We Have Turned the Corner

As you know, I entertained thoughts of relocating my office to Saratoga when we were one of the first businesses to feel the effects of the tsunnami recession in the Summer of 2007. Despite the fact that I did not feel that Cropseyville was the ideal location for my evolving dental practice, I recognized that I had been in that area for 3 decades and attracted a sufficient number of patients from outside the area to have a viable practice. The recession changed everything and relocating was no longer an option but a necessity if I was to continue to work in the profession that I love.

We had two really bad years during 2008 and 2009 and I was wondering if retirement was inevitable despite the fact that I was doing the best dentistry of my career and my patients and my colleagues frequently told me that.

I am pleased to say that 2010 was a turn around year as both the economy and my practice started to right themselves. It is my strong belief that 2011 will be my best year ever. I love dentistry, my office, my staff and my patients. I will work as hard as ever to make sure that I take care of each and every one of you, my patients.

Please let your family, friends and co-workers know who your dentist is and why you have selected me as your dentist.

Let us hope that 2011 is a wonderful year for everyone. HAPPY NEW YEAR

I Don't Just Blog

When I was a little kid I would write letters of complaint to the editor, letters to manufacturers and letters to politicians. When I was older, I went to college and was a history major which gave me many opportunities to write 30 page papers on 25 year old standard typewriters without self correction capabilities.(Ok I am old lol)
[I took 44 hours of math and science and 44 hours of history so that I could meet the prerequisites to get into dental school.]
As you can see from my blog, I like to write and am not afraid to express my opinions. There was an opinion column in today's New York Times in which the writer took objection to Governor Rendell's (Pennsylvnia) comments that we are becoming a bunch of wusses as a country and the Chinese are going to easily over take the United States. Speciifically, he was speaking about the cancellation on Sunday of an NFL game because of the snow storm and the postponing of the game was representative of what has become of our country.

I entered my comments on the New York Times blog section under the article:

"If things were going well in America, we would not be having this conversation and this column would not have been written. There is no doubt that we are no longer a nation of hard working, competent, resilient people. We can no longer discipline our children with a cold stare that made children stop in their tracks.
Things are not going well for us but there is no one to blame and that is what probably infuriates many.
More than 50 years ago, we would shovel the snow off of school yard basketball courts in Queens and play for 5 hours or until our fingers split open from the cold.
We were not wusses back then and the Governor is correct when he says that we are not what we used to be."

To my surprise, the moderated blog accepted and published my post and 52 folks who read my comments said that they enjoyed it.

Don't worry...I would never give up my first love, dentistry, to become a writer.

I Have Arrived

The relationship of mentor to student is not unlike the relationship of a college professor to high school freshman. That is, there is a world of difference between what the mentor knows and what the student knows. As time passes, especially in a long relationship, the difference is narrowed and hopefully may even disappear.

My mentor sent me an email yesterday which demonstrates that the knowledge gap between him and I has narrowed to the point that he would trust ME enough to permit me to restore HIS TEETH:
"Gerry, you are light years ahead of most the the mechanics we have out there practicing today. Don't be so hard on yourself, I'd sit in your chair any day."

I have spent the last 20 years studying intensely with many world class dentists and the day has arrived when I can fix their teeth. I am truly honored.

"The Best Investment I Ever Made"

"Hello Dr. Benjamin. I'd like to wish you and your staff Happy Holidays. I hope things have been well with you all.

I'm loving my smile. It really has made a world of difference in the way I feel about myself. It's the best investment I ever made. Thanks again. I may stop up sometime next week when I'm in Saratoga to say hello."

Think about how meaningful this note is to me and my staff. It's Christmas time, the treatment has been completed 8 months ago at a moderately significant cost. And yet when my patient starts reflecting on this past year in her life, my staff and I come to mind.

I truly believe that my patients are different from other dental patients ie special and that I have a completely different relationship WITH my patients than most dentists. Indeed, I really don't believe that most dentists have a RELATIONSHIP with their patients any more. Like a lot of things, it is one of the things that has disappeared. For me, I laugh with my patients, cry with them and rarely go a day without a patient hugging me.

I am indeed fortunate and honored to have all of you as my patients and I am thrilled to have been remembered by my patient at this time of the year.

Merry Christmas

My staff and I wish you all the most wonderful Christmas yet. There is never a more appropriate time to say 'Thank you' to all of our patients.
Love, appreciate and enjoy your families.

What We Want and What We Need

Humans have a need to be stroked. We enjoy when people compliment us on how we look or how well we performed our job.

I am very fortunate in that many of my patients and colleagues appreciate and value the work that I do.

This morning I recieved the following email from a long time patient:
Hey Dr. Benjamin,
Just thought I'd give you a shout out!! I joined the gym and am actually working with a trainer. Tonight he told me the first thing he noticed about me was my beautiful teeth!! Good Luck with your surgery. Melissa

A great way to begin a day...All my needs and wants were met! Thanks Melissa

Melissa's teeth look fabulous and this is not the first time that she has received compliments on her smile. A few years back, Melissa, who works for another dentist, was attending a course on bleaching your teeth. The dentist giving the course told Melissa that she already knows about bleaching because he noted how beautiful her natural teeth were and that she must have bleached them to get her teeth to look sooo beautiful. Melissa told him that she never bleached her teeth but that the teeth that the dentist was admiring was really her beautiful but natural looking veneers that I had recently placed. Another dentist could not tell the differnce between natural teeth and my beautful veneers..

That was the best compliment that I could receive.

"Do The Right Thing"

Everyone always talks about 'doing the right thing' and yet it is so rare to actually see someone DO THE RIGHT THING. Just last week, a homeless man returned a backpack with $3,000 inside to its rightfull owner. The man has received ten times that from strangers who thanked him for DOING THE RIGHT THING.

Most successful human beings (note that I did not say 'wealthy') admire other sucessful people for doing the right thing.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar wrote the following essay for Time Magazine about his great former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden:
I played for John Wooden at UCLA, where he won more NCAA basketball championships than any other college coach in history. Doing the right thing was the only way that Coach knew how to act. For me, one story clearly illustrates that. In 1947, he was the basketball coach at Indiana State when the team was invited to the NAIA tournament in Kansas City, Mo. But there was one condition: he was told that he could not take Clarence Walker, an African American player. Coach thanked the organizers for the invitation, but he told them he had to take his whole team or he wouldn't participate. The following year, Indiana State had an even better season and received the same invitation. This time, the tourney promoter gave in. It never became widely known that Coach had confronted segregation, and he never tried to claim any credit for his principled stand: he knew it was the right thing to do, and that was enough for him.

—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

As I have told you before, DOING THE RIGHT THING for my patient is the most important way to treat you.

Where I Stand on Mercury Fillings

Brian Williams of NBC NEWS just did a story on placing mercury fillings in your teeth when tooth decay is discovered.
When a dentist orders mercury for mercury fillings, he or she has to pay a toxic material transportation fee.
When a dentist removes mercury from a tooth,he or she must carefully store the material until it can be disposed of as toxic waste.
So is the government telling you and me that the only safe place for mercury is in YOUR MOUTH????

Sounds like it to me.

How do I feel about this?

I have not used mercury fillings in almost 20 years and I don't have any in my mouth or my wife's mouth.

What is the BEST FILLING MATERIAL?
In my opinion, the direct bonded posterior direct resin placed with a rubber dam by a highly trained dentist is the BEST, MOST CONSERVATIVE AND, IN THE BIGGEST PICTURE, THE LEAST COSTLY restoration that I can place. And I have 20 years of patient treatment to back up my opinion.

Other dentists want to cut down your teeth for crowns either because they are not highly trained to do direct bonded posterior direct resin fillings or they can make more money placing crowns.

The use of a potentially toxic material, mercury, to fill teeth and the mass destruction of beautiful natural tooth structure to place crowns MUST STOP.

The Good Old Days

My parents always stressed the importance of making good choices. In the olden days,when I was young, my choices were between what was good and what was best. As I have gotten older, my choices are between bad and worse.

The pain in my arm had deminished greatly and I was finally able to raise my arm above my head. I knew that it was going to be bad to have the rotator cuff surgery,the post surgical pain and the intensive physical therapy. But I knew that it would be worse if I postponed surgery and became severely debilitated in my old age.

I believe that God gives beauty and strength to the young and wisdom to the old but HE does not give you both the gift of beauty and wisdom at the same time.

As I enter old age it,apparently,is my time for wisdom.

Healing

I had rotator cuff surgery on Tuesday afternoon performed by one of the best shoulder surgeons in the country, Dr. David Altchek. The surgery was at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. People have been amazed to see me because I look pretty normal and I don't have much pain even though everyone told me that I would.

I selected Dr. Altchek because I believed that he was among THE BEST and, to this point, I have not been disappointed.

When Susan and I were paying for the Guest Facilities to stay over night, the secretary wished me good luck and asked me who my surgeon was going to be. "Dr. Altchek", I responded to which she replied, "Dr. Altchek, THE BEST OF THE BEST."

Even the secretaries know who THE BEST are.

Tuesday

On Tuesday afternoon, I will have my Rotator Cuff Surgery to correct a problem that started 3 months ago.I will not be in my office this next week but either Donna or Tricia will be in the office to help you. I am hoping to return next week to perform exams after your cleanings so that we can continue to maintain your oral health.

