Dear
colleague and attendee of the inaugural AALD conference,
"A
dentist must voluntarily embark upon a substantial level of education, not only
to become proficient using the laser, but to make an informed decision about
the best type of laser for the practice,"
"For example, just because a particular laser is FDA-approved for a
particular procedure doesn't necessarily mean that it is the best laser for
that procedure. The dentist needs to be educated about laser physics and laser
tissue interaction in addition to mastering the procedural skills. An informed
purchaser will definitely reap the proven clinical and financial benefits of
laser dentistry."
The
AALD has been formed to provide this education platform and a forum for laser
users in general to meet, discuss and provide direction to regulators and
professional associations regarding laser use, tapping into the wealth of
knowledge our members have already at their disposal. The AALD in its
short life has successfully lobbied the ADAQ, the Dental Board of Queensland,
and Radiation Health Queensland
to bring about a change in the Radiation Safety Act to allow hygienists and
therapists to use class 4 lasers for procedures limited to the scope of their
training under the direction of a dentist. With the moves to national
registration from 1 July 2010, we hope this will be provide a template
which can be adopted at the national level.
The
quality of speakers assembled at the AALD meeting is a testament to their
belief in the establishment of this society. All speakers generously donated
their time and efforts with minimal or no assistance, and I am sure you would
agree their contributions made the meeting an enormous success.
I
wish to thank once again the inaugural sponsors of the Society for their
generosity and belief in the laser dentistry community: Henry Schien Halas,
High Tech Laser Australia , Gunz, Inline , Innovative Dental Technology, and
Investec.
