Medical Denturitry - A New and Exciting Health Care Profession Available to MDTs

The American system of health care is in turmoil, facing a crisis that is of epic proportion as witnessed by the current clamor for reform unfolding in our Nation’s capitol. This catastrophe effects us all, patients and practitioners alike.

Nowhere is our inability to meet the health care exigencies more obvious than denture care. The rapidly escalating demand for denture services has created a chasm between the public’s need and the ability of the system to deliver appropriate and adequate care. With literally millions of underserved patients demanding adequate denture care and too few qualified professionals available to meet their demands, a new profession has slowly taken root over the past several decades — medical denturitry. Unfortunately, medical denturitry is not a household term, not too many know of its existence and its ability to serve the pressing denture needs of the public in this time of health care crises.

Does not dentistry serve those needs? No, dentistry no longer emphasizes removable prosthodontics in their undergraduate curriculum and those who graduate from dental school are poorly prepared and lack the interest in solving the denture-related issues of the citizenry. This void has become intolerable. America needs thousands of new

graduates just to keep abreast of current demands. But, if dentistry has no interest in producing those graduates, who will serve the needs of the millions of Americans requiring denture care? Medical denturitry.

So, what is medical denturitry?

Medical denturitry is a doctoral level specialty devoted to educating professionals who serve the public directly. Their education is holistic in nature, recognizing the importance of the oral cavity, especially the masticatory triad, in maintaining

proper homeostasis. They are experts in the design, fabrication, and delivery of removable intraoral appliances, functional biophysiologic medical devices, not only for the replacement of lost dentition, but also for the treatment of myriad conditions such as digestive abnormalities, stress syndromes, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and sleep disorders. In California, medical denturity complies with the California alternative health care law #SB577.

But, where do these new practitioners come from?

Immediately, from the thousands of trained dental technicians and from the select cadre of highly qualified master dental technologists who have an interest in direct patient care. Building on an excellent base of knowledge and understanding, these professionals expand their horizons to include the necessary education and training required for direct patient care.

Master dental technologists, equipped with a superior education, constitute a ready-made pool of highly qualified individuals who are prepared to assume the responsibility of independent practice within a short time span.

Dr. Ron Gerughty, President of Mills Grae University, www.mgu.edu