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WINTER 2011 VFDJ VALLEY FORGE DENTAL JOURNAL 2010 VFDC March 2, 3, 4 Politics and Science: A Potential Lethal Mix A New Class of Drugs called anti-RANKL agents OUTCOMES The Official Publication of the Second District Valley Forge Dental Association of Pennsylvania VFDJ Dr. Tami Brady EDITOR VALLEY FORGE DENTAL JOURNAL WINTER 2011 EDITORIAL BOARD Dr. Karin Brian, Dr. Elliott Maser Dr. John Nase WEBSITE EDITOR OFFICERS Dr. George A. Bullock PRESIDENT Dr. Karin D. Brian PRESIDENT-ELECT Dr. Charles Incalcaterra VICE PRESIDENT Dr. John L. Meci TREASURER Dr. Lawrence Montgomery Dr. Rusty Bullock presents the Second District Public Service Award to Dr. Bernie Logan at the 2010 Annual Business meeting. SECRETARY Dr. Syreta McTavous, Lauren Wolf, Pappy Chhina, and Joanne Burrell representing the Helping Hands of Dentistry at the Fall CD event. Dr. John L. Meci IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Dr. Bernard P. Dishler FEATURES PDA TRUSTEE President’s Message - Dr. George (Rusty) Bullock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Dr. Jeffrey Sameroff Politics and Science: A Potential Lethal Mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Dr. Charles Weber A New Class of Drugs called anti-RANKL agents - Dr. Richard L.Wynn . . . 6 Dr. Eugene McGuire PDA SECRETARY ADA TRUSTEE PARLIAMENTARIAN Outcomes - Sandy Roth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Dr. Bruce R. Terry PDA EDITOR Ms. Betty J. Dencler DEPARTMENTS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Classified Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Upcoming Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover Need to Reach the Second District Valley Forge Dental Association or the VFDC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . back cover ALSO IN THIS ISSUE … 2011 VFDC 25th Anniversary Spring Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8–13 Local Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 DKU Continuing Dental Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 PADPAC Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Become a PDA Contact Dentist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Valley Forge Dental Conference 25th Anniversary, March 2-3-4, 2011 . . . inside back cover ON THE COVER… Photos from the past 24 years of the Valley Forge Dental Conference. MEMBER OF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF DENTAL EDITORS DIRECTORS Chester-Delaware Dr. Tami Brady Dr. Edmund McGurk Dr. Eric Shelly Lehigh-Northampton Dr. Jason Pellegrino Dr. Brian Straka Montgomery-Bucks Dr. Cary Limberakis Dr. John Pagliei, Jr. Dr. Nancy R. Rosenthal Dr. Laurence H. Stone Dr. Bruce R. Terry The Valley Forge Dental Journal is the official publication of the Second District Valley Forge Dental Association of Pennsylvania, 4781 Steeplechase Drive, Macungie, PA 18062. 1-800-860-3551 Advertising rates are available from, and all advertising materials and correspondence should be sent to Stickles Associates, P.O. Box 219, Bath, PA 18014. (610)837-6036. The Second District Valley Forge Dental Association of Pennsylvania reserves the right to refuse any advertisements for any reason. Articles for publication may be sent directly to Dr. Tami Brady, 293 Watch Hill Rd., Exton, PA 19341. All material should be typed, double-spaced, on 8.5" x 11" paper. E-Mail: [email protected] . Classified advertising should be sent directly to the Editor. Classified rates are $35 for the first 50 words or less, 50¢ for each additional word. The Journal is published three times a year: Winter, Spring & Fall. The opinions expressed in the Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Association, nor does the appearance of advertisements imply endorsement by the Association. President’s Message Dr. George (Rusty) Bullock [email protected] The Senator listened intently as I explained the PDA’s point of view on the issue. Then, he sat up straight, leaned forward in his chair and, with a concerned look on his face said, “This issue is like the camel poking it’s nose under the side of the tent”. He must have noticed that I looked perplexed after that statement. I was in Harrisburg to educate legislators and advocate for the dental profession regarding regulations affecting the field of dentistry. The Senator, in turn, was giving me an education regarding the legislative process and the issue of change. He warned me how issues that begin in a small way outside of your main focus of activity can grow in importance and someday “come to roost where you live – right in the center of your home”. He wasn’t talking about workforce issues, dental therapists or mid-level providers of dental care but, he might as well have been. His words of wisdom and insight into what takes place when the “train of change starts rolling down the tracks” is something I reflect upon when I think about the future of the dental profession. Recently, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation announced that it is investing $16 million in community-led efforts in five states, including the neighboring state of Ohio, to establish Dental Therapists programs as a way to expand access to oral health care in underserved communities. In Ohio, which is “on our doorstep”, the Foundation is supporting plans to increase awareness of oral health access issues, establish community coalitions and, educate lawmakers regarding how dental therapists, as part of an expanded dental team, can help address shortages in the delivery of dental care in rural and low income communities. The president of the ADA, Raymond Gist, DDS responded quickly to the announcement and news release by the Kellogg Foundation by issuing the following statement: “The ADA welcomes the Kellogg Foundation to the fight to improve the oral health of the millions who suffer from its lack. Unfortunately, the foundation’s recent efforts to address this complex issue focus exclusively on expanding a single provider model, the controversial Alaska Dental Health Aide Therapist. The limited research evaluation conducted by Kellogg did not provide the robust examination or projectable metrics on which to base such important policy and public health decisions.” At this time, Alaska is the only state with an active Dental Therapist Program. Since 2005, Dental Therapists have been providing care to Alaska Native Communities. In 2009, Minnesota enacted a law authorizing Dental Therapists to practice and students are now being trained to enter the workforce in the near future. How and where the students are being trained is a very important issue for the dental profession and the welfare of the public. Will the proposed two years of training for a Dental Therapist take place in a vocational school setting or, will it take place in an institution of higher education like an accredited dental school? 