“Practice makes perfect.” It’s the cornerstone of dental and medical education and training; but how do we obtain hands-on, practical experience in treating the rare or unusual case, or the life-threatening emergency? A generation ago, dental and medical students largely relied on textbooks, lectures, videos and slide presentations to learn about atypical situations that did not often present themselves during their clinical rotations.
Today, we can and are doing better. Evidence-based methodology, technology and a renewed emphasis on a culture of safety in the dental and medical office have opened up new and innovative learning opportunities. Simulation training is one of the fastest growing and most exciting of these ventures.
Though it may be a mouthful to pronounce, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the experts in face, mouth and jaw surgery. Many patients find the name confusing and don’t know everything our surgeons can do. Learn about some of the key OMS procedures in this short, entertaining video.
In recent years, the management of third molar teeth has generated considerable discussion in the media and among healthcare professionals. The lines of debate most often come down to the need to contain costs versus the benefits of third molar surgery for the patient. Often overlooked in the sometimes heated discourse is the quantity (and quality) of evidence-based research data confirming that impacted third molars are prone to…
While it may not be a part of our everyday dental concerns, the Oral Cancer Foundation reminds us that approximately 48,250 people in the US will be newly diagnosed with oral cancer this year, with one person dying from the disease every hour of every day. Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for oral cancer, but they’re not the only ones. The fastest growing segment of oral cancer patients are young, healthy, nonsmoking adults under 40 years of age whose connection to the disease is the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is actually the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. These are sobering statistics and worth remembering as we commemorate Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month this April.
Rarely in the history of the dental profession have dental students been presented with so many opportunities to build on their dental school training and skills. As their knowledge and desire to explore these opportunities grow, many dental students think about pursuing specialty training. For a growing number of these students, the broad scope of practice and the professional satisfaction offered by the dental specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery present a unique way to maximize their training and make a difference in the lives of their patients.