Dental Asia January/February 2019

Under the Spotlight
and there is still the human element
and guidance from dentists. I highly
recommend using DM because there is
less room for error in treatment by being
able to detect certain things early. The
feedback from our patients in an internal
study shows it takes 2-5 minutes per week
and patients feel much more assured
and motivated during treatment. They
receive constant feedback via the in-App
messaging advising them of how they are
progressing.
Is Dental Monitoring (DM) only used
for clear aligners or also for traditional
appliances?
It can be used for anything from clear
aligners, traditional braces to other
appliances such as retainers. I am fond
of using DM in patients with retainers as
it can pick up the slightest movement
(0.1 mm), which allows me to retreat
patients early, quickly and conveniently. I
am truly grateful that DM is an innovation
which is now available for all orthodontists.
When I first heard of DM in 2017, I jumped
on to it straight away as I could see the
potential benefits for the patient and for
the team.
What are some guidelines you could give
to other dentists who are new to utilising
clear aligners and Dental Monitoring (DM)?
As a practitioner, I follow the golden
rule from a legendary orthodontist,
Prof. William Proffit, who said, ‘We should
always keep the patient’s biology in mind.’
This means we should not push the envelope
where it comes to tooth movement – we
need to be biologically sensitive. Secondly,
I use evidence-based research in designing
my treatment plans for aligners. Finally, I
troubleshoot early and DM helps in detecting
problems early, allowing me to finish my
treatment effectively and efficiently.
As a lecturer with great interest
in education, how vital do you think
continuing dental education (CDE) is to
dental professionals?
Education is paramount and knowledge
is powerful and meant to be shared. In
Australia, there is a regulation that every
dentist should have at least 20 hours of CDE
per year. This is a regulatory requirement
and the ethical thing to do as practicing
dental professional. I believe in maintaining
the proper skills, scope of knowledge
and standard of care for patients. I highly
recommend dentists to continue education in
various areas and to go beyond their comfort
zones to achieve great outcomes. I truly enjoy
teaching and helping other dentists deliver
amazing results to their patients.
I believe that if we do not move with
technology and current trends, we may
become inefficient and be left behind. Dentists
need to be updated with evidence-based
knowledge, innovation and advancements.
Being active in the dental scene, how do
you or organisations you are involved
in promote awareness of current dental
innovations among your peers?
I am influenced by the renowned speaker,
Mr. Simon Sinek, and according to him, it is
important to always ask the question, ‘Why?’
Everyone knows the how and what but very
few ask and understand why they do things.
So, being able to communicate why we do
things is very powerful. I always say, ‘Don’t
forget to ask the whys.’ This is the principle I
continually apply to my practice and daily life.
I love sharing my experiences and cases
with my peers. I promote awareness through
classes and various media. We have a public
YouTube channel with multiple videos on
numerous clinical cases and we also organise
paid and free events. Currently, I run a
prescribed diploma on digital orthodontics,
heavily based on digital technology to help
dentists move forward in that area. The digital
space is very hard to get into in the beginning
and I advise all practitioners to move along
with the times. My company, Best Orthodontic
Seminars & Sessions (BOSS), is available
worldwide, where we utilise social media,
clinical articles and clinical research to help
spread the knowledge.
In the next five years, where do you see
the development of digital dentistry
or digital technology in orthodontics
headed towards?
We are in the age of technology and AI in
every industry is no different. All these digital
innovation such as DM only make us more
capable in providing the best dental care for
our patients. At the moment, DM is able to
detect over 170 different intra-oral clinical
situations, including gum recession, tooth
abrasion . I believed eventually it can be used
in other dentistry to detect tooth decay and
tooth shades. I am sure that in the future, DM
will extend to preventive dentistry and be used
to maintain oral health applications globally.
Technology/artificial intelligence will never be
able to replace dentists but will enable and
support us in becoming better practitioners.
Let us learn from technology because this is
the future of orthodontics.
Given your achievements, the next
generation of dental professionals
look to you for advice. Do you have any
words of wisdom to impart to aspiring
practitioners?
Always remember to do your best, never
cut corners, go the extra mile and give your
patients the best outcome they can have.
Word of mouth is the best way to grow your
practice and the only way to achieve that is
by providing amazing work. Furthermore,
educate yourselves and continue learning
and stay updated with technology. Finally,
learning how to assess the emotional needs
of patients before beginning any treatment
plan helped me. We can be quick to jump
to solutions for a patient but we need to
first uncover their true emotional need
first. Mastering this skill has allowed me to
communicate effectively, accomplish patient
needs and address their concerns while
providing them with the ultimate care. DA
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DENTAL ASIA JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019