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N E W J E R S E Y M O N T H LY July 2010 3938 July 2010 N J M O N T H LY. C O M
BRIGHT IDEAS
TOPDENTISTS
2010
Six top N.J. dentists discuss
the challenges and joys of
their profession.By Ken Schlager
Photos by JOHN EMERSON
EndodonticsCare of the nerve of the tooth; procedures include root canals, sur-gical root procedures, and root amputations
FABIO G. APOLITO »Ocean • 732-531-9200 Freehold • 732-462-4606 Middletown • 732-345-8090 advancedendo.net
STEVEN I. ARKOFF »West Caldwell • 973-226-4700
JAIME BALLToms River • 732-349-9090 [email protected]
MARC BALSON »Livingston • 973-994-1661 livingstonendo.com
HAROUT BARSEMIAN »Morristown • 973-538-5660 Westfield • 908-233-5588 ApexEndodonticsllc.com; [email protected]
HERBERT D. BENKEL »River Edge • 201-487-5444 Fort Lee • 201-944-9392 newjerseyendo.com; [email protected]; [email protected]
ARTHUR L. BERGER »Ocean • 732-531-9200 Freehold • 732-462-4606 Middletown • 732-345-8090 advancedendo.net
ANNMARIE B. BRENNAN »Somerville • 908-725-6670 midjerseyendo.com
JEFFREY L. CARROLL »Cherry Hill • 856-424-5145Sewell • 856-589-3657 Vineland • 856-691-9190 sjendodontics.com
JOSEPH D. CHIKVASHVILI »West Orange • 973-731-4800 njrootcanals.com; [email protected]
NOAH CHIVIAN »West Orange • 973-731-4800 njrootcanals.com; [email protected]
JEFF CURRYCherry Hill • 856-424-5145 Sewell • 856-589-3657 Vineland • 856-691-9190
sjendodontics.com; [email protected]
MITCHELL H. DAVICH »Morristown • 973-898-0100 Davichendo.com; [email protected]
EDWARD B. DROZD »Hackensack • 201-487-1135 [email protected]
EDWIN F. EISENBERG »Cherry Hill • 856-424-5145 Sewell • 856-589-3657 Vineland • 856-691-9190 sjendodontics.com; [email protected]
GAYLE B. ELBAUM »Ocean • 732-531-9200 Freehold • 732-462-4606 Middletown • 732-345-8090 advancedendo.net
LESLIE ELFENBEIN »Clifton • 973-773-6050 cliftonendo.com
ANTHONY FASCIANO »Englewood Cliffs • 201-894-0350 [email protected]
MARIO R. GEBBIA »Haddonfield • 856-428-0626 gebbiaendo.com; [email protected]
MARK J. GELBAND »Red Bank • 732-741-1567 redbankendo.com; [email protected]
MARC P. GIMBEL »Montville • 973-335-8046
glcendodontics.com; [email protected]
RAJEEV GUPTAToms River • 732-349-9222 shoreendodontics.com
HERBERT N. GUTENTAG »Red Bank • 732-741-1567 redbankendo.com; [email protected]
JIN HAHN »Ridgewood • 201-652-3311 Westwood • 201-666-4546 midcountyendo.com; [email protected]
JAMES M. HATFIELDSummit • 908-522-0010
There’s no doubt: Dentists get a bad rap. Even the president of the United States joined in the dental bashing this year. But most of the bad news about dentistry is old news. Today’s dentists have advanced tools and procedures that substantially improve the experience and the results for most patients. What’s more, the increasing emphasis on preventive care means fewer dental crises for all of us.
New Jersey Monthly assembled a panel of six of the state’s best dentists to talk about their profession. The six were chosen from among the 298 practitioners on this year’s Top Dentists list. They represent six of the nine specialties iden-tified in the survey. (The list starts on the next page.)
Our panelists are Dr. James M. Courey, a prosthodon-tist in Manalapan; Dr. Anthony Fasciano, an endodontist in Englewood Cliffs; Dr. Amy E. James, an orthodontist in Haddonfield; Dr. Jay S. Schuster, a general dentist in Mor-ristown; Dr. Elisa J. Velazquez, a pediatric dentist in Toms River and Manahawkin; and Dr. Eric C. Weiss, a periodon-tist in Livingston.
