DENTISTRY | LOOKING BACK I DID NOT WEAR GLOVES. But then when I started my dental career in 1983, nobody did. When I recently told that to a group of young dentists, they looked at me with absolute horror. I understood completely, and it made me feel ancient. I graduated from Medical College of Virginia Dental School in 1981 and at that time we wore gloves only in the surgery clinic when performing extractions. But then it's all sort of relative: When I was a young dentist, the old guys (and they were all guys) talked about having mixed silver filling by hand. That meant handling the mercury and alloy in their bare hands. And they treated patients while standing up and with no assistants. Xrays were developed by dipping them into a tank of chemicals and hanging them up to dry. As part of my talk to the young group I asked them to imagine themselves at the end of their careers and what they might be telling a young group. What they think is modern now could seem so quaint in 30 years. As with so many fields, technology has changed the way dentistry is performed every day. Computers came in to my practice in the early '90s. At first we used them for the business side. Appointment scheduling programs were soon added. Now all patient records can be digital. Today's offices have digital X-rays which are immediately available to read on the computer. Impressions of the teeth to make models are done digitally. You scan the teeth and then can order a model of the arch of teeth. You can even bypass the models and directly make the crown for a tooth from the scanned digital file with a milling machine. 3D printers are being developed to make dentures. Mini CAT scans are available in the office to see the whole oral system for diagnosis. Implants are used to replace teeth or provide support for dentures. Dental materials have improved especially for bonding restorations directly to teeth. Teeth can be fixed with resins that mimic tooth color and provide strength for long-lasting results. Porcelain-like materials give crowns a natural appearance. Less metal is being used in the mouth due to these advances. We now look at the total health of our patients. We now know periodontal disease affects diabetes and heart disease. In all, amazing changes and progress over the past 35 years. Above: Dr. Sandra Andrew recently sold her dental practice after 34 years. Left: Sandra Andrew stands with her parents at her 1981 graduation from MCV Dental School. 56 | JULY/AUGUST 2017 THEROANOKER.COMhttp://www.THEROANOKER.COM