Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery - Dental Columbian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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DRTHDDDNTICS The general practitioner ' s primary function is to care for the oral health of his patients, and this in- cludes future as well as present care. He must be able to foresee and correct threatening defects as well as apparent, immediate imperfections, and most im- portant in this prophylactic consideration is a thor- ough basic knowledge and understanding of general orthodontics and in particular preventive orthodontics. The problem of when to interfere orthodontically and when not to interfere is often a very difficult one. However, if the general dentist is equipped on grad- uation with an adequate knowledge of growth and development, especially as applied to the teeth, jaws and face, and if he has a clear understanding of the changes occuring in the transition from the deciduous to the permanent dentition, he will be able to co- operate with the orthodontic specialist for the best interests of the dental and general health of his patient. The present day graduate is made to realize that Orthodontics does not always concern itself with the construction of elaborate mechanical appliances and the wholesale, long-distance shifting of teeth. At least one third of the cases which reach the specialist can be prevented by the general practitioner who has a complete understanding of the basic factors mention- ed above. Treatment in most cases consists prin- cipally of the exercising of good judgment in the simple problem of the time of extraction of decidu- ous teeth, interpretation of x-rays, the practice of space retention, the preparation of proper fillings in deciduous and early permanent teeth and the cor- rection of minor mouth habits .... all of which belong in the domain of General Dentistry. The patient certainly has the right to expect his dentist to be able to recognize the need for and prescribe treatment when necessary and also to be able to exercise certain preventive measures when in- dicated. It is the dentist ' s duty therefore to prepare himself adequately for this function. LEUMAN M. WAUGH, D.D.S. Professor of Dentistry GEORGE S. CALLOWAY Associate Prof, of D HARRY A. GALTON D.D.S. Instructor in Dentistry LEWIS E. JACKSON D.D.S. Instructor in Dentistry HENRY U. BARBER, Jr. D.D.S. - : ant Prof, of C : EDWARD G. MURPHY ARTHUR C. T0T7EN D.D.S. D.D.S. Assistant Prol Dentistry Assistant Prof, of Dentistry WILLIAM R. JOULE D.D.S. lor in Dentistry 15

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DANIEL E. ZISKIN, D.D.S. Associate Professor of Dentistry ORAL DIAGNOSIS Since 1927-28, Columbia has been a leader in teach- ing oral diagnosis and treatment planning. It was at that time that a course in Oral Diagnosis was instituted. In 1929 students were first allowed to take an active part in the Oral Diagnosis clinic. Columbia was one Of the first and few schools to do this. A good course in oral diagnosis and treatment plan- ning is the basis upon which the young dental graduate should build his practice. This is what the course in oral diagnosis tries to instill in its students. First and foremost, the means of diagnosing oral disease are taught. With this is given the rationale which neces- sarily lies behind logical diagnosis. Following the trend of modern up-to-date dentistry, oral manifestations of systemic diseases are emphasized. Before attempting to cure or remedy any oral or dental lesion the dental student is taught to look for the cause of the lesion. The effect of systemic disorders upon the organs of Ihe oral cavity are becoming better known and should be considered before making a final diagnosis. Treatment planning calls upon the dentist to exert all his care and skill in drawing together the facts in any given case and formulating a plan of treatment which will give the patient the best possible dental health service. A logical system of treatment planning is presented which meets both the demands and re- quirements of each patient. In this planning the patient ' s welfare is considered as far into the future as possible; stop-gap measures are not condoned. The young dentist will stand or fall with his success in treatment plannjng and hence the Columbia graduate should be well-prepared. HAROLD J. LEONARD D.D.S. Professor of Dentistry SOLOMON N. ROSENSTEIN B.S., D.D.S. Assistant Prof, of Dentistry LEWIS R. STOWE D.D.S. Associate Prof, of Dentistrv HENRY J. POWELL U.S., D.D.S. Assistant in Dentistry JESSE L. LEFCOURT 6.S.. D.D.S. Clinical Assistant 11

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HOUGHTON HOLLIDAY A.B.. D.D.S. Professor of Dentistry EVALD UNDER Technician HARRY H. MULHAUS Technician RADIDLDGY In 1916, the first course in Radiography was given by Prof. Gillett and his assistants in the fourth and fifth years (the dental course then was 5 years long). The fourth year course was devoted to a study of the theory and technique, while the fifth year in- cluded in addition to further technique a study and interpretation of radiographs. It is to be noted that this was the concluding year of the dental curriculum. With the growing realization that Radiography is a science which gives to the dentist an insight, a sixth sense, in the diagnosis and treatment of all den- tal ills, the Radiology course was offered to men in the second and third years, i.e. before clinical prac- tice was started. The interpretation of x-rays is now given early in the junior year in the Oral Diagnosis lectures. It is the radiogram, more than any other single factor, that has made preventive dentistry the key- note of the profession. The use of x-rays in all fields of dentistry is indispensable and their value as a diagnostic aid is incalculable. The taking of a full set of x-rays is a routine procedure in the dental in- firmary before a patient is to be treated. This even applies to edentulous cases so that we are sure root fragments, cysts, tumors and bone diseases are ab- sent before the case is undertaken. At the same time we can see the amount of bone resorption and thick- ness of the cortical plate which serve as an indication of the duration of service that can be expected of the dentures. If a field of dentistry has to be singled out as one which gained the most by the innovation of the x-ray, it would probably be operative dentistry. In- terproximal and recurrent decay can be seen in the x-ray. This one factor has probably saved more teeth than all others combined. The number of mechanical pulp exposures has been reduced to a minimum be- cause the operator can see the proximity of the decay to the pulp. The vitality of a tooth can be judged and the degree of degenerative processes in the pulp, if present, can usually be accurately estimated by a careful study of the x-ray. Necrosis of the pulp is not necessarily indicated in the x-ray. Although pulp stones, impossible to detect otherwise, can also be demonstrated. Mention should be made of the fact that in the Orthodontic Clinic it is considered foolhardy to treat a patient before x-rays have been taken. The x-ray is the only possible method of knowing beforehand the position and number of the incoming permanent dentition. Recently, emphasis has been placed on the corre- lation between dental and systemic conditions. This is shown quite clearly in many cases in which arthritic conditions were cleared up after removal of abscessed teeth. Periapical abscesses and, incidentally, the con- dition of the peridental membrane show quite cleany in the x-ray. 16