Emails:

Dr. MT Rad- Pediatrics dentist

Due to his mothers passing he was unable to meet with me in person so an email was sent to
me. His practice was in California he later moved to California in 2013 and retired. He will soon
be going to Florida for a part time dental job.
Q: Tell me about your job and experience throughout the years.
A: I have been working in peds on and off for over 30 years since the 70s. I love what I do and I
am happy here in California where I spend most of my time.
Q: How have you seen technology change?
A: When I first started to work, there was just a computer that you could save information on.
Almost like a word doc then came dentrix which I am sure you have seen in a dental office. Xray machines are no long done in film. It has really changed for the better of the patients and
with all these rules and regulations we have places, they are safe.
Q: Are patients in danger given that they have so much exposure and information?
A: I think because the dental association is afraid of being sued, they have reduced the risks
and made it impossible to get in any serious danger. Patients have access to the information but
not so much the equipment that are harmful, models of it.
Q: Has the change benefitted you?
A: Definitely. Some procedures are reduced in time greatly. Patients are happier especially with
the prices of the filling being lowered with composite: looks better, costs less. Kids much more
relaxed with laughing gas.
Q: Something that I can quote you on...
A: Dentistry relies heavily on the usage of technology...the correct usage of it could be a
dentists best friend.

Dr. F. Bianco- 30+ years of General Dentistry

Dentist for 30 years email as he is on a conference run he was a replacement to another
interview scheduled.
Q: Tell me about your job and experience throughout the years.

A: I started out a a general dentist but now I do private visits. Not many know about my practice.
I was born and raised in Bowie. My dad had a dental office in our basement and I followed in his
footsteps. I didnt like dentistry at first because of the fumes of cavicide. I ended up becoming a
dentist, carrying out the family business.
Q: How have you seen technology change?
A: I remember with my dads office, x-rays took a couple of days to come back to the office
because we didnt have the machines in the basement. Now I have installed the sensory x-rays.
Dentrix has been updated and is much easier to use. I used to have Open Dental but it was so
conducting, I switched back to Dentrix.
Q: How have you seen technology change?
A: ---Q: Are patients in danger given that they have so much exposure and information?
A: I dont see it as a danger. I think it is good that they know what is happening, or what is going
to be done to them. I have around a 100 regular patients and I get around 1 or 2 new patients
on a monthly basis. I get to learn something new from them.
Q: Has the change benefitted you?
A: Honestly, it has made me more relaxed. I dont have to stress about x-rays, appointments
and things I dont have to be worried about. IT has made my job easier and turned it into
something that I look forward to daily.
Q: Something that I can quote you on
A: The transition has been a little hard, however, I can easily say, I am happier. When Im
happy, my patients are happy. That is a good day.

Dr.S.Sohrabi General Dentist

Dentist for 7 years. Lives in Virginia.
Q: Tell me about your job and experience throughout the years.
A: I majored in Biology and because there were no other classes offered at UVA I was placed for
pre dentistry and I ended up liking it. Then once I graduated I started working at the college to
train new coming students. It pays the same and it is less work on me.
Q: How have you seen technology change?

A: I wasnt exposed to much of the older things but I love that we can see so much not. We
have the CBCT and we get to view the tooth from all the angles imaginable. We have the
panoramic to show the developing buds of teeth coming in. We have composite to help hide the
malformations on teeth. It has really bloomed to show us how much humanity has
accomplished.
Q: How have you seen technology change?
A: ---Q: Are patients in danger given that they have so much exposure and information?
A: I am not so much with patients as I am with dental students and I hear them saying some
bizarre things at times. I think it is so much worse for the graduated because they get so
consumed with what they see online and what they learn in class. I think if we limited the
sources and went ahead to filter wahat was being poresented to the pblic it would benefir all
better.
Q: Has the change benefitted you?
A: -Q: Something that I can quote you on
A: It has great impacts on patient and dental communication. A procedure that used to take 35
minutes now takes 20 minutes. Time is money

Interviews:
Blaire Matson- Dental Hygiene
Blaire had been a dental assistant for three years while attending college to become a dental
hygienist. She went to HCC and later the Howard County Dental School.
Q: Tell about your experience in the field.
A: So as you know, I have been in this office for 5 years. I started an assistant. Basically I would
sterilize, assist the doctor with her needs: fillings, I would hand her things, extractions I would
clean the teeth. I couldnt do much else. Sometimes when we had little kids come in I had to

