CHICAGO, Illinois – Highlighted below are condensed overviews of selected sessions to be presented by top speakers during the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) 55th Annual Meeting & Exhibits being held in San Diego, Calif., June 27 through July 1, 2007. Media representatives are invited to attend any session and tour the exhibit floor.

Interviews with speakers can be arranged in advance of the meeting by contacting Stefanie Schroeder, at 312.440.4346 or media@agd.org. After June 27, arrangements can be made through the press room located at the AGD headquarters office in room 33C of the San Diego Convention Center. All media representatives must register on-site at the AGD headquarters office and receive a press pass in order to attend sessions and for exhibit floor access. This workroom will be equipped with Internet access and computers as well as private interview areas.

Thurs., June 28

Opening Session Keynote Address by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff—New York Times bestselling author, Captain Michael Abrashoff will present the keynote address at the AGD Annual Meeting and Exhibits. At age 36, Captain Abrashoff, was appointed Commander of the USS Benfold, which was facing its most difficult times. He recognized the problem, implemented business management practices and within months created a crew of confident inspired problem solvers. Under his leadership, the USS Benfold became one of the finest ships in the Pacific Fleet. Captain Abrashoff will inspire more than 1500 attendees during the opening session with his secret for successful management. (8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 20 B-D)

Exhibit Hall Opens - Browse through more than 250 dental exhibits. This is the place to see the latest advances in materials and products for the dental industry. The floor opens at 10:30 a.m. on Thurs., June 28, and closes at 2:00 p.m. on Sat., June 30. (10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Thurs.; 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Fri.; and 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Sat., San Diego Convention Center, Exhibit Hall G-H).

Acid Erosion: Are Your Teeth at Risk? (L02)—Fruit, yogurt and soft drinks, may seem like harmless snacks, but improper consumption of these foods may lead to devastating affects on the

teeth. Many people are not aware of the acidic foods they eat daily that can lead to enamel loss

and dental erosion. Dr. David Bartlett will conduct an in-depth review of the causes of acid erosion and how it might affect the teeth. Dentists will learn how to recognize if their patients are at risk, prevent acid erosion from occurring and find out dietary advice to implement into their everyday practice. (1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 30 A)

A New Standard for How to Manage Cavities (L36)—Children can inherit their parent’s features, habits and their tooth decay. Dr. Douglas Young will share the newest information about dental decay as an infectious disease that children get from their parents/caregivers. Attendees will learn how to prevent and even reverse early lesions using oral disinfectants, modified sugars, fluoride and new salivary diagnostics and replacement therapies rather than traditional surgical techniques. (1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 31 A/B)

Fri., June 29

Emergency Preparedness for Medical Crisis’ (P15)—Life-threatening medical emergencies in the dental office can occur at any time. Being prepared for such a crisis can mean a great deal for patients and the dental team. It is also important to be able to assess a patient to determine who to treat and who to refer for a medical evaluation. In this hands-on workshop, Dr. Robert Edwab will teach dentists how to make an emergency kit, identify an emergency and perform the appropriate treatment. (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 25 A)

Summer Sports: How to Decrease the Oralfacial Injuries for Children (P21)—In the United States, nearly 30 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports. Each year, five million teeth are knocked out in children’s high school and college sports. As the school year nears to an end and children partake in summer sports activities, parents should be aware of the preventative measures to significantly reduce both the incidence and severity of oraofacial injury in contact sports. In this hands-on workshop, Dr. Ray Padilla will present the technique for pressure lamination and participants will have the opportunity to fabricate and finish a pressure laminated mouthguard. Other uses of the demonstrated pressure technique will also be presented. (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 pm., San Diego Convention Center, Room 22)

Improving George Washington’s Wooden Teeth (L13)—Even President George Washington knew the importance of a great smile. As many prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, they are reminded not only of President Washington’s contribution to this holiday, but he is also remembered for his famous wooden teeth. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, those suffering from edentulism, or missing teeth, increases. Dr. Nader Sharifi will review state-of-the-art procedures for the highest quality removable prosthodontics and discuss materials and techniques to simplify every aspect of complete dentures. (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, 29 C/D)

