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ADA AFFILIATE UPDATE
March 2007
The ADA Pavilion made its second consecutive appearance at the Congresso Internacional de Odontologia de São Paulo (CIOSP) in São Paulo, Brazil, January 27–31, 2007. The annual CIOSP is the largest dental conference in Latin America with over 60,000 visitors, most of them from Brazil. The CIOSP provided a great opportunity for international dentists to meet with ADA staff, ask questions, and learn more about the Association. Attendees showed a lot of enthusiasm toward the ADA Annual Session in San Francisco and Affiliate membership, and those attendees not familiar with the ADA were very interested in learning more about the ADA and its products and services.
PATIENTS NEED TO BALANCE ORAL HEALTH WITH OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS
From a recent joint press release from the American Dental Association and the American Medical Association, new research is reinforcing the longstanding belief that a connection exists between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. But according to Moise Desvarieux, MD, PhD, whose team studies periodontal disease in relation to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, the nature of the relationship is still unclear and patients cannot rely only on good oral hygiene as a way to reduce the risk factors for heart disease; they must manage other risk factors for the disease as well.
“It appears that a relationship exists, but we don’t know exactly what it is and if it is a causal relationship. Therefore, we can’t make recommendations for people with periodontal disease in respect to cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. Desvarieux, an infectious disease specialist in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York. “To reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease, patients must manage all of their risk factors, including smoking, diabetes, and weight.
Related:
Recently, the FDI World Dental Federation renewed its focus on the neglected state of oral health throughout the world. For the first time since 1981, oral health was on the agenda at the World Health Organization (WHO) executive board meeting in Geneva in February. The WHO’s Global Oral Health Program prepared an extensive report on “Oral Health: Action Plan for Promotion and Integrated Disease Prevention. Dr. Michele Aerden, president of the FDI World Dental Federation, addressed the WHO Board in supporting the integration of oral health into general health promotion and to involve the dental profession as an active and responsible partner in integrated disease prevention.
Dr. Margaret Chan, the newly elected director-general of the WHO, says that oral diseases are a neglected area of international health. “The tools and best practices are there and we need to ensure that they are applied and implemented,” she said.
The proposed action plan for oral health will be discussed at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May in Geneva.
FDI ENCOURAGES SAFE DENTAL PRACTICES WORLDWIDE TO PREVENT SPREAD OF AIDS/HIV
From high-tech dental offices to simple village health posts, oral health professionals are at risk of both spreading and contracting HIV/AIDS. Invasive interventions, performed regularly by dentists, can expose practitioners to the virus. Only effective infection control measures in all clinical settings can prevent the spread of HIV and other highly infectious diseases. The FDI World Dental Federation strongly encourages effective and routine hygiene measures to prevent cross-infection with any disease.
Last July, the FDI and the Organization for Safety and Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) agreed to create a program to enhance infection control and safety practices in dentistry worldwide, to help protect dental professionals from occupational risks, and to provide safe dental care for patients.
The FDI also issued a series of policy statements on infection control in dental settings and on treatment of HIV/AIDS infected patients. The statements emphasize the right of every patient to the best possible oral care, regardless of his or her health status. Even in resource-poor settings, effective infection control is possible. Visit the FDI Web site 
for more information.
E-BOOKS PROVIDE CONVENIENCE FOR INTERNATIONAL DENTISTS
Through May 31, 2007, affiliate members will receive a 10% discount on all e-Books. These convenient publications allow you immediate access through a simple download procedure, and best of all, the book stays right on your computer as a reference that’s always just a click away. Visit the ADA Catalog for more information, and remember to enter the offer code 20683. These publications are also available at regular prices for nonmembers.
ADA ANNUAL SESSION IS SEPTEMBER 27–30, 2007
Attend the 2007 ADA Annual Session in San Francisco and discover some golden opportunities! The ADA Annual Session features the largest marketplace exhibition in the U.S. along with over 275 programs and workshops to choose from, plus a hospitality lounge and evening reception just for international dentists. If this is your first time to San Francisco, you’ll also enjoy world class dining, shopping and sightseeing in one of the nation’s most desirable tourist destinations. You can even take part in a unique tour of a local dental school and dental office, which will give you a valuable perspective and experience of dentistry in the U.S.A. Please join us!
The full Preliminary Program for the 2007 ADA Annual Session will be available in April. It will contain information on the more than 275 continuing education courses that will be available during the meeting, San Francisco city information, a map and amenity grid for the ADA's Official Hotels, descriptions of tours and special events.
