White Paper on Ethics & Professionalism in Dental Education

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The American Student Dental Association (ASDA) has recently published a White Paper on Ethics & Professionalism in Dental Education which can be found at http://www.asdanet.org/uploadedFiles/The_Issues/ASDA%20White%20Paper%20Final-Newcomb.pdf The paper is designed to help address issues of cheating which have occurred at dental schools. The ASDA Student Code of Ethics states that, “ASDA recognizes the importance of high ethical standards in the dental school setting. Therefore, the Association believes students should conduct themselves in a manner reflecting integrity and fairness in both the didactic and clinical learning environments. Ethical and professional behavior by dental students is characterized by honesty, fairness, and integrity in all circumstances; respect for the rights, differences, and property of others; concern for the welfare of patients, competence in the delivery of care, and preservation of confidentiality in all situations where this is warranted.” The paper addresses some of the … Read more

ADA EBD Champions Conference 2010

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The American Dental Association (ADA) is looking for dentists interested in spreading the word about evidence-based dentistry to attend the EBD Champions Conference March 26-27, 2010, at ADA Headquarters in Chicago, IL. The deadline for applications is faster approaching and is Jan. 30, 2010. The conference is sponsored by the ADA and the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice and supported by an educational grant from Procter & Gamble. The event is a unique opportunity for dentists to become resources to their local dental communities by promoting an evidence-based approach to patient treatment and disease prevention. I am glad to see that dentists are gathering to discuss evidence-based dentistry and feel that if you are able to make the conference, it would be well worth it. For more information about the conference or to apply to become an EBD Champion, visit … Read more

TechCrunch Hacked

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Looks like TechCrunch was again hacked today on Wednesday Jan 27, 2010, at around 1:25 A.M. Eastern Standard Time. Here is a screen grab I took during the hacking. For those who don’t know TechCrunch is a popular technology site with emphasis on the internet.

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Contact Information and Request

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I encourage you to submit emails, phone calls, and /or letters to the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS). Here is an convenient email list containing emails of the current AAOMS officers and trustees in which you can your message to iradc@aol.com, drljmoore@aol.com, ajeeone@aol.com, eslade@comcast.net, rlynnwhite@austin.rr.com, brinaldi@aaoms.org, snelson@rmoms.com, lawrencebusino@gmail.com, lkrafetto@gmail.com, etgoms@comcast.net, wnelson@baycare.net, mapavelka@msn.com, windellh@gmail.com, ejohnson@aaoms.org Here is the message I recently sent to them. By promoting the idea of removing healthy impacted wisdom teeth the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are not living up to their mission statement, are being unethical, irresponsible, and contributing to the public health hazard that is facing many Americans. Each year thousands of Americans are left with permanent disability as a result of elective oral surgery to remove their wisdom teeth. This practice is not justified by any scientific evidence and … Read more

IRA D. CHEIFETZ, D.M.D. – American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) President 2009-2010

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2009-2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) president Dr. Ira Cheifetz has said some disappointing and upsetting words in his recent inauguration speech on October 15, 2009  in Toronto, Canada. We have known empirically for many years that untreated third molars are likely to cause problems. Now we have the evidence-based data to back us up. The Third Molar Clinical Trials, undertaken jointly by the AAOMS and the OMS Foundation, has shown a correlation between third molars, their associated biofilm, and systemic disease. Despite the reams of evidence reported by this ongoing study, the American Public Health Association recently released a policy statement that notes, “. . . the removal of ‘asymptomatic’ third molars is unnecessary and is a drain on the resources of the health care system”. How do we respond to this challenge? Recognizing the effect … Read more