Teamwork Wins the Day

With apologies to Patriots fans, here in Philadelphia we just watched the Eagles surprise the pundits and stun the football world by winning the Super Bowl. The guys in green may have lacked the big name superstars (ie, no Tom Brady) and had no championship experience, but what they did have-in abundance-was teamwork, camaraderie, and a real love for the game. Put it all together and it added up to a triumphant outcome.

As clinicians we can glean an important lesson from the Eagles' unexpected victory: When we join with colleagues and come together as a team, greater things can happen. Whether you're a football fan or not, this theme rings true in our continuing education curriculum this month.

In our first CE, the value of interdisciplinary treatment is shown in an article describing surgically facilitated orthodontic therapy (SFOT). The authors describe how SFOT is used to stimulate the regional acceleratory phenomenon and upregulate bone remodeling and tooth movement as part of orthodontic decompensation. A component of interdisciplinary dentofacial therapy (IDT), SFOT demands meticulous communication among all team members to accomplish its goal of a facially prioritized treatment plan. The IDT team, comprising the general dentist, periodontist, orthodontist, prosthodontist, and oral and maxillofacial surgeon, just to name a few, works together to more effectively manage the dynamic craniomandibular system.

Our second CE discusses drug abuse among the elderly, a dilemma that is anticipated to increase with the aging of the baby boomer generation. As the authors explain, dental clinicians need to participate in the management of elderly patients who may be abusing drugs. This requires consultation and corroboration with the patient's physician or psychiatrist, thereby enhancing the dentist's role as a member of the patient's overall healthcare team.

In addition, this issue contains a thorough review of pulp capping, two case reports highlighting both single-implant and full-arch implant dentistry, and an array of other informative articles.

As the city of Philadelphia now knows, winning can be extremely exhilarating. As a clinician, being part of a team can raise our level of satisfaction over that which we might attain working solo. We can do bigger and better things when we join up with associates.

Sincerely,

Louis F. Rose, DDS, MD
Editor-In-Chief
lrose@aegiscomm.com