside meetings and this level of participation reflects on how positively he views the work of The Academy and its members,” explains Forrest.

The three presenters will teach attendees the essential relationship between function and esthetics.

“The true foundations of quality, predictable and beautiful dentistry lies within the understanding of this sophisticated system. It is the application of the functional matrix that modulates smile design. Great smiles can only be a mirror for great design,” said Finlay.

The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s (AACD) Annual Conference is undisputedly one of the premier dental conferences in the country. It presents a blend of the top national and international experts in dentistry with a culture of elegant camaraderie.

Finlay shares, “This year, in Washington DC, there are already over 1600 registrants and the staff at AACD has one of the best program line ups ever. You will not want to miss this remarkable meeting.”

To attend their lecture, make sure to register with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry at http://www.AACD.com.

About The Dawson Academy
The Dawson Academy is an international provider of science-based dental continuing education, teaching dentists to comprehensively diagnose and treat dental problems with excellence and integrity. The Academy has taught dental courses to the dental industry for over 30 years and is dedicated to teaching the principles and skills necessary for the successful practice of complete, quality, and predictable dentistry. The Dawson Academy’s goal is to make good dentists even better.

• Regular dental checkups – By visiting the dentist at least on a bi-annual basis, many issues that cause the deterioration of your smile can be intercepted by a trained, tenured and experienced comprehensive care dental team.

• Orthodontics is just not for children – Alignment and position of your teeth have a lot to do with their appearance and reflection of light.  A broad smile, absent of rotations or overlapping teeth, is not only esthetic, but also easier to clean and the teeth receive forces in a way that they were designed to be the most durable.

• Professional Dental Whitening – Yes, over the counter whitening can be very effective, but if you truly want a white smile, seek the advice of your dentist.  Whether it is accomplished with an in office technique or with custom fabricated trays in a take home technique, your smile can appear whiter and cleaner with professional whitening.  At home maintenance with whitening toothpastes can help to maintenance that white smile between dental visits.

• Avoid staining agents – We can’t always avoid those dietary and beverage agents that stain the teeth, but it will help to insure a whiter smile.

• Proper home care – The importance of routine dental home care is essential not only to the appearance and health of your smile, but also your body as well.

• Smile Makeovers – If significant defects do exist in your smile, don’t worry, modern dentistry has potential solutions.  Many shortcomings can be restored with implants, veneers, crowns and bonding to rehabilitate a beautiful appearance.  Proper care can often require a significant investment, but is always worth the effort in hindsight.  The key element is to achieve these results in the most conservative way possible, while respecting the essential criteria related to healthy functional and biological design.  Treatment solely for esthetic reasons without consideration of these critical criteria can only result in unpredictable durability and require additional treatment due to the eventual failure of a short sited goal.  It is always best to have proper treatment completed the first time then it is to rescue treatment that was inappropriate.
Choosing a Cosmetic/Restorative Dentist –

-Search for a cosmetic dentist in your area that has the talent and training who can accomplish your smile enhancement predictably.

-Visit their facility; does their décor and technology reflect the level of commitment to cosmetic dentistry that is appropriate for the treatment you want?

-Talk to the staff.  Are they courteous and polite?  Will they make you comfortable for the procedures you will have completed?

-Talk to the doctor.  Does he have the level of passion and enthusiasm to stay committed to your treatment goals?  Will he listen and understand what you want to accomplish?  What has he done to dedicate himself to continuing education in this field?

-Finally look at his work.  Does he have before and after photos of treatment he has actually completed that is similar to the treatment you are seeking?

CPS produced the following comments and reviews following its skylight evaluation of our editorial Board. Full Evaluation from the rest of the team in our next issue of CPS Magazine.

First thoughts and Comments

•“Very easy to place the Barrier”
•“Makes Cross Contamination an non issue”
•“A Great addition to our standard of care in our practice”
•“ Patient’s appreciate the consideration of a disposable barrier in the aid of cross contamination”

Description

i-Barrier is a Single use, touch sensitive disposable tablet sleeve by Crosstex.

Packaging

The i-Barrier comes with 100 disposable sleeves in a cardboard box with instructions for use.

