bridge april 2011 - san francisco dental society · volume 64 • number 2 • april 2011 • san...

Volume 64 • Number 2 • April 2011 • San Francisco Dental Society Organized 1869

MISSION STATEMENTThe San Francisco Dental Society promotes the oral healthof the community and is the recognized resource for dental

professionals in the City and County of San Francisco.

San Francisco Dental Society •

2010 SAN FRANCISCO DENTAL SOCIETY OFFICERS AND

BOARD OF DIRECTORS2011 Executive Committee

PresidentGail Duffala, DDS

President-Elect Courtney Fitzpatrick, DDS

Immediate Past-President Sima Salimi, DDS

SecretaryPaul Weller, DDS, MS

TreasurerMatthew Young, DDS

CDA TrusteesCurtis Raff, DDS

Natasha Lee, DDS

Executive DirectorDeborah A. Elam, MS CAE

THE BRIDGE EditorIrene Hilton, DDS MPH

DirectorsWayne Del Carlo, DDSDavid Ehsan, DDS, MD

Joseph Gabany, DMD, MSDLauren Hebel, DMDPeter Lee, DDS, MSWilliam Lee, DDS

Carlos Nogueiro, DDSSandy Shih, DDS

Dennis Song, DDS, MDKatherine Vo, DDS

SFDS StaffRonnica Merritt—Membership &

CE Programs AdministratorAlfonso Estera, Jr. – Administrative &

Advertising Assistant

2011 Committee ChairsBylaws - Paul Weller, DDS, MSCommunity Dental Health -

Jeffrey Jang, DDS, Allen Wong, DDS & Benjamin Yount, DDS

Ethics - Mark Wiesen, DDSExecutive - Gail Duffala, DDSFinance - Matthew Young, DDS

Legislative - Irene Hilton, DDS MPHMembership - Dennis Song, DDS MD

New Dentist - Sandy Shih, DDSPeer Review - Michael A. Ramsay, DDS

Policy - William L. Gallagher, DDSPoster Contest - Dennis D. Shinbori, DDS

& Stafford J. Duhn, DDSProgram - Courtney Fitzpatrick, DDS

Well-Being - Bruce Hiura, DDS(Confidential assistance to professionals,

spouse and staff for drug and alcohol abuse, call (415) 776-5855)

� In Memory �Our condolences to family and colleagues…

Anna Nelson, CDA, RDA, MA

Anna Nelson passed away suddenly at home at age60 in January. A native San Franciscan, she attend-ed the city's public schools and graduated fromthe CCSF Dental Assisting Program in 1971. Ms.Nelson started her career as a dental assisting edu-cator in 1976 at the College of the Redwoods inEureka and returned to CCSF in 1985, becomingthe Director of the Dental Assisting Program.Many SFDS members employed graduates ofAnna's programs over the years and SFDS honoredher last year on the occasion of her retirement after25 years of service. Memorial donations in Anna'sname may be made to: American Dental AssistantsAssociation (ADAAF), 35 East Wacker Drive, Suite1730, Chicago, IL, 60611 or Dental Health Fund,City College of San Francisco Dental AssistantProgram. Attention: Tiffany Ren, CDA/RDADirector, 50 Phelan Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94112.

A STANDING OVATION… TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST SFDS MEMBERS:

Kristina Langworthy, DDS; Pediatric Dentistry, University ofTexas, 2009; 2674 Ocean Ave,SF CA 94132

Annie Lee, DDS; Boston University, 2001; 1826Noriega St, SF CA 94122

Kimberly A. Mahood, DMD;Orthodontics, UOP Arthur A. DugoniSchool of Dentistry, 2010; Office Address Pending

Alexander Rabinovich, DDS; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kings County Hospital, 2007; 129 Sacramento St., SF CA 94111

Steven Sadowsky, DDS;Prosthodontics, Herman OstrowSchool of Dentistry of USC, 1983;2155 Webster St., SF CA 94115

Peter Q. Trinh, DDS, MS;Orthodontics, UCSF School ofDentistry, 2010; Office Address Pending


EDITORIALIrene Hilton DDS, MPH, Editor

Some of you (hopefully most ofyou!) may have read or heardabout the new revised recommen-

dation for optimal water fluoridationlevels in the U.S. In early January ofthis year the Department of Healthand Human Services proposed chang-ing the optimum level to 0.7 mil-ligrams of fluoride per liter of waterfrom the current recommended rangeof 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter.

This news serves as a perfect spring-board for a meandering discussion oftopics all related to water fluorida-tion. Many of you know that I am apublic health dentist. Occasionally, Iam asked to speak to dental studentsabout dental public health and thetypes of career activities we engage in.I frequently tell students: even thoughthe majority of you will go into pri-vate practice, the majority of what youdo clinically and your own dentalhealth status are directly or indirectlyinfluenced by dental public healthpractice. These revised fluoridationguidelines are a perfect example.

Remember that the initial researchstudies showing the associationbetween fluoride levels and dentalcaries were led by Dr. H. TrendleyDean, a dental officer of the U.S.Public Health Service, during the1930’s. Eventually this led to the implementation of community waterfluoridation starting with GrandRapids, MI in 1945.

