Penn Dental Medicine alumni are cordially invited to attend the Dr. Samuel I. Shames and Hilda B. Shames Visiting Lecture on Tuesday, April 8, 2008. Seating is limited to the first 50 individuals who register. Participants will receive one free Continuing Dental Education Credit.

Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease: Is there a relationship?
Presented by Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are characterized by reductions in bone mass, and may lead to skeletal fragility and fracture. In 1994, the World Health Organization defined osteoporosis as a bone mineral density level more than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of young normal women (WHO, 1994). Risk factors and treatment for osteoporosis and periodontal disease will be reviewed as well as the potential inter-relationship of the two diseases.

The results of a multicenter clinical study in 335 patients with periodontal disease will be received. Subjects were randomized to receive 70 mg of alendronate weekly or placebo. Subjects taking alendronate who had low mineral density at baseline had a significant improvement in alveolar bone height compared with the placebo treated subjects. Analysis of the safety data revealed no evidence of osseo-necrosis of the jaws.

Furthermore, in a separate retrospective study of 99 consecutive patients who were treated with dental implants after three years of alendronate treatment or no bisophosphonate treatment revealed no evidence of implant failure or osseo-necrosis of the jaws after a total of 10 years of follow-up.

In this course, we will weigh the risks and benefits of oral bisphosphonate treatment.

Educational objectives

1. To be able to describe osteoporosis
2. To be familiar with risk factors for osteporosis and its treatment
3. To learn about the latest evidence in the relationship between osteoporosis and periodontal disease
4. To have updated information about the safety of oral bisphosphonates in patients with dental implants and periodontal disease

Event information

The Dr. Samuel I. Shames and Hilda B. Shames Visiting Lecture
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Reception: 6:00-7:00 p.m., Lecture: 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Sig Siegel Alumni Center and Conference Room (2nd floor, Evans building)
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Robert Schattner Center
240 South 40th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104

To RSVP, send an e-mail to Susan Conroy at suconroy@pobox.upenn.edu.
Please note: Reservations for this event will not be accepted over the phone.

Presenter

Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat is the Morton Amsterdam Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, a position she has held since July 2003. She was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and subsequently received her D.M.D. degree from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Thereafter, she completed her program in Periodontology as well as a fellowship at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Jeffcoat served on the faculty of Harvard School of Dental Medicine and was the Rosen Professor and Chair of the Department of Periodontology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham prior to moving to Philadelphia.

Dr. Jeffcoat was elected to the Institute of Medicine in October 2005. She has served on the Advisory Council for the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research. She has also served on several A.D.A., and A.A.P. Committees. In 1995 Dr. Jeffcoat served as President of the American Association of Dental Research. Subsequently, in 2001 Dr. Jeffcoat was President of the International Association for Dental Research and was president of the Academy of Osseointegration 2004-2005. She served as Editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association from 2001-2004.

Dr. Jeffcoat is active in research, teaching and patient care.