Den 1200 Presentation on Ventilator Associated Pneumonia
At the Spring Wellness Fair of 2018, my group (Nancy, Basti) and I tried to make a connection between medical and dental health by presenting on Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP). VAP is a hospital acquired infection. It is an infection that is acquired when bacteria from the mouth are introduced into the lungs through the excessive use of a ventilator (a machine that helps you breath). A simple way to prevent the infection is to kill the bacteria in the mouth so they never reach the lungs. Something as plain as brushing the patient’ s mouth and wiping the soft tissues with antiseptic chlorohexidine can help stop the infection. We helped spread awareness about this condition so nurses and doctors at hospitals/nursing homes would be more inclined to maintain their patient’s oral health.
Literary Critique Assigment on VAP
This is what was handed to the audience as we explained the crucial difference toothbrushing can make in preventing the spread of this hospital acquired infection.
Pathology paper on Gingival Hyperplasia
Many patients are suffering from a condition known as gingival hyperplasia, which is an overgrowth of the gums. It is a more painful form of gingivitis which causes gums to become puffy, bulbous, swollen and bleed when brushing. There’s a specific form that is induced by taking certain types of medications, such as calcium channel blockers (hypertensive patients) and seizure medications. Many patients do not know the medications they are taking can cause the condition. If they do something as simple as subsitituting their medication for another one or even changing the dosage, they can help reverse the condition. I tried to educate people about this condition by writing a research paper on it, highlighting its symptoms, etiology, prevention and treatment. This was another one of those conditions that prove oral and systemic health are strongly related, so one must take care of his whole body to attain maximum benefits.
Drug Related Gingival Hyperplasia
Pharmacology paper on opioid abuse
The use of opioids, narcotics and other controlled substances has become rampant and a means of seeking pleasure by drug abusers. Dentists and hygeniests get wrapped up in the opiod crisis because many patients complain of fake dental pain to fill up on opioid prescriptions and continue their addiction, as these drugs can produce a sense of analgesia and euphoria. For my pharmacology term paper, I discussed how dental personnel can curb the nationwide opioid addiction by checking the drug registry before refilling prescriptions and prescribing substitute medications instead
Presentation on Tooth Fusion
In Histology class, Prof Billelo wanted each of us to present on a dental abnormality with histological etiology. I chose to present on tooth fusion. Fusion is when two tooth buds fuse into one, producing one large crown supragingivally instead of 2 separate teeth. The condition gives rise to hypodontia (or less than the normal number of teeth). It is currently important because many children who suffer from it have the two maxillary central incisors fused and it is very outwardly visible. It becomes a cause of concern for parents, though it does not transition into the permament dentition so parents should not be as worried.
Internship paper on Funding Shortages in hospitals
One of the greatest challenges I faced during my internship at Flushing Hospital was the lack of supplies, instruments and dental chairs at the clinic. While one patient was being operated on, there were five more waiting to be seen. I wanted to get to the root of this problem and through my research I found out that, many non for profit hospitals, such as Flushing have acquired quite a bit of bad debt due to improper medicare and medicaid disimbursement. In other words, when insurance doesn’t pay the hospital back for the procedures it has performed on a certain patient, the hospital acquires a bit of bad debt and has to make up for it by buying less supplies, cutting staff hours, and increasing patient intake. In my term paper highlighting the challemges faced by non profit hospitals such as Flushing, I tried to come up with strategies these hospitals can adopt (such as merging with larger teaching hoapitals) to overcome their financial crisis and deliver a better quality of medical care to all.
