Dentistry from the Heart

.

Last Friday, October 22, I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Vesna Sutter, Dr. Gregoray Doerfler, and Dr. Richard Rosenblatt in Geneva, IL at Sunrise Dental Care. We had the opportunity to help those in need with their dental issues. Along with volunteers from each office, including Siraj (office manager at Oak Brook Smiles), Mariza (Lead Assistant at Oak Brook Smiles) and Cristy (Mariza's classmate in Dental Assisting school), we were able to provide cleanings, extractions, and fillings at no cost to over 50 patients! It was a great time and a great cause!

Excerpts from Dr. Haque's new book: "Dental 101"

It's in the publishers' hands, but I can't wait to share this with everyone! This book has taken me over 6 months to complete, and on this blog, I am going to give you all a taste of what is to come.

Introduction to Dental 101:

The 101 Factors You Should Know Before Going to the Dentist

There are many factors to consider when making any decision. Many of you have been in this type of situation: an important evening is coming up, like a loved one’s birthday, anniversary, graduation, or meeting is happening. You have to pick a great restaurant to go to. When deciding on a new restaurant, you will do a little research. You may look at the Zagat ratings, which give a nice description of the restaurant, along with ratings of food, décor, service, and cost. You may ask your friends or family about their experiences at their favorite restaurants. You may look at the restaurant’s website. You may read a review from the local newspaper. You consider a number of factors: the type of food and drinks they serve, the ambiance, the availability, the location, the quality, the reviews, the reputation, and on and on. Whatever the case may be, you think about it before you decide. Going to a restaurant is a fun experience usually, and I hope that when you find the right dentist, you will get that same feeling, especially after you read about the 101 factors listed in this book.

Dentistry is a profession that has been around since at least 7000BC: the first evidence of dental procedures was found in a Neolithic graveyard in western Pakistan.[i] Dentistry has evolved dramatically in the last 20 years, with the emergence of dental implants to replace missing teeth, the popularity of whitening[ii] and porcelain in the new era of esthetic dentistry, and most recently, the introduction of laser dentistry and 3D digital dentistry. In this new age of dentistry, you want to know the following 101 factors to make an informed decision about your oral health and dental care.

Going to the dentist is an extremely important aspect of your health. When choosing your dentist, make sure they are aligned with your hopes and wants. Verify that you are being listened to, respected, and valued.

The goal of this book is to help you to understand the one-hundred-one factors that I believe will be found when you walk into a dentist’s office that deserves to have you as a patient. My office’s goal and my team’s goal is to embody these 101 factors. We are a work in progress, and hope to achieve these factors to the best of our ability every day. Does it always happen? No, but we try our best every day, and when we realize we have not embodies all of the factors, we step back, look introspectively, and get it right.

Dentistry is a science that is constantly evolving with vast advancements and improvements over the last couple of decades. Over time, new factors will emerge, and many of new factors will be written.

You can read this book cover to cover. Good for you if you can! You are well on your way to becoming a dental dork like me!

You can look at chapters that address certain topics and reference them, or look at individual factors. You have full control over how you choose the right dentist for you. In other words, you make the call!

You have just made an important step toward creating the smile of your dreams. By reading this book, you will gain some insight into the importance of oral health and understand what factors to consider when choosing the right dentist for you. There are hundreds of aspects to consider, and this book discusses 101 of them. Thus the name: Dental 101.

Who enjoys going to the dentist? You would be surprised. Once you find the right dentist, the right office with the right attitude and the right fit for you, going to the dentist can be as pleasurable as going to the salon, spa, coffee house, or favorite restaurant.

Some of you may think that going to the dentist is scary, but it no longer needs to be. Sedation and new pain-free techniques have made dentistry extremely gentle and pleasant. You have options, and there are thousands of dentists around the U.S. that will take amazing care of you.

The objective of this book is to help you understand dentistry, to educate you about oral health, to determine what you want to achieve, and to help you find what you are looking for in a dentist.

