What They Didn't Teach Me in Dental School

I recently had a conversation with my brother Brad.  He is graduating from college next year and is seriously considering becoming a dentist.  We went for a hike in the mountains with my dad last weekend. While we were waiting for my dad to catch up, we began a deep, philosophical conversation.

“What do you like most about being a dentist?” he started. 

As I formulated the answer in my mind, I came up with two things: the physical aspect of dentistry and the emotional/spiritual aspect of dentistry.  When I was in dental school, they taught us the physical aspect of dentistry, i.e. how to do fillings, crowns and various other procedures.  What I learned as I got into practicing is that the physical aspect of dentistry is hugely important, but the emotional/spiritual aspect is what keeps me coming to work every day.

My answer was as follows…

I started with the physical aspect. 

The dentistry that I do improves the oral health of my patients.  I especially like to restore smiles and relieve pain.  We dentists have a reputation of causing pain, but the final outcome of the work that we do over-rides the minor discomfort that one may experience during the process. 

And quickly shifted to the emotional/spiritual aspect….

When I restore my patients’ smiles, they become more confident.  They smile more.  It’s as if their “self-conscious guard” goes down. They are more proactive in their relationships. Their performance in their work improves. They are truly grateful to me and my team for our work.  They often express their gratitude to us on how we supported them through every step of the process – from the first phone call, to the delivery and maintenance of their work. 

Toothaches can be extremely painful and could debilitate the bearer – usually when something important is happening that day. When I relieve my patients of their pain, they are also extremely grateful as they can get back to their daily routines.  Sometimes I get calls after hours.  My cell phone is on the after-hours message for my patients to call me personally.  I care enough to see my patients after hours in certain circumstances.

I like to be proactive and tell/show my patients signs of potential troubles.  Most of my patients appreciate the fact that I am proactive about my dentistry – although I am always there to be reactive when something unexpected happens.  When there is a true dental emergency, the first question out of my appointment coordinator’s mouth is “how soon can you get here?” We don’t like to see our patients in pain!

I love the fact that I get to really make a positive difference in people’s lives.  I get to see my patients over the years and share in their celebrations and be supportive in their challenges.  I get to check in to see how their children are doing and what vacations they have taken or are taking soon.  I am excited about their weddings and saddened by their losses.

Another joy is the support team that I have assembled around me.  Most have been with me from the beginning.  Currently, we have a (my hygienist Tracy’s) 4 month old baby in the office and everyone is doing their part in making sure that she is getting the attention that she needs.  Our clients are excited to meet Bentley and celebrate with us having her in the office. There is no more important time in the baby’s life and she needs to be around her mom.  We will keep her as long as we can.  We did the same thing with my two youngest daughters.

The absolute best part is I get the opportunity to work with my wife Gina who is the orthodontist in our 

office. What a gift it is to be a partner in business with my partner in life….

I could go on and on – the bottom line, I love being a dentist!

If I Speak, I do Declare!

If I Speak, I do declare!

Lately, I have been hearing an advertisement on the radio about how a deejay is getting his smile fixed with Invisalign from "Dr. Such-and-such".  The ad sounds as if the deejay is just speaking in one of his normal radio breaks.  He says how great "Dr. Such-and-such" is and how happy he is with the treatment.  My question is...Is the deejay paying for the treatment? or is he getting it done in exchange for the radio promos?

I do declare!

There is a certain media personality here in town that "trouble-shoots" for the citizens.  If something is unfair, it seems to be his responsibility to expose that unfairness and to publicly embarrass the company allegedly perpetrating the action.  I used to be with a practice that paid to be on his endorsed list as "the endorsed dentist".  We had a link to his website and we would serve as "experts" to help him expose the wrongdoings.  One day, he started to endorse another dentist on the air as the place to go for dentistry of all kinds.  In fact, he told the listeners how this doctor had changed his life by creating a new smile for him.  He no longer just had a "face for radio"!  When we called to see why we weren't consulted, as we were the preferred dentist on his list.  

The "trouble-shooter" brushed us off and said that he didn't know that we did those types of procedures.  Hmmm....What about the strict research of the company to be on the good list?  I guess the only research that was done was "Did the check clear?"   It was obvious that he never even looked at our website, or our list of services, or our dozen's of published testimonials with pictures...We achieved the "preferred" status because we paid him to have this status.  I never felt good about our relationship with this guy. 

I do declare!