The current fluoridation guidelinesspecifying a range of 0.7 to 1.2 mil-ligrams per liter were developed in1962 based on Dean’s results. Therationale for the proposed revision isthe result of another aspect of publichealth dentistry-surveillance. TheNational Health Survey Act, passed in1956, provided authorization for a con-tinuous survey to provide current sta-

Lowering the fluoride levels in watermay be the easiest way to lower totalfluoride ingestion, but may not be theonly way. Many public health dentistsbelieve (and some evidence suggests)that increased ingestion of fluoridatedtoothpaste by children may be respon-sible for the increased levels of fluoro-sis. However, comprehensive evidence-based reviews (Cochcrane Library,2010) show that toothpaste formula-tions with 1000 ppm fluoride (asfound in most U.S. brands) result inthe most effective caries reductions, soagain, it may be easier to reduce fluo-ride in the water as opposed to intoothpaste.

Lastly, some of you are SF natives likeme. San Francisco water has beenfluoridated since 1952. Attending pub-lic schools & parks in the 60’s & 70’s,having water from an ancient publicdrinking fountain was always dicey.Also having to run the water in yourhouse for a few minutes after comingback from a week vacation to flush outthe sediment & rust from the galva-nized pipes. Nevertheless, at 50+ I canshow only Class I fillings in my perma-nent molars…a classic example of fluo-ride’s effect on reducing interproximaland smooth-surface decay. However,today many people don’t even drinkSan Francisco water, especially immi-grants from other countries.

As dentists one of the best things wecan do is ask our patients about theirwater consumption preferences andeducate them about the healthy prop-erties of SF water! With the growingconcern about individual carbon foot-print and sustainable resources, maybeubiquitous plastic water bottle use willdecline and we will return full circle toagain drinking plain (fluoridated)community water. ❖

tistical data on the amount, distribu-tion, and effects of illness and disabili-ty in the U.S., including oral health.Now named NHANES, these regularsurveys track dental disease trends inthe U.S. population. It is through thesesurveys that we know that dental cariesrates in the U.S. have decreased overthe last 30 years for every age group(except for an increase in caries rates inchildren ages 2-5 documented in themost recent 2007 NHANES…but that’sanother editorial…).

NHANES surveys have also shownincreasing levels of mild/moderate flu-orosis in the permanent teeth of U.S.children over the last 20 years. Sincefluorosis in the permanent teethimplies excessive ingestion of fluoridewhile the enamel is forming, loweringtotal ingested fluoride is one solution.Thus, the proposed lower fluoridationlevels are a reaction to the increase influorosis that would still continue toprovide maximum protection againstdental caries for the U.S. population,especially children.

“… one of the best

things we can do is ask

our patients about

their water consump-

tion preferences and

educate them about the

healthy properties of

SF water!”

Ramblings on the Revised U.S. Water Fluoridation Guidelines


Over lunch at the Delancey Street Restaurant, eight Past Presidents of the San Francisco Dental Society imparted a bit of theirwisdom to 2011 SFDS President Dr. Gail Duffala. Attending past presidents spanned four decades of SFDS history...imaginethe stories this group can share about the Society and about changes in the profession. Joining President Duffala at this year’sluncheon, Daniel Barry, DDS, 1966, John Allan Bier, DDS, 1990, Wayne Del Carlo, DDS, 1985, Newton Gordon, DDS, MS,2002, Irene Hilton, DDS, MPH, 2008, Claudia Masouredis, DDS, MPH, 2006, Curtis Raff, DDS, 2007, Lewis Specker Jr.,DDS, 1987, and Executive Director Deborah Elam, MS, CAE, 2000-2011.

Past Presidents’ Luncheon, 2011

L-R: Drs. Gordon, Barry, Del Carlo and Duffala

Back Row L – R: Drs. Specker, Bier, Barry, Del Carlo, Raff and Gordon, Front Row L – R: Drs. Hilton, Masouredis, President Duffala and Executive Director Elam

L – R: Drs. Hilton and Masouredis

January 28 Social Hour at the W Hotel’s XYZ a big hit…


Non-profit organizations in the Cityand County of San Francisco havereceived grants totaling $130,279 todate. Our local community receivedthese funds in the form of CDAFGrants, dental material grants, and sup-port from the CDA Foundation. Localorganizations which have received thesegrants, include CARECEN (Central

American Resource Center), MercyHousing California, North East MedicalServices, Tenderloin Health, the NativeAmerican Health Center, and UOPArthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

One of CDA’s current 2010 StudentRepayment Grant Program recipients,practices in a San Francisco safety-netclinic. Dental students graduate todaywith an enormous debt. This burdenhas been estimated at more than$250,000. The Student RepaymentGrant Program formed in 2002 as a wayto decrease the burden of debt for newhealth professionals just starting out inpractice with a passion and desire to

“Supporting theCDA Foundationpresents anotheropportunity for us to serve those

living in our communities.”

PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVEGail Duffala, DDS, President

practice in public health/safety net set-tings. The recipient receives a three-yearaward ($35,000 per year) of $105,000towards their qualified educationalloans.

The Crowns for Kids program allowsour member dentists to donatepatients’ crowns, which are recycled andthe resulting funds are sent back to ourSFDS community. SFDS uses thesefunds for many activities including sup-plying toothbrushes to Toys for Totsand other worthy charities. Considerasking your patients to donate their oldcrowns to this program.

To maintain these programs the CDAFoundation has an endowment-fundinggoal of $39 million. To date, theFoundation is nearly halfway there.The CDA Foundation is motivated toprovide for the long term. The pro-grams it invests in help make dentalcare available statewide to those whoare underserved. More information maybe obtained from their websitehttp://www.cdafoundation.org.

As dentists, we feel compelled to giveback to our communities. There are anumber of ways to do this: pro bonowork at the office; volunteering for theKindergarten Screening program; par-ticipating in the Crowns for Kids pro-gram; and helping out with ProjectHomeless Connect, to name a few.Supporting the CDA Foundation pres-ents another opportunity for us to servethose living in our communities. Thechoice, of course, is yours. ❖

This year marks the tenth anniver-sary of the California DentalAssociation Foundation. The

Foundation was founded by CDA in2001 as its philanthropic affiliate withthe expressed mission to “improve theoral health of all Californians by sup-porting the dental profession in itsefforts to meet community needs”.

The Foundation has three main focusareas: direct programs for the under-served, a grant program to supportnon-profit organizations in the com-munity which expand access to oralhealth care, and the student repaymentgrant program.

Our Local Benefits

Many SFDS member dentists haveattended and benefited from CDAF’sdirect programs involving clinical train-ing. The Foundation joined theCalifornia Society of Pediatric Dentistryto implement the POHAP program,whose goal is to increase access to carefor low-income infants and young chil-dren. The dentists in this programundertake an intensive 32-hour train-ing program to learn how to best serveyoung patients. The First Smiles pro-gram was a four-year endeavor with theCenter for Oral Health to train medicaland dental health professionals in pre-ventive oral health strategies benefitingchildren under the age of five based onthe CAMBRA methodology. Trainingwas available in person or online.Collaboration with the AmericanCollege of Obstetricians andGynecologists District IX resulted inthe recently released “Oral HealthDuring Pregnancy and EarlyChildhood: Evidence-Based Guidelinesfor Health Professionals”.

Philanthropy: Help yourself by helping others…


Lisa Maas, executive director of CaliforniansAllied for Patient Protection (CAPP), issuedthe following statement in response toPresident Obama’s State of the Unionspeech…in which he indicated support formedical malpractice reform, noting that frivo-lous medical malpractice lawsuits increasehealthcare costs.

“We were heartened byPresident Obama’sremarks last night in

the State of the Union address.President Obama rightly zeroed in onone significant driver of higher healthcare costs: frivolous lawsuits allegingmedical negligence against medicalproviders. A September 2010 studyfound medical liability costs impact the federal health care system by $55billion annually. That is money betterspent on patient care.

“Hopefully, this acknowledgment sig-nals a willingness to look at California’ssuccessful Medical InjuryCompensation Reform Act (MICRA) asa model at the federal level. MICRA hasbeen successful in California at keepingcosts associated with medical liabilitydown, while ensuring patient access to care.

“MICRA fairly compensates patientsinjured due to malpractice, while alsoreducing incentives for trial lawyers tofile meritless lawsuits against doctors,

hospitals, community clinics and otherhealthcare providers alleging medicalnegligence.

“The law provides that injured patientsreceive unlimited economic compensa-tion for past and future medical bills,past and future lost wages, and unlimit-ed punitive damages. The law even pro-vides for up to $250,000 in non-eco-nomic compensation, also called painand suffering. Finally, the law sets a slid-ing scale for how much lawyers can col-lect in fees ensuring more money goes topatients, not to lawyers.

“Unfortunately, trial lawyers inCalifornia are trying to weaken the lawand quadruple to $1 million the reason-able $250,000 limit on pain and suffer-ing. Their goal is to file more lawsuitsand get bigger payouts. But while theirchanges to the law certainly will netthem more fees, more lawsuits also addsbillions in additional costs toCalifornia’s healthcare system. Thosecosts will be borne by consumers, tax-payers, and negatively impact thosemost in need.

“In fact, a study by California’s formernon-partisan state legislative analystfound that merely doubling the non-economic damages cap to $500,000 willincrease healthcare costs in Californiaby $9.5 billion annually. The trickle-down effect will be devastating.

Healthcare premiums will increase.Fewer people will be able to affordinsurance. Medical liability rates will goup and could force doctors, communityclinics and other healthcare providers tocut back on services, pass the costs totheir patients, or close their doors alto-gether. In all these scenarios, patientsare the losers.

“More lawsuits do nothing to improvehealthcare. They only enrich triallawyers at the expense of everyone elsewho will pay higher healthcare costsand find access to healthcare servicesreduced.

“That’s why physicians, hospitals, com-munity clinics, firefighters, nurses, localgovernments and business groups,including the California MedicalAssociation, American College ofEmergency Physicians – CA, AmericanCongress of Obstetricians andGynecologists, American NursesAssociation - CA, Planned ParenthoodAffiliates of California, CaliforniaHospital Association, California DentalAssociation, community clinics andhealth centers statewide, strongly sup-port MICRA.” ❖

Californians Allied for Patient ProtectionCommends President Obama for State of the Union Comments Supporting Medical Malpractice SupportBy Lisa Maas


Idon’t know about you, but I loveMondays. Mondays, for me, holdanother opportunity to do better, to

do more, to be creative, to begin anew.With that, I start each week with a to-do list and a wish list. Regrettably, mywish-list looks much the same fromweek to week:

1. I wish that every child had access tothe best oral healthcare available.Oh, some of you say, they do! I begto differ. Parents often cannot taketime off from work to get their chil-dren to a dentist. Some parents donot realize the scope of servicesavailable in San Francisco. Someparents do not realize the impor-tance of early dental care! Somefamilies do not have ease of trans-portation. The list is long, theaccess issue complex.

2. I wish that phone calls for adult“pro bono” dentistry would stopbecause needs would have beenaddressed! It is not going to hap-pen, I know. The State budget is incrisis. Adult Denti-Cal only coversemergencies. But what constitutesan emergency? Try explaining thatto a patient in pain or who wants togo for a job interview and has justbeen told that the only option is to“pull that front tooth.” Dentistry iscostly. Health care (oral or other-wise) is costly. Adults with limitedincomes are in desperate need oforal healthcare and the resources wecan offer are extremely limited.

3. I wish that all of our Peer Reviewrelated complaints resulted inimproved Dr/Patient communica-tion. Of the 100 or so complainingcalls we receive each year, most canbe boiled down to communicationproblems between the patient and

either the dentist or dental staff.Our first response is, “Have you dis-cussed this with your dentist?” If theanswer is “no” we advise the patientto either call or write the dentist tooutline concerns. This advice mustbe working because only 19 of thecalls handled by the SFDS and CDAled to requests for review and ofthose, only 7 resulted in actual casereview. Please keep the lines of com-munication with your patientsopen…all parties benefit.

4. I wish we had more SFDSAmbassadors so that every newmember feels welcomed to the SFDSand Organized Dentistry. In 2010 westarted an Ambassador program sothat our more established memberscould reach out and welcome eachnew member to the Society. We needmore Ambassadors! Our current 15Ambassadors are overworked sincewe had over 125 new members towelcome in 2010. Can you help? Itmeans contacting 3-5 new membersat least 3 times each year—either byphone or email. Remember whenyou joined? What would it havemeant to you to have a member den-tist call to say, “Welcome to the SanFrancisco Dental Society”? Please

give Ronnica a call and volunteer tobecome an SFDS Ambassador.

5. I wish the majority of our membersparticipated in Crowns for Kids tohelp us raise funds to purchase sup-plies for our community outreachefforts serving children 0 –18 yearsold. It really is simple: get a Crownsfor Kids cup from the SFDS, fill it(even just a quarter full) with pre-cious metals, call either the SFDS,CDA Foundation or Star Refiningto have your cup collected.

6. I wish that we had more hours in aday! There is so much innovationgoing on “out there” and I want tolearn so that you and SFDS willbenefit. Time, resources and $$$$are limiting factors. Your board rec-ognizes the importance of innova-tion. The board and committeechairs met in January to craft a new3-year strategic plan. Still in thedraft stages, I look forward toreporting more in the next issue ofThe Bridge. Stay tuned…

Along with my wishes for this week, I am grateful for all I do have...my fabulous family, my wonderful col-leagues, and a profession that I love. I am grateful to be working with leaderswhose passion and dedication areunending—their commitment to serving you, our members, a priority.

This next week I hope to stay ahead ofmy schedule, rather than behind. I hopeall of you have a fabulous week...feelfree to share your own wishes or goalsfor the week–give me a ring, send me anemail. And I hope you look forward toMondays as much as I do…. ❖

EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVEDeborah Elam, MS, CAEExecutive Director

“Please give Ronnica a call

and volunteer tobecome an SFDS

Ambassador.”

My Monday Morning Wish List


Dr. Richard Kao kicked off the year’s General Membership/CE Meetings on January 27, 2011 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotelwith his lecture on Gingival Biotypes. The presentation reviewed how to approach different gingival biotypes for implant sitepreparation and discussed several methods of site augmentation. Dr. Kao reviewed results of research he has conducted in hisown practice. Responses to the question, “What one idea or piece of knowledge/information paid for the price of yourattendance?” included: “…different regeneration products…the clinical application/benefits of tissue regeneration - that this ispossible & can be achieved…learning about growth factor to treat perio…tissue regeneration is feasible…”

The evening’s big winners were: UOP Student Jordan Winger, winner of the $100 Scala’s Bistro Gift Certificate; Dr. ThomasSchiff, winner of the CE Meeting Voucher; and Dr. Igor Roitman, winner of the $20 cash for visiting the exhibit tables.

January 27, 2011 General Membership/CE Meeting


The Dental Board of California Seeks Experts

The Dental Board of California isseeking qualified, knowledgeablelicensees to serve as Subject

Matter Experts. The DBC is especiallyseeking experts in the specialty field ofEndodontics, Periodontics, OralPathology, Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery,Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, andProsthodontics. Subject Matter Expertsare practicing dentists who review inves-tigation cases in an effort to evaluateand/or determine whether violations ofthe Dental Practice Act have occurred.

In reviewing investigation cases, SubjectMatter Experts determine if the stan-dards of the dental profession are beingmet and/or whether (or not) the Board'slaws, rules, and regulations are followed.The majority of the Board's casesinvolve quality of care issues. After com-pleting a case review, Subject MatterExperts are required to provide a writtenreport of their opinion. California CivilCode §43.8 provides immunity fromcivil liability for experts; however,Subject Matter Experts need to remem-ber that they may be required to testifyregarding their opinions in the event the

case goes to court or comes before anAdministrative Law Judge at a Hearing.

In order for the Board to consider anapplication to become a Subject Matter

Expert, the licensee must certify the fol-lowing:

• He/she is currently in practice withinthe field.

• He/she has been a lawful Californiapractitioner of the occupation orprofession for which expert relatedwork is to be performed for a mini-mum of five years.

• Renewal fees have been paid asrequired.

• Continuing education requirementshave been met.

• To his/her knowledge, no accusationor other legal action has been filedagainst him/her by any agency orgovernment.

• He/she has not been admonished orotherwise disciplined by the agencythat regulates your practice.

• If the licensee is a specialist in a par-ticular area, he/she must be BoardCertified or Board Eligible.

Board Experts are paid $100 an hour forcase review and report preparation.Travel costs associated with attendingmeetings are reimbursed. This positionis an “At-Will” position, and the personperforming the services of a SubjectMatter Expert is designated as an “At-Will” independent contractor who doesnot have status as an employee of theState of California, or status as a permanent civil servant of the State of California.