There are many choices available to people today. With the advent of the internet and Google, finding a dentist is as simple as a search for Dentist followed by your zip code. How do you know you will get what you are looking for? How do you get the service you deserve? How important is it to you to get the quality you deserve? What are you looking for in a dentist?

These topics will be discussed at length. Before we begin, I must warn you: I am male, and I write from the male perspective. Just know that “he or she” and “his or her” in terms of the dentist make things difficult to read and write, so you will see “he” in reference to “the dentist” often. Female dentists are amazing caretakers, a huge asset to dentistry, and quickly making up more and more of the dental landscape. I apologize for the chauvinism.

With that said, let’s start with the foundation: The reasons to go to the dentist.

---

[i] Coppa, A., et al. Early Neolithic tradition of dentistry. Nature. 2006 Apr 6:755–756.

[ii] Matis BA, et al. Review of the effectiveness of various tooth whitening systems. Oper Dent. 2009 Mar-Apr;34(2):230-5.

Oak Brook iCAT Offers a Cutting Edge Approach to Dental Implant Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

This is an article that was published: http://www.pr.com/press-release/160022

Oak Brook iCAT is the New Age in Dental Implant Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
Oak Brook iCAT Offers a Cutting Edge Approach to Dental Implant Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

Oak Brook iCAT is the first Imaging Center of its kind to find a home in the suburbs of Chicago for dental specialists and dentists to diagnose, treatment plan, and follow their dental implant patients.


The buzz word in dentistry today is implants. They are an amazing way to restore function and form to anyone who has missing teeth. They are the best way to replace missing teeth and according to Dr. Gordon Christensen, the top dental lecturer in America, "Dental implants are the standard of care for missing teeth."

In today's day and age, diagnosis, imaging, comprehensive medical history, and treatment planning need to be thoroughly evaluated before placement of any dental implants. All of these factors help decrease risk to both the patient and the doctors placing and restoring dental implants.

Imaging is a vital component of the diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow up for any patient undergoing dental implant treatment. The only way to have complete safety and security is with a CT scan prior to placement of dental implants and during follow-up care.

The i-CAT is the state-of-the-art in dental digital imaging technology today. It delivers imaging quality demanded by today's practitioners. Benefits of the i-CAT Cone Beam 3-D Imaging System include:

- Immediate 3-Dimensional images of a patient's critical anatomy

- Complete views of all oral structures allowing dentists & specialists to dramatically enhance patient care

- Open Environment seated position

- Only an 8.5 second scan time

- Processing time in under 1 minute

- Dramatically lower radiation compared to traditional medical CT scans

- Immediate 3-D reconstruction of a patient's mouth, face, and jaw

- Enhances communication between the doctor and the patient

- Allows doctors to share a visual diagnosis with their patients

- Patients better understand their treatment options

- Patients have more confidence going into treatment

- 3-D Mapping Tools allow specialists and technicians to treatment plan more involved situations

Now oral surgeons, periodontists, oral implantologists, and dentists in the suburbs have a place for their patients to get CT Scans in the west suburbs: Oak Brook iCAT.

Oak Brook iCAT Imaging Center is located in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois and provides patients and referring doctors with a quality CT scan on disk. At Oak Brook iCAT, the i-CAT 3-D Dental Imaging System is used to take a Cone Beam 3-D CT scan in one location. This is a new standard of care for the periodontists, oral surgeons, oral implantologists, and dentists. The i-CAT allows dental specialists and dentists to obtain a 3-Dimensional view of specific targeted regions for diagnostic and treatment planning purposes.

Traditional Catscans have been available at hospitals and x-ray centers for many years, but those systems emit a very large dose of radiation. The i-CAT emits a dose less than equivalent of 4 days of standard background radiation. The scan time for the i-CAT is 8.5 seconds, which is also much shorter than traditional CT scans. An astounding amount of information is given in one scan including a panoramic view, a cephalometric view, 3D rendering, TMJ evaluation, and airway evaluation.

With an i-CAT CT scan, skeletal, hard tissue (teeth), soft tissue and other anatomical features can be studied in great detail after just an 8.5 second scan with less radiation than a complete full mouth dental x-ray series.