In his 2010 State of the Union address, President Obama, in de-
scribing the bank bailout, said it was “about as popular as root
canal.” As a dental practitioner, that must have hurt. How did
you react to Obama’s statement?
ELISA VELAZQUEZ: I don’t think he intended to use dentistry
as a negative comparison, but it was careless.
JAY SCHUSTER: Obama’s statement was a derogatory and
unfair generalization.
JAMES COUREY: It certainly does not help ease people’s fear
of pain associated with seeing the dentist. The fear of pain is
N.J.’s Top Dentists, as chosen by their peers, are listed in nine specialties. The » indicates dentists who appeared on last year’s list. For survey methodology, see page 66.
DR. ERIC C. WEISS
DR. ELISA VELAZQUEZ
DR. JAMES COUREYDR. ANTHONY FASCIANO
DR. JAY SCHUSTERDR. AMY JAMES
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Reprinted with permission from the July 2010 issue of New Jersey Monthly. ©2010 by New Jersey Monthly, LLC.
N E W J E R S E Y M O N T H LY July 2010 4140 July 2010 N J M O N T H LY. C O M
DR. AMY E. JAMES, orthodontist
Office: Haddonfield. In practice as an orthodontist since 1999; practices with an associate, Dr. Greg DeFelice.FYI: “Most of my patients know I love to travel to explore new cultures and donate my time to underprivileged communities abroad. Many probably don’t know that I have been practicing martial arts for twelve years. I believe that athletics and good nutrition are the key to longevity. I am a big foodie!”
one of the main reasons people fail to see a dentist until they have an emergency so se-vere that they are literally driven to seek pro-fessional help. The irony is that root-canal therapy saves thousands of natural teeth each year, making it more of a hero than a villain.
ANTHONY FASCIANO: It is unfortunate that the misconception of root canal contin-ues to haunt dentistry….The truth is root-canal treatment is most often a painless procedure. It may be true that the tooth hurts before treatment; however, people should be aware that root-canal therapy relieves pain, allowing for the maintenance of one’s natural tooth.
AMY JAMES: Comments like that come
TOPDENTISTS
2010
WEISS
DR. ERIC C. WEISS, periodontist
OFFICE: Livingston. In solo practice for seventeen years.FYI: “I am a third-generation dentist. My grandfather was a general dentist in Car-teret and a past president of the New Jersey Dental Association. My father was a periodontist in Easton, Pennsylvania, and he was also a professional race-car driver. I was the only kid in school who spent his weekends in the pits of famous racetracks all over the country. Now skiing is my passion.”
JACK HOFFER »Millburn • 973-258-9535 millburnendo.com
PETER KAPSIMALIS »Summit • 908-273-2372
PAUL M. LAFKOWITZEdison • 732-549-2340middlesexendonj.com; [email protected]
RAJ LALLSomerville • 908-725-6670 midjerseyendo.com
PAUL B. LANGER »Westfield • 908-232-7668 Linden • 908-486-6640 West Caldwell • 973-227-8188 westfieldtoday.com/rootca-nal.html; [email protected]
STEPHEN G. LAWSON »Edison • 908-753-6060 edisonendodontics.com; [email protected]
ALAN LAYTON »Millburn • 973-376-1944 Chester • 908-879-2929
WAYNE I. LEVINE »Warren • 908-561-3669
STEVEN LUSTBADER »Old Bridge • 732-679-8400 Somerville • 908-725-6670 New Brunswick •
732-246-2284 midjerseyendo.com
DIMPLE MALAVIAEdison • 732-549-2340 middlesexendonj.com; [email protected]
SUJEAN OH »Ho-Ho-Kus • 201-251-8131 Hawthorne • 973-423-0789 Oradell • 201-261-6900 njrootcanal.com; [email protected]
JOHN PANZARINO »New Brunswick • 732-246-2284 Old Bridge • 732-679-8400 midjerseyendo.com
MAYA PRABHU » New Brunswick • 732-246-2284 midjerseyendo.com
SPENCER CARL SAINT-CYRCherry Hill, Linwood, Woodbury, Camden, Cinnaminson: 877-422-6257 Collingswood • 856-858-2871