Clinical Indication

For the use in covering any tablet such as AN IPAD to prevent contamination after contact with any infectious materials.
Why do we need it?

We all know that OSHA states “all equipment and environmental and working surfaces shall be cleaned and decontaminated after contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. The use of disinfectants on some dental surfaces and equipment in the dental PRACTICE, WHICH can damage surfaces. The i-barrier is recommended instead of using a surface disinfectant that could cause potential Damage to the IPAD or Tablet.

The i-Barrier for Operatory Use

1.Insert the IPAD or Tablet into the sleeve, with adhesive strip facing back of tablet.
2.Remove the Adhesive
3.Fold over and close the i-barrier for a seal-tight fit
4.Remember the i-barrier has given the IPAD room for the operator to swipe the tablet to maneuver the applications.

Keypoint

The cover of the i-Barrier is smooth to not take away the detail of the IPAD presentation. Make sure the patient has a good hold of the IPAD not to drop it on the floor. 3 sizes will be available to allow the IPAD cover to be completely cover if nee
ded. Eash cover can be removed and discarded after every patient. If taking a photo of the patient, your digital camera or intraoral camera is recommended while using the i-barrier.

Quotes from the Dental Editors

Dr. Scott Finlay
The i-Barrier provides a commonsense infectious disease barrier for the iPad to make Its application in the operatory more practical. Patient’s appreciate the consideration of disposable barriers and the easy to apply sleeve does not impact the function of the iPad.  Patients love the integration of handheld technology chairside that they can hold and control.

Dr. Phillip Kemp
The i-Barrier makes using the iPad in the operatory a worry free experience. Cross contamination becomes a NON-ISSUE.

Shannon Pace Brinker CDA, CDD
The i-Barrier gives the patient a sense of relief that we are in compliant with the standard of care in our practice and that makes me fee at ease knowing we are doing all we can to make sure there isn’t any cross contamination to us or the patient.

The examiners evaluate cases based on a point system that identifies minor, major, and catastrophic faults. A passing score is -7 or better. The examiners are also given the latitude to reward the candidate with a +1 point, in situations where the result deserves additional merit. Dr. Shimizu’s case passed unanimously with scores that ranged from -5 to -7. Almost all of the criteria faults were identified as minor and two examiners rewarded Dr. Shimizu with a +1. No case is perfect; the goals of Accreditation are to create a vision and demonstration of excellence, not perfection.

Dr. Shimizu achieved a wonderful result for his patient. The preoperative indications for treatment supported the final treatment plan. Dr. Shimizu extended treatment to include eight teeth because of the clinical indications. The indications for treatment are driven by the functional and health needs of the patient. Dr. Shimizu followed an established treatment protocol that helped to ensure a predictable result.

The examiners identified several common deficiencies in this case; often, these criteria are inter-related:

• One of the initial observations was the excessive length of connectors and the effect this had on the periodontal health and architectural harmony (Criteria #64, #71, and #72). An accepted guideline that is observed in nature relates to the proportion and size of the apparent contact zone or connectors between adjacent teeth. Typically, the ideal connector zone between the central incisors is 50% of the length of the centrals.1 The size of these connectors decreases in a symmetrical fashion as you move posterior. The effect of excessive connector length in this case appears to contribute to the impingement upon the cervical embrasures and the blunting of the papilla.

The comprehensive understanding of materials, preparation designs, and adhesive techniques should facilitate conservation of tooth structure while still meeting the parameters of function and health.

The apparent contact zone between the centrals is ideally 50% of the visual length of the centrals. Connectors between the centrals and laterals are 40% of this length, and the connectors between the laterals and cupids are 30% of this length (50/40/30 rule). The management of the facial line angles can have a significant impact on the visual reveal of the tooth. examiners noted the asymmetry of gingival zeniths, papilla heights, and inflammation of the tissue.