2 VFDJ WINTER 2011 Presently, other states including Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and California are investigating the merits of establishing and schooling mid-level dental care providers such as a Dental Therapist. The Kellogg Foundation’s message being presented to legislators and the public in those states is that “workforce models that require non-dentists to practice under direct supervision of an on-site dentist cannot expand access to care to places that don’t have enough dentists – only the Dental Therapist – working under general supervision does this”. Is this proposed workforce model promoting having a dental auxiliary working outside the dental team and without dentist supervision? Would the Dental Therapist accept the responsibility for patient diagnosis, treatment and coordination of dental services with less education than what is required for a practicing dentist? I personally believe it is very important to support the vocational growth and advancement of auxiliaries within the dental team who are under the supervision of a dentist. However, I am concerned about the concept of having the independent practice of mid-level providers without supervision by a dentist because of issues involving the health and safety of the public. It is of paramount importance that you and I take on the responsibility to educate our legislators and the public that midlevel providers such as Dental Therapists are not professionals with the same education and training as dentists but, with schooling received in just a shorter amount of time. We should focus our discussions with our legislators and our patients on specifically informing them about the skill set and inherent characteristics that highly trained dental professionals bring to the delivery of oral healthcare that is due to their extensive and unique education, beyond the simple mechanical aspects of the job. In addition, in our discussions we should reinforce the ADA position that an auxiliary dental team member dedicated to community education, triage and facilitation of dental encounters and preventive dental care outreach combined with high level care provided by dentists can be the means to significantly improve access to quality oral health care. This past fall the Second District sponsored a very successful continuing education program with the topic of Infection Control presented by Rella Christensen, RDH, PhD. The meeting was a sell out. Doctors and staff enjoyed a day away from the office and left the meeting fully informed regarding what products and practices that are most critical to effective infection control. Spending a day with Rella gave us all insight into the warmth of her personality, depth of her knowledge in the dental field and her ability to convey important information in an effective and efficient manner. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, we will have an opportunity to once again learn more from this wonderful educator. At the Fall Continuing Education meeting, Dr Bernadette Logan received the Second District Service Award. This award is given to an individual for distinguished and unselfish service for improving the oral health of the public through personal activities and actions which have reflected great credit upon the profession of dentistry. Bernie was recognized and earned this honor because of her many years of service organizing charitable dental programs and providing care for the disadvantaged, especially children. continued on page 4 VFDJ WINTER 2011 3 President’s Message… continued from page 2 The Second District has a long history of having members of the association from each of the three local Dental Societies give back to their local communities by providing education and dental care for the disadvantaged. Perhaps, you are one of the many volunteers who have provided care for the less fortunate during a Give Kids A Smile event (GKAS) held in February each year during National Children’s Health Month (NCDHM). NCDHM focuses on providing oral health education to all children through events run by an individual dental office and local Dental Societies as well as school based educational programs. The GKAS program was developed by the ADA to provide free chairside education, screening, treatment, preventive and restorative care to children in need. Now is the time for you to “gear up” and plan to hold a NCDHM or GKAS event in 2011! To learn more about how to organize a GKAS program in your community contact the ADA at www.ADA.org/GiveKidsASmile. For additional assistance the Second District NCDHM Chairperson: Dr. David Iglewicz ([email protected]) would be glad to speak with you and provide more information on how to plan an event or, join in the fun of an established-on-going program. It is important to remember that the overlying message of the GKAS program is that even with the high level of charitable care delivered by dentists every year, these efforts will never solve the problem of access to care highlighted by these programs. In addition, the access to care problem is compounded by the fact that approximately 50% of actively practicing dentists in Pennsylvania are planning to retire within the next 10 years. Unfortunately, the dentist “pipeline” in Pennsylvania is not adequately developed to repopulate the current workforce, especially in rural areas. As a result, the issue of access to dental care in Pennsylvania will only grow in importance in the coming years. With this in mind, the ADA sponsored GKAS events provide an opportunity to show how much dentists truly care about the dental health of the public and, hope to influence legislators and society-at-large, to work with dentistry to address the myriad of issues related to access to care. This year the members of Second District will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Valley Forge Dental Conference. This highly successful conference which began with the wishful idea and creative vision of Dr Ron Gross in 1984, has developed and grown through the years due to the hard work and dedication of the members of the Planning and Steering Committees into what it is today; the premier Dental Meeting for Continuing Education, not only in Pennsylvania but throughout the entire tri-state area. The Association’s Executive Secretary, Ms Betty Dencler has, since it’s inception, played an invaluable role in achieving the success of the Valley Forge Dental Conference. Over the years she has worked tirelessly to coordinate the efforts of dental office volunteers, exhibitors and convention staff to produce a professional meeting experience that we are all proud to be associated with. Kudos to Betty for a job well done! The theme for this year’s conference: “Celebrate, Discover and Grow Your