Dr. Beth Ann Damas

A shared vision and Dentsply products create a satisfying endodontic experience

Tell us about yourself and your practice.

I currently own and manage an all-female endodontic practice with two locations in the south and west suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Drs. Sara Iampaglia, Morgan McCall, and I share the same vision and collaborate in a boutique setting to provide excellence to patients of all ages.

Why did you choose to enter the field of endodontics?

My father was an orthodontist and many, including myself, thought that I would simply follow in his footsteps. My very first Cabbage Patch® doll had brackets on her front teeth. I attended the same dental school as my father and even shadowed him for a year after I graduated. I realized that my true passion was in endodontics. I appreciate the complexity of the job and providing a service that gets people out of pain. Endodontics is often completed in one step which provides immediate satisfaction to both the patient and the practitioner. I value the depth of the work and that it covers surgical aspects as well as the occasional cosmetic procedure. I feel fulfilled and am proud to be a specialist partner with my referring doctors.

Have you seen the “face” of endodontics change in recent years?

All of dentistry has seen a shift as equal numbers of men and women are currently choosing a career in dentistry. We provide an incredible service to patients in an environment that allows us to achieve great balance between our home and work life. My practice works as a team. Our schedules are flexible, but communication is key to making this work. Women make excellent communicators and that, combined with an astute attention to detail, helps us excel in our field.

What inspired you to open your own practice?

My father inspired me to be a business owner. Growing up watching him build something that benefited the community that he was proud of as well was something I strived for myself. Not a week goes by where there isn’t a person sitting in my chair telling me that my dad put on their braces. I am proud to be an extension of that journey.

What is your biggest challenge as an endodontist, especially as a woman?

The biggest challenge I face is managing unrealistic patient expectations. If an additional procedure is necessary, patients question whether the provider guarantees their work. Is the next procedure going to be free, or if they need to be referred out to a specialist, is the original provider going to refund their money? I don’t think too many people question their medical doctors like this. It can be frustrating and emotionally draining. Instead, I encourage clinicians to spend more time educating the patient before treatment on the risks and benefits, so they can make the best informed decision for themselves.

Another challenge is building a cohesive brand, and ensuring that our quality of work is universal for both locations so that every patient has a great experience, from setting their appointment to posttreatment.

What is your future goal clinically?

I want to continue providing excellent patient care for my community and grow my practice with like-minded clinicians. I hope to continue my father’s legacy, so that if patients hear my name, they say, “She is excellent at what she does, just like her dad was.”

What else has led to your practice’s success?

We always want to provide consistent, seamless, safe, and predictable appointments. We keep up to date with the latest advancements and innovations in imaging and instrumentation techniques. We educate our staff to help guide the patients through their appointments. When patients leave that chair out of pain and with a smile on their faces asking if they can give us a hug, we know we are doing something right.

What guidance would you give other endodontists?

I would advise to find a mentor. Work in an office where you would be a patient yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Trust that you will be able to do it all in the timeline that makes you most comfortable. I had my first child 3 months into my endodontic residency. My director, Dr. Michael M. Hoen, was a wonderful family man and gave me the confidence that I could be a great mom as well as a great endodontist, spouse, friend, colleague, and mentor. When my kids were young, I worked less. Now that they are more self-sufficient, I feel comfortable working more, whether seeing patients or lecturing others on the specialty I love.

Do you think your efforts with them help endodontics?

Women in dentistry need to spend more time supporting one another. This is not a competition. We can all learn from each other to find what works best for us as individuals. We just need a forum and outlet to talk about these things more.

As a Dentsply Sirona KOL, why do you choose to spend your time helping GPs complete successful RCTs?

The majority of root canals performed in the United States are done by GPs. Why not help them be the absolute best while at the same time gaining the knowledge to know their limitations? If a GP wants to do better dentistry, then I am proud and honored to be a part of their journey.

Do you think your efforts help the specialty?

The more GPs learn about the complexity of endodontics, they ultimately become better referring partners for the specialist. When practicing endodontists teach GPs the most up-to-date instrumentation, irrigation, and obturation protocols, they become better clinicians. The more GPs know what they can master or what they need to refer to their specialist team helps everyone win.

