Posts
Everything is judged by something else and that person or a product that is selected as the universal 'best' is considered the Standard of Excellence.
On the ACE forum communication can be private and direct or open to the general forum. There was a recent discussion about placing challenging direct posterior resin restorations which are my favorite restoration for my patients. WHY???
Because I am able to restore a tooth without removing a millimeter of healthy, natural tooth structure; most dentists would rather place onlays and crowns which destroy enamel and earn them more money.
The discussion on the ACE forum yesterday was about a course to teach how to place large challenging large direct resins and this is what one of the dentists who has already taken the course said:
"It is a 3 day course that goes into extreme detail about stuff like fractures, endo teeth and how to handle it. People like Gerald who is the closest thing we have to a dental Jesus doesn't need the course, but even though I was having great success with composites I learned a lot. I was taught by Ray Bertolotti and he took the course and is now a huge proponent of it."
It is an honor to be viewed as THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE by one's colleagues.
I became very proficient at direct posterior resins so that I could take care of you the best that I could.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
A Cut Above
Ferrari, Rolex, Viking, Harvard and Monte Carlo. These are all well known names that are recognized as things and places for EXCELLENCE. While none on the list is THE MOST EXPENSIVE, they certainly are known for being much better than average and almost in a class by themselves. ( The newest Buggati is a car that cost almost three million dollars and a Ferrari can be bought to 10% of that)
The problem that dentists have is that the overwhelming majority of people BELIEVE (incorrectly, I may add) that all dentists are the same. How can that be? Is a Rolex a Timex? Does Hudson Valley Community College give the same level of excellence as Harvard? Of course not!
I believe that people think that all dentists are the same because they want to select the least expensive and most geographically convenient dentist that they can. If all dentists are the same then you might as well select the least expensive dentist to take care of you. So BELIEVE that they are the same. lol
Dentists are as different from one another as Kia is from Ferrari and to believe otherwise is self deception. Select which ever dentist you want but you should not assume that you will get great care just like you won't go to HVCC and assume that you are getting a Harvard education.
Ferrari, Rolex, Viking, Harvard and Monte Carlo. And to that list I would add Francisco Banchs, one of the world's best root canal specialists. Do NOT think that your general dentist will do an excellent root canal because the overwhelming majority of root canals are mediocre at best and harmful at worst.
You must select the absolute best people to take care of you because many times your health and your life depends on it.
A cut above.
The problem that dentists have is that the overwhelming majority of people BELIEVE (incorrectly, I may add) that all dentists are the same. How can that be? Is a Rolex a Timex? Does Hudson Valley Community College give the same level of excellence as Harvard? Of course not!
I believe that people think that all dentists are the same because they want to select the least expensive and most geographically convenient dentist that they can. If all dentists are the same then you might as well select the least expensive dentist to take care of you. So BELIEVE that they are the same. lol
Dentists are as different from one another as Kia is from Ferrari and to believe otherwise is self deception. Select which ever dentist you want but you should not assume that you will get great care just like you won't go to HVCC and assume that you are getting a Harvard education.
Ferrari, Rolex, Viking, Harvard and Monte Carlo. And to that list I would add Francisco Banchs, one of the world's best root canal specialists. Do NOT think that your general dentist will do an excellent root canal because the overwhelming majority of root canals are mediocre at best and harmful at worst.
You must select the absolute best people to take care of you because many times your health and your life depends on it.
A cut above.
A First in My Career
There are 130,000 full time practicing general dentists to take care of 310,000,000 American citizens. That means that there are plenty of patients to go around for each dentist most of the time. That said, most dentists don't like each other because they feel that the next dentist is going to steal one of his patients and he won't be able to feed his family that day...IT MAKES NO SENSE!
Most dentists, like most plumbers, car mechanics and painters are average and the last thing that I wanted to be in my career is 'average.' I took an oath never to hurt a patient (do no harm) and I truly believe that 'average' dentistry IS harmful to patients because, by definition, it could have been better.
