Research

Periodontal Research
The department has been actively involved in research. Research has included three primary areas. The first has been the evaluation of immunomodulation in the treatment of periodontitis. Multiple investigations including the use of low dose doxycycline helped in the FDA approval of PeriostatTM as an adjunct in the treatment of adult periodontitis. The second involved the findings of our Mountain State Oral-Facial Microbiology Laboratory which was established in 1999 (but was inactivated in 2007). Combining resources of a dental research laboratory and a hospital clinical laboratory has resulted in a number of national and international presentations and publications. An example of this research was the submission of a paper that described a shift of periodontal pathogens of samples received to more non-traditional perioisolates, yeast, and pseudomonas. This reflected changes in environmental selective pressures.

The third has involved collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine and focused on oral health disparities found in Appalachia. The original 6.1 million dollar seven year grant has had an added supplement of 1.47 million and utilizes state-of-the-art statistical and molecular genetic approaches, evaluations of health behaviors, economic status, family structure, and family environment to determine if any of these factors impacts oral health. Once factors are identified, our goals will be to design oral disease prevention programs, hopefully helping to improve the oral health in Appalachia. Factors have been identified and intervention programs are being developed.

Department of Periodontics Tobacco Cessation Program
The Department of Periodontics instituted the first organized Tobacco Cessation Program in the School of Dentistry in the fall of 2002 by using a pilot program to gain information about the prevalence of smokers seen by predoctoral students in Clinical Periodontics.

Department of Periodontics faculty work with the students in implementing the Tobacco Cessation Program.

All periodontal patients who use tobacco are offered the opportunity to take part in the Tobacco Cessation Program. Any of these patients that have an interest in tobacco cessation are enrolled in the program and counseled about cessation. Appropriate pharmacological agents are prescribed to assist with cessation and the intraoral camera is utilized to show patients the oral problems related to tobacco use. If determined necessary, any lesions of concern are subjected to biopsy and referred to Oral Pathology for microscopic analysis.

All patients that are enrolled in the Tobacco Cessation Program are referred to A QUIT PHONE LINE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATE for them to gain additional information regarding their tobacco habit.

Research information gained from the Tobacco Cessation Program in the Department of Periodontics has lead to research publications and presentations and more will follow as the program continues.