MARK A. SCHACHMAN »Florham Park • 973-765-0011 [email protected]
MICHELE A. SCRIME Toms River • 732-349-9222 Ocean • 732-531-4111 shoreendodontics.com
LAWRENCE J. SHEER »Clifton • 973-471-7500 tri-countyendodontics.com; [email protected]
ROBERT J. SIEMAN »Berkeley Heights • 908-464-4000
ROSEMICHELE SORVINO-MACCHIA »Chatham • 973-635-9191 chathammadisonendo.com
BRIAN P. TRAVA »Hawthorne • 973-423-0789 Ho-Ho-Kus • 201-251-8131 Oradell • 201-261-6900 njrootcanal.com; [email protected]
STEPHEN J. TSOUCARIS »Fort Lee • 201-969-0990 Woodcliff Lake • 201-391-5220 palisades-endo.com; [email protected]
JAY WEINBERG »Cranford • 908-276-7773 cranfordendo.com; [email protected]
IRA J. ZOHN »Ocean • 732-531-9200 Freehold • 732-462-4606 Middletown • 732-345-8090 advancedendo.net
General DentistryALLISON ADAMSMadison • 973-377-7088 madisondentalgroup.com
RICHARD ANGOWSKIToms River • 732-349-5535
JONATHAN BANKERElizabeth • 908-354-1490 bankerdental.com; [email protected]
JOSEPH BANKER »Westfield • 908-232-0400 Elizabeth • 908-354-1490 creativedentalcare.com; [email protected]
KEVIN P. BROWNE »New Providence • 908-286-1486 kevinbrownedmd.com; [email protected]
STEPHEN T. BUSBYShort Hills • 973-376-5781 [email protected]
PETER E. CIAMPISpring Lake • 732-449-5666 springlakesmiles.com; [email protected]
BURTON D. COHENBayonne • 201-437-3500 bayonnedentalgroup.com; [email protected]
GREGGORY J. DILAURI »Succasunna • 973-252-0030 SmilesNJ.com; [email protected]
with the territory. We don’t take it personally. Fortunately, I have chosen a specialty [ortho-dontics] well liked by most. It’s been my ex-perience that patients look forward to their visits and are highly aware of their progress throughout treatment.
ERIC WEISS: The comment wasn’t hurtful, it was thoughtless. It propagates an inaccu-rate and negative perception and condones a lackadaisical attitude about the importance of dental care in general.
Obviously, root canal has an image problem. What other popular misconceptions are there about your field of dentistry?
JAMES: I think the greatest misconception about my specialty is that orthodontic treat-ment—straightening teeth—will hurt, and that you always have sore teeth. With such amaz-ing technology, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Brackets—or braces—have become so small that they are hardly noticeable to the lips—and the alloy metals used for the wires were [engineered] by NASA. Our specialty borrowed the engineering because the wires have memory and are light in force with long activation. That means greater comfort for the teeth and less frequent visits to the office.
VELAZQUEZ: A major misconception is that baby teeth do not need to be fixed when they are decayed since they are only going to fall out. That is incorrect. If primary teeth are not restored, that can result in pain, infection, and space loss for the permanent teeth.
SCHUSTER: Painful needles and loud drills. So many people put off going to the dentist for five or even ten years out of fear. At that point there is so much decay that major work is needed and could have been minimized by regular visits.
COUREY: The myth I hear the most is that prosthodontists are glorified general dentists. While there is some overlap in the types of procedures offered by general den-tists and prosthodontists, general dentists are trained in dental school to do procedures in everyday dentistry. Specialists are trained for three to four years after dental school to provide a higher standard of care and to treat the more challenging conditions. For instance, any dentist may extract a tooth or make a crown; however, oral surgeons are of-ten consulted for difficult or multiple extrac-tions, while a prosthodontist is consulted for multiple crowns or a major rehabilitation of the mouth.
