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Almost four years ago, I received an email from a young dentist in Bangalore, India asking me explain a post that I made on a dental forum. I answered his question and assumed that I would never hear from the young man again. I was soooo wrong. Week after week, Dr. Ashok asked question after question about different aspects of the restorative treatment that I provide for my patients and then one day, he announced that he wanted to visit my office if that was not too much of an imposition. He stayed in our home and visited our office as well as that of Drs. Banchs and Byrne for a week in February, 2009. It was a very frustrating time for the young dentist because he complained that we made very challenging work look so easy but that is not surprising because my colleagues give my work high praise and Dr. Banchs is recognized as one of the best in the world in endodontics.
I have been in weekly contact with Dr. Ashok and last month he announced that he was returning to Saratoga Springs to continue his education...And learn he did. He continues to be amazed at the attention to detail in the work he sees. Dr. Banchs paraphrased a well known quote when he told Dr. Ashok that we do not do exceptional work but we do simple things exceptionally. I guess that is another was of saying, "Master the basics." All dentists want to do the exotic forms of treatment without ever mastering the simple aspects of treatment.
After a week, Dr. Ashok returned home knowing that he must continue to strive for excellence even though the demand for excellent dentistry is very small.
