The award-winning textbook you've probably used
More than four decades ago, Nelson Rhodus, DMD, MPH, then a dental student at the University of Kentucky, attended a lunch-and-learn session by presenters James Little, DDS, and Don Falace, DMD, who spoke about the importance of understanding patients’ medical histories before performing oral surgery. At the end of the session, Rhodus approached the professors. “I told them, ‘This is important for everyone to know. You guys ought to write a textbook,’” he recalled.
A few years later, in 1982, Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Patient was published. Currently in its 10th edition, with the 11th on the way, the textbook is now co-authored by Rhodus, who joined the project for the fourth edition in 1991. The textbook, which is used in 43 dental schools nationwide, was recently honored by the Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA) with a Life Sciences Excellence Award.
“The book was the first of its kind,” Rhodus, who is now a professor of oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial imaging, said. “It was widely accepted then, and as time has gone by, it’s become a standard part of most dental education.” The successful co-authorship happened thanks to geography and history. “Dr. Little had moved to the University to teach, and I followed shortly after,” Rhodus said. “He was looking to bring another person onto the editorial team, and he knew me from Kentucky, so I joined them and have worked on the project ever since.”
The effort involved in writing a textbook was a bit more of a heavy lift in pre-Internet days, he said. “We would get together in person and then assign chapters for each of us to write. Then we’d go to the library to read all the medical journals for updated information. We’d write everything we’d learned on index cards, then create our chapters. After that, we’d get our manuscripts typed and circulated by mail to our co-authors for edits.”
The editorial process moves much more quickly these days, but there is still a need to review the 700-page, 34-chapter book for each edition. “We add chapters, too,” Rhodus said. “We recently added a chapter on behavioral and psychological disorders, and another on osteoporosis.”
The textbook is used primarily by students who haven’t yet started seeing patients in the clinic, but Rhodus said the co-authors have also noticed another, unplanned-for audience. “When we look at sales data each year, we see that it’s purchased almost as much by practicing dentists as it is by students,” he said. “They’re using it as a reference book in their clinics.” The book is also used as the basis for CEU classes that Rhodus teaches all over the world.
While he never set out to be a noted (and award-winning!) textbook co-author, Rhodus said that it’s been a pleasant surprise. “I never anticipated this much success with the book, but, in terms of my career, I’d have to say that one of my most important accomplishments is being a co-author of Dental Management of the Medically Compromised Patient,” he said.