Other Ophthalmic Surgery Organ Transplantation Orthopaedics Other Osteoarthritis Osteoporosis Otitis Otorhino. Many fairgoers are uninsured, jobless or homeless and have no other access to medical care. The UCSF contingent will screen fairgoers of all ages for tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancer, AIDS and, for the first time, diabetes, said Nelson Artiga, DDS, MPH, UCSF professor of dentistry and director of the UCSF Family Dental Center at the UCSF-affiliated San Francisco General Hospital. Dentists traditionally have not screened patients for diabetes, though they are in a unique position to do so, said Artiga, who is also education and research coordinator for the fair. He said he hopes the pilot screening program will help set a national trend.
Dentists have to recognize their pivotal role in early detection of diabetes.
Gum disease has been recognized as an early manifestation of diabetes. Diabetes, which affects a disproportionate number of minorities, can lead to severe complications, including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness or loss of a limb. Many of the participating dentists are expected to join the UCSF group in screening patients at Su Salud the following day, he said. The fair is scheduled from 7 am to 3 pm at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds. Any question regarding a medical diagnosis, treatment, referral, drug availability or pricing should be directed to either a licensed physician or to the product's manufacturer.