Creativity vs Certainty
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
September 1, 2020
Volume 11, Issue 8, September 2020
Page(s): p.2
In the field of dentistry, there remains an ongoing debate with respect to the significance of creativity in our esthetic work as technicians vs consistency or certainty in the finished product. In his 2016 article "Creative Certainty," Matthew Clark asserts that "creativity and certainty are not necessarily mutually exclusive ideas." Clark, with whom I tend to agree, maintains that "creative certainty is not an oxymoron"; and yet, "the balance of creativity and certainty is not a midpoint along a spectrum of two polar opposites." 1
Each case we work through has its own obstacles and we must prepare for these unplanned issues, which can create havoc on the certainty and/or consistency of our finished product. A creative approach in conjunction with a focus on consistency is therefore essential. Employing a process that allows us to be creative while delivering a consistent result is our goal. Even from a business perspective, creativity is essential in creating ownership in building restorations, sharing ideas or concepts, and inspiring teammates to stay motivated. While our dentists and patients expect a consistent product, stifling the creative side of what we do would disconnect us from the individualized art that we seek to provide.
There are as always pros and cons to any approach. Also, at the same time that we strive to improve upon our work, there is the constant influx of new materials and techniques that adds to the challenge. Nevertheless, I strongly believe that our individual futures and the successful outlook of our industry will be more secure when creativity and certainty effectively coexist.
Peter Pizzi, MDT, CDT
Editor-in-Chief
ppizzi@aegiscomm.com