Practice” is a reflection of the outstanding opportunity this meeting represents for all of the members of the Dental Team. Since this is a license renewal year the program includes courses for dentists as well as staff members who are seeking CE credits. The General Chairman for the conference, Dr Laurence Stone, along with his entire planning committee have arranged for a superlative program with nationally recognized speakers presenting on topics such as Periodontics & Lasers, Pharmacology, Endodontics and Communication. During the scheduled breaks in the Scientific Program you will have time to visit the spacious exhibit hall. You will have an opportunity to stock up on supplies at convention prices and thank the exhibitors for supporting the conference and enhancing the success of the educational meeting by displaying the newest equipment and products. Please mark your calendars to join your friends and colleagues at the party on Thursday evening March 3, 2011 to celebrate the long term success of the conference and honor the dedicated individuals who have been involved through the years with the planning of the conferences. The “Founding Fathers” of the conference, Dr Ronald Gross, Dr Jerrold Axler and Dr Richard Galeone will be recognized at this casual fun-filled event. I am looking forward to seeing you and your Dental Team on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday March 2-3-4, 2011 at the Valley Forge Convention Center. Come join in the fun as we celebrate our Silver Anniversary at what promises to be one of the most outstanding and memorable Valley Forge Dental Conferences. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS The Second District Valley Forge Dental Association reserves the right to accept or decline classified advertisements at its discretion. In addition, the Association does not inquire into the offers being made nor does it assume any liability for them. Classified advertising should be sent directly to the Editor: Dr. Tami Brady, 293 Watch Hill Road, Exton, PA 19341. E-Mail: [email protected]. Classified rates are $35 for the first 50 words or less, 50 cents for each additional word. 4 VFDJ WINTER 2011 PRACTICE TRANSITIONS: We specialize in Practice Sales, Appraisals and Partnership Arrangements. Ask about our free guides for sellers and buyers. Contact Philip Cooper, DMD, MBA, American Practice Consultants, 800400-8550 www.ameriprac.com Politics and Science: A Potential Lethal Mix? by Dr. Nevin Zablotsky See Dr. Zablotsky’s course “Tobacco and Your Patients, You Can Be a Lifesaver” at the VFDC on Friday, March 4. The time was the mid 20th century. The place was the U.S.S.R. The culprit, Trofim Denisovich Lysenko, a Russian horticulturist whose scientific theories and influence shifted research in agricultural genetics causing catastrophic consequences to the Soviet people, and ultimately the rest of the world. Lysenko was an advocate of Lamarck’s theory of evolution by acquired characteristics. As many of you may recall from your basic genetics course, Darwin showed that traits that benefited a species were naturally selected and passed along. Thus if some giraffes had longer necks, they would be better adapted to access more difficult to reach food supplies, and would flourish. Ultimately, this trait would be passed down over many generations, assuring this genetic pools’ survival. Those giraffes with shorter necks would ultimately die off as they could not compete with the longer necked giraffes. Jean Baptiste Lamacrk’s theory of evolution stated that organisms evolved through the acquisition of traits during their lifetime and that future generations would then inherit these new traits. So if you built up your biceps muscles, and your offspring built up their biceps, their future generations would inherit larger biceps. Nice try, but clearly wrong. Unfortunately, the combination of bad scientists and politicians can be a toxic mix, and in the case of the partnership of Lysenko and Stalin this sadly proved true. As Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union during World War Two, the Soviets were unable to plant their winter wheat in the Ukraine which had a more favorable environment. Thus, Lysenko treated seeds to harsh conditions and assumed that by hardening them, the next generations of wheat would then be able to grow in difficult climates. Stalin was so enamored with this approach that with his backing a resolution was passed banning any other biological work that did not support Lysenko’s approach. Scientists who disagreed with this “pseudo-science” were arrested and placed in prison camps. Tragically, the Soviet people saw a decrease in agricultural production, increased famine and starvation, and the loss of 30 years of research that would have benefited future generations.1 The “influenza virus” are two words that have caused widespread fear and panic throughout the world, and have sent modern day scientists and Public Health officials scurrying to come up with plans to try and prevent a deadly pandemic. Once again, we can look back in history and see how the mixture of bad science and politics proved to be a lethal mix. The place was Philadelphia, PA. The year was 1918. The culprits were Philadelphia’s political boss, Republican State Senator Edwin Vare, and Dr. William Krusen, the Director of the Department of Public Health and Charities, “a political appointee with no background and understanding of public health issues.” 2 The great influenza pandemic had just begun to reach Philadelphia, and by September 15th, 600 sailors and marines had been hospitalized at the navy hospital which was then closed due to a lack of beds. The Liberty Loan parade was to take place on September 28th, with thousands of people marching in it, and hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the parade route. Despite the alarming increase in influenza, Dr. Krusen and Senator Vare elected not to cancel the march, and intentionally downplayed the dangers of keeping the march as scheduled. In fact, Dr.Krusen insisted that everyone would be safe. The repercussions of this political decision were, “that within 72 hours after the parade every single bed in each of the city’s 31 hospitals was filled…literally hundreds of thousands of people in Philadelphia were falling ill.” 2 Ultimately, 13,000 people would die within a few weeks time, leaving a swath of devastation. Once again, the combination of poli- tics, and the ignoring of basic proven scientific principles had grave consequences. Unfortunately, the present Vermont legislative session is continuing the mixture of poor science with politics. The alleged culprit is the amalgam dental restoration, but the ultimate victim will be the general public who will lose access to an excellent, inexpensive dental material. Now, I realize that I may