It Is Not Right

Our practice in Saratoga is just starting to pick up (Thank God) and our new patients have a few common similarities. The first is that these patients are all seeking quality dentistry rather than an insurance based dentist. Another, more troublesome similarity is that the vast majority of new patients have had root canals done in the recent past and they all are failing...What is up with this?????
Root canals used to be highly successful but a few years ago, the standard of care changed from making sure that the inside of the tooth was clean to: can we treat the tooth in one hour or less so that the dentist can make the most amount of money.
I am tired of seeing patients who paid their hard earned money to a dentist and having to tell them that they need to be referred to a root canal expert so that the inside of their tooth can finally be clean and the infection resolved. WE CANNOT HAVE INFECTIONS IN OUR BODIES.
Some patients are angry with me for finding their infected tooth while others are extremely grateful for finally explaining why their tooth still hurts.
Buy excellence and you probably only have to pay once. Buy mediocrity and it may cost you more than money.

A Call from a Colleague

I received an email and a call today from a colleague (who is also my friend) who was upset about the possibility that silver mercury would no longer be taught in dental schools and therefore not used as a filling material. He felt that most of the direct posterior composites were so poorly placed by general dentists that more harm than good was being done for our patients.
I have not placed silver mercury fillings in almost 20 years and my colleagues both near and far consider me an expert in the placement of beautiful, bonded white resin fillings. I strongly believe that there is no better restoration...for the strength of the restored tooth and the conservative nature of the technique. (This means that little or no tooth structure is removed in order to fix the tooth.)
So why is my good friend and colleague so upset that mercury is being phased out???
A large percentage of dentists refuse to learn how to master the art of placing this beautiful, strong bonded white restoration and consequently the restorations fail. It is NOT the resins fault that many dentists refuse to use the material correctly. Many dentists are just too lazy to learn how to use the material correctly...and if they did, our profession and our patients would be better off.
The attached photo clearly shows 4 well done direct posterior resins that I placed for a patient. If your white fillings don't look like the photo perhaps it is time to find a new dentist

A new patient from Michigan

A new patient was in my Saratoga office today who lives in Michigan...Yes Michigan.
My patient told me that she used to live in Saratoga and that she knew one of my patients and just loved her smile. What she did not know was that I had given this person (also a Saratoga resident) a smile make over nearly 11 years ago. More importantly, my new patient was completely unaware that her friend had anything but natural teeth. What a compliment for my work!
As with many of the folks that schedule a 'cosmetic consultation,' they really need regular dentistry that is done correctly rather than just elective dentistry (or cosmetic dentistry.)
I am honored when patients make a tremendous effort to have treatment in my office.
We have treated patients from: California; Spokane, WA; Raleigh, NC; Boston, Massachusetts; Vermont, Pennsylvania, Florida and Connecticut. Our New York patients have come from: Long Island, Manhattan, Westchester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Oneonta, Binghamton and Lake Placid.
Why would anyone make the effort to be treated in our office???
BECAUSE WE ARE WORTH IT! Our patients have made a special effort to find a dentist with credentials, experience, professional accomplishments and a proven ability to provide excellent dentistry.
Why don't YOU call our office to schedule an appointment to have your dental treatment in our office...YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!

The Yankees ARE Worth It

I am NOT really a sports fan but I know that I need to remain involved so that if a patient asks me what I think about last nights World Series game, I don't give the impression that I come from another planet.
I was looking at CNN.com after the Yankees won the World Series for the 27th time (See I do pay attention) and there was a business story about the Yankees. Despite the fact that they had the highest payroll in all of baseball, that from a business standpoint, the owners of the Yankees had gotten their monies worth with the current team. The article went on to say that the owners paid the players more than 200 million dollars, but the current team was worth it and that the team actually made a big profit.
The message was that even though the Yankee players cost more, they also provided a greater value to the fans, the owners and baseball.
Once again, things that have a greater value cost more...(This can't be a new thought lol)
My patients may pay more than they might in another dental office but I promise you that I will give you and your family value for your money.

I Don't Get It

Susan and I went to the public golf course in Saratoga today and one of the men who was pared with us asked if we were local to Saratoga. I explained that I had recently opened a new dental practice in Saratoga and that we were considering moving there as well. The starter was over hearing our conversation and told me that he had a crown fall out recently and he had to go back three times to the dentist to have it recemented and did I accept GHI insurance. Oh and by the way, he was retired and needed to watch his money.
What I don't understand is the wide spread assumption that ALL dentists are the same and that the ONLY thing that separates one dentist from the other is cost. This gentleman had lived more than 6 decades and he had not learned some of the fundamentals of American society which are:
1. You get what you pay for
2. Professionals that take care of us differ vastly in their level of knowledge, skill, talent and their concern for their patients, clients or customers. Some professionals are fabulous while many are not.
3. Your body, your teeth, your car or your house do not know that you are retired and that retirement means that you need to get the BEST VALUE for the dollars that you spend.
I just don't get it...or maybe I just don't understand.

Dont' Call Me a Health Care Provider

I recently called in a prescription for a patient on the weekend who had an infection. When I called the pharmacy, the voice mail directed me to the option of "press 2" if this is a health care provider.
I must tell you that I AM OFFENDED to be called a 'health care provider.' I attended dental school and not health provider school.
Why did the insurance industry coin the phrase, 'health care provider?' A DOCTOR is expected to be knowledgeable, caring and deserving of a great deal of respect with better than average amount of compensation. Because insurance companies don't want to pay doctors, they have done everything they can to eliminate the respect that doctors deserve and used to get. The insurance companies don't have to pay 'health care providers' the same amount of compensation that they used to pay DOCTORS. (Aside: Physicians pay has been cut in HALF, in real terms, over the last 20 years.)
So what does this mean for you and me when we go to our health care provider? It means that they barely know our names, can't remember why we have the appointment and are out the door in 3 to 5 minutes.
I want to see a DOCTOR who knows who I am, remembers the important aspects of my medical history and is really happy to see ME, his or her patient.
I am offended to be called a 'health care provider' but I LOVE BEING A DOCTOR.