WEISS: Firstly, there is the thought that bleeding gums are not a big concern. They are! If a person had bleeding anywhere else in their body they would race to the physi-cian. Well, bleeding gums means there is inflammation and disease. There is much evidence now that there are strong relation-ships between inflammation in the mouth and many other serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory problems.
Another common misconception is about dental implants. People often believe that they must go without teeth for six months or more after the implant is placed before it can have a tooth attached to it. That is no longer accu-rate. Often a tooth can be extracted, a dental implant placed in its position, and a tooth at-tached to it at the same time. How have new technologies improved results
for the patient in recent years? VELAZQUEZ: In our office, we use com-
puters and computer software to chart and plan treatment for our patients. It makes the process and explanation of the needs for our patients easier and faster. Digital cameras also enable us to photograph conditions in a
patient’s mouth as part of their dental record. Dental bonding has improved dramati-
cally in the past ten years. Resin materials and bonding agents are stronger and easier to perform. The curing process with LED cur-ing lights has also accelerated the process of bonding…. Also, stronger and superior mate-
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N E W J E R S E Y M O N T H LY July 2010 4342 July 2010 N J M O N T H LY. C O M
DR. JAY S. SCHUSTER, general dentist
OFFICE: Morristown. In practice in New Jersey for 23 years; practices with Dr. Tim Savage, Dr. Trisha Charland, and Dr. Beth Herko. FYI: “Twenty years ago I tried windsurfing in Sandy Hook, but I haven’t gone since my honeymoon nine years ago. My wife windsurfed for the first time on our Aruban honeymoon and was swooped almost a mile out to sea.”
TOPDENTISTS
2010DR. ELISA J. VELAZQUEZ, pediatric dentistry
OFFICES: Toms River and Manahawkin. In practice since 2001; practices with Dr. Linda Insano (also a Top Dentist) and three associates: Dr. Dawn Chillemi, Dr. Amy Lin, and Dr. Ernest Wang, an orthodontist. FYI: “I enjoy visiting the National Parks in the U.S. as I have a passion for his-tory and the outdoors. I have a Parks Passport and I wish to visit every park in our country and stamp the book. Recent additions to my book are Hawaii’s Volcano National Park and Fort Sumter in South Carolina.”
TOM DISTEFANOBasking Ridge • 908-604-0200 Union • 908-686-5277 drtomdistefano.com; [email protected]
KEVIN P. DOUGHERTYChatham • 973-377-3000
DEBRA A. DURYEAMendham • 973-543-2232 aestheticimagedentistry.com
JAMES J. ECKERTSummit • 908-277-6626
HOWARD EHRENKRANZ »Livingston • 973-994-4200 [email protected]
EDWARD J. FEINS »River Vale • 201-666-3300 drfeins.com; [email protected]
BENJAMIN FIERRO »Cedar Grove • 973-239-0605
JEROME S. FORMAN »Kenilworth • 908-276-6652
MITCHEL L. FRIEDMAN »Lincroft • 732-741-6444 NewmanSpringsDentalCare.com; DentistSedation.com; [email protected]
RICHARD E. GOLDBERGMonroe • 732-251-7722 richardegoldbergdmd.com
STEVEN M. GRECOToms River • 732-349-4300
ROBERT GRIGGS Old Bridge • 732-613-9898 oldbridgedental.com; [email protected]
MICHAEL GRUBER »Parsippany • 973-428-1515 gruberdental.com; [email protected]
JEFFREY A. HANKINSONShort Hills • 973-376-5268 [email protected]
ALLYSON K. HURLEY »Chatham • 973-635-0698 AllysonHurley.com; [email protected]
ROSS P. KARLINMillburn • 973-258-9700 [email protected]
LLOYD KITCHINSuccasunna • 973-584-2533 roxburydental.com; [email protected]
HOWARD G. LASHEN »Succasunna • 973-252-0030 SmilesNJ.com; [email protected]
MARYBETH MCCABE »Middletown • 732-957-8285 mccabedentistry.com; [email protected]
MARK MCCAFFERY »Madison • 973-966-6997 mymadisondentist.com; [email protected]
SUNITA MERRIMANWestfield • 908-389-0222 doctormerriman.com; [email protected]
JAY A. MILLERFreehold • 732-462-8770 gordonmillerdds.com
KEVIN F. MUENCHMaplewood • 973-763-2221 kevinmuench.com; [email protected]
