I want to take this opportunity to thank you, the reader, for taking the time to pick Dental Economics®out of the huge stack of mail that you receive every month. I also want to thank you for taking the time to read what I have selected from the many articles that I receive and read every month. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for making Dental Economics the best-read magazine in the dental industry.
Beginning this month, you will see some of the results of the redesign of our cover and some other changes in articles and columns that will help us continue to bring you the best information for managing the business side of your practice. In the next few months, look for some great new interviews by Dr. Jeff Dalin (beginning with this issue), some new information on infection control by Dr. John Molinari, and many more exciting new innovations that will continue to make Dental Economics your favorite dental magazine!
I hope that you have made all of your resolutions for the New Year and, more importantly, that you have written them down. Study after study confirms that written goals are achieved at a much greater rate!
As you will notice from the number of letters to the editor, we have another controversy boiling. First, let me say that the content of our columns is the author’s opinion, which may or may not agree with the position of this magazine.
I have received many e-mails and some calls from dentists who use CEREC in their practices. They felt that there were many mistakes and inconsistencies in a previous column regarding CEREC. These letters, which begin on page 12, are well thought out and written. I urge you to read them to get the other side of the story.
Sirona will be celebrating CEREC’s 20th anniversary in 2006. So it is not a new product (visit www.HappyBirthdayCEREC.com for details). I have been following the CEREC story for about 12 years now, and it is a fascinating one. I was not convinced completely that this was a viable restorative system, but I knew users who were convinced that it was. Three and one-half years ago, some dental consultants were bashing CEREC by telling their clients that they could not get a return on their investment with the technology. Sirona asked me to put together a meeting of consultants to teach them about the technology, and hopefully convince them that this was indeed an investment-worthy product.
In April 2002, 30 dental con-sultants met in Tampa to hear from four distinguished speakers about CEREC. I was listening along with them, trying to answer my questions about the technology. I heard from Dr. Dennis Fasbinder from the University of Michigan about his 18 years of research on the product. I listened to user and trainer, Dr. Mark Morin, tell about how he expanded his practice. I heard then-new user, Dr. Joel Benk, tell of his experience with the learning curve. I heard Dr. Charles Blair discuss the economics and return on investment with the CEREC 3 system. At the end of the meeting, I was convinced that CEREC was a viable restorative system and the consultants were convinced that it belonged in their clients’ offices.
Since that time, Sirona has introduced CEREC 3D, which has greatly simplified the entire procedure. Many practices are using the system successfully. They are providing patients with excellent restorative dentistry in a much timelier manner than the traditional method of two- appointment crown and bridge procedures. If your practice is ready for CEREC, I would urge you to contact your Patterson dealer for more information.
Joe Blaes, DDS, Editor - e-mail: [email protected]
Toll-free phone number: (866) 274-4500
