Welcome to Decisions in Dentistry

We are pleased to introduce a new paradigm in dental journals, one that will enhance your clinical understanding and bring new tools to your armamentarium. With the premiere issue, Decisions in Dentistry is debuting a simple yet powerful concept: Fulfill the information needs of today’s dentists with practical, evidence-based content that’s presented in a graphically pleasing and easy-tounderstand manner. Written and edited so the information can readily be applied in practice, the journal’s peer-reviewed articles and continuing education courses are designed to help general practitioners and specialists raise their level of care.

Independent market research by Martin Akel & Associates confirms the premise behind Decisions in Dentistry, as the dentists surveyed overwhelmingly support the need for unbiased clinical information that’s easy to digest and helpful in daily practice.

BY UNIFYING A BROAD RANGE OF INFORMATION, DECISIONS IN DENTISTRY HELPS GENERAL DENTISTS AND SPECIALISTS DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL FACETS OF PRACTICE

In addition, 98% of survey respondents consider this cutting- edge approach to be unique in the dental space. As you’ll see in this issue, the journal offers a mix of specialty care and general practice information presented in an efficient and clinically relevant format. By unifying a broad range of information, Decisions in Dentistry helps general dentists and specialists develop a better understanding of all facets of practice. In turn, expanding their knowledge of other disciplines and procedures allows clinicians to provide the best possible care.

In fact, the value of a broad clinical perspective has never been greater — especially in light of the trend toward interprofessional communication and a coordinated continuum of care between dental and medical teams. Rapid advances in technology and technique are likewise shaping modern practice. These developments are enhancing dentists’ diagnostic and clinical capabilities, and leading to improved outcomes in specialty and general procedures. They are also supporting the growing trend of multidisciplinary care.

Thanks in part to new technologies, dental schools are offering more training in procedures that previously were the sole purview of specialists, and recent graduates continue to pursue advanced education in general practice. At the same time, the Akel research notes that practitioners are expanding their list of services to meet the demands of today’s patients. In fact, the survey shows that 98% of general dentists provide one or more types of specialty care, with these procedures accounting for nearly half of the services rendered.

IT’S IMPORTANT FOR CLINICIANS WHO PROVIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE TO REALIZE THEY ARE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS SPECIALISTS. BY GAINING INSIGHTS INTO MULTIDISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES, GENERAL PRACTITIONERS WILL LEARN THE NUANCES OF SPECIALTY CARE

While this trend will continue, it’s important for clinicians who provide multidisciplinary care to realize they are held to the same standards as specialists. By gaining insights into multidisciplinary procedures, general practitioners will learn the nuances of specialty care. This will allow them to recognize their limits and know when a referral is in a patient’s best interest. By the same token, specialists who learn more about other specialties will gain new perspectives that can’t help but sharpen their professional focus.

The evolution of the dental landscape signals that the information needs of dentists are broader than ever. By presenting evidence-based coverage of the full spectrum of specialty and general procedures, Decisions in Dentistry helps operators develop a richer understanding of all areas of practice. Offering an easy-to-read, peer-reviewed resource designed to advance the clinical knowledge of specialists and general practitioners alike, our new journal hopes to raise the level of care in all disciplines. Welcome to Decisions in Dentistry!

Thomas G. Wilson Jr., DDS
Editor in Chief
twilson@belmontpublications.com