Speaker: Fran Horning, BRDH, HIAOMT

Time: April 10 at 9:15 AM CST on Zoom

Title: Biological Approach to Oral–Systemic Therapy: Practical Integration for Clinical Practice

Synopsis:

This lecture presents a biologically informed approach to oral–systemic therapy that integrates microbial management with host-response modulation. Participants will explore the clinical relevance of germ–terrain duality, emphasizing how immune function, micronutrient status, and physiological regulation influence oral inflammation and disease expression. Designed for dentists and hygienists, this program provides practical strategies that can be implemented immediately, including salivary risk assessment, targeted biofilm management, and individualized home care. Additional focus is placed on recognizing patterns that may suggest micronutrient insufficiencies and compromised elimination pathways, within the appropriate scope of dental practice. Attendees will leave with a structured framework to enhance patient outcomes while supporting practice growth through elevated preventive and therapeutic services.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this lecture, participants will be able to:

• Explain the relationship between oral inflammation, host-response factors, and systemic health. 
• Describe how micronutrient status and physiological regulation may influence oral disease patterns.
• Implement biologically informed strategies to support patient outcomes and practice efficiency. 

Practical Applications:

1. Incorporate basic salivary risk assessment (pH, flow, buffering capacity) into routine appointments to support personalized, risk-based care.
2. Integrate host-supportive strategies into patient education, including discussion of nutrition, hydration, and factors that influence inflammatory regulation within scope of practice.
3. Identify clinical patterns that may suggest micronutrient insufficiency or impaired physiological elimination, and provide appropriate education or referral as indicated.

Method: Lecture

Cost: Included in the Virtual Spring Seminar 2026 ticket

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 149

Credit Hours: 1

Speaker Bio:

Fran is Associate Director of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM), where she also serves on the Board and is a Certified Biological Dental Hygienist. She is a Hygiene Committee member, mentor, and lecturer for the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. An international speaker, Fran provides lectures and hands-on training for both biological and traditional dental organizations nationwide. She previously led quality control and biological protocol implementation in a leading biological practice. Fran is a coach, trainer, and owner of Integrative Perio Solutions LLC and Hygiene Naturally, and an active member of IABDM, IAOMT, ADHA, and AAOSH.

Conflict of Interest:

International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM) I am the Associate Director of this Non-Profit

Speaker: Doug Thompson, DDS, FAAMM, ABAAHP

Time: April 10 @ 10:30 AM CST on Zoom

Title: Periodontal Misdiagnosis: It Could Cost You!

Synopsis:

With estimates as high as 65% or more of the population having periodontal disease and 95% of the population having an oral inflammatory condition needing attention, it has never been more important to make an accurate diagnosis. Failure to diagnose creates a missed opportunity to provide better health for your patients. Failure to diagnose also costs the practice treatment revenue and the joy involved in helping a patient achieve better health through improved oral care.

Providing periodontal care also allows us the opportunity to network with physicians since periodontal disease is a medical condition with a dental solution!

Learning Objectives:

• Outline the current opportunity to increase patient overall health through oral disease management. 
• Review the key concepts in clinical data gathering to arrive at an accurate periodontal diagnosis and to guide your hygiene team.
• Learn how salivary diagnostics can assist in patient education and provide insights to developing personalized treatment plans.
• Discover ways to collaborate with medical providers to enhance patient care.

Practical Applications:

• Apply comprehensive periodontal data collection methods (e.g., probing depths, bleeding indices, and risk assessments) to accurately diagnose oral inflammatory conditions and reduce the risk of misdiagnosis.
• Integrate salivary diagnostic testing into routine evaluations to educate patients on their oral-systemic health status and develop personalized, evidence-based treatment plans.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary healthcare providers to coordinate care for patients with periodontal disease, enhancing overall health outcomes and strengthening professional referral networks.

