Inspiration, defined as somebody or something that stimulates somebody to creative endeavours.
I have been a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry for over 15 years and its annual scientific conference never fails to provide inspiration for me professionally and personally. This year’s conference was in Seattle allowing me to enjoy a pleasant drive down the I-5 to attend at end of April.
One of the nice things about getting away from dental practice in Seattle for a few days is I get to leave my car in the hotel garage and explore a city on foot. No traffic and beeps from passing motorists. Seattle is a great walking city from Safeco Field where the baseball Mariners plays to Belltown and the Seattle Centre.
I attended several clinical workshops where world renown clinicians many of them my friends and mentors, teach cutting edge techniques in aesthetic and cosmetic dentistry. My friend, Dr. Newton Fahl from Curitiba Brazil, is always a highlight. He is considered the best hand-sculpted composite bonding dentist in the world. He is a true artist; I get so motivated to strive to achieve the level of his amazing results. I am so happy to bring back his ideas and techniques to offer my patients the conservative option of hand bonded partial and full veneers. I am one of the few dentists in all of BC who has the expertise to deliver life-like hand bonded veneers. The original “no-prep” veneers were really hand bonded enamel-like composite material expertly shaped over the patients’ existing enamel. It didn’t involve any drilling just some light sanding of the surface. The only drawback to this method was that to do them well it involved a high level of technical and artistic skill which most dentists did not have because dental schools did not spend much time teaching it.
In addition, I attended some great lectures on TMJ and Occlusion, single appointment dental implants and “cutting edge” dental materials.
Perhaps the most surprising presentation of the entire conference was not even given by a dentist. Dr. Brene Brown, research professor and writer at the University of Houston graduate college of Social Work presented on Vulnerability. If you don’t know about TED TALKS, download the app from the App Store and search Brene Brown. Her two “TED TALKS” are two of the most impactful presentations I have ever heard about the human condition.
It’s part of our mission at WestcoastSmile Dental Studio and Whitening Spa to use continuing education as a backbone to deliver excellence in dental services with a caring heart.
