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Younger than springtime
learned from my experience that the method of transplantation was not inappropriate. O n the contrary, the procedure was successful, and still is 36 months postoperatively. T here are other methods to accomplish the same ends, and I would attem pt one o f them if the situation presents itself again. FRED DANZIGER, DDS LONG BEACH, NY
T h e s p e c ia lty o f s to m a to lo g y
■ The profession is currently under fire from several fronts . . . U nfortu nately, though, it seems to assume one of two positions—the frightened ostrich or the wounded dove. We meet adversity with ignorance and innocence, and we defend only when pushed to the limit. . . . It behooves us to make positive changes, beginning with the basics of how we educate ourselves, our phi losophy and reason for existence, and how we view ourselves and our role in the health o f the public. . . . We must become stomatologists— doctors in every sense of the word, who consciously feel responsible for the total patient. We must be fully cognizant o f the fact that what pumps blood through the pulp is a heart that is regulated by a brain that is encased within a human being who breathes, thinks, and occasionally sues. We must educate future stomatologists in schools of sto matology, where students learn both basic sciences and clinical sci ences and their correlation, and where they learn, understand, and in terrelate oral diagnosis and physical diagnosis. . . . T he end product will be a well-rounded, full-fledged doctor who is expert in his field—the oral cavity and surrounding tissues—and
who has a solid understanding of the remaining 98% of his patient’s clini cal physiology and anatomy. . . . The role of the stomatologist will be akin to that of other medical specialists who delegate to paraprofessionals tasks requiring less education. Stomatological assistants must be al lowed to perform tasks such as gingi val curettage, the placing and finish ing o f restorations, and the taking of impressions so that the stomatologist can concentrate on patient evalua tion, diagnosis, and surgery. The profession of stomatology will, by raising the educational requirements of its members and its paraprofes sionals, be better able to meet . . . the rising oral health needs of this country. It will raise the status o f our profession to its proper position, on a level with medicine. It will satisfy the desire of auxiliaries to expand their functions, and it will provide inspira tion and continued stimulation to the ever more intelligent men and women who enter its ranks. JOSEPH IANNELLO, DDS BROOKLYN,NY
nicely without these publications, but their policy is galling! S. FOGELSON, DDS MILWAUKEE, WIS
T h e r o le o f c u lt u r in g
The article on endodontics by Frank, Blick, and Abou-Rass (T h e J o u r n a l , February) provides an ex cellent guide for the perplexed den tist who is constantly being offered promises of 100% success with “ in stant endodontics.” Although I agree with their state ment that culturing is “ not a predis posing factor for treatment success,” a culture can play an important role in patient care. Where there is swell ing, fever, and severe periapical in fection, a culture of the pus or exu date with a request for differential identification of the organisms and an antibiotic sensitivity test can be very helpful. Many patients are allergic to drugs we want to administer systemically, and many organisms are resis tant to some of the medications. To culture in these instances is the best patient care. »
MANUEL I. WEISMAN, DDS AUGUSTA, GA
Y o u n g e r th a n s p r in g tim e
■ Were you aware that the “ throw aw ay” dental journals are automati cally terminated when a dentist reaches age 60? Talk about discrimi nation! In response to my inquiry, the editor of one of these journals indi cated that it was too expensive to supply to a group that does not buy. In my particular case I have bought a panoramic X-ray machine, two den tal chairs, two stools, and a number o f other items in the past two years, not to mention thousands of dollars’ worth of supplies. My contemporaries and I get along
S tu d e n t lo a n re p a y m e n ts m A dentist who has repudiated her financial obligation to repay the stu dent loans that helped her attain her degree has recently made application to a component society. She expects to participate in all dental societysponsored group insurance plans and other society endorsed functions. She simultaneously denies her obliga tions to dentistry but demands that dentistry be obligated to her. . . . Should an individual of such ques tionable integrity be permitted to practice dentistry?
E. CHARLES ECKSTEIN, DMD TENAFLY, NJ
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / JADA, Vol. 96, May 1978 ■ 719
T h e s p e c ia lty o f s to m a to lo g y
■ The profession is currently under fire from several fronts . . . U nfortu nately, though, it seems to assume one of two positions—the frightened ostrich or the wounded dove. We meet adversity with ignorance and innocence, and we defend only when pushed to the limit. . . . It behooves us to make positive changes, beginning with the basics of how we educate ourselves, our phi losophy and reason for existence, and how we view ourselves and our role in the health o f the public. . . . We must become stomatologists— doctors in every sense of the word, who consciously feel responsible for the total patient. We must be fully cognizant o f the fact that what pumps blood through the pulp is a heart that is regulated by a brain that is encased within a human being who breathes, thinks, and occasionally sues. We must educate future stomatologists in schools of sto matology, where students learn both basic sciences and clinical sci ences and their correlation, and where they learn, understand, and in terrelate oral diagnosis and physical diagnosis. . . . T he end product will be a well-rounded, full-fledged doctor who is expert in his field—the oral cavity and surrounding tissues—and
who has a solid understanding of the remaining 98% of his patient’s clini cal physiology and anatomy. . . . The role of the stomatologist will be akin to that of other medical specialists who delegate to paraprofessionals tasks requiring less education. Stomatological assistants must be al lowed to perform tasks such as gingi val curettage, the placing and finish ing o f restorations, and the taking of impressions so that the stomatologist can concentrate on patient evalua tion, diagnosis, and surgery. The profession of stomatology will, by raising the educational requirements of its members and its paraprofes sionals, be better able to meet . . . the rising oral health needs of this country. It will raise the status o f our profession to its proper position, on a level with medicine. It will satisfy the desire of auxiliaries to expand their functions, and it will provide inspira tion and continued stimulation to the ever more intelligent men and women who enter its ranks. JOSEPH IANNELLO, DDS BROOKLYN,NY
nicely without these publications, but their policy is galling! S. FOGELSON, DDS MILWAUKEE, WIS
T h e r o le o f c u lt u r in g
The article on endodontics by Frank, Blick, and Abou-Rass (T h e J o u r n a l , February) provides an ex cellent guide for the perplexed den tist who is constantly being offered promises of 100% success with “ in stant endodontics.” Although I agree with their state ment that culturing is “ not a predis posing factor for treatment success,” a culture can play an important role in patient care. Where there is swell ing, fever, and severe periapical in fection, a culture of the pus or exu date with a request for differential identification of the organisms and an antibiotic sensitivity test can be very helpful. Many patients are allergic to drugs we want to administer systemically, and many organisms are resis tant to some of the medications. To culture in these instances is the best patient care. »
MANUEL I. WEISMAN, DDS AUGUSTA, GA
Y o u n g e r th a n s p r in g tim e
■ Were you aware that the “ throw aw ay” dental journals are automati cally terminated when a dentist reaches age 60? Talk about discrimi nation! In response to my inquiry, the editor of one of these journals indi cated that it was too expensive to supply to a group that does not buy. In my particular case I have bought a panoramic X-ray machine, two den tal chairs, two stools, and a number o f other items in the past two years, not to mention thousands of dollars’ worth of supplies. My contemporaries and I get along
S tu d e n t lo a n re p a y m e n ts m A dentist who has repudiated her financial obligation to repay the stu dent loans that helped her attain her degree has recently made application to a component society. She expects to participate in all dental societysponsored group insurance plans and other society endorsed functions. She simultaneously denies her obliga tions to dentistry but demands that dentistry be obligated to her. . . . Should an individual of such ques tionable integrity be permitted to practice dentistry?
E. CHARLES ECKSTEIN, DMD TENAFLY, NJ
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / JADA, Vol. 96, May 1978 ■ 719