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Dr. Joel Berg Dr. L. Stephen Buchanan Dr. Arnaldo Castellucci Dr. Gorden Christensen Dr. Rella Christensen Dr. William Dickerson Hugh Doherty Dr. James Doundoulakis Dr. David Garber Dr. Fay Goldstep Dr. Howard Glazer Dr. Harold Heymann Dr. Karl Leinfelder Dr. Roger Levin Dr. Carl E. Misch Dr. Dan Nathanson Dr. Chester Redhead Dr. Irwin Smigel Dr. Jon Suzuki Dr. Dennis Tartakow Dr. Dan Ward Editorial Board DENTAL TRIBUNE The World’s Dental Newspaper · US EditionAAE uses Root Canal Awareness Week to dispel myths By Fred Michmershuizen, Online Editor E v e r y o n e ’ s heard the jokes, the innuendos and the compari- sons to unpleas- ant things. Noth- ing can be so bad, according to popular percep- tion, as having to undergo a root canal procedure. (Except perhaps an IRS audit.) That’s why every spring, the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) holds Root Canal Awareness Week. The idea behind the event, according to the AAE, is to help dis- pel long-standing myths about root canal treatment and increase the public’s understanding of the procedure as one that is virtually painless. The week also seeks to raise awareness of endodontics as a specialty and highlight the importance of endodontists. This year in particular, the AAE used its Root Canal Awareness Week, held in the spring, to help encourage general practitioners to refer more cases to endodontists and to help patients make more informed decisions about whether to see a specialist. With their use of advanced technologies and expertise in admin- istering anesthesia, the AAE pointed out that endodontists perform virtually painless root canal treatments that can last a lifetime. The AAE also says that patients who require endodontic therapy should ask general dentists about the benefits of consulting an endodon- tist, even if the GP does not recommend a specialist. After all, the AAE pointed out, when it comes to many serious health needs, family physicians turn to specialists such as cardiol- ogists for heart disease and podiatrists for foot troubles. However, when it comes to dentistry, general practitioners refer less than half of patients who need root canals to colleagues who specialize in the procedure, according to a recent survey by the AAE. According to the survey, dentists refer an average of 46 percent of root canal patients to endodontists, yet almost all general den- tists surveyed, 94 percent, say they have a positive or very positive perception of endodontists as well as the care they provide. With more than 15 million root canals performed annually, the AAE used Root Canal Awareness Week — which ran March 28 to April 3 this year — to remind dental patients of the advanced train- ing endodontists receive for this complex dental treatment. Reacting to remark by Obama Speaking of the public’s perception of root canal treatment, the AAE did not let a negative reference to the procedure by President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union address earlier this year go unchecked. Obama uttered the phrase “as popular as a root canal” when outlining the many difficult challenges facing the nation. The AAE pointed out that Obama unintentionally reinforced a myth and outdated misconception about the “unpopular” nature of root canal procedures. “While we certainly understand the president’s intent, people need to know that root canals don’t cause pain, they relieve it,” remarked Dr. Gerald N. Glickman of the AAE, after Obama’s address. “Root canals may sound daunting, but endodontists can do this procedure quickly, efficiently and with virtually no pain involved. The result is a restored natural tooth that can last a lifetime.” The AAE also explained that most root canal treatments can be completed in one visit and are entirely comfortable. A national consumer survey published in 2009 shows that an overwhelming majority of root canal patients use positive words to describe the experience. According to a previous AAE poll, those who had a root canal performed by an endodontist were six times more likely to describe it as “painless” than those who had never had the procedure. DT News DENTAL TRIBUNE | June 20102A Publisher & Chairman Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com Vice President Global Sales Peter Witteczek p.witteczek@dental-tribune.com Chief Operating Officer Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com Group Editor & Designer Robin Goodman r.goodman@dental-tribune.com Editor in Chief Dental Tribune Dr. David L. Hoexter d.hoexter@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor/Designer Implant Tribune & Endo Tribune Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com Managing Editor/Designer Ortho Tribune & Show Dailies Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com Online Editor Fred Michmershuizen f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com Account Manager Mark Eisen m.eisen@dental-tribune.com Marketing Manager Anna Wlodarczyk a.wlodarczyk@dental-tribune.com Sales & Marketing Assistant Lorrie Young l.young@dental-tribune.com C.E. Manager Julia E. Wehkamp j.wehkamp@dental-tribune.com Dental Tribune America, LLC 213 West 35th Street, Suite 801 New York, NY 10001 Tel.: (212) 244-7181 Fax: (212) 244-7185 Published by Dental Tribune America © 2010 Dental Tribune America, LLC All rights reserved. Dental Tribune strives to maintain the utmost accuracy in its news and clini- cal reports. If you find a factual error or content that requires clarification, please contact Group Editor Robin Goodman at r.goodman@dental-tribune.com. Dental Tribune cannot assume respon- sibility for the validity of product claims or for typographical errors. The pub- lisher also does not assume responsibility for product names or statements made by advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and may not reflect those of Dental Tribune America. AD When President Barack Obama used the phrase “as popular as a root canal” when outlining the many difficult chal- lenges facing the nation in his first State of the Union address earlier this year, the AAE cried foul. (Photo/Whitehouse.gov)