If my surgeon approves, I would like to return to treating patients in two weeks.I usually support my arms with the arms of the chair that I sit in which is similar to wearing a sling. I will, however, be smart and listen to my doctor and I may not treat patients until the New Year. Don't worry, if you have a toothache or break a tooth, I have asked two colleagues that I trust to see you and take care of you.

Taking care of YOU has ALWAYS been my main focus.

The Challenges of Small Businesses

This is a wonderful time of the year because I get to sit down with some of my friends who operate small businesses for our seasonal dinner.

Our Government has always told us that "Small busness is the backbone of the country." If this is true, then we are in terrible shape because both of the people that I had dinner with are barely able to hang on despite the fact that they are EXCELLENT at what they do, are caring, ethical and honest. As you know, I failed in my Troy, NY location after 31 years because many of the folks living around my old office did not have an appreciation of fabulous dentistry and I found it necessary to move my office to a more hospitable location. My friends are in their 50's and have been in business for more than 25 years. Both are great guys and are supurb at what they do... Apparently, it no longer matters as the creme doesn't rise to the top as we were brought up to believe.

I can't believe that my friends are teetering on the edge of survival. I must tell you that if price is the ONLY thing that matters, your children and grandchildren are not going to do as well as we have.

Every day physicians and dentists are closing their offices because they refuse to treat their patients with disrespect and not care about them. Insurance companies make it impossible for them to run a business and take care of their patients with dignity and respect.

Who is going to take care of us when we get sick or have a dental infection. Perhaps the secretary at your insurance company can help you.

"I Just Wanted to Let You Know"

One of my patients who is on this website and also appears in our television advertising sent me an email yesterday informing me that someone she knows saw her photo on tv and called her to find out about me.

My patient continued in her email: "I gave you the BEST recommendation,because you are the BEST!

Life cannot get any better when you get an email at the beginning of your day.

"What Are We Going to Do About My Wife?"

I saw one of my favorite patients yesterday. He an an 84 year old man who has been my patient almost 30 years and he hasn't lost a tooth since I started treating him. I was thrilled that he was able to make the trip to our new office. When I went out to the waiting room to greet Mr. F and to thank him for making the trip to Saratoga, he said to me, "And what are we going to do about my wife?" I was a little stunned at first by the question and then he continued, "She can't make the trip up here and what happens if she has a problem with her teeth. Mrs. F has been in a nursing home for a few years and on several occasions, I have made the trip to change implant attachments or adjust her dentures. I told Mr. F that he needn't worry because any time his wife has a problem, I would make a trip to the nursing home.
My statement was met with tears.

Did Mr. F really think that I would abandon his wife after 30 years? No way!
I have been dedicated to taking care of my patients for almost 35 years and while my office location has changed, my dedication to you, my patient is the same as the day that I opened my practice. Just like it is supposed to be!

In Defense of Mediocrity

Despite the fact that I post my work on the ACE dental forum, I am not one of the 'darlings' of the forum because I expect that we are all striving for excellence when that is, in reality, not true.
I was sent the work of another dentist from a lab by mistake. I photographed the work and posted it on the ACE forum as an example of less than ideal dentistry that would most likely fail in the very near future.
Many of the dentists on the forum supported the shoddy dentistry which most certainly surprised me. Why would other dentists come to the defense of a colleague that produces mediocre dentistry? In fact, one of my colleagues sent me a private email in which he said:

"Yeah, it feels real good to be able to dump on another colleague and make yourself feel oh so superior."

Can it really be true that folks are rising up in defense of mediocrity rather than strongly suggesting that the dentist learn the fundamentals of dentistry?

I just can't believe it. Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln must be rolling over in their graves.

"I am Offended"

Trish, our new hygienist, does her very best to make you comfortable and to that end, she offers parafin wax hand treatments during your cleanings.

Last week Trish asked a patient if she would like the hand treatment and the patient showed her displeasure with that offer.

"I come to Dr. Benjamin for his talent, his credentials and his ethics and I don't want hand treatments."

When I entered the hygiene room and greeted my patient she told me that she thought wax parafin hand treatments were over the top and unnecessary and she repeated the reasons why she is my patient.

I explained to my patient that what she valued in a physician or a dentist...the talent, the credentials and the ethics...were no longer valued by the majority of dental patients and while her standards of excellence were very high that they were of a by-gone era.

I want my patients to select ME as their dentist for my talent, my education and my ethics. Unfortuantely, the vast majority of patients select a dentist on the basis of whether they participate with their insurance. That said, my patients are so smart and so special that the old time values for selecting a dentist DO APPLY.

I thank you all for being my patient. You are smarter than most dental patients and you are special.

Our Visitor From Toronto

As you know, I love posting my work on the ACE forum and of course, I love it when other dentists offer their compliments. Several years ago a Canadian dentist saw my work and asked if it was acceptable for him to show other dentists what excellence looked like and he would put my name on the work. He also said that someday he would love to come to my office to watch me work.

Dr. Roel Wyman a dentist from Toronto made good on his promise to visit. I must say that I am always flattered when dentists ask to visit and observe how I treat my patients.

Dr. Wyman sent me a nice email when he arrived home telling me how much he enjoyed the visit and how much he had learned. I am truly honored by my colleagues visit. More importantly, I will continue to do dentistry for you, my patient, so that it continues to be worthy of my colleagues praise.

I owe you this. We have a sacred relationship of the doctor and the patient. And my promise to every patient is that I will do my very best to make you happy with your treatment.

"Hospitals Make No Headway in Curbing Errors"

This is one of the stories on the front page of todays New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/25/health/research/25patient.html?_r=1&ref=health

How is this possible?

This problem is unlike untreatable cancer and it does have a solution. The problem is that no one wants to sit down and create fail safe standards, impliment the standards and enforce the rules.

Patients don't care...they just want it to cost less and therefore their is little effort to demand safer hospitals. Most of the mistakes are preventable according to the article.

One more thing that has fallen because we, as a country, are failing to pursue EXCELLENCE. Am I starting to sound like a broken record or a crotchety old man?

I apologize, but when I treat a patient I truly am trying to do my best to achieve the best possible outcome without harming you in any way.

Maybe hospitals need a lesson.

Standards of Excellence

I have studied with the best dentists in the world: Drs. Frank Spear,Newton Fahl, Fred McIntyre and Francisco Banchs.They have taught me that pursing EXCELLENCE is not an option but a requirement when treating a patient.
Can you understand what an incredible standard that is? You must do your BEST all day, everyday. The journey towards excellence is frustrating and stressful until it becomes as automatic and brushing your teeth.

One of my colleagues made a comment on the ACE forum today:
"I love the standards that Gerald and others set. They are right, and we should all strive to reach them if we are afforded the opportunity. But sometimes we are asked to make the best of an imperfect situation by the patient. We do have the right to choose not to help them, and at some point that becomes the ONLY right choice. I'm not sure we're here yet with this case."

I am honored that my standards and my work are now among the standards of excellence for my colleagues.

It is my goal to make my mentors and teachers proud of me. Why would you want to be a patient of a doctor that does not pursue EXCELLENCE. Please think about that and find people to treat you that have a philosophy of excellence. You do have a choice in dentistry.

EXCELLENCE

What is 'excellence?'

Excellence is a rare occurrence among humans. Apparently average was meant to be the norm for humans.

Well if 'excellence' is so rare then will we know it when we see it? ABSOLUTELY!!!
In fact, when you see excellence, it is forever etched in your memory.
For instance: When man first walked on the moon it was an example of engineering excellence that was beyond our imagination.

When I talked to people about excellence or finding THE BEST to take care of you, I frequently am met with blank stares because folks find it hard to believe that one physician or one dentist is really better than any other physican or dentist.

If you want to see an example of excellence and how fabulous humans can be when striving for excellence look at this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE5nxzSljCg

The hands, the eyes, the brain and the human spirit combine to accomplish impossilbe feats. (Aside: I am not saying that Tiger Woods as a human being is an example of excellece but rather how he does his job is noteworth. If your children need someone to idolize or need a hero then I suggest Dr. Jonas Salk who saved billions of children from contracting Polio.

Exellence is a rarity. It demonstrates how wonderful things would be if we all strove to be the best.

Dr David Altchek and Me

Dr. David Altchek is known to be among the top 10 shoulder surgeons in the country. He performs surgery on the NY METS players,tennis stars and other professional athletes. When I asked my physical therapy, Tony Dematteo who THE BEST shoulder surgeon was, he did not hesitate a second to reply 'Dr. David Altchek.'

My patients need to know that it is my GOAL to be like Dr. Altchek. I want to be known for being a dentist that pursues EXCELLENCE in his patient's behalf. I want the name Gerald Benjamin to be associated with the word 'EXCELLENCE.'

I find it interesting that most dentists would love to be known as the most successful dentist in town. That has never interested me and I would NEVER place my financial self interest above my professional obligation to take care of you, my patient.

I will continue to study and work hard so that I can continue to move toward my goal of becoming the best possible dentist that I can become.

I really want to be like Dr. Altchek.

