ADA News

Having your blood pressure taken or height and weight measured may not seem like much, but for more than 45 years the ADA Foundation Health Screening Program has worked to make the dental office safer for dentists and patients by offering complimentary medical screenings to dentists and dental team members.

"This program has been the crown jewel and unsung hero of the dental profession. I don't know another clinical research program that has had a greater impact on the profession than the health screening program," said Dr. Daniel Meyer, senior vice president, ADA Division of Science/Professional Relations.

Screening time: Dr. Brion Hu (right) of San Francisco receives the latex hypersensitivity screening from Curt Hamann, M.D., president, SmartPractice, during the 2010 annual session in Hawaii.

Appointments are now available for the HSP at the ADA annual session in Orlando.

This year's HSP will be held from 6 a.m.-noon Oct. 9-11 (Saturday, Sunday and Monday) and is available by appointment only. It is open to all clinical dental staff who register as dentists, hygienists or chairside assistants. All appointments must be made online.

Additionally, for the second year in a row, continuing education courses will be offered on how to screen for medical conditions in a dental setting (Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes by Dentists: Didactic and Hands-on Practicum, courses 7220 and 8204). The courses are $75 for participants who register before Sept. 1.

"So much of the way we practice dentistry today is based on clinically relevant, scientific information from the health screening program," added Dr. Meyer. "The HSP has helped us address a variety of clinical issues and concerns in which policies have been developed or guidance has been provided to dentists and providers, the oral health care team or the patients they serve. Issues such as bloodborne pathogens, latex hypersensitivity, carpal tunnel syndrome, infection control, Bisphenol A, mercury hygiene, periodontal screening and recording, health and neck evaluations, oral cancer screenings and even sit-down dentistry have all been addressed with clinical evidence derived from the health screening program."

To make an appointment for the Health Screening Program or to register to participate in either of the two hands-on CE workshops, dentists must sign up using the Annual Session Registration area at www.ada.org/goto/session.

The following screenings will be offered at this year's ADA Foundation Health Screening Program: blood pressure; height and weight; salivary diagnostics (screens will be conducted by researchers from the UCLA School of Dentistry); delayed hypersensitivity (SmartPractice); latex sensitivity (SmartPractice); blood chemistry; hepatitis B; and urinary mercury.

There will also be optional screenings available for a small charge: VAP cholesterol; thyroid stimulating hormone; PSA; bone density scan (osteoporosis); cardiac CRP; carotid artery ultrasound screening; vitamin D; and vitamin deficiency anemia.

In addition to the screenings, the program is also a research program that now boasts the largest national database on the health of dental professionals. Data from past health screening programs has been used as the basis for infection control policies, standard precautions, amalgam safety, latex sensitivity and bloodborne pathogens and has enabled researchers to publish more than 50 peer-reviewed articles.

The Health Screening Program is underwritten by the ADA Foundation with generous support from corporate sponsors.