A Vistor Part 2

Two weeks ago a young dentist travelled all the way from Bangalore, India to Saratoga Springs, NY to study with me for a week. It was an incredibly fast week and it was great to have him both as a guest in my home and as a dentist in my office.
I received an email from Dr. Ashok yesterday telling me that I have "ruined him" by teaching him excellence. I sent Dr. Ashok an email and told him that I had merely helped him move from the unconsciously unknowing to the consciously unknowing which means that now he knows that he doesn't know. Every professional knows what it feels like to not be able to do what they see other dentists or physicians do. Feeling inept is not a pleasant feeling.
Dr. Ashok's patients are much better off after he has spent a week learning. I commend Dr. Ashok for having the courage to recognize that he didn't know what he didn't know and have the intelligence to do something about it.

Dr. Benjamin teaches at SUNY/Buffalo Dental School

Last Memorial Day weekend, the Dean of SUNY/Buffalo Dental School and the Chairman of the Department of Restorative Dentistry (Dr. Munoz) asked me to return to the school to discuss my future role at the Dental School. Last Friday, I drove 5 hours in preparation to teach a course to a select group of senior dental students. I had the pleasure of spending all day Saturday with the students. The morning session was a lecture entitled, "The Direct Resin Mockup as the First Step in Predictable Excellent Results in Eshtetic Dentistry." This is the same lecture that I delivered to practicing dentists in Saratoga Springs the previous week. The afternoon session was a hands on course to teach my young colleagues how to manage resin so that they can achieve beautiful bonding on front teeth.
My visit was the very first time that a nationally recognized clinical dentist travelled to the school to teach dental students.
Why would I do this??? For the Money???? Never! I do not accept money when teaching at my alma mater, UB Dental School. So WHY did I go to Buffalo to teach?
I strongly believe that it is an obligation of the profession to teach excellence to our young colleagues. As my mentor, Fred McIntyre says, "If we do not teach excellence to our students, they will not know excellence." I wanted to show the students what a wonderful profession dentistry is and that when we treat our patients, it is an obligation to aim for excellence in our clinical dentistry.
I was honored to learn that my young students loved my lecture and that no one had ever given them a lecture like mine.
I was also delighted to have the Chairman of the Department tell me that there is no other faculty member at the Dental School who can do what I do at the level that I do it.
This was incredibly validating since UB Dental School rejected me as a student three years in a row....Redemption is sweet.

Peer Reviewed Article

I am thrilled to tell you that I had an article published in a peer reviewed journal. It is very easy to become published in what the profession calls "Throw Away Magazines." However, an article that is published in a peer reviewed journal takes a long time to write, be judged acceptable by a member of the profession and then revised as a result of comments of a board of reviewers. Needless to say, it has been more than a year to get my article published.
If you would like to read my article, cut and paste this link.
It is interesting to note that while most dentists my age (62) are either retired,semi-retired or just bored with dentistry, MY career has begun to flourish. I have opened a new dental practice, published an article and have lectured in Baltimore, Saratoga and Buffalo.
My career has a long way to go.

An Indirect Matrix Technique for Fabrication of Fiber-Reinforced Direct Bonded Anterior Bridges
Gerald Benjamin, DDS; and Gregori M. Kurtzman, DDS

http://www.compendiumlive.com/article.php?id=3258

Published!

My first article in a peer reviewed dental journal, The Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry (Jan/Feb 2010) arrived today.
I have invented many of the techniques that I currently use but I have never been motivated to share my methodology prior to publishing the technique in the magazine. As many of you know, my greatest enjoyment comes from actually treating you, my patient. Teaching also is a great source enjoyment.
When we reach a certain point in our careers, we recognize the importance of transferring what we have learned to the next generation of our colleagues.
The School of Dental Medicine has asked me to present a lecture to 6 of its most motivated senior dental students and in a few weeks, I will show them what the work will look like when someone loves their work.
These have become interesting times for me.