The changing face of dentistry?/ethical marketing series

I have been inspired by your recent Dental Update Editorial, and also by Martin Kelleher's series of articles, to contact you. Your thoughts and comments have struck a chord here in Scotland.

Because of my involvement with the FGDP, I am out and about meeting my peers on a regular basis. We all have been discussing the loss of professionalism within dentistry over the last few years. (I actually was out with a colleague for a curry last week and he had his head in his hands on this very topic.)

We also feel that part of the blame lies with what has become almost a feeding frenzy within the freebie dental press that has gone on unchecked over the last few years.

The rise of the ‘Dentist of the Year’/’Most Influential Dentist’/‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ etc ad nauseam has degraded the profession.

Granted, these poorly conceived awards, with no clear marking criteria or independent verification, are only chased by a minority of the profession (generally those that Martin Kelleher refers to) while the rest of us remain silent and get on with treating patients.