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Dental Alumni Home 
Its In The Spit…
Thursday, October 22, 2009
1:15pm-4:15pm (3 CE credits)
This course provides an overview of recent research findings in oral biology, much of it from the faculty and students of the Department of Oral Biology at the University at Buffalo.
The Diagnostic Potential of Saliva
Learn about the broad diagnostic applications of saliva - ranging from forensic medicine to metabolic diseases or even cancer – and be informed about the great expectations for its future use, particularly for diagnosing or predicting dental disease. All dental professionals will gain a better appreciation of this fascinating body fluid and will be prepared to judge new salivary diagnostic kits soon expected to enter the market.
Diagnosis & Management of Salivary Dysfunction
Review a summary of the function of saliva, the basic elements in diagnosis of salivary dysfunction, and methods to treat and prevent salivary disorders. Efforts to restore the function of damaged salivary glands by tissue engineering and gene transfer will also be briefly discussed. Health care professionals can play a vital role in identifying patients at risk and/or with salivary dysfunction. Because of the oral-systemic connection, there is a need for dentists and physicians to work collaboratively to provide appropriate preventive and interventive techniques to maintain the health and well-being of these patients.
Latest Developments in Periodontal Medicine
Over the past decade a growing body of evidence suggests that poor oral health may influence overall health and well being. An increasing number of systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, pregnancy complications, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease and Alzheimer’s disease have all been associated with poor oral health, especially periodontal inflammation and infection. This presentation will review the most recent evidence on this subject and will point out the limits to our knowledge. All dentists and hygienists need to be familiar with this topic to educate their patients and to render appropriate care when indicated.
Recommended for...the entire dental team
Frank A. Scannapieco, D.M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo. He received his DMD from the University of Connecticut, and the PhD in Oral Biology and Certificate in Periodontology from the University at Buffalo. He directs the NIH funded Training Grant “Comprehensive Training for Oral Health Scientists.”Dr. Scannapieco is a past Associate Editor of the Journal of Periodontology and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Dental Research, Infection and Immunity and the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, and as a referee for over 40 medical, dental and scientific journals. He is an active member of the International and American Associations for Dental Research, American Society for Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Academy of Periodontology. He is a practitioner and educator of periodontics.
His research focuses on oral microbiology, molecular mechanisms of oral bacterial colonization, and the interface between oral and systemic health, especially the role of oral conditions in the process of respiratory infection. He has received substantial funding from NIH to support his research, and has authored or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters and abstracts.
Stefan H. Ruhl, DDS, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo. He received his dental and scientific education in Germany at the University of Göttingen, did his post-doctoral work at the National Institute of Dental Research, NIH, and then continued his academic career at the Dental School of the University of Regensburg, Germany, where he became a Professor of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology. In 2007 he joined the Oral Biology Department in Buffalo to devote his full effort to oral science. He is particularly interested in salivary proteins that mediate bacterial adhesion in the oral cavity.
Dr. Ruhl served on the editorial board of the Journal of Dental Research and as a reviewer for a number of dental, medical and scientific journals. He is a member of the International and American Associations for Dental Research, the Society for Glycobiology, the Consortium for Functional Glycomics as well as dental and scientific societies in Germany.
Libuse Anna Bobek, MA, PhD, received her PhD degree in 1982 from the Department of Biological Sciences at UB. She joined Oral Biology in 1988. Her major research interest is MUC7 mucin: regulation of MUC7 gene expression, and antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of MUC7 peptides. Her research is supported by NIH/NIDCR funding; she has co-authored 60 publications, and obtained patents in the field of antimicrobial agents.She has been a primary mentor for numerous PhD and MS students and a director of the PhD program for many years. She participates in teaching in the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral dental school curriculum, serves on numerous committees, including the Admission and Promotions Committees. She has served as a member of the NIH/NIDCR Study Section and as a member of the editorial board and a reviewer for journals in her field. She is a recipient of numerous awards, i.e. Exceptional Scholar-Sustained Achievement Award, Distinguished Alumni Award from the UB's Biological Sciences, and Honorary Member of the Buffalo chapter of OKU, a National Dental Honor Society.
UB School of Dental Medicine
Giving to the School of Dental Medicine