When I do presentations to dentists,  I must sign all sorts of waivers and publicly announce that I have no conflicts of interests - no company is paying me to endorse the company. If I do have a conflict, I must announce it so the attendee can then make a judgment about my information that I am presenting.  Is this true, or is he just trying to promote his product?  When my colleagues and  I attend a lecture, we view the lecture with a jaded eye if no declaration is made.  

Why is it we, as dentists, can go out and not be forthcoming in our advertisements to the public?  What happened to the professionalism?  Where does ethics fit in here?

I do declare!

My declaration - all that I write here is from me (Dr. Brett Kessler) or from my wife (Dr. Gina Kessler).  All the pictures here and on our website are of our patients showcasing our work.  All of the testimonials are real and from our happy patients. All the opinions expressed here are ours!  If they are unoriginal, I will quote the source.

I welcome comments and perspectives on this.  I am no expert and would love to hear other opinions - especially if I am off base here.

If you like this blog post, I would love to hear about it.  Please comment or share it on Google+, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, etc.  If you are looking for a dentist in the Denver area, we are always looking for new patients.  Please visit our website http://www.tcdodenver.com/ or like our facebook page,  https://www.facebook.com/TCDOdenver.  Or you can do it the old fashion way - call us at 303-321-4445.

Thanks for reading!  BK

I do declare!

Doctor, Heal Thyself!

In January, the CDA completed its Strategic Planning process. Among several other established goals, the process charged the CDA with being the indispensible resource to support member dentists professionally and personally. As the chair of the CDA Well-Being Committee, I am happy for the opportunity to promote wellness to our members. I was charged with writing a series of articles to remind, inform and educate dentists to take care of the most important asset…themselves.

The Heritage Dictionary defines wellness as: the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.

As dental professionals, we all face challenges: physical, emotional or mental problems, struggles in our businesses, frustrations in the roles we play in our careers, family problems, legal concerns, and the list can go on and on.

I have never met a dentist who didn’t have some cross to bear in his/her career. Some hide it better than others, but all have had to go through some struggles.

I am reminded of a helpful quote from the classic book by M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled.

“Life is Difficult.


This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly see that life is difficult – once we truly understand and accept it – then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.


Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties as if life were generally easy, as if life should be easy. They voice their belief, noisily or subtly, that their difficulties represent a unique kind of affliction that should not be and that has somehow been especially visited upon them, or else their families, their tribe, their class, their nation, their race or even their species, and not upon others.


I know about this moaning because I have done my share…”

I have done my share too!

Once we realize that we are not alone in our struggles, the weight of the world is lifted and our attitudes shift to begin to face and then solve our issues head on.

I urge you to take some time to define your wellness goals. Start small, start big – just

Patient Retrospective

I saw a patient today for a repair of his denture.  His re-connection with our office really moved me.

His name is Steven.  When Steven first came to me he was 26 years old.  He received a grant from Access to Recovery (ATR).  ATR at the time, had funding to provide dental work for those in recovery from drug (meth) addiction.  Steven had been in his addiction for several years.  He ended up in prison - I didn't ask specifically why. At the time of our first meeting he was living in a half-way house as he was integrating back into society..

The unfortunate reality of his addiction was that among the consequences that he suffered, his teeth were beyond repair and needed to be removed.  He was 26 years old and was going to lose all of his teeth.

I remember the conversation that we had.  He confided in me that he was excited to get his teeth taken care of.  He was no longer a meth addict and he didn't want to look like one anymore. I discussed the process of making dentures.  I painted the picture that dentures are prosthetics and there will be a learning curve with getting used to them.

I told him, "If you lost your leg, a prosthetic leg can be made, but you won't be running a marathon on it anytime soon.  You may be able to in the future, but it is going to take some patience and some work on your part."

He understood, "When can we get started?!?!?!"

The making of dentures, as with anything in dentistry, is an art-form that must be blended with sound science. Combined with experience, it is a fairly standard procedure.

What I am constantly amazed with is the impact that creating a custom smile has on my patients.

I got to see that today with Steven.

Three years later - Steven, a former professional felon, is now supervising large window installing teams in various areas around the country.  Most recently in Chicago.  He is buying a new house.  He has a good job.  He is sober. He is no longer in pain or self conscious about his smile....

He no longer feels like a drug addict.

Holistic approach to dentistry addressing the mind, body and spirit...Success!   

 Steven's teeth ravaged by Methamphetamine addiction

 His new smile

Let Go!!!!

Stress is a huge contributor to poor health.  It affects the immune system, sleep, relationships, etc.

In our society, we must always appear stoic and in control (I am speaking from experience, of course).  This is a grand illusion!