Method: Lecture

Cost: Included in the Virtual Spring Seminar 2026 ticket

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 490

Credit Hours: 1

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Thompson has over 44 years of experience with Dentistry. At age 17, he became a lab technician, and then, in 1996, he graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School. He now owns and operates his dental practice, Integrative Oral Medicine, at Maple and Lahser in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Dr. Thompson has completed hundreds of hours of continuing postgraduate education. He is Faculty at the Kois Center, a world-renowned teaching institute for dentists, in Seattle, Washington. There, he teaches about managing oral disease and the relationship to systemic disease.

In addition to his dental training, Dr. Thompson has a Fellowship in Anti-Aging Medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging, Regenerative and Functional Medicine. There he presents to physicians a program titled, “Periodontal Disease and the Heart: A Collaborative Opportunity.”

Dr. Thompson has several publications about the dentists’ role in detecting and
preventing many diseases that are related to oral disease. He has also authored two book chapters in Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine textbooks for physicians.

Dr. Thompson is active in our local community and enjoys his two children and four grandchildren when he teaches and visits the Seattle area.

Conflict of Interest:

Owner of Wellness Dentistry Network

Speaker: Patti DeMatteis, RDH, & David Wright, MD 

Time: April 10 @ 11:30 AM CST on Zoom

Title: Can a Medical Problem Have a Dental Solution?

Synopsis:

Coming Soon

Learning Objectives:

• Understand pathophysiology of atherosclerosis
• Discuss causative role of perio-pathogens, endodontic disease and sleep-disordered breathing
• Discuss essential role of the dental team in arterial healing

Practical Applications:

Coming Soon

Method: Lecture

Cost: Included in the Virtual Spring Seminar 2026 ticket

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 490

Credit Hours: 1

Speakers Bio:

Patti DeMatteis, RDH:

Patti DeMatteis earned her Dental Hygiene degree from Western Kentucky University in 1972. Following twenty-five years as a periodontal therapist, she founded Dental Hygiene Excellence in 1997. For over two decades, she trained numerous dental teams to transition from traditional care to a complete oral-systemic health model. Patti is a founding member and serves as a board member of the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health and is a Preceptor for the BaleDoneen Method. Her previous roles include Patient Liaison at the Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention Center of Central Ohio, host of the "Ask Why Medicine" podcast, and Co-Clinical Director for the Integrative Dental Medicine Scholar Society.

Currently serving as the Dental Liaison for Renew Health, Patti focuses on creating collaborative medical-dental partnerships to achieve optimal patient outcomes. She helps patients locate oral-systemic dental teams who can assist the Renew Health medical team in reducing patients' risks for heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and dementia, while guiding medical and dental colleagues toward more effective collaboration.

Patti resides in Dublin, Ohio, with her husband, Butch, her extended family, and her dachshund, Bella. She is also a proud member of the "hole-in-one" club.

David Wright, MD: 

For more than 30 years, Dr. David Wright has delivered tangible results to thousands of patients through the delivery of a progressively refined, science-based, practical approach to the prevention of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. The Memphis Business Journal recognized this work in his traditional internal medicine practice by choosing him as a finalist for their 2012 Health Care Hero Award.

His career-long passion for teaching medical students and residents now focuses on helping his peers understand and apply the ever-changing science of prevention in a real-world setting. He has been a speaker on the science of cardiometabolic prevention since 2011 for the Bale Doneen Method, Quest, and Cleveland HeartLab.

In 2017 he opened Premier Prevention Memphis, a concierge practice, where he personally guides patients making transformative changes by applying his experience and the latest science to create effective patient engagement strategies. His patients come from throughout the United States and Latin America.

In September 2020 he co-founded and launched My Health Plan One, Inc. a SaaS company which developed an app to facilitate self-managed care focused on reducing the risk and burden of cardio-metabolic diseases including heart attack, stroke, pre-diabetes, diabetes, and most causes of dementia. It will guide consumers in choosing appropriate, yet underutilized lab testing validated by research; explaining results in layman’s terms as they relate to health risk; suggesting an action plan including lifestyle, evidence-based supplements, and topics to discuss with their health care provider.

