2003 Annual Meeting Review

“The Hispanic Dental Association has completed another successful meeting,” said Martha X. Baez, RDH, MPH, HDA president. “The large participation of students and faculty from various dental schools around the country certainly enlightened the meeting,” she said. Students benefited tremendously from the event and learned about career opportunities available through various government agencies. Representatives from numerous scientific organizations, including the American Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the United States Public Health Service, the U.S. Navy, as well as private practitioners were on hand to answer students' questions.

Eugene Sekiguchi, DDS, MSEE, BSEE, President of the American Dental Association, and Associate Dean for International, Professional and Legislative Affairs at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry contributed a well-received Keynote address.

The scientific program included a panel discussion on workforce issues and issues related to legislative leadership and strategic planning toward achieving access to care for Hispanics. Clinically related presentations aimed to provide information on pediatric dentistry for the general practitioner and emphasized the need to address the care of Hispanic children. The scientific program also included presentations on improving clinical care from a multidisciplinary approach.

Topics included a therapeutics update, nutrition facts to better serve the Hispanic patient, oral manifestations of systemic disease, cardiovascular disease, and management of emergencies in the dental clinic. Other sessions focused on providing attendees with a summary of the scope, intended purpose, requirements and implications of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) for the oral health care provider, and discussed considerations for successful management of dentin hypersensitivity. The program closed with a panel discussion regarding issues pertaining to essential data for planning and monitoring oral health.

Speakers came from various academic institutions, government agencies and professional organizations. Representatives from numerous professional organizations, including the ADA, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, the National Hispanic Medical Association, the International Association of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Dental Association, the American Association of Women Dentists and the Hispanic Dental Association also met during the meeting to explore mechanisms of collaboration to better serve the population at large.

A record number of dental students and pre-dental students presented their oral health related research findings. Five faculty fellows also attended the event. We are grateful to the Department of Health and Human Services Administration, Division of Health Careers Diversity and Development, Bureau of Health Professions for sponsoring part of the meeting. We also recognize the corporate members and commercial exhibitors for their support and participation in the meeting. The Hispanic Center of Excellence – Dentistry that functions within the Dental School at San Antonio also supported a large number of dental and pre-dental students who presented research findings at the meeting. The Center of Excellence is supported by federal assistance through HRSA.

The HDA’s next annual meeting will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and in 2005 the HDA will meet in San Antonio. 2006 brings us to Los Angeles.