Off the Roller Coaster – A Positive Outlook, Fresh Goals, and Renewed Focus on Success

In looking back, most of us felt that last year was a roller coaster ride. We got shoved into that buggy, fastened our seat belts, and hung on. Dentists hurtled around all of the new rules and regulations that were unveiled each day. You skidded around corners that held unknown aerosol dangers, careened past roadblocks to business operations, and avoided the twists and turns of offering emergency care to patients when the definition of emergency care was still evolving. It was a white-knuckle ride, for sure. But through the highs and lows and learning curves, we emerged definitely wiser and more resilient.

Here at MedMark, even at the height of the pandemic, we brought you the most up-to-date information on how to protect your patients and staff and prepare for reopening. We anticipated and tracked the new trends and technologies that patients would be expecting. We checked on our readers and authors through emails, texts, and Zooms. We saw you calmly focus on keeping in touch with patients through teledentistry, informative texts, and website updates. You prepared protective equipment to be able to provide emergency care, consulting, and treatment plans for when the crisis was over.

Now, we are joyfully hearing about your safe returns to business. And our articles reflect our goal of helping you flourish in the future. Our CE, Physician-Dentist Collaboration: A Call to Arms for Allied Troops, by Drs. John Viviano and Jon Bouzis, reviews recent events that have the potential to significantly alter the face of sleep medicine and discusses the Physician-Dentist Collaboration model. Our cover story is a conversation between Dr. Don Frantz the inventor of EMA^® dental sleep appliances and me. Dr. Frantz creates oral appliances for sleep apnea with a focus on simplicity, ease of use, affordability, and value. Don’t forget to check out our Special Section on Education. There, you will find nine companies that can help expand or start your dental sleep practice. Each one is differentiated by its offerings, materials, perspectives, and educators. These educational opportunities can help you find the tools to be successful in the field of DSM.

With this fall issue, the new view from the top is exciting. We are thrilled to be able to say that we made it. We’re no longer anticipating what is coming around each bend. And we are ready to take a new plunge — into the future. I’m proud and amazed at the perseverance and courage that we all saw in the dental profession. With a positive outlook, fresh goals, and renewed focus on success — the MedMark team is bracing for new adventures!