# **TO: Area Dental Officers, Headquarters Dental Staff** 

# **FROM: Director, Division of Oral Health**

**SUBJECT: Dental Conf. Call Minutes of 8 May 2007**

**DATE: 11 May, 2007**

Aberdeen: Dr. Bernstein

Alaska: no representation on call

Albuquerque: Dr. Good

Bemidji: Dr. Jackson

Billings: Drs. Troyer, Vesbach

California: Dr. Riggio

Nashville: no representation on call

Navajo: Dr. Cadieux

Oklahoma: Dr. Smith,

Phoenix: Dr. Huber

Portland: Dr. Crow

Tucson: Dr. Temlock

Headquarters: Drs. Halliday, Van Pelt, Blahut, Lozon, Schaeffer

CDE: no representation on call

NOHC: Dr. Holmes

BoP: Dr. Makrides

# **[Budget Update (Dr. Halliday)]{.underline}**

FY2007: The IHS DOH still has not received our operating budget for the
fiscal year. Dr. Halliday is working with OFA to obligate funds on a
limited-basis, operating off of the assumption that our FY07 budget is
"flat-lined" at FY06 levels. When funds are send to an Area and/or SU,
the ADO will be informed.

CHS funding, contract support costs and facilities funding is in limbo
at the moment awaiting decisions on the final budget. Depending upon
whether or not caps are placed on the above listed expenditures, it may
impact the operating budgets of several other IHS programs. Therefore,
the HQ Divisions have not yet received FY07 operating budgets.

FY2008: The FY08 budget discussions are currently taking place (in
conference) and there is not any news to report.

FY2009: Dr. Halliday and Dr. Lozon will attend at FY09 budget narrative
meeting this afternoon. Preliminary budget narratives will be due to the
DHHS next Monday.

**[Recruiting Update (Dr. Lozon)]{.underline}**

-   A-L Last Name Recruitment candidates handled by Dr. Jim Schaeffer.

-   M-Z Last Name Recruitment candidates handled by Dr. Lynn Van Pelt

-   No need to remember which HQ employee to refer candidates to; as a
    generic e-mail address was set up <DentalJobs@ihs.gov> . The e-mail
    arrives in Drs. Lozon, Schaeffer, and Van Pelt's inbox and the
    appropriate HQ contact will address the inquiry.

-   \$60K AB policy development as of 3 weeks ago was that they see no
    reason why the policy will not be approved. Dr. Halliday and Dr.
    Lozon requested an update from LCDR Jen Mosser on all the dental pay
    issues including this recruitment bonus for Commissioned Officers.

**[U.S. Army Residency (Drs. Halliday and Luciano)]{.underline}**

-   Invited Guests: COL Kay Malone, Chief Graduate Dental Education

COL John Luciano, Dental Corps, Corps Specific Branch Proponent Officer

CAPT Nick Makrides, Chief Dental Officer, BOP

CAPT Deborah Noyes, Chief Dental Officer, USCG

-   Discussion over USPHS Dental Officers attending the one-year AEGD
    residency managed by the United States Army

**[Loan Repayment Program (Dr. Lozon)]{.underline}**

-   Dr. Lozon reported that in the May 2007 round 5 of LRP awards there
    is \$53K left for Dental awards. After today's call, a request for
    an extension arrived....there is now \$28K left for the May 2007
    round.

-   Dr. Lozon was informed by Carla that the PSC pays all RQ submitted
    by IHSLRP to awardees. PSC has given them a June 30, 2007 deadline
    to have all RQ in to them by June 30, 2007. Dr. Lozon has questioned
    this practice as it does not seem like a good idea to lose a
    candidate if a site is willing to pay sLR even after the June 30,
    deadline established by PSC.

-   Dr. Lozon shared an electronic copy of the 2007 IHSLRP Federal
    Register notice with all ADO's today via e-mail. Those sites wishing
    to provide sLRP above the national programs maximum limit can do so
    up to \$35K plus a tax allotment per year. Dr. Lozon will ask follow
    up questions to IHSLRP and share the answers with the ADO's.

