March 2000

 

ISP Updates

 

 

MEMBERSHIP:

Since our last newsletter, the following new members have joined our group: Truman Johnson, Kent Gragg, Jerry Kahlberg, Steve Clark and Janet Guthmiller.  Thank you for all coming aboard to support the Iowa Society of Periodontology.  We appreciate members encouraging fellow non-member periodontists to join the ISP

 

ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING MAY 5, 2000

 

(Everyone) please plan to attend the Annual ISP Business Meeting breakfast, 8:30 A.M., Valley West Inn, 3535 Westown Parkway (just S.W. of Valley West Mall) West Des Moines, Iowa.  The agenda will include some of the items discussed in this newsletter.  Plan to attend; we need your feedback approval.  Otherwise, I will move the ISP Board take a trip to the Masters Golf Tournament. J  Please check the agenda on the website www.uiowa.edu/~iowaperi/index.html.  I will be giving each of you a call to remind you of the meeting and beg your participation. J

 

WEBSITE:  (www.uiowa.edu/~iowaperi/index.html)

 

Thanks to David Rubright, (Medical Instructional Designer at the College of Dentistry) the Iowa Society of Periodontology’s website is now operating.  I am very pleased with how David set up the Midlands Conference advertisement.  I think it’s a very attractive spread and having Dr. Otomo’s picture is a plus.  The format of the website is a skeleton for upgrading and improving.  Glenn Maze will take responsibility for screening suggestions and passing them through the ISP Executive Board.  We hope to add to AAP, ADA links, with other sites under construction e.g. Iowa Dental Association and the Iowa Board of Dental Examiners.  Your website suggestions will be greatly appreciated.  Use the website (SUGGESTION section) to make your comments.  Note that there are six levels to the website.  I hope all you fellow cyber geeks will enjoy interacting

through the website and will consider using the site as your primary communication regarding ISP matters.  We plan to establish a Bulletin Board for members only to discuss issues that affect our organization and profession.  The website will be used for future ISP Updates Newsletters.  About 80% of our members have Internet access, therefore, website utilization should  be productive.

 

22ND MIDLANDS PERIODONTAL CONFERENCE

 

In the October updates newsletter, I hinted that Dr. Yukna might be the choice for our Midlands speaker.  However, it became clear that a hotter topic is periodontal disease and systemic interactions.  Dr. Joan Otomo, a nationally recognized speaker, has received many accolades for her presentations on this subject.  Dr. Otomo will present November 5 and 6, at the Holiday Inn University Park, West Des Moines, Iowa.  Joan has developed a wealth of knowledge on systemic diseases and female considerations in periodontal therapy.  Joan is a very personable, well-organized presenter who I guarantee will keep you and your staff awake and informed.  Please spread the word among your dental colleagues as I feel this is a wonderful opportunity for the Iowa Society to sponsor an excellent program.  Click on the website and read the information about Dr. Otomo and the program she will be presenting.  Information about registration and the lodging are also located there.  When you attend your study clubs and district meetings, please announce this meeting.  We will be mailing brochures as well as advertising on the website as time goes on.  In addition, we have encouraged the Iowa Dental Hygiene Association to make the Midlands Conference their fall meeting.  By doing this, the ISP has committed a per hygienist registration rebate to encourage IDHA participation.  Nebraska does a wonderful job of attracting dentists and hygienists to the Midlands Periodontal Conference --- 355 participants heard Dr. Terry Rees present at the 21st MPC.  The Nebraska Society has doubled net income 1997 and 1999 for the Midlands Periodontal Conference.  Dr. Cathy Alley and Jennifer Harn did a wonderful job this last November.  I hope the Iowa Society can do half as well.  The Iowa Society should be able to generate sufficient income that we can support a “members only” presentation or project that will be a significant benefit for ISP membership. 

 

BYE BYE BYLAWS:

 

The bylaws of the Iowa Society need updating.  We have been operating on guidelines from 1981 or longer (1971?).  The board is looking for a few good volunteers to step forward to help us revise the bylaws for the new millennium.  

