Response to the Ghost Writer

Sorry to all of you that subscribe via email.
I started to type the title and hit the ENTER key.
And God forbid you hit the wrong key...you post a blog.

My wife and I got an ultrasound on Monday and it was the most nerve racking experience I have had in a long time.
I will tell you about it later but one main thing.....ITS A BOY.
That's right, another hairy Gammichia.
Thanks for your prayers.

I am still reading.
I finished Father Joe. That is all I am going to say about this book.
I started to read Reason for God by Tim Keller. I have to tell you I don't read a lot of books about Christianity because I am still a newbie and they intimidate me. Well I put this book down because it was too hard to read. I found myself reading sentences two and three times trying to understand what they were saying. Like, "your transparent thoughts are transparent."
You know what I mean. Everyone who read it loves this book. Me I can't get into it.
I started a book called The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.
I am loving it.

Movies.
First I would like to say that the NBA Finals are really putting a damper on my TV and Movie watching. My wife and I are about two weeks behind on almost all of our shows. We haven't even seen American Idol in three weeks. (Did anyone see the Magic game last night? The game ended and I just shut the TV off and sat there. I was so spent, I was so disappointed, I was so mad, I was so....arghhhhhhhhh.)
But I did sneak in movie this weekend. It was called Tell No One. It was a foreign film, but it was an action/drama. It was a Fugitive type movie....pretty good.

Anyway,
I wanted to write a response to the ghost writer. I don't think most of you get the comments so I am going to post the comments then give you mine.

Anonymous said...
I have had enough changes recently to last a life time. Everyone wanted change and to a certain extent it was needed. However I don't care for the way change is being brought about. The rules are being made up as we go on the fly without thinking of the long term consequences. I really don't like change when it crammed down my throat. Like this RED FLAG Rule they made up in a week and tried to put it in effect immediately. Is needed? Yes but common sense says you should be doing that any way. Why do you have to stick it to us.A perfect example of making a decision without thinking in the long term was the DDT fiasco. They wanted less bugs so they sprayed it everywhere, it will kill the bugs. But it also almost wiped out the American Eagle by softening up the egg shells.We are a gimme gimme gimme to me NOW whining society that think the world owes us something. You are not entitled to anything, if you want if you should go and work hard for it. Some of the old school ways are better. Change is not always for the better.
May 6, 2009 4:34 PM
Connie said...
I like the idea of dentistry treated like a branch of medicine, not as an afterthought. If you can have ophthalmologists only do eyes, or dermatologists only do skin, what's the difference? You guys need better lobbying. Chiropractors got themselves put on most medical plans by lobbying government to make it required. Not to open a can of worms, but if that crock of crap is covered by medical insurance, it's crazy to think something as important as dental care isn't.
May 6, 2009 6:10 PM
Anonymous said...
You have been drinking the Kool-Aide! It seems you have an inferiority complex and feel a need to move dentistry in some other direction. The last thing dentistry needs is to be thrown in w/ the medical industry. Then we would be subject to a much heavier hand w/ the government and insurance. I say dentistry can do the most good by avoiding more influence from outside sources. Do you really think medicine has improved over the last 30 years or has that model been ravaged by insurance and government at the expense of provider autonomy? Can the government or insurance companies better decide what treatment is best for a patient it has never seen. Be careful what you ask for!!!
May 7, 2009 7:40 AM

Anonymous said...
AMEN!

May 7, 2009 1:59 PM
Anonymous said...
I agree that change is needed in dentistry, but not the kind of change that you are advocating. The change should come in the form of oral health literacy of the public. The reason why too few people access the oral health care system is multifaceted - not just cost. (BTW – Jackson Brown’s most recent study that he shared at the 2008 AGD Governmental Affairs Conference shows that the cost of oral health care in America has remained steady, while the cost of medicine has gone skyward.) If too few people are not receiving care, it relates to their priorities and fear, not cost. It has been proven that even people with good insurance benefits and on government funded programs do not access care. I accept the poorly funded government program (Medicaid) and it amazes me that even when it is free, patients will not return for treatment. I believe that weakens your “too expensive” theory. I also agree that too many dentists are too worried about the business of dentistry and not the practice of dentistry. I am old school on that one and practice that way. I have seen many old fillings that my retired colleagues did and are still in service and doing well after 50 years. I disagree that dentistry should be lumped in with medicine. There are many problems with that theory. Dentistry is made up of 80% general dentist and most treat the patient without referrals to specialists. Medicine is made up of 20% generalist and 80% specialists. In dentistry, most of the treatment rendered is done by general dentist while in medicine, most of the treatment is done by specialists. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I participate in a government run health care program already. I do it not because I like to deal with a government run health care program, but because patients in my community that are most in need, just happened to be Medicaid recipients. If I am to do what I have been trained to do for these patients, I have to participate. I absolutely dislike dealing with the governmental entities in this program and would not consider expanding this program or dealing with Medicare like medicine does. I have been warned by my physician to stay out of any government run health care program. Dentistry is health care that works. It has a proven track record over the years. In dentistry, health care costs remain stable and the workforce is there to take care of the need. The improvement needs to come in the oral health literacy of the public. Mark
May 8, 2009 1:11 PM

Anonymous said...
Hallelujah. This post above says it all.
May 8, 2009 4:05 PM


Okay my thoughts,
I am suprised most of you were not more upset. I thought you handled your self well. I agree with most of you.
The comment by Mark is perfect. I think Mark and I would agree on a lot of things.

Medicine is a wreck. Why would any of us want what they have?
I love what I have. Could it be tweaked so more people have access? Yes.
It seems like the ghost writer is a patient advocate and not a dentist advocate.
I have talked about this in the past. The patients have a Tier system they can chose from.
It is like food. They can eat at McDonald's and they can eat at Ruth's Chris.
I, as a dentist, can set up my office the way I want. I can be a Medicaid provider or I can have a boutique practice.
I agree that too few patients are receiving care. I do not believe it is the dentist fault.
It doesn't cost a lot of money to keep up with your teeth. What cost money is not taking care of your teeth.
It cost money to ignore your teeth.
There are exceptions to the rule (when genetics rule over environment) but for the most part people are ignorant to this fact. But I think that simply they just choose to do something else with there money.
I think at my office if you want to get your teeth cleaned twice a year with two exams (by yours truly) and some x-rays, you are talking like $300. PER YEAR. And I know, if people are bargain shopping, they can get it for less (not as good but cheaper).
I am a bit off the point.
Dentistry is fine.
I think most dentists care about people. I think most dentist got in this profession to help people.
I think most people like their teeth.
A match made in heaven.
"Change knocks on our door", so when he does, make sure you go to the door first and say, "Who is it?" and maybe say, "No, I don't want any."

Hope you are having a great Wednesday,
john