Jonathan Solomon Delivers Pre-doctoral Grand Rounds Presentation

On Wednesday, January 20, 2016, Jonathan Solomon DMD 16 delivered the second presentation in the 2015-2016 series of pre-doctoral Grand Rounds presentations in room G-301 of Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM).

Approximately 50 faculty, staff, residents, and students—including Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter—were in attendance for Mr. Solomon’s presentation, which was, like all pre-doctoral Grand Rounds presentations, about a treatment plan he devised for an extraordinary patient at his 10-week Externship rotation site. Mr. Solomon completed his Externship rotation at a community health center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

All pre-doctoral students in the second rotation of GSDM’s Externship program, which took place in the fall of 2015, presented their treatment plans to faculty in the Department of General Dentistry. Mr. Solomon’s presentation was selected to be the Grand Rounds presentation.

Professor in the Department of General Dentistry Dr. John Carl McManama moderated Mr. Solomon’s Grand Rounds presentation, which took place from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20, 2015.

The patient Mr. Solomon devised a treatment plan for was a male in his thirties who was a recovering drug addict. He had not been to the dentist in more than two years and showed poor oral hygiene—several extractions had been done, there was evidence of caries on all of his remaining teeth, and he showed moderate generalized gingivitis and acute apical periodontitis.

The patient had symptomatic Irreversible pulpitis with acute apical periodontitis on three teeth and caries on six teeth. Tooth number 13 had supererupted. These problems were determined by Mr. Solomon to be the result of the patient’s lack of regular dental visits, and poor personal oral hygiene.

Mr. Solomon explained during his presentation that he had several things to consider in devising a treatment plan: the patient had limited time for dental visits; the patient had a high caries risk assessment due to drug abuse, carbohydrate intake, and a decrease in salivary flow; the patient could potentially relapse; the patient had great compliance and showed up on time; and the patient demonstrated an eager willingness to make all necessary changes to his lifestyle.

Mr. Solomon’s recommended treatment plan for the patient involved pulpectomies on three teeth, but ultimately extractions of all remaining upper and lower teeth, leaving only teeth #’s 22 and 27 for which caries control was indicated; immediate upper dentures; a crown and composite on teeth #’s 22 and 27; a class one distal extension lower denture; and a three month recall to monitor home care and the vitality of the remaining teeth.

The accepted treatment plan devised was different than the recommended treatment plan, because the patient was adamant about keeping all of his remaining teeth. As opposed to a full mouth extraction and interim dentures, the accepted treatment plan involved root canals and crowns on three teeth, along with an implant and a partial upper and lower denture being fabricated.

After his presentation, a brief question and answer session took place in which the faculty, staff, residents, and students in attendance could ask Mr. Solomon questions about his presentation.

“I would like to congratulate Mr. Jonathan Solomon on a successful Externship rotation and a thorough pre-doctoral Grand Rounds presentation,” said Dean Hutter. “I look forward to the next pre-doctoral Grand Rounds presentation in the spring.”

Photos of Jonathan Solomon’s Grand Rounds presentation can be found on Facebook and Flickr.