Episode #441: How Technology is Influencing Dental Education, with Dr. Gerard Kugel

Now is an exciting time for dentistry. Things are becoming easier, faster, and more accurate, opening up new possibilities. But as much as we talk about technology, dental education has been behind. So, where is the big technology push? To explore that question, Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Gerard Kugel to explain the technology lag, its causes, and how we can work to move things forward. Embrace technology, no matter your age! To learn why and how, listen to Episode 441 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Don't be the first or last to experiment.
• Technology will always come and go.
• There is no must-have product.
• Always embrace technology.
• Never stop learning.

Quotes:

• “I think dental education has been a little bit behind. And why do you think they're behind? What's one major reason we don't see the big technology push in dental schools? Expense. It’s expensive. Technology is costly. In my private practice, different story. You're at a school that's got 200 kids, 150 kids, it’s expensive. And secondly, your faculty, which sounds funny. You’ve got an older faculty who haven't embraced technology. So, I think technology in dental education has always lagged a little behind.” (5:10—5:41)
• “Even though technology, we talk about it, it still hasn’t been totally incorporated into the dental community the way you would think.” (6:20—6:28)
• “Five days a week doesn't mean you're a better dentist. What means you're a better dentist is you take the care, you learn, you read, you practice, you're humble, and you know that you can improve. I tell dental students I learn every day. It doesn't matter how many years I've had under my belt in dentistry. I learn. That's why I embrace technology at my age.” (8:20—8:39)
• “Even a technology that we take for granted today, which is bonding to dentin, posterior composites, there was a time when that was very controversial. And I lived through those battles.” (12:03—12:14)
• “The guy or gal who gets up and says, ‘This is the must-have product,’ I get that all the time, no, there is no must-have. I could hand you five different composites, and you would be fine with those.” (13:30—13:41)
• “I always say don't be the first on the block, don't be the last on the block. Do a little homework. Listen a little bit.” (14:33—14:40)
• “Anybody who says digital scanning is not accurate — it’s easier, it’s accurate.” (27:32—27:36)
• “We are going digital. Most schools are because it’s the way to go. And I'm not telling you — I can do a great job with a polyvinyl siloxane impression. They do a great job. But in this day and age, if they're sitting in front of you and you've got impression material and you've got a scanner, if you don't grab that scanner, then you're just living in the Dark Ages. You've got your head in the sand. My patients love — they think you're a better dentist, even if you're not, because you're [using] digital.” (28:35—29:06)
• “Get into a good situation at a good practice. Never stop learning. Find some good educators that are not bought and sold by corporations that you can latch on to.” (30:42—30:57)
• “One of the regrets I always have is, I restored implants since the ‘80s. I'd never placed implants. Be well-trained. Placing single-tooth implants with a surgical guide is not that complicated.” (31:33—31:44)
• “I tell students all the time, it’s not the dentistry; it’s the person behind the teeth that is often the issue.” (33:43—33:49)
• “If you've got a patient that you really don't feel comfortable working on, be careful. Because all that money means nothing if you're miserable. What does it take to make you miserable as a dentist? How many miserable patients to make you miserable? One. You need that one miserable patient. And it doesn't mean you didn't do a good job. It means they're miserable.” (34:02—34:19)
• “I got the best advice from [Dr. Murray Gabel], who was a legend here. He died at the age of 100. He graduated dental school in 1921 or 1922, and he practiced until he was 88. And I was in his office. Murray said, ‘I'll give you the best advice. Know what you shouldn't do.’” (34:24—34:40)
• “Case note, case note, case note. Because if you didn't write it, you didn't do it.” (36:42—36:45)
• “Be careful. Don't get involved with those cases you can't handle. And you're going to get to a point where you've got enough in the bank, and you've got enough people waiting in line to come into your office, you can say, ‘You know what? I don't want to do any root canals.’” (37:36—37:47)

Snippets:

• 0:00 Introduction.
• 1:42 Dr. Kugel’s background.
• 6:55 Keep on learning.
• 8:59 Technology comes and goes.
• 13:00 There is no must-have product.
• 15:49 The push from four-year dental programs to three.
• 19:46 Working in underserved communities.
• 24:39 Veterans and dental care.
• 26:05 How technology is changing dental schools.
• 29:35 Advice for dentists.
• 32:18 Don't do what you don't love or aren't good at.
• 35:08 Know what you shouldn't do.
• 41:38 More about Dr. Kugel and how to get in touch.

Reach Out to Dr. Kugel:

Dr. Kugel’s website: https://drgerardkugel.com/

Dr. Kugel’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerry.kugel

Dr. Kugel’s social media: @gerrykugel

Resources:

Dr. Kugel’s group practice: https://www.trinitydentalboston.com/

California Dental Association: https://www.cda.org/

Yankee Dental Congress: https://www.yankeedental.com/

Hinman Dental Society: https://www.hinman.org/

Dr. Gerard Kugel Bio:

Dr. Gerard Kugel, D.M.D., M.S., Ph.D., is an Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. With an expertise in Clinical Research and Esthetic Dentistry, he is a reviewer for The New England Journal of Medicine, JADA, The Journal of Dental Materials, and the Journal of Prosthodontics. He is on the Editorial Board of the Clinical Dentistry & Research, The Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry, and Compendium, and he is Editor Emeritus of Inside Dentistry. He is a Fellow in the American and International Colleges of Dentistry, as well as the Academy of General Dentistry and the Academy of Dental Materials. He is on the Board of Directors of the CR Foundation, has his M.S. in Anatomy and Cellular Biology, and his Ph.D. in Dental Materials. He received his Executive Certificate in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Business in 2009.

Dr. Kugel has published over 130 articles and over 250 abstracts in the field of restorative materials and techniques. He lectures extensively both nationally and internationally. He is part of a group practice, Trinity Dental Boston, located in Back Bay, Boston.