be partaking in a bit of hyperbole for effect, but if you listen to those who have been bashing “mercury amalgam”, you would think that we were talking about nuclear toxic waste. Sound science tells us that dental amalgam is safe. In fact it has been safely used for one hundred years as an effective way of restoring decayed teeth. Despite all of this, a small but vocal group of individuals have convinced legislators that this restoration’s mercury content is so vile that cadavers should have their fillings removed before they are cremated, to prevent mercury from being released into the air. Does documented, reproducible science support this? There is no doubt that mercury in certain forms can be dangerous, and I readily agree that it behooves everyone to eliminate the real threats. Yet, this does not give the antimercury lobbyists a carte-blanche for eliminating dental amalgam. The philosopher George Santayana stated that “those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Elected officials owe the public their due diligence in utilizing accredited scientists and health care providers to guide them in legislating sound public health policies. Whether it be avian influenza, global warming, or even a dental restorative material, the stakes are too high to rely on pseudo-science and emotion. As for poor Lamarck, despite making achievements in classifying invertebrates, his evolutionary theories were rebuffed and he died in poverty and was buried in a rented grave. REFERENCES: 1 2 www.bookrags.com/research/lysenkoism-wog John M. Barry The Great Influenza 2005 Article originally published in the Vermont State Dental Society Journal. VFDJ WINTER 2011 5 A new class of drugs called anti-RANKL agents may be associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw by Dr. Richard L. Wynn Don’t miss Dr. Wynn’s presentation, “The Pharmacology Update for Dental Professionals” at the VFDC on Thursday, March 3. Denosumab represents a new class of drugs called anti-RANKL agents that are indicated for treatment for osteoporosis. It is marketed under the brand name Prolia and was developed by the Amgen company. It gained Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture. It is supplied as an injection for subcutaneous use. The labeling for denosumab (Prolia) states that osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) , which is generally associated with tooth extraction and/or local infection with delayed healing, has been reported in patients receiving denosumab (Prolia). A dental examination with appropriate preventive dentistry should be considered prior to treatment with denosumab (Prolia) in patients with risk factors for ONJ such as dental surgery, diagnosis of cancer, corticosteroid concomitant therapy, or pre-existing dental disease. Good oral hygiene should be maintained during drug treatment with denosumab (Prolia). Denosumab (Prolia) represents the first of its class of US approvals known as antiRANKL drugs. These agents work by decreasing bone turnover resulting in a significant increase in bone mineral density. More on its mechanisms are described below. It was developed by Amgen, and is manufactured by Amgen Manufacturing Limited, a subsidiary of Amgen Inc. It has also gained approval for marketing in Europe and Australia. It is approved for the treatment of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture. It is supplied as an injection for subcutaneous use. Recently denosumab (Prolia) has been granted a Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) priority review designation for the reduction of skeletal related events in advanced cancer patients. Priority review designation by the FDA is granted to drugs that offer major advances in treatment, or provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists. Consistent with priority review guidelines, the FDA will 6 VFDJ WINTER 2011 target an Agency action within six months of the application submission date. Product labeling for denosumab (Prolia) states that osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) has been reported in the osteoporosis trial program in patients treated with Prolia. That trial program has been described by Kyrgidis and Toulis (see below) . It is not known at this time what the prevalence or incidence of ONJ is in patients receiving denosumab (Prolia). However, it is suggested that for patients requiring invasive dental procedures and are exposed to denosumab (Prolia), clinical judgment of the treating physician and/or oral surgeon should guide the management plan of each patient based on individual benefitrisk assessment. Further, patients who are suspected of having or who develop ONJ while exposed to denosumab (Prolia) should receive care by a dentist or an oral surgeon. In these patients, extensive dental surgery to treat ONJ may exacerbate the condition. Discontinuation of denosumab (Prolia) therapy should be considered based on individual benefitrisk assessment. Patient counseling information provided by Amgen advises patients to maintain good oral hygiene during treatment with denosumab ( Prolia) and to inform their dentist prior to dental procedures that they are receiving denosumab (Prolia). Patients should inform their physician or dentist if they experience persistent pain and/or slow healing of the mouth or jaw after dental surgery. These labeling statements can be found at the Amgen Website at: http://pi.amgen.com/united_states/prolia/ prolia_pi.pdf (Accessed July 24, 2010) The Kygidis/Toulis report Kyrgidis A, Toulis KA. Denosumabrelated osteonecrosis of the jaws. Osteoporos Int DOI 10. 1007/s00198010-1177-6 Kyrgidis and Toulis described the results of two unpublished randomized clinical trials of denosumab in cancer patients with bone metastases. The results reported that ONJ occurred as adverse effect cases reported from preliminary results of clinical trials comparing head to head denosumab with zoledronate (a bisphosphonate) for the treatment of bone metastases in patients with cancer. In one study, 20 out of 1,026 subjects exposed to denosumab were observed to have developed ONJ and 14 out of 1,020 subjects exposed to zolendronate were observed to have developed ONJ. In terms of percent incidence, those cases accounted for 2.0% for denosumab and 1.4% for zolendronate. In the second study, 10 out of 888 subjects exposed to denosumab were observed to have developed ONJ and 11 out of 888 subjects exposed to zolendronate were observed to have developed ONJ. In terms of percent incidence, those cases accounted for 1.1% for denosumab and 1.3% for zolendronate. Because these were head to head trials, the incidence of ONJ in the control population was assumed to be zero. Both of these trials had current or prior intravenous or oral bisphosphonate administration in their exclusion criteria; thus previous exposure