If you would like more information aboutthe Subject Matter Expert positions,please contact Erica Cano at (916) 576-1761, or [email protected]. To be considered for the position thelicensee must complete an Expert Self-Certification form and send it with yourmost current resume/curriculum vitae.For a copy of the Expert Self-Certificationform, please contact the SFDS at (415)928-7337 or [email protected]. ❖

TDIC to Offer Its Own Workers’ Comp Insurance

TDIC received regulatoryapproval from the CaliforniaDepartment of Insurance to

offer its own workers’ compensationinsurance as part of its full suite ofinsurance coverage for dental practices.

This approval allows TDIC to developa workers’ compensation insuranceproduct, adding to its existing portfo-lio of professional and business liabili-ty, property and employment practicesliability. Now, with the addition of the

workers’ compensation product, TDICwill be able to provide all the primarybusiness coverages necessary for thedentist and practice owner.

TDIC’s comprehensive workers’ com-pensation product is slated to offercompetitive rates, proactive safety-on-the-job education and 24/7 injurytriage and reporting services. Theinjury triage service, administered bylicensed nurses, aims to reduce work-ers’ compensation claims and costs

while improving health outcomes forinjured employees.

The approval of the workers’ com-pensation product is the result ofmonths of analysis and due diligenceby TDIC’s Board of Directors andTDIC staff. Final details are in theworks, and it is expected that theproduct will be available to dentistsby mid-year. For more informationon TDIC, visit thedentists.com.❖


BITS & PIECES......Know Your Association

This Month’s Top Ten Reasons for Being an ADAMember

Reason #1: More than 157,000 dentists working together

Reason #32: Credible scientific information at our fingertips

Reason #33: Contract Analysis Service review of unsigneddental benefit contracts

Reason #34: ADA Dental Minute broadcast more than10,000 times each month

Reason #48: Support for elected officials committed to thenation’s oral health

Reason #49: Research on fluoride content of infant formulas

Reason #98: Positive relationships with state and local dental societies

Reason #99: More than 300 products carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance

Reason #145: More than 85% of consumers are aware of the ADA

Reason #146: Consumers believe our purpose is to improveoral health

SFDS Room Rental

Looking for space to hold a staff day-long retreat or team-building program? The SFDS Board Room is available forreduced rent to members: Evening Rental: 5:30 PM – 9:30PM, $200; Daytime Rental: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, $350. ForSponsored Study Clubs: 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM, $475; 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, $750; In addition to the rental fee, a $250 cleaning/security deposit is required. SFDS scheduledmeetings take precedence. Maximum Capacity: 30 seated; 49 standing. Restrictions apply. Contact us for more infor-mation: (415) 928-7337.

Stay informed and Help the SFDS Go Green!

The SFDS wants to make sure that you receive importantinformation in a timely fashion. Help us save paper, tonerand postage by providing us with your email address.Receiving communications by email enables you to click onlinks to receive further information on important issues.Make sure the SFDS has you email address (The SFDS doesnot publish or share members’ email addresses). Forwardyour current/preferred email address to [email protected].

2011 CDA Poster Sets

The 1 free SFDS/CDA provided set of required posters will bedistributed in next couple of months. If members want toknow what posters were revised since the 2009 set, go tohttp://www.cda.org/popup/updates_to_the_cda_and_component-provided_poster_set. Additionally, a full list of web links tomost required posters is available on cdacompass.com.Additional poster sets will be available for a $10 per set fee.

Are You Retiring Before March?

If you plan to retire before March 2011, don’t let your mem-bership lapse. Please give us a ring so we can send you anAffidavit of Retired Status, which will entitle you to reduceddues while maintaining eligibility for insurance, CDAPresents, the annual ADA meeting, access to websites, and allpublications. NOTE: If you are earning income from dentalconsulting or assisting a colleague in another practice, youare not considered retired. ❖


What is the organization that youwork with?

Special Olympics International. It helpspromote health and self esteem amongpersons with disability by recognizingtheir athletic abilities and efforts.Special Olympics has become a hugeproponent and advocate in health forpersons with developmental disabilitiesworldwide.

How long have you been workingwith this volunteer organization?

For over 11 years.

How did you get involved?

While in college, I was involved with avolunteer group called Alpha PhiOmega who worked with SpecialOlympics. When I graduated from den-tal school and returned as a facultymember, Ms. Christine Miller intro-duced me to the founder of the SpecialOlympics Special Smiles program, Dr.Steven Perlman.

There are many worthy organiza-tions. Why did you select this one foryour volunteer time?

I have a passion for patients with special needs. The athletes participat-ing in Special Olympics are inspira-tional as are the dental professionalswho work with them. Everyone I haveworked with in Special Olympics has areal heart and is genuinely interested in this population.

What is your specific involvement?

I am currently an international trainerfor the Special Smiles Program and havetrained international dentists on treat-ing patients with special needs. I startedout as a local coordinator for NorthernCalifornia and then was invited to helptrain on a national and internationallevel. My focus is on prevention andcaries risk management (CAMBRA).

How do you feel about volunteerism,in general?

I believe that volunteerism is a wonder-ful part of celebrating our many bless-ings in life. I feel very privileged to be adentist and fortunate for my family andmy life. Volunteerism is part of thehumanistic spirit that Dr. ArthurDugoni inspired and encouraged in mewhile in dental school and is a large partof who I am now. The overall feeling ofhelping others is amazing.

What would you tell other SFDS den-tists about volunteering with youorganization?

