ADA Foundation Caries Symposium with Dr. Bill Calnon

Dr. Bill Calnon, Vice President of Scientific Research at the ADA Foundation, spoke with Dr. John O’Keefe about the foundation’s upcoming symposium which will take place August 17 – 19, 2016. The symposium is titled: “If Childhood Caries is a Preventable Disease, Why is it Still a Problem?”

Highlights

Childhood caries is the single most common chronic disease of young children, commonly prevalent in poor minority populations. Numerous studies have been conducted to examine the epidemiology and etiology of childhood caries, and those studies have led to the development of products and techniques to address the problem. The widely shared understanding among researchers and public health experts is that childhood caries is easily preventable, yet, it is still considered to be the number one chronic disease among children. There seem to be obstacles to delivering a solution that go beyond the basic science. This symposium is designed to identify these obstacles, and to consider some approaches to overcoming those obstacles.

Topics to be addressed

• Establishing screening and treatment protocols at various venues
• Establishing a “continuity of care” plan: challenges and approaches that vary by venue
• Data collection: who, what, and how, at various venues
• Outcomes studies: designing studies that use the data to change policies

Additional Resources

• ADA Foundation
• ADA Symposium Information and Registration PDF and Online
• Give Kids a Smile

Dr. William R. Calnon

Dr. William R. Calnon, D.D.S., practices general dentistry in Rochester, N.Y. He is a member of the ADA Foundation’s Board of Directors, where he serves as vice president of scientific research.

Dr. Calnon was the 2011-2012 President of the American Dental Association. He is a past president of the New York State Dental Association, the Seventh District Dental Society and Monroe County Dental Society. In addition, he is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Dr. Calnon graduated magna cum laude from the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University and received his dental degree from University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine (UB Dental). He completed the General Practice Residency program at Eastman Institute for Oral Health (University of Rochester Medical Center) and currently chairs the Eastman Dental Center Foundation Board.