I Always Try to Walk the Talk

I strongly believe in actually doing for myself the things that I recommend to my patients whether we are talking about teeth or non-dental issues. I have had both porcelain veneers and implants and so has my wife and most of my staff members.

I recently tore my rotator cuff and was told by a local orthopedic surgeon that I would require surgery in order to get back to normal. I went from the surgeon's office to my physical therapist (Saratoga Physical Therapy) and asked Tony Dematteo who THE BEST shoulder surgeon was and without hesitation he responded "Dr. David Altchek" in Manhattan.

On Dec 7, I will have shoulder surgery by one of THE BEST shoulder surgeons in the country and I will pay the majority of the cost from my savings as THE BEST does not participate with insurance companies.
I have always told you that you need to spend the time to FIND THE BEST to take care of you and your family. And as I say, "If we as a country do not buy EXCELLENCE it will cease to exist."

Why would I take a sizeable amount of money out of my savings account to hire the best surgeon when I can be treated by a local surgeon for a fraction of the cost?
Two reasons: 1.Because I always try to walk the talk and 2. Because I am worth it.

I Met the Man in the AD

Susan and I frequently walk around our new hometown of Saratoga Springs so that we can get to know the people in town. We passed a small woman's store on Broadway and my wife commented that she liked a purse hanging in the window.
Susan recently went to visit her family and some friends in Buffalo and I walked into the Speck's Boutique to look at the purse that Susan admired. To my surprise the purse was not expensive and I made the purchase rather quickly. While I was paying for my purchase, I was chatting with the owner and told her that I had a new dental practice around the corner and gave her my card. She looked at my card and said, "BenjaminSmile" I have seen your ads on TV and now I have met you.
A few weeks later Susan was back at Speck's for some gloves and the owner told me that she had Tweeted about me saying that she had 'met the man in the ad.'
It really is a small world.

My Most Honored Possession

When I was about 10 years old I was an incredible Yankee fan. I knew all the members of the team, their batting averages and how many errors they made...Not at all unusual for boys my age.

One day my Father came home with a baseball signed by my hero, Mickey Mantle. My Dad knew someone who knew someone and that is how I got the ball. For more than 50 years this baseball sat in my draw or in my safe never seeing the light of day.

After my Father passed away in 2002, my Mickey Mantle ball became less and less important to me and I made the decision to give the ball to one of our favorite patients. He and his children love the Yankees and I knew that my most honored possession would be well taken care of for eternity. Six months ago I gave him the ball and just asked him to take care of it.

Possessions and 'THINGS' are becoming less and less important to me as I get older.
I think this is just part of getting older...

A Larger Audience

I am quite well known on the ACE dental forum which is primarily an American dental forum but there are many international members as well. The vast majority of dentists who are ACE members do not show their clinical cases to the group. Showing one's work can be a terrifying experience because a dentist is exposing their clincal weakness to a very large group of dentists.

I have never been shy about posting my work for both positive and negative comments.I have spent decades studying and learning my craft and invested a few million dollars in the process.

Did I pursue excellence to become wealthy? Never even entered my mind as I spent thousands of hours refining my techniques. My journey towards excellence was really the path to become a better dentist in order to take care of my patients.

I was recently asked to send examples of my work and some photos of my new office to a prosthodontist in Atlanta who was taking a trip to India to teach some courses. This evening, he sent me the following email:

Your work is marvelous and your office photos blew away all the young Dentists in Mumbai India...now they all know you by name.!!

I am so honored to be held in high esteem by my colleagues. This is far more important than money. It is about who I am as a person and now dentists around the world have heard of Dr. Benjamin.

A New Member of Our Team

As you know, it is a rare event to have a new staff member in my office. The last time this happened, Mr. Clinton was President and the world had never heard of an iPod.

Last month Trish joined our team as one of our hygienist when Leslie retired after 26years. Trish has been a hygienist in Saratoga for the last 17 years and is well known both in her capacity as a hygienist and as a member of many of the community organizations such as The Saratoga Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary.

We are indeed fortunate to have Trish join our team.

It Is Wonderful

Closing our Troy office after 31 years was not an easy thing to do. Many of my long time patients assumed that I was a very busy dentist but were shocked when I informed them otherwise. There was a great deal of hesitancy to commit to travelling to our new office if and when the office closed in Troy.

I am thrilled and delighted to tell you that the overwhelming majority of my Troy patients have decided to join us in our new office. Life is about trying to have as many 'win-win' situations as we possibly can. My Troy patients strongly believe that I care about them and want to take care of them just as I have for the past 31 years.
The old style doctor-patient relationship was the ultimate in 'win-win' relationships.

To my Troy patients: Thank you for permitting me and my team the privilege of taking care of you.

The Beautiful Smile

We hear the word 'BONDING' all the time in dentistry and most of the time we think of ugly, brown stained teeth placed by old Doc Jones. Bonding means that we get 'something' (either porcelain, a glass, or resin) to adhere to teeth.
The art of direct bonding is similar to a master woodworker or a master mason. Yes anyone can bond to teeth or place some molding but only the true artisan creates beauty.

In the above photos, my patient hardly shows any teeth when she smiles and she was very self conscious about this as she became older. She may BE older but she doesn't want to LOOK older. I bonded 7 upper front teeth WITHOUT REMOVING ANY TOOTH STRUCTURE. You could never tell but the upper front tooth ON YOUR RIGHT is totally a natural tooth.

Isn't it wonderful that we are able to fix teeth without taking away ANY TOOTH STRUCTURE and in such a manner that it matches the natural tooth PERFECTLY. How is this possible??? Education, talent, skill and practice,practice, practice.

Dr. Newton Fahl, the undesputed BEST direct bonding dentist in the world has taught me how to perfectly match teeth. And for an old guy...I am a pretty good student.

Please select the people that take care of you and your family carefully. It is how you will save your teeth.

I Am Not the Only One

Today's New York Times has a story about a physician, Dr. Abraham Verghese, who is trying to get medical students to understand the importance of listening to patient symptoms and physically examining their patients rather than relying on technology which is expensive, takes time , exposes patients to potentially dangerous levels of radiation to sometimes have unnecessary surgery.
Please read the article for yourself at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/health/12profile.html?src=ISMR_HP_LO_MST_FB

See, I am not the only one who thinks that medicine and dentistry are in decline and perhaps the old ways are still the best ways.

How a Patient Feels

Andre Agessi, the former tennis star, appeared in Cannon advertisements and said 'IMAGE IS EVERYTHING.'
Andre and Cannon are right! How a patient feels about you or their PERCEPTION of you is as important as reality.
I received this wonderful email from a former patient:

question: I am looking to go back to Dr. Ben. My insurance is different now so am not sure if you accept it. I have Fedelis/Medicaid. Not many dentist accept this insurance especially someone as grand as Dr. Ben. Could you let me know please I really appreciate it. Thanks

I am so touched that a former patient would say, "...especially someone as grand as Dr. Ben."

This is someone that I have not treated in a few years.

I am TRULY HONORED by my patient's opinion of me.

And Then She Cried

Our television marketing during the last year has allowed us to meet many patients who have been desperately searching for a dentist with an expertise in the area of cosmetic dentistry or a dentist who is more concerned with taking care of their patient than the financial gain that can be made from dentistry.

I met a patient yesterday who is successful in her career but has always been affected by her obviously crooked smile. For years she has complained to her dentists that 'something is wrong' and they would tell her to 'get used to it.'

I think that most of you know that I will ALWAYS put my patient's best interest ahead of my financial gain. Because I have studied with some of the best dental specialists in the world including orthodontists and periodontists, I know that there are several causes for the canted or crooked smile. One cause is viral and another possible cause is trama in which one side simply stops growing while the other side grows normally as the child gets older and assumes an adult size head and face..

This patient will be referred to an orthodontist who will probably refer her to an oral surgeon. I told her that it is more important for her to learn about her problem before she decides which dental treatment approach she should follow.

I did a direct resin mockup for my patient which is a 'PREVIEW' of what the final outcome will be if she decides to have treatment. I showed my patient what she could look like if she has treatment and excused myself to check my hygiene patient leaving her to discuss her 'PREVIEW' with Tricia. When I returned, the box of tissues was on the counter and it was obvious that my patient had been crying.

She told me of her frustrations with convincing other dentists that she had a problem and this was the first time in her life that she had looked NORMAL and it was simply overwhelming for her.

I do not know whether this patient will have surgery and orthodontic treatment or whether I will be the treating dentist. What I do know is that my new patient knows that I am knowledgeable in my field and that she can trust me to do what is in her best interest.

Not bad for a one hour appointment..And then she cried.

Some Don't Like Us

When I was young, I played sports and ran track and cross country. I always tried my best but frequently failed to be as good as the best on our team. That said, I ADMIRED my team members for their athletic skills and I wanted to be just like them.

I told you that I have had two significant mentors in my career and more than a few minor mentors. I was NEVER jealous of my colleagues for being a better dentist than I was but I used THEIR talent and THEIR expertise to motivate and help ME become a better dentist for you, my patient.

In today's world and especially in the severe economic recession that we find ourselves, many dentists actually dislike other dentists who are pursuing excellence. Their feeling is "How dare Dr. so and so think that he is a better dentist than me. We are ALL good dentists."

