ORAL HEALTH SUMMIT 2009
The 4th Annual Oral Health Summit
was held in Columbia, MO, on November 13, 2009. More than 100 people
attended the Summit, hearing speakers address health care reform, integrating
dental services into medical insurance plans, and the impact of oral disease on
chronic illness.
Sponsors included the MO
Department of Health & Senior Services, MO Primary Care Association, MO Head
Start State Collaboration Office, Central MO Community Action, Doral Dental, and
the Region VII Office, HHS.
Speakers included:
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Mary Lee Conicella,
DMD, FAGD, Aetna National Director of Clinical Operations, and Oral
Health of America Board of Directors
Dr. Mary Lee Conicella received her DMD from Temple University
School of Dentistry in 1987. She received her fellowship in the
Academy of General
Dentistry in Toronto in 2000. She was in private practice prior to
joining Aetna in 1997, and is on the faculty of the University of
Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, where she has taught since
1992. Dr. Conicella resides in Pittsburgh, Pa., and is the national
director of Clinical Operations for Aetna Dental. Her professional
affiliations include the American Dental Association, the Academy of
General Dentistry, the International Association for Dental
Research, the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Scholastic Honor Fraternity and
the American Association of Dental Consultants.
According to a study conducted by Aetna (NYSE: AET)
and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, women who
received dental care before or during their pregnancy had a lower
risk of giving birth to a preterm or low birth weight baby than
pregnant women who didn't seek dental care at all. The study,
conducted between January 1, 2003 and September 30, 2006, reviewed
medical and dental insurance data for 29,000 pregnant women who each
had medical and dental coverage with Aetna to determine if there was
an association between dental treatment and the likelihood of
experiencing either birth outcome.
"Further studies need to be done but our findings show that dental
treatment had a protective effect on adverse birth outcomes in women
who sought dental treatment," said David A. Albert, DDS, MPH,
Director, Division of Community Health, College of Dental Medicine,
Columbia University.
When comparing the group who did not receive any dental treatment to
the groups that received gum treatment and dental cleaning, the
study found:
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The preterm birth rate was 11.0 percent for those not receiving
dental treatment, and 6.4 percent for those receiving treatment
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The low birth weight rate was 5.4 percent for those not
receiving dental treatment and 3.6 percent or lower among the
groups receiving treatment
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies determined that
premature births, meaning babies born at less than 37 weeks of
pregnancy, cost at least $26 billion a year and represented 12.5
percent of births in the U.S. in 2005.
"The results of this study send a strong message about the
importance of dental care for women who want to start a family,"
said Dr. Mary Lee Conicella, DMD, FAGD, National Director of
Clinical Operations, Aetna Dental. "We are seeing evidence that
supports the role of routine preventive dental care in helping to
protect the health of the newborn and the mother and contributing to
lower associated medical costs."
Aetna provides educational information about the importance of good
oral health to women who are planning to become pregnant, as
identified in responses to its Health Risk Assessment tool. Aetna
also provides a dental/medical integration (DMI) program to pregnant
women and at-risk members with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
who have both Aetna dental and medical coverage. The program is
comprised of enhanced benefits, including an extra cleaning, full
coverage for certain periodontal services and a variety of outreach
methods to at-risk members who are not currently seeking dental
care. As a result of various outreach methods during a two-year
pilot with 500,000 Aetna members, 63 percent of those at-risk
members who had not been to the dentist in 12 months sought dental
care.
"The findings from this latest study we conducted continue to show
that members with certain conditions who are engaged in seeking
preventive care, such as regular dental visits, can improve their
overall health and quality of life," said Alan Hirschberg, head of
Aetna Dental.
Aetna Dental launched its DMI program last fall following a
published research analysis it conducted with Columbia University
College of Dental Medicine which found that high-risk individuals
that sought earlier dental care lowered the risk or severity of
their condition and subsequently, lowered their overall medical
costs.
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Dr. Timothy Custer, DDS, Dental Director,
Professional Services, and Rosa Rocha, Blue Cross
Dr. Timothy Custer has over 25 years experience within the dental
industry and began his career with Dental Network of America in
April 1995. As Dental Director, Dr. Custer oversees the Professional
Review and Utilization Management of claims within all lines of
business. In addition, Dr. Custer provides professional opinion and
clinical oversight to various departments within the organization,
including Operations, Network Development and Special
Investigations. Prior to joining Dental Network of America, Dr.
Custer held positions as the State Dental Director for the Wisconsin
Dental Plan and Regional Manager/Senior Dental Consultant for the
Midwest Panel of Dental Insurance Consultants, Inc. Dr. Custer
received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Loyola University
School of Dentistry in 1983, and MBA from Benedictine University in
2001. Dr. Custer is a member of the American Dental Association, the
Illinois State Dental Society, the Chicago Dental Society and the
American Association of Dental Consultants.
