Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

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 Edition cultures. Fourth, extend respect, compas- sion, empathy and concern for the needs of others. Fifth, create an environment to develop greater leadership skills. Sixth, and last, be considerate of the social justice and human rights afforded to all individuals. Useful changes in behavior Learning may be defined as use- ful changes in behavior by reflect- ing upon past experience. The past leaves much to reflect upon when contemplating the future. Today’s answers will lead to tomorrow’s questions. “Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remem- ber. Involve me and I understand,” says one Chinese proverb (source unknown). Hindsight so often provides an individual with an unequivocal opportunity to review and reflect upon one’s experiences. According to Dr. Wayne Dyer (2004), inspiration is not reserved only for high-profile creative indi- viduals in the arts and sciences, it is for everyone and is the force behind humanity’s greatest achievements. When the secrets to cultivating inspiration are discovered in every moment of one’s life, that individual will enjoy an unimagined experi- ence of enlightenment, abundance and extraordinary achievement in an effortless manner. In summary, do to others as you would do to yourself. One of the most important goals for all edu- cators is to encourage students to work on becoming more sensitive to the needs of others. A top priority for this orthodon- tist has always focused on devel- oping greater understanding of an individual’s behavior when alone as well as in group interaction. Sensitivity to the needs of others is of extreme importance and sig- nificance, and vital for all medical and dental clinicians: compassion, understanding, empathy and con- sideration are some of the salient and foremost attributes we all must strive to develop. DT References • Dyer, W. (2004). The power of inspiration. W.S. Bookwell, Hay House, Inc.: Finland. • Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intel- ligences, 10th anniversary edition, New York: Basic Books. Group Editor’s Note: Dr. Tarta- kow’s editorial appeared in Ortho Tribune’s Nov. 2010 edition. DTUS Editor in Chief Dr. Hoexter and I thought it was an excellent way to begin the new year, and we hope it provides you with much food for thought. Learning how to communicate with one another is the first step in all relationships. All education- al programs must adhere to basic principles of learning in order to enhance a student’s educational experience. It is important for educators and administrators to understand and recognize that not all students use the same learning modalities. For the clinician, it may be help- ful for each one of us to recognize which modality of learning serves us best. Seven learning styles First, and foremost, be aware that there is a minimum of seven rec- ognized styles of learning for all individuals. In “Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences” (1993), Dr. Howard Gardner, a respected authority on higher education and learning, established another way of grouping learning styles, sug- gesting that there are at least seven modalities or intelligences linking our individual styles. While Gardner’s work encour- ages the consideration of new and creative ways to educate students, a solid grasp of core modalities apply immediately to everything we do. Adult learners typically rely on learning modalities that process information at an unconscious level, but the adult may be con- sciously aware of which modes he or she prefers. Most learners retain a dominant and an auxiliary learning modality, and access information through all the senses, but generally favor one. We process by visual-sight, audi- tory-sound, kinesthetic-moving and tactile-touch. Gardner suggested the following basic learning styles: 1. Verbal and linguistic: Sensi- tive to the meaning and order of words. 2. Musical: Sensitive to pitch, melody, rhythm and tone. 3. Logical and mathematic: Able to handle reasoning and rec- ognize patterns and order. 4. Spatial: Perceives the world accurately and tries to re- create or transform an aspect of that world. 5. Bodily and kinesthetic: Able to use the body skillfully and handle objects adroitly. 6. Interpersonal: Understands people and relationships. 7. Intrapersonal: Possesses access to one’s emotional life as a method to understand oneself and others. Second, develop better commu- nication skills and lines with other service providing individuals, i.e., fellow dentists, physicians, attor- neys as well as a patient’s nuclear family. Third, gain a better understand- ing of behavior and interactions between individuals from different Publisher & Chairman Torsten Oemus t.oemus@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, Endo & Lab Tribunes 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 Product & 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 C.E. International Sales Manager Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com Dental Tribune America, LLC 116 West 23rd Street, Suite 500 New York, NY 10011 Tel.: (212) 244-7181 Fax: (212) 244-7185 Published by Dental Tribune America © 2011 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. Guest Editor’s Letter DENTAL TRIBUNE | January 20112A Communication ... Understanding learning styles is key to working with others By Dennis J. Tartakow, DMD, MEd, EdD PhD, Editor in Chief Ortho Tribune AD