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The purpose of the Academy, as an honor society, is the fostering of a greater support for, and the influencing of, the moving of dentistry to the highest level of professionalism as manifested by the practice of integrity and ethics. The Academy lends itself to accomplish this ideal by publicly honoring, in a significant and noteworthy manner, those who can be classified as role models for other practitioners and those who have distinguished themselves by their support of the ethical ideal.
Recently, I had the opportunity and distinct pleasure to install 20 Fellows at the Georgia Section Meeting in Greensboro on February 7, and 38 Canadian Fellows at our annual Canadian Section Fellowship Breakfast in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 5. My congratulations to both Section Chair Karyn Stockwell of Kennesaw, Georgia, and to Canadian Trustee Barry Dolman of Montreal, on the quality of the new Fellows elected. Both Induction functions were superbly organized and masterfully executed. The new Fellows recently elected in Georgia and from the five Sections of Canada are typical of our membership base. They are on the executive committees of their State Associations or licensing authorities; they are State or |
national Board Examiners; they are Governors to their provincial Boards of Governors, editors of State Journals, or State Delegates to their national dental organizations; they are dedicated academics who I saluted in my previous Message. Our Fellows are the organizers/chairpersons of your dental health month activities or the Chief of Staff at your children’s hospital dental department. I am extremely proud that you were mindful of them and took the time to acknowledge their accomplishments by nominating them for Academy Fellowship and recognition.
In the words of President Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marked by dust and sweat and blood; who strikes valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions and expends/spends himself in a worthy cause.” The Pierre Fauchard Academy proudly honors the men and women in the arena with Fellowship in our pre-eminent international honor society Dr. Kevin L. Roach |
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| PFA Dental Museum Gets Recognition | ||
| The Henderson (Nevada) View News initiated local interest in our museum with a 30 January 2004 article “Dental Museum captures history of profession and its technology.” It was an item off the front page under “Learning to be an Art.” The article describes the museum and many of its turn-of-the-century dental artifacts, noting that they “are reminiscent of the profession’s more painful times before nitrous oxide and novocaine.”
State Senator Dr. Ray Rawson is mentioned prominently along with our Secretary General Richard Kozal for the conception and initiation of our dental museum in Las Vegas. Fellow Ray Rawson had attended PFA on a European trip to Brussels, London, and Paris as a CE speaker on dental forensics, as he is also a county deputy coroner. In Paris, he was quite impressed with the Pierre Fauchard Museum at the Conseil National de l’Ordre des Chirurgien-Dentistes headquarters. This was the beginning of his support for “a Pierre Fauchard Museum as good as they have in Paris. And it has come along very nicely.” The newspaper article mentioned the acquisition of the Dr. Henry Zeller turn-of-the-century complete dental office. The author also discussed our museum’s permanent location to be established in the new dental school at UNLV. xDr. Kozal noted that so many items have been donated that PFA will be able to have their museum at both UNLV and at the Community College of Southern Nevada. There are |
even enough items donated by our members to open another museum at the University of Nevada Dental Hygiene School in Reno.
Then on 4 February 2004, the Summerlin South View (Nevada) picked up the story under the title “Filling a Void” with photos calling it a “teaching museum.” “The museum illustrates the history of dentistry and serves as an educational tool for dental assistant and hygiene students who take classes at the college.” Another article appeared in the Summerlin View News that week titled “CCSN Museum traces the roots of dentistry.” Writer Tiffannie Bond noted that the museum demonstrates what it was like “before running water” with spittoon and hand-made dental instruments. Senator Rawson noted that “Dentists were using things like this, and people would pass out from the pain. You go back 100 years ago, and you didn’t go to a dentist unless you had to because it hurt. There’s almost no pain like a toothache. We’ve come a long way in making that tolerable.” All the articles gave the Pierre Fauchard Academy the credit for initiating this project to assist in the education of Nevada’s students in the dental profession as well as demonstrating to the public the evolution of dentistry in one short century. This is a step beyond the many letters received at the Museum for the conducted tours like from the recent Explorers Post, the Boy Scouts, and the Junior Boxing Club that have come through our museum. |
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| Foundation Update | ||
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Exciting Foundation Grants
by Foundation President Carl Lundgren |
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| The isolated group of Mexican patients had walked for miles and waited in line quietly while enduring toothaches. There were no dental facilities in this remote area in the Sierra de San Francisco in the southern State of Baja California, 700 miles south of San Diego.
The Amigos de Los Californios is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization, which began in 1996 to provide care to this group. The volunteers make the two-day drive in their own vehicles to transport equipment and supplies donated by some San Diego area supply companies. Our Pierre Fauchard Academy Foundation just recently donated $10,000 to provide portable dental chairs and other supplies. The 14 volunteers on the clinic staff are headed by PFA’s Southern California Section Fellow Dr. Roger Kingston of San Diego, an oral surgeon. The volunteers cover all expenses with personal funds. Seven annual trips have been made to serve a patient load of about 200 with duration of from 9 to 14 days. The equipment and conditions have been incredibly primitive so that funds are needed for Aseptico U.S. military field used equipment that is purchased at a special discount deal. This program is just one of 18 that our Foundation supported last year. Over the last nine years, our Foundation has distributed a total of nearly $3 million in grants and scholarships. This year, 18 grant recipients received over $167,000. Scholarships of $1500 were awarded to an undergraduate dental student in each of the U.S. dental schools and one scholarship each in 18 |
countries that have PFA Sections. A suitable certificate accompanies each grant. The award goes to the student for leadership potential. The deans of the schools select the student recipients.
The PFA members have been very generous in their financial support to the Foundation’s programs. The support has varied from hundreds of small donations to the $5 million bequest from Dr. Fernando Brenes-Espinach of Costa Rica. He was a Trustee on the PFA Board. A substantial amount of our funds are donated by members from their dues statements. In order to keep funding available for these awards, the Foundation Board has recently been developing a “Memorial and Tribute Funds” Program. This effort will permit donors to ascertain what their donation money will be used for, if they wish.
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| The Foundation Board of Trustees approved one $1500 scholarship award to each of the U.S. dental schools and to 28 non-U.S. dental schools. The determination of the awards is made on the number of members in each Section. This is a list of the U.S. scholars that have been received to date. • Allyn Mabson Thames III from the University of Alabama |
• Erin Teague from the University of Michigan • Timothy Osborn from the University of Minnesota • Tiffany Priscilla Green from the University of Mississippi • Kevin Cunningham from the University of Missouri- Kansas City • Martin Killeen from the University of Nebraska • Allison Loeb from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey • Thomas A. Kolodge of New York University • Shreyas Patel of SUNY at Buffalo • David A. Sherman of SUNY at Stony Brook • John J. Sweeney at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • Patrick B. Parsons from Ohio State University • Adam S. Pitts from the University of Oklahoma • Jessica Robertson of Oregon Health Sciences University • Courtney Fitzpatrick from the University of the Pacific • Andrea Woods from the University of Pennsylvania • Matthew Kremser from the University of Pittsburgh • Elgardo J. Toro-Quinones from the University of Puerto Rico • Aaron P. Burleson of the Medical University of South Carolina • Max Almodovar of Temple University • Emily E. Sheppard from the University of Tennessee • Tyrone Rodriguez of the University of Texas at Houston • Jason Stamboulieh of the University of Texas at San Antonio • Kris Togias from Tufts University • Christopher Loveland of Virginia Commonwealth University • Brian M. Almond from the University of Washington • Scott Edmonds from the University of West Virginia *No responses from the University of Colorado, Howard University, and Nova Southeastern University (Florida). |
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Foundation Grant Information
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by Executive Director Fred Halik The deadline for Grant applications is fast coming upon us—30 June 2004. Organizations, institutions, and individuals may request funding for programs and projects within Foundation goals by written request for an application form from the Foundation Executive Director Fred Halik at 30 Spruce Ridge, Fairport, NY, 14450-4278. All submitted proposals are reviewed by the Grants Committee and submitted to the Foundation Board of Trustees for approval at their annual meeting. The Foundation is committed to fulfill the provisions of the Brenes-Espinach legacy, which is to promote all aspects of oral health. Although the Foundation remains flexible enough to consider innovative projects in all areas of dentistry, including practice and education, it does place special emphasis on programs that increase access and provide dental care to the deserving, but inadequately served public. The maximum dollar amounts for grants are $5000 for PFA Section Programs under the Section’s control and in which a significant number of Fellows participate; $10,000 for Service Projects that provide increased access to dental care for the public in need; $5000 for educational programs including continuing education; and $5000 for approved miscellaneous programs that fall within the guidelines. The Foundation will NOT fund (1) multi-year projects, although at its discretion it may allow a grant to span a two-year period; (2) capital projects or purchases of major equipment that costs over $1000, nor land or building acquisition; (3) indirect costs, such as university or institutional overhead; |
(4) the principal project manager’s salary, nor may it replace funds already available for basic personnel costs; (5) nor will the Foundation fund questionnaires or surveys for demographic studies of need, or for all inclusive surveys; (6) nor fund clinical or basic biomedical research projects; (7) no endowments; (8) no land or building acquisitions; (9) nor any ordinary social services of an ongoing nature; (10) no programs that are the government’s responsibility and are supported by tax revenues; (11) no religious activities; (12) no funding for political candidate’s activities or lobbying efforts; (13) nor fund any schools below the college level; (14) no dinners, tables, or tickets to any fundraising events; (15) no advertising in charitable publications; (16) no promotional items or activities such as trophies, prizes, or trips; (17) no endowment of Chairs; (18) nor will funds be granted to the general funds of other foundations or organizations; (19) however specific projects of those foundations or organizations may be considered; and (20) no essays programs.
