Dentaltown March 2018 - 83

A few minutes into the procedure, the system monitoring all data streams identifies
increased stress in the patient and a nonstandard pattern of activity. It forecasts a high
likelihood of a poor outcome if the current workflow is continued, and sends the student
an alert via her glasses that a potential problem with the current procedure is likely. It
also notifies a senior faculty member that the student may need some assistance with the
restoration, and together they choose a different path of activity with a better outcome
and lower stress for the patient.
Far-fetched? Not really, considering what is happening at Columbia University College
of Dental Medicine and its new Center for Precision Dental Medicine. Data collection
technologies developed with the assistance of Planmeca, a Finnish technology company,
and the application of precision medicine will help the center accomplish two goals: to
offer personalized dental care and to make evidence-based connections between oral and
overall health a reality.

Medical treatment tailored to the individual,
not the average individual
"Precision medicine is probably the biggest thing for the future of the American health
care system, if not the world," said Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent, the dean
of the college. "It will put American health into the center of what shapes the future of
world health. I think there's nothing bigger than this. It will be more complex, and it will
consider not just the genomic information but also many other data sets, including what
we use in dentistry."
What is "precision medicine"? According to the Precision Medicine Initiative, a longterm research endeavor being conducted by the National Institutes of Health and several
other research institutions, it's an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention
that takes into account each individual's variable genes, environment and lifestyle. This
approach should allow caregivers and researchers to predict more accurately which health
care treatment and disease prevention strategies will work in which groups of people.
Contrast this with a "one size fits all" approach, whereby disease treatment and prevention
strategies are developed for the average person, with less consideration for the differences
between individuals.

"Precision medicine is probably the biggest thing for the
future of the American health care system, if not the world."
- Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent,
dean, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
"Precision medicine will lead to a new kind of medicine that will serve people in their
individuality, as opposed to their average," Stohler said. "We have learned over the years that
average medicine is not good enough-that average medicine makes too many mistakes."

Data collection that's comprehensive and wireless
At the heart of the center's armamentarium will be data. Through passive data-collection
tools, the center will help tailor care to each patient and offer quantifiable feedback to each
dental student. Electronic dental records will be tied to medical records, better enabling

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