Volunteerism: the gift of hope

Article Abstract:

The tradition of giving without financial reward, or volunteerism, reached a peak in America in the 1960s. At that time dentists were practicing on a volunteer basis in Appalachia. The Peace Corps and Vista were established and the American Dental Association (ADA) promoted dentistry in developing countries. The ADA started a program in Vietnam with the goal of establishing a dental school there. About 50 American volunteer dentists travelled to Vietnam between 1968 and 1973 to work on setting up the school while the war raged. The school opened in 1968 with 25 students and then expanded, until the withdrawal of the United States from Vietnam in 1973, which ended ADA involvement. Overall, Peace Corps applications now come in at a much lower rate than in the 1960s, but some dentists and dental students show their volunteer spirit by using their own means to bring dental care to people in need. An organization called Dental Health International staffs dental clinics in developing countries. A dentist named Dr. Kathryn Poleson practiced in Cameroon where she tended to the dental needs of people with leprosy and received several awards for her service, including the ADA Service Award. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Matthew 25 Dental Clinic treats poor people as part of a program designed to return people to employable status. A small fee is charged if patients can afford it to increase their self-respect. Serving in a charitable program often makes future volunteer service more likely, and it is therefore desirable to encourage young dentists to join volunteer projects. Volunteerism in the United States is on the increase again, with almost half the adult population volunteering in some form. According to polls, people's interest in local problems is increasing and they are acknowledging that government cannot solve all of them. This spirit may well lead to even more volunteerism. President Bush has done his part to encourage people to help others in his speeches and by establishing The Points of Light Initiative Foundation. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, History, American Dental Association, Rural health services, Volunteer workers in medical care, Medical volunteers

---

A life in science: Dr. Genco receives gold medal for research

Article Abstract:

A profile is presented of Dr. Robert J. Genco, dental researcher and recipient of the American Dental Association's 1991 Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research. Genco has been a prominent researcher for at least 20 years, having generated more than 200 scientific articles focused primarily on periodontics and periodontal diseases (diseases of the gums and other structures that support the teeth). He grew up in a small town in New York and had a keen interest in science from boyhood. Genco chose dentistry as a career, a field in which it is relatively easy to combine clinical and research interests. He was fortunate to attend a dental school where research was promoted, and the causes of periodontal disease where of particular interest. The role of bacteria, rather than plaque, formerly considered the cause, in this condition was under investigation. Genco specialized in this area and went on to obtain his PhD in immunology. In 1967, he became an assistant professor of oral biology and periodontology and began work to learn more about the role of antibodies in protecting against cavities. Genco became the director of the Buffalo Periodontal Disease Clinical Research Center in 1978, a major research center focussing on periodontal disease and its treatment. Research now aims to understand how the bacteria that cause these diseases work and how the diseases can be prevented. Another goal is to identify patients at high risk for periodontal disease. Genco believes that earning a PhD degree provides important training for someone who wants to carry out dental research. He acts as mentor to many students, transmitting both knowledge and enthusiasm. The Gold Medal Award will be presented, along with a $25,000 prize, at the annual meeting of the American Dental Association in Seattle in October 1991. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Causes of, Achievements and awards, Periodontal disease, Periodontal diseases, Dental research, Genco, Robert J

---

Urban dentistry: challenges and rewards

Article Abstract:

The stories of dentists working in urban practices focus on increased stress and competition. In Chicago a dentist works 18 hours a week at a Salvation Army clinic. A New York City dentist, who sees 35 to 40 private patients a week, considers malpractice insurance and rental fees to be the main problems in urban practice. A dentist discusses the impact of economic decline in Houston on his practice. An experienced dentist who has been in practice in Washington, D.C. for over 30 years stressed the importance of dentists becoming involved in the community and making their own connections. A dentist, who opened his practice 19 years ago in a nondescript neighborhood in San Francisco, finds treating patients with AIDS to be a challenge for him. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Cities and towns

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: The economic health of dentistry: past, present, and future. Understanding managed care
• Abstracts: Carpal tunnel syndrome in the mucopolysaccharidoses and related disorders. Diagnosis and management of inborn errors of metabolism
• Abstracts: An in-patient behavioural psychotherapy unit: description and audit. Deinstitutionalisation - from hospital closure to service development
• Abstracts: From the National Institutes of Health. Possible AIDS virus subgroup identified. Method developed to produce noninfectious particles of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus
• Abstracts: Changes in uterine blood flow during pregnancy. The effect of isosorbide dinitrate, a donor of nitric oxide, on maternal cerebral blood flow in gestational hypertension and preeclampsia

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.