Highlights from the 2007 annual meeting by Dr. Howard Pollick:

The program planning committee, under the chairmanship of Woosung Sohn, DDS, PhD, DrPH must be congratulated for their outstanding work in creating a superlative scientific and social program. Committee members included Myron Allukian, Oscar Arevalo, Mayté (Maria) Canto, Amos Deinard, Alice Horowitz, Kathy Lituri, Moncy Mathew, Scott Presson and Ron Romero.

Here are some of the highlights (the numbers, such as 3241.0 are hyperlinks to take you to the APHA website for further details):

3241.0 Oral Health Literacy: The Dental Profession's Response

Expert panelists identified ways the oral health care team can reduce the information burden and more effectively communicate with dental patients and the public. Moderator: Alice M. Horowitz, PhD

Panelists included Rima Rudd, MSPH, ScD, Cynthia Baur, PhD and Gary D. Podschun

3351.0 Healthy People 2010-2020: Oral Health

Panel provided an update on the Healthy People 2010 Midcourse Review assessment of progress on the oral health objectives. This session generated a lot of discussion about the new process for developing the next iteration of national objectives for the year 2020, with concern that Oral Health must be represented.

The session was moderated by María Teresa Canto, DDS, MS, MPH

Discussant: Myron Allukian, DDS, MPH

Panelists included Emmeline Ochiai, MPH, Penelope Royall, and Gina Thornton-Evans, DDS, MPH

3425.0 How Can We Make Oral Health a Much Higher National Priority: Power, Policies and Politics!

Standing room only for Erik Olsen, AARP President, who described how AARP has initiated a public outreach program called “Divided We Fail” www.dividedwefail.org to work with all Americans including its 39 million members to help make both financial and health care security a reality in the near future.

Dr. Olsen’s remarks are made available here Healthcare reform: now is the time Organizer and Moderator: Myron Allukian, DDS, MPH

Panelists: Erik Olsen, DDS (AARP President), William Prentice, JD MGA (Government and Public Affairs, American Dental Association), Stephen B. Corbin, DDS, MPH (Constituent Services and Support, Special Olympics International)

4055.0 Oral Health Policy and Programs

Excellent presentations were made by Burton L. Edelstein, DDS, MPH, David A. Lederman, DMD, Sharon L. Smith, MPH, Charla J. Lautar, RDH, PhD, and Joel Cohen, MPA MURP.

4156.0 Is Prophylactic Removal of Wisdom Teeth a Public Health Hazard? Evidently.

Jay W. Friedman, DDS, MPH, described the risks of iatrogenic injury from prophylactic removal of these teeth and the potential to reduce the incidence of injury by discouraging unnecessary extractions. David Holtgrave, PhD presented the dilemma of the consumer-patient in weighing risks of injury against the recommendations of dentists and oral surgeons for prophylactic extractions.

The session was organized by Alice M. Horowitz, PhD. Dushanka V. Kleinman, DDS, MScD was the discussant, with the session being moderated by Stephen B. Corbin, DDS, MPH

4323.0 A Tribute to Dr. Alice M. Horowitz - Oral Health Promotion Research: Where Have We Been? Where Should We Go?

The session was moderated by Dushanka V. Kleinman, DDS, MScD. Presenters included Amid Ismail, Harry Goodman, DMD, MPH, Rima Rudd, MSPH, ScD and Piya Siriphant, DDS, MPH, PhD. Dr Siriphant from Thailand provided an inspirational tribute to Dr. Alice Horowitz who had visited his homeland on several occasions. Gary Podschun presented a plaque honoring Dr. Horowitz from the American Dental Association.

5069.0 Oral Health Disparities

Concern was raised by about the termination of the Interagency Agreement between HRSA, MCHB and Office of Head Start. Very good data were presented on costs of dental care in emergency rooms.

The session was moderated by Kathy Lituri, RDH, MPH

Presenters included Haiyan Chen, MD, PhD, Stephen J. Clarke, PhD, MA, John Rossetti, DDS, MPH, Giuseppina Romano-Clarke, MD, FAAP, and Eugenie Maiga.

5134.0 Workforce Issues

Good discussion ensued from the panelists presenting on the efforts of pediatricians to improve oral health of young children, together with information on improving access for the underserved.

The session was moderated by Charla J. Lautar, RDH, PhD

Presenters included Karl Self, DDS, MBA, Thomas R. Konrad, PhD, Alison Buckser, MPH, David Krol, MD, MPH, FAAP, and Rosalia A. Mendoza, MD, MPH.

5189.0 Oral Health of Special Needs Populations

Some excellent presentations on what is being done to improve the oral health care of special needs populations.

The session was moderated by Lynn A. Bethel, RDH, BSDH, MPH.

Presenters included Paul Glassman, DDS, MA, MBA, Carol Tobias, MMHS, Yves Jeanty, MPH, Dolores Aguirre, Sandra Nagel Beebe, RDH, PhD.

Posters were presented by (in order of poster board, co-authors not included)

3087.0 Burton L. Edelstein, DDS, MPH, Ann S. Goldman, MA, MPH, Amy B. Martin, DrPH, Linda Sprague Martinez, MA, MA, Shauna A. Marvin, BA, Tiago A. Coelho de Souza, BDS, MDS, Carlos Quiñonez, DMD, MSc, Lynn A. Bethel, RDH, BSDH, MPH, Donh-Heon Han,

3088.0 Mary Lashley, PhD, RN, Homa Amini, DDS, MPH, MS, Ruth (Toni) B. Pickard, PhD, Oscar Arevalo, DDS, ScD, MBA, Scott Presson, DDS MPH, Karen E. Peters, DrPH, William Maas, DDS, MPH, Pragati Sawhney, Sam A. Merabi, DMD, MPH,

3089.0 Amit Chattopadhyay, PhD, MPH, MDS, Connie Mobley, PhD, RD, Nadine S. Braunstein, MS, RD, LDN, CDE, Monik C. Jimenez, SM, Tiago A. Coelho de Souza, BDS, MDS, Magda A. De la Torre, RDH, MPH, Sandra Hayes, MPH, L. Susan Taichman, RDH, MPH, PhD, Sophie Arpin,

3090.0 Piya Siriphant, PhD, Hazem Seirawan, DDS, MPH, MS, Andrew W. Pope, DrPH, Ajey Bhardwaj, Moncy Mathew, DDS, MPH, John P. Brown, BDS PhD, Sara T. Pappa, MA, CHES, Janessa M. Graves, MPH, and Paul Glassman, DDS, MA, MBA.

Here are some images from the meeting showcasing award ceremonies, scientific sessions and some fun at Alice Horowitz's open house: