For whatever reason, I have had a group of patients migrate to my office from a “holistic” dental practice in a different part of the state. The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “holistic” is –“relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts. Holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body.”
Most of us are probably more familiar with the term “holistic” in the medical world than in the dental world. I have done a little research on “holistic dentistry”, and to be honest, I have a lot more research to do. In the future, I plan on writing more about my research on this subject.
I make most of my clinical decisions in practice based on peer-reviewed, published scientific evidence. I like facts. However, I am also an avid student of the psychological and emotional side of what I do. My initial research into “holistic” dentistry has found both things that I am attracted to as well as borderline quackery.
For the purposes of the column this week, I am going to comment on the Holistic Dental Association’s philosophy taken from their website. I have commented on each individual paragraph below:
We believe that Holistic involves an awareness of dental care as it relates to the entire person.

Most people are now well aware that the mouth and the rest of the body are connected. We know that there are connections between dental health and systemic health as it relates to things such as heart disease. The holistic approach seems to go beyond this.

We believe that health care practitioners and recipients should be provided with appropriate information to make informed choices that will enhance personal health and wellness while feeling loved, accepted, and understood.

Much of the “holistic” approach is a frame of mind. Different people need different amounts of information to make an informed decision for their particular situation. It is the communication and relationship between the patient and the doctor that is most important.

We believe that Holistic Dental Association membership provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support while we expand our awareness and skills.

No comment.

We believe our educational growth should be nurturing, affordable, and encompasses basic information, experiential knowledge, and leading edge ideas.

Experiential knowledge means knowledge gained from direct experience. I would agree that many of the things we do are based on our own experiences and often that information can benefit someone else. However, I do not see anything in this statement that relates to published scientific data.

We believe in openly sharing resources. We believe in an inter-disciplinary approach to health that facilitates the individual’s innate ability to heal her/himself.

Most organizations, when it comes to learning, are open to sharing resources. Most practitioners use an inter-disciplinary approach to provide what they feel is best for the patients. The last part of the statement is the more “holistic” part.

I will share more about specifics in “holistic” dentistry in the future.