What Dentsply Sirona products do you depend on to get you through your day?

At the beginning of my procedure, I rely on imaging to aid in diagnosis and treatment planning. Our office utilizes Schick 33 X-Ray sensors. The most cost-effective aspect of these sensors is the ability to replace or repair the cords without having to replace the entire sensor.

I utilize the X-Tip needle system routinely to provide profound anesthesia to all of my patients. Often, I will use the needle in this system for my PDL injections when I encounter a hot tooth.

I recently switched to the X-Smart® Pro+ in some ops with the combined apex locator. Other ops still have the ProMark motor, and it really just comes down to provider preference.

I use a variety of Dentsply files, and it all depends on the individual tooth. On any given day, I will likely have used ProTaper Ultimate™, ProTaper Gold®, Pro Taper® Universal, WaveOne® Gold, and now Reciproc™ Blue. I often customize my protocol and sequence based on the anatomy from the cone beam scan.

The EndoActivator® is one of my favorite adjuncts to my irrigation protocol. It is simple to use, lightweight, and leaves me with a clean canal space to obturate. It has become something that I cannot live without. I use custom-matched paper points to dry out the canal space. Utilizing the precision matched conform-fit gutta percha has helped streamline my obturation. I really like how well the gutta percha heats and sears with warm vertical obturation.

On the rare occasion that I place a core buildup, I use Dentsply Fluorocore 2 and cure it with the curing light attachment for the EndoActivator.

How has the new X-Smart Pro+ streamlined your workflow and impacted your day?

The combination of the apex locator and motor into one single piece of equipment really streamlines the work setup and leaves less clutter on the work surface. The X-Smart Pro+ allows us to work efficiently and effectively to ensure the canals are instrumented to length. I appreciate not having to stop and switch back to the apex locator to confirm working lengths. For appointments where every second counts, this combination method is a game changer. The added light source is especially helpful when accessing through small spaces, crowns, and heavily restored teeth. The file library is also advantageous to my daily workflow. Like most endodontists, I tend to hybridize the file systems to match the anatomy of the case in front of me. I can custom set specific file sequences among the systems to create the instrumentation pattern that best matches my needs.

When and how did you learn about Reciproc Blue?

I was introduced to Reciproc Blue in the summer of 2023 at the Dentsply Global Endodontic KOL event. It has been used in European countries for a decade. Bringing their expertise into the mix really streamlined the introduction of the file to the U.S. and Canada.

How did Reciproc Blue help overcome some of the challenges you see as an endodontist?

The biggest change is integrating this file into my retreatment protocol. This file can be used to retreat cases without the addition of a solvent. You just need to give the file a few seconds to gently peck at the center core of the gutta percha, and then once it engages, it quickly and effectively removes everything in the canal system. This file is also really efficient at engaging Thermafil carriers and removing those in one piece without the fear of breakage. Not having to use a ton of different files for retreatment is both time and cost efficient.

How has integrating Reciproc Blue into your practice streamlined your workflow?

I am no longer flipping back and forth between multiple file systems in the same tooth during retreatments. This has eliminated my guesswork. My assistant and I are less frustrated, and my patient often leaves my office telling us that this retreatment procedure took less time than the original root canal.

In your opinion, why do some clinicians remain hesitant to adopt innovations like Reciproc Blue?

Dentists as a whole do not really like change. Conceptually, Reciproc Blue is different from how endodontics is routinely taught in dental schools in the U.S. It takes a bit of time to grasp and accept the concept of a one-file system that matches the safety and efficiency of a multi-file system. It is also tough to replicate or simulate a procedure benchtop. This is not just limited to files. All of our demos in dentistry are hard to recreate outside the mouth. Reciproc Blue functions much differently inside an actual tooth than a plastic one. That is where the trust and expertise from our European colleagues came into play. With a decade of experience, they were able to walk us through how to truly use Reciproc Blue to its full potential and what ultimately made me decide to incorporate it into my practice on a regular basis for my retreatment protocols.