Oasis Discussions

Tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic disease in children and adults and is caused by bacterial imbalance occurring in the mouth. A team of Illinois bioengineers set out to know more about one particular bad bacterium, Streptococcus sobrinus, that accelerates tooth decay in some people. The team, led by Dr. Paul Jensen, has successfully sequenced the complete genomes of three strains of Streptococcus sobrinus. So, I invited Dr. Paul Jensen to tell us more about his team’s work and to give us insights on the impact of this work on oral health research. Dr. Jensen is Research Assistant and ...

We hear much talk about e-cigarettes: those who believe they are a safe alternative to conventional smoking and a tool to smoking cessation; and those who voice their concerns about the negative effects of vaping on overall health. The fact is: we don’t know much about e-cigarettes because research has yet to catch up with the fast and rising uptake of these devices. In a recent article published in Vascular Medicine, a team of German researchers undertook the first-of-its kind research to study the risk of vaping on the cardiovascular system. We have invited Dr. Klaas Fransen, corresponding author to tell ...

As a dentist, you walk a fine line when you step in the social media arena and you quickly find out that what separates your personal life from your professional one are sometimes few words that you type into your status. More importantly, for you as a professional, what constitutes ethical conduct becomes the mere subjective interpretation of what you post on your social media feed. Still, the issue is far more multidimensional then a simple status update. Although social media is widely used, it is still a powerful tool with a lot of unknowns waiting to be clarified around ...

Dr. Bob Wood, oral radiologist and forensic dentist at Princess Margaret Cancer Center, joins Dr. John O’Keefe in a series of video presentations that help clinicians to systematically review and interpret their radiographs. Using real clinical cases, Dr. Wood points out the required steps to get to an accurate interpretation that leads to a precise diagnosis.  This video presentation is the first in the series.  We would like to hear from you and know your thoughts and questions about this topic. If you wish to reach us, it’s quite easy: email us at oasisdiscussions@cda-adc,ca or call our toll-free number 1-855-716-2747. Until next time! ...

My conversation with Dr. Laurie Houston is the first in a series where she will be sharing her experience working on charitable dentistry missions around the world. Dr. Houston keeps a detailed diary of the-more-than19 international missions in which she participated. Dr. Houston is a semi-retired general dentist with a purpose for her dental expertise: to share it with the world.  If you wish to get more information on these dental missions or if you have a question for Dr. Laurie Houston, you can email us at oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca or call our toll-free number 1-855-716-2747. Until next time! Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis ...

I had the pleasure to speak with Dr. Richard Valachovic, President and CEO of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Every year, ADEA publishes statistical reports about dentistry graduating classes. I have come across the most recent report which analyzes data from the 2017 graduating class. Although these data are about students from south of the border, there could be multiple similarities between American and Canadian students. So, we wished to explore the topic and other facts stated in the report with one of the report authors. You can access a PDF copy of the report below in the resources ...

Dr. Firoozeh Samim is Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at McGill University. She sat down with Dr. John O’Keefe to share a case that didn’t go as hoped. A diagnosis of Lichen Planus turned to be a case of squamous cell carcinoma and Dr, Samim spoke to John about some of the lessons learned.  Dr. Samim is a Canadian and American Board Certified specialist in Oral Medicine & Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. She received her DMD from Shiraz University of Medical Science in Iran and went on to complete the Oral Medicine & Oral Pathology residency program at ...

I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with Dr. Saoirse O’Toole, Clinical Lecturer in Prosthodontics at King’s College London. Dr. O’Toole authored a flurry of articles about tooth wear and hypersensitivity and she came on to further speak about the latest in research on these topics. References for the articles that are the subject of this conversation are referenced below.  If you wish to leave a comment, ask a question, or make a suggestion to improve the content on our website, please feel free to send us an email at oasisdiscussions@cda-adc.ca or call our toll-free number 1855-716-2747. Until next time! Chiraz Guessaier, ...