Only non-profit, tax-exempt organizations and individuals employed by such organizations (with the exception of the student scholarships) are eligible to receive Foundation funding. In the United States and its protectorates, a proposal submitted by other than a tax-exempt organization, will be returned. Organizations outside the United States and its protectorates must be recognized as a tax-exempt entity in its own country and be governed by that country’s appropriate rules. All organizations shall agree to take full legal and administrative responsibility for their projects. If you, or your organization, believe you qualify for a Foundation Grant, please explain why, in writing, with your request for the application form, and any other necessary information to the Foundation Executive Director. Everything goes through the Executive Director first. All grant applications and requests must be submitted in the English language. |
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| 2003-2004 Foundation Grants | ||
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Many worthy non-profit organizations, including the Academy Sections across the world, have benefited from grants made to their projects by the Foundation. Many of these projects are designed to deliver dental health care to patients who are indigent, uninsured, or have limited access to dental treatment facilities. For the most part, volunteer professionals give of their time and resources to these projects in the spirit of the Academy’s Mission Statement. As a result, much of the financial support given to the organizations is used for supplies, instruments, and other support that enables these useful activities.
Such examples of those receiving this year’s grant awards are: |
• Amigos de Los Californios, a group of southern California dentists, are bringing portable dental care to inadequately served people in Baja California, hundreds of miles south of San Diego.
• Medical, Eye, and Dental International Care (MEDICO) of Texas provides dental treatment opportunities for needy people in remote areas of the world. Their latest project is to serve the children of Honduras. • The Salvation Army of Oxnard (California) provides free dental care for the homeless and low-income people of all ages, as a part of a truly humanitarian health care activity. • The Mission of Mercy Project (MOM) is a special initiative of the Virginia Dental Association to bring extremely critical dental care to rural, impoverished areas. • The Hope Medical Outreach Coalition provides free preventative care for the needy children through the schools of the Omaha, Nebraska, area. To determine if your organization may qualify for a grant, go to the Academy Web site at www.Fauchard.org. Click the Foundation link to find the information page that can help determine if your idea falls within the Foundation guidelines. |
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Primary Research Article
An Evidence-Based Study on the AIDS Epidemic in Dentistry by E. J. Neiburger, DDS, Director, Center for Dental AIDS Research |
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The greatest impact that dentistry has experienced in the last decades of the 20th century has been concerns about infection control. This was primarily due to fears about the occupational transmission of HIV/AIDS. Billions of dollars and millions of person-hours were devoted to this issue because of extrapolations of approximately 100 medical (not dental) HIV transmission cases reported worldwide. As a result, thousands of allergic emergencies and some deaths (e.g. latex anaphylaxis) have resulted from staff and patient exposures to protective devices recommended for the prevention of transmission of this single terrifying disease.
With all the panic and publicity surrounding the great FAIDS (fear of AIDS) epidemic of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s one critical fact is often missed. There are not (and never have been) any documented cases of dental workers getting occupational HIV/AIDS. Our profession has spent billions of dollars and person-hours on questionable disposables, research, training, legislation, regulation and litigation in an effort to prevent a disease that has never occurred occupationally in dental workers. There are, however, a reported seven “possible” non-documented cases of occupationally acquired dental HIV/AIDS, which are continuously referenced as the only “solid” evidence that HIV/AIDS is a serious concern for dentistry. This paper will examine the scientific aspects of these cases and how “soft” this “solid” evidence really is. Litigation, big-buck settlements, unremitting media publicity and panic muddied the issue and established the public’s perception (as well as many in the profession) that dental care could easily transmit HIV/ AIDS. Serious questions were asked about the conclusions the CDC made in this case but they fell on deaf ears. The GAO and other agencies recommended that the Acer case be considered an anomaly and not be used for policy decisions. Unfortunately the “horse was out of the barn” and the Acer case became the symbol of AIDS dangers; not the exception that it really was. |
As time went on, the public and dental media expanded the concept that “AIDS is everywhere.” Numerous gay rights and AIDS organizations, in an effort to avoid the stigma and discrimination surrounding AIDS being a “gay only disease,” fostered, with the help of the government and a few dental groups, the faulty concept that AIDS could affect everyone equally; heterosexuals and homosexuals alike.
