7
Volume2 Issue5
|
CDA
at
W
ork
I
t’s impossible to predict the future, but we
shouldpayattention toprevailing trends and
prepare accordingly. I think it’s generally ac-
cepted that thebreadthof skills required for a
career in contemporary dental practice can’t
allbecovered in4yearsofdental school; newdental
graduateswill need to seekadditional training.
If I couldhaveafiresidechatwith thesenew
dentists, basedonmy30yearsof experience
andawatchful eyeonour professional
environment (aidedbyCDA’songoing
environmental scanof the social, political,
economicandhealth trends affectingdentistry)
here’swhat thisonedentistwould sayare key
skills toacquire.
First arebusiness skills. I don’t think it’s
enough toengageanaccountant andattend
amarketing seminar, nor do I believe that
teaching these skills canbeeasily integrated
withindental school curricula. I’m talkingabout
basicpracticemanagement skills that shouldbe
acquired froma trustworthyorganization, such
as your provincial dental association (PDA). To
determinewhat theprovinces areoffering
inpracticemanagement educationand to
identifygaps in training, aCDAWorking
Grouphasbeen formedwithcontributors
fromCDAand thePDAs. University-based
business schools areanother option;
at least one that I’m familiarwith, the
UBCSauder School of Business, offers a
program indental practicemanagement.
Next Iwouldencourageanynew
practitioner toacquire skills in implant
dentistry.We frequently
examinepatientswith
heavily restored, failing
dentitions. Obtaining
informedconsent from
thesepatients, for even
simple restorative
treatment, requires
acomprehensive
discussionof the
patient’s treatment needs. Thesediscussions
need toaddressocclusion, options for fixed
and removableprosthodontics, (including the
useof dental implants), cost implications, and
thepotential need for boneaugmentationor
sinusgrafts. Apractitionermust havea sound
understandingof implant dentistry,whether or
not thepractitioner intends toplaceor restore
implants, or refer thepatient toacolleague.
Conebeamcomputed tomography (CBCT) is
another technology that is rapidlybecoming
part of themainstreamas it becomesmore
affordableandas the risk/benefit ratio improves
withdiminishing radiation levelsused in the
newer units. Althoughmanydentistsdon’t
havedirect access toCBCT, all of usneed to
understand its valueand risks. Even if another
officeacquires the imageor another practitioner
formally reads the scan, practitioners should
develop skills to interpret theseCBCT scans.
Finally, Iwouldhighlight thechangingdentist-
to-population ratios inCanada. Inmany regions,
a surplusof dentistsmeans itwill bedifficult to
becomeestablishedandmeetmodest financial
expectations. Although roughly two-thirdsof
Canadianshavegoodaccess todental care,
other segments areunderserved, suchas
seniors in long-termcare, peoplewith special
needs, individuals living in remoteFirstNations
communities, andnew immigrant families.
These individualshavediverse treatment needs
and facemultiplebarriers tocare that gobeyond
affordability. Byacquiring the skills toprovide
careanddevelopingabusinessmodel for one
of thesevulnerablegroups, apractitioner can
generateadditional incomewhilealsoproviding
amuchneeded service.
Dentistry is andwill remainagreat vocation,
but all of usmust beprepared tomovewith the
times.
AlastairNicoll, bdsh
ons
From thePresident
AFiresideChat
Preparing for anuncertain future:
