Monthly Archives: October 2017

Whats Appening….1000 bronchologists and growing!

More than 1000 enthusiastic and forward-thinking users from 29 countries are benefiting from dozens of instant conversations and data sharing opportunities using the internet-based, cross-platform messaging service ‘Whats App’. This phenomenon is changing how bronchoscopists and interventional pulmonologists from around the world share educational information.

‘Whats App’ is a freeware, internet-based, cross-platform messaging service for smartphones. Owned by Facebook, the application is used by more than 1 billion people worldwide. It provides a means to chat, exchange photographs or videos, and connect with friends instantly.

Sometimes physician-to-physician consultation is obtained in real-time. Questions about equipment, image interpretation, radiographic findings, or management strategies can be immediately addressed. Fascinating, and often unique case studies, techniques, or clinical puzzles are posted. Kudos, questions, and constructive criticism are provided by international experts and beginners alike. Announcements for workshops, conferences, and educational materials are rapidly distributed around the world.

It all began in the Spring of 2017, when Bronchoscopy International’s Master Instructor, Viviane Figueiredo and I invited participants into a newly created WABIP Brazil ‘Whats App’ group during the WABIP-sponsored Train the Trainer program held in Maceio. Forty Brazilian bronchoscopists quickly joined, and their enthusiasm was contagious. Recognizing the need for an international forum for pediatric bronchoscopists, Mohammad Ashkan from Iran initiated a WABIP Pediatrics ‘Whats App’ group that now includes 228 participants. Other countries quickly started their own national groups: Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Australia/New Zealand, Spain, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Algeria, Sudan, Egypt, Israel, South Africa, Korea, Greece, and Turkey!

Currently, national groups discuss regionally pertinent topics and debate technology, technique, and management-related issues. Today, these ‘Whats App’ groups continue to grow, but the ‘Whats App’ program limits each group to a maximum of 256 participants. Our goal is to increase each group’s membership to as near this maximum as possible. Admins for each group can invite individual participants into their groups using the individual’s cell phone number. Groups create a self-identifying logo, most of which are really awesome. Guidelines are posted by the group’s Admins. Admins invite participants, monitor posts, and correct material that is inconsistent with guidelines; no patient identifiers, no posts containing material that is not directly relevant to education, research, or patient care.

I, personally have taken on the 24/7 responsibility of monitoring every post, and corresponding as necessary with Admins. I also circulate relevant materials between and among national groups.

‘Whats App’? What’s Next?
– I hope to see participation from countries such as Japan, China, Hungary, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy, the UAE, and The United States/Canada. We need your expertise!
– Communication can be in mother languages and not necessarily in English.
– If you want to be an Admin, this is a great opportunity for enthusiastic junior bronchoscopists. Please email me!
– Looking forward, I am studying several other messaging platforms in case there is a need or desire for establishing a single international forum later.
– Lastly, please come to a terrific session on How social media and instant messaging enhances bronchoscopy education at the upcoming World Congress for Bronchoscopy and Interventional Pulmonology in Rochester, MN USA on June 13-16, 2018.

These are exciting times, and ‘Whats App’ for bronchologists is more than a passing fad, it’s a movement. This is just the beginning.

Join us!

 

Dental Implants for Single-Tooth Replacement: A Comprehensive Guide

Losing a tooth can be a significant source of stress and anxiety for anyone. It could be due to an accident, decay, or gum disease. Whatever the cause may be, it is imperative to get it replaced as soon as possible to restore your ability to chew and talk correctly and protect your remaining teeth from any potential shifting. One of the best options for single-tooth replacement is a dental implant. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about dental implants.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are artificial teeth that are surgically placed into your jawbone to replace a missing tooth root. They are made up of a titanium post that is inserted into your jawbone, an abutment piece that connects the post to the replacement tooth, and a customized crown that matches the color, size, and shape of your natural teeth.

Advantages of Dental Implants

One of the most significant advantages of dental implants is that they look and function just like your natural teeth. Unlike bridges and dentures, dental implants do not require any support from your surrounding teeth, which means you don’t have to worry about any damage to your healthy teeth. Additionally, dental implants as Dental Implants and Oral Surgery professionals use, are durable and long-lasting, making them an excellent investment for your long-term oral health.

