NSU CDM Lasting Impressions Spring 2019

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 29 remembers the doctor’s name. We’ve made a lot of progress from where we started to where we are now.” Ocanto explained that not every ASD child is a candidate to be treated in a dental office. There are cases where doing so would be difficult and unsafe, such as those children who are severely medically compromised and have extensive dental needs or developmental disabilities that exacerbate dental anxieties. They must be treated in the operating room under general anesthesia. After the children “age out” into adulthood, den- tal care becomes challenging for those with special needs. The CDM’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program is included in the grants, allowing residents to interact with the parents in helping continue treatment for children transition- ing to adult dental care. Ocanto’s week includes teaching pediatric den- tistry classes to predoctoral students. He is the course director for several predoctoral courses and teaches special-needs dentistry in advanced dentistry class lectures. He also teaches residents how to provide dental care for children with ASD and other medi- |cally complex diseases. Additionally, Ocanto works with predoctoral and postdoctoral students in clinical work at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital; the Kids In Dis- tress dental clinic in Wilton Manors, Florida; and the Mailman Segal Center. NSU’s CDM pediatric and AEGD residents tell Ocanto they want to use ABA in their own practices, but financial reimbursement is a problem. “Medicaid pays for three visits, so parents often cannot afford to pay for extra visits,” he said. Ocanto said he hopes what is being accomplished at the College of Dental Medicine for ASD children will spur legislative changes to reimburse up to eight visits, the average number found to be successful for treating an ASD child. u “We’ve made a lot of progress from where we started to where we are now.” —Felicia Jehaluzi, parent FAST FACTS ROMER OCANTO, D.D.S., M.S. Hometown Caracas, Venezuela Education D.D.S., Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) dental school (1974) CAGS in pediatric dentistry, Boston University School of Dentistry (1984) M.S. in Education and dental public health residency, University of Florida (1990) Professional Venezuelan Navy and National Guard (dental officer) UCV dental public health department (faculty member) Creighton University School of Dentistry (assistant professor) NSU CDM’s Department of Pediatric Dentistry (professor and chair) CDM Leadership Roles Academic Executive Committee (chair’s committee) Appointments and Promotions Committee Strategic Planning Committee Sedation and Anesthesia Committee Honors 2016–2017 NSU Provost’s Research and Scholarship Professor of the Year Award 2017 NSU College of Dental Medicine Outstanding Achievement Award Personal single and the father of Annelise (36, a cantor in a conservative Pennsylvania synagogue), Daniel (32, a part-time chef and musician), and Emma Juliana (deceased) Hobbies running, cooking, traveling, and learning languages