As the FRAIDS panic spread, bizarre predictions appeared such as with TV host Oprah Winfrey’s 2-17-87 “Women living with AIDS” show where Oprah stated, “by 1990, twenty percent of heterosexuals will be dead of AIDS.” A 1991 Gallup Poll reported that Americans (and their political representatives) believed that AIDS (which killed approximately 25,000 that year) was eight times more important than cancer (which killed 900,000+ people in 1991). This alarmist climate resulted in heavy pressure on the dental profession to show that the public was “safe” in the dental office and numerous laws, regulations and procedures were enacted to give this appearance. Many dental journals and supply manufacturers saw a boom in disposables advertising and sales. Self proclaimed “experts” and infection control organizations proliferated, generating millions of dollars in educational schemes. Dental offices were awash in latex, wrappers and sterilants. The U.S. Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, publicly stated, “Getting AIDS from a Health Care worker is essentially nil.” Using a few occupational seroconversions among the world’s non-dental health care workers as a rational, the CDC supported draconian governmental regulatory measures, which gave an opposite message. The Surgeon General’s advice was ignored by the media and the public. Gradually the panic diffused and dissipated as FRAIDS fatigue and clearer minds prevailed. The constant media attention became old and boring. The public saw that, in spite of the doomsayers and activists’ predictions, very few people were going to die of AIDS; especially middle class, heterosexuals. AIDS was not a disease of average Americans. Serious questions about the Acer case, the effectiveness of Universal Precautions, the CDC’s accuracy, rampant fraud/waste in many AIDS organizations and the obvious miniscule dangers of AIDS transmission caused many exhausted people to calm down and take a second look at the situation. In the 1990’s annual AIDS case numbers began to significantly fall. AIDS was clearly identified as a preventable and treatable, chronic disease predominately affecting homosexuals, IV drug users and their sex partners. New medications made AIDS a “tolerable” disease, cleared out hospital wards and allowed many of the infected, who otherwise would have quickly died, to live relatively comfortable, productive lives. The epidemic was over and dentistry, with the exception of the Acer case, had not been implicated. |
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Primary Research Article Continued
An Evidence-Based Study on the AIDS Epidemic in Dentistry by E. J. Neiburger, DDS, Director, Center for Dental AIDS Research |
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(continued from page 2)
Politics and Money Warp Science The Atlanta based CDC is the nation’s main broker for AIDS epidemiology data and related health information. It is, by its nature and history, a politically involved government organization. The CDC made serious errors in the analysis of the Acer case. The organization routinely “amends” their statistics on HIV/AIDS and in some cases, exaggerates the dangers. For example, the CDC, in its main publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), published the total of AIDS cases for 1995 as 68,367 (MMWR 1-12-96 p. 23), then published 71,547 (MMWR 8-20-96 p. 749) and 71,210 (MMWR 1-1-97 p. 1138)...all three sets of data for the same year (1995). The CDC treats AIDS as its golden child. No other disease has its cumulative, multi-decade case totals routinely published nor has the “data tortured” classification of the “25 to 44 year old group” which was selected to show the worse statistical expression of the AIDS epidemic. It is not used for any other human disease category. This lacks scientific reliability. In 1996, the CDC was taken to task in Congressional hearings accusing the organization of exaggerating the risks of AIDS and inflating case numbers in order to increase funding. In one exchange, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Director, Secretary Shalala, was asked by a Congressional investigator (Mr. Istook), “But I still don’t understand why you were telling this committee about an increase in AIDS and trying to dramatize increases when actually the reports from the CDC show fewer cases and that the increase you talk about is due to a change in definition.” The Secretary responded by stating, “I deny my testimony was inaccurate.” Incidentally, it was Secretary Shalala who in a news conference in 1984, announced: the discovery of the AIDS virus by NIH sponsored Dr. Gallo, that HIV was the sole cause of AIDS and a vaccine would be ready by 1986. None of these statements proved true. The CDC has often been involved in shady situations involving money and scandal. The famous head of the CDC, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, invented Universal Precautions (recommending glove, mask and eye ware for health care workers during all patient contacts). It was based on the Hadler Hepatitis B infection report (a case about an oral surgeon who transmitted Hepatitis B to patients) which was later found to be scientifically flawed (incorrect HBV incubation periods were used). In late 1999, Dr. Koop was exposed in what was reported as a million dollar “financial arrangement” with a latex glove maker (WRP Corp), the attempted suppression of government action responding to the erupting latex allergy epidemic and a failing web site (Dr. Koop Life Care Corp.) which sold stock to the public. Recent CDC scandals over misuse of funding, the unexpected resignation of its director, the retraction of its recommendation for an anti-AIDS cream, nonoxynol-9, (it increased the AIDS transmission rate, not reduced it, the feeble attempt to boost AIDS case numbers with a new AIDS designation (AIDS-Opportunistic Illnesses) and the latest Surgeon General’s condemnation (after the 9-11 and anthrax attacks) that the, “Atlanta labs are a national disgrace,” placed a cloud over the integrity of the policies and scientific methodology used at the CDC. |
