麻豆视频

We鈥檙e doing much better, but there鈥檚 still a long way to go.

That was the general sentiment among all the experts who spoke at the One Voice Oral Health Pre Conference this month, hosted by UR Medicine鈥檚 Eastman Institute for Oral Health. Each shared ideas and stories from their own experiences.

The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry鈥檚 One Voice annual conference was held in Rochester, NY, where physicians, dentists and other leaders in the field gathered at Eastman Institute a day early for engaging panel discussions, presentations and meaningful discussions about how to make more progress in healthcare provision for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Rochester, NY is unique in its ability to provide comprehensive services to children and adults with IDD and complex medical conditions. 聽Having stepped outside of their professional silos, the specialists within the 麻豆视频 are leading the way with interdisciplinary collaborations and innovative solutions that are making a real difference.

鈥淭he word is out. People come to Rochester and western NY not for the climate, necessarily,鈥� joked Dr. Steve Sulkes, a 麻豆视频developmental and behavioral pediatrician and president of AADMD, 鈥渂ut because there are great services here. We鈥檙e over flowing. Our medical and dental clinics are full.聽 It鈥檚 a measure of our success and a measure of the community鈥檚 support.鈥�

EIOH Director Eli Eliav, DMD, PhD, 聽shared with the 120 attendees examples of UR Medicine鈥檚 innovative approaches to care, such as Eastman Dental鈥檚 new Specialty Care Clinic, the Complex Care Center with multiple services under one roof,聽and inter-disciplinary treatment. He described the situation of a young man with cerebral palsy who drove 3 hours every month for 1.5 years for periodontal, oral and maxillofacial surgery and orthodontic treatment at Eastman Institute for his life changing smile.

鈥淚鈥檓 very impressed with this case,鈥� said Matt Holder, MD, MBA, Global Medical Advisor, Special Olympics. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing what you鈥檝e done in Rochester, in addition to attracting the top talent in this field.鈥�

Similar to UR Medicine, Dr. Holder has patients who travel four hours one way for dental treatment at his clinic. 鈥淵ou know they are passing a lot of dentists along the way,鈥� he remarked.聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost unconscionable, but that鈥檚 the situation we鈥檙e in.鈥�

Communication between disciplines and specialties is paramount to improve care and focus on prevention, Dr. Holder emphasized. 鈥淲hen I learned that the tooth structure erodes faster than a metal filling, it blew my mind,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淲hy didn鈥檛 anyone tell me this in medical school? I now make it a point to tell this to every medical student I work with.鈥�

Jack Dillenberg, DDS, MPH, executive clinical director of the Pacific Dental Services Special Needs Dental Clinic in Arizona, agreed wholeheartedly about needing to do a better job for people with IDD, but also for seniors, nursing home residents, veterans and oral cancer patients.

The traditional way of doing things has to change, he stressed, and can only happen when there鈥檚 trust, integrity and thinking outside the box.

鈥淏low up the box!鈥� he encouraged. 鈥淒on鈥檛 let yourself fall back in. Don鈥檛 be afraid to take risks 鈥� it鈥檚 critical for innovation.鈥�

Instead of separate medical, dental and behavioral homes, Dr. Dillenberg envisions a singular health home. He鈥檇 like to see healthcare become more patient centric and value based. He supports the notion of a mid-level provider, and encourages resolution to that debate.聽 He likens it to physicians rejecting physician assistants years ago, but today most practices have them.

鈥淏e the dentist, physician, nurse, the policy maker, the industry person who takes the opportunity to make a difference,鈥� he challenged. 鈥淗ow can we take what we know and translate that in to a health care system that鈥檚 relevant, committed and caring for those with disabilities and special needs?

麻豆视频 CEO Dr. Mark Taubman stressed his commitment to serving this population, whose oral health in particular, very often gets ignored.

鈥淭aking care of everybody鈥檚 teeth is important, because the more problems you have with your teeth, the more diseases, infections you have,鈥� Dr. Taubman said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 important to provide a variety of environments that allow us to do this in the best way possible. Eastman Dental鈥檚 new Specialty Care clinic is the next step in a series of steps to make sure we really are among the leadership taking care of this population.鈥�

Michele Penrose, director of Global Professional Relations at Henry Schein, Inc. spoke briefly after Dr. Eliav presented a plaque in recognition of Henry Schein鈥檚 support for the new clinic, which features air glide chairs, large treatment rooms with dual entry, a special elevator to accommodate stretchers, a wheelchair lift and a bariatric chair, among other features.

鈥淲e are delighted to support Eastman, to improve health literacy, and to be a part of this collective impact to catalyze change and improve access to care,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor for us to be a part of the group today.鈥�

Other speakers and panelists included Rick Rader, MD, Tiffany Pulcino MD,聽Adam Joachimiak,聽Carrie Burkin, Mary Foley, RDH, MPH, Matt Holder, MD, MBA, M. Dian Chin Kit-Wells, DDS, Wayne Lipschitz, DDS, 聽Adela Planerova, DDS, Rick Rader, MD, director of the Habilitation Center at the Orange Grove Center in Chattanooga, 聽Karen Raposa, RDH, MBA, Mark Wolff, DDS, PhD, Sara Walworth, LMSW, Ann Costello, 聽David Fray, DDS, MBA, Gary Goldstein, and Michelle Ziegler, DDS.

Dr. Sulkes surprised Dr. Eliav with an IDD Champion Award on behalf of the AADMD.聽Dr. Abra Caroci, an Eastman Institute alum,聽told the audience聽that something Dr. Eliav said the first time they met really stuck with him.

鈥淲e were planning an event dedicated to treating patients with IDD,鈥� Dr. Caroci recalled. 鈥淗e said, 鈥榳e want to do this--not because it鈥檚 a nice thing to do--because it鈥檚 the right thing to do.鈥�

鈥淗is commitment is shown everywhere,鈥� Dr. Caroci continued. 鈥淒r. Eliav believes deeply that everyone should have high quality care without compromise, and he does it with or without the money, with or without the support- because it鈥檚 the right thing to do.鈥�

鈥淚t is an honor to have this award,鈥� Dr. Eliav said. 鈥淏ut I accept this award for Eastman Institute for Oral Health, not for me. The Institute did well before I served as director, and will continue to do so well into the future.鈥