2013 California Academy of General Dentistry Annual Meeting

Thinking about what to do after all the holiday madness? Come to San Francisco with your AGD brothers and sisters to relax and learn. Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27 in one of San Francisco’s signature hotels, The Palace Hotel.

The topics are some of THE BEST. Oral surgery for the general practitioner by Dr. Karl Koerner is one of the most attended courses the CAGD has ever given. A full day on Saturday of how to comfortably and safely complete the most common oral surgical procedures our patients need and want. Dr. Koerner is a general dentist who has limited his practice to oral surgery. Sunday is a full day of implant-supported overdentures by Dr. Arthur Acker.The sad truth is that many of our patients are best served with full dentures so you should know how to provide this valuable and needed service. Dr. Acker makes the process very predictable and satisfying. Lasers! One of the cutting edge techniques in dentistry is presented as hands-on workshops on both Saturday and Sunday.

Do not miss the officer installation dinner on Saturday evening in the iconic dining room of the Palace Hotel. One of the most San Francisco spaces there is. Music, cocktails, dinner and an opportunity to hear what the CAGD has accomplished in 2012 and what the plans are for 2013.

Are You Making a Life or Just Making a Living?

Remember what it felt like to be a child discovering new things each day? Remember the feeling of wonder and accomplishment as you developed new skills and found things to be passionate about? For that matter, do you remember your first years of college, and how you changed through those years, growing, learning and redefining yourself? Chances are, regardless of how you felt about any particular classes, you look back and recall how life seemed more exhilarating and full of interesting choices.

So what happened? A lot of people will tell you that “real life” intervened. People will say that making a living became an ongoing priority that meant sacrificing personal and professional exploration as they settled into the necessary routine of maintaining a busy practice. But take a look at the most successful people around you, from all walks of life, and you’ll find that they do not resist change in their routine, in fact, they demand it. These people know that staying on top of their game means continual exploration and re-invention—it means staying in that zone. Successful people are not just interested in making a living; they are committed to making a life. Change is a fundamental part of life, and the dental practice is no exception. There will always be changes—team, patients, practice growth, technology, your clinical skills—and you have two ways to deal with it. You can either react to the changes as circumstances dictate, or embrace change and actively pursue new directions. If you choose to embrace change it’s because you want to. Bringing new ideas into the practice inspires a sense of purpose, keeping you passionate and excited about what you do.

Staying in the zone is really about growth. While economic growth is certainly a welcomed side effect, personal growth is vital in keeping our lives purposeful and fulfilling. Achieving personal growth is about surrounding yourself with a community of like-minded people who share your passion, facilitate your progress and see your higher value and challenge you to reach the next level.

Most importantly, personal growth is about you seeing your higher value. In the end what really drives us to stay on our top of our game is that voice within that says, “That was great. But I can do better.”

As the CEO of Spear Education, Imtiaz reaches thousands of dentists each year with his speaking engagements, online education, published articles and popular blog, all the while providing the strategic vision and corporate leadership behind the industry’s premier destination education center. In addition, Imtiaz lends his skills and passion to the Open Wide Foundation, whose mission is to bring quality dental care to impoverished communities around the world.

Notice to Consumers of Licensure by the Dental Board

On November 28, 2012 a new regulation, required by Business and Professions Code Sections 138 and 1611.3, will go into effect requiring licensed dentists engaged in the practice of dentistry to provide conspicuous notification to consumers that dentists in California are licensed and regulated by the Dental Board of California.

The notice is required to be prominently posted in a conspicuous location accessible to public view on the premises where the dentist provides the licensed services. The notice is required to be in at least 48-point type font and include the following statement and information:

NOTICE TO CONSUMERS
Dentists are licensed and regulated
by the Dental Board of California
(877) 729-7789
www.dbc.ca.gov