Working with Special Olympic Athletesis one of the most rewarding experiencesthey will encounter. The athlete's mottotells it all …”Let me Win, But if I cannotWin…Let me Brave in the Attempt”.Their courage, their heart and theirsportsmanship are characteristics andlessons we all can learn from.

If they wanted to participate, howwould an SFDS member contact yourorganization?

They can contact or donate at www.spe-cialolympics.org and go to the SpecialSmiles Program to learn about volun-teering for screenings and events. ❖

Allen Wong, DDS, EdD graduated fromUniversity of the Pacific Authur A. DugoniSchool of Dentistry in 1986 DDS andreceived a Doctorate in Education in 2010from the University of the Pacific GladysBernerd School of Education. He is in privatepractice in general, hospital and implant den-tistry in San Francisco and is AssistantProfessor for Dental Practice/ Director ofHospital Dentistry Program at PacificDugoni School of Dentistry.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHTBy Allen Wong, DDS, EdD


What is the title of the research activity?

The role of stem cells in the mouse incisor.

Who are the investigators?

Ophir Klein, MD, PhD and members ofhis team at UCSF

What are you trying to find out?

The Klein lab is interested in the geneticregulation of craniofacial morphogene-sis (the biological process that causes anorganism to develop its shape) and den-tal stem cells, using the mouse as amodel system. A central project in thelab is the analysis of adult stem cells inthe mouse incisor. It is known that thecontinuous maintenance, repair andgrowth of many adult organs, such asthe bone marrow, skin, hair, brain, andgastrointestinal tract, depend on tissue-specific populations of stem cells. Themouse incisor is unique because, unliketeeth in humans, it grows continuouslythroughout the life of the animal dueto the presence of adult stem cells.

We are working to understand themolecular processes that regulate thebehavior of dental stem cells in themouse, including their capacity to self-renew as well as to differentiate into thevarious cellular components of thetooth, such as the enamel-producingameloblasts and dentin-producingodontoblasts.

Why is this research important?

Tooth bioengineering is of great inter-est, because dental decay and tooth lossconstitute an important health issue forboth dentists and the public. A thor-ough understanding of the molecularprocesses that drive tooth regenerationin the mouse will be crucial to provid-ing basic knowledge that can be appliedto eventual efforts to build new teeth toreplace teeth missing through dentaldiseases, trauma, genetics etc. inhumans.

How are you doing this research?

This is basic research to understandunderlying processes. We use a numberof approaches, including developmental

genetics (studying the effect that geneshave on phenotype), cell biological tech-niques, and molecular analyses of genes.These include mouse models carryingmutations in specific genes that affectincisor development and function andexperiments in tissue culture using den-tal stem cells.

When will this research be finished?

We have many ongoing projects in thelab, some of which will be complete thisyear, and others of which will take sev-eral years to complete.

How could the results of thisresearch eventually translate intoclinical dental practice?

We intend to use the fundamentalinsights provided by our experiments inmice to guide us in future research, sothat someday stem cells can be used inregenerating dental tissues in humans. ❖

Ophir Klein, MD, PhD is Assistant Professorand Director, Program in Craniofacial andMesenchymal Biology, University ofCalifornia San Francisco.

THE RESEARCH BRIEF – UCSF

Stem Cell Research From Mouse to ManBy Ophir Klein, MD, PhD

Published by the San Francisco Dental Society

2143 Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA 94123

415.928.7337 • Fax 415.928.5297Email: [email protected]

Layout/Design - Nova Graphic ServicesPrinting - Sundance Press

Advertising rates and informationsent upon request. Acceptance ofadvertising in The Bridge in no wayconstitutes approval or endorsement by the San Francisco Dental Societyof products or services advertised.The SFDS reserves the right to rejectany advertisement. Opinionsexpressed by authors are their own,and not necessarily those of the SFDSor The Bridge editorial board. TheSFDS reserves the right to edit all contributions for clarity and length,

as well as reject any material submit-ted. The Bridge is published bi-month-ly by the SFDS, 2143 Lombard Street,San Francisco, CA 94123,415.928.7337.

Subscriptions are $45 per year forSFDS/$50per issue for non-members. � 2011, San Francisco Dental Society.All rights reserved. Deadline for June 2011 publication is:May 1, 2011


CAMPUS NOTESUOP

Laguna Honda Hospital Dental Clinic OpeningReception Celebrates Partnership with Dugoni School

Dental and medical professionals, political leaders anduniversity administrators gathered at the new campus ofLaguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in SanFrancisco on Feb. 3 to celebrate the opening of its dentalclinic. The Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry has beenthe lead dental services provider at Laguna Honda since2004 and will continue services in the new clinic. The clinicoffers comprehensive services, oral surgical procedures andprosthetic dentistry. It features new technologies andequipment to care for patients with limited mobility aswell as those with physical and cognitive disabilities.Dental faculty and staff function as a part of the hospital'sinterdisciplinary team and more than half of the DugoniSchool student body rotates through the Laguna Hondadental clinic for five weeks in their final year as part oftheir educational and clinical experience.

Special guests for the reception and ribbon-cutting includ-ed Laguna Honda Executive Director Mivic Hirose;University of the Pacific President Pamela Eibeck; formerSan Francisco City Attorney Louise Renne; CaliforniaAssemblywoman Fiona Ma, San Francisco Dental SocietyPresident Gail Duffala, DDS, San Francisco Dental SocietyExecutive Director Deborah Elam and San FranciscoDental Society Editor, Irene Hilton, DDS MPH andnumerous faculty, students and staff. ❖


COMMUNITY CORNERBe a volunteer!

Give back to your community!

Change someone’s life!

