OMFS/Dental Clinics Open at New UMC

On August 1, the new $1.1 billion University Medical Center (UMC) officially opened in the area bounded by Canal Street, South Galvez Street, South Roman Street and Tulane Avenue. The 2.3 million square-foot medical complex replaces the state-run Charity Hospital and the Interim LSU Hospital (ILH).

With a capacity for 446 beds, UMC New Orleans offers comprehensive primary and specialty care, cutting edge research, and the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center. As Louisiana’s largest teaching hospital and training facility for many of the state’s physicians, nurses, dentists, and allied health professionals, the new medical center partners with LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, Tulane University School of Medicine, and other academic institutions. LCMC Health is the private partner and operator of UMC New Orleans.

Dentistry, a key service at Charity and the ILH, has been available at the new medical center since mid-August. LSUHSC School of Dentistry residents in the General Practice Residency (GPR) and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) provide care in two clinics, where 17 chairs, three of which are sedation suites, are available for patients.

The GPR clinic, operated by the dental school, is staffed by two full-time faculty members, three part-time faculty members, one dental hygienist, and seven residents. Only medically complex patients who cannot be treated safely outside of a hospital setting are seen at this clinic. This includes patients with a history of myocardial infarction, stroke, late stage cancer, compromised immune systems, bleeding disorders, and other diseases. Residents also treat patients who have experienced dental/alveolar trauma, have special needs, or require sedation. The residents perform comprehensive dentistry, providing IV sedation and operating room dentistry when necessary.

(Back, l-r) Dr. Jackson, GPR director; Dean Gremillion; Drs. Neary, OMFS chair; Hernandez, GPR clinic director; Welch, OMFS director, Hastings and Eseonu, OMFS residents (Front) Dr. Primas, GPR resident; Ms. Boudreaux, RDH

Residents and staff in the OMFS clinic, operated by UMC, treat patients with head and neck trauma and perform traditional oral surgery as well as orthognathic, temporomandibular joint, craniofacial, and cleft surgery. Facial reconstruction following loss of normal facial form and to repair birth defects is another focus. Residents and staff also operate a cancer clinic twice a month and a sleep apnea clinic once a month.

The OMFS clinic includes three mini-operating rooms and six additional exam/treatment rooms. Five full-time faculty members as well as many part-time and gratis faculty members supervise residents.

Patients must be referred to either clinic by a dentist or physician. The GPR clinic can be contacted at 504-702-5126. Appointments with OMFS must be made through the centralized hospital outpatient clinic schedulers at 504-702-5700. The fax number for both departments is 504-702-3170. When referring patients, practitioners must specify in which of the two dental clinics they wish their patient to be seen.

The dental facilities are located in the Clinic Building, at 2001 Tulane Avenue, on the 3rd floor in Pod 3B. Clinic hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Residents Shine in Fall Grand Rounds

Twice a year, residents in the seven LSUSD advanced education programs meet together for presentations of interesting clinical cases. During the fall 2015 Advanced Education Grand Rounds, held on September 18, residents presented nine cases, each followed by questions from a resident panel. This year’s panel members were Drs. Conrad Johnson, endodontics; Mary Beth Fancher, pediatric dentistry; Laura Porras-Smith and Evan Santiago, periodontics; Kevin Vu, prosthodontics; Jeff Schott, general dentistry residency; and Justin Hastings, oral and maxillofacial surgery. We appreciate the generous support provided by LAMMICO.

Presenters, (Back, l-r) Drs. T. McMurphy, GPR; M. Epperson, Ortho; A. McMurphy, Pedo; M. Scott, Endo; J. Mason, Endo; R. Porras, Perio; T. Katsaros, Perio (Front) Drs. L. Panichkul, Prosth; A. Richardson, Pedo; Dr. Eric Hovland, director of advanced education; Dr. E. Prokopets, Perio; Jay Robichaux, LAMMICO; Drs. E. Lee, Ortho; M. Alvarez, Prosth