Dr. Schirmer was a speaker at a conference in Binghamton on October 18, 2010. The topic was the new HeadStart Dental Home Initiative project that is funded locally by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry , the New York State Dental Foundation, and the New York State Oral Health Coalition. He was joined by Project Directors Dr. Courtney Chin and Dr. Amr Moursi of the Departments of Pediatric Dentistry of Columbia and New York University Schools of Dentistry. The HeadStart Dental Home Initiative involves getting children who may not have access to a private dental practice an opportunity to have a dental home for ongoing care. Through the generosity of caring and concerned dentists in New York, these underserved children could be "adopted" into a private practice. Dr. Schirmer and his colleagues believe this is one of the cornerstones for improvement of oral health across New York State.
Dr. Schirmer partnered with Dr. Ellie Phillips presenting her ideas regarding the use of Xylitol at Oak Hill, Dundee,NY on Saturday, September 18, 2010. Xylitol and her products, Zellies incorporating Xylitol, are very effective in reducing oral bacteria that causes decay and gum disease. Dr. Schirmer uses these products to help patients reduce their exposure to cavities and gum disease.
www.zellies.com
Dr. Schirmer coordinated the Oral Health Track for the New York State Association for Rural Health Quality Conference in Geneva, NY on May 20th, 2010. He gathered experts from around the state to speak on methods to improve the delivery of oral health care in rural communities. He also made a presentation summarizing a recent study analyzing oral health trends in the 12 county Finger Lakes Region of NY. Other presenters included Dr. Jay Kumar of the NYS Department of Health, Dr. Mark Feldman, Executive Director of the NYS Dental Association, Ms. Laurie Turner RDH of the Rushville Health Center, Ms. Laura Leon, Executive Director of the NYS Dental Foundation, Dr. Michael Breault, President of the NYS Dental Association, and Dr. Steven Damelio, President of the 7th District Dental Society encompassing the Finger Lakes Region.