The Reason Why a Patient Reports Brushing Every day and still has Cavities… Dr Alexandre Vieira

Description

Dental caries is the most common bacteria-mediated disease in the world despite being highly preventable. While studies of environmental risk factors have dominated the research effort on cariology, the past decade has demonstrated a growing interest in the factors that are genetically controlled that directly affect the host. The dental enamel, saliva and immune responses and individual behaviours are such factors.

Learning Outcomes
• Explain a complex mode of inheritance
• Name biological mechanisms that underlie individual susceptibility to dental caries
• Relate embryological events to caries susceptibility
• Recognise behavior as a biologically driven trait T160

Dr Alexandre Vieira
Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Alexandre attended the University of Iowa for almost six years for a post-doctoral training in human molecular genetics. Trained in special needs patients, pediatric dentistry and genetics, Alexandre is one of the most recognised names in the field and has received the Distinguished Scientist in Dental Caries Award from the International Association for Dental Research (the highest honour of the organisation) for his pioneer work on individual genetic susceptibility to dental caries. Alexandre has been well published, including a paper that is the most cited per year in the cleft lip and palate field. This paper defined the term “private mutations,” which is now widely used by scientists around the world.