CDT cards

[Travis]

Thanks for the reply and the backround, also thank you for being to the point about what the benefit to becoming a cdt is "whatever you get out of it" I think that may sum it up. I'm still interested to hear other peoples responces. Surely there are cdt's and non cdt's that have some input, I always see 20 or more people on the forum whenever I'm on here. Don't be shy jump on in with some input.

A previous discussion.

http://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/f22/cdt-not-ortho-forum-2798/

 

[CYNOSURER]

On second note who ever said non cdt's don't take ce credits I take my fair share every year more than many cdt's I know. I know I may be an exeption but I don't want to be pigeon holed into a group of non cdts that don't stay educated.

I give up. Who said that?

I know what I said was that, as a meeting planner, it sure is nice to know that there is a large group of potential attendees that are compelled to show up.

I also know, as a CDT, I've attended clinics to get my CDT CE credits that I had no interest in...probably because of the title of the clinic, or the speaker, or the sponsor...only to be pleasantly surprised and thankful that I was 'hassled' into being there.

I know a lot of the local meetings, that are organized by state components of the NADL, are done so for the benefit of their CDT members and most of this 'organizing' is done by unpaid volunteers. I don't believe such a humanitarian effort would be given if they had to depend on non-CDTs or non-member support. Texas has one of the better such meeting...and guess what?...they have a high CDT population.

I wonder if LMT has the figure on CDT vs non-CDT attendees. Not that you could really extrapolate a lot from such numbers as I know a lot of CDTs take their non-CDT employees to these things. I does seem that when the clinics I attended had their CE sign-ins most of the attendees seem to get in line.

I think non-CDTs owe CDTs a debt of gratitude whether they admit that CDT does anything to help them or not. Seems we're all in the same boat, and that boat will rise and fall with the water level but how well we do against the current will depend on how many people in the boat have a paddle...a paddle in the water, not the one we keep beating ourselves up with.

Don't make me take my paddle out of the water to come over there and slap you upside the head. :captain:

 

[kcdt]

here's my final take...I went for the CDT at a point in my career when I wanted to be taken more seriously. Whether or not the certificate got taken seriously became beside the point because the ACT of taking steps on that journey meant I started to take myself more seriously....and voila, here we are.

 

[hydent]

Nevada used to have the hardest board examiation in the country. why you may ask, because of the denture portion the docs had to do full max and mand denture. One of my best dr's is the head of the board of examiners and has been for many years he has been using me for 6 years and has been practicing dentistry for almost 30 he said my removeable work is the best he has seen ,the same guy who oversees the board exams. Now that may not mean anything to you guys but that meens a lot to me mabe as much as your cdt. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. I've seen some cdts work that I wouldn't put my name on. I dont owe anyone anything I pay the same money that you do to attend the courses and as far as I can tell many of the courses are put on by manufactures pushing something or other. The arrogance that comes from some of your posts tim seems a little like you may be trying to compensate for somthing else. I would love to give you a shot at me tim go ahead and bring the paddle both if you would like just a warning it may turn out a little embarrasing for you. For the record I did take offence to the paddle comment and us non cdt's owing cdt's.

 

[CYNOSURER]

Gee, no CDT and no sense of humor...must be rough.

And you're right about manufacturers using clinics to push their products. But by and large (with LMT being the big exception) it is groups populated by certified individuals who organize these trade shows to support CE for all even those of you who are too hassled to be bothered with certification.

And personally, I don't care how many 'individuals' you have found who like your work or how many 'individuals' you have found that do inferior work. What's your point? The worst lab in town will have docs who love their work and admonish others who use over-priced 'boutique' labs.

 

[CYNOSURER]

Here's a nice link on dentaltown's legal forum. Note how many individuals praise the work as nice or very nice or even beautiful.

Patient doesn't like...

 

[hydent]

It's not that I don't have a sence of humor I just sence a lot of disrepect from your post. Just because I dont feel the need to pimp myself out on dental towne doesn't make me lesser than you as a matter of fact I feel it makes me feel better that I don't because I'm burried in work without having to pimp myself out to thousands of dentists online. By the way I've seen some pictures of your snap on denture or whatever the hell you call it and boy you must be proud of that, nice treatment plan there with the doctor you pimped yourself out to. Why dont you showcase that one on her for us all to evaluate. If I have to be a cdt to make something that looks like that count me out for sure. It's just a testament of how of your arrogance to try and treat that case the way you did. A previose post said a cdt is "whatever you get out of it" and you got a big ego and a lot of arrogance, good for you. I dont care if you care or not if indevidules like my work you obviosly miss the point of what I was saying. Are you bringing both paddles yet cause you still seem to be on the defence when the goal of the dicussion was to get input which others did in good taste. Tim you may be used to getting your ass kissed by others but I'll show you the same respect I get from you.

