Book Review: A Necklace of Knowledge Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

Have you ever wished that you could have a colleague read dental articles and attend hundreds of lectures on your behalf? You would receive a concise document containing the bits of wisdom buried in each educational opportunity. I met that person at the ADA meeting in Philadelphia and his name is Michael Curtis, DMD, the editor of the 100’s of Pearls book series. He is a self-proclaimed “CE junkie” that has also purchased, used, or demonstrated nearly every dental gadget invented. Additionally, he has invented a few things of his own and developed many of the clinical forms that appear in his books.

Dr. Curtis graduated from University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 1978 and he has practiced clinical dentistry in Connecticut for over 25 years. He realized that the volume of information is overwhelming and decided to develop the 100’s of Pearls book series to compile the bits of information found in journals, courses, tapes, products, and courses in one convenient package. Reading through the four titles that are currently available, I had a sincere appreciation for the time that Dr. Curtis has invested in compiling this information.

This is a sample of the information contained in these books:

100’s of Pearls on Financing & Collections
21 Wonderful Words: “I authorize _____ Dental to charge my credit card to cover any unpaid fees not paid by insurance within 60 days.”
30 Magic Words for Reservation Fees: “For longer appointments, we ask you to put 30% down to reserve the doctor’s time. Or, if you pay in full now, you can save 7% off the entire fee.”

100’s of Pearls on Anesthesia & Pain Relief
Epinephrine: Confusions, Misinformation, & Concerns
Pregnancy and Children: Lidocaine with epinephrine is the drug of choice. Many dentists incorrectly choose carbocaine in these situations. However, two carpules of carbocaine is toxic for a typical four- year-old! Regarding pregnancy, lidocaine carries a category B risk to the fetus. Carbocaine or Septocaine carry a higher category C risk.

100’s of Pearls on Endodontics
Irrigation: The Most Critical Step to Success:

1. Use hypochlorite full-strength
2. Heat hypochlorite
3. Remove old solution and refresh every five minutes
4. Agitate solutions
5. Add 1-2 drops of alcohol

100’s of Pearls on Fees & Case Acceptance
Seven Albums Every Dentist Must Have:

1. Before & After Album
2. It Feels Fine Photo Album
3. Compare our Care Album
4. Testimonial Album
5. Media Album
6. Helping Our Community Album
7. Dentistry in the News Album

Sources of the pearls and contact information for recommended products are clearly provided within each section. Dr. Curtis also makes a clear statement that he has, “received no compensation from any product, consultant, service or manufacturer mentioned, or recommended in these guides prior to publication.” In spite of the price tag around $100, each book will “pay for itself,” unless you have already attended thousands of hours of CE, read hundreds of magazines, and tried scores of products. Dr. Curtis provides his personal motto on the books’ Web site: “Here’s what you need to know.” I think these books belong on your “need to own” list if you have an interest in the subject matter. Happy diving!

At a Glance
100’s of Pearls on Financing & Collections
100’s of Pearls on Anesthesia & Pain Relief
100’s of Pearls on Endodontics
100’s of Pearls on Fees & Case Acceptance
Editor: Michael Curtis, DMD
1-800-427-2830 or www.hundredsofpearls.com