Park Dental Doctor, Patients Part of Cracked Teeth Research Project

Since starting with Park Dental in 1985, I have had the pleasure to work with a variety of patients and fellow dentists. However, one of the most rewarding aspects of my work has been my involvement in research. After starting with a study involving root canal treatment, I am now involved in a study evaluating cracks in teeth. While I greatly enjoy participating in research, these studies more importantly benefit the patients at Park Dental (including right here in St. Louis Park), leading to an overall higher quality of care.

The goal of our current study through the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network (NDPBRN) is to try and determine which cracks in teeth will become worse and require treatment and which cracks can be monitored over time without treatment. At the moment, the dental community does not have as good an understanding of this question as we would like. Nonetheless, by working together with other dentists across the United States, I hope to eventually be able to tell patients with much more predictability that a particular tooth with these conditions will end up breaking and/or needing root canal treatment if a crown is not placed. 

Ultimately, this work could not be done without the help of my loyal patients. I currently have 20 patients with visible cracks present on a tooth at my St. Louis Park practice enrolled in the study, all of which have been more than willing to participate. With their help, we will be able to advance as a dental community.

While I definitely enjoy the satisfaction of completing research and having the opportunity to travel with my colleagues to places like Brazil to present our work, in the end, the other Park Dental doctors and I participate in research to benefit you, our patients. By being patients at a dental group that participates in research, our patients know they are receiving up-to-date care. Not only will the research immediately benefit the patient, but it will also benefit many generations to come.

If you’d like to learn more about my research, please visit the study overview page on the National Institute of Health website.