• Criteria #87 focuses on the visual harmony of contralateral teeth. The examiners identified a lack of symmetry of the visual width of the lateral incisors. This requires the careful management of the facial line angles and can be readily identified from the occlusal vie).2 Although the occlusal view is not how teeth are typically viewed in a social setting, it is a valuable perspective in helping to appreciate the impact that these line angles have on the reflective surfaces of the teeth. In this case, the occlusal view is helpful in visualizing why the facial plane of #10 appears narrower compared to #7. The cuspids also lack similar balance in contour and shape.

• Criteria #56 identifies the effectiveness in utilizing translucency to mimic nature and to harmonize with the balance of the smile.3 Several of the examiners found the intensity, volume, and pattern of the translucency to be slightly excessive and not reflective of what would otherwise be observed in nature.
Accreditation presents a consistent measurement of excellence in providing esthetic functional restorations of our patients’ smiles.

Dr. Shimizu has demonstrated his ability to meet this standard. He should be very proud of the result he achieved for his patient.

Allison Cole

If you can’t imagine going to the dentist and having an enjoyable experience then you should definitely visit Dr. Finlay’s office. His staff is not only professional but courteous and friendly too. They go out of their way each and every visit so that your experience is as enjoyable as can be. From the point of walking in the door and being greeted by friendly staff to the dental chair and the comforts of his state of the art equipment gives you the comfort and feeling they know what they are doing. You know when you sit in the chair you have no worries about the process and great result that Dr. Finlay and staff will perform. I would and have recommended Dr. Finlay and his staff too many people.  -

Steve Dannemann

I guess you could say that I have a “love-hate” relationship with Dr. Finlay and his staff! From my very first visit about 16 years ago, everyone in the office has treated me with the utmost respect and has been very sensitive to my needs and fears relating to my dental work. From Mary, Connie and Cindy at the front desk, to the hygienists to Dr. Finlay-they all take the time to listen to what I have to say and always make me feel like I am not just a patient but a friend as well. Believe it not, they make me WANT to go back! That is the highest praise they could ever get from me! As much as I dislike just walking into the dentist office, I realize that without their complete and thorough care, ongoing encouragement, wonderful chairside manor and humor, I would not have the smile that I have today! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Susan Schmicker

I love the improved me. The entire experience with Dr. Finlay and his staff was exceptional. I can smile again!

Edith Barton

“She always has a smile and a friendly greeting for you,” would be consistent comment from those who know me. Through the care and precision of Dr. Finlay & Associates I will continue to smile confidently and won’t be able to contain my joy over my new smile.   Thanks,

Dawn Carter

Dental Implants Can Replace One or All Missing Teeth
Dental implants can be used to replace one tooth, missing as a result of trauma or congenital defect. For patients missing several teeth, dental implants may also be prescribed either alone or in combination with a dental bridge. Some patients who are missing or at risk of losing all of their upper or lower teeth may also be candidates for dental implants. Using the Teeth In A Day procedure, a patient can have all of their teeth replaced using dental implants and a fixed denture to restore natural function and esthetics.

Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail
Ninety percent of all failures are a result of improper, inadequate or absence of planning. Treatment planning is especially critical in the dental implant process. Most dental implants procedures are a coordinated effort between a restorative dentist or cosmetic dentist and an oral surgeon or periodontist. It is important to select restorative dentist or cosmetic dentist who has specific experience working with dental implants. During this process, the restorative dentist will act like a quarterback, mapping out a plan for the whole team to follow to ensure predictable and successful results.

Technology is Great…If You Know How to Use It
While the latest and greatest technology can be very helpful to dentist when performing a dental implant procedure, if you don’t know how to use the technology correctly or interpret the data it transmits, then the technology is useless. Technology can not replace education, practical training and hands on experience. Used inappropriately, technology will only get you into trouble faster.

