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Compendium
February 199920TH ANNIVERSARYSmall Animal/Exotics
performed on military dogs, pursueda master
’
s degree in dental science af-ter completing his military service.He became quite well known andhad a large veterinary dental practicein the Houston area.
Interest Increases
The momentum in veterinary dentistry was building from the
prac- titioner
level. Some veterinarians be-gan visiting their own dentists tolearn more about human dentaltechniques that could benefit theirveterinary patients. Still, most veteri-narians were without an easily acces-sible source of veterinary dentalinstruments, equipment, and text-books. Most available instruments were either designed by someone who never tried to use them on dogs(or cats) or worn-out donations fromhuman dentists. This void was filled when a true visionary in veterinary medicine, Gerard B. Selin, formerowner of EVSCO and primary pro-ponent of gas anesthesia in veterinary medicine, joined Henry Schein, Inc.The catalog dental supply company gave Selin carte blanche in develop-ing a division centered around veteri-nary dentistry, and education be-came their focal point.Schein entered into an educationliaison with the American AnimalHospital Association in 1988, and
CE Seminars
was born. Four instruc-tors
—
Gary Beard, Chuck Williams,Peter Emily, and Tom Mulligan
—
educated thousands of veterinariansabout all aspects of veterinary den-tistry, from complete prophylaxis tocrowns and bridges.The Academy of Veterinary Den-tistry administered its first examina-tion in 1986 during the EasternStates Veterinary Conference; 2 yearslater, the American Veterinary Den-tal College was formed and recog-nized by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Veterinary den-tistry is now a core subject at many national, state, and local veterinary meetings. Students are taught viavideos, textbooks, lectures, and labo-ratories throughout the world. Den-tistry is not yet a mainstream topicin most veterinary schools, but it isan elective at several schools thathave Diplomates of the AmericanVeterinary Dental College on staff.The field of veterinary dentistry isone of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas of veterinary medicine,attracting hundreds of veterinary stu-dents, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians to lectures and laborato-ries annually. Unlike spaying or neu-tering, dentistry must be repeated ona regular basis (at least annually inmost dogs, cats, and horses and morefrequently in tiny pets, such as toy breeds and those weighing less than8 lb) to keep the oral cavity healthy.Home care products and dental-friendly treats are burgeoning areasfor veterinarians and owners to ex-plore.
What the Future Holds
With the increasing importance of companion animals today, owners want an enhanced level of care. Vet-erinary dentistry addresses that needby recommending preventive den-tistry (i.e., earlier and more frequentprophylaxis in dogs and cats) andtherapeutic dentistry, such as treat-ing existing periodontal disease, per-forming root canals (endodontictherapy) to treat abscessed teeth, andproviding orthodontics to furnishpets with pain-free occlusion. Exten-sive research is being conducted todetermine the cause of feline odon-toclastic resorptive lesions (FORLsor neck lesions) in cats. Gingivo-stomatitis complex, an as-yet un-identified immune problem that is
s
The Root of the Problem.
According to the Morris AnimalFoundation
’
s Animal HealthSurvey, 31% of dog owners and29% of cat owners cited dentistry problems as being one of theirmajor health concerns for theirpet. The number one concern fordogs was cancer (39%); for cats, it was urinary problems (48%).
s
At Any Cost.
The American Animal Hospital Association
’
s1998 Pet Owner Survey indicatesthat pets play an important role inthe lives of their owners: 50% of respondents said they were very likely to risk their life for their pet,and 38% would be willing tospend any amount of money tosave their pet
’
s life.
s
An Ounce of Prevention
. Inaddition to a willingness to spendmoney in an emergency, today
’
spet owners take an active role incaring for their pets. According tothe American Animal Hospital Association
’
s 1998 Pet OwnerSurvey, 87% seek regularveterinary checkups, vaccinations,and teeth cleanings, and 82% havehad their pet spayed/neutered.
Statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association are based on responsesfrom U.S. and Canadian pet owners. Datafrom the Morris Animal Foundation arebased on responses from a worldwidesurvey mailed out in August 1997.
1988
American Veterinary Dental College formed
1990
First World Veterinary Dental Symposium held
1991
First national dental lecture/ laboratory exclusively for technicians given
1994
First National Pet Dental Health Month instituted First dental diet for dogs introduced
1997
First dental diet for cats introduced
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