In an effort to reduce criticism in an often no-win situation, the CDC began a program that exerted great efforts to avoid embarrassing questions and admissions. One way of doing this was to use “unpublished data” to substantiate “scientific” conclusions/recommendations and when questioned, to refuse researchers requests to examine the non-referenced data by claiming coverage under the Public Health Service Act. Section 301(d) of the Act allows the organization to avoid releasing data under the guise of protecting individuals’ privacy. It is important for health care providers to carefully examine the scientific basis of governmental mandates and recommendations and not blindly follow edicts that may be more politically than scientifically inspired. By 1998 the CDC changed its definition: “Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a group of diseases or conditions which are indicative of severe immunosuppression related to infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).” These definitions all related to serologic HIV testing. A different set of classifications were reserved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for third world countries without the means to do accurate lab HIV testing. In 1992, WHO devised a definition of AIDS involving a combination of major (weight loss, diarrhea, fever, etc.) and minor signs (cough, dermatitis, herpes zoster, etc.). If you had two major and one minor sign, you had “AIDS.” Unfortunately these signs are also present in TB, malaria, cancer, malnutrition, parasite infestation and a whole host of other “natural” background diseases that occur in many of the poor folk in third world countries. You do not have to be HIV positive to have “AIDS.” Since AIDS receives more funding than the above diseases, there is a strong financial pressure for impoverished health departments to diagnose more cases of “AIDS.” Thus we are faced with the CDC and WHO, political organizations with an unimpressive record of counting statistics and some serious deficiencies in the analysis and interpretation of AIDS data. It is unfortunate, but this is the best epidemiology we have today. We must be very careful in what data we accept as accurate and factual. |
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Primary Research Article Continued
An Evidence-Based Study on the AIDS Epidemic in Dentistry by E. J. Neiburger, DDS, Director, Center for Dental AIDS Research |
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People Lie: Aids Research Is Often Based on Bad Data
Much of AIDS epidemiology is unreliable. It depends on patient interviews where carefully positioned questions attempt to get truthful responses. Most AIDS data relies on the accuracy and truthfulness of those interviewed. Unfortunately, people lie. They especially lie about their sex-lives and illegal activities (e.g. IV drug use). Some even lie so that they can get to participate in vaccine trials. Numerous studies have shown that that people initially lie, but often recant upon pressure. Some people do not. A number of studies illustrate these phenomena. Castro et al. found that 75% of HIV positive individuals reporting no high-risk behavior later admitted that they lied. In a CDC study of heterosexually acquired AIDS patients, 9% later admitted they were homosexuals. Cochran and Mays found 47% of individuals with sexually transmitted disease lied about their behavior: 20% said they would lie about being HIV positive. In a U.S. government study of 12,329 AIDS patients claiming “undetermined” risk factors, follow up interviews discovered that all but 491 individuals (3.9%) really participated in high-risk behavior. Health care workers were found to be no more truthful in telling the facts about their private activities. Why would someone lie that they caught HIV/AIDS occupationally when, in truth, it was from high-risk behavior? The answer is simple. If you claim to have been infected with HIV/AIDS occupationally, you get sympathy from your family and community, disability payments, legal protection and other secondary benefits. If you admit your AIDS came from high-risk behavior (e.g. anal intercourse with homosexual men, drugs) you get thrown out of the house, divorced, jailed, fired from your job and generally stigmatized. That is why people lie about AIDS and we should be very suspicious of any stories claiming non-risk sources of occupationally involved AIDS infection. In many of these cases, the CDC took subjects’ claims at face value in absence of other scientific facts. This “soft” data forms the basis of the CDC’s determinations in the seven possible dental (occupational) AIDS transmission cases. |
Limited Testing Accuracy AIDS is diagnosed in the industrial nations with a series of blood tests. Usually an ELISA survey test and, if needed, a confirming Western Blot test. Both tests require a sophisticated lab and well-trained technicians. Even though tests are considered accurate, false positives do occur. Kleinman, in a study of 5 million samples, found a 4.8% false positive rate for HIV (Western Blot) tests when compared to the much more accurate (and expensive) HIV-1RNA PCR test. The study found HIV tests to have a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 98%. Another study found that numerous conditions like liver disease, drug abuse, pregnancy, hemodialysis, transfusions, etc. will give a false positive HIV test results. Thus it is possible to be diagnosed as being HIV positive and having AIDS yet never be sick from the disease. This may explain the numerous HIV positive “non-reactors” who, unless they take the toxic antiviral drugs, have no observed problem with their health. Because of these reasons, dentists must be skeptical of anecdotal reports and cautious in extrapolating rare reports of occupational HIV/AIDS transmission “cases.” The Seven Dental Workers With “Possible” Occupationally Acquired HIV |
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Primary Research Article Continued
An Evidence-Based Study on the AIDS Epidemic in Dentistry by E. J. Neiburger, DDS, Director, Center for Dental AIDS Research |
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(continued from page 3)
In 1999, the CDC changed the total number, removing one case; thus reporting a new total of 6 “possible” cases of dental worker occupational exposure. Dr. H. Gayle, Director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention explained that this change was because, “...CDC surveillance data are always presented as ‘provisional’ in these reports... further investigation showed the dental worker had other (behavioral or transfusion-related) risk factors...” The subject had lied to investigators. After several years of inquiry through innumerable phone calls, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, litigation and Congressional/government inquiry, the following data describing the “possible” occupational transmissions in dental workers was received from the government and is presented: Of the seven (six) dentists classified as “possible” occupational HIV/AIDS transmission, three were general practitioners, one a periodontist, one a pedodontist and two were dental students. Five had AIDS; two were HIV positive but had no symptoms. Three dentists were mentally impaired. The seven preformed 22,134 procedures on 6,740 patients with no HIV/AIDS being transferred to or from the operators (DNA studies).
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A 1992 report in MMWR mentions these two dentists and states they worked in a correctional facility (treating high risk patients), experienced needle sticks from equipment used on unidentified patients and died before HIV–DNA studies and in depth interviews could be done. Since there was little information on these two dentists (e.g. their potential high risk behavior), CDC staffers could not rule out occupational transmission and thus they were classified as “possible.” This “possible” designation is problematic because “possible” is often extended to “probable,” then “most likely” and finally being assumed as “actually happened” classifications: data torturing often seen in other government publications with a political bias.
