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Supporting Your Practice

View from the Chairside: Nosce Te Ipsum, Know Your Limitations

Once again, I had the pleasure to work with and host Dr. Paul Belzycki, dental surgeon from Toronto. He continues his series of mentorship posts, presenting valuable clinical expertise gathered over four decades in private dental practice.

As usual we are very grateful and thankful for his valuable contribution and continued support.

I hope you enjoy watching the case. We always welcome your feedback, thoughts, suggestions, and questions. Email us at oasisdsicussions@cda-adc.ca or if you would like to call us, our toll-free number is 1-855-716-2747.

Until next time!

Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager

Dr. Belzycki’s Thoughts

Nosce Te Ipsum…Socrates plea to the youth of his time…Know Thy Self. He claimed the un-examined life is not worth living. Another interpretation might be conduct yourself  throughout life, so that there is something worthy to reflect on. 

Now in the latter stages of my career, I have been acting as a mentor for the CDA Oasis Project and this activity has motivated me to reflect on my life as a dentist. I should like to inform this audience that my reflecting has proved most satisfying. I continue to practice full-time with enthusiasm and commitment to excellence. I attempt to infuse my presentations with those guiding sentiments.

However, let me assure all that I have an ego and this exercise does tickle that ego. There are times when ego gets the better of us and we begin to suffer delusions of grandeur. This erroneous self-image is all too easy to acquire in dentistry when one is at the “Top of the Food Chain” in the artificial environment of Dental practice. For this post, let us redefine the Socratic Dictum of Nosce Te Ipsum as Know Thy Limitations. Dentistry can be very humbling when things go “sideways”. 

Oasis Moment (0.49″)

 

Full Case Presentation (43.13″)

 

 

 

4 Comments

  1. Brian Clark June 27, 2018

    Paul, that is beautiful work and sound advice. Knowing when to refer to a specialist colleague is important and I always told my specialist friends how much I appreciated their support and complimented them on their skillful treatment. I don’t know how often they hear that kind of feedback but it works wonders! The current CDA Essentials features a case that went badly wrong because practitioners continued down the same road after it became clear that the patient was in trouble and needed a referral. It just backs up your own comments.

    Reply
    1. Dr. Paul Belzycki June 27, 2018

      Dear Brian

      This was the first case I did with Dr Moncarz. It opened my eyes. I have had very few problems with how I provide endo…Old School hand instrumentation. Dr Moncarz claims this is the case because I act early on cases and do not allow the canal system to become necrotic. Vital cases have fewer setbacks. I know the radiographic appearance of my obturations may not appear as elegant as Andrew’s, but if the canal is cleaned thoroughly, that part matters little to me, if the fill is to length.

      Having said that, since this first case, I hear his voice in my head every time I do endo…Command the Apex. Radiographically, my “white lines” are now somewhat sexier. But I do not think the success rate is any different.

      I recall the words of an Old Time Endodontist here in Toronto when I was a student. And I don’t think he was a “real specialist”…I believe he was grandfathered the title, this before certified specialist became commonplace in city.

      He claimed what was important was what you removed, not what you put in.

      This is clinical experience. Blending Old knowledge with New.

      Reply
  2. Doug Cowdrey July 16, 2018

    Hello Dr. Belzycki a concise presentation in particular the referral. He caught my attention wrt the triangles, so I will be pursuing Dr, Moncarz shortly.
    Very much appreciate the time you have placed in this presentation.

    Reply
    1. Dr. Paul Belzycki July 17, 2018

      Hey, Doug…Thanks for noticing. I am trying.
      Drop Andrew a line.
      He is an honest man.
      A value him most for the endos he doesn’t do.
      You should understand that statement.

      Reply

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