The past two years have ushered in a quiet but consequential evolution in geriatric dentistry or gerodontology, one driven by demographic urgency and sharpened by cross-continental scholarship.
Geriatric dentistry, also referred to as gerodontics, gerontology, or gerodontology, focuses on providing dental care to older adults, including the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of various dental issues.
Everything happens for a reason…” People reach for it when something horrible happens, and they don’t know what else to say but want to sound hopeful. Failure and loss are inevitable. Things happen randomly and often unfairly. It’s part of being human. A cancer diagnosis, the unexpected loss of a loved one, a failed business … Read more
Endodontics has traditionally been founded on the principles of thorough canal cleansing and natural tooth structure preservation. However, for many decades, we were forced to focus on more operator-centric techniques (straight-line access openings, large canal preps) to facilitate new technologies as they became available. For example, coronal flaring or enlargement was a big part of … Read more
I have the privilege of working with the dental students at the University of Toronto. One of my responsibilities is to discuss with them the management of medically compromised patients. I am often pleasantly surprised with the students’ knowledge pertaining to a myriad of medical emergencies. However, I can say that I consistently take additional … Read more
The dentist-patient relationship is the core of dentistry. Just like in any relationship, there inevitably will be a negative experience, and nearly all dentists will need to dismiss a patient at some point in their careers. Dismissals can be upsetting for patients and stressful for dentists. Regardless of whether you have conducted a patient dismissal … Read more
Biotensegrity is a new word. An explanation of its origins opens the door to a new and unfamiliar world which seems to have nothing to do with orthodontics. Does it merit spending time on it or is just another distraction in an overcrowded schedule? Is it an attempt to sell another piece of equipment? This … Read more
Viewpoint: If you believe that everything has been just peachy in dentistry, don’t read this. This article isn’t for you. Of late, dentist owner/operators have been getting the short end of the stick. Poor public perception. Negative media attention. Threats of public health units shutting offices down and warning patients to get tested. Costly changes … Read more
Case study: January 2021 For four years, as dental students enter the four walls of their respective faculties, they are taught how to protect and save the teeth and smiles of their patients. Today, dentists continue to do what they were taught, some decades ago. However, the current COVID-19 pandemic highlights areas not taught regarding … Read more
Viewpoint: Introduction On August 26th, 2020 Professor Mark Woodhouse, a senior scientific advisor to the UK Government stated the following, “We couldn’t think of anything better to do. Lockdown was a panic measure and I believe history will see that trying to control Covid-19 through lockdown was a monumental mistake on a global scale, the … Read more
Viewpoint: As we entered 2020, many of us were looking forward to future travel plans, CAOMS courses and events, using our recently purchased tools and keeping on with our routines. In a few short months, we have been inundated with chat boards, editorials, news media, web blasts, and our government updates. Differing opinions, inconsistent information, … Read more
Viewpoint: Everyone knows that breathing is mandatory to sustain life, yet we rarely think about it, and often take it for granted! However, the current Flu Pandemic has certainly made us all too aware of its importance. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) involves compromised breathing during sleep and is most often managed with Positive Airway Pressure … Read more
In 2014, I was published in the Ontario Dentist journal pleading for speakers and content that could address the stress that dentists incur day after day and ways in which to successfully handle it. I can’t believe that six years later, that I would actually be that person! When I wrote this letter to the … Read more
The practice of dentistry has changed from the time I entered the profession 42 years ago. Change is important, for without change there can be no progress. On the other hand, not all change is good and we must be able to recognise when changes are not making positive improvements and re-think. We have witnessed … Read more
From 30 May until 1 June 2019, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons from across Canada will convene in Calgary, AB for the 66th Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (CAOMS). The meeting is an excellent opportunity to maintain or enhance our surgical knowledge, meet with representatives from industry suppliers, and … Read more
The Pulse To truly feel the current pulse in dentistry, you must listen to what other dentists are thinking and saying. Online message boards are a great place to participate in the conversations that dentists are having. These forums give us a sense of the current trends. Social media is the emerging wave of communication … Read more
It has often been said that to bring attention to a controversial matter simply affirms its existence, memorializes it and gives it credibility. The corollary is to ignore it and allow wrong and negligent statements to pass as science. Instead of burying our heads in the sand, we would much rather bury bad science once … Read more
Knowledge is forever advancing. In my early days when my computer froze, I used to think “What did I do wrong now.” Today I think “What is wrong with this computer!” No, it’s not always the clinician that is to blame for problems. Many systems that we have come to use daily, are simply flawed. … Read more
In 2013 the RCDSO introduced the mandatory Practice Enhancement Tool (PET) for licenced Ontario dentist to be exercised every five years: “a computer based self-assessment program … that allows members to evaluate and assess their practice, knowledge, skill and judgement”. 1 At the same time the RCDSO introduced the mandatory requirement for 15 Category 1 … Read more
The Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (CAOMS) is a not-for-profit organization that serves the needs of hundreds of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons across Canada. It is designed to support the ongoing practise requirements of OMFS and ensure that they are able to maintain excellence in their area of specialty – translating into the … Read more