General News

NYU Dentistry Names Leena Palomo Chair of Ashman Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry

LEENA PALOMO, D.D.S., M.S.D., an accomplished dental educator, clinician and researcher, has been named chair of the Ashman Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry, effective Sept. 1.

Dr. Palomo joins NYU Dentistry from a tenured professor of periodontics. She brings over a decade of collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic and the Center for Specialized Women’s Health to her new position. Her research interests include women’s health, aesthetics and quality of life. She has mentored numerous dental and medical postgraduate students, who have received accolades and honors for the quality of their theses.

Through her collaborations, she played a key role in periodontal research and treatment for the rheumatoid spectrum diseases, speaking at many national and international Sjögren’s and rheumatology meetings, and publishing her findings on wellness in multidisciplinary and interprofessional journals. As department chair, she will integrate the knowledge gained through her extensive international collaborations to make the Ashman Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry the global leader in both predoctoral and postgraduate periodontology and implant dentistry education.

Dr. Palomo received her bachelor’s, dental and master’s in dentistry (periodontology) degrees from CWRU, and a certificate in periodontics, also from CWRU. She earned a certificate in general practice from the St. Elizabeth Health System.

A diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology (ABP) and longtime examiner for the ABP, Dr. Palomo was recently elected ABP Director. She continues to work with the ABP to define and test the ideal skillset of knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a diplomate-level periodontist.

Leena Palomo

UB Research Lays Groundwork for Improving Success of Medical and Dental Implants

WHEN DENTAL IMPLANTS ARE INSERTED, saliva or blood plasma immediately coat them. The implants adsorb a thin layer of proteins from these fluids that help gum tissue attach, but also allow microorganisms— including potentially harmful bacteria—to grow on the implant surface.

The surface of implants, as well as other medical devices, plays a significant role in the adsorption of oral proteins and the colonization by unwanted microorganisms (a process known as biofouling), according to a new study led by the University at Buffalo and the University of Regensburg.

The research, published in the Journal of Dental Research, sought to increase scientists’ understanding of this complex biological process by examining the makeup of the oral protein layer and how it can be controlled by chemically modifying the biomaterial surface. The findings lay the groundwork for improving the success of medical and dental implants, says co-lead investigator Stefan Ruhl, D.D.S., Ph.D., professor of oral biology in the UB School of Dental Medicine.

“It is often this protein layer, rather than the biomaterial surface, that is encountered by colonizing bacteria or attaching tissue cells. These proteins help determine the biological or pathological consequences that result in either long-term survival of the implant or its failure, along with irreversible damage to the surrounding tissues from infection,” says Ruhl. “Therefore, it is important to determine how adsorption might be controlled through chemical modification of the biomaterial surface to achieve a desired outcome.”

The study was also co-led by Rainer Müller, Ph.D., professor at the Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Regensburg in Germany.

Using silica beads designed in Müller’s lab with various chemically modified surfaces, the researchers found that the adsorption of proteins from blood plasma is more influenced by the amount of protein adsorbed than by the composition of the protein layer.

However, the adsorption of proteins from saliva was directly impacted by the biomaterial’s surface. Adsorption was lower on surfaces that had a negative electric charge or that repelled water, countering the findings of previous studies.

When examining complex biofluids such as saliva and blood, adsorption became unpredictable for the majority of proteins, says Ruhl.

The model system of chemically modified silica surfaces developed by the researchers may serve as a platform to study the basic principles of protein adsorption from complex biofluids.

Additional UB School of Dental Medicine investigators include alumnus Yegor Dukashin, D.D.S.; alumna Janet Mark, D.D.S.; Gregory White, D.D.S., volunteer clinical assistant professor; and alumna Stephanie Wu, D.D.S.

Heart Association Revises Infection Guideline

THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (AHA) has updated its 2007 guideline “Prevention of Viridans Group Streptococcal Infective Endocarditis: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association.” The 2021 AHA scientific statement on prevention and infective endocarditis no longer recommends the use of clindamycin as an oral or parenteral alternative to amoxicillin or ampicillin in individuals with allergies to these drugs because clindamycin “may cause more frequent and severe reactions than other antibiotic used for [antibiotic prophylaxis]” (including C. difficile infection).

The AHA continues to recommend infective endocarditis prophylaxis only for categories of patients at highest risk for adverse outcome. The current medication regimes recommended (when indicated) are listed in Table 2 of the 2021 AHA scientific statement. To learn more, view prevention of infective endocarditis: ADA oral health topics- antibiotics-prophylaxis.

New York State to Train Public Health Responders

APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED for the New York State Public Health Corps Fellowship Program, a first-in-the-nation program that will assist with immediate COVID-19 response and vaccination efforts and strengthen local and statewide workforce capacities required to respond to future public health emergencies. The program will provide up to 1,000 full-time, paid positions with placements at the New York State Department of Health, local health departments outside of New York City or other public health departments throughout the state. Among eligible applicants are dental professionals. For information and to apply, visit www.ny.gov/programs/ new-york-state-public-health-corps.