Dr. Ostler Organizes Medical-Dental Meeting

Dr. Lee Ostler
Oct 28, 2016

What many in our region and even our own patients don’t know is that Dr. Ostler is playing an increasing important role in healthcare both in our local community and across the nation. He is a former Board Member and Past- President of the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, which is a professional health organization of physicians and dentists and related health professionals and educators and researchers, dedicated to raising awareness of the health and disease connections between the mouth and the rest of the body.

In April three-hundred medical-dental health professionals joined together for the regions first Medical-Dental Health Summit and Reception in the Tri-Cities. In fact, it was one of the first of its kind anywhere in the country! The list of those attending was remarkable and spanned a wide cross-section of healthcare providers and administrators and educators from both within and outside of this region.

Many attendees noted that it was the single best and largest CME/CDE event they’ve seen in the Tri-Cities. Most notably, it was the first time physicians and dentists were able to sit and learn and earn CE credits – together!

A short movie-documentary was made from this event and about Dr. Ostler’s efforts to bring the medical and dental community together. It can be viewed by clicking here and using the password: freedom.

Two forces are combining which make this both timely and necessary:

  • Emerging science showing the links that tie oral health to general health, and
  • A changing healthcare marketplace which is now focusing on “patient outcomes” (another way of saying “improved health and lower healthcare costs”.

Bottom line – physicians, insurance companies and hospital systems NEED dentists & hygienists to improve health outcomes and lower their costs of delivering healthcare. What a great time for dentists to step up as a valued health professional within the broader healthcare community.

Dentists who understand the links between oral health and the body talk to their patients differently. They diagnose and treat using new tools, resources, lab tests and diagnostic protocols. They have zero tolerance for bleeding, infection, and for “watching” problems. They interact frequently with medical health professionals and are glad to be doing their part to improve the health of both their patients and the community at large.

Highlights from the conference include:

  • Inflammation is the common-thread underlying chronic lifestyle-related diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, periodontal disease, and kidney disease to name a few. Oral inflammation increases whole-body inflammatory burden.
  • Unresolved endodontic lesions and perio pathogens are strongly implicated in acute myocardial infarctions, as measured by the presence of bacterial signatures of oral and endodontic bacteria in heart attack thrombi.
  • Periodontal disease increases rate of atherosclerosis and perio treatment decreases rate of progression.
  • Obstructive sleep apnea sets off the inflammatory pathway. Dental and medical health professionals need to work together to assure proper airway development and management.
  • Bacterial DNA and inflammatory testing is now available and recommended for dental patients.
  • Physician – Dentist interaction is encouraged.

People/patients with health problems need to be sure they are receiving the appropriate diagnosis and advanced periodontal care in order to better protect their brain and heart health, and to minimize healthcare costs.

No Insurance? Our Patients Don't Need It!

With our new Preventative Care Wellness Program, you get all this for a low monthly fee:

  • Regular Professional Dental Cleanings
  • X-Rays
  • One Emergency Exam Per Year
  • Steep Discounts on Dental Treatment