Dr. Finlay: The Right Training, The Right Experience and The Right Tools
Dr. Finlay & Associates have over 25 years experience treating patients successfully with dental implants. Dr. Finlay can replace one tooth using dental implants or an entire set of upper or lower teeth using the Teeth In A Day process. Comprehensive treatment planning is at the heart of Dr. Finlay’s practice. He carefully evaluates each patient, considering all factors – esthetic, functional and financial to determine the most conservative and appropriate treatment modality.
Never satisfied with the status quo, Dr. Finlay is dedicated to post graduate training and excelling in the field of modern dentistry. He is a Senior Faculty member of The Dawson Academy where he teaches and collaborates with the nation’s top dentists. Dr. Finlay is also an Accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, an esteemed title held by fewer than fifty dentists in the entire United States. He is the only Accredited Fellow in the Annapolis area.
To remain on the cutting edge of dental implant technology, Dr. Finlay works with the finest dental laboratories in the country and the leading oral surgeons in the Baltimore Annapolis region. This team approach ensure the best results for each patient. Dr. Finlay employs state-of-the-art technology including iCat radiographs for 3-D imaging and CAD/CAM, computer aided design and manufacturing for creating precise restorations. His training, experience and collaboration with other top professionals within the dental industry ensure he has the skills to put these technologies to their best and fullest use.

If you have missing teeth, contact the office of Scott Finlay, DDS & Associates, PA to schedule a consultation and learn more about what treatments, including dental implants, are right for you.

Question 1: Just because I see it (diagnosis it) doesn’t mean my patients will want to treat it (even acute, painful, or blatant problems they are aware of gets put on the back burner).
Question 2: How much of the first course can I use immediately to make me a better clinician?
Question 3: If I am not able to take all of the courses will I still be better than if I took none of the courses?

Scott Finlay, DDS, FAGD, FAACD
The philosophies that are the core of The Dawson Academy are not about practicing a different kind of dentistry, but practicing better, more predictable, complete care for your patients. The understanding, skills and protocols that you will master as a student in the core curriculum will improve your efficiency, productivity and profitability as a dentist.

You are correct that every patient that has treatment needs, may not elect to pursue treatment: some due to financial reasons, some due to personal reasons, some due to value reasons.  In your practice you will initially experience a large percentage of patients that will be seeking general care, but there will be some that elect comprehensive care.  You need to be patient.  Over time you will find increasingly, more and more of your patients will begin to transition to comprehensive solutions.  It is their role to make those decisions and not ours.  It is our role however, to educate them and to be their advocate for the best care possible.  I think you will be surprised by your patient’s interest in seeking quality care.  That doesn’t mean a full mouth reconstruction with ceramics every time.  Whether treatment is provided with plastic or glass; with implants or removable dentures, the principles are the same in providing predictable care.

Predictable care at any level will improve your profitability and efficiency by reducing time wasted with remakes or fractured restorations that are never practice builders or make patients happy.  Your experiences with the Dawson Academy will help you make recommendations to your patients that are in their best interest.

You will find the information you learn from the very first program to be infectious and very useful to return to your practice.  The entire Senior Faculty of The Dawson Academy are wet fingered dentists that each have full time practices.  That is unique to our organization.  The knowledge is practical and allows you to return to the chair on Monday with a fresh vision.  I can tell you this from personal experience, because this changed my professional life and laid the ground for my success in dentistry.

The pace you pursue your education is up to you.  If you want to be efficient, I would recommend staying with a single teaching academy and focus on a continuum that is consistent.  Hopping around from day program to day program from varying academies, gives you very little opportunity to get down to the real nuts and bolts and actually make a difference in your practice.  The Dawson Academy offers this opportunity in our core curriculum that builds upon each successive program.

Doing nothing would be the only mistake.  You will become what you learn.  By failing to make the initiative to learn, you are losing a tremendous opportunity.

Kavita,
 
You certainly speak for us all about how generous Scott was with his time, knowledge and energy. It is always so refreshing to see both humility and excellence in an individual and he certainly is a fine example of that combination. We are lucky to have had him speak at a DSCCD meeting and I hope that we have another occasion to host him.
 
It is very gratifying for both Raj and myself to see DSCCD grow into a place where quality minded professionals get together and learn- not just about dentistry but about life in general as well. That was the vision and mission. You add grace and class to the study club and hopefully will be a big part of our future growth and development.
 
And yes, we could’nt do it without Lydia. She’s the best.
 
Thank you for your feedback,
 
Have an awesome weekend!
Sunita

Dr. Sunita Merriman was recently voted as one of NJ’s Top Dentists in 2010!