 

[kcdt]

Guys, I've seen a lot of forums go down in flames... I rather like this one. Can we all just take a deep breath and TRY to get along?
I'm sure no one has intended to cast doubts on anyone else's professionalism, so can this dial back a bit?
I think you're both nice guys and this doesn't really help.

 

[hydent]

Your right ken I just don't like being talked down to like someones kid brother. I didn't start this conversation to make anyone defend their stance on being a cdt I just want to get the pros and cons of both sides. As I said at the beginning I may be a bit ignorant about some of the ins and outs of being a cdt. It seems that it made some get a little defensive, that wasn't the intention at all. I've always had respect for Tim, haven't always agreed with him but always had respect for his posts up till this all started.

 

[CYNOSURER]

Hydent, at the risk of losing even more of your respect, and despite Ken's sage advice :grouphug: , my massive ego dictates that must I post the following:

You have mistaken my smart ass attitude for arrogance. There's a difference. Sorry, if you took anything I said personally. My comment about the contribution that CDTs have made to promote CE was not intended to make you out to be some kind sycophant (that you took it that way may be that phenomenon psychologists refer to as 'projecting'). I mentioned it only to point out the behind the scenes role that they play. Similarly, the NBC requirement that speakers have some form of credentialing (CDT, DDS, etc) for a clinic to be awarded CE credits helps to insure that Betty from accounting isn't the one up front walking you through that manufacturer sales pitch/slide show...you're welcome. :congrats:

That your double-paddled swipe consists simply of personal attacks and putdowns does not surprise me. You can take that personally. Your first condescending remark about the need to be a CDT is to compensate for something else was cute enough, though it lacked any real flair. I'm sorry, I didn't know this was a thread about making you feel good about yourself. So, if falsely accusing me of being a pimp and taking a swipe at a piece of my work that you can only vaguely describe (and, I assume, understand even less) makes you feel better, then have at it. popcorn Feel free to post it here if you want to discuss it.

I did find it humorous that your quintessential reference to the quality of your work was from a man who apparently has dedicated a large portion of his life to being on a board of examiners and yet, you seem to have disdain for the very concept of a board of examiners. Was this an intentional display of your humor or just pure irony. If I told you that one of my accounts is a Past-President of the American College of Prosthodontists would that national office trump your local state guy? Hey, I'm getting the hang of this arrogance thing. It goes real well with my smart assiness.

And your coup de grâce is to play the 'taste' card after a thinly veiled 'small penis' innuendo and ass kissing reference? How gay is that?...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Don't concern yourself with becoming a CDT. There's no benefit for you. Like the proverbial bachelor: Why buy the cow when you're getting the milk for free? Drinks on me! :beer:

 

[Travis]

I told you my view on the CDT. I like the idea I just dont like how they keep us jumping through hoops to keep it.

Please guys bash or praise CDT all you want just dont make it personal. Keep the insults and comments to each other to a minimum.

Thanks kenneth for speaking up.

 

[hydent]

I don't take anything you say personal I still think your arrogant despite how you justify what you said, to even have the thought is arrogant. As for that case I fully understand the case that you attempted and failed. I dont have the pics nor do I have the time to dig them up. You seem to be confused about which one I'm talking about, is there more than one? I didn't talk about the board of examiners to brag so much as to mention how it makes me feel that if the board of examiners feels my work is good then why do I need to take a competency test to do an ideal case to prove to myself something that is already obviose. If you were doing work for the national presedent of prosthodontics then thats a big complement, you obviosly have a missunderstanding of the point I didn't say that to start a my dads tuffer than your dad thing, simply to say that I feel like I have passed the test of competence in this field by doing his work. The Whole reason I started this conversation is because I was kicking around the of taking steps to take the test at western states this spring. I never thought it would turn into you owe us and beating you over the head with a paddle. I never said the inuendo was about your penis, you just assumed, It could have referred to anything. You chose your penis then you pulled out a lame gay comment wow a real commedian. You must be small to automatically think thats what I was talking about. I'm sorry that must really stink for you.

 

[CYNOSURER]

Yeah, the gay thing was a bit lame. :withstupid:

And FYI the whole point to an innuendo is that you don't say what it's about. :noidea:

My point about who I do work for wasn't a my dad vs your dad thing. You should be just as unimpressed with my guy's status as I was with your guy. Neither of their positions is a testament to their clinical skills. It probably should be. It could be. But it ain't necessarily so. My guy could be a ninety year old half-blind egotist who should have given up dentistry years ago. My best clinician could very well be some guy who simply got out of school, opened up in some podunk town, and has been quietly working away for the last forty years with little, if any, fanfare. I'd be curious, does 'your guy' give you the absolute best stuff to work on over all your other accounts?

As for CDT:

I was never out to prove anything to anyone...not myself, my fellow technicians, or any doctors.

