Meeting Review: 2018 AAP meeting in Vancouver

Sierra Rendon / DTA

Tue. 30 October 2018

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, CANADA: The 104th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) was held Oct. 27 to 30 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Presented in collaboration with the Canadian Academy of Periodontology, the Japanese Academy of Clinical Periodontology and the Japanese Society of Periodontology, this meeting was a global experience for attendees.

There was no shortage of educational opportunities, as the schedule was packed tight with a wide variety of topics and programs to please everyone.

One of the highlights was a presentation by Dr. Burton Langer, who spoke on “Something Old, Something New: Avoiding the Things That Will Make You Blue” looking toward “Periodontics for 2019.” Langer was one of the first periodontists trained in osseointegration by Professor Per-Ingvar Branemark in 1983. His development of new modalities of therapy, such as the early re-entry procedure for bone grafts, the ridge-augmentation procedure, the subepithelial connective tissue graft and various flap procedures for implants, have become standard methods of treatment and are taught at dental schools throughout the world.

At the Opening General Session, Captain Mark Kelly, who spent more than 50 days in space aboard the Space Shuttles Endeavour and Discovery, shared insights on leadership, teamwork and success.

A Periodontal Career Fair offered an opportunity for employers and recent graduates to meet one another, network and get leads.

An all-new Speaker Studio, located in the exhibit hall, provided an opportunity for attendees to interact with speakers and moderators throughout the meeting. Course presenters were on hand for post-session conversations and Q&As in an intimate, small-group setting.

Altogether, this year’s meeting, which provided up to 25.5 continuing education credits, featured 45 courses and more than 30 new speakers. Ten redesigned program tracks included oral pathology, oral medicine and oral diagnosis; emerging concepts and innovative therapies; implant surgery and prosthetic rehabilitation; and periodontal plastic and soft-tissue surgery.

Members of the organizing committee of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions discussed findings from the recently updated disease classification. This event highlighted the newly developed staging and grading model for classification as well as offered an update to the implications on patient care and dental education.

There were many other educational offerings. “Future Horizons in Periodontology: Peri-Implant Disease and Associated Regenerative Alternatives” featured Dr. Fernando Suarez Lopez del Amo, Dr. Sivaraman Prakasam and Dr. Kevin Matthew Byrd. “Minimally Invasive Approaches for Multiple Tooth Recession” featured Dr. John Chao, Dr. Jim Janakievski and Dr. Homa H. Zadeh. “Joint Pre- and Postdoctoral Educators Workshop: Findings From the World Workshop, A Perspective for Educators” featured Dr. Jack Caton and Dr. Henry Greenwell. “Implant Surgery and Prosthetic Rehabilitation” featured moderator Dr. Nick Caplanis and Speaker Dr. Joseph Y. Kan.

In the exhibit hall, there were more than 300 booths showcasing the latest periodontal products, services and technologies.

Planmeca presented its new Planmeca Viso imaging system. The Viso system includes 2-D, 3-D and optional cephalometric modalities, and it’s designed to capture outstanding images at a low patient dose. “When we started this project, our goal was to create a CBCT system that would offer a fluent workflow and adaptability for different patient sizes and indications – not to mention uncompromised image quality even at the lowest doses,” said Timo Müller, vice president of Planmeca’s X-ray division, in a pre-meeting statement. “I am happy to say that we have exceeded this goal.”

At Dentsply Sirona Implants presented its SmartFix concept for the Astra Tech Implant System EV, designed with attention to the smallest details – creating innovations that make a big difference in helping you avoid workarounds, while achieving optimal outcomes for your fully edentulous patients.

At its booth, Nobel Biocare had a schedule of demonstrations where attendees could test Trefoil and X-Guide.

Another exhibitor, Versah, offers implant clinicians an alternative to the use of standard drills to prepare dental implant osteotomies with Densah Bur Technology. Rather than excavating bone tissue, Densah Burs densify bone through a process known as osseodensification. This is a novel biomechanical bone preparation technique used to place a dental implant. Consistent osteotomies and densification are important to implant primary stability and early healing. Attendees could visit the company’s booth for a hands-on opportunity.

At the AAP Member Resource Center, attendees could purchase AAP merchandise including scrubs; learn about future meetings; take a complimentary headshot complete with hair and makeup touch-ups; enter a drawing for a chance to win $150 in free AAP merchandise; and try their hand at Canada’s favorite winter sport (hockey).

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