Exponential IncreaseA short, but sweet editorial
The wedding of my younger daughter took place on July 14, 2007. I am sure that many of you can relate to the gamut of emotion that the marriage of a child engenders. Happiness for the love that she and her husband share and the glorious potential of their lives together, sadness at handing over the responsibility of protecting and caring for my “little girl” to another man and excitement at the prospect of more grandchildren (my older daughter has already blessed me with five). Anyway, while contemplating these things, I began to think of the parallels between “Father of the Bride” and “Editor of Operative Dentistry.”
This journal has been my “child” for almost eight years now and will continue to be for a few more. However, that inevitable time will come when I will be passing on all the responsibilities of this position to another, probably better qualified, editor. Like my daughter's wedding, it will be an occasion of mixed emotions. Happy, because I know I will have done my very best for this publication and the Academies and discipline it represents, yet sad, because I know what Operative Dentistry should and can be, but is not yet.
From the beginnings of Operative Dentistry more than 30 years ago, the aim of this publication has been to be the premier journal for all operative dentists. That number would include just about every general dentist currently practicing in this country and abroad. In 2004, the American Dental Association suggested that this figure was about 139,000 practitioners in the United States. This means that, in the US, we only reach about .007% of our intended audience and an even smaller percentage when you add in other countries. This is something I would like to change, yet it will not be possible without your help.
You will find included in this issue of Operative Dentistry a copy of our promotional journal. It is a “mini-journal” and contains a couple of the most requested full text articles from the last 12 months, as well as an editorial. One paper, the Buonocore Lecture by Dr Jacques Nör, presents a fascinating glimpse into genetic advances and their potential impact on the future of dentistry, and the other article on tooth whitening, by Dr Bruce Matis, addresses an area of cosmetic dentistry of current interest to most dentists.
I would ask that you please take the promotional copy of Operative Dentistry and give it to a colleague who does not subscribe to our journal (just make sure he or she knows that the actual journal is a bit larger than this “mini-copy”). Share your good comments about the journal with that individual, share your criticisms of the journal with me, and together, we might just build a readership base equal to the quality of this publication.
Just as I hope for a happy, fulfilling and productive future for my children, I wish the same for this journal. With your help, we can generate “new arrivals” for the Operative Dentistry family of readers. We can start with the one colleague you introduce to this journal and hopefully watch as this growth spreads to two of his or her friends, then 20 new practices, 200, 2000 and so on, until the benefits of this publication are felt by every patient in every dental chair in every practice around the world.
Big dreams, I know, but I have big dreams for my children and grandchildren, too.