# **[National Oral Health Council (Dr. Holmes)]{.underline}**

Again, our main emphasis this year is the development of the NOHC
portion of the DOH website. We have found this process of getting
information onto the website much slower than expected. We hope to be
able to post concise information that will help the clinician in the
field. Examples:

Clinical Alerts:

Bisphosphonates guidelines

Infective Endocarditis Dental Prophylaxis Recommendations

Clinical Essentials:

Extractions in pts. on Anticoagulation meds and/or blood thinners

Oral infections guidelines

Research

Ongoing research grants and locations

Potential research projects

Dr. Tammie Gibson has received over 20 nominations for the Clinical
Excellence awards. The areas with the fewest nominations are the hygiene
and dental assisting categories. We encourage you as ADO's to recognize
those outstanding clinicians in your Areas.

I would also like to include a very abridged form of the ADO minutes
that Dr. Blahut puts out each month into our NOHC minutes which will be
posted on the website. This will help in the dissemination of critical
information to the individual in the field. However, Dr. Halliday would
like your approval before we do this. I have sent an example of the
abridged form for the April ADO minutes for your review. Please e-mail
me any comments or concerns.

# **[CDE (Dr. Kinney)]{.underline}** 

# No report submitted.

# 

# **[IHS Dental Updates (Dr. Kinney)]{.underline}** 

No report submitted.

# **[GPRA (Dr. Blahut)]{.underline}** 

# No new data or progress reports have been received. We will discuss available data in detail at the ADO / HQ meeting.

# 

# **[Radiology Update (Dr. Lozon)]{.underline}**

-   Dr. Lozon shared an e-mail with ADO's on 5-7-2007 from Mr. John
    Smart indicating that Mary Lou Stanton (HQ) has committed to funding
    the FY 2008 dosimetry badge contract. This gives programs one full
    year to develop their policies and arrange for any badges needed on
    their own.

-   Mr. Smart asked DOH for access to ADA dental references for a Fact
    Sheet that he is developing. Dr. Van Pelt provided those references.
    Dr. Lozon suggested that once the fact sheet is made public, that we
    use it as a basis for discussion and perhaps invite Mr. Smart on a
    future call to answer questions.

-   Dr. Lynn Van Pelt will e-mail eCertificates for dental radiology
    training and other eDocuments regarding radiology training and
    testing to all ADO's.

# **[EDR Update (Dr. Chiarchiaro)]{.underline}** 

No report submitted.

# **[ADO Annual Meeting Update (Dr. Blahut)]{.underline}**

Draft agenda will be completed and distributed for comment this week. We
are to the point in scheduling time for our three day meeting where
additional agenda items will necessitate dropping current topics or
adding an evening session to accommodate new, additional topics.

Minutes: Dr. Van Pelt has volunteered to produce the minutes of our
meeting. Distribution of minutes was discussed briefly. Distribution of
minutes will be discussed at the ADO / HQ meeting in June, 07.

**ACTION ITEM:** Sleeping rooms within one block of HQ are now available
for reservation. Call the Ramada Rockville Inn at 301-881-2300, and ask
for the IHS dental meeting rate of \$162, reservation code #7279. If you
have any difficulty reserving a room at this rate, you should feel free
to ask to speak to Ms. Sandi Urso, Sales Manager.

Rooms are reserved for check-in no earlier than 4pm on Monday, 18 June,
and are available at this rate through Thursday evening, 21 June, for
Friday morning departure. All rooms are smoke-free. Each individual is
responsible for reserving and paying for their own accommodations.

These sleeping rooms will be held until 19 May for our group, and then
released for general sale. The only other hotel within walking distance
of HQ is significantly more expensive, and sold out for the week of 18
June, so you are encouraged to make your reservation at your earliest
convenience.

**[CPO Update / Deployments (Dr. Halliday)]{.underline}**

Dr. Halliday has sent, via email, his report from the last Combined
Surgeon General's Policy Advisory Council Meeting and Chief Professional
Officers/PAC Chair Meeting, April 26, 2007 . This is what he had
intended on covering under the conference call agenda item listed as
"CPO Update".

-   Reminder from the last three months: If you haven't already viewed
    it, I would encourage you (as well as all of the COs in your area)
    to read the Commissioned Corps Transformation Implementation Plan,
    dated 10/19/06. The document has been placed on the CCMIS website
    (<http://dcp.psc.gov/>) .

