A Nightmare in Dentistry

By Kavin Kelp

 

One day in the not-so-distant future, you may find that it is difficult to get crowns, bridges, veneers, and dentures made.

 

 The number of ADA accredited dental laboratory schools in the United States is now at 22 and dwindling.  We as dentists have many things to coordinate everyday to deliver dental care in a timely manner.  Without reliable laboratory support, we have big problems.  Sure, CEREC helps but a huge need for laboratory support remains with the many types of restorations we provide.

 

The Future of Dentistry report from the American Dental Association, 2002, states

 “Prosthetic services will continue to be a large part of dental practice. Given the longer life expectancy and the inevitable loss of teeth by the older population, it is imperative that the resources for providing the needed restorations are made available.”

 

I attended a seminar last week where the speaker from St. Louis told us that the state of Missouri has zero accredited laboratory schools and that the closest one was in Indiana. 

 

Mr. Roosevelt Davis, Director of the San Antonio College Dental Laboratory Technology (which is presently housed at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center), says “regrettably, those that make decisions about funding for higher education in Texas and most other areas make funding for these programs a low priority.”

 

The program was initially part of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center but San Antonio College has taken it over and is building a new campus for Allied Health Sciences Education.  The new facility is expected to open sometime next year. The change was precipitated because the Dean wanted to eliminate the program at UTHSCSA.  There is concern that much of the curriculum that Mr. Davis believes is critical to training is being eliminated in the transition.

 

Our efforts and actions are critical as a profession to ensure that an adequate number of dental laboratory technologists are being trained. Our Associations need to make our legislature aware of the impending crisis and also need to recruit young talent into this field.  We as individual professionals need to make the field of dental laboratory technology known to young people as a desirable and rewarding career choice.  Individual discussion and awareness should be a priority at health and job fairs.

 

The ADA has very good brochures and videos that detail the career opportunities in this field. We should be promoting dental laboratory technology as a career choice actively on all fronts. Additionally, there are tuition grants available through the American Dental Association Foundation for those entering students that qualify.

 

It is clear that a crisis will occur if we wait for higher education administrators or politicians to act on their own. I know that most dentists really prefer not to add porcelain stacking to their busy schedules.