This summer has really been busy with a lot of interesting meetings and some great trips. First up was the CADapalooza '10 at the colossal Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. D4D and Henry Schein Dental teamed up for a great two-day meeting featuring innovative speakers who presented current changes and future applications in CAD/CAM dentistry. Dr. Paul Childs from the CR Foundation gave us all an excellent look at the current products and the future, including his recommendations. The second day was at the D4D training center, and the dentists could actually sit down and design and mill a crown or inlay. It was a great experience.
Next stop was Santa Barbara, Calif. This was a great change from the intense heat of St. Louis. Temperatures were in the high 70s during the day and high 50s at night. I attended Dr. Bill Strupp's course on "Simplifying Complex Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry." His approach to this subject was innovative, scientific, and realistic. It included a simple plan to follow with every type of case imaginable. Bill is a great teacher because he explains how to do things from his vast experiences in his practice. If you follow his simple guidelines, you cannot fail to successfully complete complex dentistry. He not only shows his triumphs, but also his mistakes when he does not follow the guidelines. If you have an opportunity to see a presentation by Dr. Strupp, don't miss it! You will hear one of the great restorative dentists of our time.
You have a great opportunity in this issue of DE. The "IneedCE" course included is on "Dental Risk Management: The Doctor/Patient Relationship," written by Laurance Jerrold, DDS, JD. The nature of the doctor/patient relationship essentially forms a simple contract, with contractual duties existing on the parts of both the dentist and patient. Establishing a doctor/patient relationship may take place formally in the office setting, or informally, such as giving verbal advice in a social setting. There are legal ways in which to terminate a doctor/patient relationship, and it is important to follow a number of steps to do this and avoid being found to have abandoned a patient.The contractual obligations and duties of both patients and dentists must be understood within the doctor/patient relationship. By understanding the significance and ramifications of the contractual duties, dental risk management can be used to control situations such as terminating the patient/doctor relationship, and discontinuing active treatment to minimize the risk of being sued by the patient. Besides all the great information, you also can receive CE credits by following the instructions included in the course. You can also log onto www.IneedCE.com.
I visited Tulsa in June, and it was even hotter and more humid than St. Louis! Dr. Joe Massad was opening his new combination office, training center, and video production center.Joe created the vision for this triple-purpose facility about four years ago. He found an old Safeway neighborhood grocery store in Tulsa that was located close to the University of Tulsa. Because Dr. Massad is a visionary, he was immediately able to see how the different components of his practice would come together. He saw how the treatment rooms would be located within the space. He visualized the position of the sound stage where he would produce videos. He saw the location of the editing booths, the animation production areas, and the location of the business offices within this space. So, he bought the store and property and began building his dream.
First, he restored the exterior of the building, designing it to look like buildings on the university campus. He surrounded the building and parking lot with a stone and decorative wrought-iron fence that was a duplicate of the university fence so it would blend in with the neighborhood.
Over the next two years, he remodeled the interior spaces to match his vision. On my visits to Tulsa during that time, I would usually visit Joe and get a tour to see what he had done. Just a week ago (as I write this in late June), I saw the final version, and it is a breathtakingly stunning office. Dr. Massad's vision is a reality! I urge you to take a course and see this office first-hand. His monthly column, "Tip of the Month," appears on the last page of DE.
Joe Blaes, DDS, Editor – e-mail: [email protected]
Toll-free phone number: (866) 274-4500