 

BOARD/POLITICAL PROSSESSES

 

The Iowa Board of Dental Examiners (IBDE) has received an executive order from Governor Tom Vilsack requesting that all regulatory agencies review state regulations under their control.  Therefore, the Iowa Board has published a timetable for reviewing each Iowa Dental Practice Act chapter, starting first with the most ancient regulations.  For example, regulations dealing with the dental laboratory technician have not been upgraded since May 18, 1988; designation of specialty practice since November 22, 1995 and mediation of disputes February 20, 1991.  Regulations will be reviewed starting March of 2000.  I have a listing of the regulation review schedule.  If you would like a copy, let me know or contact the IBDE at 515-281-5157 or jhart@bon.state.ia.us.  The IBDE seeks our input regarding good rules, bad rules or new rules.

 

The IBDE has also established a committee to consider issues related to patient record keeping.  Not only does this affect electronic dental record keeping, but “any” record of treatment.  The Board will be reviewing standards that should apply to all practicing dentists.  If you have an interest in participating in a discussion on dental record keeping, please contact the Board.  A draft of record-keeping rules are on the website “Legislative/Legal Matters Insurance”.  You might be thinking about concerns you have regarding dental record keeping and we will discuss them at the annual business meeting in May.  If you cannot access the website, please notify Glenn Maze at (319) 335-7238 and I will fax you a draft of IBDE record-keeping rules.

 

The Iowa Dental Association has requested that the IBDE modify regulations regarding the administration of nitrous oxide.  The IDA wishes the IBDE to maintain control over regulations utilizing nitrous oxide as opposed to opening into a legislative action.  A letter from IDA from Executive Director, Robert W. Harfpter is posted on the website.  If you cannot access this website, again please contact me.

 

ORAL SURGEONS QUESTION PERIODONTISTS REGARDING SCOPE OF PRACTICE

 

You may have seen the letters submitted to the Kentucky Board of Dentistry regarding how Kentucky’s Society of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (KSOMFS) feels about periodontists performing procedures beyond the scope of its specialty.  The KSOMFS is concerned about periodontists performing dentoalveolar surgical procedures such as apicoectonmies, tooth removal, exposure of impacted teeth, bonding and ligation of teeth and dental implantology, especially when periodontists hold themselves as specialists for these procedures.  Periodontics is defined as that specialty of dentistry which encompasses prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease supporting and surrounding tissues of teeth or their substitutes, and the maintenance of the health function and esthetics of these structures and tissues.  These oral surgeons feel periodontists practice beyond their specialty by undertaking the above-mentioned procedures.   Efforts have been made by the AAP and postgraduate program directors to redefine the scope of practice to address these issues.  The AAP has suggested how periodontists should announce specialization and implant dentistry (for information, go to the AAP website by clicking on AAP icon at the bottom of the UPDATES page).  One would hope that this issue would not become a major issue in Iowa.

 

AAP ACTIONS

 

Highlights from the AAP Board of Trustees January 2000 meeting include: 

(1) future specialty conferences will be held exclusively in Chicago in the month of May. 

(2) a revised statement on PerioStatâ was approved.

(3) the AAP will host a (critical issue summit) for Academy leaders and state periodontal societies.  The summit will be held this summer to establish communication between national and state organizations.  The AAP leaders foresee a vital need for the Academy to become a stronger political partner with the ADA.

(4) the AAP will establish a task force to develop an outcome assessment program, the purpose of which will be to link systemic diseases with periodontal disease.

(5) the date of the 2001 AAP meeting has been moved from September 23-26 to October 7-10, 2001.

 

“Supportive periodontal therapy” is now going to be embraced as “periodontal maintenance” by the AAP in its communications and nomenclature.  (And I was just getting used to SPT).

 

MIDWEST PERIODONTOLOGY SOCIETY

 

Several ISP members attended the 43rd Annual Midwest Society of Periodontology’s meeting February 26, and 27, 2000 in Chicago.  The scientific program centered on implantology with Drs. David Cochran, Marion Edge and Carl Misch speaking on various dental implant integration, treatment planning and surgical approaches.  Former ADA president, Tim Rose presented his observations and concerns regarding several issues that impact state and national periodontal groups as well as dentistry in general.  Dr. Rose indicated that the gap of communication/cooperation between dentistry and dental hygiene has not narrowed and worries that without conserted effort by all parties, we will “wind up no place”. 

