Welcome to the New Millennium! With all the concerns that had been expressed leading up to this landmark date and with the constant barrage of information that we have been subjected to the calendar change crept up on us and we now find ourselves, both figuratively and literally, in new times.

Change has also occurred within dentistry. Slowly, but surely, all aspects of our profession have evolved and nowhere has this been more dramatic than in endodontics. In the last few years we have augmented our knowledge of the biology of the pulp, enhanced our understanding of pain, and changed the way we clinically practice with the majority of practitioners now using some form of nickel-titanium for instrumentation and a thermoplaticised gutta-percha based technique for obturation.

Continuing education is no longer sufficient. With the changes taking place so rapidly we now must embrace the concept of continuous education. To only occasionally partake in updating our skills leaves not only our patients in a compromised position vis a vis the treatment options open to them; but also leaves the practitioner outside an ever-expanding circle of knowledge. Our historically dental school based continuing education source has now been supplemented with courses offered by the dental industry and private individuals. It is essential that the triangle of course sponsors be maintained. Individuals who dedicate themselves to providing courses usually have a unique perspective on their subject and are able to refine and present their material in such a way as to provide the clinician some of the best information from a practical perspective. Industry must be encouraged to continue research. By sponsoring courses that highlight recent advances, industry brings to the dental profession the most recent findings, without third-party interpretation. And of course we must always have the university-based course that we hope will bring a non-biased balanced opinion to the profession.