From the Director, Neal A. Demby, D.M.D., M.P.H., D-A.B.S.C.D.
Senior Vice President for Dental Medicine, Lutheran Health Care
T
he benefits of dental care are multidimensional and far reaching.
The state of one’s oral health can mean the difference between
comfort and pain, confidence and insecurity, disease and wellness—
even life and death. Poor oral health can affect a child’s ability to
learn or an adult’s ability to earn a living. Unfortunately, economic and
other barriers render needed oral healthcare an impossible dream for
many and little more than an afterthought for others.
With 235 dentists and more than 550 faculty members actively addressing the dental care needs of
underserved communities and populations in 155 community health centers in 19 states, the Caribbean
and international locations, Lutheran Medical Center’s Department of Dental Medicine impacts
individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools and communities in a truly extraordinary way. According
to estimates, in 2011 LMC Dental residents treated 250,000 patients, completing 742,000 procedures
valued at $53.5 million.
Our community-health-center/hospital-based approach is more vital than ever before. In the United
States alone, more than 2.6 million people slipped into poverty in 2011, an unfortunate standing with
which 47 million adults and children now struggle. A staggering 17 million children now have no access
to oral healthcare. In the 5-17 age group, tooth decay has become five times more common than asthma,
and preventable dental conditions are increasingly being treated in hospital emergency rooms. With the
nation’s 190,000 practicing dentists disproportionately located in middle to upper class communities,
there are 4,400 dental health shortage areas in which the community has no access to dental care. There
simply are not enough dentists serving the poor, chronically ill and those living in rural communities.
I am proud to report that 2011 witnessed the greatest increase of students enrolled in LMC Dental
since the inception of the program in 1974. We expanded our Anesthesia Program and received ADA/
CODA approval for new Periodontics and Orofacial Pain residency programs that will launch in July
2012 and October, 2012 under the direction of Dr. Edgard El Chaar and Dr. Omar Suarez, respectively.
We expanded our Pediatric Dentistry and General Dentistry residency programs into Alabama,
Florida, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia
and Washington, D.C. and brought 20 new community health centers into our fold, including Holyoke,
Massachusetts, and Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in Spokane, Washington.
On a sad note, 2011 also marked the untimely death of Dr. Silvia Perez-Spiess, developer and director
of the Pediatric Dentistry Program. Silva was an innovator, a consummate professional and all-around
wonderful person. She touched countless lives and will be greatly missed. Please take a moment to read
the tribute to her in this report. Daniel Kane, DMD, has assumed the role of director.
Thanks to Dr. Perez-Spiess and all the residents, faculty and staff who are the driving force behind Lutheran
Medical Center’s Department of Dental Medicine. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people benefit
from your passion and dedication to advancing your dental knowledge and skill while making a profound
difference in the lives of those who, without your service, would simply do without dental care.
That is an extraordinary impact.
Neal A. Demby, D.M.D., M.P.H.
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Lutheran Medical Center Dental Medicine
PostDoctoral DENTAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMS ANNUAL REPORT 2011-2012