I WANT to be like my mentors. I WANT to be a great dentist for my patients. I don't dislike anyone that is following the path to excellence EVEN if they are a better dentist than I am. It will only inspire ME to rise to my next level of excellence.

It reminds me of the L'Orell Commercial: "Don't Hate Me Because I Am Beautiful."

It Is Amazing

Two years ago an older colleague from Toronto, Canada sent me an email after he saw my work posted on the ACE forum. This is his email:

Hi Gerald

"I'm in awe of your posterior composite work. It's far better than it has to be (although sadly, too many of our colleagues [by license, not by choice] are satisfied with work that's far worse than it should be). Attached are a couple of my composites that used to please me until I saw yours! Now I have to start all over again (at 68) to raise my bar.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing is that I'm presenting a hands-on workshop this fall which will include posterior composites, and I was wondering if you would be willing for me to show (with full attribution of course) some pictures from some of your postings to ACEsthetics, to show what skilled hands and mind can deliver. I'd like to make people both aware of what's possible, and a little insecure, as well!.

"No" is an answer, of course, and if you don't want them shown I will certainly respect that.

But I do like your work!"

Thanks

Roel

Today Dr. Wyman sent me an email reminding me that he appreciated my work and asked if it would be possible to visit my office to learn how I place my direct posterior restorations.

I am amazed and honored by some of my colleagues who acknowledge excellence when they see it and then want to learn how to improve their own work for their patients.

All I ever wanted to do was to take care of YOU, my patient and for the last 7 or 8 years, my peers recognize our work as some of the best they have seen and ask to be mentored. What a SPECTACULAR career I have had.

Two Decades of Knowing What is Best

The New York Times ran an article yesterday discussing that folks no longer wanted fake looking teeth if they were going to have cosmetic dentistry.(Here is the article)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/fashion/21SKIN.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=veneers&st=cse.

As you know, I have been a dentist for almost 35 years and have been doing cosmetic dentistry (ALONG WITH GENERAL DENTISTRY) for almost 20 years. And for all of that time, the goal of Tricia, Jeanine and I has been to create the most beautiful BUT NATURAL looking smile that was, in reality, a one time piece of art only suitable for that particular patient. We always looked to the patient's facial features, their skin color, hair color, eye color, shape of their face etc. so that we could custom contour our teeth or porcelain to perfectly fit our patient. We are the ONLY dentist in the Capital District of NY and indeed one of the few dental offices nationally that customizes each piece of porcelain to create that perfect piece of dental art work. Here is a small piece of the article:

"But these days, there’s a growing demand for painstakingly customized, natural-looking veneers created by professional dental ceramists, offering a balance of lifelike translucency and opaque whiteness. The lifelike “flaws” requested by patients include rotating the teeth next to the center pair so they overlap a little; subtly discoloring veneers toward the gumline so it looks between-cleaning realistic; and adding grooves so the porcelain isn’t oddly smooth."

Isn't this amazing...It is taking my profession and our patients 20 years to realize what was obvious to Tricia, Jeanine and me: People want beautiful TEETH and not fake pieces of porcelain. How did we intuitively KNOW what was the right thing to do? Because the three of us are perpetual students of our craft and we never settle for mediocrity.

I am thrilled that we continue to lead our profession in the pursuit of excellence even if it takes 20 years for others to tell us that we are right. We would love to be your family dentist or your cosmetic dentist and we promise to do our very best to make you happy.

The Golden Stardard (The Golden Rule)

We often hear the term The Golden Rule and we immediately think of what our parents taught us about 'doing unto others as you would like others to do unto you.
In reality, the Golden Standard is another way of saying 'Do The Right Thing.'

Isn't doing the right thing, The Right Thing? And why don't we ALWAYS do the right thing?

Usually the answer involves money...Doing the right thing COSTS more and most people don't want to pay for something that costs more. They say that they do but they really don't. In dentistry, Doing The Right Thing usually costs a lot more. For instance, very few dentists schedule more than 15 minutes to do a filling so the result is usually that the filling is 'minimally acceptable.' To do the filling according to the Golden Rule, the dentist must schedule AN HOUR, use a rubber dam, meticulously apply the adhesive protocal and carefully place the resin filling..
Most dentists would say, "Takes too long."
Most patients would say, "Costs too much."

So both patient and dentist agree that they do not want to follow the Golden Rule. And when treatment fails, many patients forget that they didn't want to pay the dentist to follow The Goldent Rule. "Why didn't that dentist do it right?" is usually the question that many patients ask after the fact. It failed because someone Didn't Do The Right Thing.

I will not apologize for following the Golden Rule...My work takes longer than average and costs more than average.

We proudly follow The Golden Rule in our office. And the dentists that I refer to also follow The Golden Rule.

Take Care of My Son: The Golden Standard

Sometimes things happen to our children when they aren't as careful as we would like them to be. A young college student was hit in the mouth playing racket ball and broke his front teeth. He selected a local dentist and was told that he needed to have a root canal and a crown on one tooth and have the other front tooth extracted and an implant placed. The son called his father who did not like the idea of having a front tooth removed and called his own dentist to find out WHO the best local dentists were 650 miles away from home. Some calls were made AND the internet was used to select talent a great distance and in another State. The young man's father was able to assemble a talented team of dentists because he KNEW that there was a better solution for his son's broken teeth. One by one, the father spoke with the different dentists that he assembled and gave us the same instructions: "Please take care of my son."

I am honored to be selected for the team to take care of this young man. I am also extremely pleased that his father remembers the old days where excellence could be found to solve problems that average physicians and dentists were not likely to be able to take care of.

"Please take care of my son" is all that we needed to know. The father's instructions were clear.

When Your Mentor Speaks

I have been fortunate to have two long term mentors: Dr. Fred McIntyre on the East Coast and Dr. Frank Spear from the West. One of the unspoken goals in the mentor/mentee relationship is to one day receive a major compliment from your mentor.

I have been very lucky to receive many supportive comments from each of my Mentors. Today I received the following email from Dr. McIntyre:

"Congratulations on your promotion at the dental school. It is about time that they recognize your contribution to esthetic dentistry. Excellence in Esthetic Dentistry--It is interesting that they finally understand the importance to the school and to dentistry."

I am honored by Dr. McIntyre's comments. He should not be surprised by the things that I have accomplished in my long career since he taught me most everything that I know.

We All Say Goodbye

September 28, 2010 was our last day in our Troy office.
Literally half of my life was spent in the semi rural area of Troy taking care of my patients.

I must be honest and tell you that I did not shed a tear when I walked out for the last time despite the fact that I did cry with some elderly patients who will not join us in Saratoga. Every single patient thanked me for taking care of them and told me that I was the best dentist that they ever had. I love these patients and I will miss them.

I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to move to a wonderful new location and to start the final chapter in my professional career. I love fixing teeth and never once considered walking away from the thing that I enjoy doing the most.

As I enter the final ten or fifteen years of my career, I will make the same promise to you that I have made to every patient during the last almost 35 years. I will do my very best to take care of you and make you happy.

What more can I do?

Leslie Says Goodbye

Leslie has worked with me for 26 years as one of my two hygienists. Leslie made the decision that going to our Saratoga office was not what she wanted to do and I respect the decisions that my staff makes both for their personal reasons and when we decide to move our practice in new directions.

Leslie has not had an easy life and we have held strong as an office in providing support for her during a divorce and an illness. We don't let each face obsticles alone and we will do whatever it takes to help when one of us faces a hardship.

After Leslie's illness a few years back, she sent me a very touching note telling me how much she appreciated me for for giving her time off (without a financial penalty) for both treatment and when she did not feel well enough to work. There NEVER was a consideration to penalize Leslie for missed time during her illness.

Our office has been a model for how to treat and behave with each other in a business setting. Dignity, Respect and Love have been the backbone of our interpersonal staff relationships. As the owner of the practice, I would have it no other way.

We love Leslie and we will miss her.

Dentistry is More than Just Fixing Teeth

I received a very nice compliment from a successful, younger dentist. Unlike most of the times when I blog about receiving a compliment from one of my peers, I had not posted examples of my work. Instead, the young dentist complimented me for being ME and had nothing to do with my significant abilities to restore teeth. He wrote the following:

"I think you are doing it right and I commend you for your integrity,
ability, passion and persistence. Nothing is more important than passion
and persistence."

This young dentist recognizes not only the body of my work that I present for all do see and evaluate but he speaks to the quality of my CHARACTER. When was the last time that you heard anyone discuss the quality of the individual rather than how much money they have or how famous they are.

I am honored by the compliment of my younger colleague.

Aren't integrity and ability both important in selecting a dentist for you and your family?

Hey! Why Haven't Aren't There Been Any New Cases On Your Website?

That is a great question!

Trust me, I have started to do many beautiful cases that you can find in the 'Gallery' Section of this website. If you look a little deeper, you can see that I DO have examples of 'regular dentistry' besides beautiful cases....I am a REGULAR dentist and love to do routine dentistry as much as I love big cases.

So why are there no new photos?

The problem (for me) is that the last 5-10 cases that I have done are for patients that do NOT want their treatment to appear on my website. They love the results that I have achieved for them, but they would just rather that I not publish my work..And I will ALWAYS abide by my patient's wishes even though it 'kills' me not be able to show you my new work.

