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

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MAURICE J. HICKEY, D.M.D., M.D. Associate Dean of the Vacuity of Medicine for Dental and Oral Surgery Executive Officer, Department of Dentistry Professor of Oral Surgery

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GRAYSON KIRK, Ph.D., LL.D. President of the University It is a privilege to extend greetings to the Class of 1956. You are entering your career at one of the most challenging periods in history because so much is now expected of dentists and the members of all the health professions. The progress made in the sciences funda- mental to health has been so rapid in recent years that the public and patients have come to demand a quality of service not possible in the past. Even though great advances have been made and are currently increas- ing, they are only a prologue to what the future is likely to be. This obviously means that in order to keep abreast of developments every dentist must remain a student throughout his life. All of you should make plans to continue your professional education as long as you remain active in practice, not alone for your responsibilities to patients but also to bring to you the satisfaction which a grasp of the newer methods, techniques and procedures will give you. Since dental and medical practice and education are so closely related, the Dental School was originally made a part of the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and the training programs in the basic sciences and in the clinical divisions have been integrated under an all-inclusive faculty. Den- tistry in all of its aspects is one of the essential features of the concept of the Medical Center. The effort has been to create an environment to learn under supervision and to have the benefits of the multiple disciplines that are involved in all forms of present day professional edu- cation and practice. May I extend to you hearty greetings from the whole Faculty and best wishes for many years of success and happiness. Sincerely, 10 WlLLARD C. RAPPLEYE, M.D. Dean WlLLARD COLE RAPPLEYE, M.D., A.M., Sc.D., Med. Sc.D. Vice-President in Charge of Medical Affairs Dean of the Faculty of Medicine

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Oral Diagnosis EDWARD V. ZEGARELLI A-B., D.D.S., M.S. Associate Professor of Dentistry The practice of diagnosis may be made simple and accurate if certain basic principles are followed. To illustrate I will describe briefly two subjects — a member of the dental staff — and a disease of the mouth. Attempt to identify each subject: 1A. The person is a white male, in the sixties, appears younger; medium build; dresses conservatively; wears horn-rimmed glasses; is clean-shaven; has wavy-black hair with that greyness which lends that look of distinction. IB. Due t,o illness sleeping is irregular; smokes filter cigarettes; has a high tolerance for alcoholic liquids; loquacious and lovable; idealistic and practical; intimate with both extreme joy and sadness; expert hunter and financier; astute student of the Civil War, politics, and world history; possesses vast scientific knowledge, a skillful dentist, diagnostician, clinician and teacher. 2A. The disease is ulcerative affecting the soft tissues of the mouth; the ulcers which are small, round, superficial and multiple are yellowish-grey with red borders. 2B. Only mouth tissues are affected; adult women more often; recurrent; ulcers last ten to fourteen days; variable remission period follows healing; associated with hypovitaminosis, allergy, hormonal imbalance, herpes simplex virus and psychogenic stimuli; therapy uniformly unsuccessful; of no danger to life of patient. Most students will recognize easily the subjects described. But, were the descriptive in- formation limited to the outward or clinical appearances alone, as contained in the first paragraphs, would your diagnosis be as accurate? Dependence on visual features for con- clusive diagnosis is often insufficient and may lead to error. A more intimate acquaintance with a person or disease is essential if one is to know and recognize them. Knowledge of the inherent qualities and characteristic together with an understanding of the total entity will distinguish and differentiate the person or disease. Note the contents of the second paragraphs. These are the subjects ' descriptive qualities, their inherent natures, their habitual character- istics. Knowledge of these features not only clarifies the specific entity but it also aids in portraying the most important aspect of diagnosis, namely, differentiation, the art of dis- tinguishing one disease from another. Lack of a thorough and total understanding of a subject precludes its proper appreciation, Without this understanding one can hardly expect to know and diagnose the essential prerequisites to accurate therapy. Dr. Edward V. rt ZEGARELU k ■ ▼) —•■-?] eph A. Cutti Joseph A. Cuttita Jack Budowsky Ferdinand A. Tuoti John D. Piro A.B., M.S., D.D.S. D.D.S. D.M.D. D.D.S. Ida M. Golomb D.D.S. Eval Lindec Radiology Jesse L. Lefcourt Marcella Halpert Lester E. Rosenthal Joseph Serio D.D.S. D.D.S. D.D.S. D.D.S. Lawrence Daum D.D.S. Eugene M. Tedaldi B.S., D.D.S Robert J. Kelle B.S., D.D.S