WILLIAM G. OSBORNLinden • 908-486-5252 lindendentalassociates.com; [email protected]
HAROLD A. POLLACKMillburn • 973-467-0720 beautifulsmilesnj.com; [email protected]
NAREN RAJANMendham • 973-543-5700 Hackettstown • 908-852-5060 dentistryofmendham.com
RICHARD H. ROLLMANEast Brunswick • 732-390-1911
JAMES M. RUBINONew Providence • 908-898-1888
ROBERT M. SACKS »Oakhurst • 732-531-0777 sacksdental.com; [email protected]
JOHN SARAYDARIAN Allendale • 201-760-1116 allendaledental.net; [email protected]
DAVID S. SCHERERMorris Plains • 973-538-0202
JAY S. SCHUSTER »Morristown • 973-538-2563 metrodentalassociates.com; [email protected]
JOSEPH R. SHAPIROEast Brunswick • 732-390-1911
DAVID SILVERSTROMLivingston • 973-992-3990 readytosmile.com
BRUCE W. SMALL »Lawrenceville • 609-896-0529 smalldental.com; [email protected]
DAVID A. STEELEKenilworth • 908-276-6652
IVAN F. STEINWest Orange • 973-736-0111 northfielddentalgroup.com; [email protected]
rials means being able to restore more com-plicated cases of rampant decay or malfor-mation of the teeth.
COUREY: One of the most important im-aging and diagnostic breakthroughs in mod-ern dentistry is the use of cone-beam com-puted tomography for implant-treatment planning. The CBCT provides 3-D images of the jaw, teeth, and vital structures with ex-traordinary accuracy and detail, making it the gold standard for patient care in implant dentistry. This marriage has resulted in suc-cess rates as high as 98 percent for today’s dental implants.
FASCIANO: I am a big fan of digital ra-diographs. There is a significant decrease in radiation exposure; a significant decrease in the environmental impact, since danger-ous chemicals are not needed to process the image; the image can be enhanced to aid in diagnosis; and the image can be stored in-definitely and easily exchanged between dentists and dental specialists. Visual en-hancement through magnification with the use of a surgical microscope is a huge change for dentistry. It is basic; you can’t treat what you can’t see.
JAMES: Computer-aided design and com-puter-aided manufacturing are being used to make appliances—braces, wires, palate ex-panders, etc.—more precise. These can rule out operator error, which then speeds effi-ciency and accuracy.
Our office is using a very specific new technology called Incognito. This is braces on the inside of your teeth and completely hid-den or invisible. Each bracket is customized for each tooth for each patient; nothing is ge-neric or interchangeable. Each wire is custom bent for each patient by a robotic arm in a lab. The results of treatment are superior.
WEISS: The most significant technologi-cal development relative to [periodontics] is the use of growth factors to engineer the regeneration of lost tissues. We can utilize various biologic agents to direct the differ-entiation of cells into specific tissue types. It’s really incredible! Also, the wide availability of low-dose radiation 3-D scanners now gives us the ability to much more accurately evalu-ate patients and diagnose problems. These cone-beam scanners also give us the abil-ity to simulate dental-implant placement on a computer and then prefabricate surgical guides that allow us to do complex implant surgery in a minimally invasive manner.
What are the mistakes patients make in car-ing for their own teeth—or their children’s?
JAMES: Most oral diseases—cavities, gum disease—could be eliminated in most people
if they took their home care more seriously and were diligent about seeing their dentist for regular visits twice a year. I had a profes-sor in dental school that always said, “Den-tistry is not expensive, neglect is.”
VELAZQUEZ: Many parents make the mistake of not using fluoridated toothpaste when a child is receiving a multivitamin with fluoride. Or the flip side, parents have their children use fluoridated toothpaste but then do not give them the multivitamin with flu-oride. The ideal course would be to have a
systemic fluoride—the amount depending on the child’s age and the fluoride content in the town’s water supply—as well as a topical fluoride via a rinse or paste.
