Lasting Impressions | Fall 2015

CDM Impressions CDM RECEIVES $3.39-MILLION GRANT Dentists and other health care providers who treat patients with autism spectrum disorder require special training to understand the skills and tech- niques needed to care for this growing population. Romer Ocanto, D.D.S., M.S., CAGS, chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, has secured a $3.39-million grant from the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide this training to pediatric dentistry and advanced education in general dentistry residents over a five-year period. This is the third grant Ocanto has received from HRSA. Previous funding totaled approximately $3.5 million. The program will include the development of a curriculum addressing the transition of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder to adult dental care and aims to increase access to dental care for children and adoles- cents with special health care needs such as autism. “This funding will allow us to partner with community organizations and general dentists in Florida and throughout the Southeastern U.S. to enhance dental services available to patients with autism,” said Ocanto. Currently, the CDM has pediatric special needs dental clinics at NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development in Davie (shown above); NSU Dental Care at Kids In Distress in Fort Lauderdale; and Joe DiMaggio Chil- dren’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida; along with an adult special needs dental clinic in North Miami Beach. NSU has existing relationships with Broward Health Medical Center, the South Florida Autism Charter School, and the Autism Consortium/Broward County Public Schools to provide additional den- tal services to the special needs community. u This project is 100 percent financed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number D88HP20126 and Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry and Dental Hygiene for $3,398,452. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. ENDODONTIST HONORED FOR COMMITMENT TO UNDERSERVED PATIENTS Cameron Howard, D.M.D., M.Sc.D., was honored with the Spirit of Service New Practitioner Award for 2015 by the American Association of Endodon- tists (AAE). The award is presented to an individ- ual with less than 10 years in practice who has shown commitment to provid- ing dental treatment to underserved patients in the United States and abroad. Howard first began his work with dental mission trips as an undergraduate, observing and assisting dentists as they performed fillings and extractions at an orphanage and refugee camp in Kyrgyz- stan. He went on several other missions throughout college, dental school, and endodontic training to serve patients in Kenya, Honduras, and Mexico. After completing his endodontic training at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine, Howard moved to Tampa and began volunteering with Mission Tampa and its Mission Smiles mobile dental unit that provides emergency dental care to the homeless and underserved. Con- cerned that many savable teeth were being extracted, Howard met with the board of Mission Tampa and received approval to add endodontic treatment to the mobile unit’s services. Howard then reached out to corporate partners and secured $8,000 in donated and dis- counted endodontic equipment. Howard received his D.M.D. degree from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry in 2008 and earned his Certificate in Endodontics from Nova Southeastern University’s CDM in 2010. He has been involved with the AAE since his endodontic residency. He is currently a trustee for the AAE Foundation. u NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 27