to bisphosphonates as a factor for ONJ in those participants who received denosumab could be ruled out. And, since ONJ has not been previously described to be associated with other drugs administered to cancer patients, it can be suggested that these cases of ONJ were related to denosumab exposure. Kyrgidis and Toulis suggested that the medical community may be facing a new agent that can induce ONJ. Up to now, ONJ has never been reported to be associated with other pharmaceutical agents, except bisphosphonates. The association between denosumab exposure and ONJ may be related to dosing interval and cumulative doses. In studies evaluating denosumab in postmenopausal women with osteopenia or osteoporosis (Anastasilakis et al Expert Opin Investig Drugs 18:1085-1102) ONJ was not observed in any of the subjects exposed to denosumab. Those studies included a dosing interval longer than 3 months and a cumulative dose of not more than 210 mg per 6 months. On the other hand, the results of the two trials that described the appearance of ONJ in denosumab subjects included a monthly dosing interval and a dose of 120 mg per month. In terms of bisphosphonate related ONJ, ONJ is a much more common event in patients receiving those agents for the treatment and prevention of cancer-related skeletal events compared to patients receiving bisphosphonates for non-malignancy indications. Kyrgidis and Toulis suggests that a broad introduction of denosumab into clinical practice would allow for recognition of the denosumab-related ONJ adverse effect in a much wider spectrum of prescription indications, including those for non- malignancy. The following are two case report describing the appearance of ONJ in patients exposed to denosumab (Prolia) Case report #1 Agbaloo TL et al. Osteonecrosis of the jaw in a patient on denosumab. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2010; 68:959-963 A 65 year-old women presented to the oral surgery clinic at the UCLA Dental School with exposed bone in the posterior mandible of unknown duration. Her history included multiple medical conditions including noninsulin dependent diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular problems, and a sacral giant cell tumor (GCT). She was on multiple medications for her medical conditions, none of which had ever been associated with ONJ. The GCT was partially resected in 2005. In 2007 the patient fell and sustained an L2-L5 fracture. At that time she was placed on 120 mg denosumab subcutaneous injections weekly for 3 weeks followed by a 2 week hiatus, and continued with a single injection of 120 mg every 4 weeks. Approximately 2 to 3 years prior to the clinic visit, the patient reported a 4 month course of alendronate 70 mg per week “for bone problems”. The patient’s history along with clinical and radiographic findings was consistent with a working diagnosis of ONJ. The disease was classified as stage 2 characterized by exposed and necrotic bone with pain and erythema, without purulent drainage. The patient was treated with antibiotics and chlorhexidine daily rinses. The patient was seen 2 and 4 weeks after the initial visit, with no change in severity of bone exposure. After 8 weeks, the patient had clinically exposed bone and the condition was diagnosed as ONJ, and in this case not associated with bisphosphonate therapy. The patient was eventually admitted to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics, incision and drainage. After surgery, the infection subsided and the patient was discharged. The authors believed that the potent inhibition of osteoclastic acitivty by denosumab played a central role in the development of ONJ in this patient. Although the patient reported a history of alendronate use, the short treatment duration (4 months) was unlikely to have contributed to the ONJ. Comment by the authors Denosumab inhibits osteoclastic differentiation and function. As osteoclasts are the common target of both bisphosphonates and denosumab, potent osteoclastic inhibition appeared to play a central role in the pathophysiology of ONJ. As more osteoclastic inhibitors enter clinical practice to be used in managing disease associated with increased bone turnover, the possibility that these agents might cause ONJ should be anticipated. Case report #2 Taylor KH, Middelfell LS, Mizen KD. Osteonecrosis of the jaws induced by anti-RANK ligand therapy. Brit J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2010; 48:221-223. A 60 year old man was referred to an oral surgery clinic with an ulcerated area of exposed bone in a region that was discharging pus in the left mandible. He had a history of laryngeal carcinoma that had been treated with laser surgery (no radiotherapy) and metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma. He had never been prescribed bisphosphonate medication and he had completed a course of chemotherapy of docetaxel and prednisolone. He was currently participating in a trial for a phase 3 study of denosumab comparing it with zolendronate. The clinical and radiological features of the lesion were diagnostic of probable osteonecrosis. The patient was prescribed amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times daily for a week along with chlorhexidine mouthrinse. The phase 3 trial records indicated that the patient was on the denosumab arm of the trial, and exposure to denosumab was discontinued immediately. Subsequently he had symptoms associated with nonvital lower left 1, 2 and 3 and those extracted, and postoperative chlorhexidine mouth rinses and amoxicillin 500 mg 3 times daily prescribed. The necrotic bone sequestered 12 months later and on review 15 months after initial presentation. the mucosa had healed and he had no symptoms. The authors believed that the patient had osteonecrosis of the jaw induced by denosumab treatment. Mechanism of denosumabtype drugs Denosumab (Prolia) is a human monoclonal IgG2 antibody that binds selectively to RANKL, a transmembrane or soluble protein essential for the formation, function and survival of osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone resorption. RANKL is an acronym for Receptor Activator of Nuclear factor- KB Ligand, or receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells. Denosumab (Prolia) prevents RANKL from activating its receptor, RANK, on the surface of osteoclasts and their precursors. RANK is an acronym for Receptor Activator of Nuclear factor –K B. Prevention of the RANKL/RANK interaction inhibits osteoclastic formation, function and survival, thereby decreasing bone resorption and increasing bone mass and strength in both cortical and trabecular bone. Thus denosumab is classified as an anti-RANKL agent. As these agents are increasingly used for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and being investigated for treatment of metastatic bone disease, it is possible that the number of cases of osteonecrosis induced by anti-RANKL treatment will increase in the future. VFDJ WINTER 2011 7 8 VFDJ WINTER 2011 VFDJ WINTER 2011 9 10 VFDJ WINTER 2011 VFDJ WINTER 2011 11 12 VFDJ WINTER 2011 VFDJ WINTER 2011 13 14 VFDJ WINTER 2011 Local Happenings SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011 Join the Lehigh Valley Dental Association for their annual Day at the Ballpark with the Iron Pigs (Philadelphia Phillies AAA team). Admission is $25 per person and includes admission to the Coca-Cola Park, a 2-hour ballpark buffet in the PPL picnic patio area and free soft drinks throughout the game. This will be a fabulous family event where children 12 and younger are invited to run the bases after the game. Tickets will be given first-paid, first-served and limited to 350. Please contact Jim Chambers at 610437-5534 to purchase tickets. Questions can be directed to Bill Cherry at 484-893-5000. All 2nd District members and their families are invited to attend. Dr. Robin Harshaw volunteers at the West Chester GKAS event on November 3, 2010. This event along with the October 22nd event in Broomall resulted in $25,000 in dental care for 50 indigent children. Your The Second District invites you to participate in its First Local Lobby Day! Schedule a meeting with your state representative and senator during the week of January 31 to February 4 in their district offices. PDA will provide you with talking points on several important legislative initiatives for the 2011-2012 legislative session. Once you have arranged your meeting time, please contact Donald Smith, PDA government relations coordinator, at (717) 234-5941, ext. 108, or [email protected]. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Linda Himmelberger at (610) 688-2211 or [email protected]. Help shape the future of the dental profession or it will be shaped for you! Join us for our first ever Local Lobby Day! Dr. Bernadette Logan and Dr. Barry Cohen get inducted into the International College of Dentists at the 2010 ADA Annual Conference in Orlando. Pennsylvania Handpiece Repair Specialists We repair all brands of handpieces • high speeds • slow speeds • scalers Attention! Second District Members • nosecones/angles • surgical • electrical We provide 24–48 hour turnaround We stand behind our warranties e brochur d n a s r e l i a m epaid r p r o f Call Mastercard, Visa & AE accepted s Shamrock Dental Company Handpiece Sales & Repair Specialists 107 Merlin Drive • McMurray, PA 15317 888.942.4188 VFDJ WINTER 2011 15 WE REPAIR HAND PIECES & MORE For Additional Services & Specials Visit us @ www.theDentistsHelper.com or Call 610.532.1700 16 VFDJ WINTER 2011 OUTCOMES by Sandy Roth For more information on Communication Solutions register for Sandy’s course on Wednesday, March 2 during the VFDC. No one comes to your practice for procedures. Rather, they come because they are experiencing a problem that is interfering with their quality of life. Recently I had the opportunity to work with a small group of dentists and their teams on the concept of patient outcomes and how to learn about them more effectively. To introduce this topic to some of you who might be new to the idea, I’ll begin by outlining the basic concept of the OutcomeMeans-Prices model which underlies our work in patient communications. While many dentists focus their attention primarily on identifying disease and breakdown and proposing treatments that will eliminate that disease or restore original function or form, behaviorally sophisticated relationship-based practices understand that patients cannot easily relate to those issues on which dentists focus in the way dentists do. These practices make a distinction between clinical conditions or findings and patient-identified problems. This distinction is enormous and must be understood for a practice to thrive. I tend to talk about it as software (patient experienced and identified problems) versus hardware (clinical conditions or findings). Outcomes are the software of dentistry - the quality of life issues the patient wants dentistry to impact in a positive way. This is relatively easy to understand when you pay attention to what patients say: “I don’t like the way that looks. That front tooth is too big and the one behind it is a different color.” “The tooth in the back is really sensitive when I eat something cold.” “I can’t chew on my left side because of that open space.” “I’m worried that something is wrong; things feel different than they did before. Do you think I have gum disease?” When you really listen to what patients are telling you, it quickly becomes clear that their everyday experiences are what matter most and what will get their attention. This makes perfect sense. Patients aren’t academicians or intellectuals about dentistry; they are people whose mouths are either working well or not working well. Practicality is a key factor for almost everyone and your paying attention to what is practical for your patients will help you understand and serve them better. Thus, asking about and listening to their stories and tales is an essential component of learning about their dental priorities. When you study what patients relate, you will often hear a pattern to their experiential concerns or problems and they come in only four flavors: appearance or how things look comfort or how things feel function or how things work peace of mind issues or health, stability, etc. Every issue, concern, complaint, want or need you hear from a patient will fall into one of those categories. While some patients will focus on a single issue, many will often be experiencing several problems that might span two or more of these categories. “There are two things that are bugging me. First, the ugly tooth on the left side and the sharp corner on the one that is broken on the upper right.” Thus, you must be prepared to listen for the full range of problems and not stop the conversation too quickly. In most cases, you will hear symptoms which will lead you to discover the underlying conditions, but to the patient, the symptoms are everything. Patients often need time to believe you are really interested in learning about problems as they are experiencing them because they are so accustomed to dentists jumping in and telling them everything that is wrong and how they intend to fix it. You can make an enormous difference in how patients see dentistry by simply creating a time for them to tell you their story FIRST before you launch into clinical investigation. Once you have learned what your patient is experiencing, you can begin to learn what you need to know as a clinician: What condition or finding does the patient-experienced symptom reflect? What other conditions or findings exist that the patient is not yet experiencing? What