Oak Brook iCAT scan center is run by Dr. Umar Haque, an oral implantologist and dental radiologist. Dr. Haque is a Fellow in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and a Fellow in the American Dental Implant Association. Oak Brook iCAT is a subsidiary of Oak Brook Smiles. Dr. Haque added, "The i-CAT’s high resolution, volumetric images provide complete 3-D views of critical anatomy for more thorough analysis of bone structure and tooth orientation to optimize implant treatment and placement, and selection of the most suitable implant type, size, location, and angulation prior to surgery." Anyone considering dental implant therapy should definitely ask their dentist or specialist if a CT scan will be used for diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up care.

Oak Brook i-CAT is located at 1S132 Summit Avenue, Suite 200 in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. They can be reached at 630-627-2520, and are available online at http://www.oakbrookicat.com/

Dr. Umar Haque, a Local Dentist, Adds FADIA To His Name

Dr. Umar Haque is a general dentist practicing in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. This month, he was awarded the title of Fellow in the American Dental Implant Association (ADIA).

The goal of the American Dental Implant Association is to encourage collaboration and communication among the top dental professionals placing dental implants.Dr. Haque has been placing dental implants for over 7 years and has been requested to become a member of the prestigious American Dental Implant Association.

The ADIA Fellowship Certification is rigorous, demanding six steps be completed in order to gain the title of Fellow. One must complete 150 hours of course credits in implant dentistry, pass the written Fellowship multiple choice examination, pass the oral Fellowship examination, provide three lettersof recommendation from current ADIA Fellows, submit a current curriculum vitae, and attend the Annual Conference induction ceremony. The title of Fellow with ADIA gives Dr. Haque the ability to add a few more letters after his name: FADIA (Fellow of the American Dental Implant Association).

The organization was founded by Dr. Arun K. Garg, founder of Implant Seminars, the world’s largest dental continuing education company. Dr. Garg created the American Dental Implant Association in response to overwhelming requests for more credentialing and credibility by establishing recognition models.

The American Dental Implant Association aggressively promotes collegiality, friendship, and practice growth. “This is the top forum for an exchange of a vast amount of niche information through annual symposiums of like-minded individuals to receive the latest information in the dental implant field, in a familiar, supportive community. Our main goal is to better serve our affiliate of well-trained clinicians, like Dr. Umar Haque,” said Dr. Garg.

The American Dental Implant Association’s Executive Director Fiorella Samaniego said “Each clinician may obtain the fellowship, mastership and diplomat status provided they meet the requirements for continuing education (CE) hours and pass a written examination”. Scheduling for exams is vital, so awards can be given in a timely manner at the ceremonies, the most recent one was held at the annual symposium on April 24, 2009 in Miami, FL. "Dr. Haque has exhibited excellent patient care in the cases that have been submitted for approval by the Board of the ADIA. His dental implant techniques, bone grafting, and soft tissue management have shown us that he is certainly qualified to be a Fellow in the ADIA."

Dr. Haque was honored to receive the Fellowship stating, "It is a privilege to have earned the respect of the finest dental surgeons, implantologists, dentists, and scholars in our field. It’s even more exciting to see the progress and advances that have become available to my patients that were unheard of 10 years ago. It is an amazing service for my patients, and I am looking forward to getting involved with the ADIA.”

Dr. Umar Haque maintains a private dental practice in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois called Oak Brook Smiles. He attended the University of Connecticut and graduated with a D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry). He completed a post-graduate residency in hospital-based dentistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and at the University of Chicago. He has completed over 250 hours of CE over the last year in Implant Dentistry and Cosmetic Dentistry. He also has completed a Fellowship in Implant Dentistry with the International Congress of Oral Implantology. His office tries to recreate a spa-like atmosphere and his services include cosmetic and implant dentistry, sleep apnea treatment, TMJ dysfunction treatment, laser dentistry, fluorescent oral cancer screenings, and digital radiography including a digital CT scanner for exceptional patient care. His office is online on Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Blogspot, and Twitter. His office phone number is 630-627-7420.

