The Global Summits Institute has announced its inaugural list of the World’s Top 100 Doctors, featuring Dentistry Today Technology Editor Dr. Paul Feuerstein and many of Dentistry Today’s Leaders in Continuing Education. Launched as a lifetime achievement award, the recognition salutes these clinicians for the exceptional services they have rendered to the art and science of dentistry.
“This was a surprise and, of course, an honor being included in this group of top dentists around the world. I know that I have put in almost 40 years of energy in educating the profession on the latest advances in technology and have helped many practitioners in my writings, lectures, and one on one just for the love of doing this,” said Feuerstein.
“And of course using all of this to take care of my patients on a daily basis. I have been seeing many of these people since the 1970s as well as their families and colleagues, and they keep coming back. I still see restorations that I did right out of school and realize that by following the rules, and making a few of my own, many are still standing the test of time,” he said.
“We hope to recognize many more of our colleagues in the future,” said Kianor Shah, DMD, MBA, a member of the Global Summits Board of Regents. “There are countless talented doctors around the world. Of course, no list could ever include them all. It is meant as a method of polling and sampling talent that the profession of dentistry has to offer based on subjective evaluations of our colleagues.”
Other notable names and Dentistry Today contributors on the list include:
- Dr. Gordon J. Christensen
- Dr. Arun K. Garg
- Dr. George Freedman
- Dr. Samuel B. Low
- Dr. Rico Short
- Dr. Michael D. Scherer
- Dr. Kayvon Javid
- Dr. Scott D. Ganz
- Dr. John Suzuki
“I have always found it interesting when I first meet some of these luminaries on the list who I have idolized, and before I can ask them a clinical question, they start asking me, ‘What is the best new xxx that I should be using?’” said Feuerstein.
As Dentistry Today’s Technology Editor, Feuerstein keeps a watchful eye on the latest innovations and equipment in the profession, and his decades as a dentist have given him a broad perspective on how the field has changed.
“The evolution of products and processes has made dentistry more predictable and, in many cases, more accurate. The newest technologies are all in 3-D imaging, treatment planning, and implementation using CAD/CAM and new materials,” Feuerstein said.
“The advent of 3-D printing seems to be limitless in terms of allowing many more processes and restorations to be created in the office. I think that printing of dentures and similar prostheses will make it easier and perhaps less expensive to take care of the underserved population,” he said.
“Another area to keep an eye on is the dental laboratory business. Many of the smaller labs are being forced to purchase expensive new equipment and also shift their workflow from some traditional products such as porcelain-fused to metal restorations to new milled or printed products. Labs will close or be assumed by larger entities, and I fear that a good craftsperson could be replaced by a kid who knows how to operate a trackball,” said Feuerstein.
The Global Summits Institute elected renowned dentists and specialists from around the world, including Egypt, India, Greece, Persia, the United States, and Portugal, and tasked them to form a board of regents. These regents then nominated dentists for the list, though candidates also could be nominated by any of their colleagues.
Once the regents received the nominations, the candidates were contacted and asked to provide their credentials and biographies. A majority of the regents had to vote yes on each nomination prior to ratification. Borderline cases required a consensus discussion and evaluation of comments from the team.
The elected regents then evaluated their peers based on their credentials, level of continuing education, research, degrees, past awards, inventions, leadership roles, humanitarian efforts, and/or other notable contributions to the profession of dentistry, said Shah.
“We were searching for diversity in fields of expertise, entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, geographic location, and country of origin where our colleagues have made a notable contribution to the profession of dentistry and humanity,” said Shah. “We were also looking for publications, research, clinical excellence, moral fiber, educational endeavors, and/or a combination of a host of such aforementioned qualities.”
Shah further noted that despite the prestige that the list confers upon its members, the honor isn’t simply about being the best in the field. Rather, it’s about empowering dentists through peer-to-peer collaboration and communication. As these clinicians exemplify clinical excellence, innovation, research, organizational leadership, and entrepreneurship, they can serve humanity by advancing healthcare and inspiring other dentists.
“What could a hundred knowledgeable and hard-working doctors accomplish when they put their minds and intellectual resources together is the question we asked ourselves,” said Shah. “How much could be achieved?”
In addition to its Global Implantology Summit held last November in Los Angeles and its G-20 Executive Summit in Lake Forest, California, last July, the organization aims to host a global interdisciplinary summit and a world gala to facilitate relationships across dentistry and to use its outreach for humanitarian and other causes in 2020 and beyond.
In the meanwhile, Feuerstein will continue to advise practitioners about the best new technologies, both here in Dentistry Today and during his many appearances throughout the year.
“The biggest challenge to a practitioner is deciding when to jump in and to figure out what products or processes are essential to his or her practice. There can be a substantial economic investment, and no one wants to purchase an expensive coat rack or plant stand,” he said.
“Many practitioners are gun shy, as this has happened many times in the past. I hope that my teachings and other areas of research can help everyone make better decisions,” Feuerstein said.
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