The Quintessence Interdisciplinary Dental Symposium (formerly the International Symposium on Comprehensive Care) will take place June 5–6, 2015, at the Hyatt Regency in Schaumburg, IL. Dr. Sillas Duarte, Jr, Symposium Program Chair, spoke with us recently about this upcoming event.
Q: Why interdisciplinary dentistry?
A: The ultimate goal of dentistry is to provide the best dental care to patients. As soon as we graduate from dental school, we are all prepared to practice as general clinicians. Then, we may find a strong interest in a particular field of dentistry and, in order to build or improve our expertise, we may specialize in that field. The knowledge created by a specialty is highly important since it focuses on a myriad of details and specificities that need to be addressed. However, it is truly important that we maintain a comprehensive view of methods and techniques that can enhance the patient treatment experience, irrespective of our specialty. Interdisciplinary dentistry is about creating new knowledge and skills by crossing and expanding boundaries and thus, reflecting across them.
Q: What is your particular interest in this topic?
A: I am chair of one of the largest division in Restorative Sciences in the country and editor-in-chief of Quintessence of Dental Technology (QDT). I oversee students (and faculty) starting on their first day of dental school until they graduate from advanced programs. In QDT, we publish the clinical and scientific work of the world’s most renowned practitioners. In both cases, we are routinely faced with a multitude of challenges that require us to reach beyond our own field and search different specialties to solve intricate dental-related problems. The discussion generated from different points of view reinvigorates all of us on novel approaches to dental treatment. It is a win-win situation where we can all learn and teach at the same time.
Q: Who should attend this symposium?
A:This symposium welcomes all fields of dentistry to discuss common interests outside the normal boundaries of the field and to reach solutions on the understanding of complex clinical situations. General practitioners, specialists, and dental technicians should attend this symposium.
Q: What can participants expect to gain from attending this symposium?
A:This is a unique symposium in the sense that it brings the discussion of different treatment modalities across different specialties (ie, periodontics, endodontics, orthodontics, operative dentistry, prosthodontics, and materials sciences) with the same common goal. Participants will gain knowledge about different modalities of treatment planning, evaluation of risk assessment for esthetic oral rehabilitations, innovative methods for fabricating CAD/CAM dentures, treatment of worn dentition using minimally invasive adhesive dentistry, and techniques to achieve the pink esthetics. World-renowned speakers will share their expertise and passion at this symposium.
For more information and to register for the Quintessence Interdisciplinary Dental Symposium, visit www.quintpub.com/qidschicago and help us spread the word by using the hashtag #QIDS2015!
