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Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | January-February 2016 39 ortho tribune Interview with leaders in Damon System usage: Dr. Stuart Frost, Dr. Jeff Kozlowski & Dr. Philippe Van Steenberghe Dr. Philippe Van Steenberghe, Belgium Dr. Stuart Frost, USA ByDentalTribuneMEA/CAPPmea D UBAI, UAE: During the 2nd MENA Sympo- sium, many advanced users of Damon System were present to share their experi- ence and challenges with the product. Dental Tribune MEA/ CAPPmea had an opportunity to sit with three of them and ask several questions. During the interviews, the doctors shared what they would like the delegates to re- member from their lectures and also how much the treat- ments methods have changed over the years. Additionally, they shared with us their best career advice they have ever received. DTMEA/CAPPmea: Could you tell me a little about your lecture? What was the main objective you would like the delegates to remember? Dr. Stuart Frost, USA: I think, I wanted the participants to understand that before they ever put the bracket on the tooth they need to visualize in their mind what they want the case to look like in the end. So I shared with them the quote from Hellen Keller where she said that “The only thing worse than being blind is hav- ing sights but no vision”. It is all about vision and visualiz- ing the case. Dr. Jeff Kozlowski, USA: During the lecture, I was try- ing to give practical ideas on how to look at things. I find that sometimes it is hard to make specific rules because every patient is different. One of the main things that we teach with Insignia is about customizing your treatment for each indi- vidual patient. What I want people to take away with them is that it is very important to think what specifically you want to accomplish for that individual patient and how you can use your mechanics to make it effective. Simply, be creative and think about good treatment planning and me- chanics. Dr. Philippe Van Steenber- ghe, Belgium: I wanted to tell delegates that they absolutely need to use elastics as it is part of the magic of the Damon Sys- tem. The Damon System with- out the elastics doesn’t work the same way. For the patient it is the winning option because the treatments are faster, a lot easier and the patient can see a rapid progress. DTMEA/CAPPmea: Your fo- cus is strictly orthodontics. Do you think that the treat- ment methods have changed a lot over the years? Dr. Stuart Frost, USA: I have graduated from dental school in 1992, I practiced dentistry for 5 years and then after that I became an orthodontist. So I have been orthodontists since 2000 and in 15 years we have seen a lot of changes in ortho- dontics, new technologies, new brackets and wires that make it more comfortable for the pa- tients and treatment is more simple. Dr. Jeff Kozlowski, USA: It would be wrong of me to say that what we learn in our resi- dencies didn’t play a part in how I practice today, because it does, but I am very conscious when I hear orthodontists say “That’s how I was trained during my residencies” when they have been in the practice for 20 years. So, I think it is wrong to forget what you have learned, but I also think it is wrong to not to learn what is new and what is changed. So here are some things that have changed: I don’t use bands on posterior teeth anymore, it is more comfortable for the patient. I will almost always place the upper and the lower braces at the same time when I used to start with the upper braces and months later with the lower braces. It is easier for the patient and also fewer appointments. The use of dis- articulations and elastics has helped us to treat the problems > Page 40 “The Damon System without the elastics doesn’t work the same way.” - Dr. Philippe Van Steenberghe “It is all about vision and visualizing the case.” - Dr. Stuart Frost Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | January-February 201639