Tag: dentistry

The Rise of the “Misguided” Online Consultation: Patient Expectations vs. Reality

~ Shadi Samawi ~ 1 Comment

“Blindness and Error can change a life as surely as Judgement and Reason can.”  ~ M. Morris

As social media and the internet in general take hold of almost every aspect of our lives, with their apparent ease of access and speed of response, we tend to infer that we can really do EVERYTHING in the virtual world. This notion has clearly spread throughout all fields of industry, marketing and certainly impacting the field of health services in general. In this blog post I’d like to discuss the downsides of people’s misguided perceptions that online medical/dental consultations are a viable and reliable form of enquiry into their health issues.

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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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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

~ Shadi Samawi ~ Leave a comment

“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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The Key..

~ Shadi Samawi ~ 2 Comments

“The shortest distance between a human being and truth is a story.” ~ Anthony de Mello

Almost 10 years ago, at the World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) meeting in Paris, France, I attended a full day course by the late & great Dr. Vince Kokich. It was one of the most memorable courses I have ever had the pleasure of attending in my professional career to date. A very engaging and knowledgeable speaker, Dr. Kokich thrilled us with his brilliant Continue reading “The Key..” →

Non-Sense & Sensibility: Distorting Smile Aesthetics in the Frenzied Social Media Age

~ Shadi Samawi ~ 1 Comment

“Give them Quality. That’s the best kind of advertising.” ~ Milton Hershey

Let’s put it out there bluntly: We are distorting the aesthetic sense of the public, plain and simple!

And by “we” I mean “us”, dental professionals who are supposedly the custodians and guardians of people’s smiles and oral health. The public today is under constant bombardment by images of so-called “smile makeovers” a lot of which are  sub-standard, to say the least,  and often without justification, under the guise of a laughable marketing term; The Hollywood Smile. Sadly, this seems to be especially true here in the Middle East. How this “One smile fits all” notion started can probably be traced back to the rise of social media and its associated online marketing several years back!

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