Dentists 4, 5 & 6 (including perhaps dentists 1-3). The CDC, after years of numerous calls and an ignored FOIA request from the American Association of Forensic Dentists, reconsidered its decision and provided more data on “possible” occupational seroconversion cases in 1996 and later, 2003. This change of heart may have been encouraged by pressure of a high ranking Congressional committee chairman (John Porter, MC) during funding hearings. The CDC provided a single “scientific” document in the form of a short abstract from the 1995 meeting of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. This was the “hard scientific” data the CDC supplied to Congress (and the FOIA requests) on the “possible” dental occupational seroconversions. The objectives were “To describe demographic characteristics and exposure to HIV among dental workers (DW) reported to the CDC through 1994.” The summary of the report stated: “Six Dental Workers (DW) reported without a specific risk had occupational exposures that were possibly associated with HIV transmission: three of those reported percutaneous exposure to patient’s blood or body fluids, although the patients were not known to be HIV-infected. Conclusions: Almost all of the DWs reported to the CDC with AIDS had behavior risks for HIV infection. Adherence to universal precautions by DWs is recommended.” This report states that “almost” all the possible cases of DWs seroconverting had high-risk behavior, a proven source of HIV/AIDS infection unrelated to dentistry. The first dentist would not admit high-risk behavior. There were no examples of individuals who did not have this probable cause of infection. When asked how accurate this data was in supporting the “possible” designation, one CDC official stated, “The scientific evidence is not very ‘hard.’” There are no documented cases of occupational HIV/AIDS transmission. There are no “probable” cases and the six dentists classified in the “possible” designation appear arbitrary, lacking any scientific veracity. |
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Primary Research Article Continued
An Evidence-Based Study on the AIDS Epidemic in Dentistry by E. J. Neiburger, DDS, Director, Center for Dental AIDS Research |
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Conclusion
So where do we stand on the potential of dental workers (dentists, assistants, etc.) of acquiring HIV/AIDS professionally? AIDS/HIV seroconversion rates of dentists have been studied for over 20 years. There is no dependable scientific evidence to substantiate that dental workers are or have been in ANY danger. The historical odds of a dental worker acquiring HIV/AIDS occupationally are zero. This is supported by the facts that in billions of dental patient contacts there have never been any documented cases of occupational HIV/AIDS infection in dentistry anywhere in the world since AIDS was discovered. It appears that the CDC’s proposed seven (six) possible cases of dental worker infection are based on scant, unscientific, poorly substantiated and unreliable/data. Because of the politics, panic, exaggerations, denials, scandals, redefinitions and unscientific epidemiology which form the basis of the governments dental-related recommendations/ regulations (not to mention an ignorant and fear crazed populace), dentistry has spent billions of dollars, person hours and lives lost on infection control schemes addressing the prevention of a disease that does not affect dental personnel. Because of the lack of demonstrative infection transmission over the 20-plus years of AIDS (before and after the advent of Universal Precautions), we are faced with one humbling conclusion. The dental profession has been duped. Dental workers do not get occupational HIV/AIDS. The FRAIDS epidemic in dentistry fueled an extreme infection control movement that was not warranted nor supported by the alleged science identifying a hazard. It has not significantly reduced the already small infection transmission rates of other diseases. Vast resources were diverted from the population’s health care and livelihoods to address a “chicken little” disaster that never existed. Now that mythology and fear has somewhat abated, our |
profession should carefully re-examine the research and evidence available and produce clear, practical standards on disinfection, sterilization and patient treatment that more accurately reflect the objective scientific realities of HIV/AIDS hazards in dentistry. We should be skeptical of any alarmist’s tales. Dentistry should not continue the fear and hype that has been embarrassing the dental community and enriching hucksters and false prophets since the 1980’s. I would recommend the following measures:
1. Cease confusing the CDC’s “six possible” occupational dental cases as fact. It is at best, an unsubstantiated guess. Carefully investigate the CDC’s data and publicize the scientific findings. 2. Do not believe everything government tells you. Require the CDC to provide full documentation (e.g. web) on all its data and decision-making processes. Be skeptical and demand hard scientific proof for regulations. 3. Allow the dental workers the option of choosing what protective equipment and measures they will use on a case-by-case basis utilizing their professional judgment. The existing broad governmental mandates (e.g. Universal-Standard Precautions are unsupportable. 4. Establish a mechanism to insure accuracy in future infectious disease reporting and recommendations outside of the CDC (e.g. independent review panel, firing untruthful employees). 5. Insist on objectivity, accuracy and balance in dental organizations and publications. 6. Don’t be so gullible and easily lead. It is time for a change. References (available upon request) Copyright 2003 by E. Neiburger and the Center for Dental AIDS Research. Permission to republish is granted to anyone who wishes to print this document provided that a copy of the article is mailed to E. Neiburger, CDAR. 1000 North Ave. Waukegan IL 60085 USA |
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As of January 2004, all Fellowship dues for this year are $100 USD. The Initiation fee (one time) is $150 USD. For a new Fellow to be inducted that means $250 USD for the initiation and one year’s dues. We are suggesting that the Initiation be presented at some formal induction affair to give it the level of importance the honor deserves, like a dinner, luncheon meeting, perhaps even a breakfast gathering, preferably in conjunction with an appropriate dental meeting or social function.
All new Fellow Certificates, pins, and/or ribbons will be sent to the Section Chair. Allow at least 14-20 days for the preparation of the Certificates so they will be there on time. On short notice requests, call the office at 1-800-232-0099. The Distinguished Dentist of the Year Awards are available to all Sections. All Chairs are recommended to make |
such a presentation annually. Be sure to notify the Central Office the full name of the recipient including middle name or initial or whatever exactly you want on the award. Do not forget to include the degree: DDS, DMD, or equivalent. Also send the address of the recipient so that a congratulatory letter can be sent from the Academy President.
