Mount Pleasant Magazine 6.4

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Some of traditional dentistry’s invasiveness and
inconvenience – barriers for many people – may be on the
wane with the continued emergence of digital dentistry,
where high-tech methods are used in lieu of traditional
techniques for restorations, surgical guides, implants and
more. For patients, that often means both better outcomes
and less time in the dentist’s chair.
An example: Visual scanning is taking the place of
cumbersome dental impression molds. Today intraoral
scanners easily capture pictures and videos of a patient’s
entire mouth or even a single tooth. That information
can be used to quickly and accurately create models for
prosthetics such as bridges and crowns. In the case of the
latter, patients can now have a crown installed the same
day, instead of spending weeks with a temporary version.
“The digital aspect is one of the strong suits of our
education,” Dr. Painter said.
A FinAl Hurdle
Ongoing technological advancements are impressive
and undoubtedly a boon for the general populace. Still,
pockets of so-called dental health professional shortage
areas remain. (That is, locales in which there is only one
dentist for every 5,000 people.)
In South Carolina almost 80 such areas exist.
Dr. Javed said providing adequate care in such typically
rural areas of the state is a complex proposition.
“Dentistry requires a facility outfitted with
sophisticated dental equipment,” he said. “That requires
more resources and financial responsibility. It’s like having
an operating room: a surgeon can’t do what he or she does
without equipment. But if I live in a smaller town, that
doesn’t mean my care doesn’t count.”
Dr. Amy Martin, associate professor at the College of
Dental Medicine, helps lead the Medical Oral Expanded
Care (MORE Care) Collaborative, a statewide effort aimed
at helping rural primary care doctors bridge treatment
for dental conditions. In its first year, the program has
benefited more than 10,000 children.
“Americans’ health should not suffer because they live
in rural areas,” Dr. Martin wrote in a co-signed editorial
that appeared in The Post and Courier this spring.
It’s an issue that Dr. Javed and the college continue to
monitor closely. In fact, a federal grant received through
MUSC has helped fund MORE Care.
“Our students are sensitive to all people’s needs,”
said Dr. Javed, who serves as a consultant to dental
schools in the Middle East and Pakistan. “Especially the
underserved.”
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ABOUT THE COVER
We teeth take on a lot – just think about
it for a second. From your 8 a.m. coffee
to your midnight snack, we’re working
24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Some teeth stay with
you for the majority
of your life. others,
like me, only stay
for a few short years
before we’re wiggled
or wrangled out and
placed under a pillow
in hopes that we’ll be
replaced with a few
dollars.
i got lucky, as i
was swooped up
from beneath a
sweet little girl’s pillow by an exquisite fairy with
glistening wings and a wide grin, revealing two
sets of perfectly pearly white teeth. She flew
with me through the balmy lowcountry air and
dropped me off at my new home, coastal kids
dental & Braces, in charleston, South carolina.
that is where my adventure truly began. Sure, i
adored those few years filled with the excitement
of ice cream in the summer and hot chocolate in
the winter until finally being laid to rest under the
pillow. But here was my chance to see the world.
i decided to embrace my new home in the
dentist office. i observed the dentists as they
worked tirelessly on perfecting everyone’s smiles. i
watched the children bounding through the door
and sliding into the reclining chair, their excitement
showing the gaps their baby teeth had left behind.
i entertained them and befriended them all.
then one day recently, i was extracted from
my home for a mysterious adventure. i was put in
a car trunk, excitement and anxiety washing over
me. this time there was no winged enchantress to
reassure me i was going somewhere marvelous.
We arrived at a building where i met dr. Matthew
Barefoot and dr. kari ryan. We stood beneath
the lights inside Jenn cady’s photography studio,
and i finally had my moment to shine. i couldn’t
believe i was the lucky tooth to grace the cover of
Smiling Faces.
i hope you are as excited to read the dental
section as i was to model for it. and remember to
love your teeth, because we love you back.
Sincerely,
Mr. tooth
Charleston’s Exclusive Oral Health Online Network • www.ChsDentists.com Smiling es
Camera Ready?MeetYour Dentist Here!
Kari Ryan,DMD
Kari RyanDentistry
2016-17 EDITION For the Good
of the Grin
ECCOCommunityDentalClinic
Support for
Our Smiles
TheMUSCCollegeofDentalMedicine
Matthew Barefoot,DDS,MD
BarefootOral& Facial Surgery