In 2023 he launched Renew Health which will deliver advanced prevention care through a telemedicine platform to all 50 states. Renew Health will leverage technology to provide asynchronous health creation touchpoints combined with virtual provider visits. This growing army of providers and educators will provide care to the majority of Americans who do not have a trained provider in their area.

Conflict of Interest:

Dr. Wright: Renew Health co-founder, CMO and Practitioner

Speaker: Kathleen Carson, DDS

Time: April 10 @ 1:15 PM CST on Zoom

Title: The Mouth Is Talking—Are We Listening? Reclaiming Its Role in Systemic Health and Practice Growth

Synopsis:

As chronic inflammatory conditions continue to rise, patients are navigating increasingly fragmented healthcare systems—often without clear answers or resolution. Dentistry is uniquely positioned to identify early contributors to systemic dysfunction, yet clinical care is frequently limited to procedure-based models rather than integrated, root-cause-focused healthcare.

This lecture challenges traditional dental paradigms and introduces a practical oral-systemic framework for evaluating contributors originating in the oral environment, including microbial, inflammatory, airway, functional, and salivary factors. Rather than focusing on diagnostics alone, this presentation emphasizes clinical thinking, pattern recognition, and patient communication that bridges oral findings with systemic health outcomes.

Designed primarily for dental professionals, with relevance to medical and allied healthcare providers, this session highlights how interdisciplinary collaboration can improve patient outcomes while enhancing case acceptance, patient retention, and overall practice growth. Through case-based insights and real-world implementation strategies, attendees will gain a clear, actionable model for integrating oral-systemic care into everyday practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize key oral-systemic contributors—including microbial, inflammatory, airway, functional, and salivary factors—that influence chronic disease and systemic health.
• Apply patient-centered communication strategies that effectively connect oral findings to systemic symptoms, improving understanding and case acceptance.
• Understand how to implement interdisciplinary collaboration to support comprehensive patient care and sustainable practice growth.

Practical Applications:

• Integrate an oral-systemic perspective into routine evaluations, identifying patterns related to inflammation, airway dysfunction, and systemic health concerns.
• Establish and strengthen collaborative referral networks with physicians, myofunctional therapists, physical therapists, and sleep providers to support comprehensive care.
• Utilize clear, patient-centered language and visual explanations to improve case acceptance, treatment adherence, and long-term patient engagement.

Method: Lecture

Cost: Included in the Virtual Spring Seminar 2026 ticket

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 149

Credit Hours: 1

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Kathleen Carson is an airway-centric and oral-systemic dentist, educator, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in integrative, patient-centered care. She is the creator of the Oral Vitality Program (trademark pending) and a leader in advancing collaborative approaches to breathing, sleep, and oral-systemic health. A Diplomate of the American Sleep and Breathing Academy and Fellow of the International Association of Physiologic Aesthetics and the Buteyko Breathing & Integrative Breathing Foundations, Dr. Carson integrates advanced training in physiologic aesthetics, dental sleep medicine, TMJ therapy, myofunctional therapy, and breathing science. She is the co-developer of a patent-pending cannabinoid-based nasal inhaler designed to improve nasal airflow and sleep quality. As a national speaker, she educates dental professionals on airway dentistry, oral-systemic connections, and the safe, evidence-based use of cannabinoids in care. Dr. Carson maintains a private practice in Agoura Hills, CA, providing innovative dental care focused on airway health and overall wellness.

Conflict of Interest:

N/A

Speaker:  Violet Crabb, MSc-DML, CAE 

Time: April 10 @ 2:10 PM CST on Zoom

Title: Shining Light Into Darkness: Trauma-Informed Recognition of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse 

Synopsis:

Domestic violence and child abuse frequently present with clinical indicators in the head, neck, and oral cavity, placing dental and medical professionals in a critical position to recognize early warning signs. Because victims often cannot safely disclose abuse during initial encounters—or control when their experiences can be shared—trauma-informed clinical strategies are essential for safe identification and response.

