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"The longer you can look back, the farther
you can look forward.” - Winston Churchill,
1944.
The specialty of periodontics has a long history in civilization,
dating back to prehistoric, early Middle Eastern and Egyptian
cultures where there is skeletal and written evidence of periodontal
diseases. Ancient Indian and Chinese histories describe scurvy
and other periodontal conditions and advocate cleansing of
the teeth for health. On through the Greek and Roman civilizations,
through early European history, through the Renaissance and
into modern times, diseases of the periodontium were described
as well as remedies and preventions for these diseases.
One of the first documented clinical practices in the United
States, devoted to the practice of “oral prophylaxis”,
was established by Dr. Grace Rogers in Detroit, Michigan in
1904.
In 1914, Dr. Grace Rogers Spalding and Dr. Gillette Hayden,
another female practitioner of “oral prophylaxis”
in Columbus, Ohio, formed the organizing committee for what
would become the American Academy of Oral Prophylaxis and
Periodontology. In 1919, this organization became the American
Academy of Periodontology (AAP).
In 1948, upon recommendation by the AAP, the American Dental
Association recognized the American Board of Periodontology
as the official specialty board for periodontists and periodontics
as an official specialty. This was only the second such board
to be recognized by the ADA, Oral Surgery being the first.
The first independent full-fledged department of Periodontics
in an American dental school was created at the New York University
College of Dentistry in 1926 as the “Department of Periodontia”.
Graduate programs in periodontics started in the late 1940’s
at the University of Michigan, Columbia University and Tufts
University as two year training programs. Around 1990, the
explosion of knowledge in periodontics, implant dentistry,
conscious sedation, guided tissue regeneration and other innovations
made expansion of graduate programs to three years necessary.
In the early years of the Texas Dental College, there were
no departments, as the few faculty members often taught multiple
subjects. In 1941, departments emerged, with periodontics
being a part of Department II Preventive Dentistry. From 1943
– 1947, Groups were the organizational structure of
the College. Group 5 consisted of Preventive Medicine, Hygiene,
Orthodontics and Pedodontics. Group 6 consisted of Medicine,
Endodontics, Periodontics, and Diagnostic Radiology.
Around 1950, the Department of Medicine was formed at the
DB which included Endodontics and Periodontics, and the first
recorded Chair of that department was Dr. Martin Cattoni,
1952 – 1973. The department has gone through a series
of name changes since its beginning: Department of Medicine,
Department of Internal Medicine and Periodontia, Department
of Periodontics, Department of Stomatology (Endodontics, Periodontics,
Oral Pathology), Department of Endodontics and Periodontics,
and finally back to the Department of Periodontics that it
is today.
Department Chairs during this period:
Dr. Martin Cattoni 1952 – 1973 (established the
Postgraduate Program in
Periodontics in 1959)
Dr. Charles J. Mahan 1973 – 1988
Dr. Raul G. Caffesse 1988 – 1993 (Dr. Caffesse continued
to serve as
the Director of the Postgraduate Program in Periodontics
until 1995.)
Dr. John R. Ludington 1993 – 1996 (Stomatology)
Dr. J. Robert Newland 1996 – 1998 (Stomatology)
Dr. Gerald Glickman 1998 – 2001 (Stomatology)
Dr. John R. Ludington 2001 – 2004 (Endodontics and
Periodontics)
Dr. Peggy A. O’Neill 2004 – 2005 (Interim Chair,
Periodontics)
Dr. James A. Katancik 2005 – present (Periodontics)
Research in periodontics at the TDC/DB can be traced back
to the 1950’s when Dr. Sumter S. Arnim was a faculty
member and Director of Postgraduate Education. He perfected
and refined phase contrast microscopy and studied dental plaque
as the etiologic agent in dental caries and periodontal diseases.
He was a great advocate of prevention, and he preached and
publicized it to students and colleagues. In the 1970’s
and early 1980’s, Dr. George Rose, a physician and faculty
member in Periodontics, perfected tissue culture techniques
and studied the properties of cells of the periodontium, especially
fibroblasts. He gave us our basic knowledge of types of cells
and their behaviors in the healthy and diseased periodontium.
During that same era, research was conducted documenting the
effects of diabetes on periodontal diseases. In 1988, Dr.
Raul Caffesse established very active basic and clinical research
programs in guided tissue regeneration using barrier membranes,
first with soft tissues and then with bone. He established
implantology as an integral part of residency training. Research
in the department continues today with several faculty members
doing research in these and other areas.
Today in 2005, the Department of Periodontics has 5 full-time
faculty members, 4 who are periodontists; 9 part-time faculty
members, 8 who are periodontists and 2 of those who volunteer
their time in the department. Of 14 eligible faculty members,
9 are certified by the American Board of Periodontology and
are Diplomates of the American Academy of Periodontology.
The department also has one Administrative Services Officer
(shared with Endodontics), one Senior Staff Assistant, one
Support Specialist, 2 Dental Assistants, and one part-time
Dental Hygienist. The School of Dental Hygiene is also a part
of the department (see separate posting on this web site),
and new programs of collaboration are in progress. Faculty
members serve in administrative positions within the department,
on DB and Health Science Center committees, and as student
mentors. They teach, conduct research, publish, practice clinical
periodontics and serve as thesis advisers
Members of the Department teach 4 didactic courses to DDS
students and participate in 3 others. They teach clinical
periodontics to 2nd, 3rd and 4th year DDS students and provide
faculty assistance to the Dental Hygiene Program. The Postgraduate
Program was initiated in 1959 as a two year training program,
and became a three year program in 1990. Completion of the
program leads to certification in Periodontics and a Masters
of Science degree. The program accepts up to 4 residents per
year. Currently, there are 2 second year residents and 5 first
year residents who receive education in didactics as well
as training in diagnosis and in a variety of non-surgical
and surgical treatments of periodontal diseases. Implantology
is a part of the program, as well as research projects. The
residents obtain clinical experience in the DB clinics, area
hospitals, and at the Bering Dental Clinic for the treatment
of HIV/AIDS patients.
With the recognition and acceptance of periodontal diseases
as being intimately related to other systemic diseases, such
as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the future of research
and treatment in this area knows no boundaries, and the Department
of Periodontics at the DB will be an integral part of that
future.
Department
Photos
Revised 12/13/05
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