The Dental Implant Process

The dental implant process typically takes a few visits to your dentist or oral surgeon. It begins with a consultation where your dentist will assess your oral health and determine if dental implants are the right option for you. If you are a good candidate for dental implants, your dentist will create a personalized treatment plan and schedule the implant surgery.

During the implant surgery, your dentist will numb the area using local anesthesia and make an incision in your gum to access your jawbone. They will then drill a small hole in your jawbone and place the implant post. After the post is implanted, your jawbone will need time to fuse with the post in a process called osseointegration. This process can take a few months, and during this time, your dentist may provide a temporary crown to protect the implant site.

Once the osseointegration process is complete, your dentist will place the abutment piece and attach the customized crown to complete your new tooth.

Aftercare

Just like with any dental procedure, it is imperative to take proper care of your dental implants to maintain their longevity. This includes regular brushing and flossing, avoiding hard or sticky foods, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups.

If you are looking for a long-term solution to replace a missing tooth, dental implants are an excellent option. They are durable, long-lasting, and look and function just like your natural teeth. If you are unsure if dental implants are right for you, speak with your dentist. They will be able to evaluate your oral health and recommend the best treatment options for your needs. Remember, delaying treatment could lead to further damage and additional complications down the road, so don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation today.

Pillars of Knowledge 4+1

I recently finished yet another (my third) reading of Roshi Philip Kapleau’s Three Pillars of Zen (Random House, 1980). This well known text is more than a simple introduction to Zen Buddhism, covering many facets of Zen practice and training. It was written almost forty years ago by one of the founding fathers of Zen in the United States (Philip Kapleau started The Rochester Zen Center in the 1960s).

Zen is a Japanese form of Buddhism that  values meditation and a state of mind free from delusions and confusion. Rossi Kapleau taught that Zen was more than a philosophy or a religion based on scriptures, but was also a state of being, attained and maintained through Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment.

While far from considering myself a Zen expert; I always felt that Philip Kapleau was a kindred spirit. I have studied Zen since my early twenties, and after all, was myself born in Rochester, New York. But that is not why I am writing this piece.

Teaching, practice and enlightenment… three pillars of Zen… How might this triad relate to bronchoscopy education?

We know that Teaching/learning, is a two-way street. Knowledge itself is fourfold: cognitive, technical, affective, and experiential. Learning facts is the easy part, increasingly less difficult because of the ready access to technology. We no longer need to retain all facts in our brains, but must instead learn to process information and learn where and how to access the information that will be processed. Technical skill requires practice, and focused practice with clear goals, objectives, and expectations is better than playing around with equipment at a hands-on workstation. By interacting effectively during workshops, case-based discussions, and in the classroom, teachers and learners identify weaknesses, explore strengths, and strive toward a commonly acceptable level of expertise.

Affective and experiential knowledge, however, are less clearly defined. Because we all learn from what we do (hopefully), we learn from our mistakes as well as from our successes. Dr. Benjamin Bloom (Bloom’s taxonomy, 1956) considered affective as the way we deal emotionally with what we learn. This knowledge relates to our feelings, values, and attitudes. Experiential knowledge is often wrongly confused with affective knowledge because it is, in fact, based on our experience…but it relates to a truth based on one’s individual experience…and no two truths  (just like no two individual experiences) may be alike. Acquisition of all four types of knowledge is necessary in our quest for competency.

These four types of knowledge: cognitive, technical, affective, and experiential, could be called The Four Pillars of Education, but do they equate with the three pillars of Zen described by Kapleau? Teaching and practice are obviously essential, but what of enlightenment? Can an educator become enlightened? Can a student become enlightened? If so, how?

I pondered this during a recent meditation in the ancient fortress town of Kotor, in Montenegro. Sitting at the foot of a wall built one thousand years ago, I watched the soft, deep blue waters of the Adriatic Sea wash gently onto the shore below. I knew there was a fifth pillar to the educational process, a pillar that is rarely spoken of, nor easily taught:  It is the pillar of spiritual knowledge. By spiritual, I do not mean religious. Rather, I  am referring to that form of knowledge that comes from deep within the self, from knowing oneself, and from acknowledging that form of knowledge that speaks a universal truth; the knowledge that we are happier when we help others. That is why many of us join the health care profession, and it is why we strive to become the best that we can be.

4+1….you can count them on your hand.