In a previous installment of the Practice Perfection™ web-based educational series, I had the distinct pleasure of hosting two luminaries of oral systemics.
While originally intended as a ‘sneak peek’ into an upcoming live seminar, it also served (and continues to serve) as a terrific introduction into vascular inflammation and the oral systemic connection. The presentation covers what we like to call the three Cs of an oral systemic practice model: clinical – the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of systemic illness; collaborative – the means for working with fellow health professionals to the patient’s benefit; and communication – the verbal and written skills to connect with current and prospective patients.
The Presenters
Tom Nabors, DDS is a frequent and much sought after lecturer for both the medical and dental professions on molecular genetics in oral medicine, including the role that periodontal disease contributes to systemic inflammation, stroke, and diabetes. He is a life member of the American Dental Association, associate member of the American Academy of Periodontology, fellow of the American College of Dentists, member of the Pierre Fauchard Honorary Society, and other medical-related organizations. He is also the president and founder of Integrated Health Care and former consultant to Quest Diagnostics, two science-based companies providing the latest on oral health and the relationship to general health.
Bradley Bale, MD is one of the nation’s leading specialists in preventing heart attacks, stroke, and diabetes. He co-founded the Bale Doneen Method and the Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center. He is principal instructor in the Bale Doneen Method, training other medical providers across the country. He also served as the medical director of the Heart Health Program for Grace Clinic in Lubbock, TX. He served as assistant clinical professor at Texas Tech School of Medicine and an adjunct professor at TX. Tech School of Nursing
Amy Doneen, PhD is co-founder and medical director of the Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center in Spokane, WA. She was also an adjunct professor at TX. Tech School of Nursing. An international speaker on cardiovascular disease prevention, she is the cofounder and instructor of the Bale/Doneen Method course for the prevention of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes, as well as the chair of the Pacific Northwest Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association.
Topics covered include:
- Periodontal disease as an independent risk factor for heart disease
- Periodontal bacteria as a better predictor of vascular diseases than clinical signs of periodontal disease
- Results of a longitudinal study revealing that severe forms of periodontal disease increase risk of early death by a factor of 3.2 owing to cardio-renal failure
- What dentists and dental team members should know about diabetes and heart disease
that could lead to changes in their protocols
In summary, what medical and dental teams need to know about periodontal disease to enhance, or at least reassess, their thoughts about this relationship.
Also addressed are recent media assertions that there is no relationship between periodontal and heart disease.
This presentation is suitable for those who wish to:
- Become an oral medicine expert in their community
- Become a dental practice sought out by physicians for co-management in prevention
- Formulate your own action plan for optimal wellness by inc. this level of expertise
- Facilitate a deeper understanding of your own personal risk for heart attack stroke and diabetes
- Enhance the comprehensiveness and value of their medical history forms
- Illuminate critical issues for appraising whether and when it is safe to perform invasive dental procedures.