I also think a major mistake made by par-ents is not bringing the child to be examined early enough. The American Academy of Pe-diatric Dentistry advises children be examined for a caries assessment by age 1. Many chil-dren are not seen until age 4 or 5, and often the decay is so rampant, requiring the child to need extractions and extensive treatment.
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N E W J E R S E Y M O N T H LY July 2010 4544 July 2010 N J M O N T H LY. C O M
DR. JAMES M. COUREY, prosthodontics
OFFICE: Manalapan. In solo practice for twenty years. FYI: “I love taking motorcycle rides with my son, camping in the great outdoors, and listening to 1980’s rock music a little too loud.”
TOPDENTISTS
2010
DR. ANTHONY FASCIANO, endodontist
OFFICE: Englewood Cliffs. In solo practice since 1993. FYI: “I enjoy spending time with friends and family, discovering new ways to enjoy and prepare food and wine. I often get together with my neighbors for the sole purpose of creating a meal through discovering a new recipe or inventing our own recipe.”
ELAINE M. SWINGLEWestfield • 908-232-6132 greatsmilesdr.com; [email protected]
JOSEPH A. TERRANOVA Hazlet • 732-264-6202
ANTHONY J. VOCATUROBayonne • 201-436-1100 njcosmeticdentist.com; [email protected]
O/M PathologyIdentification and manage-ment of diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions
DEBORAH B. CLEVELAND »Newark • 973-972-2453 [email protected]
DAVID A. LEDERMAN »Union • 800-440-7284 x313 Freehold • 732-462-8181 centerfororalhealth.com; [email protected]
JOSEPH RINAGGIO »Newark • 973-972-8909 [email protected]
ARNOLD H. ROSENHECKNewark • 973-972-3620 [email protected]
O/M RadiologyProduction and inter-pretation of images and data to diagnose and manage conditions affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions
MEL KANTOR »Newark • 973-972-4506
MURALIDHAR MUPPARAPU »Newark • 973-972-4118 [email protected]
O/M SurgerySurgeries in or around the head area, includ-ing tooth extractions and jaw surgeries
JASON M. AUERBACHRiver Edge • 201-487-6565 riversideoralsurgery.com; [email protected]
KATHY BANKS »Toms River • 732-286-1199 Brick • 732-840-4600 Sea Girt • 732-974-0680
DENNIS BARBIERIRidgefield • 201-867-0404 njoralsurgery.com
JON A. BARTLETT »Summit • 908-273-5451 summitoralsurg.com
JONATHAN E. BURKE »Sewell • 856-582-4222 Haddonfield • 856-795-4600 lanziburkeoralsurgery.com
KENNETH COLAMEOHackensack • 201-941-9494 njoralsurgery.com
KEVIN J. CORRY »Union • 908-687-1055
JOSEPH D. DEMAIOWestfield • 908-654-6030 demaiorutneroralsurgery.com
JASON DIAMOND »Ridgewood • 201-444-4137 Westwood • 201-664-5656 Hackensack • 201-343-8297 bergenoralsurgery.com
MICHAEL DIPIETRO Toms River • 732-286-1199 Brick • 732-840-4600 Sea Girt • 732-974-0680
MARK DURANTEBerkeley Heights • 908-464-4664MDurante@ MarkDuranteDDSPA.com-castbiz.net
PHILIP M. ECHO »Nutley • 973-667-5844 Montclair • 973-746-3466
BARRY D. ELBAUM »Ocean • 732-531-8700 Freehold • 732-431-3400 Jackson • 732-942-6900 Hazlet •732-264-6114 njcoms.com; [email protected]
JEFFREY C. ELBAUM »Ocean • 732-531-8700 Freehold • 732-431-3400 Jackson • 732-942-6900 Hazlet • 732-264-6114njcoms.com; [email protected]
PHILIP S. ENGEL »New Brunswick • 732-247-8083East Brunswick • 732-238-3700Middlesex • 732-271-0330 oralsurgerygroup.com; [email protected]
HENRY J. FALK »West Orange • 973-736-7616 Parsippany • 973-335-3777 West Caldwell • 973-575-8575metrocraniofacial.com; [email protected]
JOHN E. FEENEY »Sea Girt • 732-974-0680 Toms River • 732-286-1199 Brick • 732-840-4600
JERALD S. FRIEDMAN »Teaneck • 201-692-7737 northjerseyoralsurgery.com; [email protected]
STEVE GARINMarlton • 856-983-0202 Moorestown • 856-722-0101 Medford • 609-654-2000 haddonoral.com
SCHUSTER: The biggest mistakes in car-ing for your or your children’s teeth are sports drinks and soda, which contain sugar and acid. Also, not brushing before bed.
