Dental News - New AAP president outlines goals for 2018

Sierra Rendon / DTA

Wed. 11 April 2018

save

At the Chicago Midwinter Meeting in February, Dental Tribune had the opportunity to meet with newly elected Academy of Periodontology President Steven R. Daniel, DDS, a periodontist in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Here’s his update on the AAP and his perspective on the industry.

What advances have you seen in implant dentistry and periodontology, and how has this affected your practice and your teaching efforts?

A rise in the popularity of dental implants and its implications on periodontal disease — peri-implantitis treatment — has come to be a key component of periodontal care and on how we define disease. Implants, with the proper care, can last for many years. But they are not a fix-it-and-forget-it solution; they require care and maintenance from a periodontist

Additionally, regenerative procedures have been a game-changer in restoring gum and bone tissue, in turn restoring periodontal health. Membranes (filters), bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins can be used to encourage your body’s natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue. Eliminating existing bacteria and regenerating bone and tissue helps to reduce pocket depth and repair damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease.

With a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care, you’ll increase the chances of keeping your natural teeth — and decrease the chances of other health problems associated with periodontal disease. We believe the periodontist is in the best position to use this technology to treat ailing and failing dental implants.

Finally, a greater understanding of the perio-systemic link: the fact that gum health is a component of whole-body health. With links between periodontal disease and systemic disease, there is research that suggests that periodontal treatment might alleviate the severity of certain conditions, in turn reducing the length of hospital stays and medical costs.

What has been your experience with the American Academy of Periodontology?

I have been a member since 1983 and an active volunteer since 1998. I’ve held positions on the strategic planning, scientific oversight and editorial liaison committees. Additionally, I spent six years on the Board of Trustees before being elected to secretary/treasurer in 2014. I served as president of the Tennessee Society of Periodontists and a trustee for the Southern Academy of Periodontology.

As president, I am the spokesperson for the academy. This has been both an honor and a humbling experience. Meeting global leaders has demonstrated that periodontists the world over share the same goal: to work with our colleagues to restore and then preserve good oral health.

What are your specific goals for your time as AAP president?

My goals include the following:

Providing practitioners with tangible materials from scientific meetings; offering guidance that is useful in day-to-day practice; real-world perspective to what we discover about treatment modalities and instrumentation.
Offer tools and guidance for members in showcasing their expertise in periodontics and dental implant placement.
Further building collaborative relationships with general practitioners and dental professionals around the world; solidify our position as a resource and partner.
To use every means possible to educate the public about who periodontists are and the unique skill sets they bring to the table in providing comprehensive dental care for patients.

What do you think readers would be surprised to learn about the AAP?

Advocacy is a component of the academy’s work, particularly in the spaces of periodontal education and accreditation standards. Additionally, we want to ensure that periodontics programs serve the students who enter them and, in turn, produce quality professionals who will meet the needs of patients.

Every 10 years, the academy works with the ADA to recertify periodontics as a specialty. Only the AAP does this.

When is this year’s AAP meeting, and are there any highlights you can share?

This year’s annual meeting will be Oct. 27-30 in Vancouver, presented in collaboration with Canadian Academy of Periodontology, the Japanese Academy of Clinical Periodontology and the Japanese Society of Periodontology. Keynote speaker is Captain Mark Kelly, who spent a year on the International Space Station. It will include a global line-up of speakers representing the best and the brightest from the international periodontal community. More than 300 exhibit booths will be featured in the exhibit hall. We will have a curated slate of continuing education courses ranging from emerging trends in periodontics to more traditional clinical or basic scientific concepts. Finally, it will offer the chance to network and collaborate with fellow periodontists, including seasoned thought leaders and practitioners just launching their careers.

What is your passion besides dentistry?

I enjoy reading, especially history and biography. It is rare that I do not have a couple of books going. I also love music. I play the violin and guitar, have taken voice lessons for years and am learning the mandolin. Amateur radio is another hobby I enjoy. My call sign is NN4T and rarely does a day pass that I do not get on the air. After 45 years, the hobby still fascinates me. In fact, there is a radio on my desk that I can use between patients!