Picture: Dr. Tony Iacopino with Jim Jaeger Esq., President of the Wisconsin Bar Association
On Sept. 15, 2006, Dr. Anthony M. Iacopino, incoming associate editor of Grand Rounds, was front and center for the Wisconsin State Bar Association. The title of his presentation was "The State of Geriatric Oral Health: Access and Reimbursement Issues for Seniors". The presentation highlighted the critical need for increased access to basic preventive oral health services, the failure of our federal/state Medicaid system, and the need for innovative transdisciplinary care models and new methods of reimbursement for dental services, especially in long-term care settings. As the connections between oral health and general health continue to be established, the legal profession has shown increased interest in the quality of life for the fastest growing segment of our population. It is likely that litigation will help to shape the nature of future reforms in these areas. The large audience was enthralled by the concept and implementation of Grand Rounds and expressed an interest in being able to utilize Grand Rounds as an important resource to learn about current issues in language they could easily understand. This represents yet another example of the important role that Grand Rounds is already serving with regard to collaboration among various professions.
On Sept. 18-19, 2006, Dr. Iacopino participated in an American Dental Association media training session for ADA spokespersons regarding current issues facing the dental profession including geriatric oral health. The ADA is aggressively developing a national transdisciplinary agenda for improving access and quality of dental care for older Americans. His article from the August 2006 volume of Grand Rounds entitled "Maintaining Oral Health in the Aging Population: Importance of the Periodontal-Systemic Connection in the Elderly" was distributed and discussed. Grand Rounds once again served as a valuable resource for fostering awareness and providing high-quality credible information upon which future approaches and policies can be designed. Dr. Iacopino is looking forward to further involvement with the ADA as the organization continues to develop its agenda for geriatric oral health.
