I Could Not Say It Better

All dentists believe that they are good clinical dentists. My office manager, Tricia believes that a dentist could not practice dentistry without thinking that they are 'good dentist.' Sadly, mediocrity is the order of the day.
I would like to quote extensively from an editorial by Dr. Harald O Haymann, the editor in chief of the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry,one of the premier peer reviewed dental journals. Volume21,Number4, 2009
"If there is a term in dentistry that is all too frequently used in a casual and flippant manner it is "clinical excellence." It is like Mom, the flag, and apple pie: no one ever disagrees with a claim or proclamation for clinical excellence. But to what extent does it still truly exist in dentistry and how is it achieved? In an age that is becoming ever more dominated by demands for speed and profit along with declining accountability, I believe clinical excellence is all too frequently and regrettably falling by the wayside."
"...No material or technique will overcome deficiencies in the clinician, no matter who advocates it or how well it is hyped. We as individuals represent the singularly most important element in achieving clinical excellence."
"Dr. Clifford Sturdevant, an old master kept a brass plaque on his desk that was inscribed with these words: "If it's almost right, it's wrong?"
I have said these exact same thoughts to you in every single post in my blog. Dentists are like everyone else which is mostly average. Why would a patient select an average physician or dentist to take care of them? To save a few dollars???? My patients know that I will do my very best on every appointment to take care of them and it is my ETHICAL obligation not to let you down.
Clinical excellence is something that I strive for every minute of everyday for every patient. It is my honor to take care of each and every one of you and that means striving for clinical excellence because that is what you are PAYING me for.

I'm Proud

My long time patient and friend Margie was selected to be the Chairperson for the 2009 annual Gala for Saratoga Bridges, an organization that provides support for people with disabilities and their families. After I opened my office in Saratoga, she made a personal visit and requested that I make a contribution to Saratoga Bridges....You don't say 'no' to Margie. I contributed a Smile Makeover valued at up to $15,000 to be auctioned to the highest bidder.
I am proud to tell you that my smile makeover earned the most amount of money at Margie's Gala.
At the end of the bidding for the smile makeover, I went over to the highest bidder and congratulated her. More importantly, I told her that I would do my very best to make her happy despite the fact that I was not going to earn a penny for treating this patient. The mark of a Professional is that they will ALWAYS do their best whether they are being paid or not. I am proud that my contribution will help disabled folks but I am just as proud that my integrity is NEVER based on how much I am being paid. My integrity is priceless and as I have told you before...I will never do anything to hurt a patient in order to increase my bottom line; That just will not happen.

It's All About TIME

If you go to Manhattan, there are parks where folks sit and play speed chess. The games last only 5-10 minutes and the goal is to play as well as you can in a very limited amount of time. No one would confuse this type of chess play with Chess Masters who play for hours with each move diliberately thought out. Much of dentistry today is like speed chess where the dentist schedules patients in 10-15 minute 'units' and work as fast as they can to produce the greatest amount of money in a given time period. No one should confuse this type of dentistry with how master dentists work.
In our office, we schedule patients for a minimum ONE HOUR appointments with the specific goal of doing the best possible work during that hour appointment. When we are doing large cases, our patient is the ONLY patient of the DAY and whether treatment lasts 4, 5 6 or even 9 hours, our goal remains to do the best possible treatment that we are capable of doing.
If patients beleive that all dentists are the same and a filling is a filling then you might as well go to the 10 minute dentist and pay discount fees. If your intelligence tells you that not all dentists are the same and that you need to find that master dentist to treat you, then treatment will take longer and cost more.
And intelligent folks understand that as well...Nothing new about that; excellence costs more.