For much of modern healthcare, dentistry has existed apart from the broader medical system.

Patients commonly have separate providers for medical and dental care, and this division is

reflected in insurance models, education, and even cultural perception. Yet biologically, this

separation is artificial. The mouth is a central part of the body, and its health is intimately tied to

overall well-being.

Studies of centenarians—people who live into their 100s—have shown a correlation between

good oral health and longevity. While flossing alone may not extend your life, oral hygiene often

reflects broader patterns of self-care. People who maintain their teeth through regular checkups

and good habits tend to engage in other positive health behaviors, supporting the idea that oral

health is a gateway to general wellness.

Beyond its connection to systemic health, oral health also has a major psychosocial impact. A

healthy smile can influence confidence, job opportunities, and social interactions. Teeth support

essential functions like speech, eating, and self-expression—all of which contribute to quality of

life at any age. This means not only is there a reason to maintain your teeth with brushing and

flossing, but there are also benefits to improving them for both esthetics and function.

One way to enhance a smile is by improving tooth alignment, which can benefit both function

and appearance. Orthodontics—the dental specialty focused on straightening teeth and

correcting bite issues—is often associated with adolescence, but treatment is increasingly

common among adults. Advances in digital imaging and clear aligner therapy have made

orthodontics more accessible and discreet. For many patients, even minor adjustments, such as

moving one tooth or closing a small space, can be completed efficiently and comfortably with

modern treatment options.

These treatment options can now range from simple corrections to comprehensive care using

either clear aligners or traditional braces. Importantly, they are often more convenient than

people expect, with flexible solutions to fit different lifestyles and goals.

The first step toward improving your oral health—or enhancing your smile—is establishing or

re-establishing a dental home. Regular dental evaluations help detect and address problems

early, before they become more serious or expensive to treat. Once a foundation of oral health

is in place, patients can explore options to improve the shape, color, alignment, or function of

their teeth.

Whether you’re considering tooth whitening, replacing missing teeth, or straightening your smile,

having a trusted relationship with a dental provider makes all the difference. Open

conversations, regular care, and modern dental tools make it possible to achieve not only a

healthier mouth but a healthier life overall

Paul Meyer, DDS, MS, is an orthodontist proudly serving the Brookings, South Dakota community. After earning his dental degree from the University of Minnesota and completing his orthodontic residency at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Meyer returned to his hometown to carry on the family practice at Meyer

Orthodontics. He is honored to continue the practice founded by his father, Dr. David Meyer, providing expert, personalized orthodontic care to patients of all ages. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB), providing health information based on science, built on trust.

It’s remarkable how much anatomy education and medical practice overlap, yet anatomist-physician collaborations are often underutilized for improving student learning and patient care outcomes.

Becoming an anatomist or a physician requires commitment to many years of education and practical training. Both generally require four years of comparable, comprehensive baccalaureate coursework followed by four or more years of concentrated graduate/medical education and practical training. Amid both career paths, students work diligently to achieve predefined benchmarks for competency in complex human anatomy, meticulous clinical applications, and interrelated skills. Nevertheless, it is natural for anatomists to lose insight about practical clinical skills and physicians to lose insight about anatomical intricacies – most notably while the other person is keenly maintaining expert-level knowledge and knowhow of that very information. Anatomical variations offer a course of action for efficiently and effectively addressing the “use it or lose it” principle for both experts.

Human anatomy is taught and learned according to its foundational morphologic norm – that is, the typical configuration, form, and function of structures in the body. Understanding typical anatomy allows physicians to draw clinical insights from patients’ chief complaints. For example, knowing the typical arrangement of bones, muscles, nerves, and vessels in the body allows orthopedic physicians to discern differential diagnoses and establish safe and effective surgical and therapeutic treatment plans for patients with musculoskeletal issues. However, anatomical variations – structures that do not present in typical location or form – are common and can complicate both learning and medical practice.

As authorities in the granularity of human anatomy, anatomists develop and maintain expertise about the development, presentation, and impact of anatomical variations, especially as they uncover specific cases during routine cadaveric dissection. As authorities in the minutiae of patient care, physicians develop and maintain expertise about adaptive clinical practices to address anatomical variations, especially as they come across specific cases during patient examinations and surgeries. In these regards, each professional can strategically benefit from the other’s expertise to create better outcomes, and this “bench-to-bedside” collaboration is known to promote translational medical education, high-definition patient care, and exemplary interprofessional behavior.

Despite their inherent benefits, strategic anatomist-physician collaborations appear underutilized. Investigating anatomical variations cases permitted by cadaveric donors and/or living patients offers one way to encourage these collaborations. Common field interest seems to effortlessly reciprocate enthusiasm from both parties. Anatomists can leverage workload designated for research/scholarship and physicians can fulfill contractual service obligations, thus offering a manageable framework for each to strategically contribute expertise and achieve high-quality and high-impact productivity. Simultaneously involving students can further distribute workload while providing them with meaningful research experience and influential mentorship.

As indicated, cadaveric donors and living patients play a critical role in this framework by willfully permitting analysis of their associated tissues and records. Human cadaver dissection offers complete and unrestricted views of anatomical variations, and patient records (diagnostic imaging, physician summaries, etc.) convey the clinical presentation and impact of variations. Anatomists, physicians, and

students remain extremely grateful to each for their incredible contributions to advancing medical education and patient care.

Ethan L. Snow, PhD is an Anatomist and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Innovation in Anatomy at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Threads. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB), providing health information based on science, built on trust.