by

Richard T. Hansen, D.M.D., FACAD

(Comprehensive Dental Center)

Medicine, Dentistry, and Healthcare are facing many new challenges. While on one hand major advances have been made in science, technology, genetics, and the understanding and treatment of the human form, our healthcare systems are being strained by the rise of degenerative disease and associated costs. Conventional medicine is addressing these issues with the same tools they have always counted upon, i.e. surgery, drugs and radiation. Although the technical excellence of these tools, as well as added knowledge on how to improve them, such as with genetic engineering, has increased dramatically, the basic philosophy of medicine and disease has remained unchanged. We do not receive a different outcome using the same process of thinking that got us here.

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine offers another avenue of approaching healthcare and disease. It is not exclusive of conventional medicine but integrative using the best of both. However with the renewed interest in natural healthcare by both patient and practitioner, this new territory is an uncharted wilderness and many are proceeding blindly. This not only becomes potentially dangerous to a patient's health but also threatens the credibility and reputation of alternative healthcare.

The basic philosophy of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine involves more than just looking at symptoms, placing a label on a "disease", or prescribing a drug to eliminate the symptoms and force the body to become what the doctor describes as "normal". CAM involves looking at the complete functioning organism, mind, body, and spirit and determining what cumulative negative factors have led to the malfunction of basic God given body systems which has produced the diseased state and symptoms. Conventional Medicine should be used to support normal body function, remove negative factors that prevent wellness, and not produce any side effects that permanently interfere or damage the body's ability to function, repair, or regenerate. Doctors do not "fix" the body and cannot force it to live. Only the patient's body, mind, and spirit can ultimately repair itself and sustain life.

A change in the philosophy of medicine is imminently needed to help deal with the "unknown" causes of illnesses, the rise of degenerative disease, and the rise of costs and accesses to modern medicine. Complimentary and Alternative Medicine can help assist conventional medicine achieve these goals. Yet there are tremendous obstacles and hurdles preventing this from happening. Our current healthcare system and conventional practitioners feel confused and uneasy with any change in their present practice. There is a perceived threat to their ego, their power, and their economic stability.

Dentistry is undergoing the same influences as medicine. We now know that bacteria in the mouth contribute to many diseased states; dental materials may leach potentially hazardous materials into the body on a daily basis; metals in the mouth produce voltages and electromagnetic currents hundreds of times greater that the signals from the brain. Most adult dentistry is working on teeth that other dentists have worked on before due to traumatic drilling apart of tooth structure to fill them with large silver/mercury fillings. This leads to continual breakage and decay necessitating further more invasive adult dentistry. Research now shows that the use of a laser to vaporize just decayed tooth and inject in and fuse a biocompatible tooth replacement is not only non traumatic to the patient emotionally and physically, but also may prevent the need for further invasive adult dentistry. Imagine no more root canals or crowns (except for accident or injury). Yet in spite of this, dental schools do not teach these newer techniques stating that they have to graduate students that can pass the licensing exams or they may loose accreditation. The state boards do not test on newer techniques stating that since the schools do not teach these they must not be valid.

What is needed is unbiased scientific research to investigate alternatives in medicine. An end to the confusion, apprehension, skepticism, and fear associated with alternative practice. Legislation guaranteeing rights to use any appropriate therapy by doctors and patients. Schools that have up to date access to all alternatives and research and will introduce all students to these in an unbiased manner. State license boards that recognize and will not persecute practitioners of alternatives. Until we have freedom to chose any practice or philosophy of healthcare, a practitioner network operating free from reprisal, and unbiased research based on natural health principals, we will not enjoy the complete benefits that Complimentary, Integrative, Natural Healthcare can offer.

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