First Annual AAOSCH Scientific Meeting

Hello everyone. As a founding member of AAOSCH, American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, I am very excited to be attending our first annual meeting on June 24-25, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. There is clear evidence of the link between periodontal disease and other health issues such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes; therefore, it is imperative that each care provider be aware of the seriousness of early diagnosis and early treatment of both heart disease and chronic infections such as periodontal disease.

This meeting will be extremely helpful in connecting medical and dental professionals in their quest for prevention of these serious diseases. The goal is to create a working partnership between the medical and dental communities, helping each to identify and understand their role in this prevention and treatment.

As my role as dentist, I am looking forward to learning how to best partner with medical physicians in order to provide my patients the best possible care.

The course objectives are as follows:

• To show that both systemic health and oral health are important to save the lives of our patients that are at risk for arterial disease, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

• To show the scientific evidence that the body is interconnected and that disease at any location may present risk to all areas of the body: not just the area affected.

• To help create a strategy of early intervention for all health care professionals in the earlier diagnosis and treatment of these patients. Including …

• When should a dentist refer a patient to a physician? Why?

• When should a physician refer a patient to a dentist? Why?

• What tests will the physician run?

• What tests will the dentist run?

• What risks do these combined tests and evaluations equate to regarding heart disease, stroke and diabetes?

• Who should each clinician refer to?

• To show the cumulative effect of many sources of inflammation that may increase risk: Including the oral / systemic connection.

• To help create a community of physicians and dentists that understands how to evaluate risk, to communicate with each other, and to effectively treat these patients.

The panel of speakers for this meeting is very impressive, including:

Bradley Bale, MD

Amy Doneen, RN, BSN, MSN, ARNP

Thomas W. Nabors, DDS, F.A.C.D

Casey Hein, RDH, BSDH, MBA

Duane Keller, DMD - Chief Scientific Officer for Perio Protect LLC

G. Lee Ostler, DDS

Robert Maccario, MBA

I am happy to see that more and more medical and dental professionals are understanding the importance of oral systemic health and are altering the care they provide to adapt to this new information. I feel it is equally important to share this information with my patients, in order for them to make the best possible decisions regarding their health and future. I am looking forward to reporting back to you after I have attended this meeting with further information!

Thank you and be well,

Dr. Rick Stickney