I Told My Financial Advisor 'NO'

A few weeks ago I blogged about the financial industry and Trust. Today I informed my financial advisor that I would rather invest my own money because I could just not TRUST anyone in the financial industry. He asked me how his company could gain my trust in the future and I told him that the industry needed more self regulation and that they needed to throw the folks who destroyed our economy in jail. Until we see those folks punished for their illegal and unethical behavior, none of us should feel comfortable in trusting the investment industry.
I feel very strongly that I must earn your trust and do my very best to keep that trust.
Unlike the financial industry, I will NEVER, EVER earn my money in an unethical or deceptive way... I don't want your money if I can't earn it honestly.
I will give you the best possible dentistry that I am capable of doing so that you can have a healthy mouth and in return, I will be paid.
Just like we did business in the old days when folks were trustworthy.
There is a reason that our office motto is "DO THE RIGHT THING."

He Does The Same Thing That You Do

I met the owner of Miss Albany Diner this morning when we went there for breakfast and he told me that he heard a local dentist advertising that he did the same kind of things that I do. (Aside: No matter what you hear...Miss Albany Diner is THE BEST diner around)
The American Dental Society and the New York State Dental Society forbid dentists from making claims of Superiority or Excellence which can make it awfully challenging for patients to select a general dentist to treat them.
Dentists often do the same kinds of treatment such as 'cosmetic dentistry' but what their advertising does not tell you, the dental patient, is HOW WELL they do it. So what should you look for in selecting a dentist?
1. Does the dentist have an advanced degree or Certification from a recognized University. (LVI is NOT a degree granting institute nor a recognized institute.)
2. Does the dentist lecture to his/her peers because of superior knowledge, expertise or clinical abilities?
3. Does the dentist have a website which presents a great number of clinical cases that they have completed?
4. Can you call Dental Specialists (Endodontist, Periodontist, Oral Surgeon etc) and ask for a list of the top 3 or 4 dentist that they would use for their own families? The best dentists will appear on most of the lists.
5. Does the dentist take a great deal of time off which indicates whether they love what they do or whether it is just a job that they want to avoid?
6. Is the dentist on the faculty of a Dental School?

What you need to know:
1.I am the only dentist that has earned a Certificate of Proficiency in Esthetic Dentistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo. There is no other dentist within a 100 miles of the Capital District of NY that has attained that Certification.
2. I have lectured to my peers in Baltimore, Buffalo, Albany,Schenectady,Troy and Saratoga. I have been asked to lecture in other places but I would rather DO dentistry than talk about it.
3. The quality of my website and the quality of the work on my website speaks for itself.
4. Call dental Specialists and find out for yourself.
5. I love what I do and want to work 5 days a week. My last vacation was in 1985. Being away from my work is NOT a priority for me.
6. I have been promoted to Associate Clinical Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Dental Medicine. There is NO other general dentist from the Capital District on the faculty of a Dental School.

When you read,hear or watch advertising that says that a dentist does a certain kind of treatment, you must dig a little deeper and find out HOW WELL they do that kind of work. As I have told you before, when I break a tooth, I get into my car and drive 5 hours to Buffalo, NY for my treatment. Why would I do that???? Please re read this blog. lol

Associate Clinical Professor

The State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine has promoted me to Associate Clinical Professor. I believe that I am the only restorative dentist in the Capital District who is on the faculty of a dental school and I take this appointment as a high honor. This is a recognition of and validation for my pursuit of excellence in providing dental treatment to my patients.
We all see the local dental ads by dentists who make claims about their technology, their education and their expertise. These are claims that are very subjective in nature and cannot be measured. University degrees,certificates or appointments are the recognized GOLD STANDARD of accomplishments in the field of dentistry. I am honored to have attained this level of accomplishment after 33 years as a dentist.
My Father was a high school graduate who valued education more than any one I have ever met. He didn't care very much about money but educational success was his measure of a man. My appointment at SUNY/Buffalo would have made him a very proud man.
I guess the University feels that how I take care of you,my patient, is worth recognizing.

A Disturbing Phone Call

Dental Laboratories that actually create the beautiful dentistry for the meticulous dentistry that I send to them are very much like every other industry. If we discuss cars, dentists, teachers or dental laboraties, intelligent folks recognize that there is an incredible difference in quality available and the more you demand of a product or service, the more it will cost. Valley Dental Arts is a very fine dental lab located in Minnesota; they may not be THE best dental lab in the world but they do rank as a world class lab and I use them when I have complex cases that need a high level of expertise.
I was chatting yesterday with the Vice President of the lab, my friend Rick, and he was telling me about the sad state of the economy. He said, "We are doing the very best work in the history of the lab." He was concerned that even though Vallley Dental Arts produces superb quality the economy has affected them in some degree as well. They are anxious for the economy to turn around so then they can hit the ground running.
You have heard me say the very same thing on this BLOG in the past. We have become a Walmart Society (as Tricia calls it) in which quick and cheap are in great demand by the American public.
I too am doing the very best dentistry in my long career and my skill and knowledge is not in high demand.
How can this be????????
We need to support those companies and individuals who still give us the quality and service that has made America great.