I didn't want you to think that I was growing old and stale. NOTHING could be further than the truth.

"You Are My Favorite Dentist to Work With"

I have the good fortune of having excellent relationships with the dental specialists that I deal with and who I refer YOU to for treatment. Last night I went to dinner with one of my referring specialists and his new associate. We usually discuss cases that we are about to begin or we do a review of cases that we have completed. Last night was my opportunity to impress upon the new specialist that it is always my goal to pursue excellence and that I did not want her to treat me like I was a corner dentist.

I am not perfect nor does everything come out exactly as I want or hoped. There are too many variables that I cannot control. This is not my excuse for mediocrity because mediocrity is NEVER acceptable. It is my statement that I plan for, expect and achieve excellent results for the overwhelming number of patients that I treat.

At the end of our dinner, the specialist that I always work with said to me, "You are my favorite dentist to work with because you always plan out your cases so completely and so well."

Again, I am honored when one of my colleagues compares me with other dentists and I rise to the level of excellence.

That is the plan.

Your Mother Told You that Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery

A few weeks ago I posted a case on the international dental forum ACE. As you know, I do that frequently because I am proud of the work that I do and I do not shy away from having other dentists critique my work. I received a note of congratulations from a dentist in St. Louis and in his email, the dentist included his website address.

I like to go to other dentist's website because I want to see the level of quality that the dentist is doing and I want to know how much I should value the compliment.
I looked at the gallery of before and after photos of the St. Louis dentist and I was indignantly amazed to see one of MY CASES on his website. He liked my work sufficiently to claim it as his own.

I was honored that of all the dentists in the world to steal case photos from that he would use my work.

Your mother WAS right (again)...Imitation (copying) is the highest form of flattery.

"Excellence" is the new "Awesome"

"Awesome" was a word that was rarely heard in everyday life in America. It had a special meaning and its use was reserved for something that was indeed out of the ordinary. And then our kids starting using the word to describe very ordinary things and no one pays any attention when they hear the word used.

"Excellence" has become the new "Awesome" and I don't like it. Every dentist and many other businesses use the word 'excellence' to define what they do. The problem is that what they are doing is mediocre and does not even approach what true 'excellence' means.

I can tell you with a high degree of certainty that there are not a lot of 'excellent' general dentists in the Capital District or the country as a whole. Then why are dentists referring to themselves as excellent or that they 'pursue excellence'? Because they don't know!!! They are part of the group that we call the UNCONSCIOUSLY UNKNOWING or they don't know that they don't know.

So the next time you hear someone tell you that they are an excellent dentist you should think 'mediocre.' A few years ago they would have told you that they do 'awesome' dentistry.

The Decline of American Medicine

But you knew this already!

On my ride to work this morning and listing to NPR there was a segment on the (over) reliance of technology in diagnosing patient problems. The old time master physicians who are 60 years old and above, were taught to listen and physically examine their patients to make their diagnosis. Today, it is not uncommon for a doctor to ask you what the problem is and write a prescription to take a battery of tests WITHOUT EVER EVEN EXAMINING THE PATIENT.

Young physicians have never been taught the fine points of listening and touching their patients. It takes too much time and means less income.

Please pay attention because the things that have made our country great are slooowly disappearing. I can hear it now. In 20 years folks will talk about how good it really was in the old days.

Every Generation has It's Day of Infamy

No matter how many times we see photos of 9/11 we cry.

Selecting a Car or Selecting a Dentist

I am always amazed to see the process that folks experience when selecting a car. I always buy the same car so this really doesn't apply to someone like me who doesn't really like change especially when I really like what I already have. For many others, they buy Consumer Reports, look at car magazines and travel between 3 or 4 car dealerships trying to find the right car at the right price and after a certain time period, they sit down and make a decision about which car they want to drive.

When it comes to dentists, many folks consult with a dentist and then decide to either accept or reject the recommendations that the dentist is proposing. When you ask people why they selected a particular dentist, their answer might be, "I thought that he sounded like he knew what he was doing."

You THOUGHT that he sounded like he knew what he was doing???????

After about 10 years or so, most dentists have developed sufficient skills to adequately talk to patients about what treatment is required even if their clinical skills are not that great.

I would suggest that patients follow the same protocol that they use when they are thinking about buying a car. Visit many dental offices, look at their books displaying the work that they have done and ask the dentist why you should select him or her to do your treatment.

(Hint: If a dentist participates with your insurance company, that is usually an indication that are NOT at the top of their game. That is NOT to say that you should not select them as your dentist but at least you will know in advance what level of dentistry you are buying.)

Because I Am Worth It

L'Oreal became a house hold name in women's hair color with the slogan, "Because you are worth it." Yes, Perference by L'Oriel was more expensive than the average hair color system but YOU deserve to have 'the best.'
I have had many patients travel great distances for dental treatment but none came as far as my newest patient. This person arrived in Saratoga Springs on Friday evening and returned home on Tuesday. The purpose of the journey was to spend time with a life long friend who also came from outside of the United States. Mrs. E. was visiting a friend of mine when the subject of teeth came up and my friend showed her my website on Labor Day. She was amazed by the work on my website and my friend sent me an email asking me if I would mind seeing his visitor before she left for home the following day. Everyone knows that I love fixing teeth and I told my friend to bring his visitor to my new office in 10 minutes and I would meet and evaluate her dental needs.

The visitor wanted to have a beautiful smile and had no problem flying in from home to be treated in my office. Some of my Troy patients are angry at me for opening a new office and closing my old one in a few weeks (September 28) because they feel that it will be too far for them to travel to a dentist. My old patients would travel 40 miles to my new office while my new patient will travel 4,000 miles.

Why would someone travel from Zurich, Switzerland to Upstate New York to have their teeth fixed? Because they appreciate the value of their teeth and they believe that I am a good dentist?

No!!! Because THEY are worth it.

NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

The wife of actor and film director Michael Douglas went public with her anger and disappointment with the medical profession. Ms Zeta-Jones cannot understand why her husband was recently diagnosed with STAGE 4 throat cancer when he had been treated by many physicians who had seen nothing. To go from NOTHING to STAGE 4 is mind boggling and the average person cannot comprehend how this is possible.

Do you remember my friend Elaine who was treated for SEVEN MONTHS by a gasteroenterologist for a 'gall bladder condition' when in reality she had STAGE 4 metastatic (spreading) ovarian cancer? Or my patient whose step daughter called me on a Sunday morning stating that her step father had a significant pain in his throat and could not swollow but his physician had SEEN NOTHING during his appointment on Thursday. I diagnosed throat cancer and sent him to specialists.

What is going on here and DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW?

I believe (which means that I may or may not be correct) that doctors no longer see their profession as 'THEIR CALLING IN LIFE" but rather a 9-5 job where they put in their time and they get paid.

Sorry, but you know how I feel about the awesome responsibility of taking care of another human being: The MOST SACRED of all human relationships. Where a physician or a dentist GIVES OF THEMSELVES for the benefit of their patient.

I blame the medical profession but I also blame the society that we have become in which we don't want to pay doctors because we want to use the money to buy nice homes and cars or pay outrageous college tuitions.

I told you this would happen and it has...AGAIN!

A Young Dentist Takes the Challenge and Succeeds

Last February a young dentist travelled around the world to spend a week with me and Susan so that he could begin his own challenge of excellence. The first time he had seen my work online, he could not believe that this level of excellence existed. I assured him that on the world stage, there were many dentists who were equal OR BETTER clinical dentists than me. We have maintained our mentor/student relationship over the last year and he sends me the cases that he has treated for my critique or the cases that he wants to treat and asks what I would do if this was my patient. Several days ago, my wonderful student sends me his before and after photos of a direct posterior restoration that PERFECTLY mimics a natural tooth and I immediately emailed him a note of congratulations. This morning, he sends me the following:

"Hi DR.Gerald, its all because of you. What ever i do and get the results(only the good and the perfect!!!) I just offer it to you, I don't like to keep anything in my head(just be neutral!!!), because if i keep thinking about the result, i know i will never improve, still so much is there to see and learn!!!!. Without your mentoring my brain wouldn't have realized that these things exists and results also can be given in this fashion, thanks for your encouragement, take care, Ashok."

It is a tribute to young Dr. Ashok that he has accepted the challenge of excellence, worked hard this past year to move in the direction of excellence and has SUCCEEDED in producing wonderful clinical dentistry.

The task of working with young dentists to make them better at what they do has always been assigned to older (ok old) dentists who have risen to the top of our wonderful profession. I have accepted this task because I am working on my legacy so that in 10 or 15 years dentists will tell their patients about me and how I helped them when they were younger.

There can be no better legacy.

What My Patients Tell Their Friends

I was recently in ANOTHER of my favorite restaurants, a vegetarian restaurant and health food store that is a throw back to the 1970s. Dinner (no wine, self serve, strictly healthy) was about $13.00 for BOTH of us. We met a patient who was there to buy some take out vegetarian cooking and she met one of her friends there who was having dinner. My patient told me that she met a friend of hers who had broken the bonding on her lower front tooth and she immediately said, "Dr. Benjamin...he is the best...THE BEST. My patient was telling me this story and everyone in the small restaurant overheard what she had told me.