This course provides practical guidance for recognizing behavioral and physical indicators of abuse, applying trauma-informed communication techniques, documenting findings appropriately, and fulfilling mandated reporting responsibilities. Participants will learn how to offer discreet referral resources that protect patient safety and how to support patients across multiple visits when disclosure does not occur immediately. Emphasis is also placed on understanding the interconnected nature of family violence, including the frequent co-occurrence of caregiver and child victimization.

By strengthening clinicians’ ability to recognize risk patterns, respond appropriately, and build trust with vulnerable patients, this course supports the success of the oral-systemic practice by reinforcing the dental team’s role as a critical point of prevention, early intervention, and interdisciplinary coordination within whole-person healthcare.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify clinical, behavioral, and orofacial indicators associated with domestic violence and child abuse that may be observed during routine dental and medical examinations.
• Recognize patterns of injury and patient presentation involving the head, neck, and oral cavity that may suggest possible interpersonal violence across the lifespan.
• Apply trauma-informed communication strategies to safely screen patients and support individuals who may not initially disclose abuse.
• Describe mandated reporting responsibilities and documentation best practices appropriate for healthcare providers when abuse is suspected.
• Implement discreet referral strategies and interdisciplinary response approaches that support patient safety, including recognition of caregiver co-victimization and the need for persistence across multiple clinical encounters.

Practical Applications:

• Apply trauma-informed screening techniques during routine clinical encounters to identify behavioral and orofacial indicators of domestic violence and child abuse in patients across the lifespan.
• Analyze patterns of head, neck, and oral injuries alongside patient presentation to distinguish potential signs of interpersonal violence and guide appropriate clinical response.
• Implement mandated reporting protocols and document findings accurately while coordinating discreet referrals and interdisciplinary support to enhance patient safety and continuity of care.

Method: Lecture

Cost: Included in the Virtual Spring Seminar 2026 ticket

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 156

Credit Hours: 1

Speaker Bio:

Violet Crabb, MSc-DML, is Executive Director of the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health and brings more than 20 years of experience spanning healthcare information technology, education marketing, association leadership, and national continuing education program development. A recognized leader in healthcare marketing and tradeshow planning, design, and implementation, she designs initiatives that strengthen collaboration between healthcare professionals and improve patient-centered outcomes.

In addition to her professional leadership in oral–systemic education, Violet speaks from lived experience as a survivor of long-term domestic violence. This perspective informs her trauma-informed approach to helping clinicians recognize, respond to, and support patients experiencing abuse. She is deeply committed to equipping healthcare providers with practical strategies that improve early identification and safe intervention, particularly within dental settings where head and neck injuries are frequently first observed. Her work emphasizes that clinicians are often the first—and sometimes only—point of safety for vulnerable patients and children.

Violet leads the planning and execution of national and regional continuing education conferences and interdisciplinary training programs for AAOSH. She is a sought-after speaker and consultant on association education strategy, sponsor engagement, and integrated healthcare programming, having presented at trade shows on event planning, marketing, and population health management.

Raised in rural Appalachia as a first-generation college student, Violet’s work is grounded in a lifelong commitment to access, advocacy, and health equity. She is a recipient of the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award for Humanitarianism and continues to champion the role of healthcare professionals as compassionate advocates for patients who may not yet have a voice.

Conflict of Interest:

Executive Director, American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH)

Speakers:

Time: April 10 @ 3:40 PM on Zoom

Questions to the Panel:

Coming Soon

Method: Lecture

Cost: Included in the Virtual Spring Seminar 2026 ticket

Location: Online (Zoom)

AGD Course Code: 

Credit Hours: 1