 

With dental benefit companies moving their claims processing to Mexico, there has been a marked increase in requests for unnecessary documentation.  Requests for unnecessary records such as radiographs for gingival grafting procedures should be denied. 

 

Dr. Rose said a crisis is developing in dental school facilities.  A number of schools in the country are using facilities and equipment that are outdated and inadequate.  In addition, a growing problem with faculty replacement and retention continues at most dental schools.  The need for practicing periodontists to involve themselves in dental education continues to grow - hint, hint. 

 

Dr. Rose also spoke about graduate student applications; an area I am quite familiar with.  The number of highly skilled, bright, Perio grad candidates continues to drop.  I believe we have considerable input into how students perceive our specialty and directly affect interest in our specialty.  Although in the past, I’ve heard negativity about the future of Periodontics, I do not agree.  In fact, I think the future for Periodontics is brighter than ever.  Given the knowledge we have gained regarding systemic disease and periodontitis, the continuing expansion of dental implantology; and the exciting potential for regeneration, Periodontics is a wonderful profession of which we can be proud.  Our attitude is paramount to continued growth.  There is a projection for a shortage of dentists in the future with periodontists in possible short supply as well.  Those who will be looking to sell their practices or bring on an associate want the best. Therefore, involvement by all of us in organized dentistry and education is crucial for the future of our specialty.  There, I have said my two cents worth.  Thank you for reading this far.

 

SPOTLIGHT ON NEW MEMBERS

Truman C. Johnson.  Welcome to new member, Truman Johnson.  Truman began his Iowa periodontal practice September 1998.  He purchased Dr. Douglas Dederich’s practice, 2222 Johnson Avenue NW, Cedar Rapids.  Truman was born and reared in southern California.  He received his predental education from the University of California San Diego, then moved north to San Francisco, completing his dental degree at the University of California San Francisco.  Truman then migrated to Minnesota where he completed a general practice residency at the Minneapolis VA Hospital.  His periodontal specialty training followed at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in 1996.  He then associated with Dr. Gene Fortman in Rochester Minnesota until he purchased Dr. Dederich’s practice.  Truman’s wife, Vicki, keeps the business side of the practice in order as office manager.  Truman and Vicki reside at 3808 Riverside Drive, NE in Cedar Rapids.  We are pleased you are with us, Truman, and hope you will become more involved with the Iowa Society of Periodontology as you grow in your specialty practice.  Truman has published an article in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology relating to periodontitis susceptibility.

 

Deena Kuempel.  Welcome, Deena to our society.  Deena was born and raised in Vinton, Iowa, trained in dental hygiene at Hawkeye Community College, then worked for 10 years in the practice of Frank Wingrove, Waterloo, Iowa.  From 1989-1991 Deena was employed as staff hygienist in the Department of Periodontics, University of Iowa.  She then pursued her DDS degree completing it in 1995.  Following in the footsteps of her mentors, Drs. Georgia Johnson and Janet Guthmiller, Deena proceeded into periodontal specialty training at the University of Iowa, completing her certificate program in 1998.  Deena is the first Iowa grad to complete her American Board of Periodontology certification directly after completing her training.  In her “spare time” she has published two articles in the Journal of Oral Maxiofacial Implants and established a practice at 1909 51st Street, NE, Cedar Rapids.  Deena, husband Dan, sales manager for AT& T Cable, and children Andrew and Catie live at 7715 Princeton Drive, N.E., Cedar Rapids.  Deena has always been involved in dentistry and continues to show leadership through her participation in the Midwest Society of Periodontology.  At the 41st Annual MSP meeting, she presented a luncheon for learning on the challenges of establishing one’s private periodontal practice.  Welcome to the Iowa Society of Periodontology, Deena.  We look forward to your active participation.  Those of you, who have not met our newest members, please welcome them.  If you are aware of others who have not joined our society, please encourage them to do so.  We cannot be an effective group without participation.

 

FUTURE NEWSLETTERS:

 

This will be the last snail mail ISP Updates publication.  Let me know if you cannot access the website and we will continue to send the newsletter by regular mail.