Is this the first instance in history of "old professors" causing progress via any method other than dying? Who is meant by "competing professionals"? Is this a procedure that dentists do that e.g. hairdressers also do? (This would be more plausible if you named the procedure.) Hopefully you're not just lamenting the steady improvement in materials: it's not a problem that no one uses amalgam anymore. Also, there are several different types of dental schools operating in USA. The brand-new private schools can't really be held to the same standards as state schools and older private schools. They're just trying to pay off the bonds.