Well, I look forward to and enjoy fall a lot more than I enjoy winter in Utah! Fall in Utah is so beautiful. The colors are spectacular, the temperatures are gorgeous, and the air is fresh and it is just such a revitalizing time! The only bad part about it is looking down the barrel of winter and the inversion we get here in Utah, along with the freezing cold weather, snow, and ice. They're not my favorite, just because I love working outside, but we get through it!

Did you dress up for Halloween as a child? What are your memories surrounding that?

Oh yes, I did dress up as a kid! I remember my mother making costumes for me, like a paper hat design that made me look like a little military soldier. Those costumes really stand out in my mind. I have some great memories around Halloween, and then my kids and their kids take it to the next level! We have a great time having our grandchildren who live close by come trick-or-treating and we love seeing everyone's costumes! 

October is National Dental Hygiene Month. What do you think people should know about dental hygienists? 

Dental hygienists are an extremely important part of any dental practice. They can take more time with patients as they do cleanings and prophylaxis, and they provide an excellent second set of eyes when it comes to identifying and diagnosing carious lesions. The education and training they give patients about oral hygiene and keeping their teeth healthy between appointments cannot be understated. Hygienists also often become experts in placing sealants and devising individualized teeth whitening protocols tailored to the patient. They are wonderful relationship-builders in addition to the incredible skills they possess in a clinical sense. They deserve all of our appreciation and more! The value they bring to a practice is absolutely immeasurable. 

We recently finished our October Ultradent Summit, where you lectured to over a hundred dentists from all over the world here at our headquarters. Now, you'll continue your travel lectures throughout the rest of the year and in 2019. What is your favorite thing about lecturing and what keeps you going with such a rigorous schedule?

Meeting tremendous clinicians and their staff is always great. I also see these out-of-town lectures as a great opportunity to reconnect with some of our customer service and sales representatives out in the field who often play a part in getting the doctors in their areas signed up for the lecture. They also help coordinate with our fabulous Seminars team and they put on the event together. I love seeing what's going on in the different areas and territories that Ultradent serves, both from a customer and employee standpoint. Rubbing shoulders with the dentists who attend these lectures and being able to offer them practical solutions for the everyday problems that they encounter in the dental office is also so rewarding. 

On a more clinical note, how has your dentistry changed with the evolution of the LED curing light, namely, the VALO^® curing light?

Before LED curing lights and the VALO curing light, most of us used halogen lights. It was a great light and it cured just as well as the VALO light, but the accessibility and curved head prevented me from being able to cure directly over the restoration. The ease of use and accessibility of the VALO light is just amazing, and that's not even mentioning how rugged it is. Before, if you dropped your halogen light, it was usually the end of it! Also, now that VALO Grand curing light offers a very large footprint, it covers everything.

Learn more about Dr. Fischer and Ultradent

Read the complete "5 Questions with Dr. Fischer" Series