Dentaltown August 2016 - (Page 16)
professional courtesy
column
The Promise
of Technology
I've always said that one of the most difficult things
about being a dentist is the fact that I can't do it from
home. Technology and innovation have made it possible
to do so many things from home, or from wherever
we happen to be with our smartphones-without ever
leaving my house, I can find a ride, a radiologist can
read my MRI or I could meet a group of people for a
video meeting.
Of course, when you talk to people who work from
home, they'll be quick to say that it's not as much fun
as you might think-it can be lonely, and productivity
doesn't always come easy. I still think it would be fun to
do a crown prep in my pajamas; right now I wear scrub
pants and a jacket, so I'm getting close. I suspect many
people would still prefer to leave work at the office, so
we'll spend the balance of our time considering the
advances in technology that are much closer to reality.
tracking our habits for years-they know with some
certainty how often a crowned tooth requires a root
canal and how long the average direct composite lasts,
and soon they'll know if your diet is affecting your
treatment plans. (Yes, I made that last one up.)
Dentists with practice management software have
been collecting data on thousands of patients over many
years. There are toothbrushes that can collect data on
your brushing habits. Large labs collect data on the
materials used for restoration. Claims data can tell us
what happened to patients, but our dental records could
show what condition the patients were in leading up
to that claim. I know this is starting to sound a bit too
much like Big Brother, but I'm hard-pressed to name
any significant piles of data that have been overlooked
for mining.
Digital impressions
We're seeing food that's been genetically modified,
and organs being 3-D printed. In dentistry, the term
"bioactive" is popular because it implies something that
will interact with our bodies in a favorable way. Until
this point we had been happy with "biocompatible,"
which simply means your body shouldn't get too upset.
Future materials will likely transform into the tissue
they are replacing, or at the least facilitate the growth
of new tissue. This already happens with some bone
and tissue replacement. Could dentin and enamel be
too far behind? Will we soon be able to grow new teeth?
While tooth seeds are probably a long shot, I'm
looking forward to materials that will better replicate
natural teeth and provide a longer-lasting solution for
the patient. Dentistry has always been a profession that
seeks to eliminate itself through prevention, but we
know that ideal is far from reality.
Which future trends do you hope to see in the
next five years? Ten years? Share your thoughts in the
comments section for this article online at Dentaltown.
com. If you would like to use good old email, you can
reach me at tom@dentaltown.com. ■
The ability to take a scan instead of an impression
is a pretty powerful advancement in dentistry. This
technology is here today and growing by the minute.
The future of this technology may include the ability to
make replacement teeth that look exactly like the ones
your patients had when they were teenagers. We may
also see the ability to scan a crack or find decay without
the use of X-rays. Today we can already appreciate the
efficient workflows, opportunities to provide lab services
in office and the "wow factor" for patients. If you don't
think this technology is part of your future, you may
still own a flip phone or have a sinking feeling that the
government will be monitoring your
finish lines.
Big data
You've heard this term plenty of
times. Data is the byproduct of using
computers for everything under the
sun. We can collate, slice and dice
reams of data to find the answer to
questions we didn't know we had.
Insurance companies have been
Magic materials
by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director, Dentaltown magazine
14
AUGUST 2016 // dentaltown.com
http://www.dentaltown.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown August 2016
On Dentaltown.com
Howard Speaks: You Don't Know COGS
Professional Courtesy: The Promise of Technology
Continuing Education Update
Industry News
Dealing with Parents Who Refuse GA Whose Children Obviously Need It
Class II Composite Technique
Best Alginate, Hands Down!
The Pillars of Attraction
Out-of-Pocket Collections: Mending the Holes
Dentists Playing Bankers: A new perspective on accounts receivable
Character Studies: Your financial tendencies likely depend on which of these nine archetypes fits you best
Quality Control: Five reasons you should purchase quality hygiene instruments
Practice Solutions: 3M
Opting Into—Or Out of—Typical Transitions
Treatment of Intraoral Infections
Service Profile: Gilleard Dental Marketing
Product Profile: Ivoclar Vivadent
Immediate Implants: Tips for improving the outcome in the aesthetic zone
New Products
You Should Know: Call Sumo
10 Strategic Insights for Patient-Producing Postcards
Monthly Poll: Pediatric Dentistry
CE: Oral Diseases Associated with Men
Dentally Incorrect
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