Preamble
This is a very old debate that has not come to a conclusion as yet.
Since teeth are a visible part of the face, they add or take away from the overall
attractiveness of a face. Imagine crooked teeth or teeth with gaps or even a missing tooth on a face,
chances are you would suggest them a visit to a dentist to get those fixed. And why? “Cause they dont look good!”.
What does the GDC say?
“The General Dental Council (GDC) requires dental practitioners to provide good-quality care based on current evidence and authoritative guidance” (https://www.nature.com/
One can understand care based on “evidence”. This will mean the rigorous training that the dentist went through to amass a vast amount of knowledge, and then of course keeping up with the new research through professional journals after graduation.
Then comes “authoritative judgement”. Judgement means that the practice has a subjective part and this this is where the art comes in. How to rectify cleft teeth? or the many distortions that a dentist sees? What is the goal? the goal is of course to make a face more attractive or appear normal. You can surely see the play of art and science in dentistry!
That the GDC has kept “good-quality care” open to interpretation is precisely due this subject part of the practice.
Other Examples
Hair replacement or any cosmetic procedure for that matter require art even though the basis of the procedures are based on pure science. Setting new hair according to the shape of the face and the scalp would be an all important factor for the doctor administring such a procedure.
Conclusions
This debate does not in anyway discount the profession of dentistry. If anything, the mix of art and science in dentistry makes it a more interesting profession since the
dentist is directly contributing to the “feel good about myself” factor in a patient. Ego. Being beautiful or handsome is an ego boost that cant be beat.
And dont forget, keeping that alive is your dentist as well!
There may come a time, with the advent of AI, that the subjectivity will be removed. till then however, I, as a dentist in San Mateo, where we understand the concept of beauty make the best of the debate of art and science in dentistry.
The Blogging Team
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