Lasers in Dentistry—Current Concepts

Donald J. Coluzzi, DDS, a 1970 graduate of the University of Southern California School of Dentistry, is an Clinical Professor in the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences at the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry. He ran his own private practice of general dentistry in Redwood City, CA; and retired from it after 35 years. He is a life member of both the California Dental Association and the American Dental Association. He has served as a past president of the Academy of Laser Dentistry, received its Leon Goldman Award for Clinical Excellence, and is a past editor-in-chief of the Journal of Laser Dentistry. He has used dental lasers since early 1991 and holds Advanced Proficiency in Nd:YAG and Er:YAG wavelengths. He is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, a University of California certified Dental Laser Educator, and is a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society. He serves as a reviewer for several journals, and is a founding associate of Laser Education International. He recently received the outstanding faculty member award from the American College of Dentists. Dr. Coluzzi has presented about lasers worldwide, co-authored two textbooks, and published several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Steven Parker studied dentistry at University College Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK and graduated in 1974. Dr. Parker has been involved in the use of lasers in clinical dentistry since 1990. He is closely involved in the provision of education in laser use in dentistry. He served as President of the Academy of Laser Dentistry in 2005-6. In addition, Dr. Parker holds Advanced Proficiency status in multiple laser wavelengths. He was awarded Mastership of the Academy of Laser Dentistry in 2008. Awards gained with the Academy of Laser Dentistry have been the Leon Goldman award for excellence in clinical laser dentistry (1998) and the Distinguished Service Award (2010). From 2010, he has served an appointment as Professore a contratto in the Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics, University of Genoa, Italy. He also acts as International Coordinator and lead faculty of the Master of Science (Master Livello II) degree programme in laser dentistry at the University of Genoa. Dr Parker has contributed chapters on aspects of laser use in dentistry in several text books and multi-media platforms. Additionally, he has received publication of over 40 peer-reviewed papers on the use of lasers in dentistry, including a series "The Use of Lasers in Dentistry" published in the British Dental Journal in 2007 and later as a textbook. He was the dental consultant to the UK Medical Health Regulatory Agency (Dept. of Health) in the 2008 (Revised 2015) publication "Guidance on the safe use of lasers, intense light source systems and LEDs in medical surgical dental and aesthetic practices". He serves as associate-editor of the Journal of Lasers in Medical Science. In addition, he serves as referee for many peer-reviewed dental journals worldwide. He maintains a Private Practice in Harrogate, UK.

Concepts of Laser Use: Why Use a Laser?.- Light and Laser Fundamentals.- Laser-Tissue Interaction.- Laser Operating Parameters for Hard and Soft Tissue Surgical and PBM Management.- Laser Safety.- Laser Assisted Diagnostics.- PBM: Theoretical and Applied Concepts, Adjunctive use of LLLT / PBM Within Clinical Dentistry. Laser-Assisted Oral Hard Tissue Management: Laser-Assisted Restorative Dentistry.- Laser-Assisted Endodontics.- Implants: Laser-Assisted Site Preparation.- Laser-Assisted Pediatric Dentistry.- Soft Tissue Aspects of Orthodontics. Laser-Assisted Oral Soft Tissue Management: Periodontal Therapy.- Laser-Assisted Soft Tissue Surgery. Laser-Assisted Multi-Tissue Management: Laser Osseous Crown Lengthening.- Impact of Laser Dentistry in the Aesthetic Zone. The Way Forward?: Current Research and Future Dreams.- Evidence-Based Laser Use.