Eleven proud new members of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (AVDT) receive their certificates at the Veterinary Dental Forum in Orlando, Fla. I write this column on a return flight from Orlando, Fla., my batteries fully recharged from the energy I absorbed at the 33rd annual Veterinary Dental Forum (VDF). As I walked through the extravagant conference halls of the J.W. Marriott, I couldn’t help but think how much the specialty has grown since the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) started board-certifying diplomates more than 30 years ago. Looking back In 1999, I attended my first VDF, which was held in Baltimore that year. I was a general practitioner with a budding interest in dentistry, which arose partially out of necessity. As a new doctor in a five-doctor practice, I didn’t have much dental training in veterinary school. However, I had more than what my colleagues within the practice had received during their days at veterinary college. As such, I was considered the local “expert” within the practice’s walls, though I knew I had much to learn to handle the internal referrals. And so, off I went to my first dentistry-focused CE event. That was 20 years ago, although I have to confess, my interest in dentistry at that time was not entirely motivated by necessity. Ever since the days of my veterinary school training, I always felt comfortable in surgical procedures, and therefore, performing oral surgery was not much of a stretch. At the same time, I had some personal experiences that made me reflect on, let’s say, “comparative odontology.” I was a 12-year-old Little League participant taking ground balls during infield practice, when a sharply hit ball suddenly changed trajectory and made a direct impact on my maxillary central incisors. One tooth fractured subgingivally and another fractured supragingivally, both resulting in pulp exposure. New experiences in emergency dentistry, endodontics, and prosthodontics ensued, which provided a solution to the problem until shortly after I graduated from veterinary school. Fast forward 14 years to when it became apparent the endodontic therapies done in my childhood had failed: the incisors were abscessed. After extraction of my central incisors, my dentist placed dental implants. It seemed like every day I was not working at the veterinary hospital, I was having dental work done on myself. My periodontist, Phyllis Cook, DDS, MPH, knew I had an interest in dentistry, so she allowed me to hold up a mirror to watch the placement of my own dental implants, which was really neat. These experiences made me realize the level of dental care I was providing to my veterinary patients had so much room to grow. Where we are today The founding members of the dental specialty must be so very satisfied to see the widespread acceptance of dentistry as an important part of the lives of companion animals. Most veterinary practices now have dental radiography available in their practices, which elevates the level of diagnosis and treatment. Studies have been performed showing the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth for the sake of a healthy body, both in human and veterinary patients. An equine dentistry specialty was established in 2014, and its growth over the past five years will hopefully allow it to receive full recognition by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) in the near future. Fellowships in zoo and wildlife dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery have been established to allow for continued learning for those who want to focus in these areas. The publication of record for our specialty—Journal of Veterinary Dentistry (JOVD)—has seen its submissions grow over the past few years, with a strong international component of authorship.* Educational opportunities for dentistry have expanded both within and outside the walls of veterinary schools. More schools have board-certified dentists on staff, and more student chapters of the Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry (FVD) are established each year at veterinary schools. In 1999, there was only one training center in the entire country dedicated to continuing dental education for veterinarians. Now there are many such facilities, in addition to extensive dentistry lectures and wet labs being offered at most major conferences. Veterinary dentists are contributing to the knowledge base of veterinary medicine in various fields, including equine oral pathology, mandibular reconstruction, the prevalence of oral disease in wildlife, canine bite force studies, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathologic conditions. Original research topics at this year’s meeting will likely translate to manuscripts on canine sentinel lymph node mapping and TMJ bioengineering. Every veterinary specialist needs skilled, knowledgeable technicians to positively affect the lives of pets. Paralleling the progress of the AVDC, the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (AVDT) is growing, too! Veterinary technician specialists provide the nursing care that not only improves efficiency and outcomes, but also results in a better experience for the pet and his or her owner. It will be interesting to see how the field of dentistry changes over the coming decades. John Lewis, VMD, FAVD, DAVDC, practices dentistry and oral surgery at Veterinary Dentistry Specialists and is the founder of Silo Academy Education Center, both located in Chadds Ford, Pa. * JOVD is the journal of record for 12 international dentistry associations throughout the world.