While we are trying to appear to the world that we have ourselves together, we internalize the stress. It is inevitable that we clench our teeth.  I see signs of clenching and grinding in approximately 70 percent of my patients.  This is commonly termed "TMJ". The correct terminology is TMD, or temporal mandibular disorder.  But when someone says they think they have "TMJ", I understand that they are telling me that they have problems with their TMJ's.

I observe wear or cracks on teeth, gum recession, mobile teeth, and/or advancing gum disease.  I observe clicking, popping or locking of the jaws.  I treat people that tell me that they get "stress" headaches with various levels of frequencies or have sensitive teeth.

I do esthetic work to improve my patient's smiles usually because their front teeth are worn down (their teeth look "old") and want a more "youthful" smile.

I usually ask my patient's if they notice if they are clenching or grinding their teeth.  Most deny the habit until I give them my definition.

Your teeth should only touch each other if you are in the process of chewing food.


As I give this definition, I watch them unclench their clenched teeth and laugh with them as they discover their unconscious destructive habit.

The process to fix this is multi - factorial.  I can help with the physical portion.  I can create "bite splints" that can help shut down muscle activity, and create an ideal bite through various dental modalities. Sometimes we utilize other resources like chiropractic, massage, physical therapy, nutrition counseling, etc., to help.

But if the patient is to get better, they must change their behavior. To do this, they must address the root of the problem...the stress.

The most rewarding aspect of my practice happens when my patients tell me that our conversation alerted them to how the stress in their lives had starting to become a problem.  I have had patients end bad relationships, change jobs or careers, stop abusing drugs or alcohol, the list goes on and on.

The mental, emotional and spiritual aspects are addressed too!

Everyone needs a way to find peace within their lives.  Once again, in my experience, that peace is found when we look inward.  Everyone has a purpose in this world for the time that we are here.  Once we tap into that inner voice, we find passion and bliss.  A zeal to make every moment matter.

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be..." Lao Tzu -Tao Te Ching -

Let Go....and stop clenching your teeth!!!

Social Media - Friend or Foe?

Social Media is a major medium/distraction in today's society.  I have always tried to use it as a conversation to the world about snippets of ideas and inspirations that roll around in my head.  I use it as a form of expression.  I can't ever remember posting negativity or smearing reputations of others.

I have Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in and Google+ accounts. I usually only post/read my fb account.

When "friends" are stuck in constant negativity, or post things I don't particularly agree with, I ride it out for a while.  Then, if it continues and it is dragging me down, I chose to not read their posts anymore.  The beauty of this medium is I can choose to not follow if I don't want to.

This blog site allows me to expand further on thoughts that I want to develop and put it "out there" for the world to see, think or maybe even start a respectful, perhaps intelligent conversation about our views. It is a place to express my authentic version of me and my viewpoints/passions.  

I am grateful when people are compelled to post back and join in on the conversation in either medium. When someone posts back, it is apparent that I struck a nerve that they identify with and then they courageously agree, expand the thought, or disagree with me.

There was an recent incident in California that makes me very uncomfortable.  A dentist was accused on fb that he was abusing/torturing his patients.  Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't.  An angry parent started a facebook page entitled, "I Hate Dr. X. of California"  The parent then went on to invite his circle of friends to start bashing the dentist.  500 plus people joined in on the fun.  This went on for a week or so.  Next, they started picketing outside his office with disparaging signs.  The media joined in inviting the parent and the dentist to do television and radio interviews. The dentist remained silent until he finally went on a radio interview to "explain" what happened.  He was immediately served a lawsuit for violating HIPPAA - the patient privacy act that ensures doctor-patient confidentiality.

Judging by the angry and vindictiveness of the mob, my guess is that the dentist was not connecting well with his patients.  I don't know him or how he practices, but from an outsider's perspective, his communication style was not resonating with his patients.

It seems that he is one of the only dentists in the area taking medicaid.  By being a medicaid provider, he is filling a need in the community for low cost care.  This service, for many patients is their only option for dental care.

Every single dentist that I know has a strong tie to the community that they serve.  They happily give their services to those in need on their own terms. Almost all of them do it without any expectations or financial renumeration.  In fact, any services that we do for free cannot be written off on our taxes.  It is done out of our personal obligation to serve the needs of the community.

I hope that this dentist makes the necessary changes in his practice to allow him to connect better with his patients - if he still has a practice....

Let's keep things civil in the social media world! Please use it as a tool to spread peace, love and understanding - not as a way to ruin lives and careers.

