My dreams were born sometime at the early age of five and took a progressive, visibly mature form during my dental school program. Ironically and simultaneously, I was voted by my college classmates, women and men, as the dental graduate who would most likely carve path to a non-dental career. Meaning, nothing to do with dentistry.
I don’t want to talk about being a woman in a man’s world. Both women and men are plagued by internal deficiencies–inherited and acquired, and external factors–inherited and acquired. I want to talk about the backdrop, participants, and logic strategy–which is both system and recipient dependent. Checkpoint. I want to talk about competition in function of destiny, legacy, capability, intellectual strategy-logic, and the participants in the world: for women and men. Checkmate. Checkmate in reprise and checkpoint in perspectives: macro and micro views–same axis. Whereas the world is populated and functions by the two genders, history has almost ubiquitously highlighted a proposed competition between the two, when in fact, it is a misrepresentation of functionality at the core, and that being competition for acquisition, space, and resources to function exponentially, in lieu of inherent potential and to meet respective goals, in macro and micro axis. A finer intersection of what constitutes the battles of the genders or sexes if you will, is really pure grunt competition of the characteristics of the participants to manifest, express, plant and harvest–invest and reap ROI–return on investment. The only premise most recently overlooked in spite of the era of most data and resource acquisition by both however, is that they are meant to not only co-exist, but they are meant to augment for optimization in that unique synergism, results which cannot be achieved independently of the other. While the focus on honor, respect, and investment are worthy and demanding of each, it is their intersection in manifestation of each which propel the future derivation of birthing new concepts, new technologies, new ventures, new waves of implementation over historic progression, stops, and cycles. Healthcare is a special commodity: like none other in the open market. In the healthcare space, more specifically dentistry and oral sciences, several existing models highlight the very com- position of this reality, from the clinical collective to other healthcare subsectors like legislative policy and industry standards. From the 360HealthcareTM (C3 Think Tank, 1999) concept system, let’s examine a select three, identify the current stops and limitations of the missing gender action synergism in individualistic functionality yet combinatorial, and the opportunity for a new cycle and hence new lessons missed from the past.
360HealthcareTM Clinical Segment. Gender Set Oral Health Profile and Oral Hygiene Program @dclaserdentist (Washington Institute For Dentistry & Laser Surgery, 2004) has implemented an innovative customized protocol, optimizing therapeutic index and minimizing toxicity index for Women and Men Oral Hygiene Protocols through Advanced Oral Systemic Clinical Protocols AOSCPTM. Checkpoint. This has been substantiated by an interdisciplinary, evidence-based and decades-established scientific discovery collection through the NIH, including NIDCR on the much necessary differentiation in clinical customization for gender systemic profiles based oral hygiene program. While the healthcare participants ran with the woman-based profile, the healthcare space forgot the man-based counterpart in the trenches, making it a single and lacking companion in spite of the consumer demand. Checkmate.
360HealthcareTM Legislative Policy. While the healthcare collective of clinical experts are spending their time and focus on the distribution and some on the innovation aspect of delivery, access to care and other supportive components which make or break the clinical delivery process, is left to an entirely different subsector, which by scope interacts with the healthcare sector however has been given ample space to lead as non-experts on expert subject matter direction and means to the masses. Checkpoint. While the discussions on Capitol Hill almost always involve the mission of idealization of sorts, it is without doubt that compromise is a substantial means of movement, while the experts are silently bystanders on the sidelines, commenting yet lacking the action initiative to lead what has been legislatively appropriated to them by USA Congress: First Tier Primary Care Providers. Both genders failed and shorthanded the profession by miles. While individualistic focus is merited in situations of the target goal, the combinatorial need for gender corroboration is not only key but it is limiting in the achievement for either. Checkmate.
360HealthcareTM Industry Standards. While the industry in healthcare has given a large enrichment of devices and platforms of enhancing the private and small business space of healthcare, dentistry has lagged significantly in keeping up with the premise of its sister medical disciplines. While large payer systems are often the go-to explanation in motivation, the private small business space is equally strong in the medicine industry segment. Why it has not kept up the pace in contributions is none other than bottom line revenue stimulated decisions. Checkpoint. When we examine the leadership composition at this level of decision makers and participants, the represented gender is not only skewed with women’s participation significantly lacking, but reports show women’s profiles there do not represent the highest caliber of excellence of women as compared to the men’s counterpart. While the standards for industry in medical devices and related, involve women scientists in more equal parts to men, and reports show genders are more equally represented in the international interactions, the differentiation of gender based technical requirements have not been yet placed in focus. As a gentle reminder, it was only recently (~1985) that reproductive drugs testing was adopted to be analyzed on the woman model. Until then, reproductive medications and medical devices were tested on the 185 lb. male model. Checkmate. Standards for the healthcare industry have yet to adapt in synchronous mode with science discovery, the gender-based technology and applications requirements to gender models and specifications.
Focus on gender specific demand and functionality is as key as the congruent combinatorial action in coordinated efforts to promote and impact, which is time and space dependent. As an expert in both segments, I have always argued: private health is public health. If the timing and collective participants are not involved by their represented functionalities, the liability translates exponentially in the consumer segment in clinical toxicities with unwarranted clinical phenotypes permeating as high as 70-80% prevalence and incidence rates in the public health axis. (Why Treatments Fail, Cotca, 2004- 2021)
I, and others before and after me, was/am equipped to pursue what I have achieved and enjoyed so far from that clear vision in early childhood, always in sync with the checkpoint and checkmate of the healthcare commodity: mechanism logic and participants.
Disclosure
All content/ concepts in this article are proprietary to C3 Think Tank, 360HealthcareTM, & Washington Institute For Dentistry & Laser Surgery.
References:
Cotca, C. Claudia (1999) 360HealthcareTM.
Ann Arbor: 360HealthcareTM.
Cotca, C. Claudia (2004) Advanced Oral Systemic Clinical Protocols AOSCPTM. Washington DC
Cotca, C. Claudia (2004-2021) Why Treatments Fail?
Dr. Claudia C Cotca, an international lecturer and aesthetic oral-systemic TMD/OSA restorative dentist, is founder of Washington Institute for Dentistry & Laser Surgery. She is a subject matter expert in dentistry, lasers, toxicology, environmental sciences, and public health with ADA SCDP, AAMI, and ANSI standards, and USA Delegate to ISO and IEC, among others. She serves as an Editor and reviewer of various journals, including Group Program Chair of IADR/ AADR Pharmacology/ Therapeutics/ Toxicology. She is Fellow of American Academy of Oral Medicine, Pierre Fauchard Academy, International College of Dentists, and member of International College of Prosthodontists. She testifies before United States Congress and White House and contributes legislative language. She contributes on ABC, NBC, and media, and intersects with industry and other healthcare subsectors in global markets. author@claudiaccotca.com