During the twenty five years I've been floating teeth in the traditional manner I've watched the field change. While overall there are more people floating teeth all is not well. Fewer lay persons are choosing to develop their skills the slower way by apprenticeship. Most are choosing to go to some "school" and get a quickie education. None of these "schools" are actually accredited. The certifications they give are there own creations. Most of the graduates are skilled in the use of power tools for horses teeth. That creates a secondary problem in that we lay persons can not sedate horses legally. So either the new dentist works illegally or is simply some vets grinder monkey.
There is a need for these new tools. They are useful in the neglected or misshaped mouth, but in the day to day upkeep of a horses mouth they are overkill. Those individuals who use these tools often need to diminish the talents of Traditional Equine Dentists. This attempted to marginalize TEDs plays right into the veterinary establishments hands. When the vets make all power tools illegal in lay persons hands and force the new age dentists to become their employees I hope there are still a few of us TEDs around.
If we lay dentists ever hope to win recognition as valuable, legal, professionals we need use more traditional means. The hand floats have been in our hands since long before veterinary colleges and licensing. This practical common sense approach to horse dentistry is still the best approach for the horse community.