WEISS: Not flossing daily is the single big-gest mistake people make in caring for their own teeth. The oral cavity is rampant with bacteria. We all have various forms of oral bacteria in our mouths. These bacteria accu-mulate on the teeth as plaque. Brushing only cleans half the surfaces of teeth—it doesn’t clean the surfaces of teeth facing each other—and this is where periodontal disease usually starts. Mouth rinses, irrigation devices, etc., are all marketed to substitute for flossing, but
they are not nearly as effective as flossing. And we know that, once plaque accumulates for more than 24 hours, it starts to change to a more harmful form. That is why we say, “Only floss the ones you want to keep”!
COUREY: The biggest mistake people make is skipping their routine visits with their dentists and hygienists because “nothing hurts.” A hy-giene appointment is not just a cleaning. Just as an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—the best oral health investment a person can make is an appointment with their den-tist and dental hygienist. People with healthy gums and teeth should visit their dentist’s of-fice at least every six months.
FASCIANO: Not following routine sched-uled check-ups and not completing treat-ment. It is important for endodontically treated teeth to be restored back to form and function. Root-canal treatment without restoration of the tooth can lead to tooth fracture and tooth loss; therefore, it is im-perative for a patient to seek treatment from their restorative dentist.
How do you think the Obama health-care plan will affect the practice of dentistry?
SCHUSTER: If Obama institutes a health-care plan such as in England, it will not only be detrimental, but people will go to other countries for better treatment. I have patients from all over the world—Africa, Europe, Ko-rea, and Australia—because they are offered inferior dental care at home.
VELAZQUEZ: In many countries with uni-versal health care, the dental care and qual-ity of dentistry declines. Choice is the only way to keep high standards and quality in health care.
WEISS: How the Obama health-care plan will ultimately affect the practice of dentistry and oral health is unclear. The reduction in health-care flex spending allowances—from $5,000 to $2,500—will definitely impact pa-tients’ ability to save and pay for needed dental treatment for themselves and their families.
What’s the best part of being a dentist?SCHUSTER: The best part of being a den-
tist is when a patient grins from ear to ear and hugs me! Creating a healthy, beautiful smile can bring life-changing results.
COUREY: The best part of being a prost-hodontist is the variety of people who come into my life. I may see a child with a congenital tooth defect, a prom queen who wants whit-er teeth, a cancer survivor who has earned a smile restoration, and a proud grandparent who needs their dentures adjusted, all in the same day.
FASCIANO: As an endodontist, the best part is relieving pain for a patient. I enjoy tak-ing an anxious, apprehensive patient out of pain and converting them to a calm, relaxed, pain-free root-canal advocate.
JAMES: I love my career as an orthodon-tist because it’s a proactive specialty. People seek treatment to make their smile beautiful and/or make their teeth fit together ideally. The outcome is always great and people feel good about their investment. They have bet-ter function and aesthetics.
WEISS: The best part about being a peri-odontist is helping people become health-ier—both dentally and medically. It sounds clichéd, but it’s the truth. I have helped di-
agnose many serious medical conditions in patients—such as diabetes, autoimmune dis-orders, cancer, etc.—by observing changes in the mouth. In doing so we have significantly improved the quality of their lives.
VELAZQUEZ: The best part of being a pediatric dentist is interacting with the children. Child behavior management is very challenging and rewarding. I remem-
ber meeting a 3-year-old little blonde girl who would scream upon entering the of-fice. With patience and caring, I was able to develop a bond with her, and now she looks forward to her six-month visits. When she came in the other day, she gave me the best compliment and said she wished to be a dentist like me when she grows up.
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