-   The roster of the first team of dental providers, for the USNS
    Comfort mission, has been released. There are two dentists on the
    roster (neither from IHS) and four dental hygienists on the roster
    (three are from the IHS).

-   The names of all IHS dental officers interested in deploying on the
    USNS Comfort AND who have supervisory concurrence has been forwarded
    to OFRD. OFRD has not yet assembled the roster of dentists and
    dental hygienists who will participate in the second, third and
    fourth missions on the USNS Comfort.

-   There will be an additional series of joint-missions with the U. S.
    Navy this summer, on the USS Peleliu. This series of missions will
    not have a dental care component, but will focus of assisting in the
    rebuilding/building of the public health infrastructures of the
    countries visited. Officers from any discipline may be considered
    for the deployments. More information will be distributed by OFRD.

**[MCRP Update (Dr. Blahut)]{.underline}**

DoJ advice received: students are considered volunteers, and are covered
by the FTCA. Payment to the students could jeopardize their status as
volunteers and their FTCA coverage.

Recent trends in dental cases: No new IHS dental cases. One new HRSA
dental case involving the extraction of the wrong tooth. This injury,
along with extractions resulting in nerve damage, are the two most
common procedures that result in malpractice suits.

At present, extraction of the wrong tooth is not defensible.
Post-extraction nerve damage can be defended, dependent upon excellent
documentation and informed consent.

ADOs requested further discussion of "time-outs," consent forms, and
related issues at the June 07 ADO / HQ meeting.

**[Other Topics]{.underline}**

Research opportunity: ADOs were asked to identify potential sites for a
fluoride varnish research project. Ideal sites: (1) relatively high
dental caries rate; (2) stable or "closed" community, where children are
likely to be present a few years after baseline; and (3) tribal
government willing to consider new interventions and research (in this
instance, there will be no true control group, and all participants will
receive treatment benefits).

Scheduling for the next two conference call was discussed. Dr. Blahut
pointed out that since at least 2002 (as far back as complete conference
call minutes go) the group declined to schedule a call in either June or
July each year due to the ADO / HQ annual meeting and to Dental Updates.

The group chose to schedule a June conference call, tentatively delete
the July call, and revisit the issue of a July conference call at the
ADO meeting if need be.

Update on the American Dental Association has proposed hosting an
"American Indian/Alaska Native Oral Health Access Summit". The date(s)
still have not been finalized and the ADA may postpone the summit until
sometime in FY2008. The ADA will hold a conference call next week to
discuss the results of the survey they recently sent out, re: dates for
the meeting. Dr. Halliday will participate in that call.

**[Area Reports]{.underline}**

Area Dental Officers and Area Dental Directors are reminded that they
are responsible for submitting written reports reflecting their comments
for these minutes. No one is taking notes during these calls. Each
individual participating on the call is asked to contribute a written
report reflecting his or her presentations, if any, on the call.

**Aberdeen**: No report.

**Alaska**: No representation on call.

**Albuquerque:** No report.

**Bemidji:**

The Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) will have their annual
conference in the Bemidji Area June 7-10. It will be held at the Mystic
Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake, MN. There will be a special program June
8, sponsored by the University of Minnesota for high school and college
students to explore career options in dentistry. On June 9, there will
be a banquet honoring Dr. George Blue Spruce, Assistant Surgeon General
USPHS (retired).

**Billings:** No report.

**California:** No report.

**Nashville:**

-   Nashville Area Dental Conference call held on 3-28-07, attended by
    22 dental staff (continues to increase each month). 1-hour CE
    presented -- Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BONJ) by
    Dr. Jim Osaki.

-   Attended Combined Councils Meeting in San Diego, participated as a
    guest with some National Oral Health Council meetings.

-   Scanned all of the Awards Cookbook for NOHC and sent back to them in
    PDF format for future posting on their web page.

**Navajo:** No report.

**Oklahoma:** No report.

**Phoenix:** No report.

**Portland**: No report.

**Tucson:** No report.

**[NEXT CALL]{.underline}**

The next scheduled conference call is Tuesday **5 June.**

Future calls: 7 August.

> File: ADOconfcall / 2007 / confcallmin0507