Dr Nancy Ward discusses how Invisalign has changed dentistry and why learning is integral for the profession to move forward.
Dr Nancy Ward is the first woman to chair the Pankey Institute, a non-profit institute dedicated to helping dental professionals master advanced technical skills, and member of the Invisalign faculty.
Prior to addressing the UK/I Forum Live on September 24 in London, here is a 60 second interview with Dr. Ward
How do you think treating with the Invisalign system has changed the way dentistry is being performed?
I think I’d have a hard time even imagining practicing dentistry without treating with the Invisalign system, which I’ve been doing for 17 years. Aligning teeth has been my ‘mantra’. If you align the teeth, you’re going to get better restorative results, early and long term.
I’ve been in the profession for 30 years, so I have seen those results when there’s proper alignment. The restorative work just holds up so much better and my patients are much happier.
Why is alignment such a significant part of a comprehensive treatment plan?
So many cases require less dentistry once the teeth are aligned. Adding Invisalign clear aligners to my comprehensive treatment plan has dramatically improved my overall care for patients.
I am seeing my dentistry is easier to do and the outcomes are more predictable. The Invisalign system allows you to ideally set up your restorative cases. They have more than thirteen million cases to draw from to continually improve their product.
Tooth movement is now considered the standard of care as part of all restorative treatment, it will allow you to provide minimally invasive dentistry and achieve excellent outcomes for all patients from minor restorative to full reconstruction.
What will you be speaking about at the UKI Forum Live in September?
I will be speaking about a new Invisalign software called Smile Architect, that delivers ortho-restorative treatment planning, with a facially driven treatment planning approach.
It combines Itero intraoral scans, facial photos, and Clincheck software to help doctors create treatment plans that integrate orthodontics and restorative treatments for their patients.
I will be showing delegates how to set up a case and carry out some restorative dentistry before actually aligning the teeth. It’s just such a different take on pre restorative treatment, and I’ll be focusing on the pre and the post restorative elements in my talk.
This is a new way of working and a new way of looking at the breakdown of a case. How do you improve the case before you even start with Invisalign treatment? And then what you need to do with the Invisalign system to get the quality of results that you’re looking for.
Why is perpetual learning so important in dentistry? Why do we need to keep learning all the time?
Because there’s so much going on. There are always the standards, which have not changed tremendously over 40 years. Good health, good taking, good care of patients, good business systems, great dentistry is all of it.
But the technology is now moving to a digital workflow. You need to learn about that, and keep learning to know how to implement it, and that what makes dentistry so exciting today.
I have been in dentistry a really long time and I’m able to get excited about new things like, continual innovation, focus on improving the standard of care. Hence my excitement at being able to address a live audience about a new way of working in September.
Registration for the Forum Live is now open: https://www.invisalign.co.uk/provider/gp/professional-development/educational-events/304jh9IS674UxwPXvCxh8q