Delancey Street continues to look fordentists to provide dental services toparticipants. This would includecleanings, general prophylaxis,restorative and prosthetic services.The gift of self-confidence to men andwomen who are looking to enhancetheir lives is the springboard for theirsuccess in life. Please contact theDelancey Street Foundation at (415)512-5118 if you are interested in con-tributing to this endeavor. For moreinformation please visit the website atwww.delanceystreetfoundation.org.

SafeHouse, a clean and sober livingcommunity for formerly homelesswomen, seeks the services of generalpractitioners who will each provideservice to one of their clients. Pleasecontact SafeHouse, Carola Shepard at(415) 643-7861.

Success Through Education,Students Rising Above is dedicated toproviding educational resources tohigh school students who are over-coming staggering obstacles to pursuetheir education and their dreams for abetter life. Many of the students inthis program do not have a dentist.The organization is building a data-base of dentists who are willing toprovide services to these students on apro bono or reduced fee basis. If youwould like to assist these studentsplease contact Lynne Martin or BarbHendricks at (415) 333-4222. Formore information please visit the web-site at www.studentsrisingabove.org.

Smiles for Success (Smiles) offerscost-free dental care to women gradu-ates of accredited job readiness andplacement programs. The dental careoffered is meant to be a short-termsolution to those who need treatmentotherwise unavailable to themthrough government programs or tra-ditional insurance as they move frompublic assistance to the workingworld. Smiles has partnered withDress for Success San Francisco, a jobreadiness program providing cost-freeinterview attire, and is reaching out todentists in the area to participate. Wecurrently have several women in SanFrancisco who are awaiting treatmentand we need volunteers to assistSmiles participants in receiving muchneeded dental care. The help providedby Smiles volunteers is often lifechanging. By eliminating discomfort,pain, and missing teeth, par ticipantsregain their confidence and smiles,which help them do well during jobinterviews and future employment.

To learn more about the Smiles forSuccess program log on to:www.smilesforsuccess.org. Dentistswishing to participate in this reward-ing program can sign up on theSmiles for Success web-site or call(800) 920-2293.

Berkeley Suitcase Clinic(http://www.suitcaseclinic.org) is seek-ing volunteers. The Suitcase Clinic is astudent-volunteer-run free clinic pro-viding various health and social serv-ices to the homeless populationaround Berkeley and the Bay Area.Currently we are one of the very fewclinics in the Bay Area to provide free

PBjcomprehensive dental services. At thistime, we face increasing difficulties interms of funding and availability ofprofessional service providers.Simultaneously, homeless and under-privileged populations find them-selves in worsening conditions asmore and more public programs arecut. To give an example, we are onlyable to provide service to 2 to 3 out of30 or more hopeful clients at everybiweekly intake. We are constantlyfighting an uphill battle to accommo-date an ever-growing number of oralhealth problems. We operate out ofthe Berkeley Free Clinic on certainTuesday nights of the month, and anytime that you can donate would begreatly appreciated. This is a greatopportunity to extend a hand to theless fortunate.

For more information or to volunteercontact Melissa Lin, Suitcase ClinicDental Coordinator at (408) 5156-3646 or Charlie Shi [email protected]. Thank youfor your time and consideration.

If you know of or participate in an organi-zation that has needs for the underserved,developmentally or physically challenged,please contact the SFDS and we willinclude the request in our next newsletter.


MARK YOUR CALENDARS - UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTSMonth Date Meeting/Event Location Time CE

April 2 Half-Day CE Meeting Parc 55 Hotel, 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM 3 CE2011 Predicting Employee Success 55 Cyril Magnin St. Cat II

5 New Dentist Committee SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A15 SFDS Social Hour Royal Oak, 2201 Polk St 6:00 PM N/A20 Membership Committee SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A21 Executive Committee SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A25 Community Dental Health Committee SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A27 CPR Renewal SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM 4 CE

May 12-14 CDA Sessions Anaheim Anaheim Convention Center, Multi-Day Various2011 Anaheim CA

20 IC/BBP & HazCom SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM 4 CE20 California Dental Practice Act SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM 2 CE21 CPR BLS SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM 4 CE24 New Dentist Seminar SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:00 PM N/A26 Board of Directors SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A30 Memorial Day – Office Closed N/A N/A N/A

June 7 New Dentist Committee SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A2011 9 General Membership CE Meeting – Hotel Kabuki, 1625 Post St 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM 2 CE

When to Restore Teeth and When to Extract23 Executive Committee SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A27 CPR Renewal SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM 4 CE

July 4 Independence Day – Office Closed N/A N/A N/A2011 22 SFDS Social Hour 1300 Fillmore 6:00 PM N/A

28 Board of Directors SFDS, 2143 Lombard St 6:30 PM N/A


Dental malpractice claims cancome from anywhere. An angrypatient demands a refund, a

patient claims a poor outcome after shereceives the bill or perhaps the dentistperforates a patient’s sinus during a rootcanal. According to TDIC loss reviews,restorations, endodontic treatment,extractions, and implants are the proce-dures that generate most frequentclaims. As for reasons patients fileclaims, they vary from dissatisfactionwith treatment results to frustration dueto miscommunication. By addressing anissue when it happens, a dentist may beable to avoid a claim or at the very least,cause the claim to be less severe.

