A note from our editor

March 1, 2004
Ayn Rand once said, "The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see." It seems like we often hear about a product or service that has been invented and people always ask, "Now why didn't I think of that?"

Ayn Rand once said, "The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see." It seems like we often hear about a product or service that has been invented and people always ask, "Now why didn't I think of that?"

I recently took my 6-year-old daughter to New York City for the first time. While we were there, we saw "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King" on Broadway. I have to admit that I am as much of a Disney fan as she is, so she didn't have to twist Dad's arm too much to get me to go to those shows. One of the things I always enjoy about Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" (whether it's on Broadway or the video that we've watched countless times) is watching how the Beast transforms from a mean, hideous creature into a prince who is the man of Belle's dreams by the end of the show. At the beginning of "Beauty and the Beast," an enchantress warns the prince not to be deceived by appearances because beauty is found within. It's a theme that exists throughout the play. At the end of the play, we know Belle saw something in the Beast that no one else did, much in the same way that I've read countless books of princesses kissing frogs and swans turning into princesses. The moral of all of these tales? Sometimes looks can fool the eye, and it's the wise person who can look inside to find true beauty.

Dr. M.E. "Bubba" McQueen's eyes weren't fooled when he pictured what could be a beautiful dental office in downtown Corinth, Miss. Sure, what he saw was a burned-out shell of a building, but that didn't stop him from envisioning what could be, not what was. The story of Dr. McQueen's efforts begins on page 8. I hope you'll take a moment to read the article and be inspired by Dr. McQueen's hard work and dedication to preserving one of his hometown's greatest architectural pieces. People in Corinth, Miss., are glad that Dr. McQueen could see something in the structure. Now I'm sure everyone in the city is asking themselves why they didn't buy the property for their own use.

I must admit that I was a bit partial to Dr. McQueen's story when he first sent me an e-mail detailing his project. Why? My mom has long been a proponent of revitalization in our hometown of Sand Springs, Okla. Mom served as the Main Street manager in our community for several years, and I know that our city's downtown is a better place because of all of her hard work and dedication to making sure the city's past treasures would never be needlessly torn down. Mom instilled in me a pride in the past, as well as a love for writing, at an early age. So when Dr. McQueen's story came across my desk, I knew a great person to write a sidebar for the piece — my mom. You can read her thoughts on why an older building may be the perfect choice for your new office on page 9.

Also in this issue you'll find Mary Govoni's article on the new CDC guidelines and what they mean for your office (page 58). There are some important changes that you, your staff members, and your patients need to know. Through her relationship with OSAP and her nationwide network of clients and friends, Mary is one of the best resources on the CDC's new guidelines. Dental Equipment & Materials is fortunate to have columnists such as Mary, Dr. Jeff Carter, and Dr. Michael Miller as regular contributors. Mary and Dr. Carter have been with the magazine since I took over as editor, and they are a great resource of information. Dr. Miller's work on REALITY is a tremendous asset to dental professionals. Simply put, I'm thrilled and honored to be working with such an accomplished set of columnists.

I'll see you in Atlanta at the Hinman gathering and in Anaheim for the California Dental Association's spring meeting.

Read on, this is your magazine...

Kevin Henry, Editor
[email protected]