Abstract
The happenings in India on the fourth of July reminded me of an oft-repeated finance philosophy. When the West sneezes, India catches a cold. To put it in Orthodontic perspective, a leading Aligner company opened its doors to the “general dentists.” They coated it with semantics saying that it was just one door since it was only “essentials”—whatever that means. Though many in the discipline had seen this writing on the tooth (wall), it created a bit of a hue and cry. The decision of the National Dental Association to partner with another brand of aligners ensured that the sneeze became viral (infection).
Does it affect the Orthodontist? Definitely. It’s going to affect the number of patients one treats. Will it be the end of the (orthodontic) world? One school of thought is that the “easier” cases would be in the domain of the general dentist and the patients who are concerned of the anterior teeth, the social six or the “essentials” or vanity treatment, call it what you want, are going to be reduced. That is not going to take away what we have been trained to do. The more complex cases or category 4 and 5 of the Indian Boards (for that matter category 2 and 3 are also tough) or grade 4 and 5 of the Index of Orthodontic treatment Need are going to be staple. 1 Thus by treating complex cases, we truly become a speciality. No Cardiologist complains that the General Physician (GP) treats Hypertension. In a nation of 140.76 crores, there is enough and more for everybody. Including malocclusion. Yes top lines and bottom lines are going to take a hit, but it’s going to be transient and the finish line and smile line should always be in our envelope of vision.
What can the Orthodontist or the fraternity do? In this scenario, it is important that the general population be educated. As Nelson Mandela says, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The importance of occlusion and the teeth which have been lucidly pointed out in the Jacksons Triad, that is Functional Efficiency, Structural Balance and Esthetic Harmony needs to be put more in the public domain. The fraternity and every member needs to contribute and ensure that this done on a war footing.
So, will the Orthodontist and more importantly Orthodontics lose relevance in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? It will, but it will only when healthcare is totally swallowed by AI. We might be Hors d’oeuvre, but until then, we will be alive and kicking. So is it the end of the world or are we are truly going to be a speciality, depends on which side of the spectrum you belong to.
My view is, we are truly going to be a speciality. The events led us to being specialists or otherwise are debatable…….Post hoc ergo propter hoc, only time will tell. Please pen your views to
QED: Unfortunately, Primum Non Nocere (First, Do No Harm) is not part of the Hippocratic oath.