Allow at least 20 to 30 days for preparation and return mailing to be there for the date of your event. Fellowship lists and/or mailing labels are provided on request. Allow 5 to 7 days for their preparation and return mailing. COMMUNICATION is essential to service with speed and dispatch for your requests of the Central Office. Phone us at 1-800/232-0099; local phone 1-702/651-5527; fax 1-702/651-5537 or 1-702/365-8002; email: Rkozal@aol.com (PFA Secretary General Richard Kozal) or PFAJDK@aol.com for Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Judith Kozal. |
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Foundation News |
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Canada: Alberta The University of Alberta Associate Dean Nadine Milos reported presenting the Foundation scholarship award to their student Melinda Mo.
Quebec The University of Montreal Faculty of Dental Medicine, Secretaire de Faculte Monique Michaud reported presenting the Foundation scholarship award to student M. Azzi. “Lors de son sejour en France, au mois de juin derbier, le president en exercice de la Pierre Fauchard Aacdemy, l’americain Gary Lowder, a tenu a saluer le president du Conseil national, Pierre-Yves Mahe. L’occasion pour Gary Lowder de voir pour la premiere fois le Wall of Fame, dans les locaux du Conseil national, qui reunit les portraits des chirurgien-dentistes celebres. Mais le sejour du president de la Pierre Fauchard Academy n’aurait pas ete complet s’il n’avait rendu visite au Bus Dentaire, association soutenue par le Conseil national et don’t la Pierre Fauchard Academy est l’un des bailleurs de fonds. “Il s’est donc rendu au center d’heber-gement La Colombe, a Boulogne-Billancourt, ou stationnait le bus ce jour-la, en compagnie du Conseil national, Pierre Yves-Mahe, du President d’Honneur du Conseil national, Andre Robert, du President de la Pierre Fauchard Academy pour la France, Hubert Ouvrard et, enfin, du President de la Pierre Fauchard Academy pour l’Europe, Pierre Marois. On relevera que le president Lowder s’est declare impressionne par la qualite du plateau technique du bus Dentaire. Il a egalement rendu un homage appuye aux members du Bus, et en particulier aux chirurgien-dentsits qui y exercent benevolement.” |
United States: California Loma Linda University School of Dentistry Awards Secretary LaDean Gregg reported that Dean Charles J. Goodacre presented the Foundation scholarship to Andrea Carvalho last December. Maryland The University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Associate Dean Margaret Wilson reported that Section Chair Don-N Brotman presented the Foundation scholarship to student Brent J. Hansen along with Senior Associate Dean Warren Morganstein and Director of Educational Innovation and Management Dr. Harold Crossley, both PFA Fellows. Brent Hansen was selected because he met the established scholarship criteria and exceptional leadership potential, as well as integrity, imagination, initiative and superb communication skills. He was chosen from a pool of 1300 candidates for his seat in dental school. Once accepted, he and other students formed a Student Interest Group with the Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery. Brent Hansen has been elected for key roles in his class thus earning him the respect of the faculty. He has been an active participant in the Pharmacy School-sponsored Bridge to Excellence Program, where he provides tutoring and mentorship for Baltimore students. He also serves on the Admissions Committee and represents the school in his interactions with prospective students. He visits area colleges to promote dentistry as a profession. New York Last November the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery presented the Foundation scholarship to their student Narmatha Sinnarajah. The presentation was made by Dean Ira Lamster and Associate Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs Martim Davis. |
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| Section News |
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| Australasia | ||
Fellow Mark Sinclair was essential in organizing the successful PFA Breakfast in Sydney during the FDI World Congress there last Autumn where some 47 new Fellows were inducted into membership. L-R, International Trustee William Winspear, PFA President Kevin Roach and wife Ann, Australasia Section President Jonathon Rogers, and Australasia Trustee Mark Sinclair |
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Canada
Honorary Fellowship was presented to Brain James Henderson by President Kevin Roach at the PFA Meeting during the Canadian Dental Association Session in Vancouver this March. Fellow Vaughn Glover of Anprior won a $10,000 prize awarded him by a panel of nine U.S. judges for his patient-centered proposal to reform the United States health care system. He entered the contest in Washington State out of frustration with both the Canadian and the U.S. health-care systems. Kathleen O’Connor, a Seattle health care consultant paid for the prize to stimulate fresh ideas on the health care system. She received over 100 entries from individuals from all walks of life. Dr. Glover’s winning proposal was of a patient-centered team model he uses in his own practice. He has authored a book called Journey to Wellness. Kathleen O’Connor presented the various ideas to the Washington State Congressional delegation with the hope that they will incorporate some of them into legislation. She used the prize presentation to launch a new, non-profit health care reform advocacy group called Code Blue Now. The 34th annual Meeting of the Japan Section was held in Shizuoka City last Fall to induct new Fellows and to hold the changing of the officers. International Trustee and Japan Chair Mamoru Sakuda stepped down from the Section Chair to transfer the authority to Japan’s new Chair, Dr. Tsuneaki Kuwahata. |
