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CPR RECERTIFICATION
LETTERS to both vital and nonvital teeth when cutting with high-speed handpieces. The potential for damage is related not only to the concentricity of the handpiece and bur, but also to the generation of heat and drying of tooth structure. Cutting tooth structure with high revolutions per minute without adequate water spray produces tremendous potential for fracture, both from vibration and drying. Even when the greatest care is taken to avoid such damage, we need to examine teeth, both vital and nonvital, after cutting with high speed to determine whether any iatrogenic fracture has occurred. Dr. Weisman’s comments are well-taken. J. Edward Ailor Jr., D.D.S. Associate Professor Department of Oral Health Care Delivery University of Maryland Baltimore CPR RECERTIFICATION
My family and I recently visited the beautiful U.S. Virgin Island of St. John. We bought the local paper each day for news of Hurricane Alberto, which was brewing 300 miles east of us and to gain insight into the views the people living in paradise have about their home. On the second day of our trip, we read a frightful story about a 3-year-old boy. The boy was playing in the water with other local children and disappeared. A family member present searched the water and recovered the little boy, who was not breathing. A nearby local dentist overheard the wailing and gave the boy CPR for 30 minutes without any response. A volunteer fireman appeared and together 1402
they continued CPR for another 30 minutes. At last the emergency medical technicians arrived, and the child was taken to the local emergency room. He regained breathing and heartbeat in the hospital and was released that night to the care of his grandparents. I don’t recall the newspaper mentioning the dentist’s name, only that he lived on Water Island. I don’t think any mainland ADA members are aware of the Good Samaritan acts he performed with heroism. I was very touched by his deed. On the way to the airport in St. Thomas on departure day, I asked a taxi driver about the little boy. He replied that the child was doing fine and that the whole community was watching over him. At first, I sort of resented yearly CPR recertification as required in Michigan. For some years now my staff member and I have been recertified together. It is easy to arrange for your local hospital to send a staff member to your office to provide this training. There is considerable value to this training. I think your office will respond to an unexpected emergency a lot quicker as a team. Delays can occur in a crisis, such as the considerable time it took for that little boy to get to the hospital. I hope I never face a crisis inwhich the need to perform CPR occurs. We can only hope we do as well as this anonymous dentist. Lawrence P. Carr, D.D.S. Alger, Mich. RETIREMENT AGE
Dr. Alan Thornberg stated in his Letter to the Editor (July JADA), “All dentists could re-
tire at age 591⁄2 if they would capitalize on their practice value early enough.” As a dentist and a certified financial planner, I take issue with that statement. To say that “some” might achieve their goal of retirement at age 591⁄2 is possible. But to say “all” can achieve it is, in my opinion, pure fantasy or wishful thinking and ought not to have been printed in JADA. There are too many variables, both economic and personal, for this to be an attainable goal for “all.” Robert J. Mallin, D.D.S., C.F.P. Oldwick, N.J. Author’s response: As the founder of AFTCO with over 30 years of experience with helping dentists use their practice value to achieve their financial objectives for retirement, I will stand by my statement that “all dentists could retire at age 591⁄2 if they would capitalize on their practice value early enough.” I believe that “could” is the operative word in this statement. Unfortunately, there are some dentists who have received very poor advice from their financial planners, so as a concession to Dr. Mallin and for those unfortunate enough to have gotten poor financial advice over the years, I will revise my statement to read “most dentists.” The variables referred to by Dr. Mallin do not have to interfere with a dentist’s retirement plans if handled properly. Dr. Mallin adroitly points out that this is not the case with “some” dentists. I believe the intent of the editor was to pass this valuable message on to the members of
JADA, Vol. 131, October 2000 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
My family and I recently visited the beautiful U.S. Virgin Island of St. John. We bought the local paper each day for news of Hurricane Alberto, which was brewing 300 miles east of us and to gain insight into the views the people living in paradise have about their home. On the second day of our trip, we read a frightful story about a 3-year-old boy. The boy was playing in the water with other local children and disappeared. A family member present searched the water and recovered the little boy, who was not breathing. A nearby local dentist overheard the wailing and gave the boy CPR for 30 minutes without any response. A volunteer fireman appeared and together 1402
they continued CPR for another 30 minutes. At last the emergency medical technicians arrived, and the child was taken to the local emergency room. He regained breathing and heartbeat in the hospital and was released that night to the care of his grandparents. I don’t recall the newspaper mentioning the dentist’s name, only that he lived on Water Island. I don’t think any mainland ADA members are aware of the Good Samaritan acts he performed with heroism. I was very touched by his deed. On the way to the airport in St. Thomas on departure day, I asked a taxi driver about the little boy. He replied that the child was doing fine and that the whole community was watching over him. At first, I sort of resented yearly CPR recertification as required in Michigan. For some years now my staff member and I have been recertified together. It is easy to arrange for your local hospital to send a staff member to your office to provide this training. There is considerable value to this training. I think your office will respond to an unexpected emergency a lot quicker as a team. Delays can occur in a crisis, such as the considerable time it took for that little boy to get to the hospital. I hope I never face a crisis inwhich the need to perform CPR occurs. We can only hope we do as well as this anonymous dentist. Lawrence P. Carr, D.D.S. Alger, Mich. RETIREMENT AGE
Dr. Alan Thornberg stated in his Letter to the Editor (July JADA), “All dentists could re-
tire at age 591⁄2 if they would capitalize on their practice value early enough.” As a dentist and a certified financial planner, I take issue with that statement. To say that “some” might achieve their goal of retirement at age 591⁄2 is possible. But to say “all” can achieve it is, in my opinion, pure fantasy or wishful thinking and ought not to have been printed in JADA. There are too many variables, both economic and personal, for this to be an attainable goal for “all.” Robert J. Mallin, D.D.S., C.F.P. Oldwick, N.J. Author’s response: As the founder of AFTCO with over 30 years of experience with helping dentists use their practice value to achieve their financial objectives for retirement, I will stand by my statement that “all dentists could retire at age 591⁄2 if they would capitalize on their practice value early enough.” I believe that “could” is the operative word in this statement. Unfortunately, there are some dentists who have received very poor advice from their financial planners, so as a concession to Dr. Mallin and for those unfortunate enough to have gotten poor financial advice over the years, I will revise my statement to read “most dentists.” The variables referred to by Dr. Mallin do not have to interfere with a dentist’s retirement plans if handled properly. Dr. Mallin adroitly points out that this is not the case with “some” dentists. I believe the intent of the editor was to pass this valuable message on to the members of
JADA, Vol. 131, October 2000 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.