Holistic Approach to My Dentistry - Beyond the Oral Cavity

I haven’t blogged in a while.  I was recently inspired enough to write....so, here it is!

“The smile is the window to the soul….and I will do everything in my power to help my patients’ soul shine through”   This is my personal play on the old proverb and part of my personal mission statement.  

Over the years, I have treated thousands of patients with this in mind.  I have gravitated toward a holistic approach to my dentistry that takes into equal account three components: the health of the oral cavity, the function of the teeth, TMJ’s and jaw muscles, and the aesthetics of the smile.  

When a patient chooses this approach, the dentistry becomes very predictable - and as an unforeseen bonus, lives change.  I have seen my patients get married, have kids, get new careers or jobs, get in shape; the list goes on and on.  I am genuinely humbled and honored to play a part in their lives.

The sentiments that we receive from our patients boil down to two common themes.  First, they tell us that we were a catalyst to help them find joy in their true selves.  Second, they are grateful for the work that my team and I accomplished.  

The end result varies -  they are out of pain, their smiles are what they had always imagined, they moved from varying states of disease to a desired level of health.  Their personal goals have been reached and their spirit has been lifted.  What a gift to my team and to me!

After I finished dental school in 1995, I did a hospital based residency in which I learned how various disease states affect the oral cavity and (vice/versa) how the oral cavity can affect various disease states.  

In the patient population that I treated during my residency, no one ever expected to be affected by a serious illness.  In most cases, their oral health needed to be addressed as a matter of life or death.  

It was during this period of my training that I firmly realized that the physical, emotional and spiritual well being could be affected by the status of the oral cavity. I didn’t want to just do “drill and fill” dentistry.  I wanted my dentistry to have a positive effect on the overall well-being of the patients that I serve.  

As I have gained experience through the years, I see our practice philosophy evolving even further to encompass a larger holistic approach than my comprehensive dental approach.  The American Holistic Health Association looks at well-being as follows:

“Holistic health is actually an approach to life. Rather than focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, this ancient approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with his or her environment. It emphasizes the connection of mind, body, and spirit. The goal is to achieve maximum well-being, where everything is functioning the very best that is possible. With Holistic Health people accept responsibility for their own level of well-being, and everyday choices are used to take charge of one's own health.” (http://ahha.org/rosen.htm)

This is not to say I am putting a thumbs down to traditional medicine, I am realizing a definition to the philosophy that has been under the surface to my actions my entire career.  

The bottom line is this -We play an important part in overall health and well-being of our patients. This is not just limited to the physical components of their dental health, the emotional and spiritual components are positively affected too.

This self discovery has me extremely excited and my spirit is charged.  

We work with many other health professionals.  They are hand picked not only for their clinical skills (which of course is top notch), but their philosophy is in alignment with our philosophy. They fill a need in our patients that will fulfill a piece of the puzzle to help them achieve their desired health goals.

A conversation with a dear friend and patient of mine helped me identify this sub-surface itch and is been my catalyst in helping me put it into action.   

In the holistic approach, here is where dentistry meets nutrition, converging at the point of your health.  Tracy Stevens of Pantry Rx helps people with food choices that will achieve overall health goals. Nobody gets or stays healthy without proper nutrition.  It affects everything from your teeth, your weight, your health, your confidence, and your happiness.  

As we spoke, I realized that she was doing the same holistic work that I (am) was doing. She obviously wasn’t doing dentistry. But her passion towards her clients’ overall wellness makes perfect sense to me.  

Our work compliments each other’s seamlessly.  The health, function and aesthetics of the oral cavity need to be working harmoniously for the best possibility for proper nutrition to occur.

Tracy’s practice emphasizes bio-individuality and whole-life factors that lead to food choices and eating habits.  She focuses on the positive, with foods that work better for you, without diets or deprivation. She does personalized Nutrition Counseling that gives you strategies, support, and accountability.  She also does in-home food overhauls that teach you what to keep and what to avoid and why, as well as grocery store and health foods store tours to find the good foods.  In effort to encourage you to take advantage of this service, I invite you to a free one-on-one Nutrition Counseling session with her.  She will help you identify your challenges, strengths, and weaknesses as well as aim you down the path toward your goal of better health.   Her website is www.pantryrx.com To arrange this free session contact Tracy at tracy@pantryrx.com or 303-907-5845.

In future blogs, I plan to highlight other resources (or partners) that we have in pursuit of serving the holistic needs of those that choose us for their dental care.