Earlier this year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL)
announced the launch of BlueCare Dental Connection(SM), a new
integrated medical-dental program. This unique program compares
individuals' medical and dental data to create customized plans
designed to improve their health. This approach is designed to help
users optimize their overall health by helping them make better
decisions about their oral health based on evidence-based research
and information.
Research continues to show a potential link between oral care and
overall health. Through BlueCare Dental Connection, BCBSIL can
utilize medical and dental claim information to identify and reach
out to members at risk for health conditions complicated by dental
disease, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy. In
addition, BCBSIL can reach out to select members determined to be at
risk for dental caries or periodontal (gum) disease in an effort to
minimize or prevent these dental conditions early on. The goal of
the BlueCare Dental Connection program, which is available at no
additional cost to members who carry BCBSIL medical and dental
insurance, is to help members identify potential opportunities for
dental health intervention and prevention and realize the benefits
to their overall health.
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Dr. Jack Dillenberg,
Dean, DDS, AT Still School of Dentistry, Mesa, AZ
 Dr. Jack
Dillenberg is the inaugural dean of the Arizona School of Dentistry
& Oral Health. Dr. Dillenberg received his master’s degree in public
health from Harvard School of Public Health and completed his dental
education at New York University, College of Dentistry. He received
his undergraduate degree from Tulane University in New Orleans.
Prior to joining the Arizona dental school, Dr. Dillenberg was
associate director for public health programs in the California
Department of Health Services and prior to that was area health
officer serving the west area of the Los Angeles County Department
of Health Services.
Dr.
Dillenberg also is president of Dillenberg & Friends Health Services
Consulting providing a full scope of health services consulting.
During most of the 1990s, Dr. Dillenberg served in several
capacities in the Arizona Department of Health Services, including
director for more than four years and assistant director in the
Division of Family Health Services.
Dr.
Dillenberg has also served in numerous positions on health-related
boards and associations and is the recipient of a great number of
honors and awards, including the U.S Public Health Service Chief
Dental Officer’s Service Award and the Harvard School of Public
Health Alumni Award of Merit.
Dr.
Dillenberg is recognized at the local, state, and national levels as
an expert in the area of public health leadership, health program
development, social marketing, oral health issues, health center
design, training of community health workers, community organizing,
and lecture presentations.
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Cindy Sellon, MSW, Wellness and Outreach
Administrator,
Doral Dental
 Cindy Sellon has been developing and providing education,
inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and association
management for over 25 years. She obtained her MSW from the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1990 and became a Certified
Independent Social Worker for the State of Wisconsin in 1999.
Ms. Sellon currently serves as the Wellness and
Outreach Administrator for Doral Dental USA in Mequon, WI. In
this position, she oversees wellness and outreach programs in 23
states, including six states in which Doral is the sole dental
administrator: Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts,
Idaho and Maryland. Ms. Sellon has taken the lead in developing
and administering a variety of successful wellness and outreach
programs targeting pregnant women, childhood caries, and
utilization of the emergency room for dental.
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JoAnn R. Gurenlian, RDH, PhD, Gurenlian &
Associates
 Dr.
Gurenlian is the owner of Gurenlian & Associates which offers
continuing education and consulting services to healthcare
professionals.
Gurenlian has a Bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from Fairleigh
Dickinson University, a Master’s degree in dental hygiene from
Columbia University, and a Doctoral degree specializing in
educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Gurenlian has been active in dental hygiene for over 30 years
having served as a former chairperson of the Department of Dental
Hygiene at Thomas Jefferson University and former President of the
ADHA. Presently, she is an entrepreneur offering consulting and
continuing education services to health care professionals. She has
experience as a clinician, educator, administrator, and researcher.
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Reactor Panel:
 A
panel of dental
and
medical experts discussed aspects of
the
Summit presentations that could increase access and availability of oral health
services to vulnerable populations with chronic disease or those
who are pregnant. Members included:
Dr. Michael McCunniff, UMKC School of Dentistry;
Dr. Bonnie Branson,
UMKC School of Dentistry;
r. Bryan Pope, Community Health Center; and
Dr. Claudia Preuschoff, MO Chapter AAP.
The annual MCOH General Membership
Meeting followed the Summit. Election of Officers and At Large Board
members took place.
Members elected the organization's
2010 Officers as presented.
- Mernell King, President (MHSA)
- Michael French, Vice President (MO AHEC)
- Roberta Brown, Secretary (MDHA)
- Donnell Cox, Treasurer (Doral Dental)
In
addition the Membership elected two at large Board of Directors:
- Renee Fiquet-Freeman, State Fair Community College, Dental Hygiene Program
Coordinator
- Shari Fleshman, ICF International MO Head Start TA, Program Manager
The Coalition members heard a
brief update on MCOH business for 2009 and goals for 2010.
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