NYU Langone Hospitals Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program SPECIAL EDITION SPECIAL THE BRIDGE ISSUE 8, JOURNAL 1 NOVEMBER 2017 EXTRAORDINARY LETTER NYU Langone Hospitals Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program The largest community health center-based postdoctoral dental residency program in the world! From the Senior Vice President, Our Mission: To develop and grow national oral health programs that set global standards for technologically NYU Langone Hospitals, advanced, culturally competent, patient-centered dental education; to deliver exceptional oral health care to the world’s neediest citizens and its most underserved communities; and to accomplish these goals while Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program grounded in service and collaboration. LEADERSHIP “The purpose of life is to contribute Neal A. Demby, DMD, MPH, D-ABSCD in some way to making things better.” Senior Vice President Contents — Robert F. Kennedy Margaret Mason, DMD 4-7 Improving Access Vice President, Senior Administrator to Oral Health Care Martin Lieberman, DDS Vice President, Graduate Dental Education in America Anna D’Emilio, DDS, MA As I write this, I am thinking about how our postdoctoral Vice President & Program Director, 8-9 HEALT H CENTER SPOTLIGHT: Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency programs make things better for hundreds of 4 Roseman University of Health Sciences (AEGD) thousands of people — people who are facing adversity College of Dental Medicine Charles D. Azzaretti, DDS Program Director, Dental Anesthesiology that has rendered regular oral health care out of their reach, FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: 10-11 Babak Bina, DMD children and adults who return to our clinics because we are Dr. Michael McCracken Program Director, General Practice transforming their lives and giving them a reason to smile. Residency (GPR) 12-13 FACULTY DEVELopMENT Robert Goldberger, DDS While you will see a new name throughout this publication Program Director, Endodontics 14-16 IMPACT REPORT and in new marketing materials, our mission remains the Daniel Kane, DMD, MA same. Thanks to our extraordinary education model, in 17 DENTAL SchooL HEALTH Program Director, Pediatric Dentistry which dental residents receive exceptional training while Laura Merker-Eisen, DMD 18-19 GRADUATioN 8 Program Director, Periodontics providing equitable and affordable oral healthcare to the 20 ACCOMPLISHMENTS Jay Balzer, DMD, MPH world’s neediest populations, 691,700 individual patients Program Director, Dental Public Health 21-24 AWARDS & HONORS received oral health care during the 2016-2017 residency Laurance Jerrold, DDS, JD, ABO PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS year with procedures valued at nearly $292 million. 25-26 Program Director, Orthodontics 27 RESEARCH Nathalie Mohadjeri, DMD This summer we embarked on a video project where we Senior Director, Quality and Patient Care 10 28 GRANTS interviewed over 50 faculty, residents, patients, and alumni David Okuji, DDS, MBA, MS-Health Care in four locations across the United States. We heard stories 29 GIVING Management, D-ABPD Senior Associate Director, of extraordinary experiences and lifelong connections made 29 UPCOMING EVENTS Extramural and Special Projects because people are a part of the NYU Langone Hospitals Stephen Marshall, DDS, MPH 32-38 MEETINGS & EVENTS Senior Associate Director Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program family. I encourage David Stillwell, DDS you to watch the video online at www.lmcdental.org and AEGD Senior Associate Director 12 Southeastern Zone share it with your friends, colleagues, alumni, and students. Anthony Caputo, DDS I hope that you share my pride in being part of the most AEGD Senior Associate Director LEARN MORE! West-Central Zone innovative and largest postdoctoral dental residency Linda Kotmel, DDS program in the world. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOCTORS AEGD Senior Associate Director AND PROGRAMS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE Northeastern Zone please visit www.lmcdental.org or call +1 646.801.0039 ••• NEAL A. DEMBY, DMD, MPH, D-ABSCD Calix Ramos-Rodriguez, DMD NYU Langone Hospitals Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program’s AEGD Senior Associate Director Senior Vice President, NYU Langone Hospitals, magazine, The Bridge, is published by the Marketing Office for Western Zone Postdoctoral Dental Residency Program 18 alumni, professionals and friends of the Department. 