Can You Really Get Teeth in a Day with Dental Implants?

Oak Brook, IL April 19, 2009 -- The echoes of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine could almost be heard during the morning hours before Dr. Petrungaro came to address over 70 dental implant specialists inside Implant Seminar’s conference venue. This location happened to have been the official recording studio where Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine recorded their first 8 award-winning albums and was also the studio of choice for legends such as Jimmy Buffet and REO Speedwagon. Although the mouth is wet, dental seminars can be dry, but not when Dr. Petrungaro takes the helm. The dentists in this crowd were unable to take their eyes off Petrungaro’s powerpoint slides and videos; and they couldn’t stop taking notes during his high-energy, robust, and crystal-clear delivery.

The seminar on immediate-loading dental implants was held in Miami, Florida from April 17-18, 2009. Dr. Paul brought his best cases forward, ranging from single tooth anterior cases to high-end full mouth esthetic dental implant cases . There is a large amount of debate within the dental community about the success rates of immediate-loading, or as some may refer to as “Teeth in a day”. Most of that controversy is based on techniques used years ago that had moderate to low success rates. Now with modern techniques, bone grafting, PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma derived from the patient’s own blood), CT scanning, and with today’s dental implants it is truly a reality. Dr. Petrungaro presented case after case after case describing not only his techniques, but the map that he uses to diagnose, treatment plan, and implement these techniques.

The course was one of six seminars during the Masters Series of Implant Seminars. Dr. Arun Garg, president of Implant Seminars, and considered one of the world’s preeminent authorities in dental implantology and bone grafting said he felt “Extremely proud” to be able to once again offer his students and colleagues the best professional faculty and practitioners. “Just by looking at how incredibly energized he leaves his students, it’s obvious it’s not just his virtuosic knowledge as a dentist, but also how extraordinarily engaging and entertaining he is… There is no doubt we will keep joining forces to educate dentists” declared Dr. Garg.

There were 70 dental implant specialists present at Dr. Petrungaro’s course in Miami. One of those, Dr. Umar Haque, was in the front row absorbing as much as he could. “I have never seen so much passion and excitement from someone. Dr. Petrungaro was extremely informative about the surgical techniques and never backed down from a tough question. He showed us some impressive dentistry, amazing lab work with Edgar Jimenez, and a new device called TempStent that will revolutionize the way teeth with dental implants can really be done in a day.” Dr. Haque left the seminar excited to get back to work at his private practice called Oak Brook Smiles, located in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. Dr. Umar Haque has been placing dental implants for 7 years, and he is looking forward to reading the dental literature that Dr. Petrungaro backed his work up with during the seminar.

About Implant Seminars: Implant Seminars was founded by Dr. Arun K. Garg. Since 1989 Dr. Garg has been teaching extensive hands-on surgical training workshops. With his textbooks on Dental Implant, Bone Harvesting and Grafting, Growth Factors for Dental Implants, being translated into eight different languages, Dr. Garg literally "wrote the book" on contemporary implant dentistry.Dr. Garg and Implant Seminars provide quality continuing education on the subject of dental implants and related topics. A variety of programs, in various locations are provided. New programs are continuously added so please come back often to the site to see the new programs.

About Paul Petrungaro: Dr. Paul Petrungaro graduated from Loyola University Dental School and completed an independent study of Periodontics at the Welsh National Dental School in the United Kingdom. He completed a residency, specialty certificate and Master of Science Degree in Periodontics from Northwestern University Dental School and formerly served as the Coordinator of Implantology for the university's Graduate Department of Periodontics. Dr. Petrungaro has maintained a private practice in Periodontics and Implantology since 1988. Dr. Petrungaro serves as a consultant to numerous biomedical companies and laboratories, and has contributed to many new innovations in surgical dentistry. He is a fellow of the International and American College of Dentists, and a Diplomat of the International Congress or Oral Implantologists.