In the book, "Tipping Point" by Malcolm Glidewell, the author talks about "Connectors, Mavens and Salesman." These are the people who tell everyone about what is happening, which restaurants to patronize and which doctors are the best. They 'infect' others with their knowledge and enthusiasm for the betterment of a particular business but also for the betterment of the individual and the community. Don't you really want to KNOW who the best physician, dentist or restaurant is BEFORE you spend your money or have bad dentistry?

My patient told EVERYONE in the restaurant who the Best Dentist in town is. I am thrilled to know that it is ME (at least in her opinion.)

Friends 2

I woke up last Sunday and could barely get out of bed because of intense back pain. I could not bend over to put on my socks and shoes because the pain was incredible. I have moved the 'wrong way' before and the pain took my breath away but this was different. I still thought that my lower back would improve just like it had in the past. Needless to say, I could not put on my own socks and shoes for nearly a week. Dr. Banchs usually stops in my office to chat on Wednesday evening after his Pilates sessions in the office next to mine at 18 Division St in Saratoga Springs. We chatted for a while and I told him that I was in intense pain sitting in my consult room. I described the location and nature of the pain and my favorite endodontist tells me that he had the same thing and it is called 'Piriformis Syndrome.' I called the physical therapist that Dr. Banchs recommended and was told that I would need a physician's referral. I asked them if they could help me get an appointment with the orthodpedic/sports medicine office right next to their office. "Absolutely, not!" was the answer. You will have to call yourself and it will take weeks to get an appointment. Now my back was feeling even worse!

Thursday evening Susan and I hobbled over to Starbucks which is around the corner from our apartment and after having coffee, we passed another of our favorite restaurants, Maestros (on Broadway in Saratoga Springs) and the owner,John was standing outside. We shared greetings and I told him of my horrific back pains and how it would take WEEKS to get an appointment with a specialist. He told me to call him the following morning if I still could not get an appointment with a back specialist and HE would call his friend for me.

Needless to say, my friend John got me an appointment and three hours later, I was seen by a neurologist who agreed with Dr. Banchs' diagnosis and I had the necessary medicine to begin healing my bad back.

Isn't this what friends do for friends? When it comes to health care, you should never go to a physician or a dentist as a 'nobody.' I was John's friend and he called the right doctor who made sure that I would be taken care of.

(Aside: Anyone that knows me and my office knows that when YOU are in pain, either my staff or I will call a dental specialist so that you will be seen immediately and be relieved of your pain. I cannot understand the lack of humanity in medical offices who will not lift a finger to help another human being who is in pain.)

Friends 1

One of my favorite restaurants is BFS, a Mediterranean oriented restaurant on Western Avenue, Albany,NY. As usually happens in small restaurants, the owner will take note of you and a friendly relationship ensues. On one our visits, the owner brings out his laptop and shows us his teenage daughter's official photographs that she uses to obtain acting roles in Manhattan and elsewhere. She is a gorgeous young lady with extremely small upper front teeth, which of course, catches my attention. I asked Shaw, the owner, if he and his daughter had some time in the next few weeks so that I could show them something to improve their daughter's appearance in her photographs and perhaps get some additional acting jobs. The next day, Shaw and his wife brought their 16 year old daughter up to my new office in Saratoga Springs for an evaluation. I performed a direct resin mockup on Lexi's teeth to show her how much more beautiful she would be if she had her gum tissue modified so that she would have bigger looking teeth. (Actually, her teeth were normal size but half of the length of her upper teeth were covered up by her gum tissue.)I had told Shaw that there would be NO CHARGE for the evaluation and that if they liked what they saw, I would refer them to the periodontist who does all my gum modifications, Dr. Collins. The family was overwhelmed by how grown up Lexi looked with bigger teeth and promised that they would call Dr. Collins the following week.

I made no money treating Lexi but I have dramatically improved her chances of getting acting jobs in the near future. Last night was the first time that I had seen Lexi with normal size teeth and she looked wonderful.

Isn't this what friends do for friends?

Helping My Young Colleagues

Today was a special day for me. I was asked by a young dentist in Dallas if I would help her improve as a clinical dentist. Today we had our first phone conversation and she is like all the other young dentists that I mentor locally. Each of them desperately wants to become a better dentist and they want that improvement to happen yesterday. lolol. Isn't it wonderful that there are still young people in our country that truly want to become excellent at what they do rather than just talk about getting wealthy. None of my young colleagues has ever told me that their goal was to make a lot of money. They wouldn't have approached ME if that was their goal because that has never been MY goal during my career.

I will help my new young friend become an excellent dentist but I will probably be 70+ years old before any of them has learned enough to qualify as 'excellent.' I have time and I will wait because THIS will be my legacy.

The last civility in America

There are very few customs or courtesies that have survived these last 30 or so years. Men no longer take off their hats in a restaurant, folks don't stop talking on their cell phones in the grocery store even though they are checking out and the cashier is asking them a question and men don't let women get off the elevator first.

The last remaining custom is getting off a plane. Everyone waits their turn and lets every single person in the rows ahead of them get off the plane first rather than rushing for the front exit door. And other passengers will actually help you place your luggage in the overhead compartment or help you get it down at the end of the flight.

I am encouraged to see that some of the old courtesies remain to this day. Heck my 20something year old next door neighbor passes me in the hall and won't say 'good morning.'

What does this say about us as a people and a culture?...Think about it.

Dentists who Love What They Do

As I have told you before, the American Dental Association took a survery more than 30 years ago asking dentists 'Would You Be a Dentist Again?' Seventy percent said 'NO.' SEVENTY percent. Why would you go to a dentist that did not love being a dentist?

This past week I enjoyed the company of 15 or so other dentists who feel the same way about dentistry that I do. Whenever I study with Frank Spear, one of the best restorative dentists in the world, I see the same dentists all the time and we have all become friends. We are probably known as 'Frank's Groupies' because the same dentists take his courses.

What is so refreshing about being with other dentists who study with Frank is that we all love what we do. No one complains about low fees paid by insurance companies or how hard they work to make a good living. The dentists that I hang with love to study dentistry, love to go to work everyday and really love doing great dentistry for their patients.

The dentists that attend serious courses like those at the Spear Institute pay thousands of dollars to take these courses, give up a significant amount of money in lost production and are away from their families for a week at a time. Why would we do this?

Because we love the work that we do and love to take care of our patients...

So why would anyone go to a dentist who hates being a dentist? You will have to answer that question yourself.

"But Why is Dentistry So Expensive?"

Everyone that knows me knows that dentistry is my passion. I will talk about dentistry any time someone wants to discuss the subject with me.I went to Scottsdale to study at the Spear Institute with my mentor Frank Spear.
I was spending my last night in Arizona at the Sheraton Downtown Hotel in Pheonix a few miles from the airport.The hostess informed the waiter that I was a vegetarian and would he suggest vegetarian items on the menu. He brought me my dinner without me actually ordering anything and as I was completing my meal, the waiter and I began a friedly chat. He asked me what I did for a living and I informed him that I was a dentist and without missing a beat he asked me 'Why does dentistry cost so much?'
Because I never want anyone to think badly about the profession that I love, I decided to just stick to 'the facts' and responded without any anger as I did not want to appear confrontational. I told the waiter who I found out was 53 that:
1. It cost $300,000 to attend either NYU Dental School or Colombia Dental School
2. A new dental practice can cost a minimum of one MILLION dollars.
3. That my post dental school graduate education has cost more than TWO million dollars.

Our conversation about the cost of dental treatment ended with my statements and he noded his head indicating that he understood.

There is NOTHING that a consumer can purchase that is used every day for 20-30 years that can cost as little as a $200 filling. NOTHING. I challenge you to buy ANYTHING else for $200, use it everyday and have it last 30 years.

A 21 yr old male Skidmore student presented to our office because his front tooth was recently broken and he didn't like the brown line in his tooth. I repaired his tooth and the young man called his mother to tell her what the treatment would cost. Mom wanted to know what I did and why it cost so much… I told her that I would send photos which I have placed in this blog. After seeing the photos she wrote me this wonderful email:

Thank you Dr. Benjamin!!My son's tooth looks fabulous. He is lucky to have found you.

I never ask either my colleagues or my patients to say nice things about my work. They just can't help themselves.

What Does it Mean to Be a Professional

Everyone knows that 'Professionals' have taken extra years of study and that it is necessary to be licensed in order to perform certain jobs. It really is a lot more than that. The mark of a true professional is that they ALWAYS put their patients or clients best interest ahead of their own interest. Just as important is the fact that a professional have the RESPECT of their peers, publish, teach and perform at a very high level. I frequently publish my work online on the ACE Forum, a dental internet professional group. As I have told you before, my work is held up as the state of the art in restorative dentistry. Many times I have been asked by young dentists to help them become excellent in their dentistry and you already know of the dentist who travelled around the world from Bangalore, India to study with me in my office. Tonight I received the following email from a young dentist in Texas:

Dr Benjamin,

Last week you were kind enough to detail your composite placement technique and after seeing your work posted on your website and other ACER comments, I am VERY interested in learning more.

