94 Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, 607-324-1032, Tues-Fri 8:30-4:30
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10 Things Your Dentist By WILLIAM MAULDIN AOL: 3. "I care more about your smile than your teeth."Our nation's oral health has improved tremendously in recent years. Over the past decade, tooth decay has decreased by 15% in children, and just a quarter of adults over 60 have lost all their teeth, down from one-third. Dentists attribute the improvement to such advances as fluoridation and better oral hygiene at an early age. Dr. JPM: I'll just take the author's word for it on nationwide statistics, but my practice is in Hornell, NY, where the community water supply is not flouridated. "Better" oral hygiene at an early age is a relative evaluation, and I am convinced that there is a long way to go before I would consider the Dental IQ of this community to be adequate. I still see nursing bottle syndrome, where little kid's teeth are rotted out to the gumline because mom put soda in the kid's bottle, and left it in the child's mouth all night long. I get a lot of patients who make their decision based on what their insurance will cover. Insurance covers the least expensive procedure, because it costs the insurance company least; consequently, I get a lot of "Jes yank it, Doc." AOL: But healthier teeth mean less demand for traditional dentistry. Hence the booming field of cosmetics: Between 2000 and 2006, membership in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry jumped 91%. Indeed, cosmetic dentistry is big business. Ronald Goldstein, cofounder of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, a 100-member invitation-only organization, estimates that of the $90 billion Americans will spend this year on dental procedures, about half will go to cosmetic work. And that figure is only likely to increase. The potential for profit is turning some dentists into pitchmen -- a digital photo and special software can show you how you'd look with whitened teeth or a set of crowns. But before falling for the new you and opting for elective dental work, get a second opinion. Dr. JPM: I am not a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, so I can't comment on behalf of that organization. I do question the author's point. What's wrong with a nicer smile? As a branch of medicine, Dentistry is the only one I can name that can make a claim that "healthier teeth mean less demand for traditional dentistry...Americans will spend...about half [on] cosmetic work." Wouldn't it be grand if the oncologists had the same results with cancer treatments? What other branch of medicine wouldn't be proud to have such statistics? And, while some dentists have turned into pitchmen (just as in any field), I would contend that the software options we now have are better and more efficient communication tools. This web site is a perfect example of a better and more efficient communication tool. Every industry uses software for better and more efficient communication with clients, customers, or patients. Also, "get a second opinion" is a good rule of thumb for most any elective work, whether it be dentistry, a new car, a new kitchen, etc.
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