The last month of 2020 is here and I suspect that most people will be happy to see this year end. That said, as we arrive in this holiday season, I am advocating a purposeful sense of gratitude. I write “purposeful” because, with the spike in COVID 19 and the coming “dark winter’, we may need to look a little harder to find our place of gratitude.
I am grateful for, and proud of, the profession of dentistry. Through the years, this profession has worked to “put itself out of business”, through the use of fluoride. Fluoride is arguably one of the most amazing advances of the 20th century. As an economical and easily distributed preventive measure, fluoride has significantly reduced the incidence of dental caries in children and adults. Additionally, many dentists employ fluoride in adult restorative work to promote the longevity of the treatment and recommend fluoride rinses to protect existing dental restorations and to fight decay.
I am also appreciative of the advances in the field of periodontics. We continue to learn more about the mouth-body link and the implications of gum disease to overall health. To that end, dentists are aggressively treating gingivitis and periodontitis, with topical medications as well enhanced office treatments. Dentists promote the understanding that healthy gums provide the foundation for strong healthy teeth and overall health.
My gratitude list includes the specialists who partner with me to provide the care my patients need and deserve. We are blessed to have some of the best specialists in the country in our “backyard”. Some of them have written books and provided training for dentists around the world. What amazes me, however, is the generosity of spirit I encounter in dealing with these dental professionals as they share their knowledge and talent for the good of my patients.
My gratitude extends to my amazing dental team, who took a leap of faith to return to work as we slowly began to treat patients in early June. And we all are thankful for our investment in personal protective equipment (PPE), which has enabled everyone to be safe as we provide dental care to our patients.
Finally, I am grateful to the Herald for this platform to share my love of dentistry, to the readers, to my wonderful patients, and to my partner-son, who shares this journey with me. We wish you a wonderful holiday season and happiness and HEALTH in the New Year.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Spadafora