keep them busy to help them relax a bit. It was a lot of hard work. I had to stand all day long but
I needed the money so I had to do it. I had a little more prereqs I needed to take care of to-- oh,
and sorry-- and um yea. So I continued with school part time, thats why it took a bit ong. Most
hygienists graduate at age 24, I did it at 25.
I like being a hygiene better honestly. I like being in the field and I get to sit and be more
relaxed.
Q: Ok so you say relaxed why or rather how?
A: You know I dont have to interact with parents all that much anymore. I get to clean teeth and
go about my business, the assistant does all the rest. I do the cleaning all day all the time so it
got easier. As an assistant I had to deal with so much more
Q: Have you seen much change with the equipment used in the office? Have they had
any specific effects on you?
A: We just got the new software from Dentrix. Its so much easier to read. It lets you track how
long youve been working on a patient so you are aware and that way you dont run behind, or if
you do youre aware of it. Like, I can look right now to tell you who is where because the
computer tracks their procedure. John is in x-ray, Sarah is getting an exam from the doctor[her
kids]. And right here, it tells me I have 15 more minutes of lunch time left.
Q: So you sad Dentrix is new, what was the other one like?
A: It was formated much like this, but it used 2D pictures of teeth and the jaw drawn on the
program was in reverse- right was really left, left was really right, it caused us so many close
calls with procedures. Anyway, it didn't have any color coding so we could never be sure who
had came in or not, so we were always awkwardly running to the front desk to check.
Q: At the office I intern, all the assistants and front desk girls have a walkie talkie to avoid
the awkward looks from the patient's, anything to avoid the weird looks. What else has
changed that you really like?
A: Ok, I dont know about liking but there is a new law in MD that you have to sterilize the
prophy handle after each use instead of whipping. That doe slow us down as we have 5 rooms
and 5 handles, if we run behind, we have to wait 30 minutes for the sterilization to end. Honestly
the cavicide is so strong, it kills almost anything on the surface: nothing can go in as its not
hollow. In simple terms it seems like a silly rule to have. Just another way to slow the job down.
Q: Have other things occurred before?
A: Well we always have to explain every little detail to patients which is important but some
details patients should honestly not know, it just scares them. Because of lawyers and lawsuits
we have to. Sometimes it becomes so much about the money that we forget the best things for
the patients. On the other hand I see the point, I am a type of person who wants to know
everything that is going to be done to her. I cant complain too much.
Q: Are there any things that you do like?
A: They are all alright. You need the technology aspect right?
A:Yes
A: Right so we have the prophy angles, I never had to do tis but before patients just chose a
toothbrush and we just brushed their teeth and checked it with explorer to get rid of excess
plaque. The prophy paste is a pumice rock and fluoride so it cleans deeper into the enamel
Q: Now this information can also be found online do you think that is a bad things?
A: It is and it isnt. Not all things are true that you see. Some are so rare that its just insane. I
have had people come in with burned gums because they had read that bleach is good for
them. I have had people come to me with bloody tongues because they used hot spoons to kill
all bacteria.
A: What?!
A: Yes apparently mouthwash is overrated, so people turn to exceeding heat for safety O.o
Q: Any other out-of-the-ordinary things?

A: No and Im not saying this stuff to make the job sound off putting,not doing a great job but,
you should know that thats what makes it fun. These people are part of the 10% that dont
consult anyone before doing something and that is dangerous. Other people go by logic and
they are the one that should be the subject of your study.
Q: Something that I can quote you on
A: If it was a bad thing, they would not make it the core basis of dental school.
OUTSIDER: Knock Knock. BLaire we need you
A: If you need to leave its fine I got most of my info. Thank you for your time..
A: Glad I could help.

Total of 30 minutes

S.Deranja- Dental Student

Student at UMBC. Transferred to College Park for dental educations.
Q: So tell me about your experience.
A: This is my second semester and we are learning about the structure of the teeth, their
placement,and the required steps needed to a healthy developing tooth.
Q: That is this whole semester?
A: Yes. They focus on so much of the little techniques that it gets boring sometimes. Theologies
that started back who knows when to now
Q: Have you been exposed to any of the equipment used?
A: No but I have seen some of them in Unit one of the first semester. We got tested on the
engineering behind the machines and the history behind them the only thing is they added so
much history to the information that the technology part never really came through as
technology.

Q: Thats interesting. Have you been able to go down to the work room and see
procedures being done?
A: As a freshman I am not allowed yet starting next semester I can go down as an intern/
assistant.
Q: Do you need special preparation for that?
A: It is a part of my graduation requirement and we get a lot notes on them. Prior to the visit,
then there is a test, if we pass then we get to go down. Much like the science test we took in
elementary school to get involved in the science labs Its actually really easy.
Q: Do you think because it is so easy for you guys to get through and become
assistants patients are at risk?
A: No dont get me wrong. It is really hard and they will not let you do anything, touch anything if
you make the slightest mistake. You go on probation. But it is easier than most subject matters.
We barely get any time to do anything besides dental things My schedule goes school,
studying, interning, studying, sleep. Right now its my free time because i got to finish a test
early and come to you for the interview. youre lucky it worked out {I was a little irritated with the
way he spoke to me}
Q: Are the classes focused on anything else?
A: I find them to be a bit too redundant as most people do it its necessary. {he got a phone call
left for 3mins} sorry about that
Q: No its fine just one last thing...something I can quote you on...
A: Ive only had access to technology during my short years exposed to the field, I am newer to
the field, but I can say everything goes smoother when we use machines.
Total of 20 minutes