I was never concerned about the benefits..."What's in it for me?"..."What am I going to get out of?"

I did it simply to show my commitment to my chosen profession...a profession that, growing up in my father's lab, I never thought I'd pursue.

For me CDT means Committed Dental Technician...I'm just waiting around till somebody catches on and has me committed.

:vroam:

 

[kcdt]

I told you my view on the CDT. I like the idea I just dont like how they keep us jumping through hoops to keep it.

Please guys bash or praise CDT all you want just dont make it personal. Keep the insults and comments to each other to a minimum.

Thanks kenneth for speaking up.

I like holding the CDT, but if I had to complain, and this applies to nadl as well, its that getting clear direction on compliance issues with GMPs and QAs and all the other items the FDA requires is made a total mystery unless you want to fork over Thousands for a program better designed for an operation a gazzilion times larger than yours.
Really, where's the sense that they will at least interpret the reams of opaque language the govt puts out and demands we do?
That at least seems like something concrete they could do for US (and don't tell me DAMAS IS THE ANSWER, how the hell is a small lab supposed to justify that expenditure and then go through third party audits?). So far all they seem to be doing is making a marketshare for the consultants.
How's that for some bitching and moaning?

 

[hydent]

well I guess I'm a "whats in it for me guy" It seems a little foolish to not wonder what's in it for me when I'm doing all of the work and paying the money up front and annually to get the title of being a cdt. I'm fully aware of what an ennuendo is thank you for that and the I'm with stupid sign was a classy addition too. Oh as for a my guy vs your guy thing that dentist is a great dentist to work for and he is in a podunk town as is my laboratory. My guy despite being in dentistry for many more years than I have been a tech still listens and trusts my advise and that says a lot for an older dentist as far as I'm concerned.
Now can we just move on Tim, I get that you think your a commedian and can make disrespectful jokes and you get that I'm not that great at taking them so lets just get back to the topic.

 

[CYNOSURER]

:focus: Works for me! :shakehands:

 

[TheLabGuy]

I have a question Tim.........
maybe this is going "off topic" again but my question is, what benefits does being a CDL give you? I mean I went through the process with another lab, the safety issues they address is fine, but what about after that?????
I'm a big fan of the CDT program, and the exact opposite about the NADL..........so I'm curious what the CDL brings to the discussion since you carry it under your signature.

 

[CloudPeakDL]

I've always wondered if the thing that kept the wages so low and killed off higher education in this field was that the military trained so many for so long... years and years of ex-GIs well trained, but without the economic necessity that universities saddle the civilians with....
It was like free manna from heaven and there were so many... well, you get the point."


I don't personally see where this has been the down fall of the field. There are way more people trained by the military in other professions that get out or retire every year. You'd be surprised to know the military encourages the CDT; it even sponsors the test and yes it pays the fee for the military technician to take the test but there is no benefit beyond that; ie, no pay increase or annual payment of the renewal fee. Are you saying the military in general keeps wages low by training people to be doctors, dentists, mechanics ect? Doctors and Dentist get a lot of their debt paid off by joining, and they do pay for higher education for enlisted as well, this includes several advanced training courses for lab techs; but you'd be surprised how many lab techs get out and don't do lab work. Personally I didn't set my fees based on a need for health insurance or because I needed to make up the difference in my retirement pay. I set my fees to serve my general population; which in WY are most likely lower than yours, but I choose to live here and enjoy the benefits of small town life, could I make more living somewhere else? Maybe, but I choose to live here and I wouldn't move, therefore I charge what I feel is a fair price; which is most likely higher than what you might think. That being said; I feel the fees required to maintain the status don't give back what it costs annually and therefore I don't have a CDT. I believe in continuing education and attend as much as I can. I'm sorry if my retired status is causing you financial hardship.

 

[Clear Precision Dental]

I am mostly tired of the licensure fees going up all the time. That's my only rub. Seems like someone is always reaching into my pocket for another bit of cash and I'm working like a dog. I see both sides of the issue and I still hate parting with the cash.

BUT, if I need to take a bullet to the mouth (on camera or otherwise)... I'M CALLING TIM that's all I have to say about that

 

[CYNOSURER]

I have a question Tim.........so I'm curious what the CDL brings to the discussion since you carry it under your signature.

Okay, that, for me, is just a P.R. thing. There are so small many labs in this area that are hole-in-the-wall (one used to rent an out building in the middle of a quarry...had as much dust on the outside as the inside!),ratty looking places. I like having a small lab but I want it project a more professional image. We rarely get visits from our accounts so I feel it embeds a certain clean, sterile (not talking penis here ),professional image in their minds if nothing else. FYI, yesterday I posted a couple of outside shots of my building here in the gallery section under dental labs. So the clean image does correspond to a clean professional image though the moss on the brick does eliminate sterile.