CDEN0110

I 29 feature _ interview I cosmeticdentistry 1_2010 Therearebasicallytwooptionsavailable.Firstly,be- sides the biennial AAAD meetings, dentists can attend thenumerousscientificmeetingsandhands-onwork- shops organised regularly by the various national aesthetic dentistry organisations in the Asian region. Those who are really eager can attend the meetings organised by the International Federation of Esthetic Dentistry, American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, EuropeanAcademyofEstheticDentistryandAmerican Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. These are excellent meetingsbutdentistswillhavetotravelgreatdistances to the meeting venues. Secondly, dentists can attend the structured programmes organised by universities. Several US universities offer courses, on part-time or full-time basis, tailored for aesthetic dentistry. In addition, it is extremely important for dentists to read journalsandtextbooksregularlyinordertoenrichtheir knowledge. I find that most dentists want to take the easy route by depending only on lectures and fellow colleaguesforinformation. _Standardsandeducationvarygreatlythroughout the region. Do you see your organisation as a repre- sentativefortheprofession? I certainly think this is the way forward. The AAAD canactasanaccreditationbodybyconductingcourses and examinations regionally for aspiring dentists who wish to be proficient in aesthetic dentistry. Those qualifiedcanthenbeawardedafellowshipsothatpa- tientscanrecognisethemashavingachievedacertain acceptablestandard. _WhataretheobjectivesoftheAAADandwhatrole doestheAcademyplayinAsia? This is best summarised by the objectives of the AAAD as stated in the constitution. The Academy isanon-profitandnon-politicalorganisationandshall not discriminate against creed or race. The Academy shallpromotetheartandscienceofdisciplinesinaes- thetic dentistry, and popularise and advance the sci- ence and practice of aesthetic dentistry by organising regularscientificmeetings.Furthermore,theAcademy shallencourageresearchinAestheticDentistryandin- form the public of aesthetic dentistry and its practices throughperiodicnewsreleases. _Driven by patient demand, the field of aesthetic dentistryhasgainedmuchprominenceinrecentyears. What are the current trends in aesthetic dentistry in Asia? With greater exposure to the media and the Inter- net, as well as increasing affluence, Asians have fol- lowed trends in the West when it comes to demands in aesthetic dentistry. Increasingly more patients now chose veneers or have their teeth bleached in order to obtain their ideal set of sparkling white teeth. The preference for full-ceramic crowns instead of the tra- ditionalporcelain-fused-to-metalcrownsisdefinitely on the rise for obvious aesthetic reasons.Thetrendforquickfixwith veneersorcrownsinmildlycrowdeddenti- tioninsteadofconventionalorthodontic treatment is also gaining in pop- ularity,especiallyamongstwork- ing adults. Patients demand instantaestheticresultswith the least amount of in- terference in their lives. Even in orthodontics, I understand that patientsrequestin- visible braces. More patients are also aware of the appearance of their gingiva instead of just their teeth and this has invariably resulted in increasing demand for periodontal plastic surgeryaswell.Thelistgoesonandon. _Asians tend to be guided by Western stereotypes intermsofaesthetics.Haveyouwitnessedthispattern indentistry? Rightly or wrongly, I think it is generally true. Just ask any dentist who has been practising aesthetic dentistry long enough. It is not uncommon to have patients coming into the office with close-up photo- graphsofWesternmodelsorfilmstarswiththerequest tohavetheirteethdonethesameway. _WhatisperceivedasanattractivesmileinAsia? I think the general rules governing an aesthetic smile apply universally. Tooth proportion of the ante- riorteethisgenerallytheexception.Asianstendtohave narrower anterior teeth, i.e. lower width-to-length ratiocomparedtoCaucasians. _As witnessed at all major dental exhibitions last year, digitalisation is the new trend in dentistry. What hastheeffectofthisincreasingdigitalisationbeen? It certainly is a boon to the practice of aesthetic dentistry. It makes communication and presentation so much easier. The archiving of clinical photographs, which is of utmost importance, is now an easy task thankstodigitalisation. _Whatareyourplansforthefuture? MytermastheAAADPresidentendswithmyhand- ing over of office to Prof Hisashi Hisamitsu at the biennial meeting this coming May. I will continue to contributeinwhateverwayIcantotheprogressofthe AAAD, particularly in the areas of sharing my clinical knowledge with the various national aesthetic den- tistry organisations. I will remain active in my clinical practice, as I believe one can only teach and share meaningfully if one has the experience and regular practice._