Currently,
the AIDS 2012, the
international HIV/AIDS conference, is running July 22 through 27 in Washington,
DC.
With
some exceptions, dentists were among the first providers to recognize some
of the physical manifestations of HIV/AIDS and come to the forefront of care
for these patients.
Take
for example, Dr. David Reznik, D.D.S., president of HIVDent, a nationally recognized Internet resource
for people with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Reznick also serves as the Dental Director of the
Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center and Director of the Oral Health
Center at Infectious Disease Program of Grady Health Systems in Atlanta,
Georgia.
Dr.
Reznick was inspired to create HIVDent after hearing from a patient that no one would see him because of his
AIDS diagnosis. Dr. Reznick immediately scheduled an appointment for him. After
hearing this patient’s story, and seeing the discrimination in the dental field
towards people with HIV/AIDS, Dr. Reznick was inspired to expand dental care to
these patients.
Sandy
Thurman, President Bill Clinton’s former AIDS czar, asked Dr. Resnik to take
patients with HIV/AIDS on a sliding scale, making available dental services for
this population at a lower cost. Dr. Reznick took on this initiative and
provided care free of charge, working around the clock to ensure that the
population was cared for.
In
1993, Dr. Reznick opened Ponce De Leon
Center,
the largest, most comprehensive dental clinic in Atlanta for advanced HIV/AIDS,
which continues to provide care today. Dr. Reznick’s work continues today. He
is constantly asking: How can I communicate oral health messages to people with
so much else going on in their life? How do I gain trust?
Dr.
Reznick and dentists like him brought this important issue to the
forefront of the national discussion. They are now providing rapid HIV testing
through saliva in dental practices to help ensure newly infected patients get
care in a timely way and assure that they are not denied
oral health care access.
As
Dr. Reznick says, “Knowledge is power and allows us to increase understanding
of those we serve. We can reach out, touch someone’s hand and make their world
a little better.”