Would you be interested in helping me? I would love to take my dentistry to a higher level, and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Ritu

There is no greater honor than to have the respect and admiration of my younger colleagues.

I believe that I fulfil the definition of a 'professional.' My colleagues, the people that KNOW excellence in dentistry have told me that I have and I am honored.

The Sad Goodbyes

News travels fast. We made a decision that September 28 will be our last day in Cropseyville, NY. Yesterday an 82 year old patient that I have treated for the last 30 years stopped by to pick up her records and to 'say goodbye.' None of my patients who I have treated for 20-30 years can understand why I am leaving Cropseyville. No matter how many times I have tried to explain that there is not enough work in that office to keep that office open. It is a financial impossibility. As I have told you before, opening a new office in a location 40 miles from my previous practice at age 60 was an act of desperation. I felt that I was doing the very best work of my career and did not care to retire.

My long term patients feel that I am abandoning them and I know how they feel because I feel that many of my former patients abandoned ME.

Many of my patients who are in their late 70s and 80s do not feel that they are able to make the trip to Saratoga and I completely understand that.

When my secretary,Donna told me that Mrs. H was here to say goodbye, I said to Tricia that I hope that she would not cry when she spoke with me. She hugged me, thanked me and said, "You were the best dentist that I ever had...You never hurt me."

I am honored to have taken care of many of my patients during the last 30 years. Unfortunately, I need to keep my staff of 5 and I working...And that was no longer possible in Cropseyville.

It makes me as sad as Mrs. H.that I have to leave my professional home after 3 decades. It wasn't supposed to be this way. In fact, I know of no other dentist who has done what I am doing by starting a new practice at this stage of his career.

This is what makes life interesting.

The New Standard of Excellence

CNN has a medical story on their website this morning about American corporations who will pay 100% of the medical bill if you travel to another country for surgery.

Tina Follett, 50, just underwent a complete hysterectomy at the Punta Pacifica hospital in Panama City.
"It's been a phenomenal experience, almost like a hotel, and it has cost us absolutely nothing," she said.

"IT COST ABSOLUTLELY NOTHING" is the new standard of excellence.

There is nothing more that I can add to Mrs. Follett's statement.

The New Goal of Americans

Deborah Veale of Southern California just wants her family to be comfortable without having to work.
This photo was taken off of the CNN website this morning.
As you know from all of my previous blogs, I love to work and the idea of being rich enough NOT to work is just something that I cannot relate to. My self worth is intimately related to the beautiful work that I do for for my patients. If working was not important to me, I would have closed my Troy office three years ago, lowered my standard of living and done nothing for the rest of my life.

I cannot see how our great country can remain a world leader without our citizens working hard and striving for excellence.

What can Mrs. Veale's children or grandchildren think when getting money for doing nothing is the new American Dream? (I apologize if this post offends anyone)

Insurance companies and ocean cruises

What in the world do insurance companies and cruise lines have to do with each other? Both industries have used behavior modification to train you and I to act in a certain way. For example: All the workers on a cruise have trained us all to give them a tip every single time that they help us. Carry our bags...a tip, arrange a special table in the dining hall...a tip, obtain an appointment with the best hair stylist...a tip. The industry has trained us to bring lots of cash on board. If you meet some friends the week before your cruise, they will remind you to bring lots of cash for tipping.

The dental insurance industry which is what is most familiar to me has trained you, the patient, to ask, "Is this a covered procedure?" When I am a patient, I ask my doctor many questions including, "Is this the best treatment option?" Or "What are the other treatments that I can consider?" And still, "What are the side effects of the treatment that you are recommending?"

It is rare for any dental patient to ask anything but,"Does my insurance plan cover this treatment?"

Who taught you to ask that question? Who wants you to consider cost rather than what is in YOUR best interest? Your Insurance Company. Patients have been trained to protect the pockets of Insurance Company CEOs earning tens of millions of dollars rather than to protect YOUR HEALTH and YOUR BEST INTEREST.

Isn't it amazing how some industries have trained us to protect THEIR interests instead of our own?

[For the record: Ronald A. Williams, Aetna CEO earned $30,860,000 (almost $31 million) and the average dentist earned $136,000]

My Website

Perhaps you don't realize it but the bride on the HOME page of my website was a patient of mine when I restored her front teeth 11 or 12 years ago. She was an absolutely gorgeous bride and I loved her photos so much that I actually paid the photographer for them (with my patient's permission, of course.)

What is so special about the opening photograph besides the natural beauty of my patient and the spectacular photography? It is that no one, including ME, would ever be able to identify that the bride's teeth had been touched by a dentist. The fact that her teeth had been fixed is no where to be seen in that photo.

Isn't THIS what dentistry is supposed to be about? Shouldn't our work be so NATURAL and beautiful that it doesn't distract from our patient's individual features?

I am amazed by my patient's beauty on her most special day. I am honored to have be involved in a very small way to create the perfect picture.

Isn't DENTISTRY wonderful?

Meeting of a Different Sort

I have been meeting with the Director of Development from the school that I graduated from for the last 15years. In fact, on Thursday evening I met with my third Direct of Development in that time period. The interesting thing is that I have told each one the same thing: the dental school is not teaching current information so that dental students can learn what the average or above average practicing dentist provides for their patients on a daily base. The school that I graduated from is NOT the only Dental School that is guilty of not teaching current information and I do not mean to imply that it is or that I am picking on MY dental school.

I have made every effort during the last decade and a half to 'encourage' my school to move into the 21st Century but my school continues to languish in the 1990s. Why is this and aren't Universities supposed to be cutting edge places of learning?

Governments and Institutions have historically resisted change. Professors are long term experts in materials and techniques that made them famous 10 years ago and they don't want to let go of their area of expertise. They don't want to learn anything new because then they will no longer BE the expert.

I have never been a person to accept or tolerate mediocrity in areas that are important to me or my patients. For 15 years I have asked my dental school to change and donated a significant amount of money to persuade them to do so.

But 15 years later, I am still having the same conversations with the Director of Development. Do you think that there has been any change?

My final words to the Director was, "We have to stop teaching our students to be experts at building carburetors in an era of direct fuel injection." He winced.

Meetings

For the last 15 years, I have made it a requirement that dental specialists (oral surgeons, periodontists, endodontists, orthodontists) meet with me for dinner to discuss our mutual patients. I believe that this is a much better way to communicate than sending a written letter which may or may not be read before it is filed away. The opportunity to give and take with ideas is just a wonderful way to diagnose and treatment plan complex cases. I have told you that the thought process required to diagnose and treatment plan a case is far more important than the actual treatment of our patient's mouth.

What I found most interesting with the two meetings that I had with 2 different orthodontists is that both of them thanked me for my ability and knowledge to participate in a true interdiciplinary dental treatment plan. Each of the specialist knows that orthodontic therapy can only provide 80% of the treatment and that I, as the restorative dentist, would have to complete the treatment by actually fixing our patient's teeth. In most orthodontic cases, when the orthodontist completes treatment, that is as far as the case will go. My patients, on the other hand, can count on me to take their teeth from having an acceptable outcome to having a superb outcome because something in addition to moving teeth is required to finish the case.

Perhaps you are wondering the same thing that I am: Why aren't other dentists capable, interested or have the knowledge to attain a really incredible results?

It is Telling

Tricia, my office manager,tells me that I should not brag so much. I tell her that I am from New York (City) and bragging is what kids would do in NY. My patients are very grateful for what I do for them and I am fortunate that they freely express their appreciation.

My local colleagues are very reserved in what they say about me and I understand that because dentists in the same geographic area tend to be very competetive. Dentists throughout the country have seen my work and do not feel challenged in the least to express themselves about my work. Our discussion on the ACE forum yesterday was about dentists who are bored or tired with the work that they do. I posted a comment that older dentists should only do the treatment options that they love to do which is what I have done for the last 10 years.

This is what a 68 year old dentist from GA, who I regard as a top clinician, wrote about me:

How can an old guy who loves what he’s doing NOT get excited. I haven’t felt the down turn many have and maybe that’s because I like to do so much stuff. Gerald is world class on restorative and could be on anything he wanted to but, hey, he can make a choice without declaring a specialty…and abide by it.

He also said: Now, I’m no Gerald Benjamin with direct composite but that was less than thirty minutes including the photography. If I could get Gerald’s fees for directs I could take longer.

I am so honored when my peers place me in the same group of dentists that I consider to be MY MENTORS. There is no confusion about the term "World Class." It does not mean that someone is THE BEST dentist but rather in that elite group that that my colleagues look up to and want to be like.

I love my work and all I have always wanted to do was take care of my patients in the best possible way. I am in awe when my peers consider me world class. It really is just another way of saying that I do, indeed take care of YOU, my patients in the best possible way.

Incredible to say the least. And I thank you for being or becoming my patient.

July 24, 1971

Thirty nine years ago Susan and I were married in Niagara Falls, NY. We met in our junior year at SUNY/Buffalo. None of our parents went to college and we both grew up in families with a very limited budget. Our wedding was austere by today's standards but it was exactly what we wanted. I started dental school two years after we were married and it was an extremely challenging part of our lives in every respect. (One day I remember going to dental school with exactly a quarter to buy a cup of coffee.) My accident on July 18, 1976 when I was about to start my senior year did not make things any better as everyone could imagine. We celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary in the intensive care unit at the then EJ Meyer Hospital in Buffalo, NY.

