Podcast: Dr. Juan Yepes on orthodontics and oral pathology

Every week for more than a decade, Dr. Juan Yepes, MPH, DrPH, has provided case studies for DrBicuspid.com readers to use as a learning tool. Now, as he passes a milestone of teaching through these cases, Dr. Yepes shared his knowledge about a recent case that had orthodontic ties.

Dr. Juan Yepes, MPH, DrPH.

Through his role as a professor of pediatric dentistry at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, Dr. Yepes is touching the future of dentistry. He also helps the current generation of dentists and dental team members expand their knowledge base through not only by providing cases for DrBicuspid every week but also through lecturing at dental meetings throughout the country.

For the most recent episode of "The DrBicuspid.com Podcast," I asked Dr. Yepes about a recent case involving a 17-year-old boy with missing teeth. Seeing the radiograph presented in the case study, I had questions about the orthodontic treatment the young man might go through. Dr. Yepes was willing to talk to me about the case and the orthodontic tie-in.

Among the quotes that stood out to me from our conversation were these nuggets of knowledge from Dr. Yepes:

• "I always see that as a teaching moment or a teaching situation."
• "We are experts in the oral cavity, not just teeth."
• "Orthodontists need to have a good knowledge of common and not too common potential pathologies."

You can listen to our entire conversation by clicking here or simply hitting the Play button below.

Again, my thanks to Dr. Yepes for what he does every week to help dentists and dental team members become better equipped to help their patients.

Podcast takeaways

• Collaboration between different dental specialties is crucial for providing comprehensive care to patients.
• Orthodontists play a key role in identifying and referring unusual pathologies through radiographs.
• Oral and maxillofacial radiologists and pathologists are essential members of the dental community.
• Effective communication and teamwork are necessary for delivering the best possible care to patients.