Category: Recommended Reading

“3D Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Orthodontics: An Atlas for the Clinician” :: A New Practical Textbook for the Next Evolution in Orthodontics.

~ Shadi Samawi ~ Leave a comment

Study the Science of Art and the Art of Science.

Leonardo Da Vinci

It is with great pleasure that we announce the publication of the new textbook 3D Diagnosis and Treatment Planning in Orthodontics: An Atlas for the Clinician (published by Springer) which is the fruit of a lengthy, dedicated effort by Editors Prof. Jean Marc Retrouvey (Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City) and Dr. Mohamed-Nur Abdallah (Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry) to create a practical, science-based tome for orthodontists to navigate the new 3D technological frontiers we are embarking on as a profession today -especially in the post-pandemic era to come – and to which I’ve had the honor to be a contributor.

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Is Piezocision Effective in Accelerating Orthodontic Tooth Movement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

~ Shadi Samawi ~ Leave a comment

Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.

Zora Neale Hurston

This is a short blog post announcing the publication of our latest research article; a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis entitled: Is Piezocision effective in accelerating orthodontic tooth movement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Birthed through the enormous collaborative efforts of colleagues Dr. Samer F. Mheissen (Syria) – the instigator and review coordinator – and Dr. Haris Khan (Pakistan), I’ve had the great pleasure of being a co-author on this project.

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Notes on: “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”; by Thomas S. Kuhn

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The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Thomas S. Kuhn. (50th Anniversary Edition)

Scientific theories don’t change because old scientists change their minds; they change because old scientists die. ~ Max Plank

In 1962, Thomas Kuhn, Historian of Science, published his seminal work: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (The University of Chicago Press). In this book, Kuhn challenged long-standing linear notions of scientific progress, arguing that transformative ideas don’t arise from the day-to-day, gradual process of experimentation and data accumulation but that the revolutions in science – those breakthrough moments that disrupt accepted thinking and offer unanticipated ideas – actually occur outside of “normal science,” as he called it. Normal Science , as Kuhn defines it, means research firmly based upon one or more past  scientific achievements, achievements that some particular scientific community  acknowledges for a time as supplying the foundation for its further practice.

Though Kuhn was writing when physics ruled the sciences, his ideas on how scientific revolutions bring order to the anomalies that amass over time in research experiments are still instructive in our biotech age.

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JAWS – Dr. Proffit and Dr. Ackerman Review a “Sensationalist” Book!

http://www.manlydesign.com.au/project/shark-braces/
~ Shadi Samawi ~ Leave a comment

“Science, my boy, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which are useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth.”
― Jules Verne, Journey to the Center of the Earth

It’s been a while since I last posted on the blog due to work and family time constraints, but we’re back this time with a review of a review!

As the title suggests, this post is about a review posted by Prof. William Proffit, James Ackerman and Tate Jackson on the blog The Orthodontics Professors. It is a review of a new book by Dr. Sandra Kahn and Paul R. Ehrlich entitled; Jaws: The Story of A Hidden Epidemic. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2018 (Apr.

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The Disappearance of Excellence: One Orthodontist’s Opinion.

~ Shadi Samawi ~ 6 Comments
A Guest Blog Post by Prof. Arnold J. Malerman  DDS;  Clinical Professor of Orthodontics at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

“The difference between a good Orthodontist and a great Orthodontist is attention to detail.” ~ Brainerd F. Swain, DDS

Today marks the start of an interesting series of Guest Blog Posts by prominent figures and authorities in the orthodontic community from around the world, who have graciously agreed to share their personal viewpoints regarding some important issues related to the orthodontic profession, here on The Orthodontic Notefile. The aim of these guest blog posts is to raise awareness and start a wider discussion of varying points of view regarding many debatable issues facing the orthodontic profession today, therefore your participation in the discussion in the comments section below is highly encouraged and welcome.

In the first of these guest posts, Professor Arnold J. Malerman; Clinical Professor of Orthodontics at the University of Pennsylvania, shares with us his personal opinion regarding what he believes to be three major issues facing orthodontists in the 21st century.

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The 4 Keys to Mastery of Orthodontic Finishing; A Free New Orthodontic eBook

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The 4 Keys to Mastery of Orthodontic Finishing - Shadi Samawi - 2015
“Order And Simplicity Are The First Steps Towards Mastery Of A Subject. ”  – Thomas Mann

As the saying goes: “Good is the new Average.”
In this age of high public demand for beautiful, natural-looking smiles and ever- increasing self-confidence, as well as the need for more rigorous scientific-based standards of care, there should be really no place for mediocrity.

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Communication 101 for Orthodontists

~ Shadi Samawi ~ Leave a comment

“A doctor, like anyone else who has to deal with human beings … cannot be just a scientist; he is either, like the surgeon, a craftsman, or, like the physician and the psychologist, an artist. This means that in order to be a good doctor a man must also have a good character, that is to say, whatever weaknesses and foibles he may have, he must love his fellow human beings in the concrete sense and desire their good before his own.”

— W. H. Auden

“With the evolution from a paternalistic to an autonomous (self-rule) perspective of health care delivery, many patients no longer unconditionally accept a doctor’s expert authority to dictate therapy without considering options. The doctor’s communication style must therefore convey an appreciation of the patient’s concerns and complaints, as well as verbal skills that involve the patient in the decision-making process—all in an empathetic, personalized manner.”
– Peter Greco (The Salient Skill. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2015;147:301)

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Spotting The Evidence: How to Develop Evidence-based Dentistry Skills

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“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”   ~ Christopher Hitchens

As dental professionals interested in life-long learning and improvement, developing our competency in assessing the “evidence” presented in various dental research articles, journals and texts that we may encounter – and in fact, should be seeking ourselves! – is an essential and indispensable skill.

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