TDIC Risk Management Departmentoffers a variety of resources for dentiststo utilize when needed. The most popu-lar service is the TDIC Advice Line.Dentists call with questions rangingfrom how to dismiss a patient, to how tocommunicate with another dentist abouta patient they have in common. Duringa call, the dentist presents the issue at

hand, and then the analyst offers optionsthe dentist can choose from based onclaims experience. If the situation pre-sented is beyond the scope of risk man-agement, the analyst refers the caller tothe claims department. A common mis-conception among policyholders is thatcalling TDIC Risk Management countsas an adverse incident and causes anincrease in premiums. This is not thecase. TDIC encourages policyholders tobe proactive, seek assistance whenevernecessary as doing so reduces risk out-comes and claim severity.

If a dentist does not take advantage ofthe Advice Line, we provide additionalways to avoid large losses. Dentists canalso gain insight on how to handleadverse situations by reading LiabilityLifeline, a quarterly newsletter pub-lished by TDIC and based on AdviceLine calls and current industry trends.Policyholders can access articles on various topics via the web site at the-dentists.com.

TDIC Risk Management:The Advice is Free But the Knowledge is PricelessBy Jaime Welcher, Senior Risk Management Analyst, TDIC

To encourage participation in TDIC’srisk management seminars, we offercontinuing education opportunitiesand a policyholder discount. In its 26thyear of offering seminars, TDIC pro-vides continuing education credits fordentists and staff. Dentists who are pol-icyholders can take the most currentseminar, “Good Intentions – BadOutcomes” for a five percent profes-sional liability premium discount.Dentists and staff can attend a livecourse or take a self-study course viaCD or online.

Dentists will experience patient issuesat some point in their career. While youcannot stop a patient from suing you,you can be proactive by addressing situ-ations before they escalate. Call TDICRisk Management for assistance at800.733.0634. TDIC’s risk managementanalysts give advice relative to all areasof the dental practice, includingemployment matters. They are notattorneys and some matters may needto be referred for legal advice. ❖

THAT’S A WRAP… CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SFDS STARS

Dr. Stephen Cohen has been honored by the Elsevier Publishing Company for his Senior Editing ofthe first 9 editions of Pathways of the Pulp by having the 10th edition renamed, Cohen's Pathways of thePulp. Pathways of the Pulp is used in dental schools around the world and has been translated into14 languages. Dr. Cohen was the featured speaker last November in Mumbai, India on new devel-opments in Endodontics


BOARD HIGHLIGHTSJanuary 22-23, 2011

1. The Board participated in a 3.5-Hour facilitated Board Orientation

2. The Board participated in facilitated Strategic Planning process, producing a 2-3 Year Plan

3. Ratified Executive Committee Actions of December 2010 that included: Presidential appointments of Drs. Ben Young and AllanWong as Vice Chairs of CDHC, approval to publish RAM Volunteer opportunities; decline invitation to purchasing sponsorshipopportunities with California Homicide Investigators Annual Training Conference; approved the Job Shadow Program with theMembership Committee having temporary oversight-ExCom to re-evaluate in six months.

4. Ratified Presidential Appointment of Dr. Jung H. Shin Robin to the New Dentist Committee

5. Approved Policy Committee Recommendations on the following SFDS Policies under sunset review:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Section II H, Board Meeting Location

Amend line 1 with the addition of “up to” before two meetings.

Amend line 2 with the addition of “number” before time and place.

Amend rationale by addition of “Rationale is that there are only 6 meetings of the Board each year, a retreat every other year and usually only one offsite meeting, which is the last Board meeting of the year”.

Amend rationale line 3 with the addition of “up to” before two meetings.

A BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Section II, M, Board Self-Evaluation

Amend line 1 by the deletion of “in May/June of each year.”

Amend line 2 by the addition of “at the fourth Board of Directors meeting after members.

Amend rationale by the addition of: “New members of the Board will have participated in 3 meetings and will have adequate feedback by that time.”

Additionally, all of the 2010 sunset policies are to be continued with a new sunset review of 2015, with the following exceptions/recommendations:

Finance, V, C, 1: Recommend rescinding.

Peer Review, V, E, 1: Recommend rescinding.

Members, VI, B: Recommend rescinding.


In-HousePeriodontist/Implant SurgeonAvailable for Your Practice in theGreater San Francisco Bay Area—Implant Surgery/Bone Grafting/Perio Surgery/3rd molar extrac-tions. [email protected] or call (617) 869-1442.

Fully plumbed 1132 Sq. Ft.dental office for lease at thecorner of 19th Avenue andSantiago. Please contact Burton Greenberg, D.D.S. at415-566-0208 or [email protected].

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Multiple Ad discounts are available.

The Bridge is distributed to over 1000 dentists, auxillaries and students.

Submission dealines: March 1, May 1,July 1, Sept. 1, and Nov. 1 for publi-cation the following months.Submission by email only:[email protected]

2143 Lombard St., San Francisco, CA 94123

What do you think is one of the most important benefits of the San Francisco Dental Society?

MEMBERSHIP MOMENT

Phil Livingood“The value of being part of organized dentistry - the cohesive group giving morecredence to the profession where you need amore unified voice representing dentistry inmatters of policy and legislature.”

Doris Lin-Song“To be part of an organization that pro-vides networking and representation, aplace where new graduates can come toand ask questions, with regulatorychanges to ask how regulation affects ourpractices, network, and a place to contactfor dental public health opportunities.”

Biana Roykh “One if the most important benefits isthat you can come out and chat with yourpeers, keep in touch and see where yourcolleagues are, where they’re flourishing,get ideas what are successful in their prac-tices, what’s working, what’s not work-ing…and it’s a good reason to get out ofthe house, and look nice!”

Elaine Fok “I think one of the greatest benefitsof SFDS is opportunity to networkand meet fellow dentists.”

bridge april 2011 - san francisco dental society · volume 64 • number 2 • april 2011 • san...

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