2 NYU LANGONE HOSPITalS POSTDOCTORAL DENTAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM ISSUE 8 JOURNAL 1 NOVEMBER 2017 3 SPECIAL EDITORIAL SPECIAL EDITORIAL Improving Access to Oral Health Care in America “ Healthy teeth and gums aren’t a luxury. They’re essential.” “ All Americans deserve good dental health." — AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION (ADA) Action for Dental Health hile approximately two- It is also true that fewer people have AMERICA IS IN A thirds of Americans seek dental insurance than have medical DENTAL HEALTH CRISIS Wcare from a dentist regularly, insurance, and this coverage is often many of the remaining individuals and lost when individuals retire. Some may 181 Million families face challenges accessing need special financial arrangements The number of Americans dental care. These Americans, or case management services to Thankfully, there are organizations who didn't visit the dentist in including racial and ethnic minorities, overcome these obstacles, especially and individuals who are studying 2010, according to the ADA's people with chronic diseases, the frail those individuals with physical the problems in oral health access in Health Policy Resources Center and elderly, and those whose families disabilities and/or mental health America and taking action, each and analysis of 2010 MEOS and are economically disadvantaged, also challenges. every day. Chief among them is the U.S. Census Data. bear a disproportionate share of Furthermore, many Americans, American Dental Association (ADA) Nearly ½ Over Age 30 Action for Dental Health: Dentists dental disease. due to cultural, language barriers Population of adults suffering Making a Difference. This nationwide, Access challenges, according to the or problems with literacy, lack an from some form of gum disease, community-based movement aims U.S. Department of Health and Human understanding and awareness of according to the Centers for to end the dental health crisis facing Services, include: the importance of oral health and its Disease Control and Prevention America today. The goals of the • difficulty getting to a dental office essential relationship to their overall (CDC). health. program are to provide care now to • prioritizing dental care among other people who suffer from untreated Nearly 1 in 4 types of health care and basic needs dental disease, to strengthen and Children under the age of five of living expand the public/private safety net, who already have cavities, • overcoming financial barriers and to bring disease prevention and according to the CDC. • navigating government assistance education into communities through programs the following eight initiatives… Continues on page 6 » 4 NYU LANGONE HOSPITalS POSTDOCTORAL DENTAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM ISSUE 8 JOURNAL 1 NOVEMBER 2017 5 SPECIAL EDITORIAL Collaborations with other Health 1 Professionals and Organizations Community Dental Health Coordinators Medicaid Reform Nursing Home Programs Better collaboration among dental and medical 3 Community Dental Health Coordinators 5 Most state Medicaid dental programs fall short 7 America’s vulnerable elderly face the greatest professionals can help more families understand (CDHCs) address barriers to oral health by of providing the amount and extent of care—both barriers to accessing dental care of any population their dental health is a crucial part of their overall providing patient navigation for people who preventive and restorative—needed by their low- group. But delivering dental care to the nearly health. With minimal training, physicians, nurses, typically do not receive care for a variety of income beneficiaries. This is especially true for 1.3 million seniors in nursing homes has been and others can dramatically increase the number reasons—among them poverty, geography, low-income adults, many of whom have virtually problematic. Now, dentists across the country are of patients and caregivers who receive basic language, culture, and a lack of understanding no access to dental care through Medicaid. adopting nursing homes in their communities, with dental health education. These professionals also of oral hygiene and the importance of regular The American Dental Association advocates the cost of care offset by a little-known provision can be trained to recognize conditions needing dental visits. CDHCs typically work in inner for increased dental health protections under in Medicaid. It’s an immediate and affordable diagnosis and possible treatment by a dentist. cities, remote rural areas and Native American Medicaid, especially in states that have yet to solution for nursing home residents. lands. CDHCs are currently working in numerous agree to Medicaid expansion, and helps more Goal: Reduce the proportion of adults with Goal: Through ADA continuing education, states, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, dentists work with community health centers untreated dental decay 15% by 2020, train at least 1,000 dentists to provide Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and clinics. exceeding the 10% Healthy People (HP) Arizona, California and Montana. Educational care in nursing homes by 2020, and 2020 goal by 50% programs to become CDHCs are available in Goal: Increase the number of states that