are the causes of these conditions or findings? What are the possible treatments for these conditions or findings? Notice that I have used the words conditions and findings to refer to the focus of the clinician and the words symptoms and problems to describe the patients’ focus. This is a good way to make the distinction in your own mind and keep you clear about the patient’s concern and focus versus your clinical concern and focus. Patients come in to have symptoms suppressed and problems resolved. You do provide them this service by focusing on the conditions that are causing the symptoms and problems they are experiencing and your treatment recommendations or solutions must relate directly to what the patient is experiencing. This is the linkage or relevance that must be established for your treatment recommendations to make sense to your patients. The way you convey what you are finding upon examination and the causes of those conditions as well as the treatment you are proposing will determine whether your patient can relate what you are saying to what they are experiencing. Dentists are charged with the following obligations: examination diagnosis prognosis treatment recommendations delivery of care When your examination is linked and relevant to what your patient is experiencing....When your diagnosis is linked and relevant to what your patient is experiencing.... When your prognosis is linked and relevant to what your patient is experiencing....When your treatment recommendations are linked and relevant to what your patient is experiencing.... your patients are more likely to ask you to deliver care than if your process is neither linked nor relevant. I have often said that your first job as a clinician is to learn. Learn from your patient what you do not yet know and discover what they think, how they feel and what they want. Once that is done, you can immerse yourself in all things clinical. Until that is done, you are mostly wasting your time. Put first things first and focus on OUTCOME. VFDJ WINTER 2011 17 Why we need PADPAC…and PADPAC needs us! WE need PADPAC to… • Serve as our collective voice with legislators and policymakers – there is strength in numbers! • Promote our legislative agenda • Help protect our profession from intrusive and burdensome legislation and regulation PADPAC needs US to… • Support their efforts with our contributions • Support their efforts by becoming Contact Dentists Please go to www.padental.org and access the PADPAC link to make a contribution or find out more about becoming a Contact Dentist, or call the Pennsylvania Dental Association at (717) 234-5941, and ask for Marisa Swarney at ext 116. The following is a list of 2nd District members who have supported PADPAC in 2010. PADPAC Contributors 2010 ABBOUD-NIEMCZYK, JEANNETTE AMANN, NATALIE ANDOLINO, PETER ANGLE, ANNE APPELSTEIN, NEAL ASTOLFI, ANN AXLER, JERROLD BARATI, AMIR BARRON, W. BEHNAM, SANDRA BELLET, DAVID BELLISARIO, JEFFREY BENTZ, ROBERT BERGER, JOEL BLANK, JEFFREY BLEVINS, ROBERT BLUMBERG, DANIEL BODEN, DANIEL BOLDEN, TASHA BONNEVIE, DANIEL BONOMO, MICHAEL BOSCH, KENNETH BRADY, TAMARA BRADY, THOMAS BRAY, RICHARD BRENNER, JEFFREY BRENT, JOHN BRIAN, KARIN BRILLMAN, ROBERT BRUNO, JOHN BUFFETT, CONSTANCE BULLOCK, GEORGE BURKE, TIMOTHY BURNS, MARY 18 VFDJ WINTER 2011 BURT, DAVID BUSHICK, RONALD CALABRIA, PHILIP CANTOR, IAN CAPISTA, JOSEPH CAPLIN, LAWRENCE CARBER, ROBERT CARLIS, IAN CAROL, MICHAEL CARR, GEORGE CERRONE, ANTHONY CESTONE, MICHAEL CHERKAS, LEONARD CHERMOL, THOMAS CHERNOW, BRUCE CHESS, GREGORY CHIAPPA, JULIUS CHILA, MARIA CIMINO, SAMUEL CIVILLICO, NICHOLAS CLARK, RICHARD CLEVELAND, WILLIAM COHEN, BARRY COHEN, JAY COHEN, MARVIN COHEN, PAUL COHEN, RONALD CONTORNO, MICHAEL COOLEY-BENTZ, SARA CORVINO, DONNA COSTE, ANDREW CRIELLY, WILLIAM CUMMINGS, WILLIAM DACHOWSKI, MICHAEL DAROCHA, BARRY DASTGIR, MAJID DEAL, WILLIAM DECROSTA, JEFFREY DETWILER, ALETA DI SPIRITO, NEIL DILLON, THOMAS DISHLER, BERNARD DOBROWOLSKI, RODNEY DOMSKY, SAMUEL DONAHUE, KENNETH ECKMAN, JOSEPH EDGAR, JANE ELSTEIN, MARK ESTELLE, RYAN FARRIS, JOHN FELDSHER, RENEE FETTER, KENNETH FILIDORE, DOUGLAS FOSTER, BARRY GALEONE, RICHARD GALLAGHER, MICHAEL GALSON, JOHN GASTON, BYRON GATLEY, THOMAS GAZDICK, STEPHEN GELLER, BRETT GIACALONE, ANNA GIULIANI, NICHOLAS GLASSMAN, BARRY GLEASON, WALTER GOGATE-BHUYAN, VARSHA GOLDMAN, MITCHEL GOLDSLEGER, JAY GORDON, DONALD GORDON, MARSHA GOULSTON, MICHAEL GOWDA, RAJEEV GOYAL, KUNAAL GRABILL, LAURENE GRABOWSKI, RONALD GRADWELL, SCOTT GREEN, DANIEL GREEN, DONALD GREEN, LESLIE GREENFIELD, ADA GREGORY, CHRISTINA GRETZULA, CHAD GRIBB, LAWRENCE GROSS, RONALD GROSSMAN, EDWARD GRUBB, PHILLIP GUPTON, SALLY HANS, ERIC HARMON, DANIEL HARSHAW, ROBIN HARTMAN, JASON HARTMAN, JEFFERY HATGES, NICHOLAS HEIER, RONALD HELENIAK, STANLEY HERB, KATHLEEN HERSHMAN, HAL HERTZOG, CHARLES HILL, CHRISTOPHER HILLYARD, GREGORY HIMMELBERGER, LINDA HOFFMAN, DENNIS HOROWITZ, ALLAN HOWARTH, STEPHEN HUGHES, R. HUNTINGTON, GARY INCALCATERRA, CHARLES INGE, ANDREW INKER, STEPHAN ISSA, AEJAAZ JACKSON, W. JESTER, CRAIG JOHNSON, WALTER KASANDER, JEFFREY KESSLER, LON KHOURY, RAMI KIESEL, WILLIAM KIRCHNER, GEORGE KIRSCH, ALAN KIVOWITZ, GEORGE KLEIN, RONALD KOSHETAR, JOYCE KOSTEVA, CHARLES KRASNER, PAUL KUN, MICHAEL LADER, DANIEL LAMB, JOSEPH LAMBERT, HAROLD LANDES, CHRISTINE LAWRENCE, CHRISTINA LEISS, JEFFREY LEMAY, RICHARD LEPINE, ERIC LEVIN, LESTER LIMBERAKIS, CARY LLOYD, ROBERT LOFTUS, MICHAEL LOGAN, BERNADETTE LOVASCIO, THOMAS LU, DOMINIC LUDWIG, PATRICIA MALONEY, KARL MANNINO, VINCENT MARCINCIN, MARYBETH MARCUS, EDWARD MARINAKIS, STEVEN MARKHAM, CECEILIA MARKOWITZ, GERALD MASER, ELLIOTT MATT, JERALD MAURO, W. MAYNES, JAMES MCCORMICK-GRAVEL, MICHAELA MCCOY, ROBERT MCDEVITT, PATRICK MCELHILL-ROTZAL, SUSAN MCGUIRE, EUGENE MCGURK, EDMUND MCMANMON, GEORGE MECI, JOHN MEHTA, TARAL METROKA, DAVID MIHALAKIS, MARY MILLER, DONALD MILLER, GLENN MILLER, STEVEN MIRTAJ, JOSEPH MOHAMED ALI, SAID MOLL, EVAN MONTGOMERY, DAVID MONTGOMERY, JANE MONTGOMERY, LAWRENCE MORICONI, E. MORRIS, SCOTT MULLEN, KATHLEEN MULLER, THOMAS MUMFORD, JAMES NASE, JOHN NELSON, RICHARD NEUMAN, HOWARD NEUMAN, NEAL NISSMAN, CHARLES NORMAN, ROBERT NYCE, RICHARD OLENWINE, CYNTHIA OLINE, JAMES OPPENHEIM, KENNETH PAGLIEI, JOHN PARDINI, CARL PARKINSON, GRAHAM PARSONS, MICHAEL PASALIC, AIDA PASSERI, LAURI PATEL, MONA PELLEGRINO, JASON PEPE, VINCENT PETRILLO, MICHAEL PETRILLO, PATRICK PFANNENSTIEL, ARNOLD PIACINE, MARK PIORKOWSKI, EDWARD PISKAI, THOMAS PLOTNICK, SUSAN PRESENT, STEVEN PULLIAM, DALLAS PYKE, L. RACHIELE, DOMINIC RADIN, SHERYL RADOMILE, JOHN RADOMILE, MARK RAKOWSKY, LARRY RANZINO, VINCENZO RAVA, JOSEPH REARDON, WILLIAM RECUPERO, FRANK RENNEISEN, WARREN REUTER, PAUL RICKERT, DAWN RIGBERG, ANDY RISLEY, JENNIFER RISLEY, WALTER RITROVATO, ROBERT ROBBINS, JAMES ROCCO, CARMEN ROHRBACH, GEORGE ROKITA, JOHN ROSEN, JEFFREY