To request a Letter of Invitation from the ADA to help facilitate visa arrangements to the United States for this conference, please visit ADA.org . It can now take as long as four months to get a visa to enter the United States. If you require a visa to enter the United States, check with your local United States Embassy or Consulate to obtain the necessary documentation as soon as possible. Please use the following links to obtain more information regarding obtaining visas and machine-readable passports:
- http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors.html
- http://www7.nationalacademies.org/visas/traveling_to_US.html
AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIP: STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE DENTAL COMMUNITY
According to one ADA affiliate member, “The ADA is a great way to communicate, learn, experience and be in touch with the community of dentistry.” If you have not renewed your Affiliate membership, please do so today … so you stay in touch as well. Your membership provides a way for you to stay connected to the profession and current on the latest scientific issues in dentistry, through ADA publications such as JADA, ADA News, and the Professional Product Review™. In 2007, the ADA will continue providing all of these benefits, plus new “members-only” content on ADA.org, reduced member pricing on a full range of ADA Catalog items, our all new CE Online which offers 24-hour access to continuing education, and ADA sponsored meetings and conferences, including the 2007 ADA Annual Session, September 27–30, 2007, in San Francisco.
Affiliate members have already received their renewal forms via mail. You may also renew online or by sending your renewal form to the ADA via fax or mail. Thanks in advance for your prompt response and continued support! For more information, visit ADA.org.
Not an affiliate member? Learn about all the benefits you receive as an affiliate member or download an application.
THE LATEST ‘SCIENCE IN THE NEWS’
“Science in the News” on ADA.org presents the principal points of each news story, perspectives on the current state of the science and practical information on how the findings may have an impact on dentistry. Some of the new topics since our last update include the following:
- Salivary Diagnostics and Breast Cancer Screening (Researchers are developing tests to detect a breast cancer biomarker in saliva).
- Salivary Diagnostics—Comparing Salivary Protein to Salivary mRNA (Investigators confirm that proteins and messenger RNA co-exist in saliva, indicating that both may be useful for diagnosing and monitoring diseases).
- An Evaluation of Periodontal Disease and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in Men (Preliminary study indicates that men between ages 40 and 75 with a history of periodontal disease could be at increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, but more research is needed).
- Systematic Review Finds Home-Use Tooth Whiteners Have Short-Term Effectiveness, But Long-Term Evaluations Still Needed (New systematic evaluation of over-the-counter and dentist-dispensed tooth whiteners for home use found differences in product effectiveness were due to levels of active ingredients).
- FDA Approves Claim That Bottled Water with Fluoride Reduces Caries Risk (New labeling will assist consumers in identifying bottled water containing 0.6 to 1.0 mg/L fluoride).
- Study Finds Increased Adherence of Streptococcus Mutans to Composite Materials (Research evaluates adhesion of S. mutans to a variety of dental materials—including titanium, gold, amalgam alloy and composite—in the absence and presence of saliva).
- Supporting Further Review of the Scientific Evidence on Restorative Materials (An overview of ADA testimony to a recent meeting of a public advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration).
JADA IS AVAILABLE ONLINE EACH MONTH FOR AFFILIATE MEMBERS
Please remember that your affiliate membership dues include a subscription to the online version of the Journal of the American Dental Association. Looking for something specific? You can also search for articles and download archived versions of JADA. If you are interested in receiving a printed copy of this publication, you may place an order for a subscription by downloading the journal order form.
ADA AND NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY OFFER EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR DENTISTS
The ADA and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management announce the opening of registration for the “ADA/Kellogg Executive Management Program for Dentists.” Now in its third year, the executive program is specially designed for dentists seeking to broaden their management knowledge from one of the premier business schools in the United States. Areas of study within the program include business strategy, organizational leadership, marketing, finance, accounting, economics, quantitative methods and information systems. For more information about this program, please visit ADA.org, or contact Connie Paslaski at 312-440-3541 or by e-mail at paslaskic@ada.org.
SPRING PROFESSIONAL PRODUCT REVIEW AVAILABLE IN APRIL
The ADA Professional Product Review (PPR) helps to streamline your purchasing decisions. This publication's scientific reviews feature several products within each category, reporting laboratory test results, product descriptions, and clinical input from dentists who have used the featured products in their practices. Some issues include additional information such as expert or practitioner panel discussions, buyer's checklists and technology updates.
The spring PPR will be available in April and offers reports on steam sterilizers, dental unit waterline cleaning agents and dental unit water quality test kits. ADA Affiliate members can access an electronic version of the PPR on ADA.org. This Web site also offers additional resources, like reading lists and laboratory testing methods, related to the featured products. Affiliate members who would like to receive a hard-copy of the newsletter by mail can subscribe at a special member rate of $87/year. For more information on the ADA PPR, including a link to a subscription form, visit ADA.org.