As we sat in front of Starbucks this afternoon, we realized how few people who attended our wedding are still alive. We think that our parents would be very proud of the adults that we have become.

Susan and I think that we have done all right.

(Aside: Susan used to always joke that even if we got divorced, she always wanted ME as her dentist)

What is Wrong With Us?

Lots of folks complain about our wonderful country and blame the Government for what is wrong with us.

This week a representative from the CABLE Company and a representative from the POWER Company scheduled appointments to sit down with us to discuss ways to improve their services for our new office.

The problem is: Neither one showed up for their scheduled visit.

I think we need to look in the mirror when we are looking for someone to blame for why things don't work all that well any more...HINT: It's not the government

The Quest for Knowledge

Last night was another evening of learning at the Root Canal Expert Learning Center, the institute started by Drs Francisco Banchs and Allyson Byrne at 18 Division Street in Saratoga Springs. The Center has national and local experts present relevant and current information about a wide range of dental subjects including, implants, root canals, cosmetic dentistry and implant restoration. This has been cutting edge learning.

Probably the most important part of the Learning Center has been to bring together a group of progressive dentists from our area that comprise the present and the future of dentistry. It is not surprising that we see the same dentists at these courses time after time with only an occassional new face showing up.

Where are the other 50+ dentists that have easy access to the Learning Center? Why don't THEY want to learn? Oh they have their excuses: My patients would never want any of those treatment options, It's my golf league night, My wife asked me to take out the garbage.

How did we as a profession (or a nation) get to be in this situation where the majority of professionals no longer want to learn so that they can take better care of you and I, their patients?

Why don't you ask YOUR DENTIST why he or she wasn't at the Root Canal Learning Center on July 22? And while you are at it, why don't you ask YOURSELF why you still WANT to be treated by someone who was not learning when they should have been?

Thanks Francisco and Allyson for another great evening of learning.

(Aside: My next learning experience will be in Scottsdale, AZ in August with Dr. Frank Spear, one of the best restorative dentists in the world..Why would anyone want to be in the desert in August?...... TO LEARN)

Cosmetic Dentist?

We are, thankfully, building our new practice in Saratoga which means that we see many new patients. I am starting to see patients from one or two dentists who market themselves as 'cosmetic dentists' and from what I see of their recent work, they are anything but a 'cosmetic dentist.' Patients that seek esthetic dentistry have a very clear idea of what they expect to look like after their treatment is completed. They are not expecting to be a movie star but they understand esthetic principles and have expectations that are very high. These patients show up at my consultation appointment very angry, frustrated and disapointed because their results are nothing what they expected and, in fact, the results reminded me of the work that we used to see in the 1980s that passed for 'cosmetic dentistry' because our profession had not yet formulated principles of esthetic dentistry.

Part of the problem is that the dentist has not bothered to master the very demanding and rigorous area of dentistry that is called cosmentic dentistry and as such, has almost no chance of meeting the expectations that some patients have. On the other hand, the patients that arrive at the office of a 'cosmetic dentist' must understand that their insurance will cover little if any of this kind of dentistry and if they do have high expectations, they cannot expect to pay the fees of the average dentist. The more luxurious or performance oriented a car is, the higher the cost of the car and the same concept is true in dentistry.

Every dentist advertises that they are a 'cosmetic dentist' and that is because all of our licenses give us the ability to do 'cosmetic dentistry.'

The New York State Board of Rengents has certified that fewer than 40 dentists in New York State can legally and ethically state that, "they are a general dentist with a specialty in Esthetic Dentistry. All of those dentists have earned a CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN ESTHETIC DENTISTRY from the School of Dental Medicine at SUNY/Buffalo.

I am one of those few dentists.

You have a greater chance that you WILL be disappointed in your esthetic dentistry if you select a dentist without a Certificate of Proficiency in Esthetic Dentistry.
And that is a fact.

Let's be perfectly clear about one thing. It is illegal and unethical for a dentist to advertise or claim that they are THE BEST. Earning a Certificate of Proficiency does not mean that you will do the best when you treat patients. It DOES mean that you have been TAUGHT what you need to know but whether that translates into excellence speaks to the integrity of the individual.

July 18, 1976 9:30 pm

A very special night indeed. Special not because it was a happy night but it was the night that I found out that I was 'The Right Stuff."

Exactly 34 years to the minute, I was crushed between two cars and had my right leg amputated and reattached. My surgeon, Dr. Roger W. Seibel, was one of the few trauma surgeons in the country and I was most fortunate that he treated me. Dr. Seibel was 37 and had been a surgeon in Vietnam. Shortly after my surgery I told him that I wanted to be as good at what I was going to do (I was a senior in dental school) as he was at what he did.

Anyone that has suffered a significant traumtic injury will never be the same again. It will take years to recover from the wound and a lifetime of enduring and managing the chronic pain that is ever present. Some humans are not born with the ability to get past these injuries and can become addicted to pain medications and are not happy human beings. Others are fortunate enough to have the ability to get past their injuries and go on to accomplish wonderful things. I am lucky enough to be in the second group.

I barely survived the accident but I had the benefit of a great surgeon and the support of my family and friends. There is no doubt that my life would be much different had I not suffered my injury. I did learn of lot from my accident. I learned that I could be tested by life and still go on to be successful as a human being.

I would not have survived treatment by a mediocre surgeon and I definitely would not have my leg today. I learned first hand how important passion, talent, dedication and skill are.

I don't think that there are many Dr. Roger Seibel's around any more because mediocrity is in demand and excellence is not.

Thanks Dr. Seibel for being a fabulous surgeon and setting an example of excellence during my career. (Unfortunately, my hero and first mentor passed away in 2007.)

The Adelphia: Excellence From a Bygone Era

My friend Dr. Banchs called Susan and I up at 5:15 today (Friday)and asked us if we would like to go to The Adelphia Hotel on Broadway in Saratoga for a quick drink. We haven't been in the Adelphia before and it appeared to be a beautiful old hotel from an era of grande old hotels. The lobby and the gardens were stunning and reminiscent of a British Hotel. As we sat with our drinks, we commented on on how things such as SPAC, The Adelphia, or fine restaurants like 8 Tables or Dine could simply fade into the night because we have not enculturated our children to appreciate excellence.

I have written before about the fact that excellence in medicine and dentistry could easily evaporate before our eyes because patients would rather pay a co-pay for mediocre health care and dental care than be taken care of by superb physicians and dentists.

Many things that represent excellence in our nation will simply fade away because no one really accepts or wants a superb experience at the Ballet or a fabulous physician or dentist that puts his/her heart and soul into taking care of their patients. We need only watch Mystery Diagnosis on TV to know how frustrating it must be to go from doctor to doctor until the patient finds a world class doctor who easily discovers what is wrong with the patient. Invariably, the patient asks, "Why didn't any of the other doctors know what was wrong with me?"

That superb physician, fabulous hotel or the ballet is coming to an end for a lack of appreciation. Use it or lose it...I promise you.

Another Dentist Gives Up

A friend of mine is a dentist in New Mexico. He is a very good dentist and was extremely honest and ethical. He always made sure that when there was corruption or unethical behavior any where in the country, that he would present it on the ACE forum so that everyone knew when the profession was being impacted negatively.

He told me today that he had given up the fight to remain a fee for service dentist and would now begin participating with dental insurance companies. There were not a sufficient group of patients who wanted excellent dental care and would rather have a lower quality of dentistry than pay for treatment out of pocket.

What does this exactly mean? And how will his patients be affected?

1. The quality of care will decline because he will lower his fees.
2. He will spend less time with each patient.
3. He will use a lower quality of dental materials.
3. He will use cheaper dental labs.
4. He will see twice as many patients in a day than he usually does so that he can earn the same living that he is used to earning.

How will his patients be better served by paying less? They will lose more teeth and have more tooth structure removed so that he will be able to earn more by placing more crowns.

This is how this game is played. You pay less and you get less.

Every time a physician or dentists gives up and becomes, in effect, an agent of the insurance company, we all lose because excellence is one step closer to extinction.

The day that I am forced to become an insurance dentist is the day that I will close my office. And everyone will lose.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Managed Care in health care began about 1980 with what was referred to as HMOs or Health Maintenance Organizations. My father was very excited when HMOs first started because he thought that it would be a good way to contain medical costs. I warned him (by repeating what President Reagan said, " There is no free lunch.") and that while HMOs might seem like a good idea, it would lower the quality of health care that the patient received. He ignored me because I was young and had been a dentist for 3+ years. My dad had Crohn's Disease and periodically would have to spend a week or so in the hospital. The nursing care was excellent and when a nurse was called for help, it usually arrived quickly. Fast forward 20 years and on one of his last hospital stays related to Crohn's Disease, it would take THREE HOURS to have a bed pan picked up. Three hours??????

HMO's arrived with great fanfare and created expectations that care would be great and costs would be contained.

Have you been to a hospital recently or waited in a doctor's office for 2 hours?

Be careful what you wish for.