Needless to say, my pursuit of excellence during my entire career has not always been appreciated by some of my colleagues and, believe it or not, I have paid a high price for pursuing my advanced education and trying harder. But something has started to change during the last year. Last week SIX DENTISTS, both specialists and general dentists referred patients to me and each one told them, "Dr. Benjamin is the best person to take care of you."
I am honored and grateful to my colleagues. To be RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE by my local colleagues is truly an accomplishment.
For almost 35 years, I have tried to be the best dentist that I could so that I would take care of you the right way. Many of my colleagues now believe that I am doing just that.
Dr.Richard A Powell, the Associate Dean at SUNY/Buffalo School of Dental Medicine must be rolling in his grave because he never thought that I could be a good dentist when he accepted me on my 4th attempt to get into dental school. He must have changed his mind at the end of my senior year in dental school because he created the Richard A. Powell award and I was the first recipient.
He must have seen something in me that made him change his mind. And now, my colleagues have changed their opinion of me... A first in my career.
Most dentists, like most plumbers, car mechanics and painters are average and the last thing that I wanted to be in my career is 'average.' I took an oath never to hurt a patient (do no harm) and I truly believe that 'average' dentistry IS harmful to patients because, by definition, it could have been better.
Needless to say, my pursuit of excellence during my entire career has not always been appreciated by some of my colleagues and, believe it or not, I have paid a high price for pursuing my advanced education and trying harder. But something has started to change during the last year. Last week SIX DENTISTS, both specialists and general dentists referred patients to me and each one told them, "Dr. Benjamin is the best person to take care of you."
I am honored and grateful to my colleagues. To be RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE by my local colleagues is truly an accomplishment.
For almost 35 years, I have tried to be the best dentist that I could so that I would take care of you the right way. Many of my colleagues now believe that I am doing just that.
Dr.Richard A Powell, the Associate Dean at SUNY/Buffalo School of Dental Medicine must be rolling in his grave because he never thought that I could be a good dentist when he accepted me on my 4th attempt to get into dental school. He must have changed his mind at the end of my senior year in dental school because he created the Richard A. Powell award and I was the first recipient.
He must have seen something in me that made him change his mind. And now, my colleagues have changed their opinion of me... A first in my career.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Problem With Bagels is the Problem with America
A little history......I grew up in Queens, NY in a lower middle class family who lived paycheck to paycheck as so many did in the 1950s and 60s. There was one wonderful luxury in life that was otherwise completely free of luxuries. Every Saturday evening OR Sunday morning my Father would go to the Bagel bakery and bring home a dozen Hot, fresh bagels and a copy of the New York Times. Life for me could not have been any better.
I left the New York City area in 1968 when I went to SUNY/Buffalo for my Junior year of college and it has been hard to find a good bagel since that time.(Aside: I have been told that the bagels in NYC are NOT the bagels of the 'old days.') The fact that bagels don't taste as good as I remember when my Father brought them home is sad but what is more distressing is that the Bagels of yesteryear were the best in the world...In other words, the EXPERIENCE was perfect. The bagel bakeries were producing and selling 100 bagels a minute...like clock work. It really was a bagel frenzy to watch all the bakers rushing to bake two or three varieties of bagels and the counter person, in a hat and torn, sweaty tee shirt collecting the money with the lines out the door.
About 10 years ago, I used to go to the Bruggers Bagels in Newton Plaza every Sunday and every Sunday the bagels became less brown indicating that they were under cooked (and tasted like it.) One Sunday, just like in the movies, I was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it any more. When I went to pay for my undercooked bagels, I told the young lady that the only thing Bruggers did was make bagels and the least that they could do is to cook them golden brown. Another young employee came over to me and said, "Sir, if we cooked the bagels more time, we couldn't sell as many."
Out of the mouths of babes comes truth!!!