About Umar Haque:Dr. Umar Haque maintains a private dental practice in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois called Oak Brook Smiles. He attended the University of Connecticut and graduated with a D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry). He completed a post-graduate residency in hospital-based dentistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and at the University of Chicago. He is a member of the American Dental Implant Association and Fellow of the International of the International Congress or Oral Implantologists. Dr. Haque utilizes a CT scanner and PRP in his multiple implant cases. His office is online on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and MySpace.

Website: http://www.oakbrooksmiles.com/

Dr. Umar Haque Invited to Join the Prestigious American Dental Implant Association

Oak Brook, IL April 19, 2009 -- Dr. Umar Haque is a general dentist practicing in Oakbrook Terrace, IL. This month, he was invited to join the American Dental Implant Association (ADIA). The goal of the American Dental Implant Association is to encourage collaboration and communication among the top dental professionals placing dental implants.

Dr. Haque has been placing dental implants for over 7 years and has been requested to become a member of the prestigious American Dental Implant Association.

The organization was founded by Dr. Arun K. Garg, founder of Implant Seminars, the world’s largest dental continuing education company. Dr. Garg created the American Dental Implant Association in response to overwhelming requests for more credentialing and credibility by establishing recognition models.

The American Dental Implant Association aggressively promotes collegiality, friendship, and practice growth. “This is the top forum for an exchange of a vast amount of niche information through annual symposiums of like-minded individuals to receive the latest information in the dental implant field, in a familiar, supportive community. Our main goal is to better serve our affiliate of well-trained clinicians, like Dr. Umar Haque,” said Dr. Garg. There will be an annual symposium from April 23 through April 25 this year at The Miami Implant Update.

The American Dental Implant Association’s Executive Director Fiorella Samaniego said “Each clinician may obtain the fellowship, mastership and diplomat status provided they meet the requirements for continuing education (CE) hours and pass a written examination”. Scheduling for exams is vital, so awards can be given in a timely manner at the ceremonies, the first one being held at the annual symposium in April 24, 2009 in Miami, FL. "Dr. Haque has exhibited excellent patient care in the cases that have been submitted for approval by the Board of the ADIA. His dental implant techniques, bone grafting, and soft tissue management have shown us that he is the type of dentist that the ADIA wants in its fold."

The American Dental Implant Association will also become an embedded feature of the scholarly publishing landscape. Members receive an academic journal on dental implantology and those who demonstrate a genuine interest in establishing credibility through journal publishing and wish to contribute to the upcoming American Dental Implant Association publication are also welcome. Dr. Umar Haque will be contributing to the ADIA Journal regularly, and presenting many of the dental implant cases that he has completed.

“Credentialing and credibility go hand-in-hand,” said Dr. Garg. “We will offer our members myriad of ways to advance themselves and their careers. Dr. Umar Haque has exhibited the kind of dentistry that qualifies admission into the American Dental Implant Association." The ADIA has its next meeting scheduled next week at the Miami Implant Update which runs from April 23-25, 2009. Dr. Umar Haque has been invited to participate and present his most challenging implant case on Friday, April 24, 2009.

Dr. Haque was honored to be invited stating, "It is a privilege to have earned the respect of the finest dental surgeons, implantologists, dentists, and scholars in our field. It’s even more exciting to see the progress and advances that have become available to my patients that were unheard of 10 years ago. It is an amazing service for my patients, and I am looking forward to getting involved with the ADIA.”

Dr. Umar Haque maintains a private dental practice in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois called Oak Brook Smiles. He attended the University of Connecticut and graduated with a D.M.D. (Doctor of Medical Dentistry). He completed a post-graduate residency in hospital-based dentistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago and at the University of Chicago. His office tries to recreate a spa-like atmosphere and his services include cosmetic and implant dentistry, sleep apnea treatment, TMJ dysfunction treatment, laser dentistry, fluorescent oral cancer screenings, and digital radiography including a digital CT scanner for exceptional patient care. His office is online on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, MySpace, and the office website is: http://www.oakbrooksmiles.com/. His office phone number is 630-627-7420.