SmileLine, 1.800.SMILE.33: Toll-free Dental Hotline—The SmileLine, hosted by more than 100 members of the AGD, takes place as part of the AGD’s 2007 Annual Meeting & Exhibits in San Diego. Consumers can call 1.800.SMILE.33 (1.800.764.5333) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. PST to speak with a dentist about dental questions, concerns or interests. Bilingual dentists will be available to answer calls from Spanish-speaking consumers. SmileLine services are available by phone only; please note the room is not open to consumers. (8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Sand Diego Convention Center, Exhibit Hall G-H)

Sat., June 30

Mastering Your Financial Future (L21)—How can one plan on the retirement he or she

deserves? Can extraordinary financial results personally and professionally be achieved? How can new dentists plan for their future and make sure that their debt doesn't sabotage their other financial goals? Learn the surprising answers to these questions as Brian Hufford, CPA, CFP, share surprising answers and key distinctions between achieving average and excellent financial outcomes and review principles designed to lead to annual and lifetime financial success. (8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 30 C)

The Hardest Job in Dentistry (P22)—Adding attachments to dentures has been deemed one of the hardest jobs in dentistry. With the myriad of attachments available, each requiring its own technique, it can be a daunting procedure. Yet, Dr. Nader Sharifi will address the various attachment options for a removable partial denture. During the hands on workshop, participants will complete a task involving picking up an attachment directly from a cast-similar to an intra-oral attachment pick up. Attendees also will learn a simple impression technique and make an impression of a patient demonstration model. (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 26 A)

Town Hall Meeting: ADA Sedation Guidelines—Will the American Dental Association (ADA) Sedation guidelines impact the practice of general dentists? Are dentists even aware of the changes provided in the guidelines? In this meeting, the AGD will address the ADA sedation guidelines along with a representative from the ADA’s Committee on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL), who will provide the ADA’s position. An AGD representative will also be present to offer their position on the guidelines. During a questions and answer session, attendees will be able to ask each representative questions pertaining to the guidelines and determine how the changes will affect their practice. (9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 20 B-D)

Largest Convocation Ceremony in AGD History – With 358 Fellowship and 179 Mastership award recipients, the AGD can deem 2007 as the largest FAGD/MAGD graduating class to date. During the formal cap and gown ceremony, AGD members will be recognized for their commitment to continuing dental education and to lifelong learning. The ceremony symbolizes the AGD’s dedication to excellence in dental education. The 2007 Distinguished Service Award will also be presented during the convocation. (4:30 p.m. Aboard the Flight Deck of the USS Midway)

Sun., July 1

The Beauty of Composite Resins (P32)—Popular primetime TV shows showcasing the results of cosmetic dentistry amongst other life changing procedures have inspired many to seek after the perfect look and smile. From subtle changes to major repairs, there are many techniques and options to treat discolored, chipped, misshapen or missing teeth. Yet, extreme smile makeover should not have to translate to extremely aggressive dentistry. In this course, Dr. Jaimee Morgan will discuss patient centered and patient friendly treatments from diagnosis to final result. Anterior and posterior applications will also be addressed using a simplified layering technique. Attendees will learn how to quickly, efficiently and profitably achieve remarkable results using the latest state-of-the materials, methods and techniques. (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., San Diego Convention Center)

Teeth-in-an-Hour (P24)—The extended period of time needed to replace a missing tooth has been reduced to about an hour. Get an overview of the NobelBiocare “Teeth-in-an-hour” concept. In this course, Dr. John DiPonziano will discuss the indications and procedures for the guided surgery and prosthetic elements of this modality using the computer tomography (CT) scan computer-based techniques, as well as model-based bone mapping techniques. Participants will also get an overview of impression taking and prosthetic design for single crowns, multiple units, and stud and bar overdentures, as well as fixed-detachable prostheses. (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 24-22)

House of Delegates Closing Session—Delegates will elect several new officers for the 2007-2008 year. In addition, they will be deliberating on the AGD’s emergency preparedness plan, discussing recommendations for a new definition of general dentistry and several policies that impact general membership. (8:00 a.m., San Diego Convention Center, Room 20 B-D)

SOURCE: Academy of General Dentistry

[  Printer-friendly page ]