ROSEN, PAUL ROSENTHAL, NANCY ROTHER, DONALD ROTHWELL, RICHARD SALDIVAR, MERLE SALIN, MICHAEL SAMEROFF, JEFFREY SANDILOS, WILLIAM SANTUCCI, STEVEN SATTLER, ROBERT SAWYER, PATRICK SAYLES, ERIK SCHACH, RAPHAEL SCHAFFER, JOSEPH SCHARF, JONATHAN SCHIFF, LAWRENCE SCHLESINGER, STEVEN SCHMIDT, JOANNE SCHNUPP, PAUL SCHOENLY, BRIAN SCHWAN, ROBERT SCHWARTZ, JAY SHAH, RAJNIKANT SHELLY, ERIC SHIPON, NEAL SHORE, JEFFREY SHORE, JOSEPH SHORE, PHILIP SIDAWI, MARY SINGER, ROBERT SLAWEK, STEPHEN SLOANE, STEVEN SMEDLEY, LARRY SMITH, M. SMITH, STEPHANIE SNYDER, DAVID SNYDER, MARK SOEHREN, STEPHEN SOLOMON, ROBERT SPENNATO, ROBERT SPILLANE, KEVIN STAIVECKI, JOHN STEIN, STEVEN STERNBERG, MIRIAM STITELER, TERESA STOLLER, JOHN STONE, JONATHAN STONE, LAURENCE STOUT, ANGELA STOUT, KENNETH STRAKA, J. STRISOFSKY, RICHARD STROOCK, MICHAEL SUBERSKA-WEITZ, KATARZYNA SUMMERS, ROBERT TAHA, ESSAM TAUB, HARRY TEDROW, DONALD THOMPSON, PETER TIGHE, PHILIP TIMIAN, PETER TOKASZ, MARIE TOLLEY, E. TRACHTENBERG, BRIAN TROLL, RICHARD TRUBILLA, LARRY TYMA, MARK UFBERG, LAWRENCE UNGER, MARK URBANO, BARBARA VENNERI, DOREEN VEYS, ALBINA WASLEY, JOEL WEBER, CHARLES WEINER, MICHAEL WEINSTEIN, MARK WEISS, ADAM WEISS, KENNETH WERNER, CHRISTOPHER WHYTOSEK, JOHN WILCK, JEROLD WILDERMAN, BRUCE WOLF, WENDELL WORSLEY, JOHN WYKE, JEANNINE YELK, BARRY ZYCK, JEFFREY VFDJ WINTER 2011 19 Join the Grassroots Network! Become a PDA Contact Dentist ! The recent state elections have brought unprecedented change to the Pennsylvania legislative landscape, not unlike the world of fashion that, according to Heidi Klum, states “one day you are in; the next day you are out!” There are a number of new legislators who were elected from Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties. There also are a number of returning legislators from our six county regions. Regardless of whether they are incumbents or newly elected, Republican or Democrat, male or female, one thing all of the legislators have in common is that they are not dentists! They do not have first-hand information concerning what it takes to provide dental health care, or how unfair insurance practices affect the economics of a practice. The legislators need a dentist they know and trust to give them factual information on which to base their decisions. That is why we need YOU to become a Contact Dentist. Perhaps you know a state representative or senator, or know someone who does. Please consider the important role you could play as a Contact Dentist. What do PDA Contact Dentists do? In a nutshell, they act as liaisons between PDA and the state legislature by developing and maintaining a personal relationship with a representative and relaying PDA’s position on dental-related issues. In addition, they may attend campaign fundraisers on PDA’s behalf. And last, but not least, they act as a source of information and promote participation in this program to other dentists in the district. If you are interested in becoming a Contact Dentist or if you would like more information regarding the importance of our grassroots outreach, please contact the Second District Government Relations Chair, Dr. Linda K. Himmelberger at [email protected] or 610-688-2211. Become a Contact Dentist Today! Kornberg School of Dentistry TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ® Continuing Education Courses Spring 2011 Wednesday, February 23, 2011 Nitrous Oxide Sedation (Hands On) Andrea D. Haber-Cohen, MD, DMD, Stanton Braid, DMD and Allen F. Fielding, DMD, MD, MBA Friday, March 4, 2011 Advance Technology Update: Emerging Options in Materials, Diagnostics, and Devices for Dentistry Steven R. Jefferies, MS, DDS, PhD Wednesday, March 9, 2011 Dental Management of Emergencies and the Medically Compromised Gary Jones, DDS and Allen F. Fielding, DMD, MD, MBA Saturday, March 12, 2011 Contemporary Treatment Concepts in Implant Dentistry for the GP Matthew Palermo, DMD Friday, March 18, 2011 Non-Surgical Periondontal Therapies: Advanced Skills for Improved Clinical Outcomes (Hands On) Jon B. Suzuki, DDS, PhD, MBA and Stacy Matsuda, RDH, BS Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Adoption and Interpretation of 3D Cone-Beam CT in your Practice Jie Yang, DDS, MMedSc, MS, DMD MISCH International Implant Institute Refer to TUKSoD website for more info Dr. Leonard Abrams Distinguished Speaker Series Lecture Making Successful Clinical Decisions in Anterior Esthetic and Implant Therapy: Success by Design Henry Salama, DM Friday, April 1, 2011 Guide to Predictable and Profitable Anterior and Posterior Esthetic Restorations (Hands On) Marvin A. Fier, DDS, FASDA, ABAD Friday, April 3, 2011 Adoption and Interpretation of 3D Cone-Beam CT in your Practice Jie Yang, DDS, MMedSc, MS, DMD Questions? Call us at 215.707.7541 or visit www.temple.edu/dentistry/ce for complete list of 2011 courses. 20 VFDJ WINTER 2011 VFDJ PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID UPPER DARBY, PA PERMIT NO #34 VALLEY FORGE DENTAL JOURNAL 4781 STEEPLECHASE DRIVE MACUNGIE, PA 18062 Have you seen our new Website? Visit us @ www.vfdental.org UPCOMING EVENTS 25th ANNIVERSARY Valley Forge Dental Conference: MONTGOMERY-BUCKS DENTAL SOCIETY Wed., Mar. 2, Thurs., Mar. 3, and Fri., Mar. 4, 2011 at the Valley Forge Convention Center Full day CE Events: DKU FULL DAY CE, Springfield Country Club, 8:30-4:00 Wed., Feb. 2, 2011 – Dr. Gordon Christensen Fri., Jan. 21, 2011 – Dr. Christian Stappert Fri., April 15, 2011 – Dr. Dennis Tarnow Fri., April 15, 2011 – Drs. Woodell and Pissaro Thurs., May 12, 2011 – Dr. Mark Murphy [email protected] Monday Evening Meetings: Location: Normandy Farms, Blue Bell Day at the Park with the Iron Pigs Mon., June 20, 2011 Wed., Feb. 2, 2011 – Dr. Gordon Christensen Mon., Feb. 28, 2011 – Dr. John Martin Fri., April 15, 2011 – Dr. Dennis Tarnow Mon., April 25, 2011 – Dr. D. Walter Cohen Thurs., May 12, 2011 – Dr. Mark Murphy LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK Evening CE events – RSVP to Dan Daley: [email protected] Wed., Jan. 26, 2011 – Dr. Steve Jeffries Full Day CE Events Thurs., Feb. 3, 2011 – Dr. Gordon Christensen Wed., Mar. 23, 2011 – Dr. Paul Goodman Wed., April 6, 2011 – Mr. Hugh Doherty Wed., May 25, 2011 – Dr. Alan Stark Wed., May 11, 2011 – Dr. Dennis Tarnow CHESTER-DELAWARE DENTAL SOCIETY DKU Events – Contact Dr. Barry Cohen: Need to Reach the Second District Valley Forge Dental Association or the VFDC? ONLINE www.vfdental.org (Second District) www.vfdc.org (Valley Forge Dental Conference) Contact Tom Howley: [email protected] LEHIGH VALLEY DENTAL ASSOCIATION’S Please support the Valley Forge Dental Journal advertisers… they are supporting you! PHONE 1-800-854-8332 VFDC 1-800-860-3551 SD FAX 1-610-340-2585 VFDC 1-941-358-3034 1-610-395-5669 SD E-MAIL MAIL 4781 Steeplechase Drive Macungie, PA 18062 [email protected] [email protected]