The Birth of a Website: The Site Philosophy

During my internship, I landed on a thought-provoking journal by Dr. Robert L. Caplin titled “Dentistry – Art or Science?” One conclusion struck me deeply:

“Dentistry is more of an art than a science, more subjective than objective, resulting in wide variations in clinical judgements and interventions between dental practitioners.”

As I reflected on the artistic essence embedded in dentistry—whether in the doctor-patient relationship or the nuanced decision-making—it all began to make a lot of sense. And, truth be told, this isn’t unique to dentistry; the entire field of medicine shares this duality.

William Osler aptly noted:
“If it were not for the great variability among individuals, medicine might as well be a science, not an art.”

This interplay of variability, judgment, opinions and uncertainty demands that we rely not only on evidence-based science but also on the art of clinical intuition.

Since beginning my journey in dentistry in 2019, every new concept I encountered sparked my curiosity. The depth and breadth of knowledge often left me yearning for more. I may not see myself as a master in any single niche, but I find solace in Albert Einstein’s words:
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”

However, one recurring challenge has always abbreviated this curiosity: limited access to intuitive, reliable dental information.

While social media has brought dental clinics and professionals to the forefront, often sharing bite-sized tips or crash courses, I’ve noticed a gap. What about deeply explained, intuitive insights into the art and science of dentistry? Because, truly, in the words of Albert Einstein, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

I’ll never forget one particular open-book orthodontics exam during my fifth year of dental school. We scoured textbooks, summaries, and even the internet—yet found nothing useful. Even ChatGPT, then a budding technology, fell short. A cephalometric diagram sat before us, waiting to be analyzed, and I thought, What if I created a platform where rare and hard-to-understand dental facts could be explained simply?
That’s when the seed for this website was planted: a platform to demystify both common and complex dental concepts, blending science and art to enhance understanding for students, professionals, and patients alike.

This website draws inspiration from the wisdom of great thinkers who emphasize the importance of observation, reasoning, and relentless learning:

Observation –> Experimentation –> Reasoning.

Albert Szent-Györgyi once remarked:

“Research is seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what nobody else has thought.”

It raises a critical question: how many of us truly see? Are we observing diseases in patients or we just attend to patients presenting with diseases?
As William Osler advised: “Learn to see, learn to hear, learn to feel, learn to smell, and know that by practice alone you can become expert.”

Dentistry, like life, is a continuous learning process. Osler beautifully captured this sentiment:
“The education upon which one is engaged is not a college course, not a medical course, but a life course.”

Through this website, I hope to cultivate curiosity, inspire love for learning, and emphasize that no knowledge—however fragmented—is ever wasted.
“In seeking absolute truth, we must be content with broken portions.”

By sharing freely accessible dental information, we aim to preserve not just oral health but also the universal gift of a smile:

“A smile remains the most inexpensive gift I can bestow on anyone, and yet its powers can vanquish kingdoms.” – Og Mandino

The ultimate goal? To contribute to a world where everyone shares the joy of a clean, healthy mouth—a reflection of divine intent. This clearly resonates with the Words of the LORD in Amos 4:6 “And I in turn gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places. Yet you did not return to me,” is the declaration of Yahweh. 

Finally, in all pursuits, I anchor myself in prayer and humility.

As Osler reminds us:
“Acquire the art of detachment, the virtue of method, and the quality of thoroughness, but above all the grace of humility.”

This website is a humble beginning—a beacon of learning, service, and shared curiosity in the vast, intricate world of dentistry.

And I would end this with the words of Ernest Hemingway:
“My aim is to put down on paper (now, on the website) what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.”