The Dissemination of Truth
In recent months I have received e-mail from an orthodontic graduate student in a very small foreign country. This student was looking for help in preparing a required paper for his school. I selected an appropriate article from the Schudy Chronicles and mailed it to him. He was very appreciative and very gracious and reported to me that the article had been very helpful to him.
A short time later I heard from him again. He had just returned from Paris, where he had been assisting with a course by a very outstanding clinician who is in great demand as a speaker all over the world, and who was a prolific author.
Prior to going to Paris to assist with the course, the young student had recently received the Internet article from me. In the article I had enthusiastically expressed concepts regarding the intrusion of lower incisors in orthodontic treatment. Since in the course which they were teaching how to intrude lower incisors in treatment, and I was violently opposed to such treatment procedures, the student was obviously confused. So he told the professor that my views were diametrically opposite to what was being taught. Then the professor resorted to a very common answer when one has no objective rebuttal, "I just don’t agree with him."
I had published all kinds of objective evidence to support my views, and the professor failed to agree with me, and failed to offer evidence to support his views. This left the student completely confused and had no way to determine the truth. Since he was assisting with the course it could be assumed that they had a close personal relationship. Then the principle of loyalty was sure to have caused the student great concern.
How unfair!! My heart goes out to the young student. Before a clinician starts lecturing all around the world, he would do well to perform his homework. He has a fiducial obligation to his profession.
In order to follow up on the final decision, I urged the student to be sure and reply to my message. Probably out of loyalty to his friend, several months have passed and there has been no reply.
Return to the Index of Articles
Return to Dr. Schudy's Home Page
site design by web designs of houston
powered by triplecrown server atvirtual servers for business on the web