Two weeks ago I went to the Brugger's in Saratoga Springs at 9 AM on Sunday morning and there was not a single bagel in the bins...NOT ONE...Why??? I assume that someone was not doing their job. This morning I again went to the same Brugger's and while there were bagels, there was no plain cream chese..NO PLAIN CREAM CHEESE ON SUNDAY MORNING?????????????? I told the young lady that several weeks ago there were no bagels on a Sunday morning and today there is no cream cheese and that the manager needs to be fired. She didn't care!
And THAT is the problem..
We used to do sooooooo many things well in our wonderful country and now we don't even do the simple things right..
For those of us that are passionate about what we do this is incredibly sad and I make one promise to my patients: I will do the very best dentistry that I am capable of doing and to take care of you the best I can.
My standards will never fall and I will do my best never to disappoint you. Some things are still as good today as they were in the old days.
I left the New York City area in 1968 when I went to SUNY/Buffalo for my Junior year of college and it has been hard to find a good bagel since that time.(Aside: I have been told that the bagels in NYC are NOT the bagels of the 'old days.') The fact that bagels don't taste as good as I remember when my Father brought them home is sad but what is more distressing is that the Bagels of yesteryear were the best in the world...In other words, the EXPERIENCE was perfect. The bagel bakeries were producing and selling 100 bagels a minute...like clock work. It really was a bagel frenzy to watch all the bakers rushing to bake two or three varieties of bagels and the counter person, in a hat and torn, sweaty tee shirt collecting the money with the lines out the door.
About 10 years ago, I used to go to the Bruggers Bagels in Newton Plaza every Sunday and every Sunday the bagels became less brown indicating that they were under cooked (and tasted like it.) One Sunday, just like in the movies, I was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it any more. When I went to pay for my undercooked bagels, I told the young lady that the only thing Bruggers did was make bagels and the least that they could do is to cook them golden brown. Another young employee came over to me and said, "Sir, if we cooked the bagels more time, we couldn't sell as many."
Out of the mouths of babes comes truth!!!
Two weeks ago I went to the Brugger's in Saratoga Springs at 9 AM on Sunday morning and there was not a single bagel in the bins...NOT ONE...Why??? I assume that someone was not doing their job. This morning I again went to the same Brugger's and while there were bagels, there was no plain cream chese..NO PLAIN CREAM CHEESE ON SUNDAY MORNING?????????????? I told the young lady that several weeks ago there were no bagels on a Sunday morning and today there is no cream cheese and that the manager needs to be fired. She didn't care!
And THAT is the problem..
We used to do sooooooo many things well in our wonderful country and now we don't even do the simple things right..
For those of us that are passionate about what we do this is incredibly sad and I make one promise to my patients: I will do the very best dentistry that I am capable of doing and to take care of you the best I can.
My standards will never fall and I will do my best never to disappoint you. Some things are still as good today as they were in the old days.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Dentists Know Dentistry
It is a truism to say that dentists know dentistry.
The FACT is, that many dentists never pursue excellence and therefore, the dentistry that they know is the dentistry that they provide to their own patients. Most dentists do not select great dentists to be their personal dentist and usually go to the dentist down the street. (My dentist IS a world class clinician)
I posted a wonderful case on the ACE forum last week and one of the dentists in the group from Atlanta,GA sent me the following email:
If I ever need cosmetic composites done on my teeth....I'm flying my ass to YOUR office!!
Those were not the only kind words about my work but it IS the most telling.
You should select the dentist that OTHER DENTISTS select as their dentist.
The FACT is, that many dentists never pursue excellence and therefore, the dentistry that they know is the dentistry that they provide to their own patients. Most dentists do not select great dentists to be their personal dentist and usually go to the dentist down the street. (My dentist IS a world class clinician)
I posted a wonderful case on the ACE forum last week and one of the dentists in the group from Atlanta,GA sent me the following email:
If I ever need cosmetic composites done on my teeth....I'm flying my ass to YOUR office!!
Those were not the only kind words about my work but it IS the most telling.
You should select the dentist that OTHER DENTISTS select as their dentist.
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