Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter has established a Task Force to Implement Digital Dentistry at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM). The charge to the Task Force is to determine the necessary facilities, equipment, and support required to create a seamless all-inclusive digital patient record to facilitate comprehensive treatment planning and efficient delivery of oral health care at the highest quality of care using digital dental technologies.
As GSDM continues the implementation of the Group Practice Model into clinical education and patient care, the Task Force will concentrate on areas of interest such as: Digital Patient Records; Restoration and Fabrication of Provisional Restorations; Permanent Inlays, Onlays, Veneers, Crowns, and Three-Unit Prostheses using Digital Technologies; a Centralized Prosthetic Laboratory Facility; and the Creation of a Mobile Dental Office as a Means of Providing Oral Health Care to Those Patients Unable to Reach a Dental Office, Community Health Center, or our School of Dental Medicine.
Associate Professor and Director of Biomaterials in the Department of Restorative Sciences & Biomaterials Dr. Russell Giordano will chair the Task Force. “It is an honor to serve as Chair of this important task force,” said Dr. Giordano. He continued, “Not only is digital dentistry an enormously beneficial change in the world of dental medicine, it’s also a transformation in dental education. It is truly gratifying to be involved in an initiative that is so critical to the future of the profession.”
Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Group Practice Experience and Team Leadership, Dr. David Russell spoke to the importance of digital dentistry for GSDM students: “This is a very important initiative that the School is embarking upon. Many of our students will find themselves in practice settings, perhaps even their first job, where digital dentistry is the order of the day. The public (our patients) are well-informed and knowledgeable about the latest techniques when they choose their dentist and practice locale. Our students need to be versed in what they are going to see as they enter the professional workforce.”
The Task Force to Implement Digital Dentistry at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine will deliver a preliminary report to Dean Hutter by August 1, 2013, and a final report with accompanying recommendations by October 1, 2013. The recommendations proposed by the Task Force must be consistent with the goals of the GSDM Applied Strategic Plan with plans to be implemented no later than July 1, 2014.
Associate Dean for Clinical Education Dr. John Guarente shared his thoughts, “I look forward to the day when we refer to a non-digital approach to dentistry as ‘old school.’ This task force will be the first step in creating the objectives necessary to incorporate this exciting technology into our everyday practice. I am grateful to be part of the process.”
Source: Boston University
