Developing a comprehensive library of informative texts is essential if a dentist strives to become a master of dentistry. Dr. Dawson’s textbook is certainly one of the cornerstones of this quest.
No specialty in dentistry can be practiced effectively at the highest level of competence without an understanding of how teeth relate to the rest of the masticatory system, including the TMJs. It is this primary tenet that embraces the entire subject of occlusion and is the genesis for this book. As Dr. Dawson states in his preface; the goal of this text is to provide a framework through which a dentist can develop into a “master” a status that LD Pankey stated is only attainable by two percent of all dentists. The book is the culmination of 50 years of clinical practice, steeped in literature and clinical reality. Its goal is to teach predictability, the ultimate goal of the master dentist.
The book is a cornucopia of information divided into three parts. Part I discusses functional harmony through 22 chapters and 255 pages. Most chapters are short and are well written, with just enough illustrations to guide the reader seamlessly through to the end, where there is an in depth bibliography of the literature used to develop the concepts of each chapter. The chapters are titled in detail thus making the search for a particular topic easy. The sequence is logical with Part I on function, Part II on dysfunction and Part III on treatment. Part II on dysfunction is of particular importance in today’s climate of ever increasing cosmetic dentistry.
As a member dentist of the Canadian Dental Association, I question the wisdom of doing away with the ability to borrow textbooks from the library. Dr. Dawson’s book is a prime example of the value of that service, a service that I personally would applaud if it was resurrected. I was told that textbook loan was not cost effective as opposed to the access to journal articles. I remember being told that textbooks are out of date before they are published. Access to both are needed to stay informed. Textbooks are a chance for an editor or sole author to distill the literature into a cohesive treatment rational; in other words a dictum for treatment, which the reader can embrace or discard.
Functional occlusion is a classic and deserves a place in the library of every dentist who is serious in his or her quest of becoming a “master.” It certainly rates a place in my personal library.
Bruce Glazer, DDS