Japan cont'd
Korean Section Chairman Kim, Hong-Ki presented a bust of Pierre Fauchard to outgoing Japan Chair Mamoru Sakuda. This bust of Pierre Fauchard is one of those made by the late Dr. Kee, Chang-Duk, the first Korean recipient of the Elmer Best award. Dr. Salama al-Khufaji, a Shiite dental professor at Baghdad University, was selected last December to replace Aquila al-Hashimi, a Shiite Muslim member of the Iraqi Governing Council. Aquila al-Hashimi was assassinated last September 20th and is the highest Iraqi official killed by suspected Saddam Hussein loyalists. Dr. Salama al-Khufaji is one of three women on the Council and comes from Karabala, a southern Iraq Shiite holy city. The 25-member Governing Council composed of 13 Shiite Arabs, five Kurds, five Sunni Arabs, one Christian, and one ethnic Turk acts as an interim government for Iraq. |
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Section News continued |
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| United States
Illinois The PFA Section held their annual luncheon meeting with the Illinois ICD and ACD Sections last February 21st at Chicago’s McCormick Place during the 139th annual session of the Chicago Dental Society. ADA President Eugene Sekiguchi was the featured speaker. During their annual luncheon meeting in Columbia, they installed their new officers for 2003-2004: Chairman William Webb, Chair-elect Louis Shepard, Vice Chair Danny Cront, and Secretary/Treasurer E. W. Rabon, Jr. with past Chair Craig Draffin. |
 L-R, New Officers Chair-elect Louis Shepard, Chair William Webb, past Chair Craig Draffin, Vice Chair Danny Cront, and Secretary/ Treasurer E. W. Rabon |
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| Dr. Shig Kishi Memorial Tribute E-Book | ||
| by Dr. Bernardo Levit | ||
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Dr. Bernardo Levit of Argentina has written a book on “Contemporary Concepts for Breath Oral Study & Research.” It sells for $40, which will be donated to the Foundation in memory of the late departed Executive Director Shigeo Ryan Kishi.
Using a friendly, but scientifically sound language, Dr. Bernardo Levit goes into the roots of halitosis and the therapeutic approaches to contain it. This may appear strange to find a dentists talking about bad breath odor, but about 90% of such cases seem to be related to the activity of bacterial populations living in the mouth. Nevertheless, Dr. Levit, a member of the International Society of Oral Breath Research, puts the stress on the need of a multi-disciplinary approach in order to discard the more complex etiologies, or to improve the efficiency of treatment. Halitosis is not as serious as cancer, but those who suffer from it may experience the rejection from the people surrounding them, the burden of self-culpability, and isolation. Such patients need to stop feeling ashamed and need the comfort in knowing a trained professional can help them. |
Pages of this e-book include descriptions of the biochemical basis of bad odor, different devices to measure objectively volatile compounds, and the psychosocial impact of halitosis. This information is gently articulated with practical advice for both the patients and the treating doctors. Among the remarkable subjects distinguishing this text from previous works is that Dr. Levit illuminates the phenomena of “biofilms” or bacterial clumps surrounded by an enveloping intermicrobial matrix from where foul-smelling gases emanate. Existence of biofilms helps to understand the limited efficacy of mouth rinses and stress the importance of tongue-scrapers to reach an exhaustive oral hygiene. This e-book also analyzes criteria to select assistants in order to help diagnosis and evaluation of patients.
In summary, this work is a “must read” text for those who suffer from chronic halitosis, for their loved ones, and for the treating professional who wants to be updated on the latest information about diagnosis and effective treatment of this condition. Anyone desiring to attain this knowledge and make a contribution to the Shig Kishi Memoriam, contact the Central Office for a copy. Make checks payable in U.S. dollars and write the check to the Pierre Fauchard Academy indicating what you are ordering. |
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| PIERRE FAUCHARD ACADEMY OFFICERS |
PIERRE FAUCHARD ACADEMY TRUSTEES |
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Kevin L. Roach President Canada Michael J. Perpich President-elect Minnesota Howard Mark Vice President Connecticut Richard A. Kozal Secretary General Nevada James M. Brophy Editor Illinois Gary Lowder Immediate Past President Utah |
REGION 1—Europe Pierre Marois France REGION 2—N.E. USA Richard Walsh Rhode Island REGION 3—S.E. USA Robert S. Hart Florida REGION 4—Midwest USA James A. Englander Wisconsin REGION 5—Western USA Charles Eller California REGION 6—Canada Barry Dolman Ontario REGION 7—Latin America Bernardo Levit Argentina REGION 8—Australasia William Winspear Australia REGION 9—Asia Mamoru Sakuda Japan REGION 10—Central USA Steve Hedlund Iowa |
| FOUNDATION OFFICERS | FOUNDATION TRUSTEES |
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Carl Lundgren President California M. David Campbell Vice President Michigan Fred Halik Executive Director New York William Korte Treasurer Illinois George Higue Treasurer-emeritus California FOUNDATION EX-OFFICIO OFFICERS Kevin L. Roach |
C. Larry Barrett Iowa Gary Lowder Minoru Horiuchi |